BEARGER

RST Statement on Ashley Court Action Today we have seen the absurd spectacle of Mike Ashley taking our club to court to stop the Rangers board from informing shareholders and fans about details of the Sports Direct contracts. This despite the fact that the board had already publicly stated they would not break those confidentiality agreements. At the same time Mr Ashley demands clarity from the board at an EGM called by him. It seems that Mr Ashley’s hypocrisy is matched only by his avarice. In his panic to stop Rangers fans from knowing definitively about his questionable dealings with our club, Mr Ashley has done them a valuable service. There can now be absolutely no doubt that the Sports Direct contracts with Rangers are of benefit to one party and one party only. We call on the hundreds of thousands of Rangers fans who have already stopped purchasing official merchandise to continue to abstain from an arrangement which benefits only Mr Ashley. We also ask them to spread the word to their friends and family and those remaining few who may as yet not be aware of the disgraceful retail arrangements which are holding our club to ransom. Figures published many months ago showed that Rangers received only 70p per £10 spent on merchandise by fans. In the last accounts reported the club received nothing from the retail agreement with Sports Direct. We also now have confirmation from the court that new contracts and undertakings were put in place by Mr Ashley’s lieutenants in the days leading up the last EGM whilst they were acting as directors of Rangers Football Club PLC. Mr Ashley, with his call for an EGM and the cost of today’s hearing has, by conservative estimate, cost the club the wages of a first team player for 6 months. The judge in the latest case called the expenses claim by SD “shocking”. Mr Ashley must think the Rangers support are suffering from some sort of mass delusion if he expects us to buy merchandise despite his continuing attacks on our club. Our message is simple. Unless the current contracts with Sports Direct are negotiated to the satisfaction of the Rangers board, and that satisfaction is clearly communicated to fans, then we urge Rangers fans not to buy any official merchandise from club shops, Sports Direct or any other outlet. Purchasing from other shops does not solve the problem. In addition to this we will be publishing and maintaining a full list of the companies owned by Mr Ashley or in which he has an interest. We would request that fans spread the word to their friends and family and ask them to boycott these stores and brands also. Quite apart from Mr Ashley’s questionable business practices he is bleeding the club you love dry and taking money from it that could be spent getting Rangers back where we belong. The only thing Mr Ashley understands is money. Take action and let’s make sure that in the near future both players and fans can wear the Rangers jersey with pride again, knowing that it is a true symbol of our club and not a testament to one man’s greed. - See more at: http://www.therst.co.uk/news/rst-statement-on-ashley-court-action/#sthash.IORNiDOu.dpuf

Are you a RST member? If yes why not go onto RST site members area and ask away.

http://www.therst.co.uk/news/rst-response-to-mike-ashley/ RST Response to Mike Ashley The Rangers Supporters Trust notes the statement by MASH today and, given that Sports Directs and MASH have felt the need to attempt to justify their untenable position with regard to Rangers Football Club, we felt it would be appropriate to respond in similar detail. First of all we would like to announce that our members have voted overwhelmingly ahead of the upcoming GM to support the Rangers board recommendations on the resolutions put forward. We will be voting against the MASH Resolution 1 and for the Rangers board Resolution 2. MASH has laid out its concerns about the delisting from AIM. They seem to be ignoring documented fact and attempting to insinuate that the loss of the listing was down the incoming board rather than the previous board, effectively controlled by MASH, which had mismanaged the club over the preceding months. Mr Llambias and Mr Leach, lieutenants of Mr Ashley and appointed by him, as well the Easdale brothers, Mr Ashley’s shareholder allies, managed the club with disgraceful disregard for its fans, staff and well-being over a period of many months. Simply put they ran it into the ground. They ignored concerns of their customers and shareholders and at times deliberately antagonised them. If MASH was concerned about the AIM listing then they should have chosen their boardroom placemen more carefully and ensured they ran the company with proper levels of corporate governance and not simply for the benefit of Mr Ashley. In short, Mr Ashley may well know how to make money for himself at any cost but as can be seen at both Rangers and Newcastle he doesn’t have a clue how to run a football club properly. On the retail side we note Mr Ashley’s points and would make several of our own. 1) Rangers has historically had one of the most profitable merchandise brands in UK football. This was the case up to and including the JJB deal prior to Mr Ashley’s involvement. 2) At no point in the past 20 years has Rangers made as little money from merchandise as they have since Mr Ashley became involved. 3) Sports Direct claim to be experts in retail and indeed they are. They are experts at making money for Mr Ashley however, not his “business partners”. 4) Mr Ashley talks about a “far reaching distribution network”. Ask Rangers fans abroad how that network is working for them as they ask friends and family to post strips to them. 5) Mr Ashley may have a profitable business but it is one that specialises in low price goods. Sports Direct does not have a clue how to grow, market and improve a premium sports brand like Rangers and frankly shows no interest in doing so. In fact, Sports Direct have hugely damaged the Rangers brand through Mr Ashley and his associates antagonistic attitude to fans. 6) If Rangers were to repay Mr Ashley’s loan, recover all securities and revert to the previous Rangers Retail split they would still be the victims of the contracts put in place by Mr Ashley’s lieutenants and would continue to make a pittance whilst Mr Ashley enjoys virtually free stadium advertising and Sports Direct make money at every stage of the retail process. Mr Ashley talks of being a “supportive business partner” yet has called a spurious General Meeting to vote on a resolution that he knows has no binding effect and which will be defeated. He is costing the club more money having already secured assistance from previous board members to hand him ridiculous merchandise deals, virtually free stadium naming, virtually free advertising space at Ibrox and the granting of security over club assets when much more favourable loan arrangements were on offer. Repaying the loan and “equalising profit arrangements” as Mr Ashley disingenuously puts it, does not solve the underlying problem that the contracts he has entered into are solely for the benefit of Sports Direct. It is our position that, unless Mr Ashley renegotiates the current contracts he holds with Rangers Football Club, on terms which are vastly more profitable to the club, then Rangers fans should not purchase any official merchandise. We would also suggest that they should boycott all brands and companies that Mr Ashley is involved with. Mr Ashley’s business practices have been the source of much public debate recently and we fully expect that to continue. Rangers Football Club has suffered as much as any company at the hands of Mr Ashley and his greed at all costs mentality. We will continue to liaise with any interested party to expose exactly how Mr Ashley conducts himself and look forward to making further progress in that regard in the very near future. Share with your network - See more at: http://www.therst.co.uk/news/rst-response-to-mike-ashley/#sthash.gYcEeE0n.dpuf

RST Response to Mike Ashley The Rangers Supporters Trust notes the statement by MASH today and, given that Sports Directs and MASH have felt the need to attempt to justify their untenable position with regard to Rangers Football Club, we felt it would be appropriate to respond in similar detail. First of all we would like to announce that our members have voted overwhelmingly ahead of the upcoming GM to support the Rangers board recommendations on the resolutions put forward. We will be voting against the MASH Resolution 1 and for the Rangers board Resolution 2. MASH has laid out its concerns about the delisting from AIM. They seem to be ignoring documented fact and attempting to insinuate that the loss of the listing was down the incoming board rather than the previous board, effectively controlled by MASH, which had mismanaged the club over the preceding months. Mr Llambias and Mr Leach, lieutenants of Mr Ashley and appointed by him, as well the Easdale brothers, Mr Ashley’s shareholder allies, managed the club with disgraceful disregard for its fans, staff and well-being over a period of many months. Simply put they ran it into the ground. They ignored concerns of their customers and shareholders and at times deliberately antagonised them. If MASH was concerned about the AIM listing then they should have chosen their boardroom placemen more carefully and ensured they ran the company with proper levels of corporate governance and not simply for the benefit of Mr Ashley. In short, Mr Ashley may well know how to make money for himself at any cost but as can be seen at both Rangers and Newcastle he doesn’t have a clue how to run a football club properly. On the retail side we note Mr Ashley’s points and would make several of our own. 1) Rangers has historically had one of the most profitable merchandise brands in UK football. This was the case up to and including the JJB deal prior to Mr Ashley’s involvement. 2) At no point in the past 20 years has Rangers made as little money from merchandise as they have since Mr Ashley became involved. 3) Sports Direct claim to be experts in retail and indeed they are. They are experts at making money for Mr Ashley however, not his “business partners”. 4) Mr Ashley talks about a “far reaching distribution network”. Ask Rangers fans abroad how that network is working for them as they ask friends and family to post strips to them. 5) Mr Ashley may have a profitable business but it is one that specialises in low price goods. Sports Direct does not have a clue how to grow, market and improve a premium sports brand like Rangers and frankly shows no interest in doing so. In fact, Sports Direct have hugely damaged the Rangers brand through Mr Ashley and his associates antagonistic attitude to fans. 6) If Rangers were to repay Mr Ashley’s loan, recover all securities and revert to the previous Rangers Retail split they would still be the victims of the contracts put in place by Mr Ashley’s lieutenants and would continue to make a pittance whilst Mr Ashley enjoys virtually free stadium advertising and Sports Direct make money at every stage of the retail process. Mr Ashley talks of being a “supportive business partner” yet has called a spurious General Meeting to vote on a resolution that he knows has no binding effect and which will be defeated. He is costing the club more money having already secured assistance from previous board members to hand him ridiculous merchandise deals, virtually free stadium naming, virtually free advertising space at Ibrox and the granting of security over club assets when much more favourable loan arrangements were on offer. Repaying the loan and “equalising profit arrangements” as Mr Ashley disingenuously puts it, does not solve the underlying problem that the contracts he has entered into are solely for the benefit of Sports Direct. It is our position that, unless Mr Ashley renegotiates the current contracts he holds with Rangers Football Club, on terms which are vastly more profitable to the club, then Rangers fans should not purchase any official merchandise. We would also suggest that they should boycott all brands and companies that Mr Ashley is involved with. Mr Ashley’s business practices have been the source of much public debate recently and we fully expect that to continue. Rangers Football Club has suffered as much as any company at the hands of Mr Ashley and his greed at all costs mentality. We will continue to liaise with any interested party to expose exactly how Mr Ashley conducts himself and look forward to making further progress in that regard in the very near future. Share with your network - See more at: http://www.therst.co.uk/news/rst-response-to-mike-ashley/#sthash.gYcEeE0n.dpuf

Edmiston Drive!! I had almost forgot about my old opponent and you two remind me of him:swear:

DK stated that he had not interviewed any of the managerial contenders but said there would be no announcement this week. Yet another director who is involved in the selection said it would be this week. They need to talk to,each other.

Will someone from MASH be present to give their point of view? Or will this just be a ten minute meeting.

Double post

Paul Le Guen !!!

Warburton took a dislike to the methods of McLintock's successor at Leicester, Jock Wallace,[5] later saying "he was a Marine. We had runs on sand-dunes, running until we threw up. I learned a lot from that, never treating a player that way". From Wikipedia, some very interesting its - if accurate. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Warburton

RANGERS Football Club will co-operate fully with investigations following the disgraceful scenes at the Motherwell game yesterday. Bilel Mohsni’s behaviour was completely unacceptable and had his contract not now expired, the Club would have started disciplinary proceedings. The Club will also assist with any investigation into the behaviour of Motherwell supporters and we would like to thank the Rangers fans who were excellent in showing admirable restraint despite severe provocation. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/9414-club-statement

He was a failure at Bradford and Motherwell. He made tactical mistakes and stupid substitutions in his short time with us.

McCall wants to stay !!! What is it with these management failures that they just cannot accept that they just don't have it? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32953667 Rangers: Stuart McCall wants to lead Ibrox club next season Stuart McCall wants to stay as Rangers manager following a 6-1 aggregate defeat by former club Motherwell in the Premiership play-off final. The 50-year-old took over from Kenny McDowall in March on a contract until the end of the campaign. "It's been tougher than probably most people could have imagined," he told BBC Scotland. "To keep everyone together and galvanise everyone, I think we've done a decent job." Two defeat by the Fir Park club - who McCall left in November - has consigned Rangers to a second season in the Championship. Rangers were chasing a two-goal deficit after Thursday's 3-1 first-leg loss at Ibrox, but second-half strikes from Marvin Johnson, Lionel Ainsworth and John Sutton gave Motherwell another comfortable win on Sunday. "Motherwell were the better team over the two legs without a doubt, but three of the goals are deflections and sometimes you need a bit of lady luck," said McCall. "If we'd got the first goal with a deflection it'd have been a completely different game. "We wanted to take it into the last 20-30 minutes, but the first goal kills us." Rangers reached the play-off final after finishing third in the Championship Rangers reached the play-off final after finishing third in the Championship The Rangers board now have to decide whether to keep McCall, who has won seven and drawn six of his 17 games in charge. "I would say my three strengths as a manager are recruiting, improving people and getting the best out of them," added McCall, who won six titles as a player at Ibrox. "That's what Rangers will need next season, whoever the manager is, and it's a fantastic opportunity for anyone. "The recruitment's going to be key. My record will show that I can recruit players and improve them and my past record will show that I can get the best out of people. "The club can do a Hearts [who romped to the Championship title] next season, with the right recruitment and the right coaching. "Twelve months today, Rangers can be back in the top flight. I've no doubt about that."

King and Co have had a few months to make plans for every scenario, if not they are not businessmen. I think things will move very quickly now, they better.

What goes through McCoists head when he watches this? If of course he does watch it. I have lost all respect for him as a person, just another parasite taking as much as he can from the club.

Having said that I'm the guy who knocked back a seat in directors box on helicopter Sunday because I would need to go through by bus and train.

I'll have a pint of what you're drinking.

I get your point but the 2nd half of the season when he left was very poor to say the least. Also as has been said in the big games poor as well.

I remember reading two of these daft Q&A interviews that newspapers do from time to time. One was Darren Fletcher of Man. Utd. The other by a Rangers player(cannae mind who). When asked who was the poorest at training they had come across both replied Kris Boyd.

Merson is a drunk and a junky, he is also not the brightest.

The ones throwing stuff onto pitch are morons, not everyone. Thanks for the character reference.

As title. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/9324 THE CLUB can tonight confirm that John Greig has been named as Honorary Life President of Rangers. During his 18 years as a player, Greig was a massive figure at Ibrox and was recognised as such when the support named him the club's Greatest Ever Player. He was an inspirational captain who lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Moscow Dynamo 3-2 in the Final in 1972 and played in three Treble winning sides. His honours with Rangers include five Championships, six Scottish Cups and four League Cups. He also captained his country and won 44 caps. Greig speaking from the Rangers Trophy Room inside Ibrox said: "It's a tremendous honour and one that I am very proud of. "When I think back to the many great people who have passed through this club over the years and if this was available in their time, they would have also been very strong candidates. "I am very humbled by the appointment." Rangers Chairman Dave King said: “We are absolutely delighted that John has agreed to accept this position. He epitomises what this club should always be about. “I think it's very important that he is seen. Certainly in my view, he represents the history of the club and he represents the value system that I think we all want to take the club back to. "I see that as the more iconic and symbolic status of having John Greig and having someone who represents the fullness and the richness of the Rangers experience.” Greig, a skilful and versatile player who turned in top performances at full back, wing half and inside forward during his career, experienced the glittering prizes early in life. But he has also known the lean years. When times were difficult and Celtic were enjoying success under Jock Stein, Greig saw it through. As captain of Scotland he was a target for top English clubs, but Greig stayed with Rangers. That loyalty and his strength of character meant that he, more than anyone, came to embody the spirit of Rangers. He commanded enormous respect for his playing ability and for his passionate will to win, qualities close to the hearts of the supporters. Following his playing career, Greg was appointed as manager of the Club in 1978 replacing Jock Wallace. He went desperately close to winning the Treble in his first season. Rangers won the Cup, beating Hibernian 3-2 at the third attempt, and the League Cup 2-1 against Aberdeen. But when leading the table they lost 4-2 at Celtic and the chance of the League was gone. Rangers had also enjoyed a good run in the European Cup, beating Juventus and PSV Eindhoven before going down 2-1 on aggregate to Cologne in the quarter-finals. Rangers were to win another Cup and League Cup under Greig, but the team were unable to make an impression in the championship. He resigned in October 1983 and was replaced by previous manager Jock Wallace. Greig, who received the MBE for his services to football, had been one of the most important and influential personalities in the history of the club and in 1990 he returned to Ibrox as public relations officer. Following the arrival of Dick Advocaat, Greig worked closely with the Dutchman as virtually part of the coaching staff. Alex McLeish also utilised Greig's experience in his early months and the legendary figure was also subsequently a member of the board at the club. Greig took some time away from coming to matches at Ibrox until after the EGM and the change of regime in March of this year.

Ah!! Hence his retort, oh dear.

Try and get a seat in Broomie front for next home game and have a look yourself.

The morons throwing the rolled up cardboard think they are the main thing at Ibrox. Most of these guys don't even watch the game, too busy watching the Capo who tells them which song to sing next.