Steve1872

Newcastle supremo Mike Ashley is in talks to buy a chunk of fallen Scottish giants Rangers. Ashley is keen to pump around £2million into the Glasgow outfit and become one of their major investors and shareholders. The sportswear magnate is looking at the project as a personal mission, rather than spending the Toon's money on Rangers, who are starting a new life in Scotland's fourth division following administration and then liquidation over massive unpaid taxes. Gers chief Charles Green is seeking backers to help meet short-term costs after committing to a takeover and picking up bills left behind by the previous regime - and Ashley is a perfect fit. After all, Ashley took on Newcastle when the club was deeply in debt and turned it round. The vast potential for breathing new life into Rangers next appeals to him, according to close associates. The Newcastle owner could, of course, make a killing if Rangers - who were watched by 38,000 against East Fife in their first home match of the season on Tuesday - return to the top of the Scottish game in several years' time. In the meantime, the shrewd tycoon would be able to make money from shirt sales and in other commercial areas.

@DEVILSADVOKAT Newcastle breweries hasnt exosted since the 60's Expand Reply Retweet Favorite 11hGIOVANNI DI STEFANO‏@DEVILSADVOKAT @dl2068 they are proprietors on title them abd their successors

RANGERS then, Rangers now, Rangers forever. Six simple words which currently roar across the Copland Stand and make it very clear and easy for people to understand. When the club’s official Twitter account issued a message late yesterday afternoon saying there had been an alteration within Ibrox, it sparked much speculation about what it could be. As fans poured into the ground and took in the image above, it’s fair to say it hit the spot and now the hope is it gets the message across to others who seemingly refuse to believe it. If the last six months have shown us anything, it is how agenda-driven the opinions of some of those involved in Scottish football are. That’s stating the obvious to an extent, of course, but the way many have put their thoughts across has still been eye-opening at times. On one hand you’ve had Light Blues supporters preaching to anyone who will listen that their club remains the same one which has won a world record 115 major honours. On the other, there have been several bashing Gers with whatever proverbial stick they can find and maintaining they will effectively die when the old company is liquidated. The reasons for each argument have been obvious. Rangers fans want the club to retain its glorious history and keep adding to it while followers of others lust for it to be ripped away. It’s a sad reflection of where we are in this day and age that the country’s most successful sporting institution has so many desperate to bring it to its knees in times of strife. We never saw such venom in England when the likes of Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Rotherham United and Bournemouth hit financial difficulties. Instead, people wanted to help. Factually, it’s the Rangers supporters who are correct in the debate over whether it is a new club or not. It’s not, even if it is owned by a new company. That was confirmed when the Light Blues’ assets – the stadium, training ground, car park, staff and players - were transferred from the old business in June. Also moving from one to the other was Gers’ history, thus ensuring it continues seamlessly under the latest parent firm and doesn’t grind to an abrupt halt. The SFA’s granting of a transfer of membership to the new company – rather than the issuing of a new one entirely – highlights too that the club itself carries on as before. With all of that in mind, it was most disappointing to see yesterday’s Reporting Scotland sport bulletin claim it was a ‘New Rangers’ playing for the very first time at Ibrox. It was a surprise too, given BBC Scotland’s policy is to keep referring to the team purely as ‘Rangers’ in all of its reporting. That comes from their director Ken McQuarrie himself, who recognises a continuation of the club formed in 1872 and differentiates between that and past and present parent companies. As a journalist, I’ve never been one to buy into the view taken by certain parties that the media is out to ‘get’ Rangers. For me, that’s just not true. What I believe to be fair, however, is to claim some have allowed misinformation to evolve into ‘facts’, thus the constant repetition of the ‘new club’ phrase. Claims and counter-claims have led to such confusion and that’s understandable but now that we are where we are, we should all be on the same page going forward. I hope so anyway. The rousing 4-0 victory against East Fife may very well have kicked off a new era at Ibrox but nothing more than that. Last night’s wonderful, vociferous support of 38,160 – mostly Gers fans - will agree. They were there to cheer on the side they’ve always backed, not a new entity yet to win something. Nowadays, in corporate terms at least, the team you all know and love is called The Rangers Football Club thanks to its parent company’s recent name change from Sevco Scotland Ltd. On a day-to-day basis, and especially when it plays, it is known simply as Rangers, just as Heart of Midlothian plc is known as Hearts, should you require an alternative example. The team still plays at the home it has occupied for more than 110 years with Ally McCoist carrying on as manager like he has done for the last 13 months or so. It has the same club crest and even the same strip as the one worn in last season’s friendly at Linfield, when Rangers Football Club was owned by The Rangers Football Club plc. Plain and simple, it is the same club. I recently posted a response on an internet forum which was debating the situation regarding the new company and whether it was a new club or not to provide clarification. Using an analogy I sadly can’t claim as my own, I said a Kit Kat was still a Kit Kat when Rowntree’s was bought over by Nestle and production of the chocolate bar continued. It used the same ingredients and tasted exactly the same, thus nobody talked of it as a new product. In effect, the same thought process applies to the Rangers case. I still enjoy Kit Kats the way I did when I first tasted one as a child and they were made by Rowntree’s. In the months ahead, you’ll still enjoy supporting Rangers as you always have done too. Then. Now. Forever. LEARN MORE ABOUT RANGERS' PROUD 140-YEAR HISTORY BY CLICKING HERE NOW! http://www.rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/headlines/item/1684-then-now-forever fantastic photo

GIOVANNI DI STEFANO‏@DEVILSADVOKAT Ibrox is owned by Rangers Football club plc and Newcastle Breweries Plc since 1 June 1990 leased to Newcastle Breweries till 15 May 2015

dont worry!!!!!

[video=youtube;bW7a-_QSQf4]

Andrew Dickson‏@rfc_dickson 6. Split of the gate - pretty sure there's not one in the League Cup. There is in Scot Cup, think that's the only comp it happens in though

John DC Gow‏@JohnDCGow For those who missed it - the noise when the Rangers entered the Stadium: http://soundcloud.com/johndcgow/rangers-intro-07-aug-12

The RFFF met with Rangers Chief Executive Charles Green on Monday afternoon and forcefully put forward supporter's concerns regarding the ongoing SPL investigation into the club's affairs. Mr Green stated that the club had specifically retained the right to protect itself so that any action would be defended vigorously and with all resoruces of the club. The integrity of the club will be robustl y defended by all means necessary. The RFFF expressed supporters concerns that the vindictive vendetta against the club, often motivated by non-footballing factors, must be exposed. Additionally, Mr Green was urged to ensure that the club's legal representatives tackled the glaringly obvious issues of transparency, prejudical statements made by football figures and conflicts of interest which have been allowed to overshadow reality. Mr Green said that he was fully aware of the concerns of fans and that he and the Board of the club were committed to defend the reputation of the club to the fullest extent possible.

RANGERS could land an SPL club when the second round draw of the Scottish Communities League Cup takes place on Thursday. The Light Blues safely made their way forward in the competition with their win over East Fife tonight. Now they will be bottom seeds once again when they go into the second round draw which includes the 15 winners from the first round plus the non-European SPL sides. So Rangers could face one of the following: Kilmarnock, St. Mirren, Aberdeen, Inverness., Hibs, Dunfermline and Ross County. A tie against an SPL club would undoubtedly have some added spice given that all of them â?? bar Kilmarnock â?? voted to kick Rangers out of the top flight. The other sides through to the second round are: Morton, Arbroath, Ayr United, Dumbarton, Falkirk, Partick. Hamilton, Montrose, Queen of the South, Queenâ??s Park, Raith Rovers, Stenhousemuir and Livingston. The second round draw is at 1pm on Thursday, August 9 with the ties due on August 28 or 29. http://www.rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/headlines/item/1672-spl-clubs-wait-in-draw

CHARLES GREEN paid tribute to the Rangers supporters after a fantastic 38,160 crowd roared the side on to a comfortable 4-0 win over East Fife in the League Cup. The Chief Executive was stunned by the amazing response of the fans and now he wants them to be part of the future by taking part in a forthcoming share issue. Green will reveal more details next week of the deal but first he was thrilled by the loyalty of the Light Blue legions. He said: “It was a fantastic experience for me to see a crowd of that magnitude and it was very uplifting. “I have been speaking to fans at the ticket office and I would l just like to thank everyone who came to the game and all of those who have been renewing their season tickets. “I’m embarrassed to say that we have been overwhelmed by the response and the ticket office is creaking a bit but we had to sell East Fife tickets as well as season tickets. “We have now extended the deadline to the end of the week so that should help things but it’s a nice problem to have. “It was a magnificent crowd especially when you compare it to other crowds in England. In fact someone told me that our attendance was bigger than Celtic’s at the weekend. “The fans have turned out in their thousands and I’m really proud of them.” The Chief Executive revealed that a deal for fans to own part of the club will become clearer next week. He said: “We had stockbrokers at the game and I’m sure they were impressed by what they saw. “”We hope to come out next week with more details of the timetable of the programme and the structure of the share issue because we want fans to become involved in the club. “Then they can become part of what we are trying to build here. “It’s the beginning of a journey. The dark days are behind us. I’m sure there will be some hurdles ahead of us but together we can do remarkable things.” Green also insisted the Board is more than happy to help Ally McCoist build his squad after Fran Sandaza, Kevin Kyle and Emilson all joined up. He said: “We had to support Alastair in terms of bringing in new players because we have lost so many – about 24 – since the beginning of the year. “And people have to realise that we have to sign players for two seasons because of the transfer ban because it will be January 2014 before we can sign any more. “So the board are backing him by bringing in these players. Some of them are not fit yet like Sandaza but credit to the guy because he wanted to be involved. I think he will be a very good player for us.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/headlines/item/1676-green-salutes-loyal-fans

ALLY McCOIST admits he was as nervous before tonight’s League Cup tie with East Fife as he was before some of the biggest matches in his career. The Rangers boss led his side to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over the Methil side in the first round thanks to Lee McCulloch’s double and goals from Dean Shiels and Lee Wallace. It was a fantastic way to start a new era at Ibrox following the club’s transfer from its old parent company to a new one in June and the move from the SPL to the Third Division. McCoist was clearly eager to kick off with a victory and was delighted to see his team deliver with comfort. Now, with Saturday’s league opener at Peterhead approaching, he is intent on continuing to build his squad after making three signings today. McCoist said: “It was strange before the game. I was really nervous myself beforehand because I wanted to win and give the fans something they would be pleased to see. “I have to say I think that’s quite a good thing. I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a game when I’ve not had nerves and today it was a big, big game for the club. “The eyes of the country have been on us and they will continue to be on us this season. We don’t want to let anyone down. “I have to be honest – I think they (the fans) will have gone home tonight and seen enough from the team that would have pleased them. “We are certainly in a transitional period as a club. As a team, you don’t lose 23 or 24 players in the space of six months and expect anything other than that. “We’ve brought five in and while I keep hearing people saying we’re not going to lose a game, the fact is we’ve got to earn the right to win matches. “Our game at Brechin showed we’re going to get a lot of tough games and I still think we need to bring players in. “The maths would tell you that, especially with an embargo coming in September and we’ll certainly be looking to strengthen the squad. “Tonight has been a good night. There were some good performances in what was only our second game. We’ve still got fitness issues but I think we’ll get better in the coming weeks.” http://rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/headlines/item/1677-i-was-nervous-as-ever

ALLY McCOIST admits he could not find anything to complain about after watching his Rangers side dismantle East Fife 4-0 in the first round of the League Cup. Goals either side of half-time from Lee McCulloch, along with strikes from Dean Shiels and Lee Wallace, ensured straightforward progression to the next stage of the competition. Those counters aside, the Light Blues looked far sharper than they had when they beat Brechin City 2-1 in extra-time in the Ramsdens Cup nine days ago. And on a night when almost 40,000 fans poured into Ibrox to see the 54-times Scottish champions in action, manager McCoist was a happy man at the conclusion. He said: “I was really, really pleased with everything from start to finish. I couldn’t have a complaint to be honest. “From the performance as a team and some of the individual performances within the team to the crowd, it was just a great night really. “I thought we played all right at Brechin and you’re going to get tough games. The fact of the matter is we’ll probably play in 40-odd cup finals this season. That’s how it will be. “But I felt we were a little bit sharper in everything we did tonight and the bigger open space helped us considerably.” McCoist had spoken before the game at his pre-match press conference of expecting to attract around 22,000 fans to the game. The official attendance of 38,160 was almost double that and the phenomenal turnout almost left him lost for words. He added: “That’s amazing, the support we’ve had has been absolutely amazing. We talked about it before the game and I was nowhere in the sweep. “I was hopeful of reaching something around 30,000 but I genuinely couldn’t believe what we got to. “Opposition fans must be sick of me saying this but out of all this madness, one of the real plusses in the last few months has been the support we’ve had from our fans. “The players and the staff are extremely grateful for it and tonight was just another exhibition of what they have been doing.” http://rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/headlines/item/1675-nothing-to-complain-about

Rangers FC Official‏@RFC_Official McCoist: "Really pleased from start to finish. From the team, to individual performances to the crowd, it was brilliant tonight." McCoist: "It meant a lot to us & I've no doubt that it meant a lot to the fans. I want to give them something they will be pleased to see."

Filip Sebo‏@SeboFilip Rangers 4-0 East Fife..38,160 @ #Ibrox..no more words..simply the best!! #RangersFC #RangersFamily #WATP

THE fightback starts here. Defiant words from Rangers supporters as their team kicked off a new era at Ibrox with an uplifting 4-0 home win over East Fife. On the face of it, the result was a first round shock of sorts in the Scottish Communities League Cup as the Third Division Light Blues beat the Second Division men from Methil. In reality, it was an outcome most within the ground expected and one which only added to the rapidly developing good mood around the 140-year-old club. Towards the end of a summer of hard knocks, this was a first real opportunity for Gers fans to come together as one with their team following the transfer from old company to new. And after the opening competitive outing of the season ended in a 2-1 Ramsdens Cup win at Brechin last month, a more polished performance brought about an easy victory. Many of the big names have gone and one or two more may follow but the squad Ally McCoist has at his disposal is getting stronger by the day and it is backed by a support which is as resilient as ever. Banners held aloft in the Broomloan Stand such as that talking of fighting back reflected the feelings of those cheering on from the terraces. So strong is the backing for the 54-times Scottish champions kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes to allow a wonderful crowd of 38,160 through the gates. If that’s a sign of things to come, the comeback being promised is one which could gather momentum very quickly – and disappoint one or two outwith the Govan area along the way. New signing Dean Shiels replaced Kyle Hutton in the starting line up as boss McCoist made just one change to the team which edged out City at Glebe Park. And with added firepower on the bench in the form of strike pair Francisco Sandaza and Kevin Kyle, there was a clear desire to start on the front foot. Away midfielder David Muir had a chance to give his side a shock lead and when he didn’t, a procession of one-way traffic duly began as the hosts delivered for their hoards. Shiels saw his effort deflected over for a corner then provided a cross for Andy Little to head goalwards and draw an excellent fingertip save from keeper Michael Brown. Carlos Bocanegra then headed past and Lee McCulloch did the same thing before he gave his team a deserved lead on the quarter-hour mark. Shiels was the provider and a defensive slip allowed the talismanic forward to close in on Brown before slotting easily into the net from 10 yards. Little set up his compatriot for a chance to make it 2-0 but he hammered wide before a scissor kick from Dorin Goian – yes, really – was palmed over the bar. The Fifers looked startled as Rangers kept coming at them, though not as dazed as a red fox which made a fleeting appearance down the touchline before running out of the ground again. It was long gone by the time Shiels did add a second, a cute dinked finish over Brown on his debut after Barrie McKay was blocked initially. McCulloch was denied his second before the break after a fine flowing move down the left involving the impressive Lee Wallace and Shiels then Little missed too. Wallace did add to the scoreline less than two minutes into the second period though as he drove home after Shiels’ shot was parried by Brown. By then it was a case of how many and McCulloch eventually notched his brace with his third of the season after being slipped in by McKay to make it 4-0. There was time for cameos from Sandaza, Kyle and Hutton as McCoist’s players sought to add to their tally. They couldn't do it and had to settle for four in the end but as fightbacks go, this was an encouraging way to start this one http://rangers.co.uk/index.php/match/match-reports/item/1674-rangers-4-0-east-fife

Tom Miller‏@TomCommentator @rfc_lindsay will be bringing you match commentary tonight on RTV. He`ll do great. Here`s to a big crowd at Ibrox & progress in the Cup !

on radio BBC Sportsound‏@bbcsportsound Tune in to Sportsound from 6:10pm on 810MW, BBC Radio Scotland digital and online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/

of ff Ticket office - Estimating around 40k tonight -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My Mate has just came from the ticket office after waiting an hour and a half for his tickets for tonight. Ticket office said to him that if the queues continue like this all day, plus the pay at the gate option, they think they will reach around 40K tonight. Come on bears, it's a nice night, lets get out and support our club tonight. Lets make Ibrox rock.

Where do I go tonight to: Renew my season ticket? To purchase a match ticket with a season holder discount? To purchase a match ticket Pay at the Gate? To purchase a match ticket somewhere else in the stadium? If I have a smartcard enquiry? If I am uplifting a ticket I have already purchased? Please read the information and check the map below: Ticket Centre (Purple Pin) – Season ticket renewals, season ticket holders wishing to buy a discounted ticket for tonight’s game or non season ticket holders wishing to purchase a ticket which is not in the Copland or Broomloan front. Broomloan Unit outside the Ticket Centre (Yellow Pin) – Smartcard Enquiries Copland Unit at the back of the Copland Stand (Blue Pin) – To uplift tickets pre-ordered at the weekend via hotline and on-line. Pay At The Gate (Red Pin) – All turnstiles at the Copland stand will be open for pay at the gate for the Copland front. Once these seats fill up we will open the Broomloan Front. Stewards will direct fans accordingly. http://www.rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/club-news/item/1664-ticketing-qa

I understand that striker Kevin Kyle has signed a one year contract with #Rangers. Retweeted by Chris Graham

A NUMBER of ticketing queries have been received over recent days through our social media channels and ticket sales channels. Below are some of the questions supporters have been asking. If you have a question or a query which has not been addressed below either email webmail@rangers.co.uk, go to the Rangers facebook page or tweet us. Iâ??m not a renewing season ticket holder, when I can I buy a season ticket? Season tickets go on public sale from 14 August. Is tonightâ??s game included in my season ticket if Iâ??ve renewed? League Cup games are not included in the season ticket unless you have a season ticket in Bar 72 or MLF. If you have signed up to the continuous credit card scheme for all non-season ticket home games the League Cup game against East Fife WILL NOT be included as the deadline for renewals had not passed when this game went on sale. I have renewed my Bar72 season ticket. Do I have to buy for East Fife? NO, your season ticket includes all games played at home. Can I pay at the gate in all stands tonight? Copland Front will initially be the only area where you can pay at the gate. If this area reaches capacity, the Broomloan Front will open for pay at the gate. How can I pay for my ticket at the gate tonight? You can go to the Ticket Centre and pay by credit card/debit card or cheque or pay at the gate â?? cash only. Adults £15, Concessions £10 and Juveniles £5. Are seats allocated if I buy on the gate tomorrow? Yes you will be given a ticket for a specific seat number. I ordered my ticket at the weekend, will my ticket be posted to me? If you ordered on Saturday or Sunday you will have to uplift your ticket today â?? please arrive at least two hours before kick-off and ideally earlier in the day to avoid queues. Do I need to bring the card I bought my tickets with to uplift them? Yes - in the event there are any issues with your order, you will be asked to produce the card you used when placing the order. Iâ??m trying to buy tickets for tonight online but I canâ??t, why not? Due to the huge demand we cannot accept any more uplifts for tickets for tonight and the postal deadline has passed. However you can purchase from the ticket centre all day today and up until kick off or pay at the gate at the Copland stand. Iâ??m uplifting my tickets tonight, do I do that from the Ticket Centre? All uplifts will be from the Copland ticket outlet behind the Copland stand â?? please come as early as possible to avoid any potential queues. When is the ticket centre open until tonight? The ticket centre will stay open during the game until 10pm. I want to hand in my renewal form tomorrow, do I have to wait in the queue? The ticket centre will have uniformed stewards available tomorrow who will take your completed renewal form. Unfortunately these stewards will not be able to accept cash payments. Iâ??ve ticked the box on my renewal form for all home non ST matches, do I still need to buy a ticket for tonight? Yes. Due to the short timescales involved in the renewal process we were unable to guarantee that all season tickets would be processed by the night of the game therefore we specified on the form that the East Fife game would not be included in the ccm scheme. When can I buy a ticket for the East Stirlingshire game? Match tickets for Rangers v East Stirlingshire will be available from Tuesday 14 August. Prices have still to be confirmed for league match tickets. http://rangers.co.uk/index.php/news/club-news/item/1664-ticketing-qa

Former Rangers owner Sir David Murray has accused Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan and Scottish Premier League counterpart Neil Doncaster of intentionally targeting the Ibrox club. Murray on Monday night released a statement which strongly defended his time in charge of Rangers and insisted the club should not be stripped of previously won SPL titles. An investigation is taking place into the controversial Employee Benefit Trust scheme and to whether Rangers were guilty of paying players via 'dual contracts'. But Murray believes Regan and Doncaster are intentionally going after Rangers and thinks he has been persistently ignored in the protest. Murray said in the Daily Record: "If Stewart Regan wanted to know what was going on at Rangers would it not have been prudent of him to ask to speak to a man who had 23 years of ownership and chairmanship? Conclusion "I still can't work out why I was not asked to participate. "I wrote to Regan on May 15 to express my disappointment over what I viewed as an unjustified attack on my character and an inaccurate reflection of my ownership of Rangers. I received a letter back from Regan saying the letter would be passed on and my comments noted. "So I have come to the conclusion he doesn't want to hear from me, which is strange when he is supposed to be conducting things in an impartial manner. "It's almost as if he wants me to go away. "Well he can see from my statement today and from what I am saying to you now that I will not be going away while Rangers are being treated in such an unfair and unjust manner." http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11788/7969956/Murray-blasts-Regan