D'Artagnan

An absolute belter of an article FS. I would stronly recommend reading any of the links FS has posted -in particular the cafefootball one, which while long, really opens your eyes.

Yep FS I take back everything I said about him. So gracious of him to forego the last 3 months of an exhorbitant contract.

Alot of people relying on denial as a coping mechanism SBS - after all this time the truth,however uncomfortable, is simply unequivocal.

Very true 26th. I stayed in a small town last year just outside Adeje in Tenerife. I counted 4 different small artificial football/basketball pitches even within that small area and they were in use every night. Funnily enough there were no signs of vandalism either.

Agreed Frankie - we should not be intimidated by previous failure particularly if it can be seen to work for others I think sending youngsters to the like of Zagreb however may pose practical difficulties and something closer to home may prove to be a better option.

£750,000 per annum.

Really interesting article - Ive asked John what is at youth level which Zagreb seem to do so well and could we implement it

Agreed Pete and that is what Im trying to explain to Buster - we were powerless to stop most of what transpired while we were still confined by the model of ownership we have at our club. It becomes even more depressing when you consider even board members themselves were unable to stop Murray selling to Whyte despite the clear reservations they had. For all the fan militancy referred to earlier - it was the exercise of the power of money - King & the 3 bears buying the necessary shares which was the gamechanger

Its not a failure to understand or pick up on the points you have raised Buster - Im afraid its more negative than that. You and I both are advocates of fan ownership, but until the model of ownership changes we are going to pretty powerless to deal with the situations some of which you refer to. As you say we trust the current regime but the actual ownership model is still open to abuse - thought I accept they have granted greaater scrutiny by allowing some fan ownership representation.

Your memory must be different to mine then - I seem to remember a packed Ibrox in our first season post admin. i remember even struggling to get an away ticket for games midweek at Gayfield. I remember buying an ST with a gut feeling that Green was a litttle more than a chancer - you were not the only one who was calling him out early doors. But without the backing of the support, particularly during that 1st season we would have been in dire trouble. I imagine those who bought in that 1st season were not convinced about Green either but saw the need to inject finances into the club by way of ST's and merchandise.

Perhaps perfect timing for such a meeting given events elsewhere. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/sports-direct-shareholder-royal-london-is-voting-against-mike-ashley-2015-9

Disappointing to see we are still saddled to an extent with the recriminations of the past. This article was about the ability of our whole fan base to overcome considerable obstacles imposed on us by those who sought to damage us. We did that and we ought to be damn proud of our achievment in doing so.

Credit where its due that is a really positive and upbeat article - I was commenting earlier this week that the only msm which seemed to be covering our revival with any positivity was the Belfast Telegraph

It’s a funny thing when you open yourself up to the various resources open to aspiring writers, you are met with the usual deluge of “must have” resources, in addition to invites to workshops or seminars “no aspiring writer should be without”. Fortunately, for my bank balance, most of these are geared towards those of the craft inclined towards fiction, though I freely confess the opportunity to access the thought processes of Sol Stein was a temptation too far. It proved to be an invaluable investment as his ability to inject a storyteller’s narrative into non-fictional work is quite simply, seminal. Our club like every other business has moved with the times in catering for the supply and demand of commercialisation. Some of you reading this will be old enough to remember a time when our megastore was little more than a cupboard where only the brave (or reckless) would dare to swing a cat. In fact were the late great Ian Redford alive today he could provide testimony of that, after his encounter with a young Marine on leave who, in the excitement of coming face to face with one his heroes, clumsily, almost knocked him spinning such was his desire to get an autograph. Of course the premise for all good fictional stories revolves around a fairly tried and tested “Holy Trinity” consisting of plot, hero and villain. A quick rewind of events at our club over the last few years allows us to see how the plot, hero and villain formula can easily transcend fiction and penetrate real life events. You can pick your own plot and villains, the hero part which I will get to later, is non-negotiable. Another weapon in the writer’s arsenal is that of rhetoric. Not the empty kind so often relied upon these days and which is soon exposed for what it is – shallow and without foundation. I refer instead to the rhetoric used to such effect by Churchill, Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln, which has not only stood the test of time but altered the course of history. The significant common denominator in these masters use of rhetoric was that it was rooted in truth. We have our plot. A football club so enshrined in Scottish society as to be considered an institution, a focal point for thousands of Scots and Ulster Scots in every part of the world, not merely a badge of sporting identity but the very representation of a people and everything they stand for and cherish. For generations of us the baptism of a son, daughter or grandchild on the slopes of Ibrox Park was a necessary Rite of Passage. To put it in its simplest terms, this is more than just a football club. Add to the mix a whole cast of villains. The egotistical, the unscrupulous, the greedy, the opportunistic, the liars, the deceitful. Aided and abetted by incompetent authorities, the jealous, the spiteful, those whose motivations have been determined by living in the shadow of Rangers for so long. Furthermore let us dispense with all the legal foundations upon which our country was built, instead let us declare a guilty verdict without trial. Let us then impose draconian punishment upon them and to hell with the consequences. Where courts and the law rule in their favour – let’s simply ignore them. Banish them to obscurity – hopefully to endure a slow, agonising lingering death. So we have our plot and we have a whole host of villains, what we need now is some heroes, but firstly, let’s have some rhetoric. Though the straits be broad or narrow it’s follow we will, Follow we will follow we will, Though the straits be broad or narrow it’s follow we will, We will follow in the footsteps of our team, [God Bless Them] Follow follow we will follow Rangers, Everywhere anywhere we will follow on, Dundee, Hamilton, Aberdeen and back again, If they go to Dublin we will follow on, For there’s not a team like the Glasgow Rangers, No not one and there never shall be one, Celtic know all about their troubles, We will fight ’til the day is done There’s not a team like the Glasgow Rangers, No not one and there never shall be one. But remember the writer’s rules – rhetoric must have at its foundation truth. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2237531/Rangers-v-Elgin-postponed-tickets-sold.html http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/high-winds-heavy-rain-force-2927784 Remember what I said in the opening about supply and demand? Temporary stands and overselling tickets are the manifestation of supply and demand. But they are something else. They are testaments to a support who refused to let their club die, who steadfastly refused to follow a script written by others, instead creating their own story in the process. Against such a backdrop of villains and plot we need heroes whose actions transcend both language and culture and appeal to readers the world over. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/football-writer-flies-from-japan-to-cover-1458381 You want heroes in our time? Then go and look in the mirror.

Perhaps no surprise Pete that on the International Stage we were no strangers to the World Cup when those 2 were our full backs.

Best right back I have ever seen in a Rangers jersey Lucy - and Ive seen a few ! Apologies about the music but this goal is often overlooked due to Coop's corker. Sandy was suffering from concussion when he scored it.

Yesterday I tweeted a picture of a packed Sandy Jardine Stand courtesy of my mobile phone, from my usual haunt of the Copland Road Rear. Within seconds it had been re-tweeted several times over. In the course of its re-tweeting it reached the other side of the world. I doubt the young bear who stood in almost the same spot 40 years or so ago would have been able to grasp such technological progress. A phone without a land line? A phone which takes pictures? Internet? Social what? You can almost understand where Peter Kaye’s father was coming from when he questioned the validity of “Garlic Bread”? I’ve been blogging about Rangers for nigh on 20 years now. It started off on the old footymad Follow Follow boards where a few of us would regularly write articles to re-dress the balance of a very anti-Rangers press. In fact “re-dress the balance” is too kind, counter the lies and attacks of the Odious one, and others of his ilk would be a far better description. Defending both club and support was the motivator for all us, and although the musings of Rangers commentators sometimes splits opinion, I doubt anyone would argue, it’s sure been one helluva 20 years. We have been kicked, ostracised, vilified and castigated, more often than not unfairly and unjustifiably. We as a club have been characterised, deliberately and maliciously I may add, due to the actions of 2 totalitarian and egotistical owners, neither of whom had the slightest idea about what the Rangers tradition demands of all of us. In many ways the need to defend the club is every bit as prevalent as it was when a group of us decided to fightback against the press onslaught. What has been particularly invigorating over the last few weeks has been the sight of a Rangers board willing to add their weight to the defence of the club. The manner of the official response to the Raith Rovers attack on our club was worthy of particular praise. That willingness to defend and protect the interests of the club is critical for the future. A future which recognises the need to see bridges built and Rangers men returned to the top echelons of Scottish football. Anyone who doubts the need for this only needs to look at the omnishambles which has unfolded during our absence. But don’t confuse building bridges with forgiveness for what was done to us by others – that I’m afraid, for me at least, is the proverbial bridge too far. Forty years ago when I looked to my right from the Copland Road I would have seen the Centenary Stand. The man whose name now adorns that stand was a hero on the pitch. In later life he was to become a hero off the pitch, and one who stood shoulder to shoulder with all of us as we demanded justice and fairness for our club. Sandy was familiar with crisis, he made his debut for Rangers a week after our exit to our Berwick namesakes in the Scottish Cup. Sandy Jardine is a constant reminder to all of us that acting with dignity and class can be consistent with resolutely defending our club. Some will say that despite the kickings, the vilification, the ostracising that Rangers are still standing. They would be wrong. We are not standing, we are coming. See you soon.

An outstanding response from Rangers which absolutely shames RR. Furthermore our written demand for an explanation demonstrates the days of free pops at Rangers are well and truly over.

“Ray. People will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. "Of course, we won't mind if you look around", you'll say, "It's only $20 per person". They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again. Oh...people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.” (James Earl Jones – Field of Dreams) Apologies for leading with a quote I have used in a previous blog. My excuse is that no other narrative seems more apt on this occasion, in fact, it ran through my mind constantly last night as I sat in wonderment. Replace Iowa with Ibrox, baseball with Rangers and you will catch my drift. For an extraordinary thing happened last night in the world of football. You won’t find it written about in today’s football columns, and you certainly won’t find it on the BBC Scotland website. But people are talking about it, some in hushed whispers. Over 50,000 sold out Ibrox last night for a televised match featuring a club who are not even in the top tier of Scottish football. To apply the icing on a considerably succulent cake – even an odious creep paid money to be there. But it was more, far more than just a sell-out. It was a ringing endorsement for a regime and board who have swept to power in the most bitter of power struggles. Not only have they applied some much needed navigation to what was a rudderless ship in terms of the football side of things, but perhaps more importantly, they have signalled an intention to defend the club with a course of action which resonates amongst those of us who wish to see a defence of the brand from within Ibrox itself. It is something I, and many others have pleaded and argued for over 20 years. Credit where its due, this board have delivered to the inevitable flak from the Scottish press and beyond. It worth remembering however, the latter don’t buy season tickets – those who care about this club do. I’m no Dave King acolyte, and you don’t have to be, all that is required is an exercise in judgement as to whether our club is heading in the right direction. If last night didn’t tell you that it clearly is, then I would respectfully suggest to you that pessimism or cynicism is clouding your judgement. Last night was fantastic. Within the Copland Rear I felt I had been dipped in those magic waters. I sat where once I had stood as a boy but felt myself continually standing as a cacophony of noise gave way to yet another chorus, only the verse dedicated to the man born to be King of Ibrox Park gave way to a new successor, one whose crown is a magic hat. I could apply many adjectives to describe last night, but perhaps most poignantly and importantly, it reminded me of the Rangers I grew up with. A support, acting in concert, to cheer on the greatest team in the world. It perhaps worth remembering that whilst we may get a few things wrong, when it comes to supporting our club – nobody does it better. It’s why we are who we are – lest we forget. Let the haters and malcontents do their worst. Let those who would compromise journalistic integrity take their best shot. In fact, I invite you, and implore you, give it your best shot. It won’t be enough. For your worst case scenario is upon you – a Rangers board which beats with the same heart as the Vanguard and Sentinel of Rangers Football Club – the support itself. That same support you have never been able to conquer and never will. You sent us to Elgin and we closed grounds, the backwaters of Scottish football and we broke records. “Lo, a voice is calling in the wilderness” Last night it was heard by those who are born, not manufactured. It comes from deep within and cannot be explained. Like 50000+ selling out a Friday night televised game in a lower league. “People will come” We are the people.

Aye, Im sure the suggestion by 3 names that King offered Ashley his shares should come under the heading of normal football banter.

Thats the impression I got reading that paragraph Frankie, I got the feeling of a sense of acquiescing towards this individuals foul mouthed rants against both our club and support.

Apologies Tom Im referrring to Phil Mac Giolla Bhain . He was the author of the Book Downfall which the opening review pertains to. Suffice to say he has does not like our club.

Scotsman Book Review – Best Scottish Sports Reads 2012. Like many others, I have no intention of entering the online battles which seems to afflict us at times as a support, however our status as despairing and passive observers should not prevent us from challenging some of the collateral damage which occurs from time to time during such exchanges. With considerable reticence, no small measure of reluctance and a considerable tinge of disappointment, I find I have to avert my focus from our club’s real enemies, to a thought process which requires challenging. Today’s RSL article “For the avoidance of doubt” has been the subject of considerable discussion and conjecture, in fact not only the article itself but also the comments section. Yet it’s a train of thought from the original article itself which I would respectfully suggest should give all of us considerable cause for concern. Bill McMurdo writes: Funnily enough Bill we know what he is – he, by his own admission hates our club and wants it to die, and the opening quotation in this chapter, written by someone outside the Rangers community, demonstrates this. What I didn’t realise is however that “He has a job to do attacking Rangers and we have our job to do defending the club.” He has a job to do? One could be forgiven for thinking we were describing something here akin to gainful employment. Furthermore I don’t think it’s the job of Rangers supporters to be constantly defending the club from unwarranted, unjustified attacks from those who hate her. Hating our club and wanting it to die is not an “add on”. What should concerns us most about the above paragraph however is that it gives an almost sense of normality, perhaps even legitimacy, to Mac Giolla Bhain’s constant attacks upon our club. There is not only a playing down of Mac Giolla Bhain’s history and conduct over the years, but an almost frightening rationalising of it as normal behaviour which is part of a wider bonafide job remit. Nothing could be further from the truth and we should never, ever lose sight of that. For our club’s sake.

When you appear on the radar of the enemies of our club - you can take considerable satisfaction that you are doing something right. Good job - excellent statement.