buster.

Halliday out and Ball in meant a bench without a defender. It seems as we have enough to cope with the absence of one defender but anymore and we either change formation, promote youth or make someone play way out of position. Any possible emergency option of bringing Gasparotto back has been nullified due to a fairly serious injury for the lad....although I guess there will be unattached players out there if the same happened to one of our first-team.

I'd have thought there will be heavy reporting restrictions today, beyond and probably all the long way through the trial. This may mean that the likes of STV and even Doleman give-up attending.

Wrt numbers, we are very light at the back. Question How many yellows = suspension ? So far (yellows) / according to soccerway website) Tav 3 LW 4 RK 5 DW 4 DBall 3

I understand what you are saying and to a degree I'd agree but I'm not so sure 'our market' will be the same as before and certainly hope & expect that our business model will be very different. The Champions League format is up for discussion with the bigger clubs looking for change that suits their interests, would probably see smaller leagues and most of their clubs being further marginalised. As clubs Rangers and Celtic (probably together) need to be lobbying as hard as they can to prevent ending up too far down the European financial pecking order regards competition revenue. We aren't going to reach the levels we want by spending mucho on transfer fees and high wages, IMO it's going to have to be the 'other way'. This would present many challenges and questions in an uncertain future, not least dealing with fan expectation and maintaining/increasing revenue.

First and foremost you have to work within budget so it is I think fair to assume that we won't be throwing millions at transfer fees (and relatively high wages) anytime soon. Priority is remain solvent and not add in a significant way to cashflow issues. The reason the board brought in MW&Co and his way of operating was that it was a good fit for the then circumstances and the vision looking forward. MW views the footballing infrastructure as being geared towards adding value from various angles to what comes down to football players performing on the pitch in a blue shirt. I believe that THE most important thing at Ibrox at the moment is getting the FOOTBALLING INFRASTRUCTURE right and cementing it's foundations for continued use as various individuals come and go. We need to consistently develop and add value to players, improve them, have them collectively perform and get results. If you can do something along those lines it also means you have to spend less money on transfer fees. There are various other ways of getting players.... Bosmans, Frees, Loans, Development being some of those and in the next few years,....we're going to have to make good use of them. The club could do with communicating with the support so as to prevent or at least mitigate the media pantomine about what we should and shouldn't be spending in future transfer windows..

The important measure is value for that money....and not getting into a stupid bragging war about 'we spent XM' or being pushed down the 'but we haven't spent XXM that was promised'. I don't think I've seen a better immediate return on money spent on various players during the decades I've supported the club.

May depend on the clauses. #StatetheBleedinObvious

An encouraging thing about last summer was the speed with which MW brought in players and moulded them into a team. The main thing for me about this summer is that MW stays.

On twitter Doleman said he had asked and was answered 'how long is a piece of string'. ie. We don't know.

Squad needs a top-up even if it be with a couple more 5 month loans.

Whilst touching on journalists, the general perception and first hand experience.............. Alex Thomson of C4 has been presented as an impartial reporter on the Rangers saga since he got involved. I'd take issue with that and could go into many strands of what is circumstancial evidence to back-up my view but in this case I can draw on personal experience aswell. I conversed with him by e-mail and made certain views/opinions clear which AT proceeded to use in one of his first blogs on the opinion of Rangers fans. Problem was he had twisted my words to suit his narrative. I got what could be described as a qualified apology of sorts but the blog was out there.

He'd have to change his style, his work ethic and become reasonably objective.

A sort of journalistic equivalent to Mark Burchill. He's essentially a 'fraud' and a man who became lazy and unprofessional. Instead of striving to improve as an all round journalist, he chose to take a particular route regards his career. One that dealt with a very subjective issue and it's ironic that in recent days he finds himself on social media indirectly moaning about a lack of free speech.

If as a business we had sufficient cash then the major shareholders wouldn't periodicaly need to lend the club large sums of money, knowing that it is only a matter of time until the next time. The intention is to turn this money lent into equity but when does it add up to an amount that swallows most of or all of the desired share issue ? The club need to become sustainable or a lot nearer to it, as quickly as possible but have to balance that against on-field needs that make Promotion neccessary and when we get it, improving the squad for the top tier.....so as to in turn maintain/increase matchday revenue, etc. The days of spending cash on large transfer fees are gone. The club is looking at developing a football infrastructure that will look to maintain/improve the level of on-field quality without the need to over spend on players. It looks for value in every pound spent. eg. if the club think MO'H is worth 300K, then it simply won't pay 500-600K. There is obviously a budget but it will be limited because of ongoing circumstances, some of which are unpredictable. However a good footballing operation can achieve without publicly throwing money at things as we've been accustomed to over the years. A good and relevant example is Hearts and how they have went about their return to the top flight. What we have is a situation where the media and others have got a hold of some comments on 'spending/investment intentions' that probably shouldn't have been made in such detail and using them to continually generate headlines, controversy and where possible, anger amongst our support. To a degree MW has had to publicly deal with the ongoing 'noise' but I'd like to see the board come out and remind/communicate/update what they can regards plans going forward.

I think that this has been the most annoying and tiresome transfer window that I have ever known. - Featuring shit-stirring media, bloggers and even many of our own (should be used to it by now). - Fans failure to understand our present circumstances and being hooked by general noise. - Our own fans who are like kids at Xmas who don't think they'll get what they want.

Given how he operates and his focus on specific goals he was never going to come in and throw lots of money at us that he'd never see again. As far as 2013 was concerned McColl made very clear from the outset (when letter of requisition went in) what he would and wouldn't do. I think he'd need to see a business that wasn't losing money hand over fist and probably that operated somewhere other than Scotland (or had good chance to move) before he (and his partners) would consider investment. What we have at the moment is a board looking to gradually convert the football operation into one that is sustainable but with one+ arms tied behind their back. At the sametime, the likes of Rab is crying out for the club to spend money we don't currently have but then wondering why X or Y didn't fancy investing in us.

I wouldn't disagree as I like Walsh as a player (v Oduwa) and I'd be happy to see our own players get gametime with Rangers before loans if possible. I'd imagine something similar will happen with Jordan Thompson (maybe loaned out first half of next season) for him to get gametime and develop.......Here's hoping Walsh comes back ready to compete at first team level. Managing players through development level to first team regular isn't easy for a number of reasons but it's an area we have to greatly improve on. Occasionally you'll get a player who can make an immediate step-up and keep his development going but they aren't thick on the ground given the demands of Rangers. We obviously missed the boat for bringing players through in the less pressuried lower leagues......

In effect King is replacing Oduwa. The obvious difference between BK and say Tom Walsh before considering individual qualities,...is first team gametime. TW has been sent out on loan to increase his gametime. Before the season McKay already had a fair bit of gametime in the bank both with Rangers and on loan (ie. better prepared for long run in team). If BK starts games it will because he is doing well or/and injury to other(s). I still have reasonably high hopes for Tom Walsh.

Grant Russell ‏@STVGrant Judge says they seek definite confirmation of dates Green became/stopped being director, chief exec etc. To be supplied at later date. ------------------------- That would suggest no decision today.

All this jounalist outrage becomes contagious and spreads........ But what about the principle of a group of people (some journalists) who over a long period of time, act in concert with an apparent aim of traducing the name of the supporters of one particular football club. Some of the material or 'evidence' they use coming from directly from themselves and their accounts of such. PMGB AT (C4) Roy Greenslade etc Is this journalism or an organised attack,.......... opportunistically looking for and/or creating & embellishing material ?

Why would that be ? What in your mind has he done to deserve that tag ?

That's almost as ironic as Irvine allegedly calling McColl out as "disingenuous and oily".

What do you think about Jack Irvine, the guy who sent the e-mail featured in the OP ?

You'd almost think................#Deflect --------------------------------------------------------------- Re. e-mail It's first rate ironic comedy when speaking to that particular list of 'characters'/recipients........Jack Irvine allegedly calls McColl "disingenuous and oily". It's like Hitler addressing senior figures in the Gestapo, telling them that Churchill is brutal. ------------------------------ At this date Irvine was in full 'crisis management' mode (a time when a poster called 'Applepine' emerged on FF who was almost certainly Irvine or under his instruction). Looking at the list of recipients, I'm sure the 'Easdale Shareholder Block' and allies would have at that juncture....given Irvine almost CEO like authority on relevant matters (retaining executive control). Think about Sandy Easdale, shareholder and apparent conduit from shareholder block of the 'mysterious' to RIFC............... and the continued role of Irvine as 'family spokesman'. ------------------------------- I look at the last paragraph in the alleged e-mail and wonder about the timing of Stockbridge at his coffee bar meeting and ensuing controversy involving Mark being made very public in the weeks leading up to the AGM.

1. MW already has a contract 2. New contract = Increase Outgoings = Less player budget 3. Length of contract has never prevented a manager from leaving if there was a will 4. Go and join Rab in the 'Calm the Feck Doon Room' for 15 minutes