JohnMc

I love 'The Old Lady of Edmiston Drive' as a title. It's a tradition that grand, extraordinary buildings, ships and so forth have female gender. Archibald Leach (slightly different spelling) was also the movie star Cary Grant's real name.

The club deserve criticism for the handling of this though. Whatever happened over the course of the season or in the dressing room that day, whatever supposedly bad influences Miller and Wallace have been, fining them was a mistake. Miller had literally weeks left on his contract, if the club wanted him out then send him home, tell him to train on his own and that's it dealt with. Likewise with Wallace, if his time at the club has come to an end then tell him that, tell him he's being put on the transfer list and stripped of the captaincy. That's what happens in football, it's a brutal business at times but the players know that and get on with it. By fining them all we've done is save some money, that we might end up having to pay them back anyway, created two embittered players who, whether we like it or not, do have influence and friends in the dressing room and the media, and created the circumstances where this will now drag on for weeks if not months. Fining players makes sense if you're keeping them. It's a punishment they have to take on the chin to get back into the fold but fining them and then releasing them is a poor strategy. The players have nothing to lose by appealing. For those who say the players didn't show Murty respect and undermined him and that can't be tolerated they should remember that our club's Chairman threw Murty under a bus just days before that game, undermining his authority and position far more seriously than any player could have.

I wasn't being entirely serious, I mean who wants rattles back? I think complaining about the type of music or the volume of music being played just about anywhere is simply a sign of getting old. As I'm now reaching the age of average life expectancy for large parts of of Glasgow I'm reluctant to publicly admit to my doddering state by complaining about music. I mean it would be great if we didn't need signing sections and ultras and choreographed displays and everyone stayed until the end and the East Enclosure spontaneously burst into song 20 minutes into the first half and kept it up all game, but that's not how it works these days, it seems. So I'm a bit meh about the music, shrugging my shoulders and accepting that shit changes whether I want it too or not. But let's be clear one one thing Gonzo, you're fuckin way out of line on Madness, all sorts of wrong on that one sir.

We should bring battle rattles too. And the maximum wage, and Scarlet Fever.

We could get hung up on age instead of looking at capability. McAuley is experienced and has been playing at a good level for the last few years, way higher than SPFL. With his background he shouldn't have any problem 'fitting in' and having an experienced centre half sounds like a smart move to me. If he can guide young McCrorie like Davie Weir did to Danny Wilson once upon a time he'll be a good bit of business. The squad needs experience, we're very light on that now, a handful of older senior pros is essential.

I see no quotes from Tav himself in the article, what does he say about it? I've got a collie cross from Cardonald and know nothing about American Bulldogs and why you might cut their ears. Why is it done, is it like tail docking? That was banned but then reversed in Scotland last year. From the outside it seems cruel but I'd like to understand why it's done and what Tav has to say about it first.

Arfield, Murphy, Candieas, Dorrans, Windass, Jack, Docherty, McCrorie (he's a midfielder, not a defender in my opinion), Holt, Halliday, Rossiter and Barjonas. We've got options in midfield and I agree it can always be strengthened I'm just not sure McGeough does that significantly. Plus, he left us for them, so it's a hard no from me ;-)

For Maclennan to have survived for so long in the dirty, dirty world of newspapers shows he's not only canny but also a skilled political operator. It's impossible to have worked in newspaper management in the last decade and not have annoyed journalists. Cost cutting and managed decline have been the order of the day, that's never popular on the 'shop floor'. For MacLennan to have thrived he must have met his targets and pleased his bosses. Desmond and O'Brien are both serious businessmen and nobody's fools, they wouldn't have agreed to his employment if they didn't think he'd bring value to the business but also be looking out for their interests, whatever they might be. So for anyone to state publicly that MacLennan isn't there to do their bidding is naive in the extreme. MacLennan is an employee with a long track record of delivering what his bosses want. The only way there isn't a conflict of interest with MacLennan is if Celtic and every other Scottish club's directors want the same thing, and at this moment in time I doubt that very much.

I'm not sure about McGeough, when you leave us to join Celtic that for me closes the door on you forever. He's had a good couple of seasons but midfield is arguably the one area we don't need to strengthen currently.

I'm not sticking up for Pena but Rafeal Scheidt was part of a scam that Celtic, and a few other clubs, fell for. The Brazil manager and a number of football agents realised that a player who was a full Brazilian international commanded a premium transfer fee and salary in Europe. Plus without international recognition it was hard to get a work permit for some countries. So Wanderlay Luxemburgo, the Brazil manager, and I imagine a number of officials at the Brazilian FA, arranged copious amounts of meaningless friendlies where players never normally good enough to be picked for Brazil got capped. These players were then touted to gullible European sides as full Brazilian internationals (which they technically were) who fell for the rouse and signed them up, often on lucrative contracts and decent transfer fees. I'm sure the players got some of it but Luxemburgo and the agents grew fat off this until it was rumbled after a few years. I'm surprised Celtic haven't demanded an independent enquiry into it. Pena looks a shadow of the player he must have been at some point in his career, whatever his failings today he earned his caps the correct way.

RI still think there's a player in Ryan Hardie, somewhere.

He's one of these young players for who an awful lot is expected, whether that'll ever be fulfilled is another matter. He's already a Wales international although I suspect that was fast-tracked as England were trying to persuade him to represent them. He scored the winner in his second match for Wales too. He needs to start playing regular first team football that's for sure.

Really Craig? You don't spend much time in Scotland these days, do you. Sticking a big Union flag on the front of a Rangers top would be seen by many, many people as making a political statement.

I can remember when they not only got the Broomloan but also the West Enclosure and a wee bit of the Main Stand. Things change, because we've decided to do this now doesn't mean it'll be the case forever. I could see a time when both clubs stop away allocations completely if the cost of policing and stewarding continues to rise. In ten years time things might be very different, you cut your cloth accordingly.

That's unfortunate, I'm sorry. Hopefully something can be worked out, I've no idea of the logistics or availability for other suitable parts of the ground.

For the record I have never worn a green tie. The oranje cup final was superb. I'd no intention of wearing an oranje top to it, dressing up for cup finals wasn't really me, all felt a bit too tartan army for my tastes. I was driving down Dumbarton Road to pick up my mate listening to Cosgrove and Cowans on the tranny. Cosgrove was spitting feathers about the oranje thing, inferring anyone who took part was clearly a bigot and it shouldn't be allowed. I promptly stopped at a wee Partick clothes shop and bought an orange t-shirt. A few pints later I'd bought an orange wig too. It was a great day and the stadium looked immense. A great after party in The Nile that night too.

How's that work Forlan? Forlan's concern aside having more Rangers supporters in the ground at every match and having more season ticket holders sounds like a good move to me. I could care less how Celtic feel about this or what they do in return.

I'm not sure where to begin with this. I mean it's a very bad idea for any Rangers player to sit among Celtic fans at any match, they are putting themselves in a position of danger if nothing else. Whilst he's not the most high profile player he was clearly still recognised and, had the match gone differently, some of their support might not have been in a friendly mood. Secondly he can't be that naive. He's from here, he 'gets it', he was brought up with it. You could maybe excuse a foreign player or maybe an English one, where this type of thing might happen without comment. But this is Glasgow, and rightly or wrongly you don't do that here. A Rangers player, any Rangers player, watching a cup final Rangers aren't in, from the Celtic end, must rank as a stupid thing to do. If he was an ex-Motherwell player and in the Motherwell end then okay, that could be explained. Not the Celtic end though, that's unforgivable in my book. Lastly with MO'H and his background he should be particularly sensitive to this type of thing. We pay his wages, and whatever frustrations he might have with the club there's a new manager coming in and everyone get's a fresh start. Why blow it before Gerrard even sees you train? I think the best I can come up with is to agree with Frankie, MO'H is clearly not very bright.

Do you live in Glasgow BD? I've always assumed you do, I'm not sure why though. Personally I don't know how it's possible to live in Greater Glasgow and not know, or know of, lots of independence supporting Rangers fans. I mean half the people I know openly support the SNP or the concept of independence now. Some of the are nominal supporters who never go to games and watch infrequently on TV or catch games on radio, some are lapsed attenders due to family/work/cost commitments and some are guys who Rangers still play a big part in their lives. I thought you'd be hanging around with Jim McColl BD, that not the kind of circles you move in!

I'd wager there are more Rangers supporters who vote SNP than attend church on a regular basis far less go on Orange Walks. I don't know what kind of echo chamber some people on here live in. I personally know a a lot of Rangers supporters who voted 'Yes'. Some are convinced, card carrying nationalists who believe an independent Scotland will create a wealthier/fairer/better (delete as appropriate) society, some had never voted before in their lives and got caught up in the emotional argument and others who wavered one way or the other right through the campaign before being swayed by something or other at the death. I voted 'No' but if they held another referendum this year I'm not sure I'd vote the same way. My politics change as events unfold and society changes. I've voted for five different parties so far in my life, I'm loyal to none of them. Three years in Northern Ireland convinced me that unbending loyalty to any institution or ideal leaves you ripe to be exploited and taken for granted. Outside of my immediate family pretty much the only constant in my life has been Rangers, everything else is available.

It's a poor excuse from the club, or its insurers, whoever is actually defending the action. We should do the right thing here because it's the right thing to do.

The big question though is why were we wearing red socks? That's us a goal down before we even start as everyone knows.

It's annoying anyone in our support asks his opinion, it only increases his credibility as a spokesperson on this issue. If they really wanted political input there's another 300 politicians they could have asked. We really don't box clever. It's disingenuous nonsense to suggest the term 'Hun' doesn't mean Protestant. They can claim all they want that it isn't what they mean but it sure as hell is what I hear when they use it. It reminds me of when people claim they use the word 'Fen1an' only to describe 19th century Irish republicans. That may indeed be the case but today people hear 'Roman Catholic'. The meaning of words changes. I see the meme going round that shows Jock Stein and Neil McCann as if this somehow shows the word has no religious connotations. I wonder if a similar meme showing Neil McCann and Jock Stein where the word 'Hun' was replaced with the word 'Fenian' would appease Mr Dornan. We already know the answer. All of that before we even get to the use of the word 'scum'. I mean how do the club and police allow that?

Of course Cathro's arrival was actually greeted by good press from journalists and cynicism from players and ex-players. The media bought into Cathro being some kind of new super-coach despite the lack of evidence to back that up. With Gerrard the media has been largely negative and dismissive however players and ex-players have been largely positive and open to him. Now that might be because players and ex-players stick together and didn't fancy someone with Cathro's background getting one of 'their' jobs, or it might be because they know and understand the workings of a team and dressing room better than journalists.

Pena is 28 years old. If he's not 'wised up' by now he never will. The reason he joined Rangers was clubs in Mexico had lost faith in him, only the Caixinho connection got him a gig at Cruz Azul, now that's bombed no one will touch him. I'd be astonished if he ever plays for Rangers again. He'll surely be told he needs to report to training everyday, but he won't be considered for the 1st team and he won't be getting any win or appearance bonuses, or else he can find another club or rip up his contract and walk away. I expect a similar conversation has/will take place with Herrera. I think we'll keep Morelos though I don't expect us to sign Cummings permanently.