CammyF

According to reports this week, Lovenkrands wants a return to Rangers - apparently PLG didn't really want him to stay, hence the reason he left (don't know how true that is). I for one would welcome Pistol Pete back at Ibrox with open arms. Cammy F

Even more worrying is the fact that Craptic have just announced very impressive financial figures - they are in danger of disappearing over the horizon and looks like the gap will continue to grow. Never mind, SDM gave us 9-in-row :yawn: , we'll need to keep watching these videos to put a smile on our faces as Craptic continue to outstrip is on and off the pitch. Cammy F

Pete, there is a huge difference between the Rangers ICF and the Feyenoord fans. They were booted out of Europe as their 'mainstream fans' are as scummy as their 'ultras / casuals'. As Gribz said, to have an interest in these groups doesn't mean that you think they are 'heros'. I have a general interest in people like Harold Shipman, Peter Sucliffe (sp), The Wests etc, doesn't mean I condone serial killing. I also have a general interest in Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, again, doesn't mean I condone mass murderers. Cammy F

Putting all our personal feelings aside, their is no denying that these guys were and still are a part of our support. They have and still do, follow Rangers everywhere and they won't go away by simply 'ignoring them'. Violence has been apart of football from its conception, in fact, IIRC (not that I was actually there!) the 1908 (I think) cup final was abandoned due to a riot. There are stories of Morton fans who worked in the Clyde ship building taking buckets of piping hot rivets with them to games to throw at rival fans. Most supporters clubs in the 60's would go to the football 'suited and booted' and that wasn't in order to 'look good'. The 70's saw the birth of the Skinheads and Punks and most / every team in the land had a 'firm' that would cause havoc everywhere they went. In fact, it was our 'firms' of that time that spawned the Motherwell, Aberdeen and Hibs casuals as they were pissed off with our 'mobs' turning up, over-running their cities and 'taking liberties'. Violence is still alive and kicking in football as the murder of an innocent Policeman in Italy goes to prove. I don't think anyone was condoning the ICF and their activities, just saying that like all 'groups of fans' they have a story to tell and believe me, it makes interesting reading. I have just bought and started reading 'Top Boys' by Cass Pennent and Rangers ICF are featured heavily in this book. Most English firms represented in the book claim that Rangers ICF are one of the top 5 firms of all time and have huge respect within the scene. BTW, most of them mentioned (like WBA, Man City, Leicster (sp) etc) can't stand Craptic! For this long in the tooth Bear, these books are a good read as I have witnessed the coming and going of not just casuals, but Skins, Punks etc at the football. Oh and they also confirm that the commonly held believe that casuals are on the way out is wrong - they are back and in all honesty, haven't been away. Cammy F

Written by Davie Carrick with Martin King but with additions for Chelsea, Hearts and a few other firms lads as well as some other members of the ICF. Not as 'professional' as say the ICF and Soul Crew books, but brutelly (sp) honest, fair and rip ASC and Craptics mob to pieces. They mention a few rumbles that I actually witnessed where the ICF came to the rescue of 'normal' Rangers fans. Once at Parkhead and once in Paris. The game at Parkhead was when they were redveloping and we had a tiny wee corner and had to walk thro them to get in. They were taking huge liberties and were attacking all Rangers fans. The ICF piled in from Duke Street about 300 strong and along with a few 'normal' fans split the Craptic ranks (of over 1000) and gave them a good slapping. Same in Paris and if the book is to believed, they are the only firm to take PSG in Paris.... If you can PM me, I'll send my copy over once a few other guys have had a read of it - of if someone else get get a copy over to you first - feel free!!! Cammy F

After reading the Rangers ICF book, Mike Galloways claims that Ibrox was his fave ground due to the electric atmosphere and think back to the 'good old days', is it fair to say that the Rangers fans have gone 'soft'? Now, I do not mean that in a 'violent' way, I just mean that teams, players and officials are no longer intimidated at Ibrox. Last Saturday, the officials were shit, but there was only a few minor boos directed at them, even when the goal was chopped off. There is no atmosphere at Ibrox either (TBO apart), no rousing singing or chanting etc. Now, I am not advocating attacking refs / lino's at the game, in their houses or their kids at school, leave that to Timmy, but surely its time make Ibrox the fortress it once was. Cammy F

Anyone read the Rangers ICF book? If so, what are your impressions? Just finished it and have to say it is one of the better 'casual' books. They admit to getting a few beatings and their claims that they were, and still are Scotland's best firm are backed with accounts from boys from Hearts, Chelsea and a few other firms. Cammy F

Ah, Stevie Fulton, the unacceptable face of Scottish Football... Good to see that they are still HURTING and hurting big-time over wee MoJo..... If you'll indulge me, I can regale a great wee stroy about Mr Fulton... Mrs Cammy had her hen-night in Falkirk and Fulton was playing for the Bairns at this time. As the hen-night approached 'Behind The Wall' they were surrounded by Falkirk players, all of whom were at the lash, having a laugh etc. When they got into the pub, which was mobbed, Fulton starting acting like a dick but was sent away with a flea in his ear as the entire hen-night burst into a chorus of 'Stevie Fulton, you're a wanker'... even his team-mates joined in...!! Cammy F

Much has been written about the abrupt departure of Mr PLG and the reappointment of Mr Smith and the possible reasons behind PLGââ?¬â?¢s departure, but nothing is going to change the fact that Walter Smith (plus Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowell) has replaced the much lauded (well, before his arrival in Govan) Frenchman. For sometime now, probably since Dick Advocaatââ?¬â?¢s departure, it has been obvious that Rangers needed a period of stability, whilst David Murray downsized our ambitions as we were in uncontrollable debt. In retrospect, Alex McLeish gave us a period (2 years) of stability where he appeared to have steadied the ship, won us trophies (albeit both Championships were won on the last day of the seasons) whilst the ââ?¬Ë?top earnersââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬â?? hence the ââ?¬Ë?decentââ?¬â?¢ players were sold and replaced with inferior ââ?¬Ë?talentââ?¬â?¢. Last season was unbearable for most of us, the record run of defeats, horsed out of both cups in the early stages but we had have a decent run in the Champions League and were in truth, very unlucky to be put out by a very good Villarreal team. When it was revealed in these very pages (thank you Mr KPTB) that PLG was going to be replace AM we were all delighted and after the ââ?¬Ë?official announcementââ?¬â?¢ we all looked forward to ââ?¬Ë?moonbeams of successââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?substantial financial investmentââ?¬â?¢ Ã?© David Murray. Now, it is safe to say that most of us were unimpressed with PLGââ?¬â?¢s dealings in the transfer market (partly blamed of the miserly transfer kitty he was given) but we all thought that PLG would mould them into decent players and therefore, us into a decent team. The first signs were encouraging, then, well, it went tits up. Knocked out of the CIS cup by St Johnstone, the first time in our history that we had lost, at home, to lower league opposition and a woeful 17 points the beggars in the SPL and struggling to cement even 2nd place. The arguments for sacking and retaining PLG were fascinating, the reasons for his eventual sacking clouded (depending on what version of events you believe). However, as I said above, that is all history and we have WS, AMc and KMc in charge and they have been installed to act as a stabilizing team. Now, whether you agree with their installation, I donââ?¬â?¢t think any Rangers fan can deny that we need stabilization and I am sure that the current management/coaching team can deliver this. What I am not so sure is if they are the team to project Rangers in the ââ?¬Ë?long-termââ?¬â?¢. On my humble opinion, what David Murray has done, as he had done with the AM and PLG appointments, is bought himself some time. No-one, even Murrayââ?¬â?¢s greatest detractors, which I am one off, can deny that Murray can manipulate and buy himself time. He has effectively bought himself a further 12-18 months by appointing ââ?¬Ë?Rangers legendsââ?¬â?¢ knowing the fans are unlikely to turn on them if things go bad, we are more likely to support / give more time to them. If DM thought that appointing the ââ?¬Ë?dream teamââ?¬â?¢ was a long-term solution, he would have put another ââ?¬Ë?layerââ?¬â?¢ of management in place between Smith and McCoist. Someone like Billy Davies, Gus McPherson or even Stuart McCall as they would be better place / more experienced than Ally McCoist to take over from Walter Smith. Now, this may happen in the summer, I sincerely hope that it does. PLG ââ?¬â?? Right Manager, Wrong Time Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I remember talking to a few guys on our supporters bus who had reservations about PLGââ?¬â?¢s signing. Their biggest concern was his lack of communication skills and the fact that he had been out of football for so long. I didnââ?¬â?¢t agree with them, but in hindsight, they may have had a point. Whether this affected his ability to be a success in Scotland is up for debate, but it certainly didnââ?¬â?¢t help (neither did his signing nor Barry Ferguson, depending on whoââ?¬â?¢s side you are on! Lets be brutally honest here, weââ?¬â?¢ll never know the real story thatââ?¬â?¢s for sure). My thoughts that PLG was the right manager for Rangers, but was given the job at the wrong time. I would have loved to have seen PLG as Rangers manager when we had financial stability and money to invest in the squad and when the Youth Set-Up was properly funded and run. In saying that, that is all hypothetical, as under David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s leadership, that is never going to happen. Willie Gardiner Ex-Rangers and Boââ?¬â?¢ness United player Willie Gardiner sadly passed away a few weeks back. Willie signed for Rangers from the ââ?¬Ë?BUââ?¬â?¢sââ?¬â?¢ in 1950 and played under the legendary Mr Struth. He managed a total of 31 appearances for Rangers, scoring 19 goals before being sold to Leicester City where he went on to score 34 goals in his first season for The Foxes. Cammy F ââ?¬â?? We Are The Peopleââ?¬Â¦.

Why does Barry F have to turn, turn, turn? Is it because he wants to? Or maybe its because he has no options. Countless times this season I have seen BF burst forward then have to turn or pass the ball back as he nobody makes decent moves for him. In fact, a few times this season, he has been the furtherest player forward. It is no coincidence that BF's finest performances for Rangers were when we played with mobile, skillfull and decent forwards - the days of Mols, RDB and CC - players who would pass and move, take defenders away, hold the ball up and play one-twos with BF. Now, all BF has in front of him is Prso who doesn't play that often. Boyd (rightly or wrongly) is only interested when the ball is in the box and can trap a ball further than I can kick, Novo who gives his all but doesn't have the intelligence to take defenders away, or the hapless Sebo who looks like a junior player. As for my 'staunch' defence of BF - it is only because he is the best player we have and one of the best midfield players in Britain. We would be a poorer team without him. BTW, you don't have to like BF to admit that he is a top class player - can't say that I'd pick him as a friend, or even go for a pint with him, but can still see that hes the best we have at the moment Cammy F

I defy you to say that 14 dud signings HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR POOR SEASON... that is a fact, a dressing room split is 'alledged'.... So, tell us, is BF currently sitting in Murray Towers discussing the merits of WS, AMc et al and any possible signings? Here, was it BF who sactioned the signing of Kenny McDowell this evening? Cammy F

And you know all of the above is true? Do you work at Murray Park, are you privy to conversations between players, managers, coaches, or are you basing this on rumours, half-truths, and a 'one sided stroy'. BF not obaying orders isn't the reason we were 17 points behind Craptic, fucked by St Johnstone in the CIS Cup, the first time in our history that we have lost to a lower league side at home in a cup compition. Nor is BF at fault for the fuckin abysmal signings made by PLG, none of whom have shown anything to say that they were worth bringing. BF DOESN'T tell DM who is the manager or who should be sacked / employed et al. If BF was guilty of all of the above, DM would have rightly, kicked his arse the length of PRW and put him on the transfer list. Now, what you are implying is that SDM ALLOWED BF to dictate the direction our club is going, are we to seriously believe that? Away and bile yir heid..... Next you'll be telling us that Barry Ferguson is currently advising SDM on who should replace PLG and his 14 DUD signings..... Cammy F

Latest from BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6233237.stm Cammy F

So he came to that conclusion after watching a video of ONE game .... Cammy F

An exclusive from Cully to rank up there with the Crespo for Craptic exclusive a few season back..... BBC reporting that Hibs are not selling wither player until the summer (if at all). Brown wants a move to Rangers, Thomson wants a move anywhere away from Easter Road, Collins wants to sell them as a 'job lot' to the beggars..... A complicated afair and possibley the reason the new Rangers management team are staying well clear (at the moment) and lingin up possible replacements. Keith Jackson on RR also states that there is NOTHING in this story and that Brown will be a Rangers player. All speculation at the moment... Cammy F

If and its a HUGE IF Barry Ferguson wasn't doing as he was told on the pitch, why did PLG NEVER subsitute him during any of the games he was in charge off? And IF he was undermining him, why was BF an automatic choice? Cammy F

Cammy Fraser - success Craig Paterson - 50/50 Gregor Stevens - flop Colin Stien - HUGE success Theo Snelders - shitbag Dougie Bell - flop Jim Bett - success (or did he come from abroad?) Bobby Russell (from Shettleston Juniors) - success Davie Copper - HUGE Success Gordon Smith - HUGE Success Iain Ferguson - flop Ian Redford - success'ish Cammy F

- very average???? They are romping the SPL (only lost one game so far) and have qualified for the last 16 of the CL - something they haven't doen in many a year. Yip, they are getting stronger and stronger off and on the field as we get weaker and weaker. Another failure to reach the CL next season for us is unthinkable, but a very very very realistic nightmare. Cammy F

We had one, namely Marvin Andrews, who are last manager deemed as surplass to requirments. Cammy F

On the day that DA was removed from the managers office, David Murray makes an appearance flanked by Walter Smith (or Graeme Souness), Alex McLeish and a few Rangers legends. David Murray looks into the glare of the camera's and lights and states that due to financial restructring and increasing debt, which he acknowledges were his doings, Rangers are today setting out a 5 year plan. This plan will see the sale, over time of all our high earners and they will be replaced by a mix of the best Scottish talent and some very experience continental and 'British' players. Any money that Rangers do have will be channelled into Youth Development and the predictions are that in 5 years, we will be developing the very best of Scottish, British, European and World talent thro our academies (this will also help to establish Rangers as a global brand). Ex-players like Laudrup, Albertz etc will manage these academies and act as scouts for Rangers. David Murray also announces that he is (genuinely) looking into other areas for financial opportunities (not a pie in the sky casino) and will match every pound that the supporters put into the club with a pound of his own money. Now, that fairytale would have been bearing fruit if it had happened. I for one would have accepted that then and indeed, if David Murray was to deliver this rallying call on Tuesday when the latest managment team are announced, I would accept it then. However, I fully expect a bullish SDM to announce that the new dream team will deliver moonbeams of success whilst he continues to whittle away the little money we have into his own companies. Cammy F - We Need A Long Term Vision Over Short-Termism Promises That Go Unfulfilled Loyal RSC

IMO the 2 most important things he got wrong were 1/ not hiring a Scottish / British assistant manager. When Souness took over his first signing was Walter Smith. DA came along, his first step was to ask who knew more about Rangers than anyone else. When informed that that was John Greig, he promptly told JG to get from his office and help DA look at players abilities and confirm if they had what it took to play for Rangers and in Scottish football. Look at most foriegn managers in England, they have a 'British' coach at their side - Stevie Clark, Chris Huaghton, Pat Rice, Alex Miller..... 2/ Despite knowing for ~6 months that PLG was going to be Rangers manager, he arrived with a very basic grasp of English - he couldn't communicate to the press, I'd imagine that he'd have the same difficulties communicating with the players. Cammy F

In all seriousness, it is still my opinion that BF is the ONLY player that we have that is 'good enough' to play for Rangers. Now, not getting into another debate about the merits of him being in the team, that means the new management team require to find 10 replacements before the start of next season (and that doesn't take into account the time required for them to 'gell'). If BF goes, that makes an entire new team required. Now, having seen some of the reserve games at the beginning of the season, IMO there is NOTHING there at the moment that would help the first team squad. They may have improved since the last time I saw them, but probably not. Can WS, Stuart McCall and Ally McCoist turn the current squad into a decent team? IMO, yes they can, but it depends on what you would class a 'decent team'. The best they will get IMO is to run Craptic close in the league (win it a few times) and win a few trophies. They will make us hard to beat, but not the most attractive team to watch. Basically, they will be Rangers under AM (so hardly a step forward). It all depends on the transfer budget given to them, or any other management team. We must bevelop a 'spine' to our team just as Souness did when he took over. He bought (over a few seasons) Woods, Butcher, Wilkins and Hateley - what a spine of a team that was. WS will attempt and possibley get (over a few seasons) - Gordon (any better than McGregor?), Webster, Rino and Boyd / O'Connor. Add a few other Scottish players like Brown, Thomson or Hartley (we won't get both), Neilson (is he any better than Mutton?), Quasie and maybe we'll unearth a few foriegn diamonds. IMO, for us to become successful domestically, we have to hope for a fall in standards from our rivals rather than seeing an significant improvement from ourselves. Oh and if that isn't bleak enough, I still think we'll get worse before we get better. Do you think this team would win the SPL? McGregor Hutton/Neilson Webster Svensson Smith Rino Fergie Brown Hartley Boyd Novo/Prso EDIT - actually, it may have a chance if coached correctly Cammy F

There is very little that I can add to this thread that I haven't already stated in other threads today. I'll sumerise my feelings by saying that it is my opinion that this man is killing the club we love. Cammy F

I think the fact that he didn't trust, nor play, the vast majority of the players he signed showed that they weren't good enough for Rangers. A new manager has to trust the players he signed otherwise it gives the impression that they are no better, or indeed worse than those he inherited. That IMO is a terrible admission for a manager. Cammy F

The players ultimately take the responsibility as once they are on the pitch, there is little the manager, coaches etc can do. As for our current squad, some are not good enough, that is obvious. Some look like they could be good enough but they are either not giving 100% or being coached incoorectly. Some are good enough but aren't good enough to carry the rest of the team. The worrying trend for me is that this team / squad have the same failings as AM's - they can not defend, can not take advantage of set-pieces and can't kill teams off. I may have been hoping for too much, but in PLG I thought that we had a coach who could have identified and fixed these traites. He didn't / couldn't. Cammy F