pete

Fan-Fan has now also been paid off!! BBC Radio

Seems you won't get your wish Craig le Gaffer has stated on the official site that he is finished if he gets a central defender.

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8750_1364388,00.html

Big Marv might help us defensively but he was also caught sleeping many times last year, in a build-up he is worse than a player short. He can score with corners but is that the kind of football we want to watch week in week out? He may be worth keeping just for VoH but then we are going back to the Eck tactics of worrying about the other team instead of playing to our strengths. Marv has to go and we need a dominant CH in the John Terry, Terry Butcher mould.

Give the guy time. 5 games ffs. He has not had time to put in a new bin bag in his office waste paper basket. We look to be heading in the right direction and last year we topped the league in the beginning and then evaporated. This year we have to be ready for a long haul. A last day league win will suit me fine.

The agent of Javier Saviola has claimed that Aston Villa have made an offer for the Barcelona hit-man. The 24-year-old once again finds himself out of favour at Camp Nou having spent the past two seasons out on loan at Monaco and Sevilla. With just one year left on his contract, Barca are keen to offload him permanently this summer but have been unable to agree a deal with interested suitors. The likes of Arsenal, Hamburg, Bolton and Sevilla have all been linked with the Argentine, but it has now emerged that Villa have submitted an offer for the South American. When asked whether a bid from the Midlanders had been submitted, Saviola's agent Alfredo Cabrera responded: "It is true. "We have options in Spain, England and Italy, but there will not be definitive movement until Wednesday." Villa are understood to be doing battle with the likes of Celta Vigo, Real Zaragoza and Villarreal for the diminutive forward who impressed for Argentina at the World Cup. With a deal for Stilian Petrov edging ever closer, the capture of Saviola would represent another sizeable coup for Villa boss Martin O'Neill.

FFFFFCCCKKKK it.... Back-shift:mad: :mad:

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson's insistence that he doesn't require another striker, ManYoo are being heavily linked with a last-gasp move for David Trezeguet. Predicting a '�£12million transfer deadline-day raid' for the Juventus striker, The Daily Mirror says that 'Sir Alex Ferguson made his move for Trezeguet after deciding he needed to bolster his strike-force following the departure of Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid.' 'It is understood that Trezeguet's father, who also acts as his agent, has already met United officials to discuss a potential move ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline. 'But Trezeguet has expressed his desire to leave and United are favourites to land the Frenchman, although they face competition from Lyon for his signature.' ManYoo still haven't given up on signing Owen Hargreaves either. According to The Daily Telegraph, Sir Fergie has turned to Sir Bobby Charlton in a desperate bid to persuade a stubborn Bayern Munich to sell Hargreaves before Thursday night. Sir Fergie hopes that 'the ambassadorial qualities of Charlton' and his '40-year association with Franz Beckenbauer' will be sufficient to break the deadlock over Hargreaves' proposed move. However, there are still no indications that Bayern are preparing to budge, with ManYoo chief executive David Gill failing to make any progress with his German counterpart at last Thursday's Champions League draw.

Anyone know how Moses Ashikodi is doing? Is he anywhere near first team football?

I have to admit your right Chris.

Reserves Beaten At Broadwood GERS' coach Ian Durrant was left scratching his head in frustration after he watched his side succumb to their second league defeat of the season to Dunfermline at Broadwood this afternoon. Antoine PonroyDespite dominating most of the game and creating a number of chances throughout the 90 minutes the Light Blues were unable to find the net and this was to prove very costly. In the end a 69th minute strike from Owen Morrison, who also scored a dramatic equaliser against Paul Le Guen's team at East End Park on August 13, was to give the Pars a crucial away win. The Irishman recieved a clever pass from Craig Wilson before chipping Lee Robinson from 22 yards. Durrant was able to include Marvin Andrews, Olivier Bernard and Bob Malcolm in his starting eleven although there were concerns on the sidelines when Antoine Ponroy (left) had to be replaced on 21 minutes after he appeared to injure his shoulder. The defeat means that the Reserves have yet to pick up a point after two SPL games and the coach feels his players must be more ruthless in front of goal. He said: "I am reasonably satisfied with the way we passed the ball and dictated play but we have to show a killer instinct. "We had more than enough chances to win the game today but we did not take them and this let Dunfermline stay in the game which was frustrating." TEAM: Robinson, McMillan, Andrews, Ponroy (Shinnie 21), Bernard, Lennon, Malcolm, Gilmour, Emslie, Stanger (McLachlan 75), Ashikodi Subs Not Used: Sagar, Ure, Woods, Little From the Rangers site!!!

It seems they are worried about his knees after the medical. Sounds like us with Hartson.

Why i say the same about the wife.

29 August 2006 RANGERS 0 DUNFERMLINE 1 Dunfermline's win over Rangers at the Broadwood Stadium meant that the Glasgow club remain rooted to the foot of the SPL Reserve League. Following on their 2-1 reversal at Tannadice last week, Ian Durrant's team fell to an Owen Morrison goal. The Ulsterman who has got himself into a valuable habit of scoring 69th minute goals against Rangers struck with a volley after Craig Wilson cushioned header from an Iain Williamson cross was nicely placed in his direction. The first half was played in awkward blustery conditions that were not conducive to good football. Nevertheless Darren Young shot narrowly wide after 12 minutes and following a series of corners he again was closet with a header that went over the bar. Roddy McKenzie saved from Moses Ashikodi before Dunfermline created another good chance just ten minutes from the break. Alan McDonough's driving run down the right set up Calum Smith but the 18 year old's attempt was deflected for another corner. Smith troubled Rangers on the restart making ground down the right before cutting inside and driving in on goal before releasing a shot that the keeper turned around the post. Rangers were giving as good as they got and were unlucky when a Brian Gilmour shot from distance hit the post. Young was the next to threaten and was a little unfortunate to see his 55th minute shot saved by Robinson. The Pars did however make the opening 14 minutes later with a 22 yard Morrison effort that gave Lee Robinson little hope of stopping the ball as it soared into the top right corner. The lead was preserved thanks to Iain Campbell who quickly mopped up after a fine McKenzie save when Rangers really should have struck. Rangers pressed for an equaliser and Dunfermline looked dangerous on the break but the Pars ran out victors. RANGERS: Lee Robinson, Jordan McMillan, Marvin Andrews, Antoine Ponroy (Andrew Shinnie 21), Oliver Bernard, Steven Lennon, Bob Malcolm, Brian Gilmour, Paul Emslie, William Stanger (William McLachlan 75), Moses Ashikodi SUBS NOT USED: Joseph Sagar, Martin Ure, Sam Woods, Andrew Little DUNFERMLINE : Roddy McKenzie; Greg Ross, Aaron Labonte, Iain Campbell, Scott Morrison; Craig Wilson, Darren Young, Nick Phinn (Iain Williamson 46), Owen Morrison; Calum Smith, Alan McDonough (David Muir 79) SUBS NOT USED: Greg Paterson, Clark Kay, Derek Howie, Neil Fenwick SCORER: O Morrison (69) REFEREE: Graham Chambers NEXT MATCH v Dundee United, Tuesday 5th September 2006, 2.00pm kick off at East End Park Bottom of the league:ffs: What is going on here? I guess the new french guy's are not doing too well.

Me three:D

Oh how Portsmouth need Petrov!!!!!

Sorry guy's i disagree on this one. Homesick has nothing to do with money. I still after 25 years in Holland still feel homesick at times. Holland has roughly the same culture as Scotland but i can believe that if you are in Russia which has a total different culture, you don't understand the language and possibly you are not happy in your work, then life becomes hard in your head. I would head home if i was him and to be honest i couldn't believe it when he went there. Just because some of us can adapt to life in a foreign country does not mean it is easy for everyone.

The signings of Vennegoor and Gravesen will cost the tims a total package of 15-20 million pounds. They are using there CL cash before they have it. If they do not get past the first group stage or fail to qualify next year it could put them in big trouble again. To be honest i think they are playing Russian roulette. We don't want to take the same route When we blew the Sky money that was the end of us keeping up with the English prem. I cannot believe that Le Guen is such a bad judge of players that most of them are donkey's. I am sure(hope and pray) most of them will start to perform once they get settled in. We seem to be playing good football we just need to start taking the chances we are creating and stiffen the defence up. Piece of cake! I am sure i just heard on Scotsport Gravesen is on 45.000 a week. Have the tims robbed the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox?

Just for the record i didn't write it i picked it up from a website and enjoyed the memories.

A NIGHT RANGERS WILL NEVER FORGET 10:00 - 26 August 2006 As the latest clutch of mostly uninspiring European matches found their way onto our screens this week, a radio phone-in debated one of football's mysteries: how is it that Glasgow Rangers have won just a single European trophy? That victory arrived on May 24, 1972, at Barcelona's Nou Camp, when Rangers produced a glorious performance in the first hour of the Cup Winners' Cup final to lead Moscow Dynamo 3-0. Although the Russians rallied and scored two late goals, it wasn't enough to deny a group of players whose names were to be etched into the club's folklore. Author and journalist Paul Smith had a distinct advantage in his quest to interview Rangers' 11 European heroes in his entertaining To Barcelona and Beyond, for his father Davie was widely regarded as the man of the match on that epic night. Smith has written an intimate and, at times, moving portrait of the lives of the eleven before, during and after their European experience. Unlike the current Rangers team, as cosmopolitan a bunch as there is in British football, the 1972 vintage were all Scots. Most played for their country and, in an era when Scotland produced a good proportion of Britain's finest footballers, players such as John Greig and Colin Stein remain legends for club and country. Smith's stories of lesser lights including goalkeeper Peter McCloy and full-back Willie Mathieson highlight the strength of an unusually loyal team bond which has lasted more than three decades. Of course, there were also mavericks. Alfie Conn moved to Tottenham soon after the European triumph having been deemed surplus to Ibrox's requirements. Despite playing fewer than 40 games for Spurs, he became a cult hero, fondly remembered as the player who sat on the ball during a particularly fraught encounter with Don Revie's Leeds. Conn played in the North American Soccer League, as did Willie Johnston, two-goal hero in the final. Johnston's career post-Barcelona included one of the most notorious episodes in World Cup history. He failed a drugs test following the embarrassing 3-1 defeat to Peru in Scotland's opening game of the 1978 World Cup. Despite his protestations of innocence and his exemplary career, it's a millstone which he has had to carry around with him for nearly 30 years. On reflection, there seems to be too little recognition for the team that won Rangers' only European trophy, which seems bizarre considering the quality of opposition they had to overcome. In addition to Moscow Dynamo, effectively the Russian national team, they dispatched Rennes and Sporting Lisbon in the opening rounds before defeating a very strong Torino outfit in the quarter-finals. Yet perhaps their greatest victory was the 3-1 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. Bayern were about to embark on a hat-trick of European Cup triumphs and half the side, including Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller, were to become part of the West Germany team that won the 1974 World Cup. Poignantly, Rangers' triumph arrived little over a year after 66 supporters died in the Ibrox Disaster and it became a fitting memorial. Nevertheless, Uefa deemed the exuberant celebrations of Rangers' supporters on the Nou Camp pitch a suitable case for punishment. The club was banned from defending its trophy the following season. Meanwhile, that second European success has yet to arrive??? What memories!!! Dave Smith one of my schoolboy heroes. I wish we had him and Tom Forsyth in the team today.

I can only agree craig that is what i meant by it being good financially. I think the ginger gnome will have to grovel big time to get back in Fergies good books. Fergie does not forget easily.

Even if they go on loan it looks like Rangers will have to pay a part of their wages as this seems to be the stumbling block. Even though we have slashed players wages it seems we are still paying far more than teams like Bolton.

I agree mate if it was a try before you buy it would be a lot easier to swallow.

Hurlock he comes from Holland. The temperature in the winter is colder here than Scotland(thus ice skating) and rain chances are just as much. In the Dutch cup the profs can be drawn against amature teams so he will be well used to crapy parks.

I read an interview with Fergie and he said that Martin was almost here last year to help Eck but they felt he was just a bit immature instead he was sent to the less hectic Belgian second division. Fergie said that as long as his young players get a game, Ibrox is a great place to for his young players as it gets them used to big crowds and playing under pressure. Funny that Strachan is trying to repair burnt bridges with Fergie now we are tapping in to the Manu youth. I have a bit of mixed feelings on this, i hate Rangers being a nursery club to anyone but Rangers but i suppose it makes financial sense.