ian1964

Brad Friedel is in line for a shock January exit from Aston Villa after after his contract talks were put on hold. US shot-stopper Friedel, 39, is one of Villa's big earners on over �£40,000-a-week after joining from Blackburn in July 2008. Now with his contract up in the summer, new boss Gerard Houllier is willing to let him go Friedel has made nearly 250 consecutive Premier League appearances. Villa have since given Friedel's name to agents to drum up interest in the veteran, who lives in Cheshire. Villa owner Randy Lerner is determined to cut the club's �£70million wage bill. Mirrorsport revealed on October 14 that Curtis Davies was going on loan to Leicester and on October 29 that John Carew, who earns �£52,500-a-week, can leave. Now Friedel and defender Habib Beye, who earns �£40,000-a-week, are also available and flop Stephen Ireland may leave too. Villa scouts have looked at Rangers keeper Allan McGregor, 28, as a possible replacement for Friedel. Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Aston-Villa-will-offload-Brad-Friedel-Habib-Beye-and-Stephen-Ireland-in-January-clear-out-article643641.html#ixzz1792St6Ak Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here

Aye,my thoughts as well Craig

RAGING Rangers fans have slammed the SPL’s decision to reschedule their game against Dundee United at Tannadice for the Tuesday night before Christmas. Ibrox fans’ chiefs have branded the switch “ludicrous” and warned that United will be hit in the pocket as many supporters will refuse to make the trek to Tayside. It is understood the SPL wanted the fixture to be played on Tuesday, December 14 but Dundee already had a First Division match against Cowdenbeath pencilled in for that date along the road at Dens Park. And Europa League action the following night meant UEFA wouldn’tlet the United-Rangers clash, which is being shown live on ESPN, be beamed in direct competition. That left December 21 as the next free midweek date but Rangers Assembly spokesman Andy Kerr said: "It’s completely unreasonable. “My enquiries had led me to believe there would probably be a fixture on either the 14th or the 15th, which would not have been ideal but would have been palatable. But to schedule a game four days before Christmas is ludicrous. “We have a game on Boxing Day, another one on the 29th, then the Old Firm and a rescheduled cup game against Kilmarnock on the following Monday night. We are being messed about. “I would never advocate getting special treatment but surely some consideration must be given to clubs who are taking thousands of fans on the road to away games. Does the SPL really believe it is reasonable to have huge numbers on that road on a night just before Christmas? “Having said that, there will be a big drop-off in the numbers of our fans. “A lot of people with tickets for the original game will be looking for refunds because they can’t get to this game so close to Christmas. United will lose out financially.” Rangers made no comment on the issue but it is believed they wanted the game played a week earlier. United chairman Stephen Thompson said: “It’s not ideal. I can fully understand the Rangers fans’ annoyance at the date. Nobody knows what the roads are going to be like then and, of course, it’s an expensive time of the year.” The SPL have also announced the Motherwell-Hearts game - originally meant to have been played on November 29 - will take place on Tuesday, December 14.

CRAIG WHYTE’S near Ã?£33m takeover of Rangers is approaching the end game after the multi-millionaire financier agreed a deal in principle to buy out Sir David Murray. The London-based 39-year-old, a lifelong supporter of the Ibrox club, met the Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston in a Glasgow hotel yesterday morning to outline his plans for the future should he take control after being given the go-ahead by Murray to hold discussions. Sources later described the meeting as ‘very positive’. Herald Sport understands that due diligence is being carried out by Whyte’s team of lawyers and accountants, and is now well down the line. The ongoing tax investigation from HMRC into off-shore payments made into players’ trusts by Rangers is also being addressed, and warranties may be inserted over any future liabilities should there be a tax bill in the future to ensure smooth passage of the deal. If the due diligence process is completed without a hitch, Whyte would then be in a position to submit a firm offer in writing for the club, which would be announced to the Stock Exchange. Herald Sport has learned of several other crucial factors relating to Whyte’s plan, which proposes a Ã?£27.1m injection of funds to clear the club’s debt to Lloyds Bank, the purchase of Murray Park and Ibrox, and a further Ã?£5.5m to buy out Murray’s majority stake and the other shareholders. ~ Whyte has provided Murray with written proof that he will not borrow from a bank or finance house and the Rangers owner is convinced of Whyte’s ability to provide investment in the playing squad year on year, and the club as a whole, going forward. ~ Andrew Ellis’s involvment in the deal is relatively small. He brought Whyte to the table having befriended him several years ago. However, Ellis, who failed in his own takeover of Rangers in the summer, is not putting up any money for the deal. It is understood Ellis asked, in return for his part in part-brokering the deal, for a shareholding in the club which he will be granted. However, this will be in the form of a loan, and he will have to remunerate Whyte for this shareholding. His exact involvement on any future board, should Whyte take control, has yet to be determined although he is keen to be involved in some capacity. ~ There is no delaying on the side of Whyte, nor was there ever any need for meetings to determine whether he proceeded. Once an agreement was struck with Murray, he was content to leave it to his legal people. A source close to Whyte said last night that he is frustrated at not being able to seal a quick deal and wants to help the manager, Walter Smith, in the transfer window in January in terms of strengthening a threadbare squad. However, he has to be guided by his legal team and cannot proceed any faster than they allow. That said, sources last night intimated it could happen before then; everything hinges on the completion of due diligence. ~ Whyte will make no comment on the Rangers takeover until the deal is done. He remains bound by strict Stock Exchange rules and the City Code on takeovers and also does not want to cloud matters until he has the keys to Ibrox in his hands. However, the fact he met Johnston – something that Ellis never did during his protracted efforts to take control – suggests that he is viewed as the real deal by Murray. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/whyte-s-33m-rangers-deal-a-step-closer-after-very-positive-meeting-1.1072400

RANGERS legend Brian Laudrup was celebrating last night after being given the all-clear in his cancer battle. The former Ibrox winger, 41, had been receiving treatment in his native Denmark since being diagnosed with a form of lymphoma in September. But this week medics told the dad-of-two that tests show he no longer has the disease. Last night Laudrup was resting at home with wife Mette, 46, son Nicolai, 21, and daughter Rasmina, 17. Three months ago we told how the Gers hero had vowed to beat his cancer after being "shocked" by the original diagnosis. It's believed that the star, now working as a football pundit in Denmark, was given the good news on Monday. But last night Laudrup stuck to his vow not to discuss his health fight. He told us: "When I came out with this I said that I was not going to give any further explanation. "Maybe in the future I will speak about it - but not right now." News the "Great Dane" has beaten cancer was welcomed by his many friends in Scotland. Scottish Sun columnist Andy Goram, 46, said he was thrilled by his former teammate's recovery. The ex-Rangers and Scotland goalie said last night: "This is the best Christmas present I could wish for - it's great news. "Brian was always a fighter, so I knew he could beat this. And that's exactly what he's done. We've remained close friends and I've been in contact with him about this. I'm glad to say he's sounding great." Goram added: "Everyone at Rangers, and indeed in Scottish football as a whole, was pulling for him. "I know how touched Brian has been by the thousands of messages of support he's received." Laudrup played 150 games for Rangers between 1994 and 1998. He scored 45 goals - including the winner against Dundee United in 1997 that clinched the Ibrox side's ninth league title in a row. He was named the Scottish Sportwriters' Player of the Year in 1995. He won 82 caps for Denmark and helped them win the 1992 Euro Championships. Laudrup also played for Fiorentina, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Ajax. Ex-Celtic boss Martin O'Neill's wife Geraldine, 55, has also been treated successfully for lymphoma. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3259781/Brian-Laudrup-gets-all-clear-on-cancer.html#ixzz1781AFkSG

CELTIC and Rangers are involved in a bitter transfer scrap for the signature of Ibrox wonderkid Dylan McGeogh. SunSport can reveal the Hoops are in pole position to dramatically grab back the Scotland youth star - three years after a swap deal with their fierce rivals which saw McGeogh go to Murray Park and Sean Fitzharris join Celts. However, it would also be likely to cost them a six-figure tribunal fee for the midfielder who is out of contract next May. Celtic moved after hearing that the 17-year-old rejected a lucrative new Ibrox deal. Gers are furious at the idea of losing the top kid and they are working overtime to persusade him his future is better served by staying. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3259877/Celts-aiming-to-nick-Ibrox-kid.html#ixzz177zskQU5

CRAIG WHYTE has moved a massive step closer to completing his �£32.5million takeover of Rangers. Now the Motherwell-born tycoon wants to push the deal through BEFORE Christmas. A deal in principle has been reached with Ibrox owner David Murray after a manic day of meetings in Glasgow. Whyte - whose business interests are estimated to be worth a staggering �£1billion - sat down with Gers chairman Alastair Johnston yesterday. It was the first time the pair had talked face to face, and we can reveal that 'significant progress' was made. At the vital Hilton hotel summit, Whyte mapped out his blueprint for the SPL champions. It's understood Johnston was impressed with what he heard and now all parties are braced for a final round of talks. Murray - who brokered the meeting but was absent from the discussions - wants to sell his 92 per cent share in the Ibrox club to Whyte. The 39-year-old has agreed to meet Murray's asking price. Whyte is now ready to write a cheque. The venture capitalist confirmed to the Stock Exchange last month that he was considering making an offer for Rangers and was in talks with Murray International Holdings. The complex and lengthy due diligence process remains ongoing with Whyte taking legal advice on the taxman's pending case against Gers. It's understood that WON'T put any potential deal in jeopardy. Whyte's convinced both Murray and now Johnston that not only does he have the necessary finances to back up his bid, he also has the cash to drive Rangers forward. Whyte remains bound by stock-market rules which prevent him from talking about the proposed takeover, but it's believed he is keen for everything to be completed as soon as possible. SunSport understands Whyte would hold 75 per cent of Murray's shares before selling the rest to London-based property developer Andrew Ellis. Ellis was previously involved in a failed bid to buy the Light Blues earlier this year. A deal would also see Rangers' debt wiped out and significant funds made available to sign new players. It's believed a sum of around �£25m would be made available to strengthen the first team over five years. The club's debt - which stood at �£27.1m on June 30 - would be paid off and an additional �£5.5m would be offered to shareholders. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3259908/Whyte-Xmas.html#ixzz177zQueOv

Will we EVER be free from SDM?

Craig Whyte will meet members of the Ibrox hierarchy on Friday, as he looks to push through his joint offer with Andrew Ellis to buy the club. 03 December 2010 13:49 GMT Rangers' potential buyer Craig Whyte has arrived in Glasgow for talks with senior club officials in Glasgow over his �£33 million takeover bid. The Scottish businessman, together with partner Andrew Ellis, are trying to push through their offer to buy the SPL champions before Christmas. STV understands Ellis was also due to attend the same talks but was prevented from travelling north from his base in England by the current weather conditions. However, Whyte has gone ahead with plans to hold discussions as he tries to move closer towards launching a formal bid for the club. The proposed offer will wipe out the club's �£27.5 million debt to Lloyds TSB and also pay shareholders, including Sir David Murray, �£5.5 million. Whyte and Ellis are bidding for Murray's 92 per cent shareholding. It is also understood �£25 million will be invested in Rangers' first team squad over a period of five years, with transfer funds being made available to Walter Smith in the January transfer window if the takeover is concluded in time. News of the duo's bid first broke on November 18, with Whyte and Rangers both putting out statements to the Stock Exchange confirming a possible offer. More to follow...:sleep: http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/213935-rangers-bidder-meets-with-club-chairman-for-talks/

Roddy Forsyth: soap opera surrounding Hugh Dallas episode reeks of nasty opportunism So the conspiracy theorists were correct all along. The truth, at last, is out there and Scottish football is in turmoil, although it took disruption to the fixture card to bring the whole sorry mess into the open. This goes back to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, of course. The oil has gummed up the ocean bed and switched off the North Atlantic Current, which keeps Europe from freezing. We are at the start of a new Ice Age. You donââ?¬â?¢t believe it? OK, what game are you going to watch this weekend? In lieu of a match programme, you might want to read the findings of Dr Gianluigi Zangari, theoretical physicist at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Italy who says that the Earthââ?¬â?¢s central heating system has broken down because of the oil spill. When the archaeologists of the future dig down through the tundra around Hampden Park they are bound to ask how the planet could have been plunged into deep cold just after a Krakatoa of hot air erupted over the subject of Scottish referees ââ?¬â?? and why there were so many unresolved issues even when the volcanic row became dormant. A couple of facts could be established, mind you. Hugh Dallas was not sacked as the Scottish Football Associationââ?¬â?¢s head of referee development for being satirical or sectarian in forwarding a widely circulated email about the Pope. His forced departure was because he had breached the SFAââ?¬â?¢s rules about IT, which prohibit the dissemination of potentially sensitive or offensive emails. Dallas was dismissed, plus four more employees, because of that infraction. Other SFA staff members were warned about their conduct in the same regard. It appears that the five who were sacked had forwarded the email beyond the confines of the SFA offices, while those who were warned did not. At which point the unanswered questions begin. Why did the SFA begin its disciplinary process all of six weeks after the circulation of the emails had been discovered? Were the sackings disproportionate? Was the nature and outcome of the disciplinary procedure in any way influenced by the much publicised intervention of Peter Kearney, director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office? It would be a surprise if mââ?¬â?¢learned friends were not examining this very point on behalf of the sacked quintet. Indeed, I believe that is exactly what they are doing. Kearneyââ?¬â?¢s role also warrants scrutiny. He was rejected as a SNP candidate for both Westminster and Holyrood by the voters of Coatbridge and Chryston but he retains sufficient political nous to be certain that his pronouncements about the email in question would generate enormous publicity. So, on whose authority did Kearney act? Did he have the prior approval of Cardinal Oââ?¬â?¢Brien or did the Scottish Catholic Church press officer go freelance on this issue? Of the email depicting the Pope, Kearney said: ââ?¬Å?We will not tolerate it. We will not laugh it off or see the funny side ââ?¬â?? because there is no funny side.ââ?¬Â Does that, then, apply to the edition of Have I Got News For You? which employed the same image as the Hampden email when the BBCââ?¬â?¢s irreverent news review programme was transmitted in the week of the Papal visit to the UK in September? And, if so, where was the implacable protest, the declaration that such a display indicated that ââ?¬â?? to use Kearneyââ?¬â?¢s words ââ?¬â?? hostility to Roman Catholics that is ââ?¬Å?deep, wide and viciousââ?¬Â. If Kearney did have the approval of Cardinal Oââ?¬â?¢Brien for his insistence that Dallas be sacked if found to have forwarded the email, is His Eminence satisfied that justice was done by extending the same sanction to a practicing adherent of his own faith and a man of 60 who, having recently lost his wife, has now been deprived of his livelihood at the SFA ââ?¬â?? and if so, what does that say for the application of Christian charity? In Kearneyââ?¬â?¢s denunciation of the Hampden email and others like it he declared that priests in West Lothian and Renfrewshire had been attacked by ââ?¬Ë?thugsââ?¬â?¢. Given that a childcare specialist in Wales was forced to leave her home by a self-styled vigilante mob who could not distinguish between a paediatrician and a paedophile, one could certainly believe that innocent Roman Catholic clergy might be at risk from similarly ignorant or bigoted buffoons. Yet where were the reports or police investigations into these incidents? I ask because, within five minutes of three complaints being received by Strathclyde Police about Dallas, a tabloid newspaper reported in its online edition that the Hate Crimes Unit was investigating him. Strathclyde Police do not have a Hate Crimes Unit and they are not ââ?¬â?? and never were ââ?¬â?? investigating Dallas. And we may ask why Kearney did not denounce the knuckle draggers who phoned death threats to a religious education teacher at a Roman Catholic High School in Lanarkshire ââ?¬â?? who just happened to have awarded Rangers a debatable penalty kick when Celtic lost 3-1 in the Old Firm derby on Oct 24. Whatever may be the rights and wrongs of the Dallas episode ââ?¬â?? and I think that he was stupid to have forwarded the email even if he thought it was a harmless joke ââ?¬â?? the outcome reeks of nasty opportunism. Speaking of which, the forced departure of Dougie McDonald was a declared aim of the Celtic directors ââ?¬â?? stated with considerable force by the Parkhead chairman at the clubââ?¬â?¢s chairman at the annual general meeting three weeks ago. Why, then, was it left to Paul McBride QC ââ?¬â?? in a rare distraction from his duties at the Tommy Sheridan perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow ââ?¬â?? to speak as someone ââ?¬Å?close to the clubââ?¬â?¢s boardââ?¬Â and say that they had experienced ââ?¬Å?a sense of quiet vindicationââ?¬Â at the refereeââ?¬â?¢s decision to resign, McDonald having lied to their manager about a penalty kick decision at Tannadice in October. There was nothing quiet when John Reid was whipping up the gallery at the AGM, but the former so-called ââ?¬Ë?big beast of the Labour Partyââ?¬â?¢ has gone all coy now. Nor is there a squeak from anyone else at the club whose commitment to transparency is flexible enough to include threats of non-cooperation to broadcast outlets who transmitted Gary Hooperââ?¬â?¢s dopey remarks about Scottish referees. Anyway, as I say, itââ?¬â?¢ll all be academic once the permafrost kicks in. And itââ?¬â?¢s precisely because Russia knows how to cope with the coming freeze that Fifa awarded them the 2018 World Cup. Think Iââ?¬â?¢m kidding? Is the Pope a Catholic? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/scottish-premier/8177228/Roddy-Forsyth-soap-opera-surrounding-Hugh-Dallas-episode-reeks-of-nasty-opportunism.html

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2010/12/kearneys-gone-quiet.html

'' One player who has been constantly linked with a return to Ibrox is Middlesbrough hitman Kris Boyd. The striker has been frozen out at the Riverside since the arrival of Tony Mowbray as gaffer. Boyd is desperate to return to the SPL champs in January. But that seems unlikely unless top scorer Kenny Miller is the subject of a big money offer and is sold.'' Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3258099/Weve-got-to-get-it-sorted-FAST.html#ixzz171vyHskI

In anger management?????

CRAIG WHYTE is on his way to Scotland for D-Day talks with Sir David Murray on his plans to buy out Rangers. Record Sport has learned that the final round of discussions - which will make or break Whyte's s32.5million bid - will take place within the next week. And anxious fans, who have been waiting more than two years for a saviour, will finally be told if a new owner has been secured. Whyte will be accompanied at the talks by London-based proper t y developer Andrew Ellis who teamed up in a consortium with the self-made billionaire after trying and failing to go it alone in takeover negotiations with Murray earlier this year. Ellis revealed in Record Sport last week both he and Whyte had hoped to visit Ibrox for the Champions League clash with Manchester United only to be ordered to stay away at the 11th hour. Now the pair are heading over the border in a bid to complete their deal to buy Murray's controlling share. A source close to the Whyte-Ellis camp said: "It looks as if we are entering the end game now. Craig and And r ew wi l l be up i n Scotland very soon and after this final meeting with Sir David we will all know what the future holds for Rangers. "The hope on all sides is they'll reach broad agreement to press ahead with the deal. There wi l l either be an announcement to declare 'peace in our time' or one to say the takeover is off. It is all coming to the boil at last." Under the proposals, Whyte would take on 75 per cent ownership with Ellis paying around s6million for a 25 per cent stake. The pair are pledging to wipe out the club's s27m debt and pay another s5.5m to shareholders - around s4.6m of which will go to Murray. Murray has maintained all along he will only do business with people who have the club's best interest at heart and the funds to take it forward. And he insists no deal will be done unless Whyte and Ellis guarantee to pump no less than s5m a year over the next five years into a transfer kitty.

Danny Wilson has been handed his first real chance to break into the Liverpool first team, with Rangers hoping that he can capitalise on an opening created by Jamie Carragherââ?¬â?¢s shoulder injury. Carragher, who sustained a dislocation against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, will be out for three months and yesterday Wilson was immediately promoted to the side to start against Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League tomorrow evening. Although he earned his first senior Scotland cap in the 3-0 victory over the Faroe Islands last month, the only Liverpool game he has appeared in was their penalty shoot-out defeat to Northampton Town in the Carling Cup. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ interest in Wilson is more than just the normal goodwill towards a product of their youth development system. He left for Ã?£2m in July but there are substatial ââ?¬Å?add-onââ?¬Â payments with financial rewards for the Ibrox club if and when he starts his first Barclays Premier League game and again when he reaches 10, 20 and subsequent appearance triggers. Roy Hogdson, the Liverpool manager, spoke with the 19-year-old before the Faroes match and told him he had been impressed with his work and attitude since moving south in the summer. Hogdson is known generally to prefer experience over youth, which may mean Wilson has longer to wait than would be the case at other clubs, but so far there have been no discussions about sending him out on loan when the transfer window opens in January. The long-term absence of Carragher has moved him up the pecking order. Martin Skrtel and the former Rangers defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos are their other available, senior centre-halves. Daniel Agger is out with a calf injury. Hodgson said: ââ?¬Å?Martin Kelly and Danny Wilson will start against Steaua Bucharest and itââ?¬â?¢s a great opportunity for them to stake a claim to be in the first team. On paper Iââ?¬â?¢m taking a weakened team, but I believe people like Joe Cole, Ryan Babel, Milan Jovanovic, Danny Wilson, Christian Poulsen and Jonjo Shelvey are more than capable of doing a good job for Liverpool.ââ?¬Â Wilsonââ?¬â?¢s former Murray Park clubmate, Kyle Hutton, said he was an example to all young Scottish players. ââ?¬Å?I played with Danny in the under-19s. Seeing what heââ?¬â?¢s done, making his Scotland debut after getting a move to Liverpool, shows that the rewards are there. That gives you added confidence to go and prove yourself.ââ?¬Â http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/wilson-s-promotion-to-liverpool-first-team-benefits-rangers-1.1071768

The consortium of Craig Whyte and Andrew Ellis want to complete their �£33 million purchase of Sir David Murray's shares within the next month. Craig Whyte and Andrew Ellis will hold talks with senior Rangers officials next week, as they look to step up their joint efforts to buy Sir David Murray's shareholding in the Ibrox club. STV understands the duo want the deal, worth �£33 million, to be concluded by Christmas but have conceded privately it may take until the new year to finalise the sale. The takeover, which will wipe out the club's �£27.5 million debt to Lloyds TSB, is understood to be at an advanced stage. Whyte and Ellis will also pay shareholders, including Murray, a total of �£5.5 million as part of their proposals. If the deal for Murray's 92 per cent shareholding is completed, Whyte will own 69 per cent of the club's shares, with Ellis - who failed in his own attempts to buy the club earlier this year - holding 23 per cent. As part of their plans, �£25 million will be invested in Rangers' first team squad over a period of five years, with transfer funds being made available to Walter Smith in the January transfer window if the takeover is concluded in time. News of the pair's bid first broke on November 18, with Whyte and Rangers both putting out statements to the Stock Exchange confirming a possible offer. Nearly two weeks on, evident progress has been made in a bid Whyte's solicitor confirmed as being "at an early stage". Talks between Whyte, Ellis and club officials were also yet to take place at that point. More to follow... http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/213122-rangers-takeover-bidders-want-club-bought-by-christmas/

Jim Sinclair believes there are more young players waiting in the wings capable of following Kyle Hutton and Gregg Wylde into Rangers' first team. Hutton's first start was against Man Utd in the Champions League, while Wylde has been a regular off the bench. "I am delighted that so many kids are getting the opportunity to play," said Rangers' academy director, Sinclair. "And I genuinely feel there are others who can contribute as the weeks and months go on." Rangers manager Walter Smith's hand has been forced by a debt burden that has limited his manoeuvres in the transfer market - and by a lengthy list of injuries to key players. "Whether or not it is the circumstances around the club at the moment, which are not particularly healthy as we are all aware financially, they are getting an opportunity," said Sinclair. Just standing there next to the Manchester United players and the music, it was a great feeling Rangers midfielder Kyle Hutton "But getting an opportunity is one thing. It's being able to take it and hopefully they are equipped to do so - and I think they are. "We are really pleased at the chances and opportunities the manager has seen fit to give these young boys." Central defender Danny Wilson became a first-team regular last season aged 18 but refused a new contract and was sold to Liverpool in the summer, since when he has been in the reserves at Anfield. Forward John Fleck made his debut aged 16 in January 2008 but has yet to establish himself as a regular starter, but Sinclair believes that Smith will ensure that defender Wylde and midfielder Hutton do not get carried away by their new-found status. "I think the manager deals with that very well," said the youth boss. "He has a good feel for things and when to take the pressure off and have responsibility. "I think there are enough senior players in the squad to make sure that these lads are not asked too much of and also handle it properly." Sinclair was speaking at the launch of the Community Cashback Initiative, which offers all registered youth teams the opportunity to raise money for their clubs and access to reduced-price match tickets for Rangers' home league games. He was delighted to be able to put money back into grassroots football and, when asked about the standard of young Scottish players, remarked: "I do think there are too many people working too hard at youth development for us not to see some recovery." Hutton was given his chance after Kyle Lafferty fell and broke a finger while larking about with Wylde as they came off the team bus on the day of last week's Group D game at Ibrox. Sinclair joy at young Gers' success Fellow 19-year-old Wylde recalled: "It was just a wee incident coming off the bus and it was his fault, so he can't complain too much. "I was just happy for Kyle (Hutton), but after the incident I was bit scared about what the gaffer was going to say. "I didn't think at the start of the season I would have been involved throughout with the first team and hopefully I can get more games. "Kyle playing against Manchester United and a few others being involved in the first-team just shows that the gaffer's got belief in the young ones." Hutton joked that he would have to give Wylde "a pat on the back" and himself appeared to take playing against Sir Alex Ferguson's side in his stride. "It was absolutely great getting a start, particularly in the Champions League against Manchester United," he said. "Just standing there next to the Manchester United players and the music, it was a great feeling. Obviously, after that, the roar of the crowd is just fantastic. "I will never forget it, but nothing has changed. I will just keep doing what I have been doing and hopefully I will get another chance. "It is all down to me to see if I can take those chances and, who knows, maybe I can try to cement my place." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/9244416.stm

By Ian O'Doherty Tuesday November 30 2010 One of the funniest things about Scottish football is the delusional nature of the fans and their insistence that they are a major league with the biggest derby in the world. And the constant sniping between Rangers and Celtic is priceless, with Celtic taking the lead when it comes to moaning about things. Indeed, if they had a winger who was as quick to the byline as they are to take offence then they'd win the Champions League every year. One example of Celtic's myopia came a few months back with a rather amusing Rangers song with the lines: "The famine's over, why don't you go home." This enraged the Celtic fans, who said it was racist, but they missed a rather salient point -- when you're standing on a Scottish terrace with an Irish flag in your hand, you can hardly get pissy when people comment on it. And the latest example of their paranoia is Celtic chairman John Reid's demand that referees declare which team they support. It's daft of course -- but nowhere near as daft as the situation which sees one of Celtic's hate figures, Hugh Dallas, forced from his job as chief ref after he sent a joke email about the Pope and child abuse. According to Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland: "Catholics in Scotland have drawn a line in the sand. The bigotry, bile, sectarian undercurrent and innuendos must end. Such hateful attitudes have had their day, they poison the well of community life. They must be excised once and for all." Jesus lads, it was a joke. You have heard that word before, haven't you? Repeat after me: joke. Any bets he's a Celtic fan? Or is that racial profiling? http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/ian-odoherty/ian-odoherty-a-very-middleclass-recession-2441058.html

REGAN ON THE ROPES - David Leggat http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2010/11/regan-on-ropes.html

KYLE LAFFERTY last night branded himself a CLOWN and confessed he has let down Rangers boss Walter Smith again. Lafferty is facing six weeks on the sidelines after breaking a finger in his left hand. The Northern Ireland star suffered the freak injury during horseplay with team-mate Gregg Wylde at Murray Park. He said: "I was messing about while coming off the bus last Wednesday morning. "I fell and fractured my wedding finger in two different places. "Walter Smith didn't say anything at first, but I knew he was furious. "We were already down to the bare bones for the Manchester United game. "I don't know if I was starting against United, but I'd like to think I would have been because we were struggling for numbers. "Walter had to go out and give a team-talk to the players who were featuring. "I apologised to him at the game and just said my stupidity had left me looking like a clown - and given him a bigger headache." Lafferty would have started against United. But livid boss Smith - already without FIVE established stars - was forced instead to pitch in rookie kid Kyle Hutton. Smith was still so angry last Friday he made it clear he didn't want anyone mentioning what happened 'within earshot' of him. Lafferty - struggling to be fit for the January 2 derby against Celtic - added: "Because of my messing about I'm facing the possibility of a decent period out of the team. "But that's my punishment and I've got to accept it. I'm p****d off with myself. "It was wrong for me to be messing about on the day of the game." Lafferty could miss up to eight SPL and European games unless his injury heals quicker. I honestly didn't think a broken finger could keep a player out for so long!!!!!,a keeper aye,but an outfield player?????? Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3252307/Im-a-clown-and-Ive-let-Walter-down.html#ixzz16kSnsLEN

Graham Poll On Dallas & SFA He was the man who would not come off the field when hit by a coin during an Old Firm game despite the blood running down his face. The same man who didn't contemplate giving in to the bullies when a scaffolding pole came through the window of his home. But this weekend Hugh Dallas was finally beaten, dismissed from his position as Head of referee development for the Scottish Football Association for forwarding an offensive email. Whatever the truth or merits behind the final nail in his professional coffin, Dallas was a superb referee who was respected throughout the world of football. His close friendship with Pierluigi Collina, with whom he still serves on the UEFA referees committee, was cemented when they officiated together on the 2002 World Cup Final. It is of course the same SFA that dismissed Dallas which had failed to suspend Dougie McDonald after he admitted lying to Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, to cover up an error in a game at Tannadice last month. I was told two weeks ago that one of the major powers (Celtic) in Scottish football would not be happy until Dallas was ousted from his post. Whether that is true or not, this has been a sad weekend for refereeing north of the border. After feeling compelled to withdraw their labour to highlight the unacceptable level of criticism and abuse levelled at them, Scottish referees saw match officials from Israel, Malta and Luxembourg flown in as replacement. Predictably the managers of those teams who had 'guest' referees lavished them with praise, even Lennon, who held back his usual criticism despite two dropped points at Parkhead. The man in the middle at Celtic was Alain Hamer, a very experienced Champions League referee who was also scheduled to officiate Rangers' game at Dundee United on Sunday; that is, until fell foul of the weather. The double-appointment of Hamer was contrary to UEFA guidelines which state a referee scheduled to officiate a Champions League game on a Tuesday is not permitted to perform his duties on the previous Sunday, thus observing a two-day gap in appointments. I remember saying to Dallas back in 2000 that I would love the opportunity to travel to Scotland and take charge of an Old Firm game. His response was to suggest only someone who didn't understand what was involved would make such a claim. Clearly, after this week’s events a lot of us don't understand. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1333856/GRAHAM-POLL-Hugh-Dallas-superb-referee-finally-beaten.html#ixzz16iFexO14

The week has been very busy, with Scottish refereeing matters thrust to the forefront across Europe, rather than headlines regarding the match we are all eagerly looking forward to. It must be rather embarrassing to be a decent Celtic fan at the moment. Before you start, there are some around. There are times that you have to be honest and speak out against what you believe is wrong. I can tell you now if Rangers as a club and some of their supporters did anything like the disgusting decision not to sell poppies at the ground or produced a filthy vulgar misspelt banner like the one that was displayed recently then I would castigate them. That is never going to happen though, is it? Article continues below... http://www.jeffwinterentertainmentandmedia.co.uk/world/0910050.php

"Given Stewart Regan’s first two months in the job, could anyone really blame the SFA chief executive for wishing he was in Brisbane today watching England draw the first Ashes Test? Instead, since leaving the world of cricket, he has been thrust into the deep end of the mire of problems in which Scottish football is embroiled. There was the Allan McGregor trial-by-TV fiasco while the player was rep-resenting his country in Prague; the now infamous ‘Dougie-Dougie’ gate that finally saw Dougie McDonald fall on his sword last night. Then there was the Hugh Dallas inappropriate email affair that saw the Head of Refereeing Development removed on Friday; a raft of internal political squabbling, and then, to top it all, the referees’ strike that turned Scottish football into an utter laughing stock last week. As news filtered out that some of the foreign referees asked to bail out our game – and even the Israelis who did answer the SOS – had not been given the full picture as to why they were approached, some questioned Regan’s role in all of this and pointed accusing fingers. But cut him a bit of slack here. It was an unprecedented situation and, whatever anyone says, his primary aim was to keep games alive with the shadow of the SPL cast over him and the organisation he now runs. It was, then, heartening to see Regan’s stance yesterday – he remains unbowed; he is determined to modernise his Association and it seems inevitable that change and progress will come from the wreckage of where we are today. And, make no mistake, that is rock bottom. It truly is time for Regan to show what he is made of. If ever we needed someone to provide genuine leadership, it is now. l He has an opportunity to revamp, modernise and streamline an archaic organisation, underpinned by ludicrous committee structures which have antagonised and frustrated us all for years, not just in light of recent events. lHe has an opportunity to put in place a new code of conduct which all players and club officials must adhere to in order to prevent any repeat of the farce last week became; in short, he has to get tough on those who cross the line in refereeing criticism, a promise he has now declared to the world. lHe also has an oppor-tunity to completely modernise the practices of the refereeing system and the other pre-historic structures which need to be brought down. If those in his way don’t want to change, then he must name them, shame them and remove them. The game, now at an all-time low, is bigger than anyone, or any cobbled- together committee of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers who have had too much of a say, for far too long. Will he grasp these opportunities? That is the key question. We are about to find out exactly what Stewart Regan is made of. One challenge he faces will come when the SFA’s General Purposes Committee finally open their Celtic file, after today’s postponed meeting. In it, there will be comments from Neil Lennon on referees made after the matches against Rangers and Hearts, and there will also be Gary Hooper’s claims that referees want to give a disproportionate amount of decisions against Celtic so they can tell someone they have done it. With every referee in the land watching in the wake of McDonald’s retirement and all the fall-out his initial misdemeanour created, just what will this committee do, given Regan has promised tougher sanctions? This is the same body, remember, who took no action against Celtic as a club, or their former player Aiden McGeady, for comments made against the very same Dougie McDonald back in February and March. Remember then, just after the un-named Parkhead ‘source’ blabbed to a BBC source that they were popping off DVDs of bad decisions to the SFA? McDonald sent off Scott Brown in an Old Firm game at Ibrox and, yes, it was a debatable decision which some referees would have deemed a red, others a yellow. That night, on the official Celtic website, their match report claimed “any fair-minded person would not have deemed it a sending off.” Days later, when asked about the red card and McDonald’s performance, McGeady said: “It’s fair to say he wasn’t impartial the other day.” The General Purposes Committee turned a collective blind eye. Anyone looking for the seeds of why the referees walked out, when the battle lines were drawn, in fact, can trace it back to that time. Make no mistake, this situation is about one club – Celtic. Anyone in denial of that should answer this question: Before the McDonald affair six weeks ago, was there any hint of a strike, was there any criticism more than the norm? Celtic have been at war with the SFA ever since, and that has only been heightened by the failure of the referees and their superiors to sack McDonald before he finally took matters into his own hands, something that might just aid those he leaves behind. The Parkhead club were right to demand his removal and now they have got their men in Dallas and McDonald. But now the focus turns to what appetite Regan and the SFA have to punish them for comments emanating from the club in recent weeks. McDonald has gone. That defence card cannot be played any more by the club. Ever since events at October 17 on Tannadice, things have been whipped up by the manager’s over-reaction to decisions and Dr John Reid’s comments at the recent AGM when, again, he questioned people’s integrity, and inferred an institutional bias against his club. Yes, other bosses have their outbursts, slaughter officials after games, use rhetoric such as ‘shocking decision’ and ‘he made blatant mistakes’. But the only other person in the country’s football community – apart from the inferences and innuendo that has come from senior Parkhead figures such as Reid – to have questioned the integrity of the game has been Hearts owner Vladmir Romanov. What is he on now? His third or fourth fine? Make no mistake, he will be watching this one with interest. If nothing is done to counter what has been coming out of Parkhead in recent weeks – with Lennon’s appeal over his dismissal to the stand at Tynecastle still pending, and a further trip to face the Disciplinary Committee to face an excessive conduct charge looming a week tomorrow – then the officials may well point and say: “We told you so.” That said, the men in black, yellow or blue don’t exactly come out of this mess looking squeaky clean; they could have posted intent to strike last Sunday and then acted like men and got around the negotiating table. They should have gone public and said that if issues weren’t addressed promptly, they would have gone on strike and at least given Regan the time to try and placate them and put in place what they wanted. Who were the victims at the weekend? If their beef was with Celtic, or any of the individuals at that club, they should have named them. While the turnstiles ticked over at Parkhead on Saturday, many clubs were denied crucial revenue due to the officials’ actions – albeit that the weather had the final say. Regan must say to the ref-erees – “we will do more to back you, but that can never be allowed to happen again.” He must also demand transparency in relation to everything that is done by their department. He must demand a system that sees referees who continually make mistakes demoted. And he must destroy a refereeing structure that sees former peers and pals sit as judge and jury on anyone in bother, the very thing that protected McDonald until last night. Regan must now show resolve and courage in everything he is about to confront. The very future of the game is at stake. If he’s got that in him, we might just have a chance ... we wish him well." By Darrel King

Kenny Clark Interview http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/9238356.stm

:smile: