ian1964

Thing is though Gazza,I don't think any action will be taken unless someone complains and brings it to the attention of the SFA???, well that's my take on it and is what I don't understand about all this. On another point I would like to think that Rangers come out and have a real go at the SFA for this decision!!!,I won't hold my breath:(

RYAN Harper will pull a Scotland shirt over his shoulders on Tuesday night and pray the next time it happens he isnââ?¬â?¢t sitting in a Spanish bar. The Scots-born winger outlined his international ambitions yesterday after signing a two-year deal with Spanish cracks Real Betis. And he confessed he would even give up a chance to play for the world champions because all his dreams are cloaked in dark blue. Harper, 23, has been handed a shot at the club-level big time by Betis coach Pepe Mel, just weeks after signing for their B team at the start of the season. He came to their attention after scoring a glut of goals in the previous two years with minnows Villaneuva and Estepona. Real Betis currently lead the Spanish First Division and are favourites to return to the top flight next season to face giants such as Real Madrid and Barcelona again. Harper hopes to help lead them there ââ?¬â?? and catch the eye of Scotland boss Craig Levein in the process, even though the Barrhead-born youngster left our shores as a kid. His younger brother Jack, 14, has commanded most of the sporting attention in the family until now after signing with Real Madrid, where his form grows ever-more impressive. But big brother has been the focus of media attention these last few days after signing for Betis the week before Scotland take on his adopted nation at Hampden. Harper said: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t have digital television in my rented flat in Seville so it will be training in the morning then off to a bar with my Scotland shirt on to watch the game with Spanish fans. ââ?¬Å?Before this week, I donââ?¬â?¢t think the SFA even knew I existed. Iââ?¬â?¢ve just popped up out of the blue and theyââ?¬â?¢ve obviously never had a chance nor the inclination to watch me in action. ââ?¬Å?I hope they have heard of me now because I would love to represent Scotland. Iââ?¬â?¢m Scottish through and through, even though I moved to Spain with the family when I was seven years old. ââ?¬Å?If I ever had to choose between Spain or Scotland there would be only one decision to take ââ?¬â?? Scotland. Iââ?¬â?¢m very patriotic. ââ?¬Å?I can only hope if I secure a regular game at Betis at this level ââ?¬â?? and weââ?¬â?¢re first in the league and favourites to return to the Primera ââ?¬â?? Iââ?¬â?¢ll pop into Craig Leveinââ?¬â?¢s thoughts. ââ?¬Å?But itââ?¬â?¢s not just at international level. Iââ?¬â?¢d love to return to the UK one day and play in either the SPL or the Premiership.ââ?¬Â Harperââ?¬â?¢s dad John was a junior football stalwart before taking the family to Spain. His sons are evidence of the familyââ?¬â?¢s sporting genes and Harperââ?¬â?¢s career is back on track after previous setbacks when he tried to make it in the SPL. The boyhood Rangers fan said: ââ?¬Å?I agreed a deal with Hamilton a few years ago but my second division side Poli Ejido refused to sign release papers. They wanted a transfer fee, which wasnââ?¬â?¢t part of the deal. ââ?¬Å?I was at Inverness last summer but arrived in Scotland with a stinking cold and didnââ?¬â?¢t do myself justice. ââ?¬Å?I wasnââ?¬â?¢t even there for a week and was only given 20 minutes of a bounce game to impress. ââ?¬Å?However, I had a brilliant season last year with Estepona and ended up top goalscorer with 14 goals, even though I was playing on the wing. ââ?¬Å?I attracted interest from a couple of teams but the Real Betis B coach called a week before the new campaign and it was an easy decision. Iââ?¬â?¢ve scored three goals in six games and that led to the offer of a two-year contract from the top team. Iââ?¬â?¢ve set a target of 15 goals minimum for the season. ââ?¬Å?I put pen to paper too late for this weekendââ?¬â?¢s game at Las Palmas but hopefully Iââ?¬â?¢ll make my debut at home to Girona next weekend.ââ?¬Â Harper was in demand this week as the Spanish media pinned him down for the inside track on Scotland ahead of the Group I clash in Glasgow. He said: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢d take a draw right now, anything more would be sensational. ââ?¬Å?Spain really are the Barcelona of international football and even play like the club side. Vicente del Bosque can call on nine players from the Nou Camp for his squad. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve been fortunate enough to play against several of the Spanish side when I represented the Andalucian select side when I was a teenager. Players such as Jesus Navas, Sergio Ramos and Diego Capel represented other regions and you could see their class, even as 15 year olds. They rarely lost the ball and were always in control.ââ?¬Â They are beginning to say the same about another youngster in that country ââ?¬â?? Jack, who was born in Spain but has already attended a training camp for Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s Under-15s at Largs. Another winger, he is being schooled in football and lessons by Real Madrid after impressing on the youth circuit around the familyââ?¬â?¢s home town Fuengirola. Harper added: ââ?¬Å?Jackââ?¬â?¢s doing brilliantly. Heââ?¬â?¢s only 14 but performing well against players a year or two older ââ?¬â?? and heââ?¬â?¢s growing fast.ââ?¬Â http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/scotland/2010/10/09/i-d-snub-world-champions-spain-to-earn-caps-for-scotland-says-real-betis-scots-star-ryan-harper-86908-22620836/

What I don't understand with this fiasco is,if someone complains about an incident in a match and then it is reviewed and a punishment is handed out, should the person/persons who made the complaint not be made public???, or is it simply a case of any fan,anonymous, can initiate the video panel to look at incidents???.

You mean Stables.........................

The Scottish Football Association has handed Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor a one match ban for aiming a kick at Chris Maguire during a match against Aberdeen. McGregor will now miss the SPL match against Motherwell on October 16. The Rangers keeper was not punished during the match but the incident was reported to the SFA who convened their disciplinary committee on Friday and sent their verdict by post to club and player before announcing the punishment on Saturday. McGregor played for Scotland in the 1-0 defeat to Czech Republic on Friday night, prompting questions over the timing of the decision and announcement. It is understood the incident wasn’t referred to the video panel until 10 days after it occurred, with new SFA chief executive Stewart Regan asking for the independent board to take a look at the matter after it was brought to his attention. The board, which was chaired by Sandy Stables of the Aberdeenshire and District FA, comprised one former referee, an ex-manager and a former player. After reviewing video evidence of the incident, they handed McGregor a ban and added 12 disciplinary points to his record. Rangers won the match in question 3-2, coming from two goals behind to continue their 100 per cent start to the 2010/11 season. They will now have to do without their first choice keeper as they look to extend that run against Motherwell next week, with Neil Alexander expected to deputise. McGregor will now continue his preparations for Scotland’s match on Tuesday night against Spain in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. The keeper was one of Scotland’s outstanding performers against Czech Republic in Prague, making at least two top-class saves. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/201917-rangers-mcgregor-handed-one-match-ban/

You mean this one http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/armenia-slovakia-7137653/

Aberdeen FC boss blasts SFA over McGregor ABERDEEN FC boss Mark McGhee today criticised the SFA’s decision to consider banning Rangers and Scotland keeper Allan McGregor. McGregor will find out today if he is to be suspended for one match for aiming a kick at Chris Maguire during their 3-2 win over Aberdeen FC at Pittodrie last month. Aberdeen FC striker Michael Paton will also find out today if his appeal against the red card shown to him at Inverness last weekend has been successful. McGhee said it was “ludicrous” that the SFA are using video evidence to decide if McGregor had a case to answer, despite thE fact Aberdeen FC have not complained about the incident with Maguire. Read more: http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1954525?UserKey=#ixzz11r9uPqNL

Saturday, 9 October 2010 JOSEF GOEBBELS was the evil genius who was Adolf Hitler's Propaganda Minister during Nazi Germany's tyrannical genocide . He was a thoroughly disgusting, odious and evil man. But he was, in the dark arts of spin doctoring, most certainly a genius. The Goebbels technique was simple. He believed that if you told the biggest lie possible, and told it often enough, people would believe it. It is a technique of spin doctoring which is still alive and well to this day, and many believe it was one of the reasons the now totally discredited New Labour government held on to power for so long. But Goebbels, and the less evil, but nevertheless still odious pratctioners of the dark art - Damian McBride, Jo Moore, Charlie Wheelan and Alistair Campbell among them - have a new recruit to their ranks. He is called Anonymous. Now, regular readers will know I always refrain from repsonding to comments, as many of them, which appear to come from a small but dedicated group of folk with little regard to the truth or facts, are not worth bothering about. So too are the many equally inaccurate jibes about me on a personal level. Even those who approve of my writing style will never sing, there's only one David Leggat, for there are quite obviously a lot more folk named David Leggat. There also appears, to my trained eye, to be some sort of concerted campaign by the enemies of truth and reasonable free speech, to try and goad me into making some sort of outrageous statement. It's almost as though there is one "mind" behind it, orchestrating and directing. Maybe even script writing too. But sorry, whoever you are, your attempts will win no Oscar. Not even a Tony. However, I do wish to turn to the comments posted at the end of my blog JELAVIC'S INJURY, which went up on the LeggoLand site on Wednesday, 6th October. In it, I mentioned the removal of a film clip of Ian Black's tackle on Jelavic from YouTube by the SPL, and added that this is the same SPL which has ordered Rangers to play five away matches following the six of their Champions League ties. I asked if a pattern could be detected? Enter Anonymous, posting a comment on October 6 at 16.48, which followed the Goebbells technique and attempted to tell the big lie, while at the same time seeking to justify the lie by trying to smear my journalistic integrity and ability. According to this particular Anonymous: "The SPL fixture list is computer generated at random, and is drawn up months before the Champions League draw is made. A little thought about facts may have made you come across as a slightly credible journalist instead of being small minded and lacking in journalistic training." OUCH! Well, no, actually. This big lie is easily shot down by showing both my credibility as a journalist of 44 years experience, plus my journalistic training. You see, the official UEFA webite first revealed the schedule of dates on which Champions League matches would be played during season 2010-11, on Monday, APRIL, 19, 2010. The schedule of Scottish Premier League fixtures for season 2010-11 was published on JUNE, 17th, 2010. Good! I'm glad we've cleared that up and shown the big lie to be just what it is. A WHOPPER! And as for the claim the SPL fixtures are completely computer generated at random.... That is so very stupid that anyone who makes such a claim needs the truth explained to him very slowly indeed. Computers do nothing by themselves. They have to be programmed and given human direction. There is nothing random about a computer. It takes human instruction. How, for instance, when the SPL decided to have the Old Firm match played over the New Year period, did the computer generate that? All by itself, and at random? PRECISELY! I refer all of the above to another, who I suspect may belong to the same circus as Anonymous and the man who will never win an Oscar. Or a Tony! This guy - or is it a gal? - calls themselves Daytripper. Daytripper's comment was that I seemed to struggle with the facts. No, just in explaining them in such a way that even the lowest common denominator will be able to understand. A thankless task, and one I freely admit is often beyond me. But then again, just what is it Daytripper is tripping on? And so let us return to the original point made in JELAVIC'S INJURY, the one I made about BBC seeming reluctant to show it over, and over, and over, again, and again and again, and that the SPL had had it removed from YouTube. Another Anonymous - they're a big clan - commented on 6th October, at 14.08, that anyone with a computer could find a clip of it. I am indeed indebted to him, for it led to me sound the bugle call for reinforcements, in the shape of a young and much more computer literate pal. He found it on the link k21swj.gif I watched it over and over and over, and again, and again and again. You should too. See what you think. Just don't tell Anonymous. Or he'll reach for his Goebbels manual and try to make you believe another big lie. Anyway, we all know what happened to the evil and odious Nazi Minister for Propoganda. Don't we? http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/2010/10/goebbells-or-anonymous.html

stifflittlefingers 5 Oct 2010, 01:59 PM Post #13 Occasional Substitute [ * * * * ] Posts: 498 Group: Members Member #17,424 Joined: 30 March 2008 hopes kenny miller scores a barrowed load against the Czechs ans Spain and then receiving an injury to put him out of action for a good few weeks. tinsoldier 5 Oct 2010, 01:12 PM Post #8 Member Avatar Off treasure hunting in Holland [ * * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 14,188 Group: Snr. Member Member #480 Joined: 13 January 2005 McCulloch shouldn't be in the squad in the first place due to his utter pishness but it looks as though he will be out injured anyway (and he's suspended for the first match). I think Scotland may well come back from Prague with a point but the display will be similar to Lithuania i.e. turgid and defensive with Kenny Miller running about a lot to no great effect. Spain at Hampden? We'll get a doing if they are in the mood. danbhoy09 5 Oct 2010, 07:57 PM Post #36 Member Avatar Occasional Substitute [ * * * * ] Posts: 350 Group: Members Member #24,604 Joined: 12 October 2009 Favourite all-time player Henke The Gorbals Urchin 5 Oct 2010, 04:31 PM Just bring Shaun home injury free please .APOLOGY TO MEEKY Was just about to post that. That's the outcome I'm looking for. Would like Scotland to get some points, but as long as our players come back injury free, I'm happy. Well content. Happy if the huns lose some bodies. Rambo67 6 Oct 2010, 09:37 AM Post #40 Member Avatar THE SNIPERS CHOICE [ * * * * * * * ] Posts: 1,770 Group: Members Member #23,094 Joined: 2 March 2009 Favourite all-time player Henrik Larsson Heard on Clyde this morning that levein is not going to start with Miller Hunbelievable, waistcoat still calling the shots then :nono: james76 Yesterday, 11:20 PM Post #797 Member Avatar First team training [ * * * ] Posts: 117 Group: Members Member #9,195 Joined: 1 July 2007 Total hun influence tonight. Got to get rid of this 10 men behind the ball is a success attitude. IainG Yesterday, 10:11 PM Post #751 Member Avatar Off treasure hunting in Holland [ * * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 14,669 Group: Snr. Member Member #8,425 Joined: 24 May 2007 I blame the hun influence on the way Scotland play these days. The huns have had a degree of success parking the bus or trying to nick a goal whilst defending for their lives and Levein seems to think this is Scotland's best chance of taking anything from games. On Tuesday he's gonna need a double decker! Estadio nacional Yesterday, 9:20 PM Post #705 Member Avatar Boston Globe CSC [ * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 8,210 Group: Snr. Member Member #882 Joined: 22 April 2005 Naismith "The Czechs are quality, if you give them a chance they will cut you open." Classic hun fear football tactics, Levein shat it same as Smith does. paul88 Yesterday, 9:22 PM Post #714 Member Avatar First-team captain [ * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 2,466 Group: Members Member #23,942 Joined: 30 June 2009 Favourite all-time player Paul McStay Quiet Assasin 8 Oct 2010, 09:19 PM 'We had a few chances that we were unlucky with' 'Up until the goal we played well' Naismith is clearly on the glue. huns are truly deluded,they're so used to negative football it's all the know now Quiet Assasin Yesterday, 9:12 PM Post #682 Member Avatar Gallant Pioneer [ * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 2,824 Group: Snr. Member Member #24,627 Joined: 18 October 2009 Favourite all-time player Chris Sutton At least a couple of huns have run themselves into the ground. Estadio nacional Yesterday, 9:08 PM Post #664 Member Avatar Boston Globe CSC [ * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 8,210 Group: Snr. Member Member #882 Joined: 22 April 2005 A style of football and performance thats national embarrassment. I blame the huns. sc0tsman Yesterday, 9:07 PM Post #657 Member Avatar Unseen ****** Hand [ * * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 10,390 Group: Snr. Member Member #496 Joined: 14 January 2005 Scotland the new HUN of International football. paul88 Yesterday, 8:48 PM Post #576 Member Avatar First-team captain [ * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 2,466 Group: Members Member #23,942 Joined: 30 June 2009 Favourite all-time player Paul McStay the huns and that old bassa smith have a lot to answer for. :nono: remy mcswain Yesterday, 8:44 PM Post #552 Member Avatar Who's car we taking? [ * * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 29,728 Group: Snr. Member Member #74 Joined: 1 September 2004 Favourite all-time player Celticsean Weir to blame for the goal. Just let his man run off him. Estadio nacional Yesterday, 8:41 PM Post #528 Member Avatar Boston Globe CSC [ * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 8,210 Group: Snr. Member Member #882 Joined: 22 April 2005 Keeper nowhere. Quiet Assasin Yesterday, 8:42 PM Post #534 Member Avatar Gallant Pioneer [ * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 2,824 Group: Snr. Member Member #24,627 Joined: 18 October 2009 Favourite all-time player Chris Sutton McGregor should have claimed that. Ball floating 4 yards from goal is keeper's ball. Estadio nacional Yesterday, 8:35 PM Post #490 Member Avatar Boston Globe CSC [ * * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 8,210 Group: Snr. Member Member #882 Joined: 22 April 2005 Whittiker is phish, rank rotten lesdon67 Yesterday, 8:05 PM Post #443 Member Avatar First-team captain [ * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 2,570 Group: Snr. Member Member #10,169 Joined: 20 August 2007 See Weiry is still in the habit of "ushering" opponents by the throat. Jamsieboi Yesterday, 7:54 PM Post #415 Youth team player [ * ] Posts: 42 Group: Members Member #4,924 Joined: 15 September 2006 How can Naismith get in the team ahead of Maloney??? Dorrans and Morrison looking not to bad Bauhaus Yesterday, 7:35 PM Post #376 Member Avatar First name on the team-sheet [ * * * * * * ] Posts: 1,509 Group: Members Member #25,511 Joined: 9 February 2010 Favourite all-time player Paul McStay This is like watching Rangers, only more so. shamrock60 Yesterday, 7:09 PM Post #330 Member Avatar First-team starter [ * * * * * ] Posts: 1,103 Group: Members Member #1,753 Joined: 1 August 2005 When Walter plays that type of formation the media fall over themselves to praise his tactics. Levein will get slaughtered. :)

Remind me again how this video evidence works!!!, I mean who brings any incident to the attention of the SFA video panel??

Sorry if this has already been posted,but I just read it and it made me smile:). by Alexander Anderson Can you keep a secret? Can I ask you to keep the following information to yourself? It's classified and - to be honest - even if you are thinking about repeating it to anyone, don't. They'll just think you're mad anyway. Stranger even than the revelations about Scientology made in Panorama last week is this earth-shatteringly, brain-fryingly explosive fact: Rangers, right now, are absolutely sensational. I know, I know - crazy, right? "Crazy talk!", I hear you say. "Rangers? Aren't they the purveyors of anti-football? Aren't they the team who cheat their way through games with the aid of an SFA-backed masonic conspiracy? Aren't they, at best, just benefitting from opponents lying down to them?" Well, yes, of course that's the recieved wisdom - especially in Scotland - and that's what all Rangers fans are quite happy for you to believe. See, we like our image. The Rangers support is happy to be painted as following an intrinsically evil club. Because that way we keep that club to ourselves. Ibrox is busy enough each home game and it's horrendously difficult getting tickets for away matches or cup finals (we've been in five of the last six domestic finals in Scotland AND a European final inbetween times - how can that not be a conspiracy!). So we don't need anyone else getting in on our secret. We're at that stage where everybody knows everybody and we all enjoy each other's company - we all look out for each other too. It's lovely following Rangers but it's is a private party and we don't want no gate-crashers. However, recent events have threatened to expose us and I've been forced to break ranks. I can't live under the pressure that's been slowly building since Walter Smith returned for his second spell as Rangers manager and which has become unbearable in the last week. The last six days to be precise. Going two goals down at Pittodrie on a Sunday afternoon was all well and good. Year after year we go to Pittodrie, fail to win against a club which hasn't done anything for 20 years, then proceed to win the title. It's the defeat or draw which always keeps us real, which always deflects attention from the glorious reality. Last Sunday, however, we stupidly went and scored three goals to win 3-2. Suddenly everyone's thinking "What's up here? Did Rangers do something exciting?". Last year we beat Hearts at Tynecastle after going a man and a goal down. We the won a Cup final with just nine men on the pitch - and it was 0-0 when we went down to nine men. We beat both Hearts and Hibs by three clear goals away from home and destroyed Dundee United - the latest third force - by 3 goals at Tannadice and 7-1 at Ibrox. Yet still no-one noticed how exciting we were. Still, non-Rangers fans had the wool pulled over their eyes and accusations of anti-football were randomly hurled at us. Fine, Great. Seceret safe. But this season we're pushing it. Then there's Champions League home games. We haven't won one for 3 years. Despite making it to the UEFA Cup final 2 and a half years ago, we've managed to go longer than that without winning a match over 90 minutes. Genius! Rangers are probably the only club in history who've been to a major European final in the middleE of a 13-game un-winning streak in UEFA competition. These are the efforts we have to go to to keep our sensational progress a secret. Last Wednesday, however, our camouflage slipped: Our first home Champions League win in six attempts would have been careless enough on its own but - no - we had to go and keep a clean sheet too! Man, we've lost 13 goals in our last four Ibrox Champions League games and - bang! - "out of the blue" we "suddenly" restrict the Turkish champions to one half-decent shot on goal over 92 minutes. Bursaspor are top of their league, a league far superior to the SPL, with a 100% record - it's far too obvious if we put them in our back pockets "just like that". But the worst was saved for last. Today. At Tynecastle. We're playing at Saturday brunch-time - our third game in less than 6 days, our second straight SPL away game and we're a goal down wth 9 minutes on the clock. That's fine. That's cool. This is what's supposed to happen to an evil, boring, rubbish team like Rangers. And then, just to ensure we maintain our cover, we bring on Kyle Lafferty. Big Kyle's a man who's managed to win the title for Rangers two years on the trot, score four times against Hearts and four times against Dundee United and generally turn the tide in many a game but STILL be widely regarded as useless. Kyle's in deep with "the secret". He's an expert in making endless Rangers triumphs look lucky, bland or evil. I thought if anyone could be relied upon it was he. But NO! He guides a free-kick into the Hearts net for an equaliser. While every other Rangers player has been managing to hit the bar and the post and miss from close range and doing it in such a way to ensure the Hearts keeper seems like the hero and the Hearts team who can't get out their own box seem like they "deserve" to win, Kyle's stupidly exposed us for what we really are with just one kick. There's lingering hope of us hiding our true identity when ESPN commentators and radio pundits start assuming that five minutes injury time applies only to Rangers - that some SFA edict bans Hearts from scoring after the 90th minute. Everyone's forgetting that there's been multiple substitutions, three breaks in play for injuries and that Hearts have been time-wasting since the second half kicked off. Great. Fine. This is how we get away with being spotted as a great side. So why the hell did Seteven Naismith have to go and ruin it all with that stupidly obviously, sensational winner?! Why, Steven? Now it's all out in the open. How could you, Stevie? We're supposed to be "knackered" after our "European extertions". We're supposed to be tiring. Now everyone knows we're great. Everyone knows we're sensational and I have to come on here and ask for help. I need your ideas in how to suppress this truth before everyone who supports Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts and even Manchester United starts crashing our party, wanting to swap their scarf for a red, white and blue one. How can I keep my team's genius secret any longer? It used to be the sectarianism argument which always came into play after a great Rangers result but we've made far too many inroads n that front. So people began characterising our football, changing thw subject in myriad, random ways. But we just keep winning! Please someone tell me how to paint this Rangers juggernaut as evil. Or even just as "lucky". Seven wins out of seven in the league and Easter Road, Tynecastle and Pittodire all already done. What now - "Logic is a mason"? The only conspiracy or unexplained activity now left in Scottish Football is how Neil Lennon managed to get the Manager of the Month award for September. His side won all their SPL games, yes - as well as hammering six past Inverness Caley in the League Cup. But Rangers won all our league games, hammered seven past Dunfermline in that same League Cup and held Man United to a draw at Old Trafford before winning at home against a side who've spent �£40M on players in the last 2 years, all to finish thw month top of the SPL and our champions League group. Stupid, stupid, stupid. It's out there now - scoring a 94th-minute winner at Tynecastle has put the tin lid on it - we're a club who've made just one big- money signing in the last two years and he can't even play in Europe. And he was taken off injured today at 1-0 to Hearts!! We play great defence when we're up against sides with more money than us and when we're up against minnows at Ibrox we go all-out attack and bang in plenty of goals. When we go away in the SPL we always give our opponents a goal or two before beating them. We play every kind of football to suit every kind of occassion and we're going for our third straight league title. The secret's out - the Rangers story during Walter Smith's second coming has been romantic, heroic - sensational. I don't feel privileged anymore. Now it's just common knowlegde and, for me, it's totally cheapened the whole experience of watching Rangers. Perhaps. But, then again, if Walter Smith were to be named manager of the month every month it'd be too obvious. Mmmm. Yeah. Clever. And everyone on the radio's currently talking about some foul Hearts should have been awarded in the build up to our winner. Great - this is promising.. Maybe us Bluenoses will be allowed keep the magic of Rangers all to ourselves just a little while longer. Ahem. Because - yes - Rangers are rubbish, don't you know - just plain lucky, boring and rubbish.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Youngsters-chance-with-Rangers-football-side/tabid/309/articleID/180460/Default.aspx

Weiss scores for Slovakia http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/armenia-slovakia-7137653/

SOME teams go away from home and park the bus. But last night, Scotland let the tyres down, tore out the starter motor and threw the keys down the stank just in case. Twenty minutes in, a colleague turned to me and said: "Is there anything in the rules that would stop Petr Cech having a book sent on?" Which just about summed us up as an attacking force. I'm not about to cane Craig Levein for that. He came here and did what he thought was right, which was to match the Czech formation, stifle it and hope for a draw. No doubt there will be plenty out there jumping up and down with indignation about that, huffing and puffing about the ignominy of our national team going into a huge match without a striker. And there's no doubt a part of me's left wondering what might have happened had we thought more about how to win the game than how not to lose it. Maybe we gave the Czechs too much respect. Let's not kid ourselves that a formation lost us the points here, though. It wasn't a system that pinned us back on our own 18-yard line in that second half, the Czechs did. It wasn't a system that cost us the crucial goal, a centre-half's header did. That goal had been coming for 20 minutes - and the fact is that when the heat was on, when the Czechs had their tails up and we were defending for our lives, having a lone striker hanging around the centre circle would only have made a difference for as long as he could have held up the latest punted clearance against four defenders. In other words, the ball would have kept on coming back at us anyway. So it's a red herring to suggest that going 4-5-1 instead of 4-6-0 or 4-2-4-0 or whatever you want to call it would have made that much of a difference. And anyway, what are we suddenly - moral guardians of the beautiful game? Have I slept through the last few years and missed us sweeping across Europe playing stylish, winning football? Was it just a bad dream that our last six away trips before this had seen no wins, no goals for and 15 against? Sorry, but anyone who has a pop about Levein's methods here last night needs a reality check. He could have come here the way George Burley would have, sending out an expansive 4-3-3 to try and win friends and been three down inside half an hour. But the reason he's IN the job is that Scotland under Burley were an easy touch. He had no concept of how far we are behind the world in technical ability and what it takes to level the playing field. Levein knows. He doesn't kid himself on that we can somehow defy the changing times. He knows that it's not enough any more to simply run around kissing the badge and playing at being Bobby Braveheart. This Czech team might be a pale shadow of its classy predecessors, but we're still not good enough to go toe-to-toe with them. So our gaffer did what he felt he had to do by parking that bus. The only real question this morning has to be whether the result would have been any different had he taken the handbrake off. For me, the answer is: Probably not. In fact, if we're honest we'll be thanking our stars for some heroic last-ditch defending and a tremendous display of goalkeeping that we didn't end up losing three or four. There was barely a man in the ranks who didn't hurl himself in front of a point-blank shot at some point or other. In that respect, we couldn't have done more than we did to write a blank Czech. As for Allan McGregor's performance? Top drawer. Here was a guy who had every reason to throw a sickie yesterday morning. Risking the wrath of his club gaffer by travelling despite a thigh injury, his week thrown into chaos by the ridiculous timing of an SFA disciplinary probe, he could easily have declared himself unfit for battle. Instead, he hurled himself into the fray quite magnificently, with each flying stop looking better than the last. This was the night a guy who not so long ago was a Tartan Army hate figure truly arrived as a fans' favourite. Though let's face it, anything those punters got to cheer was better than nothing. They came here in such numbers, were so loud and so proud - and there's no doubt they deserved better than they got in return. But wasn't that always the way following Scotland on the road? Haven't we been through this sort of pain time and again, whether the motto's attack and be damned or they shall not pass? The only difference this time was that when the punters sang about walking a million miles for one of our goals, they might still have needed a telescope to see it. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/3172545/We-parked-bus-then-we-hurled-keys-down-the-drain.html#ixzz11q5xFd4v

Friday, 8 October 2010 MORE TARTAN ARMY SHAME IMAGINE, if you would for a moment, that a plane load of Rangers fans were said to be so drunk by an airline that they were refused permission to board their flight. Think of the headlines in the tabloids - RANGERS BOOZED BIGOTS BANNED - is one headline which springs to mind as a possible if such a scenario ever unfolded. However, in the real world no such treatment is meted out by the nation's media when such an incident actually did take place. WHY? Well that's easy. For goodness sake,these poor chaps and chapesses are part of the so called cuddly loveable Tartan Army, so it couldn't have been them who were in the wrong. Could it? It wisnae me mister. A big boy did it and ran away. The mantra of the guilty in Scotland since I was a wean. Except the facts, as reported in the two top selling tabloids,seem suggest the opposite as far as the plane-load of the Tartan Army, en route to Prague from Liverpool, via Amsterdam are concerned. And the pictures of them seem to suggest they are a similar motley looking crew to the many Scotland supporters I have been forced to share an airport and a flight with over the years. It seems that easyjet - my second favourite airline - refused to allow them to board their flight from Amsterdam to Prague because they were adjudged to be too drunk to fly. Some of the dregs I've seen on KLM flights - my all time favourite airline - were often too blootered to walk. Therefore ,when I read the story of the Tartan Army ban on flying by easyjet I was hardly surprised. The only surprise is it has taken so long for an airline to take a tough stand. Of course the denials of any wrong doing spewed from this ragtag bunch of warbling Jacobite wannabees. Take the quote from 26-year-old Adam Armstrong, a retail manager from Dumfries, who denied anyone was worse of the wear from too much bevvy. This guy said: "We've all had a beer, but no one is drunk. It's ridiculous. We've been turfed out onto the streets of Amsterdam." I do hope if they took the train from Schipol into Amsterdam they found some entertainments adjacent to the station. I believe there are a variety only a lurch away. Whether the males among the bedraggled group were in any condition to avail themselves of any of the pleasures, is another matter. But let's return to Adam Armstrong's claim that all the travellers had had was "a beer." This is a group of the Tartan Army which had assembled at the John Lennon Airport in Liverpool in good time to check in for the flight to Amsterdam, which takes around an hour a half on a flight where alcohol is available. A group of the Tartan Army which had around two hours between flights in Amsterdam, but who then found they were there even longer as the easyjet flight to Prague had been delayed for two and a half hours. And during all that time - in and around the bars of the John Lennon airport, on the flight over to Amsterdam, and in the four hours or more they were hanging around Schipol, which is overflowing with bars - all they had was, to quote Adam Armstrong, "a beer." AYE, RIGHT! Now, as I have stated, I've been in many airports and on many flights to all corners of Europe with the Tartan Army. It is not a pleasant experience . I've also shared many a KLM flight from Glasgow to Amsterdam and then onbound to every corner of Europe with Rangers supporters and Celtic fans. Give me the Bigot Brothers anytime. And that ain't just my view. Take a secret canvas of the press pack and they will tell you the same. They would rather share a city with Old Firm fans than with the Tartan Army. Wee Silly Billy no doubt disagrees as, as I have already mentioned, he likes what passes for him as a good night out in a foreign port, with them, joining in with their anti-English choruses. Let me give you an example of the way travelling to, for instance, Milan or Oslo, for a Scotland game on KLM works. You turn up at Glasgow airport at 4.30am, bleary eyed , and check in for the 5.55 to Amsterdam and are joined by half a dozen or so kilties. And do these guys never learn of the problems getting through security when they are dressed like that? The flight is quiet - it's early and the many businessmen on it just want to do some work - apart from the loud, and often lewd comments from the Tartan Army. Fortunately - thanks to my KLM Gold Card as a frequent flier - I was always able to escape them as I waited in the KLM lounge at Schipol. On emerging and making my way to the gate I would always find the half dozen or so who had been on the Glasgow flight were joined by three or four dozen who came off flights from Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Liverpool, Manchester and London. They were all done up in the usual Tartan Army uniform of a kilt at the wrong length, boots or trainers, and they were all cluttered around a bar giving it laldy. In short, they were a drunken rabble. On the plane there were many occasions when I was ashamed to be Scottish as they made more than merely suggestive comments to the cabin crew. Thank goodness that these Dutch lasses, even though they all speak impeccable English, could not understand the gutteral slang of the Kens. I had to strain myself to understand what some of these boozed up halfwits were saying. And I never, never, never ever spoke, lest any of them should recognise me as a Scot. Let me tell you a story of a flight back from Oslo one morning. I had managed to buy a copy of that morning's English edition of the Daily Mail and was sitting on a aisle seat, as is my custom . At the window was a guy who had that hard to put your finger on look of a Scot. He was smartly dressed in a polo shirt and chinos. In the middle was typical Ken. Kilt, boots, rolled down socks and a Scotland top which smelled as though he had been wearing it night and day since he left Her Majesty's Realm. He tried to strike up a conversation with me in what was nearer to being a foreign tongue than English. I shrugged and continued reading the Daily Mail. The Ken then turned to the window seat passanger and said:"Ken, he disnae speak English." Now this twenty something Tartan Army Ken was not drunk. Stupid, but not drunk. With all of that experience - up close and personal - travelling on flights and through airports with the Tartan Army, I have no doubt those who refused them permission to board the easyjet flight from Amsterdam to Prague, were quite correct. So far, although the top two tabloids carried the story,there is a hint in the style of their reports that this was just a jolly jape. The High Jinks, as Para Handy says. My bet though is that if other football supporters from Scotland had behaved in a similar way and been dealt with in such a manner, the style of the tabloid coverage would have been much harsher. Imagine! http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-tartan-army-shame.html

Ian Black, the Heart of Midlothian midfielder, last night admitted he plans to get in contact with Nikica Jelavic to apologise for the foul that has left the Rangers striker facing three months on the sidelines. The former Inverness Caledonian Thistle playmaker was booked by Craig Thomson, the match referee, for catching the Croatian internationalist with a cynical trip as Jelavic drove towards the penalty area during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to the reigning SPL champions at Tynecastle. Prior to undergoing an operation to mend damaged ankle ligaments in Zagreb on Tuesday, the Ã?£4m forward hit out at Black, claiming he should have been red-carded for deliberately trying to hurt him. However, Black has denied that he set out to harm the former Rapid Vienna player and has vowed to make contact with Jelavic to say sorry. He said: “I have read that he has had an operation and how long he is going to be out and that’s a real blow for him. “I didn’t get the chance to see him after the game but I’ll try to get in touch with him when he gets back and wish him all the best. “You never want to see a fellow professional getting injured and I can only apologise to him. “There was no malice or intent to injure him on my part – I was just doing my best to win the challenge. But he is a fast player – much quicker than I realised – and that is the reason I caught him.” http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/black-wants-to-apologise-to-jelavic-for-tynecastle-tackle-1.1059813

CRAIG LEVEIN lost the plot yesterday - after SunSport got it RIGHT on his controversial decision to axe Kenny Miller. We exclusively revealed that the red-hot Rangers striker is OUT of the line-up for tomorrow's clash with the Czech Republic in Prague. Scotland boss Levein will turn to Queens Park Rangers rookie Jamie Mackie rather than hand Miller his 50th cap. That decision is Levein's, it's his right to make it. Where he is 100 per cent WRONG is to accuse this newspaper of wanting Scotland to LOSE simply because we broke the story all the others wanted. That's what happened at Glasgow Airport yesterday when Levein railed at our Chief Football Writer, Roger Hannah. He rapped: "What I am annoyed at is that I question sometimes whether people in your profession are actually interested in whether we win or not. "This story came from people who, in the past, I've been as honest as I can with - and that makes me really angry. "And I'm talking to you, Roger." Let's get one thing straight here. This paper is a staunch SUPPORTER of both Levein and Scotland. He was the man we championed after the disastrous reign of George Burley. But our first responsibility is to our loyal Tartan Army of readers who have made us Scotland's best-selling paper. Our job is to bring you the big stories FIRST. That's exactly what we did here. Levein has doubts over the fitness of a trio of players and the final 4-2-2-2 line-up will be decided when those issues are settled. Yet there is one thing there can be NO doubt about. Miller has been told he will NOT start in Prague. Levein insisted: "I'm not going to talk about the team. "But I can assure you that the team hasn't been picked." Again, SunSport never once said it had been. We published a LIKELY line-up alongside our exclusive, hardly a crime. Levein added: "I had a discussion with Kenny this morning about what happened and he was honest enough to tell me. "It's been as a result of an article he'd done. It was an innocent error. "But my job is to pick the team that I think has the best chance of success." SunSport wants your team to succeed too, Craig. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/3169030/We-got-it-spot-on-about-Miller-axe.html#ixzz11dw9uopl

Sounds like a wee sesh:),think I'll join you:onetoomany:

Who me?????

Well,some of us do know who he hangs around with in Whispers:whistle:

When it comes to Celtic there is a remarkable correlation between Maloney's presence and productive football and results for the Glasgow club. He was lost to Tony Mowbray in October last year. Up till that point, Celtic were league leaders and had suffered only one defeat - a loss at Ibrox that had much to do with Mowbray's men being denied two stonewall penalties Maloney's trickery ought to have earned them. Above quote is taken from todays Scotsman championing Maloney to start for Scotland,unbelievable. Reporter: Andrew Smith

CRAIG LEVEIN is ready to sensationally AXE in-form Kenny Miller for the Euro 2012 crunch in Prague. SunSport understands Scotland gaffer Levein will hand a shock debut to QPR rookie Jamie Mackie. He will partner Stevie Naismith in an unorthodox 4-2-2-2 for- mation against the Czech Republic. The pair will be deployed in wider roles with West Brom's Graham Dorrans and James Morrison in support. Skipper Darren Fletcher and fit-again Gary Caldwell will anchor midfield. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/3167142/50-and-out.html#ixzz11YG6KMlm

IAN BLACK has apologised for putting Rangers star Nikica Jelavic out of football until next year. The Hearts star was shocked to learn his tackle caused so much damage and said: "I apologise for the fact that the tackle has put him out for a length of time. "There was certainly no malice on my part - and NO intention to injure him. "I knew he was getting away from me but he was just quicker than I expected when I tried to stop him. "I accept it did look a bad tackle but that's because he was so quick. "Unfortunately his speed meant I caught him more than I thought I would." Jelavic, 25, had to be substituted and now faces at least three months out after he underwent an ankle operation yesterday. It's a hammer blow for the SPL champions with the Croat in a rich vein of form. A spokesman for the Croatia FA confirmed: "Niki underwent surgery under the supervision of Professor Boris Nemec, and begins the process of his recovery. "A piece of torn cartilage was removed and he will be in cast for up to two weeks. "The ankle should be at 50 per cent six weeks after surgery. "We will continue to monitor his situation." Senior Gers sources are seething over the tackle that has put Jelavic - who cost Gers �£4.1million in the summer - out. Black did not get the chance to speak to Jelavic after the game. He said: "I am disappointed for him. Hopefully he will be back sooner than expected." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3167134/Sorry.html#ixzz11YFKXHSG

Not according to the time it was posted he never Sherlock;)

Published Date: 04 October 2010 HEARTS defender Craig Thomson has been arrested on charges of sending lewd photos of himself to a number of young girls, it was reported today. The 19-year-old player was questioned by detectives after the teenage girls' parents discovered explicit images on a home computer. A police spokesman said: "A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date." http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/9am-Briefing-Hearts-defender-charged.6565416.jp