ian1964

TOMMY WILSON'S reserve side are still seeking their first Murray Park win after Inverness held the home side to a 2-2 draw this afternoon. A first half double from Rory McAllister had put the visiting side in a commanding position at the interval before goals from first team stars DaMarcus Beasley and Nacho Novo earned the Gers a point. Tommy WilsonWilson admits he is growing tired of seeing visiting teams leave Rangers' home patch with a share of the points after seeing his side draw four and lose one of their opening five home fixtures. He said: "This is our home. We train here every day, work here every day and I'm fed up with teams coming here and going away with a share of the spoils. "It's not good enough. Our away form is sustaining us and keeping us at the top of the league. But if we could improve our home form, and I'm sure we will, we'll see a difference." Wilson had praise for the first team stars that helped to dig the side out of a first half hole. He added: "I thought Charlie Adam was outstanding. He was supposed to get an hour today but he was desperate to stay on as was Nacho Novo. "Attitude is everything in this game and they both showed that, as did all the first team guys in the team." Nacho NovoGers found themselves in that whole after a pair of first half strikes from McAllister, the first of which came after just 14 minutes when Zander Sutherland beat Willie McLachlan on the left and crossed for the visiting No 9 to fire past Neil Alexander. It was four minutes before the break before McAllister found the net again with a carbon copy goal, volleying a fine finish beyond the helpless Alexander from Sutherland's cross. Charlie Adam, playing a central role in midfield had tried hard to bring his side back in to the game between the visitors' goals with two free kicks that struck the Caley wall and flew narrowly wide of Michael Fraser's post. Charlie AdamThe midfield man also picked up a first half booking for his efforts after a foul on Inverness left back Lionel Debi-Zadi. Wilson's half time team talk clearly had the desired effect when his side brought themselves back in to the game within 30 seconds of the restart. Novo collected the ball wide on the right and powered toward the touchline before squaring for Beasley to guide the ball in to Fraser's net. It was the perfect start for the Gers and they were obviously lifted as they again came close through Jordan McMillan's blocked shot and almost created another chance when Adam's cross drifted just behind after a fine run on the left. With Beasley playing further up front in the second period, he was combining well with Novo and the two almost created another goal on 57 minutes when the American midfielder was denied by quick reactions from Fraser. Jordan McMillanThe Caley keeper could do nothing six minutes later though when Beasley's pass put Novo behind the defence and he lifted the ball over the keeper and nodded it in to an empty net to draw the sides level. Beasley could have won it for the home side with 18 minutes remaining when he found space on the left but dragged a shot wide of the post when a cross might have been the better option. Gers fought hard for their first home win of the campaign but frustration was telling as captain McMillan picked up a late yellow card for dissent as his side were forced to settle for another single point haul. Rangers: Alexander; McLachlan (Perry 46), Dailly, McMillan, Smith; Burke, Shinnie, Adam, Kinniburgh (Efrem 63), Beasley; Novo. Subs: Robinson, Bagci, Cole.

THE Rangers Charity Foundation's Wild West Ball raised a record �£110,000 on Saturday night at the Hilton Hotel in aid of its charity partners Fairbridge in Glasgow, RNIB Scotland and UNICEF. The total raised breaks the �£100,000 mark for the first time in the Ball's 6 year history and was a major boost for the Foundation as it strives to raise �£200,000 for charity this season. Walter Smith, Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant attended along with many members of the first team squad in a great show of support for the Foundation's work. The first team got involved in 'Game For a Gamble' with guests, as well as bidding for auction items, signing autographs and charity calendars and posing for pictures. Former players such as Arthur Numan, Alex Rae, Gordon Smith, Derek Johnstone and Mark Hateley also added their backing to the evening. There were some fantastic items on offer in the auction, including VIP trips to the Singapore Grand Prix and US Masters Golf Championship, as well as top Rangers prizes such as a game on the pitch at Ibrox and a day out at Murray Park as a guest of Walter Smith. The Wild West theme was a big hit, with our Dolly Parton impersonator proving particularly popular, whilst the main band Northern Star ensured the dance floor was full all night. Foundation Manager Connal Cochrane commented: "This is a spectacular total for the evening and a huge boost to the projects we are supporting. I would like to thank everyone who came along and gave their support."

LEGENDARY Rangers manager Bill Struth and sensational striker Derek Johnstone have been inducted into Scottish Football's Hall of Fame. Struth, who bossed Rangers for an incredible 34 years, and DJ joined an illustrious band of men when they were announced at a dinner in Glasgow tonight. They were inducted along with John Thomson, Billy Liddell, Archie Gemmill, Jim Leighton, Ian St John and Bobby Evans. Football fans from all over the world nominated players whom they thought should be recognised for their contribution to Scottish football. Derek Johnstone at the Nou Camp with Cup Winners CupThen a panel of experts from football and the media considered the nominees and had the difficult task of whittling them down to eight. During Struth's remarkable tenure Rangers won 18 Championships, 10 Scottish Cups and 2 League Cups, which makes him the most successful British club manager of all time. He presided over the some of the greatest years in the Club's history, when it established its name in World football. He is, also often accredited with establishing many of the great traditions of the Club and has been a role model for many of managers who followed, most notably Scot Symon and Willie Waddell. Johnstone, of course, famously burst onto the scene in the League Cup Final of 1970 at the age of 16 when his header defeated Celtic and gave Rangers their first trophy in over four years. He was a natural footballer who could play equally adeptly at centre half or in midfield and did so regularly throughout his career. At the age of 18 he played at the back in the Cup Winners' Cup Final of 1972 when he and the rest of the Barcelona Bears became legends. However, it is as a striker that Johnstone made the best impact scoring 210 goals for Rangers, including 132 in the league. Only Ally McCoist has scored more in the post-war era. Those already included in the Hall of Fame are Jim Baxter, Billy Bremner, Sir Matt Busby, Kenny Dalglish, Sir Alex Ferguson, Hughie Gallacher, John Greig, Jimmy Johnstone, Denis Law, Dave Mackay. Danny McGrain, Jimmy McGrory, Billy McNeill, Willie Miller, Bobby Murdoch, Bill Shankly, Gordon Smith, Graeme Souness, Jock Stein, Willie Woodburn, Alan Morton, Alex McLeish, Bobby Lennox, Charles Campbell. George Young, Jim McLean, Joe Jordan, John White, Lawrie Reilly, Willie Waddell, Alex James, Davie Cooper, Tommy Gemmell, Richard Gough, Henrik Larsson, Brian Laudrup, Sandy Jardine. Billy Steel, Willie Ormond, John Robertson, Tommy Walker, Willie Henderson, Walter Smith, Gordon Strachan, Allan Hansen, Ally McCoist, Rose Reilly, Eddie Turnbull, Willie Bauld, Eric Caldow and Jimmy Cowan.

1-1 Never fucking penalty,another fine refereeing decision ?????

Accies should/could have scored a couple here................MON THE ACCIES !!!

1-0 to the wee team

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_news/74130/Acid-attack-on-Gers-stars-car-Kenny-Miller-Rangers.html RANGERS striker Kenny Miller was left fizzing after his Ã?£132,000 motor was trashed by mindless vandals. Thugs drenched the Ibrox starââ?¬â?¢s Bentley Continental GTC with battery acid, leaving the carââ?¬â?¢s expensive paintwork ruined. Kenny, 28, bought the 6-litre supercar just FIVE MONTHS ago but woke up yesterday to find it had been attacked overnight. He now faces a hefty repair bill of up to Ã?£30,000. And one of the starââ?¬â?¢s pals admitted: ââ?¬Å?Kennyââ?¬â?¢s pretty gutted right now. That car was his pride and joy.ââ?¬Â The car had been parked outside the playerââ?¬â?¢s home in Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, when the yobs struck. Itââ?¬â?¢s thought the 195mph convertible will need a full respray to repair damage to the bonnet and driverââ?¬â?¢s side. Our source added: ââ?¬Å?The car was tucked away behind a wall and a gate so it looks like whoever did it knew exactly where to find it. But it looks like thereââ?¬â?¢s been more than one person involved ââ?¬â? theyââ?¬â?¢ve lobbed acid from every angle to make sure they didnââ?¬â?¢t miss. ââ?¬Å?After he discovered what had happened, Kenny drove it straight to the garage which is just a few miles from his house. ââ?¬Å?The paint was still peeling it off as he drove. He had to get a lift to the game yesterday.ââ?¬Â The damage to his beloved motor seemed to be on the Ã?£2million aceââ?¬â?¢s mind once he got to Ibrox. Fans saw him miss a sitter during his sideââ?¬â?¢s 2-1 clash with St Mirren before ballooning a pass and hitting the bar in the 73rd minute. His Bentley ââ?¬â? which does 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds ââ?¬â? isnââ?¬â?¢t the first car belonging to a Rangers player to get trashed. Last month vandals wrecked two cars owned by goalie Allan McGregor. Vile sectarian slogans were etched into McGregorââ?¬â?¢s Bentley Continental GT and a Range Rover Sport. The Ã?£60,000 Range Rover, which was a present for McGregorââ?¬â?¢s fiancÃ?©e Leah Shevlin, had the words ââ?¬Å?cowââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?IRAââ?¬Â scraped along its side. The silver Bentley had ââ?¬Å?Holly Goalyââ?¬Â scratched on its bonnet in a badly-spelt reference to Celtic keeper Artur Boruc. In March McGregor, 26, was left raging when thugs poured acid on the Bentley. It cost Ã?£10,000 to have the vehicle repaired following that incident. Last night our source added: ââ?¬Å?Kennyââ?¬â?¢s not been given an exact price for the repair bill yet ââ?¬â? but he knows itââ?¬â?¢s not going to come cheap. ââ?¬Å?The car was a complete and utter mess. Itââ?¬â?¢s sickening to think they put so much effort into it. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s undoubtedly been a premeditated attack.ââ?¬Â

By Andrew Dickson PEDRO MENDES is confident he and Barry Ferguson can strike up a partnership to remember at the heart of the Rangers midfield. The duo started alongside each other for the first time in the 0-0 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday night. Barry FergusonThey showed in spells that they can be a big hit as a pairing, despite the fact Gers were held by the Steelmen in the end. Whether they get to team up again when St Mirren visit Ibrox tomorrow is unclear, with Walter Smith still to decide if he will risk starting Ferguson. It could be that after five months out with an ankle injury, the Light Blues and Scotland skipper is put on the bench instead so that he isn't rushed into playing too frequently. Either way, Mendes is sure they can gel over time and make a big impact as the Ibrox men challenge for the SPL title. The Portuguese star said: "Barry is a fantastic footballer. I've seen him at Murray Park in the last three or four weeks as he has come back to training. "Now it is all about him getting his fitness up because he has been away and out of the team for a while. "It is very good to have him back and I don't think him and I gelling is going to be an issue. "There has to be an understanding between all 11 players on the pitch and everyone must be aware of what they have to do. "If you are talking about Fergie and I, we, as midfielders, know what our jobs are so it's not a problem. "We are an attacking team so if we both like to press forward, that's not a bad thing. Besides, a team such as Rangers can't drop off and wait for other teams to come at us.Pedro Mendes "Barry and I just need to play together. It was our first time against Motherwell and the understanding will come. We will get even better and it's just a matter of time." Mendes is not worried by the fact Rangers trail Celtic in the league table despite beating them 4-2 at Parkhead in August. Indeed, he is perfectly relaxed about the situation and remains confident the deficit is something he and his team-mates can overcome. The former Portsmouth and Spurs star added: "There is a four-point gap but there is still a long way to go. "We are not happy with dropping some points lately, even though Dundee United and Motherwell played well against us, but there is plenty of time left. "A lot of games have still to be played, including three between us and Celtic, and everything is still very open. "In my opinion, we are playing very good football and we just need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal and tighter defensively. That will come."

TWO of Rangers' SPL fixtures early next year have been moved so that they can be broadcast live by Setanta Sports. The trip to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie will still take place on January 24 but will now start at 12.30pm rather than 3pm. Gers' next away clash with Celtic at Parkhead, originally pencilled in for Valentine's Day, will instead take place on February 15 at 12.30pm.

Smith rages at ‘goal’ error Walter Smith last night took a swipe at Tom Murphy, the linesman, for disallowing a Kris Boyd goal which could have given Rangers victory at Fir Park. At the time Boyd’s effort looked well off-side but TV replays showed that it should have stood. Smith was withering over the decision. “We contrived to miss a lot of chances here tonight but then the one that we did put way through Boyd was wrongly disallowed,” he said. “Mr Murphy was quick to allow an offside Scott McDonald goal at Parkhead last season but quick to disallow that goal tonight. “That’s two times now that we’ve had such decisions going against us this season — one at Aberdeen and now here. And we’re meant to be the club which doesn’t get decisions against us.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5143222.ece

Correct Frankie,however that's the second time already this season,the other being against Sheep

COURAGEOUS former Rangers star Craig Moore has vowed to continue his playing career despite being diagnosed with cancer. The one-time Ibrox captain had a tumour removed from his left testicle on Tuesday and is remaining 'extremely positive' about his condition. Moore, 32, even turned out for Queensland Roar last weekend after doctors had broken the grim news, and said his football was helping him cope with the crisis. Craig MooreHe has been ordered to rest for the next two weeks and is under the care of a urologist, who has told him the outlook is good. Moore, who spent 11 years at Ibrox, said: "I've had a lot of messages and it's been along the lines of: 'You have been a tough player on the field and I'm sure this is just another opponent that you'll overcome'. 'I'm really fortunate. I've got a good circle of friends, not only in Australia but overseas as well.'" Moore discovered the lump last week and a subsequent ultrasound revealed a growth. He admits to have been walking around in a stunned daze since. "You hear stories of other people,' he said. 'You always think it's going to be somebody else. It still feels like a bit of a dream. The best way to describe it is that it doesn't feel real.'" A spokeswoman for Rangers said: "Everybody at Rangers wishes Craig a speedy recovery."

Andrew Dickson reports from Fir Park STEVEN DAVIS hit out at referee Steve Conroy's decision to disallow Kris Boyd's second-half effort as Rangers drew 0-0 with Motherwell. Kyle LaffertyThe hitman put the ball in the net after seemingly being played onside, albeit he struck it a second after the match official whistled to stop play on linesman Tom Murphy's advice. Even so, home keeper Graeme Smith would have stood little chance of saving his attempt and Gers eventually had to settle for one point instead of three as a result. That now leaves them four points behind Celtic in the title race with 13 games played but Davis reckons the teams should be level at the top of the table. Along with the extra points he feels should have been gained here, Rangers were denied a win at Aberdeen in August when a perfectly good DaMarcus Beasley goal was ruled out. Davis said: "This one is hard to take and it's the second time it has happened to us this season after what happened at Aberdeen.Pedro Mendes "Once more, a decision has cost us two valuable points and we can't keep getting these things going against us." Davis' frustrations were compounded by the fact he and his Gers team-mates made enough other chances to win the game anyway. Whereas they have been pretty ruthless in recent fixtures, the Ibrox men just couldn't find a way past keeper Graeme Smith on this occasion. Davis added: "We are really disappointed because we created enough to win in the first half and second and should have got three points. "Motherwell made it hard for us but that's what we expected. Teams lift their game against Rangers and they were no different. "We should still have taken the three points from this one as we gave ourselves enough opportunities to do that."Barry Ferguson One positive for Rangers was that Barry Ferguson played his first full competitive 90 minutes of the season. After four months out with an ankle injury, he looked comfortable and made a good contribution and Davis was pleased to have his skipper back. He said: "We are gutted not to have Kevin Thomson in the side now because of his injury. He has been outstanding for us and has done really well. "But it was good at least to have Barry playing again from the start. He got better as time went on. "It will obviously take him a little while to get back up to speed but I think he did well overall tonight."

WALTER SMITH admits that missed opportunities proved costly for Rangers in tonight's goalless draw at Fir Park. Kenny Miller rues a missed chance against Motherwell at Fir ParkAnd he also voiced his frustration at the Main Stand linesman's decision to rule Kris Boyd offside in the second-half. The Gers' no 9 latched on to a through pass before hammering a shot beyond Graeme Smith but the official raised his flag when Boyd was clearly in line with a Motherwell defender. This capped a disappointing night for the Light Blues who have now slipped four points behind Celtic in the title race. Smith said: "I thought the game was similar to last week against Dundee United in that it was a good match and we had to work hard for our opportunities. "We created enough of them to win the game but didn't manage to take them which is, of course, very disappointing. "We are also annoyed with the decision against Kris Boyd in the second-half. He e got through and scored but was ruled offside when clearly he wasn't. "Apart from that we had to work very hard tonight. "The first half hour was pretty even and we came into it after that and created three or four really good opportunities to score before half-time. Barry Ferguson "We didn't take them and I felt at that stage if we had got in front we could have stepped up from there but it wasn't to be." One positive note from the night was that Barry Ferguson came through the 90 minutes unscathed although Smith insists it was the player's decision to stay on the pitch for the full game. He said: "We did not intend to play Barry for 90 minutes tonight. "We felt if he got an hour that would be good for him but as the game went on he was keen to stay on. "It was a good 90 minutes for him and we are relieved that Sasa is also recovering from his knock towards the end. "He took a nasty one tonight but seems to be ok in the Dressing Room."

Have to agree with Frankie,Weir for me.

I wonder if the Celtic players would play for a GB team ?

I was just reading this and thought I would post it. The Rangers-Celtic Old Firm rivalry is one of the oldest and fiercest in world football, dating back to the late 19th century when Celtic were founded in Glasgow's East End. The teams first met at Celtic Park on May 28, 1888 in what was also the Parkhead club's first-ever match. Around 2,000 fans saw the home side win 5-2. The nickname 'The Old Firm' originated during the early year of the 20th century when the clubs began to dominate Scottish football and the term in part referred to the financial benefits associated with their frequent meetings. No two teams have dominated their national championship as much as Rangers and Celtic - between them they have won 90 of the 108 Scottish titles available since 1890. And they have also contested numerous dramatic head-to-head encounters. Here are the stats on how the Light Blues have fared against their old foes. RANGERS' COMPLETE RECORD v CELTIC: P W L D F A League 289 112 94 82 420 381 Scottish Cup 46 16 22 8 59 70 League Cup 45 23 20 2 65 67 All Matches 380 151 136 92 544 518* * as at August 31, 2008 RANGERS v CELTIC - THE COMPLETE LEAGUE RECORD IN THE PREMIER DIVISION/SPL P W L D F A 133 47 50 36 178 176 PREMIER AT IBROX P W L D F A 66 30 18 18 107 73 PREMIER AT CELTIC PARK P W L D F A 67 17 32 18 71 103 ALL LEAGUE GAMES P W L D F A 289 112 94 82 420 381 LEAGUE GAMES AT IBROX P W L D F A 144 70 33 41 236 152 LEAGUE GAMES AT CELTIC PARK P W L D F A 145 43 61 41 184 229 FIVE OLD FIRM FACTS Rangers' biggest league victory Celtic was the 5-0 thrashing of September 1893. Their best Premier triumphs were the 5-1 wins of August Ally challenges Phil O'Donnell during an Old Firm clash1988 and November 2000. The largest crowd ever to watch an Old Firm game was the 132,870 which saw the 1969 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden. The clubs hold the British record attendance for a league match - 118,567 watched their New Year derby at Ibrox on January 2, 1939. The Light Blues' best score in an Old Firm fixture was the 8-1 rout of January 1, 1943. Unfortunately, like all wartime games, the match is classed as unofficial! Ally McCoist is Rangers' top modern-day goalscorer in Old Firm matches with 27 goals between 1983 and 1998. However the famous R.C. Hamilton hit 35 goals against Celtic in various competitions during the late 1890s and early 1900s. Celtic's leading scorer in the fixture is Jimmy McGrory, who ties with McCoist on 27. Alfie Conn is the only player to have won Scottish Cup medals with both Old Firm sides. The midfielder scored for Rangers in the 1973 Old Firm Final and was in the Celtic team which defeated Gers 1-0 in 1977.

Hey you, I have chores to do around the house,and any way I don't have anything to write about

Motherwell 1 Rangers 3 Boyd,Miller,Mendes

by Gordon Thomson FORMER Rangers captain Craig Moore is battling cancer. The footballer has had emergency surgery days after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. Moore, who was born in Canterbury, Australia, has been told to rest for the next fortnight before undergoing more tests. However, the urologist who is treating him said his "outlook is good." The 32-year-old footballer underwent surgery yesterday just five days after the shock diagnosis was made. Moore has had to withdraw from the Australia team which is due to play Bahrain next week in a World Cup qualifier. advertisement Australia coach Pim Verbeek was taken aback by the news and said: "It's always a shock to hear of a diagnosis like this but I am encouraged by the prognosis from the medical practitioner, I speak for the entire team in wishing him a speedy recovery." Ben Buckley, chief executive of Football Federation Australia, said the player's "legendary toughness" and good fitness would undoubtedly help in his recovery. The health scare comes after Moore returned from a brief international retirement to play in the Socceroos' victorious World Cup qualifier win over Qatar here last month. A key member of Australia's 2006 World Cup campaign, the player - due to celebrate his 33rd birthday next month - has been ordered to rest for two weeks and will have further tests in six weeks. Moore was a product of the Rangers youth system and rose to become club captain. He played for the Old Firm club for 11 years but was stripped of the captaincy four years ago when he decided to play for Aistralia at the Athens Olympics which rforced him to miss the start of the 2004-2005 SPL league campaign. Manager Alex McLeish kept the Aussie on the fringes of the team before selling him to German side Borussia Monchengladbach in January, 2005, where he played under ex-Rangers boss Dick Advocaat. But Advocaat was sacked after a short spell in charge and it was another ex-Rangers manager Graeme Souness who resurrectated his career in the UK by bringing him to Newcastle United at a time when Moore had been accused by the German club of turning up for training while drunk - an accusation Moore always denied. But the player only made nine appearances for the English Premier League side during his 2005-2006 debut season although he did play 21 times during the follow season. But Souness was sacked and replaced by Sam Allardyce in May last year and released Moore weeks later. Moore returned to Australia to play for Queensland in the A-League.services. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.2467521.0.0.php

I think all the Rangers players should be dropped,and all the Celtic players should play :-]

By Andrew Dickson BARRY FERGUSON will make his Scotland comeback against Argentina after being picked for this month's friendly with the South Americans. The Light Blues skipper is yet to play under new national manager George Burley and has missed the team's last six games. Barry FergusonBut after recovering from an ankle injury, he is back and likely to start in the meeting with Diego Maradona's side. Ferguson is one of four Ibrox stars included in a 26-man pool for the glamour friendly at Hampden Park. Kirk Broadfoot's rise in prominence continues as he keeps his place, along with Allan McGregor and Kenny Miller. But there is no place for David Weir, who is surprisingly left out of the group. Kris Boyd is also missing after his recent decision to stop playing for Burley. Rory Loy's month to remember keeps gathering pace and after making his Gers debut against Inverness, he is called into Scotland's under-21 squad for the first time. The young striker has scored eight goals in nine reserve outings this season and he could now face Northern Ireland at New Douglas Park next Tuesday. Joining him in the squad for that game is Steven Lennon. The forward, on loan at Partick, could make his sixth Scots appearance against the Province. A SQUAD: Goalkeepers Craig Gordon (Sunderland) ALLAN McGREGOR (RANGERS) David Marshall (Norwich City)Allan McGregor, Scotland Defenders Graham Alexander (Burnley) Darren Barr (Falkirk) Christophe Berra (Heart of Midlothian) KIRK BROADFOOT (RANGERS) Gary Caldwell (Celtic) Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur) Jamie McAllister (Bristol City) Stephen McManus (Celtic) Gary Naysmith (Sheffield United) Midfielders Scott Brown (Celtic) Kris Commons (Derby County) BARRY FERGUSON (RANGERS) Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) Paul Hartley (Celtic) Shaun Maloney (Celtic) James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion) Barry Robson (Celtic) Forwards David Clarkson (Motherwell) Steven Fletcher (Hibernian) Chris Iwelumo (Wolverhampton W.) Ross McCormack (Cardiff City) James McFadden (Birmingham City) KENNY MILLER (RANGERS)

WALTER SMITH has called on the football authorities to use their powers to rescind yellow cards issued wrongly to players charged with simulation. Everyone abhors Walter Smithcheating in football - and rightly so. Players who are subsequently shown to have dived to gain an advantage should be punished. The most famous recent example of this was the two-match ban handed out by UEFA to Saulius Mikoliunas when he dived to win a penalty against Scotland last year. Smith feels this logic should be a two-way street and those players cautioned for simulation but later proved to be innocent should have their booking taken away. This, of course, stems from the incident on Sunday when Rangers suffered on two counts. Kirk Broadfoot made a superb run into the Kilmarnock box to collect a Steve Davis pass and was brought down by Alan Combe. It should have been a penalty and, potentially, a yellow card for Combe. Instead, Eddie Smith awarded a goal kick and booking Broadfoot for diving. Smith said: "I think the referees have a difficult job. I actually felt that even allowing for the fact that he hadn't been clipped - and he clearly he was - there was no way he was trying to win a penalty.Kirk Broadfoot at Rugby Park "When you see the incident again, the goalkeeper does catch Kirk. If people are going to be pulled up by the SFA for simulation then we should be able to appeal against the yellow card in this instance. "You should be able to rescind a yellow card if it shown to be the case that Kirk was clearly not simulating. "The other aspect is that it could have been an important stage of the game. "If people are going to make a fuss about diving then leeway should be given to those who are wrongly punished for it. "The officials are all wired up these days so the linesman has a certain responsibility in all of this as well. He wasn't far from the incident and he probably had a clearer view than the referee. "So we have to look at that situation. In my view if you are going to be punished after the fact for diving then you should have a yellow card rescinded if it's proved that you were not diving."

MARK HATELEY has backed Rangers to get over the loss of Kevin Thomson through Barry Ferguson's return to the team. It's agony for ThomsonMidfielder Thomson faces several months on the sidelines after a scan confirmed he has severely damaged cruciate ligaments in his left knee. The 24-year-old's season is over and he will travel to London to see a top knee specialist on Wednesday as he starts out on the long road to recovery. While the former Hibs player will be sorely missed, it is likely club captain Barry Ferguson will replace him in the side after recovering from ankle surgery. Former Gers striker Hateley said: "Losing Kevin is a huge blow. We've seen how much he has improved since he came to the club and he was missed when he was out before. "He has been inspirational this season and his link-up play with Pedro Mendes has been great. They've been very solid and play well off each other.Barry Ferguson, Rangers "At the same time, Rangers have a quality player coming back into the team again in Barry and that is fortunate. "It is often the case that when a player becomes available again, the manager has a headache about who to pick and then one of them gets injured. "That has been the case here and now it becomes a simpler task to bring the skipper in once more. "The team could certainly have done without losing Kevin and it is never nice to see someone suffer that kind of injury. "It sent a shudder down a few peoples' spines when they saw the incident but at least there is someone to come into the side in his place. "Barry is a top-class player and has been for many years. When he's out of the side, the team is weakened but Rangers should get stronger when he comes back in." Lee McCullochWhile Ferguson is the obvious choice to replace Thomson, Hateley knows other players will be eager to come back into the team too. The likes of Lee McCulloch, Brahim Hemdani and Charlie Adam are likely to see this as an opportunity to challenge for a place. Hateley added: "When you look at the Rangers squad just now, most people are fit again and ready to play. "Lee McCulloch's available, Steven Naismith isn't far away from being fit again and Chris Burke is there too. "Steven Whittaker's another one pushing for a spot. He came on for a few minutes on Sunday and scored a great goal in that time. "It is great to have so many alternative options. The team has been short of them in the last couple of seasons but has an abundance of them now."

RANGERS trip to face Inverness in January has been switched from Saturday January 3 to Sunday January 4 for live TV coverage on Setanta. The kick-off time has yet to be fixed for what will be Walter Smith's side's first fixture in 2009. Gers' trip to Aberdeen in January will also be broadcast by the satellite channel with details of the date at time to be confirmed following Wednesday's draw for the semi finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup. The Dons clash, currently scheduled for 3pm on Saturday January 24, may move to an earlier slot that day or switch to Sunday January 25. A decision on that trip will be made once fixtures for the League semis are finalised. Smith's side could face Celtic, Falkirk or Dundee United on either Tuesday January 27 or Wednesday January 28. Full details of all matches will be published on rangers.co.uk when fixture dates and times are settled.