ian1964

Famine Song Statement RANGERS head of security and operations Kenny Scott said today: "It is important to be clear on the reasons behind last night's decision to put messages on the screens and scoreboards at Ibrox regarding the famine song. "Following discussions with Strathclyde Police, it was made clear to the club that there was the potential for supporters singing this song to be arrested at last night's match. "The decision to arrest anyone is one which is made not by the club but by the police. "However Rangers Football Club took the decision that it was only fair to warn everyone coming to the stadium last night that this was the situation. "We took a similar step last month when we issued 50,000 leaflets before the Motherwell match at Ibrox again advising supporters of the police position. "We as a club do not wish to see any of our supporters leaving themselves open to arrest and believed by putting the messages on the screens and scoreboards last night we were only fulfilling our obligations to you, our supporters. "We have another match at Ibrox on Saturday and the same message applies to that fixture as it did last night. "For the benefit of those supporters attending the match on Saturday the club will be repeating the message that was displayed last night."

BARRY Ferguson completed his first 90 minutes since May as a 10 man Rangers reserve side was held at home by Dundee United. Despite losing Christian Dailly to a red card after just 45 seconds, Tommy Wilson's side were on top for the majority of the game as Ferguson continued his return from an ankle injury. Dailly was dismissed in the first minute after tangling with Danny Swanson just inside the penalty area leaving the home side without a recognised central defender in their ranks. Swanson stepped up to take the resulting penalty but blazed the ball high over Neil Alexander's goal. Boosted by the missed spot kick Gers adjusted their backline and recovered to take an early lead. Aaron's trickery on the left earned him the space to deliver the perfect cross, setting up Rory Loy for his 8th goal in 8 reserve games. Loy then almost turned provider for the returning skipper a minute later when his ball from the left just eluded the on rushing Ferguson. But it was United who found the net soon after when Swanson' through ball picked out Prince Buaben in the box and he slotted an equaliser past Alexander. The visitors almost took the lead on the stroke of half time when Danny Grainger crossed for David Goodwillie, who headed just wide of the post. Wary of the threat, the home side introduced Jordan McMillan at the start of the second half with Andrius Velicka making way and Loy switching to the lone striking role. McMillan picked up a yellow card midway through the half as United searched for a second against the new look Gers defence. With the effort of covering for an extra man taking its toll, Tommy Wilson introduced more fresh legs as Georgios Efrem replaced Chris Burke and Andrew Shinnie took Aaron's midfield spot. Those changes meant Ferguson would complete the 90 minutes, and he almost capped his first full match back with a goal when Charlie Adam hit the touchline on the left and cut the ball back for his captain, but Ferguson's effort was wide of the target. Gers were almost made to pay late in the game when United sub Ryan Dow, a replacement for Greg Cameron, rifled a shot against Alexander's bar, but they held on to pick up a hard earned point against a strong Utd side. Rangers: Alexander; Whittaker, McCulloch, Dailly, Smith; Burke (Efrem 63), Ferguson, Adam, Aaron (Shinnie 77); Velicka (McMillan 46), Loy. Subs: Viaculis, Kinniburgh, McLachlan, Little. Booked: McMillan, Efrem Sent off: Dailly Dundee Utd: McGovern; Kovacevic, Kenneth, Pope, Grainger; Buaben, McCord (Andreoni 46), Cameron (Dow 85), Swanson; Shala, Goodwillie. Subs: Grant, Milligan, Smith. Booked: Pope Referee: Ross Haswell See the POPE was playing

That's because I wisnae there

BIRMINGHAM are weighing up a shock Ã?£2million swoop for Rangers star Kirk Broadfoot. Former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish is ready to pounce for Scotland defender Broadfoot when the transfer window opens in January. He has now established himself with Gers since quitting St Mirren two years ago. But the 24-year-old is understood to be unhappy about his current deal which sees him take home Ã?£3,500-a-week basic. That has alerted Blues boss McLeish who is ready to lure versatile Broadfoot south with a bumper Ã?£10,000-a-week package when the window opens. Big Eck is desperate for a centre half and believes Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s ability and physique make him perfect for the demands of the Championship. Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s contract expires in the summer and Gers boss Walter Smith is desperate to keep hold of the defender ââ?¬â? who is enjoying his best form for the club. Despite arriving at Ibrox as a squad player, he has filled the void left by Alan Huttonââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£9m move to Spurs ââ?¬â? but there have been no moves by Gers to offer him a new deal. After winning his first two caps for Scotland against Iceland and Norway, the defender believes he should be brought into line with other top-earners at Ibrox. But now McLeish is ready to lure Broadfoot ââ?¬â? who would prefer to stay at Gers ââ?¬â? with a massive wage hike. Meanwhile, former Ibrox favourite Peter Lovenkrands has pleaded with Rangers to put an end to his Schalke hell. The Danish hitman sees no future for himself in Germany after being frozen out by new coach Fred Rutten. The 28-year-old said: ââ?¬Å?There is no future for me at Schalke. Hopefully something will happen in January. ââ?¬Å?There was a lot of talk about me returning to Rangers last summer. ââ?¬Å?It didnââ?¬â?¢t happen, but I would love to go back there. ââ?¬Å?Of course, if the opportunity arose again I would be delighted.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article1867756.ece

By Andrew Dickson STEVEN DAVIS admits he can't wait to team up with Barry Ferguson again after missing out on a reunion with him this evening. The Rangers skipper was named amongst the substitutes for tonight's 2-0 League Cup quarter-final triumph against Hamilton Accies. But despite going through warm-up routines in the second half, he never came on and will play for the reserves against Dundee United tomorrow instead. If he comes through that match without any problems, he'll then be considered for Saturday's home SPL clash with Caley Thistle at Ibrox. Davis played alongside 30-year-old Ferguson during his loan spell at Gers from Fulham last season. Having returned to Glasgow on a permanent deal over the summer, the Northern Ireland cap is relishing reforming the partnership over the next few weeks. He said: "Barry has been missing for a while now and he's a big player for us. He's our skipper and he leads by example. "It will be great to have him back. He'll give the manager a bit of a selection headache as he's the complete midfielder. "He can get forward, tracks back and is a great member of the team. It will be great to join up with him. "I experienced that last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He's a good passer of the ball and he'll fit back into the side really well." Davis set up Kyle Lafferty's clinching goal against Accies and was pleased to have helped Rangers into the last four of the competition. He knows the tournament could act as the first step towards a domestic treble this term and is looking for a clean sweep of trophies. Davis added: "The boys are delighted to be though. We're the current holders and we want to retain the trophy this year. "We thoroughly deserved to go through We had to bide our time and Hamilton made life difficult for us but we kept the ball moving and could have won by more. "This is the first chance to win silverware in the season and we definitely want to win it and the other competitions we play in."

You don't think Rangers FC would listen to a bunch of racist, bigoted sectarian fans do you ?

I would be reluctant to let him go anywhere, unless it was for a six month loand spell

There probably is, but he would get sacked for being Rangers sympothiser,racist,biggoted knuckle dragger

THE FAMILY of Ian McColl have asked for a minute's applause ahead of the cup tie with Hamilton to celebrate his Rangers career. McColl, who passed away on Friday aged 81, played 526 matches for Rangers in 15 years from 1946 to 1960. His funeral will take place at St Paul's Church in Milngavie, outside Glasgow on Thursday at mid-day. Boss Walter Smith certainly appreciated the impact he made at Ibrox. He said: "Ian was a fantastic stalwart for Rangers as part of the Iron Curtain defence. "He is someone I can remember coming to watch playing for the club when I was a boy and he later went on to have a successful career in management as well. "Anyone who goes and plays over 500 games for Rangers has made a significant contribution to the club and Ian was no different."

The SFA will threaten to deduct points from Rangers in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this season if the club's fans do not stop singing the now-infamous Famine Song which is regularly besmirching the appearance of Rangers at Ibrox and other SPL grounds. George Peat, the SFA president, confirmed last night that the song was causing embarrassment for Scottish football and that it ââ?¬Å?had to be stamped outââ?¬Â. Peat went on to say: ââ?¬Å?If the situation doesn't improve then all we could do is threaten to deduct points.ââ?¬Â The Famine Song has caused growing anxiety and discomfort for Rangers. Despite a series of pleas from just about everyone at Ibrox, including Martin Bain, the Rangers chief executive, a section of the club's support has refused to stop singing the song, which derides those of Irish extraction in Scotland and is deemed by many to be racist and offensive. In a statement issued to Rangers fans last month, Bain urged his club's supporters to ââ?¬Å?refrainââ?¬Â from singing the song, though the plea fell on deaf ears. The Celtic chairman, John Reid, also recently entered the row, describing the song as ââ?¬Å?vile, vicious and racistââ?¬Â. Reid, a former British Home Secretary, has urged Strathclyde Police to take action against the perpetrators. Following the furore two years ago over The Billy Boys, an anti-Catholic dirge which brought Rangers a fine and severe censure from Uefa, European football's governing body, The Famine Song is now causing the Ibrox club renewed anxiety. On Saturday at New Douglas Park the travelling Rangers support singled out James McCarthy, the Ireland Under-19 international who plays for Hamilton Academical, for abuse. Related Links Bigots whose ââ?¬Ë?bileââ?¬â?¢ has embarrassed Rangers Time for Bain to speak out about chants Fans urged to stop singing ââ?¬Ë?Famine Songââ?¬â?¢ Peat, asked specifically yesterday about The Famine Song, said that the SFA was looking into the problem and would probably have to consult with the police if Rangers failed to find a solution. Two years ago, following the Uefa investigation of Rangers, an embarrassed SFA was forced to alter its own constitution to provide it with new powers to punish clubs which were found guilty of sectarian or racist abuses. ââ?¬Å?I would hope the situation will improve but if doesn't then the next step will be to arrange a meeting between ourselves, the SPL and the police,ââ?¬Â Peat said of the latest Rangers problem. ââ?¬Å?If things still don't improve then, as I say, all we could do is threaten to deduct points. ââ?¬Å?At the moment we've left it in the hands of the SPL to look into it and try to eradicate it. We know that clubs have tried hard with this type of thing. But, listening to it again at the weekend, it would appear that there's still some way to go. ââ?¬Å?Obviously, it's got to be stamped out, and we'll be having a meeting soon with the SPL and the police to see what we can do about it.ââ?¬Â Rangers can hardly be faulted for trying to find a solution. Martin Bain has twice issued a statement on The Famine Song, in which he pleaded with his club's supporters to stop singing it. Rangers believe that, under current Scottish legislation, their fans could be arrested by police over the chanting. ââ?¬Å?It is the club's view that the interest of our supporters and the club will be best served by supporters refraining from singing The Famine Song,ââ?¬Â Bain said recently. ââ?¬Å?The club is duty-bound to inform supporters they may be subject to arrest, and it is in no one's interest for that to happen.ââ?¬Â Last month the SPL said that it was also looking into the controversy, even though it now looks as if the SFA will have to wade in. ââ?¬Å?We introduced rules on unacceptable conduct last season, in line with the laws of the land,ââ?¬Â an SPL spokesman said yesterday. ââ?¬Å?These have helped [bring about] improvement in behaviour at matches and we will continue to work with clubs to this end. Rangers have contacted Strathclyde Police about The Famine Song and we will be in touch with both parties to consider what, if any, action is needed.ââ?¬Â http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5026958.ece

By Andrew Dickson MO EDU says he is ready to make his mark at Rangers after taking time to adapt to the Scottish game. The American midfielder is in line to play against Hamilton in the League Cup tomorrow night and could replace Kevin Thomson as he is struggling with an ankle knock. More than two months have passed since Edu signed for the club on the five-year deal from MLS outfit Toronto FC. So far he has made just one 65-minute appearance against Kilmarnock and he has been a more regular feature of Tommy Wilson's reserve team. But having finally got to grips with the game in this country, the 22-year-old feels capable of stepping back into the first XI again and making a positive impact. Edu said: "I hope I can play against Hamilton. Every week I prepare myself for the event that my name is called and it has been no different this week. "I'm just working hard in training. Every footballer wants to play but I knew I was joining a winning team when I came here. "There's a lot of talent in there already and with the summer signings that were made, that has increased further. "I knew it would be difficult to get on the field so I have been training hard and I've stayed patient. "The SPL is definitely a step up from the MLS and it's a hard, physical game. I've done well as I've adjusted so far and I'm more comfortable than I was when I got here at first. "I knew it would take time to adapt. Any time you increase the standard, there's a little period where you try to change and settle in. "I think I've had a chance to be here for a while now, train with the guys, see a few games and play in one and I've been getting positive feedback from the staff. "I feel a part of things now and as time goes on, I'll hopefully get some more matches under my belt and I'll continue to develop." Rangers will come up against Hamilton for the second time in four days in the quarter-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup following their SPL meeting on Saturday. Walter Smith's men won that one 3-1 but Edu knows that means nothing ahead of their re-match at Ibrox. He added: "I think it'll be difficult and playing any team twice within the space of a few days is hard. "After playing them at their place, they'll have a bit of a chip on their shoulder when they come to play at our home. "Any team that comes here wants to do well because it's a great club to play at and it's a huge event for them. "Hamilton will come here really motivated and it's difficult to beat the same team twice in a row so we'll have our work cut out."

By Andrew Dickson WALTER SMITH is hopeful Barry Ferguson will return to the Rangers line-up for this weekend's SPL clash with Inverness at Ibrox. The Light Blues skipper returned to action in the reserves last Tuesday against St Mirren after four months out with ankle injury. Ferguson is working with the group of players who have been selected in the squad for tomorrow night's home League Cup quarter-final with Hamilton. But he is highly unlikely to feature in the game and will instead play in Wednesday's second-string fixture against Dundee United. Should the 30-year-old come through that match unscathed, he will then come into contention for the meeting with Caley Jags. Smith said: "Barry will get another game on Wednesday and I'm hopeful that if he gets through that match without any problems, he'll come back in at the weekend. "I don't mean that in terms of his injury because that's okay now. If the after-effects of playing in midweek aren't too severe, we would look at him coming in on Ssaturday. "It is natural people are anxious now to get him back. I'll involve Barry in the pool of players for the Hamilton game but that game might be a bit early for him. "He will play against United's reserves and after that, I'd hope he'll become more gradually involved with the full side. "Barry played at St Mirren and did all of his training last week then had a recovery day yesterday so we'll see how he is at training today. "He is itching to get back playing again but he has an awareness of his injury now, as we do. When he makes his comeback, he'll be ready for it."

I don't think Weir has lost any pace since he signed for us,he just never has had any pace. I think Weir is a major part in settling in first Cuellar and now Bougherra, just ask them,and to be fair to Weir I think he has been an excellent signing and can still continue to do a good job for us, however I also think we should be looking for a replacement for him long term,but for me he will do for this season as we do not have European football only the domestic competitions to contest and he can certainly hold his own there.

Never seen the game,but I have to agree with Craig, he has no pace but if he can learn to hold the ball then that would make his game improve a hell of a lot, and for me that is something you can learn

Or get there earlier :cheers:

I would.................but k-off gets in the way of the bevvy :box:

2-2..............Mon the HIVs

by Lindsay Herron IAN McCOLL, one of the greatest servants to Rangers and a member of the legendary Iron Curtain defence, has passed away. He was 81. Rangers Chief Executive Martin Bain has led the tributes to true gentleman Ian, who was also a highly successful Scotland manager, He said: "We are saddened to learn of Ian's passing. He was a magnificent player for Rangers and, of course, a key member of the famous Iron Curtain defence in the post-war era. "The Club sends its condolences to Ian's family." McColl was a wing half, in the old parlance, of some distinction. He became captain of Rangers in the 1950s and can comfortably lay claim to being one of the club's greatest servants. Signed from Queen's Park - the epitome of the Corinthian spirit - McColl quickly learned that the winning was more important than the playing when you joined the Rangers ranks. He was the final cog in the legendary Iron Curtain defence, which was so effective in Rangers' considerable successes of the period. Bobby Brown in goal, George Young and Jock Shaw in the full back positions with McColl, Willie Woodburn and Sammy Cox in front of them was a formidable barrier in a tremendous time for the club. In a 10-year period Rangers averaged less than a goal against per game which is indicative of just how stong the defensive line was. McColl won six titles, five Scottish Cups and the League Cup twice in his fabulous Rangers career. He was also capped 14 times by Scotland. By the late 1950s McColl had become a peripheral player as a new team had been built, but he still had one key function to fulfil. He was recalled for the 1960 Scottish Cup Final as a replacement for the injured Harold Davis and was a steadying influence as two Jimmy Millar goals gave Rangers a 2-0 win over Kilmarnock. He went out at the top. Looking after the mercurial talent that was Jim Baxter would have been a daunting task for any manager but Ian McColl had to do it TWICE after his fantastic, 15-year Rangers career was over. McColl became Scotland manager in 1961 and utilised the incredible skills of Baxter in many of his selections - none more effectively than at the 1963 clash with England at Wembley when Baxter scored both Scotland goals in a 2-1 win. He then became Sunderland manager in 1965 and signed Baxter from Rangers but the move was not successful as sadly Slim Jim had started to have more fun off the field than on it. In 27 matches as Scotland manager he won 16 times which is undoubtedly a record to be proud of. He is survived by wife Jessie, son Ian and daughter Aileen.

WALTER SMITH will not give in to temptation and recall Barry Ferguson for tomorrow's SPL trip to Hamilton. The Rangers skipper made his comeback after four months out injured on Tuesday when he played 62 minutes of the 3-0 reserve win at St Mirren. Ferguson looked comfortable at Love Street and has continued to be heavily involved in training in the latter part of the week. But given the amount of time he has spent on the sidelines, Smith is adamant he has no intention of using the 30-year-old at New Douglas Park. The manager said: "Barry played in the reserve game the other day but he has been out for four months now and it'll take him a while to get ready. "We've got another reserve game next week and hopefully we can fit in a bounce match as well. "I'm sure after he gets two - maybe three - games under his belt, we can start looking at getting him back into the first team. "It's important for us to get all of our best players back and he has been a big factor in our team so we look forward to him returning. "But we have a squad of players there and it is not necessary to rush him back. We'll make sure he is right this time. "With that, I mean fitness-wise. His injury has totally cleared up and there's no problem with it now. It's just a matter of getting his fitness ready." While Ferguson won't be involved, Lee McCulloch is pushing for a return after scoring in his latest second-string appearance in midweek. Chris Burke is another who is hoping to be in contention after a fine goal and an impressive performance against the Buddies. Steven Whittaker and Steven Smith are also back in full training but are unlikely to make the trip to Lanarkshire. Smith added: "We've got a selection headache now as we've got a large group of players available and it's down to me to select the right ones to win games. "There is good competition and that's a great thing. We've got quite a number of players coming back into the squad now. "Lee is fit again, Barry's on his way and Steven Whittaker and Steven Smith returned into the group this week. I've got a lot to choose from."

No...............and niether wil SA !!!!!

Certainly mate,i'm a bit like that myself

http://www3.u.tv/news/localNews/index.asp?sel=1&sel2=1&local=1&id=91780&pt=n

http://www3.u.tv/news/localNews/inde...&id=91780&pt=n

Which is ok when your winning

Correct Barry,it's always a good atmosphere in beside TBO, so much so that you don't notice how quiet other parts of Ibrox is,don't like giving my seat up for the mopes though.