ian1964

WALTER SMITH insists the SPL's failure to help ease Rangers' fixture congestion sufficiently led to Celtic winning the championship as much as anything. In their 67th game of an extraordinary season, the Light Blues lost the title race as they were beaten 2-0 by Aberdeen at Pittodrie. Ally McCoist, Walter Smith and Kenny McDowallThe match was Gers' third in six days and now they have a gap of just 41 hours in which to prepare for Saturday's Scottish Cup final with Queen of the South. Smith's men have already played eight times since May began and the league's refusal to extend the season further because of Rangers' European commitments has cost them. The Ibrox manager has made his stance on the situation clear already and he feels better handling of the circumstances would have given his side more of a chance. Smith said: "I felt at one stage of the season that we had a good opportunity to win the league and that was more than I'd have expected in our first full season back at the club. "But we're obviously disappointed with the outcome tonight and disappointed we've lost out on the championship. "Having been in a good position previously, our disappointment is even greater because things haven't materialised for us. "I wouldn't say I think there was ever any point when things started to wrong for us as such. "After a run of 20 games unbeaten, I felt at that point we could go on to take the championship because of the levels of consistency we had shown. "But when we realised what fixtures we would have in the last couple of months, I knew we would have a battle on our hands.Ferguson battles with Mackie "Overall, a failure to handle a set of circumstances which were unusual for a team to have to deal with has led to us falling down as much as anything else. "Rangers, like any other club in the situation we were in, tried as hard as we could to get our fixtures spread out. "When it didn't happen, we had to play the games we had. We've done that now and the way things have turned out hasn't helped us." Smith saw substitute Nacho Novo sent off for a reckless tackle on Stuart Duff and had no complaints about the Spaniards dismissal. Rangers must now go into the weekend without the suspended striker, just as they did when they faced Dundee United for the League Cup in March. Smith knows he must also rouse his men one last time before the summer, regardless of the short period they have in which to prepare. He added: "We'll have to play the game and we would like to finish the season on a brighter note than we have done in the last week or so."

By Andrew Dickson RANGERS' season will begin in July as a result of their failure to win the SPL title tonight in the final round of championship matches. Because they have finished second in the standings, they now face the prospect of going through two qualifying rounds to reach the Champions League group stage. Consequently, that means Walter Smith's players will get less than a calendar month off on holiday as they return for pre-season training on June 23. David WeirGers will be the highest-ranked club in the draw for the second preliminary stage, meaning they'll avoid the likes of Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos, Basel and Anderlecht. Potential opponents do, however, include former Euro foes IFK Gothenburg, Anorthosis Famagusta and FBK Kaunas. First-leg ties at that point in the competition will be played on July 29/30, with return games taking place on August 5/6. Should the Light Blues progress to the third qualifying round, they will again be seeded with only Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Schalke and Juventus ranked above them. That doesn't mean they'll be in for an easy draw though, with a string of tricky teams lying in wait there too. Among them are Sparta Prague, Dynamo Kiev and Galatasaray and those matches will take place on August 12/13 and 26/27. Should Rangers advance again, they'll go into the group phase for the ninth time in the revamped European Cup's 17th year and pool games will start in September.

In your opinion of course,not mine

To anyone who wants WS to leave now ?,well I better not say as it will only result in a pointless slagging match.For me WS has came in and started to build a team and has done a great job IMO,he needs to be given some cash to take this team another step forward.I've not been happy watching this team play this season at times,along with a lot of bears,but surely the man deserves at least a chance to make us even better next season,and if we play games like we did this season then I would be one of the fans that would have to question him,but wanting him to leave now is just ridiculous.

He must stay,but only if WS can fit him into the team,if we re going to play 451 then he has to go,no point sitting on the bench !!!!

Successful Ops For Duo RANGERS stars Stevie Naismith and Chris Burke both underwent successful surgery yesterday but it will be a long time before they retutm to the first time. Sadly, Naismith is looking at 12 months out while it will be four to six months for winger Burke. Both players were seriously injured in the same match - the Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone on April 20. Kevin Rutkiewicz caught Burke on the ankle with his studs after just seven mintue and then Martin Hardie stomped on Naismith's knee eight minutes later which led to cruciate ligament damage. The surgery team involved on both players were pleased with the results of the operations and now both players are on their way back home. Allan McGregor is the other main injury problem at Murray Park, also with an ankle problem sustained against Celtic last month.

Frankie is on holiday for a week and won't be on here untill he gets back....................so you guys will have to wait for his secrets to tell !!!

Gribz,your last sentence says it all really,Celtic fans hate Rangers more than they love Celtic

There has still been major improvements to this Rangers team,compared to the last couple of seasons.Building a team takes more than one season,we have the foundations now let's add to this in the summer and improve again

The leader of Glasgow City Council has admitted he was "ashamed as a Glaswegian" of the violence that marred the Uefa Cup Final in Manchester. Writing in the Manchester Evening News, Steven Purcell said he would do everything possible to ensure those responsible were caught and punished. Mr Purcell stressed that he believed Manchester's planning for the showpiece final had been "spot-on". A Russian fan was stabbed and 15 police officers injured in the trouble. Mr Purcell, who had been in the City of Manchester Stadium to see Rangers lose 2-0 to Zenit St Petersburg in Wednesday night's final, said he had been "appalled" when he later saw photographs and video footage of the violence that erupted in the city centre among a section of the estimated 200,000 Rangers supporters. The only people to blame are the mindless minority who acted in the irresponsible, idiotic and violent ways we have all witnessed In the most disturbing scene, a mob of Rangers fans attacked a lone police officer who had tripped and fallen. He escaped without serious injury. In the open letter to the people of Manchester, Mr Purcell said: "I, as a Glaswegian, am ashamed of the behaviour of some people on Wednesday night and I know there are many other Glaswegians who feel the same way. "Newspaper photographs and television coverage of people verbally abusing police and stewards, and in some cases attacking them, are appalling and very disappointing." Some fans have blamed poor organisation by Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police for sparking the trouble, which first flared when a giant screen, that had been put up to allow ticketless fans to see the game, failed about 15 minutes before kick off. Destruction and violence But Mr Purcell insisted: "Manchester is not to blame for what happened. Rangers Football Club is not to blame for what happened, the vast majority of Rangers supporters are not to blame for what happened. "The only people to blame are the mindless minority who acted in the irresponsible, idiotic and violent ways we have all witnessed. "The event was well staged, the supporters inside the stadium created a great atmosphere and, although for Glasgow's sake I would have preferred a different result, the game was exciting. "I think it is a great shame that all that has been forgotten because of the unacceptable behaviour of a mindless minority." Mr Purcell said he hoped the violence would not sour relations between Rangers and Manchester, which he had always found a "warm and welcoming city". He added: "Any help that the city of Glasgow, Strathclyde Police or Rangers Football Club can give the authorities in Manchester to get to the bottom of what happened and identify those responsible, we will give. "Glasgow is just as keen as Manchester to see the people responsible for this destruction and violence to be caught and brought to justice. "These people do not represent Rangers and they do not represent our city. We want to see them punished for their behaviour."

I think we should sue the ref.for cheating !!!!

This blight on RangersGraham Spiers The chaotic post-match scenes at the Uefa Cup final in Manchester must be utterly galling for those thousands of Rangers fans who follow their team with pride and distinction, yet who must wonder how on earth their club is to be rid of the social poison at its core. These recurring incidents of delinquent behaviour with Rangers fans on the road are becoming tedious as well as depressing for those of us who chronicle this football club's fortunes. It doesn't seem to matter what Rangers as a club try to do - and the Ibrox board have explored every conceivable road recently - they simply cannot gouge out the primitive element among their followers. By sheer chance a colleague and I stumbled upon the clashes between Rangers fans and the riot-police around midnight in the centre of Manchester on Wednesday night. Earlier, in the media centre, we had received reports of a Zenit fan being stabbed, and of a number of Rangers supporters being apprehended over that incident, but what we found in the centre of town was something else entirely. Three of us had gone back to a hotel to pick up some luggage and, one block away, the clashes between fans and the police were in full spate. We drove into a grid of wailing sirens. One Rangers supporter said to me: "It's like a war-zone down there. Some windows have been kicked in and there's fighting with the police." One colleague went off to pick up his bag and returned 10 minutes later, slightly shaken after having to pick his way around the chaos. Related Links Riot forces big screen TV U-turn Riot forces big screen TV U-turn Gallant Rangers fall at the final hurdle The experience earlier in the day in Manchester on Wednesday was also depressing. The blight of bigotry has haunted Rangers FC and, while the club has pleaded and pleaded with fans to stop singing their sectarian dirges, the evidence of Manchester city centre over that period suggested they have made little progress in winning this battle. A range of songs which bellow about "****** bastards" and "F*** the Pope" remain the routine chant of too many Rangers supporters. You couldn't walk 50 yards in Manchester city centre without being assaulted by one such chorus. This is a sensitive subject for Rangers. The club has begged Scottish reporters and editors to play it all down, because it "harms the image" of Glasgow and Scotland. Rangers themselves have hired a PR agency over the last two years, asked to perform what is euphemistically called "damage limitation" when it comes to these repeated embarrassments for the club. The PR boys have a tough job. As a club Rangers are very familiar now with having to issue declamatory statements in the aftermath of such scenes as Manchester. A recurring phrase - and it was used again by Rangers yesterday - is that it is "a small minority" which ruins it for the rest. The problem for Rangers is, this isn't a small minority of fans at all, but a large minority of them which indulges in such drunken, or aggressive, or bigoted behaviour. It is an on-going blight upon a very proud and distinguished Scottish institution

Aye,but the cretin is loving this http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle3939176.ece

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/05/16/uefa-cup-final-riot-the-police-lost-control-86908-20418966/

At the end of the day,fans have a right of opinion,but that's where it ends.We are not professional football managers,Walter has nothing to prove about his ability as an experienced manager,we discuss what could/should happen,Walter has do decide what is best for Rangers FC and does so.Thank you WS for this season so far.WATP

Was thinking that myself mate

Terrible news,RIP

But there is nothing new about the '' MINORITY''causing trouble,this is our 19th European game this season,so surely we can't be condemned for this one day of NEDS causing trouble.Instead of highlighting the Neds and letting them win,you have to be honest and say that the real Rangers fans suffer more than anybody with this sort of behaviour.I just wish every one of them could be thrown in jail,and you'll also find that these idiots NEVER normally go to games.Unforunately we all get tarred with the same brush,which is wrong,but that is the way the people of the UK see things,especially the media.Don't go damning all Rangers fans,because that will only make you look as bad as them.And remember ALL football clubs experience this,NOT JUST RANGERS FC

My answer to that question would have to be NO !,if this and if that,doesn't really make any difference IMO.Zenit have quality players,we don't,they were the better team,simple as that.I'm proud of the effort our players have put in this season,I just hope we can recover and go on to lift the title.WATP

Proud...........best team won IMO,two good goals.............BUT WE ARE THE PEOPLE................the fans are a credit to Rangers FC

I would take Hemdani off,Novo on

I am sticking with my 2-0 bet.................WATP

F###ing gutted I canny be there

Ibrox doors closed !!,25,000 capacity already

Did we get rid of him too soon ?