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try not to get too animated, its what he wants -- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5219609.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=1 Graeme Souness was right about one thing ââ?¬â? not a conclusion I reach often ââ?¬â? when he spoke about Sir David Murray. The chairman of Rangers, whatever else he has got wrong, ââ?¬Å?has gutsââ?¬Â, to quote Sounessââ?¬â?¢s famous testimony. In recent times, coinciding with his 20 years of owning Rangers, Murray has shown in various contexts that he will not go away quietly from Ibrox. Last week there was a weird accord found between Murray and John Reid, the Celtic chairman, even though Murray was supposed to be attacking his Old Firm opposite number. Reid had recently attacked a section of Rangers fans for being ââ?¬Å?racistââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?bigotedââ?¬Â ââ?¬â? hardly fresh charges ââ?¬â? and Murray, while defending his clubââ?¬â?¢s honour, in part agreed with Reid. To attack your own supporters ââ?¬â? now that does take courage. Yet when Murray told reporters that ââ?¬Å?so much is hard to defendââ?¬Â about this core of Ibrox diehards ââ?¬â? and this on top of his recent comment about the ââ?¬Å?bileââ?¬Â that comes from those same Rangers supporters ââ?¬â? it was clear that he is long past mincing his words. A part of Murray is being brutally honest here. Yes, so many problems in Scottish football are being laid at the door of Rangers FC, and perhaps it has looked unfair. The club have provided so much that is good in Scottish life ââ?¬â? you almost forget that aspect. But when Murray scoffed at the so-called ââ?¬Å?bad PRââ?¬Â of Rangers, as if the rioting in Manchester or the undying embers of bigotry are easy to talk up, you knew that he was tired of having to explain away the intellectual and economic underclass that has attached itself to his club. Murray then caused reporters to smile when he spoke about the sudden timidity of his severest critics at Rangers ââ?¬â? in part, because we have all been there and met them. A small group of Rangers fans are going demented in their passion to have Murray flung out of the Ibrox door and are as brave as lions when posting their angry, sub-literate ramblings in glorious anonymity on the web. ââ?¬Å?And you know what?ââ?¬Â Murray said. ââ?¬Å?I identified some of these guys and I went to meet them. And they were like mice.ââ?¬Â Well, you donââ?¬â?¢t say! In this whole debate, it is unfair to tar any group of football fans with the same brush. Rangers, like any club, have a healthy cross-section of supporters who just love their club and want to see them do well. These men and women are not really into the vague, unrefined, theologically ignorant passion for a sort of dumbed-down Protestantism that some of the Rangers supportersââ?¬â?¢ groups crave. And, more than anything, just like Murray, when you meet these latter groups of fans, you find they cannot really make their arguments stand up. A few years ago I went down to Ibrox to meet, among others, some representatives of the Rangers Supporters Assembly and the Rangers Supporters Trust. In an alarming number of them it was obvious that, lurking beneath was a quest to preserve ââ?¬Å?the tradition of Rangersââ?¬Â, a phrase that always seems to elude more specific definition. By this, of course, the real hardcore actually mean ââ?¬Å?a Protestant Rangersââ?¬Â, though they cannot quite articulate it as such. The more adept among them try to find more emollient phrases for this passion for ââ?¬Å?a Protestant Rangersââ?¬Â but, in this quest, vagueness and vacuity become their speciality. The truth is, it is hard trying to make the old ways sound acceptable in modern Britain. These are the people that Murray tires of, the people that he feels embarrass Rangers and hold the club back. Mercifully, they are confined to the internet bunkers, and are not taken seriously by a wider constituency of Rangers fans, but they are still down there festering away. In this context Rangers FC is ensnared between those (the majority, surely) who wish for a modern, progressive, liberal representation of their club, and those others who hanker hopelessly after the old days. The irony is that, when Murray does eventually sell Rangers, the new owner or owners, if the club has any luck, will belong to the new, modern breed. Can you imagine a Roman Abramovich or an American investor, born of the modern age with modern values, coming in to Rangers and banging on about 1690, King Billy and the rest of it? The very idea is laughable. Rangers FC is a great institution that does not deserve to be embarrassed or held back. And it wonââ?¬â?¢t be. Thank goodness, even in sport, the tide of modern thinking is too strong. And another thing... The party should be over for Old Firm goalkeepers Donââ?¬â?¢t you wonder what is going on with the Old Firmââ?¬â?¢s goalkeepers? From where I sit ââ?¬â? and the view is sometimes obscured ââ?¬â? Artur Boruc and Allan McGregor enjoy a party, preferably with beers to hand and a pretty girl on their lap. Boruc was pictured last week in the tabs happily chomping away on some female friend back in Poland, a cigar close to hand. Subsequently, the Pole shows up at Love Street to play St Mirren on Saturday and, not content with clattering Craig Dargo, goes around doing quite a bit of flapping at crosses and generally looking unconvincing. We saw a similar fuzziness earlier this season in McGregor, a man whom Walter Smith euphemistically said had ââ?¬Å?lost his focusââ?¬Â. Funnily enough, that focus also seemed to disappear while McGregor was living the high life. On that occasion, Smith, beginning to look like the general-secretary of the Temperance Society, decided to drop McGregor and ordered him to shape up. Both Smith and Strachan, I belive, are uneasy about taking lectures in morality from anyone in the media ââ?¬â? to be blunt, they know that we all like a bit of action ourselves Strachan, indeed, was all the more determined to select Boruc on Saturday, having sat through such earnest inquiries as ââ?¬Å?dââ?¬â?¢you think Arturââ?¬â?¢s mind is fully focused on the job, Gordon?ââ?¬Â the previous day. On such occasions I just think football managers have to play the Jim Baxter card. Slim Jim, it is widely attested, knew how to enjoy himself, but so long as he performed on the park, could anyone \ care? Not easily embarrassed I dare say that his critics would be hoping that ââ?¬Å?the poor crowdââ?¬Â at Hampden last Wednesday for the Scotland-Argentina game might be another stick with which to beat Gordon Smith, the SFA chief executive. But, like many of the so-called Smith failings, such criticism wouldnââ?¬â?¢t really stack up. A Hampden crowd of 33,000 for the Argentina game maybe wasnââ?¬â?¢t quite what the SFA had hoped for, but can it really be called a failure? Actually, it seemed not a bad figure for wet, mid-November at the beginning of a recession. Perhaps the SFA suffered a slight loss on the deal, but it wonââ?¬â?¢t have been enough to embarrass Smith, below. George Burley, too, was quite right to enjoy the occasion. With Holland looming in March, Scotland are much better facing Argentina than the usual Baltic dross.

"FURIOUS campaigners last night warned sectarian yobs have scored a major victory — as two anti-bigotry charities faced folding over a lack of cash. Nil by Mouth — set up after a teenage football fan was murdered — will close within months if they don’t get fresh funding from the Scottish Government. And Kick Out Bigotry has effectively shut down ALREADY after its cash supply was cut off — leading to fears of a rise in religious hate crimes." http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article1971991.ece ================== Nil By Mouth was originally set up by Cara Henderson with the best intentions but quickly got hijacked by the anti-Rangers mob, and I'm sure everyone knows of the various examples that proved that they would only ever act or make comments about incidents that showed Rangers or their fans in a bad light. I for one would shed no tears if this organisation was shut down, and its funding should have dried up a long time ago. I had better hopes for Roddy McNulty's Kick Out Bigotry that was formed in 2007, but one of their initial conferences that I had planned to go to got cancelled on a couple of cocasions and they never seemed to get their act of the ground. Having a look at their website, and it appears that they have fallen into the same trap as NbM. 5 articles on their front page. One on a man singing a sectarian song at Ibrox Subway Station Two on the so-called famine song, compounding the lie that it is anti-Irish. One on a man who got beaten up and he believes that the attack was sectarian because "we were all wearing Celtic tops, and they probably saw the colours." The last one takes the biscuit. "Celtic’s complex heritage open to distortion and abuse on Armistice Day" which states that "There are other clubs in Scotland and Britain who envy Celtic's colourful history and cultural make-up" Obviously a balanced web-site. There is room for an anti-bigotry charity in Scotland but NbM proved a long time ago that it wasn't able to do it, and it seems that KOB is the same. It appears that the funders of these organisations have now reached the same conclusion as the rest of us.

We are a certain vintage, forced to plough our way through Hamlet for Higher English. It took 'Will' power to stay the course, incest, a skull called Yoric, revenge, and moral corruption were the component facts in a Danish tragedy. Davy 'Provo' Provan was the co-comentator from amid the graveyard tonight, it's just as well Aalborg did not field a player called, 'Claudius', Provo would have pulled on the balaclava and made ready his AR 15 Armalite. Cast your mind back to the last 8 games of last season, ra Sellik had a game changing decision from match officials at least every other game, a trend that has continued in the first dozen games this season. In a run of the mill Radio Snyde conversation, Darryl King highlighted this fact, Provo immediately jumped on the moral high ground and accused King of letting support for his team get in the way of objective commentary. Well, the man who rejoiced in the nickname, 'Provo' for a decade at Sellik Park, eyed his cake tonight and scoffed it down with unseemly alacrity. Just before his favourites scored, he lamented the ungiven penalty, slaughtered Paulet's inability to succumb to inTIMidation and award ra Bhoys, "a stonewaller". He threw in Paulets failure to punish Maldini in the San Siro, and the perceived legitimate grievence his fellow happy hoopsters hold against the Austrian referee. He could not resist the magnetism between his nickname and death threats, it's a comfortable existance. Provo's demeanor changed after Robson's headed goal, a replay showed an unsighted Ref during McDonald's upending and Davy accepted his Producer's prompting. However, Aalborg equalised and Provo went into meltdown, in twenty seconds he lost it BIG TIME, "a big deflection off McManus", became, "a wicked deflection", but settled on, "a cruel deflection". Sky's Bill Leslie attempted to move it on; well, the game continued, but Provo could not let go, "that's a huge slice of luck, Celtic should be out of sight". The real tragedy is not Caldwell's own goal with a couple of minutes left, it was Provo allowing support for his team get in the way of objective commentary. Provo was an effortless Hamlet tonight, he spanned the spectrum of overwhelming grief to seething rage with aplomb. Give the guy a skull and a mate called, Horatio.

Scott McDonald urges an offensive strategy as Celtic try to end their long wait for an away win in the Champions League. More...

Review of the Season so far: Main site link: http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=711&Itemid=1

By Graeme Bryce, 22/11/2008 SIR DAVID MURRAY claims the next multi-million-pound buyout of a British club could rock the football world ââ?¬â? because it could happen in SCOTLAND rather than the Premiership. The Rangers chairman insists the prospect of a Russian billionaire, oil-rich Sheikh or American tycoon making a major investment in Rangers or Celtic isnââ?¬â?¢t as fanciful as it seems. He reckons the Premiership can no longer guarantee their mega-rich clubs a passport to the Champions League they crave every season. In recent years Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have effortlessly cruised through to the group stages of the tournament. However when the Abu Dhabi United Group turned Manchester City into the richest club in the world overnight, the odds were altered dramatically. Now with American tycoon Randy Lernerââ?¬â?¢s Aston Villa on the rise and Newcastle the latest Premiership club attracting serious Arab and American interest, up to seven of the worldââ?¬â?¢s richest clubs could soon be chasing four places at Europeââ?¬â?¢s top table. But in Scotland it is a two-horse race between Rangers and Celtic every year. That is why Murray, who celebrated his 20th anniversary as owner of Rangers this weekend, believes itââ?¬â?¢s not fantasy football to suggest a mega-rich foreign benefactor could soon turn Scottish football on its head. He said: ââ?¬Å?If it is more difficult for Premiership clubs to qualify for the Champions League then of course itââ?¬â?¢s an advantage to Rangers and Celtic. ââ?¬Å?A football club is a risky business, itââ?¬â?¢s not really the best investment. It needs to have somebody with deep pockets and a plan. ââ?¬Å?If you ran Rangers as a conventional business, without any benefactor element, you would need to downsize the club by 20-25 per cent wage wise. But if somebody wants to use it as a tool for a different means, theyââ?¬â?¢d probably spend a bit more. ââ?¬Å?Joe Lewis was a business recluse until he bought shares in Rangers. That afternoon helicopters were flying over his house in the Caribbean! ââ?¬Å?So if somebody wants a high profile, buy a football club. ââ?¬Å?Roman Abramovich gained Western acceptance when he bought Chelsea. All of a sudden he became a business face, which would not have been known if he hadnââ?¬â?¢t bought Chelsea. It helped him greatly.ââ?¬Â Murray believes if serious foreign cash was invested in either half of the Old Firm it would floor their rivals. He added: ââ?¬Å?Thereââ?¬â?¢s not much between Rangers and Celtic. They beat us, we beat them, generally. Weââ?¬â?¢ve both got a lot of Ã?£2-4million players, so thereââ?¬â?¢s little to choose between the squads at the moment. But if somebody put some serious money into one club, I think the other one would be away in the background again for a while.ââ?¬Â Murray has made it clear for some time he is willing to step aside, after two decades in charge of Rangers, provided the right buyer can be found. He admits he came within seconds of selling his stake in the Ibrox club last year to an un-named British buyer, only to pull out at the last moment. He said: ââ?¬Å?Thereââ?¬â?¢s been a few potential buyers on the dance floor over the years. Weââ?¬â?¢ve had a few people interested, but weââ?¬â?¢ve only had one over the line. ââ?¬Å?We were actually very close to completing a deal with a British investor a year ago in July. I was in the Dorchester Hotel with Martin Bain, the legal documentation was done, the deal agreed, all I had to do was sign my name. My team had worked very hard, but I said ââ?¬Ë?Tell me one more time what you intend to doââ?¬â?¢, then said it wasnââ?¬â?¢t for me and left. I saw a bit of asset division getting made. ââ?¬Å?Some people say on these websites Iââ?¬â?¢m an asset stripper. But Iââ?¬â?¢ve never known how you can asset strip something which you own 92 per cent of yourself. ââ?¬Å?All I had to do was sign my name, but the investor was fine about it afterwards. ââ?¬Å?It wasnââ?¬â?¢t a case that I couldnââ?¬â?¢t give up being chairman of Rangers, I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t go that far. It just wasnââ?¬â?¢t right. There might be flats at Murray Park today otherwise. I didnââ?¬â?¢t feel the way they were going to run the club was the Rangers way. ââ?¬Å?The proposed plans we have for stadium re-development cover 45 acres, so thereââ?¬â?¢s more money to be made on that than the club. Maybe that tells you a little bit about why we didnââ?¬â?¢t do the deal. You go through life and you have to make decisions. It would have been easier to take the money and go. My life would have been easier for the last 12 months, but in my mind it just wasnââ?¬â?¢t the right thing to do. ââ?¬Å?If I had known the credit crunch was coming it might have been slightly different, not to be dishonest. ââ?¬Å?But that was a decision I made and you live and die by your decisions. The deal had been three months in the making but my family backed me. ââ?¬Å?You hear all that stuff, ââ?¬Ë?Murray must goââ?¬â?¢? Well tell me about it, because my family want me to go! ââ?¬Å?Twenty years as chairman of Rangers is a long time, but contrary to what people say, the fact I have said Iââ?¬â?¢d be willing to sell doesnââ?¬â?¢t diminish my efforts to try and win things. ââ?¬Å?Anyone who knows me, knows thatââ?¬â?¢s not true. ââ?¬Å?How much longer will I go on for? I donââ?¬â?¢t know, thatââ?¬â?¢s for others to decide. What I would say is Iââ?¬â?¢ve never hidden, Iââ?¬â?¢ve tried to give leadership and hopefully integrity. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m the longest serving chairman in the clubââ?¬â?¢s history. Iââ?¬â?¢ve been here for 15 per cent of the history of Rangers Football Club and weââ?¬â?¢ve won 30 per cent of the trophies in that time. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m happy to keep going for now, until I can pass the baton on to a suitable owner. ââ?¬Å?But I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t put my children through it. Let them have a life. Theyââ?¬â?¢re both happy, married with children, doing well in their careers. ââ?¬Å?Goodness me, put them through all of this for another 20 years?ââ?¬Â http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/article82126.ece

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/11/24/exclusive-celtic-keeper-artur-boruc-s-death-threats-from-sick-web-thugs-over-marriage-split-86908-20920328/ I think he will be away soon

WALTER SMITH expressed his delight after watching his side take three points against Aberdeen with a battling display at Ibrox. The Dons made life difficult for the Gers, as they usually do, but two second-half goals from Jean-Claude Darcheville and Kris Boyd secured a valuable win after Celtic had beaten St. Mirren earlier in the day. Kris Boyd celebrates scoringThe gaffer said: "It was pleasing to get the win, we had to work very hard for it today. "I felt it was a good first-half although we took time to get settled. "Our first real opportunities came before just half time and Allan McGregor also had to make a very good save at the other end before the interval. "In the second half we started to impose ourselves and got the goal which was a turning point in the match. "Once we got the second we controlled the game but had to retain our concentration. "Overall it was a difficult first-half for us and Aberdeen deserve credit for that. Allan McGregor saves a shot on goal "They played the ball forward early and were dangerous from set plays so we are very pleased with the result in the end." Once again Lee McCulloch had a steady game alongside Davie Weir in the heart of the Gers' backline while Barry Ferguson looks to be getting back to his best. Barry FergusonWalter said: "Lee seems to be settling in there and I think he has the capabilities to play in the defence. "He still needs games before we can say that is another position for him but he is giving his all and slowly getting used to it. "In terms of Barry I think in the next few games we will start to see him get back to his best. "His fitness is getting there now and once he gets a few games alongside Pedro I think they will form an excellent partnership." Smith was also quick to praise Charlie Adam after he set up both goals against the Dons with two wicked corner kick deliveries. He said: "Charlie has his Charlie Adam moments but overall that never prevents him from taking part in the game. "Sometimes he does things that others wouldn't attempt to do and when they come off it's great. "But he is working hard for the team right now and he provides a good balance to the team."

Celtic could have a better chance of signing Lech Poznan midfielder Semir Stilic than his English suitors. More...

From John McGarry in Aalborg, 22/11/2008 ALLAN KUHN has sensationally branded Celtic LUCKY and off-form. The stand-in Aalborg boss cranked up the heat ahead of Tuesdayââ?¬â?¢s make-or-break Champions League clash with the Hoops in Denmark with his blast. The stakes could hardly be higher with the winner almost certainly guaranteed UEFA Cup football. But despite Celtic racking up 11 straight SPL wins since losing to Rangers in August, the man who stepped up from No2 when Bruce Rioch was sacked feels his side are facing Celtic at just the right time. He said: ââ?¬Å?I know people are saying this is the game Celtic will end their bad away run in the Champions League but thinking like that could be their main problem. ââ?¬Å?We have a much better team than we did when we drew 0-0 at Celtic Park. ââ?¬Å?They will still be favourites coming here because they have the experience in Europe. But so far they havenââ?¬â?¢t used that to get a win away from home. I think against Celtic itââ?¬â?¢s 50-50. They are a bigger name than us but thatââ?¬â?¢s all. ââ?¬Å?I saw they beat the team who are bottom of the Scottish League just 2-1 last week. ââ?¬Å?I think they were very lucky with the penalty and scored with just four minutes to go. So I think theyââ?¬â?¢re struggling a bit at the moment.ââ?¬Â Despite a lack of superstars in his side, Kuhn believes his players can achieve the result that guarantees them European football in the New Year and will perhaps earn him an extended stay in the dug-out. He added: ââ?¬Å?The club have told me Iââ?¬â?¢ll be in charge for six weeks then Iââ?¬â?¢ll probably be back as No2. But you never know what can happen in football. ââ?¬Å?Of course, it would help my case if we could beat Celtic or Manchester United but itââ?¬â?¢s not all about those two games. ââ?¬Å?We donââ?¬â?¢t fear anything. Our guys played in Europe last year against the likes of Spurs and Sampdoria so they have learned how to play. Thatââ?¬â?¢s why it didnââ?¬â?¢t surprise me when we got the draw in Glasgow. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re not afraid of Celtic because we have a lot of international players who have been involved in big games. ââ?¬Å?If we make third in the group and the UEFA Cup it would be a massive achievement. At the start, we knew if we had the scenario of Celtic at home with everything still at stake, it would be a great opportunity. ââ?¬Å?Now weââ?¬â?¢re there and we want to take it. We know if we beat Celtic weââ?¬â?¢re through and weââ?¬â?¢ll do everything we can to do it. ââ?¬Å?It would be great to go into the winter training, in the cold and snow, knowing weââ?¬â?¢re in the next stage of the UEFA Cup. Itââ?¬â?¢s a massive match for us.ââ?¬Â Kuhn only hopes his next experience of European football against a Scottish side is better than his first. He said: ââ?¬Å?I played for Lyngby against Rangers in 1992, trying to qualify for the Champions League. I didnââ?¬â?¢t play in the first leg at Ibrox because I was sick. ââ?¬Å?I was back for the return but we lost 1-0 in Copenhagen. I managed to get Ally McCoistââ?¬â?¢s shirt that night. ââ?¬Å?It was a great tie to play in and great experience for me as a youngster, going up against players like McCoist and Mark Hateley. ââ?¬Å?Rangers were even bigger favourites to beat us then than Celtic are now so it wasnââ?¬â?¢t too much of a disappointment to lose. ââ?¬Å?Thatââ?¬â?¢s the only time Iââ?¬â?¢ve played against a Scottish team, as a player or coach. But we know Scottish football well in Denmark, we always get the Old Firm games on TV. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve seen a few of Celticââ?¬â?¢s games recently and our scout was at the St Mirren match, so we know how theyââ?¬â?¢ll play. Even with a few injuries they still have a strong team. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve never won away from home in the Champions League and this could be our chance.ââ?¬Â Aalborg have steadily climbed away from the foot of the Danish league since Kuhn took charge and the 40-year-old said: ââ?¬Å?It is incredible how quickly you learn in this game. ââ?¬Å?In the first week you feel the adrenalin and youââ?¬â?¢re stressed, but after that you cope, you have to. We were second from bottom in the league when I took over, so it was important to move up. Weââ?¬â?¢re doing that now and weââ?¬â?¢re in the semi-final of the cup. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve not lost yet since I took over and I can feel the confidence coming back into the squad.ââ?¬Â http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/82146/Aalborg-brand-Celts-weak-and-lucky.html

Bastard Boruc. He just hacked a St mirren striker outside the box and it was a total straight red yet he only got a yellow.

Evening Times says Marseille are preparing a bid of around �£4m for Bhougherra in January. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2469710.0.marseille_set_to_bid_for_madjid.php Now can someone please explain to me why this always happens to us and never Celtic? By that I mean why do we lose our best players to "bigger" clubs season after bloody season while they get to keep their top performers without even a sniff of interest around them. Off the top of my head I give you Cuellar, Hutton, Gio, Arteta, Barry, Reyna, Tugay...I'm sure there are more as I've had this discussion with my mates a few times and we always come up with the same conclusion: Petrov to Villa is the only time they have lost someone that was truly part of the spine of their team. Larsson doesn't count he was there for years. No fair.

Rangers chairman Sir David Murray says his Celtic counterpart John Reid should guard against "innuendo" with his views expressed in public. More... Also, added extended comments from Murray in Times article... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5201316.ece

SPL leaders Celtic visit St Mirren for a busy Saturday's early kick off. More...

I remember smith quoting that he would need to trim the squad in january and offset some players, well lets bloody hope he buys decent players, because after last nights nightmare at fir park and celtic knocking three by killie i really do wonder when we are going to turn the corner and find some decent form! and find some consistancy and start getting some results together, so come on RANGERS lets get the finger out and give us a league title to celebrate because i,ll be dammed watching celtic lift another!!!

SOCCER hero Aiden McGeady was left battered and bloody yesterday — after the latest in a series of senseless attacks on Old Firm stars. It’s believed the 22-year-old Celtic winger was subjected to a volley of vile sectarian abuse by three cowardly yobs before he was smashed twice in the nose. Clash ... trendy Karbon nightspot Clash ... trendy Karbon nightspot Last night, a pal told how McGeady was badly shaken by the nightclub attack — describing him as an innocent “victim”. The friend said: “Aiden was out for a few drinks and he was attacked without provocation. He’s pretty distressed and upset. “There was about three of them and they started dishing out some abuse, it was pretty heavy stuff. “One of them punched him on the face a couple of times.” McGeady was enjoying a night out with pals in Glasgow city centre’s trendy Karbon when the neds pounced in the early hours. It’s understood they branded him a “****** b******” before landing two hefty blows. The Republic of Ireland international — already ruled out of last night’s match against Poland through injury — was said to have been left covered in blood. But the source added: “He didn’t retaliate once and just left the club. “It’s sad that a player like him can’t go out for a beer in midweek without something like this happening. He wasn’t breaking any curfew, it was during his time off.” Strathclyde Police were not alerted, while Celtic last night declined to comment. Karbon — run by nightclub supremo James Mortimer — also said it was unaware of the attack. Several Old Firm stars have been at the centre of a spate of bust-ups and vandal attacks in recent months. And it’s not the first time McGeady has been caught up in violence on a night out. In August, he was with Hoops pals Darren O’Dea and Scott Brown when trouble flared. Ace ... Celtic star McGeady Ace ... Celtic star McGeady O’Dea was led off by cops in handcuffs and handed a fixed penalty fine for his part in the melee outside the Bamboo club. Midfielder Brown was also said to have been punched, while two youths aged 18 and 19 were arrested in connection with an alleged assault. We told in April how McGeady clashed with other revellers just hours after a 3-2 win over Old Firm rivals Rangers. He was targeted by yobs who squared up to him and chanted “If you hate Aiden McGeady clap your hands” as he left Bamboo with team-mate Scott McDonald. McGeady is said to have defended himself and the bust-up was over in seconds. McDonald was not involved in the scuffle. Asked if he would be better to keep a lower profile, he said at the time: “No, not really. If you have a good week in work you go out and celebrate. “You have to develop a thick skin but it’s not a big deal most of the time. People are either going to shake your hand or give you abuse but they won’t drive me out, not at all.” Last month, two men appeared in court in connection with an alleged assault on Celtic coach Neil Lennon on September 1. Advertisement Worried Rangers bosses also drafted in security teams to protect the family of striker Nacho Novo after vile yobs posted his home address on an unofficial Hoops fans website. And a host of Gers players also had their cars vandalised in a spate of sectarian attacks. Ibrox goalie Allan McGregor and fiancee Leah Shevlin had ‘IRA’ and Celtic slogans scored over their luxury motors. Last weekend, it was revealed team-mate Kenny Miller’s Bentley was vandalised in an acid attack in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article1950413.ece Shit,put this in the wrong place,please move.

Midfielder Paul Hartley fears he could miss the Champions League match with Aalborg after injury while on Scotland duty. More...

This was the original squad according to the BBC: Obviously Miller, D Fletcher, S Fletcher, Gordon, McCormack and Morrison have dropped out with just Robertson (Dundee Utd) and Miller (Aberdeen) called up. So who would you start, and if you're really adventurous you can try and guess who Burley will pick. I think he'll go for: McGregor Broadfoot McManus Caldwell Naysmith Brown Ferguson Hartley Robson Iwelumo McFadden Not exactly inspiring is it? Could do with a decent CB in there. A new LB is needed. Burley insisted on playing basically the entire Celtic midfield in the next game after they got destroyed at Parkhead by our midfield. Having a fit Thomson in beside to beef up the midfield would've been nice. We could drop Hartley then, who is hopeless. Oh to have Kris Boyd upfront. But have no fear, Iwelumo is available. He may well play with 5 in midfield though, drop Iwelumo and put Maloney wide left with Robson playing more centrally.

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

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.

I meant to post this at the weekend but forgot. With Celtic's reluctance to actually investigate the numerous missile throwing incidents at the Piggery, think Ricksen and the lighter thrower that was never identified by the cctv at the ground, is this the way for opposition players, staff and officials to deal with them? :devil:

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http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article1902396.ece Not surprised that Chick hasn't picked this up at the BBC but it seems Celtic will once again be protesting this weekend against their club's decision to wear poppies on their shirts. Utter, utter scumbags.

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."