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By Andrew Smith, Tom English and Moira Gordon Ibrox annus horribilis goes from bad to worse but somehow championship title is still a live prospect SANCTIONS from UEFA over sectarian singing, a takeover that remains in the balance, bankers putting on the squeeze and scares over a tax case that could spiral Rangers into insolvency. Manager Walter Smith would be forgiven for dreading what next might assail his beloved club. "I hope there's not anything that comes next. There can't be a 'next'," says Smith. Remarkably, what could come next is Rangers snaring their third consecutive title. For, in the midst of all their batterings and buffetings, the Scottish Premier League fixture list for the post-split games means the Ibrox men must be considered slight favourites for the championship. Celtic have five away games in their final seven, one of these at Ibrox. Rangers have any number of ready-made excuses for forgivable failure. Smith has never allowed his players to seize on these. The state of the Ibrox squad might not be so parlous as is popularly promoted, considering �£4m from sales was reinvested in Nikica Jelavic only last summer. However, the fact that Rangers have continued to squeeze out victories to give them a real chance of sending Smith into his retirement next month with a 21st trophy and tenth title, in the face of deluge of negative headlines, is testament to their manager's strength of character. "If we look at recent events, the different things going on around the club, I can't say it doesn't have an effect on us," Smith states. "But we've had a circumstance for three years now where we've had to sit down with every player and tell them they're up for sale. They've been seeing the squad get gradually reduced. Maybe, they've actually become a bit immune to the things that have happened on the outside. Whatever anyone says about our team, we've handled the circumstances of our club really well from the footballing side. The players haven't allowed it to affect them too greatly. But it's now reaching a tipping point - every day now you feel as if there's something different that takes the focus away from the football. "We've avoided it so far. The UEFA charge last week was bad enough, this week it's worse. I've said to the boys it's a big test and challenge for everyone here, from myself all the way down, to keep our concentration levels purely on the football side of things." The absence of a takeover and the loss of the tax case would preclude Ally McCoist being able construct a competitive side. That would be a real tipping point of everything that's gone on. And everything that has gone on has, Smith admits, spoiled his final season at the club. "I would have liked the season to have gone smoothly. I don't mean we would have to win, just be competitive and able to concentrate on the football side. We had a fair idea it wouldn't be the case towards the end of last season; that there would be other things with the club up for sale. Now you can add this latest UEFA charge and it's a shame." ANDREW SMITH Tribunal resumes tomorrow on the '10,000lb gorilla in the room' When it comes to the Rangers tax case one certainty can be stated. The First Tier tribunal resumes tomorrow at a tax chamber in Edinburgh and is scheduled to sit for the next fortnight in private, with a decision expected within a month to six weeks. Under the microscope will be the Murray Group's Employment Benefit Trust which operated between 2001 and 2010 for some salaried employees of the Ibrox club. And depending on which tax experts you believe, the tribunal ruling could either sound the death knell for Rangers as we know the club, or clear the way for a takeover. As we also know, when discussing the club's half-year results a fortnight ago, Rangers chairman Alistair Johnston described the tax bill from HMRC - which is said to have lodged a demand for an unpaid sum of �£24m - as a "10,000lb gorilla in the room" and that "you don't know how hungry it is". The tone of such comments suggests the club will in some way require to satiate HMRC's appetite for what it sees as tax evasion.Yet, the other side of this is the fact that Rangers have appointed QC Andrew Thornhill to argue their case. He is one of three Queen's Counsel on their bench convinced they can successfully argue that the EBTs the club operated were then run in similar fashion at a number of companies. Thornhill is considered the country's leading legal figure on such matters. The Chambers guide describes Thornhill as "a superb heavy hitter against the Revenue". What can be gleaned of the case suggests he had better be. Rangers elected to make payments to players and other employees through what are called loans to EBT totalling �£33m in all. No PAYE and NI contributions are made on these, with the idea being the loans will be repaid. In practice, they never were and became benefits in kind, a loophole since closed by HMRC. At the initial hearing last October, evidence from a number of players was heard, though there was not sufficient time to get through all those called. It emerged the club had indemnified all players from paying tax on their loans, which may or may not be used against Rangers by an HMRC determined to squeeze the use of EBTs as it mounts what it sees as a major crackdown on all forms of tax avoidance. Were Rangers to lose they would be liable for interest on the underpaid tax, calculated at around �£10m. Then there could be a fine, around 75 per cent of the original sum, that would add a further �£18m to a bill that, weighing in at around �£52m, Johnston has admitted the club could not pay. Neither could David Murray, with Lloyds in no mood to extends his credit facilities that have been again stretched with Murray International Holdings' debts standing at �£713m, despite a 25 per cent debt-for-equity swap with the company's bankers. The bottom line is that if the HMRC is successful in the case against Rangers there appears no way that administration can be avoided. The situation is that stark. ANDREW SMITH It is stated that the hold-ups in the takeover saga are down to legal bureaucracy rather than anything more sinister, but the longer it goes on the more uncertain the Rangers fans will become. Whyte has proven to all parties that he has the funds to buy the club and believes that there is a will to get the deal completed. There is an acceptance in all camps that the coming week is pivotal. TOM ENGLISH http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/top-stories/The-unravelling-of-Rangers.6753156.jp?articlepage=4

Whatever people think of the RST or Stephen Smith, and I do not know the lad. this is not on. A piece by Phil MacGobblygook. The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) reacted with horror when they learned that Stephen Smith their Principal Official for ââ?¬Å?Equality and Trainingââ?¬Â Stephen Smith has tried to defend racist chanting by Rangers fans. When I spoke to an NASUWT press officer he had no idea that Smith is currently the public face of the Rangers Supporters Trust (RST). In 2008, at the height of the ââ?¬Å?Famine Songââ?¬Â controversy Stephen Smith, speaking as a representative of the RST, said in an interview with the Sun Newspaper that the reaction to fans singing The ââ?¬Å?Famine Songââ?¬Â was ââ?¬Å?completely over the top.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scot...cle1699672.ece The following year Lord Justice Carloway ruled in the High Court of Justiciary that the ââ?¬Å?Famine songââ?¬Â was indeed racist and aimed at people of Irish heritage in Scotland to go home to Ireland. http://news.stv.tv/scotland/103580-j...ong-is-racist/ In 2009 the union nominated Smith as a judge on the prestigious Anne Frank Awards. When this journalist spoke to Gillian Wallness the charityââ?¬â?¢s CEO she was horrified to find out that the NASUWT nominated judge was defending something like the ââ?¬Å?Famine Songââ?¬Â in his spare time. Mr.Smith is well known to the inhabitants of the planet Scottish Football where he is often the public face of the Rangers Supporters Trust. Only last night (14/04/2011) he was on Sky Sports News discussing with Jim White Rangers most recent bit of European bother. On that interview the Equality Officer posed the question to Jim White: ââ?¬Å?What is racism? What is sectarian? What is offensive?ââ?¬Â I hope Mr.Smith was more confident of these issues when on Thursday 9 July 2009 at the Holiday Inn, Bromsgrove an internal NASUWT document states: "Organising for equalities" Stephen Smith, Principal Official, Equality and Training, ran an interactive session looking at how to organise for equalities using the Equalities Calendar. Delegates were asked to identify a month and come up with ideas and identify the resources they would use and develop an action plan. The feedback discussion included: ââ?¬Â¢ the need to ensure the anti-violence material and events covered all sections of members; ââ?¬Â¢ young membersââ?¬â?¢ engagement in equality; ââ?¬Â¢ younger membersââ?¬â?¢ engagement with the Union; ââ?¬Â¢ broadening the categories of members to ââ?¬Ë?new to teachingââ?¬â?¢; ââ?¬Â¢ anti-semitism and antifascism to include Islamophobia; ââ?¬Â¢ using the Stonewall Spell it out DVD for tackling all forms of bullying. Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT said: ââ?¬Å?The Union has a record second to none in promoting anti-racist policies, defending members against all forms of discrimination and campaigning against racist and fascist organisations. The NASUWT condemns unequivocally any form of racist behaviour. The Unionââ?¬â?¢s rules make clear our anti-racist stance. The Unionââ?¬â?¢s contract of employment and codes of conduct for staff are equally clear on these matters. The NASUWT disassociates itself fully from the ââ?¬Ë?Famine Songââ?¬â?¢ and recognises the judiciaryââ?¬â?¢s view that this song is racist. In light of these reports, the Union will be conducting a thorough investigation into the allegations that have been made.ââ?¬Â Sources inside the union informed me that NASUWT due process should be completed within two weeks. A spokesperson for the NASUWT further added: ââ?¬Å?In response to media interest, Stephen Smith would like to make it clear that he recognises and accepts the judicial findings that what is known as ââ?¬Å?The Famine Songââ?¬Â is illegal and racist. He neither condones nor encourages anyone to sing 'The Famine Song'; and would like to make it clear that he is committed fully to opposing racism in all forms.ââ?¬Â

RANGERS supporters chief Stephen Smith believes being forced to play European matches behind closed doors would be a massive turning point in the Ibrox club's fight against sectarianism. Smith, the secretary of the influential Rangers Supporters Trust, was stunned to learn last night that Uefa have charged the Scottish champions for a second time as a result of their fans' conduct this season. He is deeply unhappy that Football Against Racism Europe - instead of Uefa's official match delegate at the Europa League game against PSV Eindhoven in Glasgow ââ?¬â?? appear to be responsible for this latest action being taken. But he thinks if the Gers are found guilty and do have to play money-spinning European games in empty stadiums it could finally force some supporters to think seriously about their actions. He said: "I think this is a watershed moment. We have got to sort our own act out. Not having done so yet is allowing people who are hostile to Rangers, who have their own agenda, to do things like this. "We have to sit down and reflect on our standing as a 21st century sporting institution. We have to talk to people who think bellowing abuse at the Pope on a match day is an expression of their Protestant faith and is acceptable "I don't think you would find any Protestant clergymen who would agree. They would tell you their faith is about positive aspects of Christianity, not about abusing some German guy who lives in the middle of Rome. "Rangers is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic club now on and off the park. Look at guys like Bobby and Satti Singh (the prominent Glasgow businessmen and diehard Rangers fans). They aren't Protestants, but they are just as passionate about Rangers as I am." Smith feels that for Uefa to punish Rangers for the actions of some of their fans would be excessive and unfair given the great lengths the Ibrox club has gone to stamp out the scourge of sectarianism in recent years. He said: "What more can Rangers reasonably be expected to do? They have done so much to address this problem. Personally, I am now in favour of people being lifted, charged, fined and banned from games. "Uefa punishing Rangers for this would be like pubs being punished for people fighting in the streets or drinks companies like Tennent's and Carling being punished for domestic violence. "Being punished for the actions of away supporters in Europe would be especially harsh. With budget airlines and the internet anybody can travel to watch Rangers. I myself have travelled independently to games on a number of occasions. "Many of the people who are attending away games in Europe purporting to be Rangers fans have no association with the club and patently don't care about it. So it would be hard to ask them to think about their actions no matter what, if any, punishment Uefa deliver." Smith questioned the impartiality of Fare ââ?¬â?? who he revealed have ignored communication from the RST about the racist abuse suffered by El Hadji Diouf at the hands of Celtic fans since he moved to Scotland on loan in January. He said: "We have written to that organisation twice over the last month and a half. "The first time we sent them You Tube footage of the Celtic support collectively abusing El Hadji Diouf. Then we sent them a report into the Celtic fan who made monkey chants at Diouf. "We asked them to comment on that and have not received any reply. They know who we are and where to get us. The fact they haven't been anywhere near us indicates they are working to a different agenda and are being manipulated." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/watershed-fans-chief-calls-for-end-to-chants-that-have-gers-in-uefa-dock-1.1096560

I'VE never been one to sit on the fence. Even if that means upsetting a mate, I'll tell it straight. I'd like to think I'm pals with both Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist, so this week's events make this column a tricky one to write. That will NEVER stop me being honest. I simply can't understand why the SFA let Coisty off the hook. The SFA reckon there's not a case to answer. Sorry, but that's just miles out. There IS a case to answer. McCoist was the one who initiated the bust-up with Neil Lennon, he sparked it. What he said has nothing to do with anyone else. He'll take that to the grave. Let's not forget HE was the one who whispered something in Lenny's ear. That's why Lenny reacted the way he did. McCoist should have been banned the way Lennon was. He was hit with a four-game ban after being sent to the stand at Tynecastle. Why, therefore, not the same punishment for Coisty? Then there's El Hadji-Diouf. The boy reacted in totally the wrong way having been sent off in that Old Firm game. Why wasn't he down the tunnel having a shower? Rangers had just been dumped out of the Cup, but he decides to take his shirt off and chuck it into the fans. As I said at the time I'd have thrown it back it if I was a Rangers fan. Diouf was on his own at this point, there was no one else in sight. He should have been keeping his head down? Why wasn't he consoling his team-mates after they had just lost a really important game. Diouf shouldn't have been anywhere near those fans after being sent off. Before that he had barged the Celtic physio for no good reason. Then he started a row with Neil Lennon - again for no good reason. To get away with a �£5,000 fine is a disgrace. That won't hurt him. Diouf is a millionaire, he won't exactly miss the money he's been fined by the SFA. The only way to hurt guys like him is suspending him from games. By hurting him, you hurt Rangers. He should have been banned. As for Madjid Bougherra? If you raise your hands to a match official you should be punished. End of. I still have no idea what he was trying to do. His hands were all over the ref. You can't do that. In all my time as a player, I never made contact with a referee of a linesman. You just can't do it. It's totally disrepectful to the ref. The players were behaving like THUGS in a Sunday League game. They were playing in front of millions of people and a full house at Celtic Park. The whole world was watching and they acted like thugs. I bet Walter Smith slated them when they got in the dressing room but that doesn't warrant them getting off so lightly. Yet somehow, both Diouf and Bougherra got off scot free. Once again people will be asking if there's a conspiracy. Once again, I'll say yes there is. Bougherra should have been given a three-game ban, just like Lennon got when he barged towards Stuart Dougal in 2005. Why hasn't he? I will tell you why. It's because this is a particularly tough time of the season for Rangers. They have got a lot of games in a short space of time. It's a massive time in their history. Walter Smith would love to win the title in his last season, leave with three in a row. The SFA have obviously put two and two together and realised suspending these two major players for the run-in would really hamper Rangers. Instead, they have fined the players and let Coisty off the hook. Rangers have got off scot free. That's my opinion. I'm saying all this without my Celtic hat on, trust me. It's got nothing to do with scoring over 100 goals for the Hoops. I just don't know what else people are meant to think. If you punish one side, then surely you also have to punish the other? Believe me, I'd be saying the exact same thing if the tables were turned. Why can't we simply have some consistency? I'll tell you what it is. Rangers are the Manchester United of Scotland. The FA down there are scared stiff of Fergie. Wayne Rooney smashes James McCarthy over the head with a vicious elbow and gets away with it. Then he swears into a camera and they feel they have to act because they are right up against it. If there's no pressure, they won't act and it's exactly the same with Rangers. It would have been really interesting to see what would have happened if it had been a Celtic player. People say these things balance themselves out. From what I can see, that's not the case because the SFA have done it again. Look at the St Johnstone game against Celtic. Referee Iain Brines should be embarrassed with that display. How did he not give a penalty after big Michael Duberry handled TWICE? Imagine St Johnstone went up the park after that and scored? All of a sudden the title would be right back in the balance. Brines was absolutely awful on Tuesday night. If you are a player, you analyse your game. You ask the gaffer for the video and have a look at your performance. Brines has to watch his performance, and he has to be ashamed with it, because he was just completely out of touch. The decisions he got wrong were a disgrace. The penalty, the Scott Brown foul in the first half. How he got off with that I'll never know. Then there was the Duberry two-footed lunge that deserved a red card. That was a potential leg-breaker, yet he escaped. Aside from all that, even in general play he was terrible. All it's done is give people even more reason to believe there is a conspiracy. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3526464/SFA-are-scared-stiff-of-Rangers.html#ixzz1JRt8QVFA

Every day as the wife goes into the kitchen to put the spuds on the gas I take the chance to lie long out on the couch and zap the telly on to Deal or no Deal. The fact that it is the only time of the day that I get the chance to hold the remote control is totally irrelevant to this story. As I lay on the couch watching the end of countdown and that beautiful bird that hangs up the numbers or letters I must have suckled into a light sleep. I then heard Noel Edmunds welcoming the east wing and then the west wing. I couldnââ?¬â?¢t believe it when I saw. Ally McCoist Walter Smith Martin Bain and all of the coaching staff on the west wing. On the east wing were eleven first team Rangers players. Then Noel thanked all the pilgrims for coming. Unbelievable that all the pilgrims had red white and blue scarfs on. Tonightââ?¬â?¢s game will be played by Craig. Craig Whyte! ââ?¬Å?I am so looking forward to this gameââ?¬Â says Noel. ââ?¬Å?Craig what are your Photoââ?¬â?¢s?ââ?¬Â ââ?¬Å?This is Ibrox stadiumââ?¬Â says Craig. Unfortunately it is slowly becoming run down. I remember going there as a boy and it really hurts me to see it in decline. Craig has a tear running down his cheek. Your next photo is of the Rangers team. Yes, while everything looks okay in the photo, the truth is that the team suffers from Murraytitus. That is a disease that explodes short term but burns out in the long term leaving serious illness and possible death. I hope to win some money tonight so that I can turn the health of the club around. ââ?¬Å?Ladies and Gentlemen this is Craigââ?¬â?¢s gameââ?¬Â Craig opens 5 boxes and then gets a call from the banker. Noel Edmunds imitates the bankers voice. Why does it sound like David Murray? 33 million is your offer Craig, deal or no deal. It is a great offer Mr Banker but remember that tax problem you left us with so it has to be ââ?¬Å?No dealââ?¬Â Nobody ever deals at the first offer and Craig certainly wasnââ?¬â?¢t going to be the first. As the game continues Craig seems to be hitting all the red numbers. The Banker is making it more and more difficult for Craig to do a deal. Then getting down to the eight box Craig has just hit an all blue round and the tax issues have been swallowed up by the banker. Craig your offer is 24 million but unfortunately another little tax issue has suddenly appeared making the total offer 27 million pounds. Deal or no deal. Sorry Mr banker it is a great offer but that tax issue is Mr Murray's problem so it has to be ââ?¬Å?No dealââ?¬Â The Pilgrims groan in disbelief. Another three boxes are opened and Craigââ?¬â?¢s game reaches the five box. Craig thinks he has got an advantage over the banker. He is disappointed as the banker points out there are problems not only with the tax but also with the Albion car park. Craig your offer stays at 24 million pounds but you now have two problems to sort out, is it deal or no deal. "Sorry Mr Banker but you are forcing me to go to the end and open my own box" As the game reaches its climax there are only two boxes left. The 1 penny box and the Jackpot. Will Craig win his fight to give Rangers the life-changing money they so need or will Rangers become a member of the 1 penny club. Noel Edmunds Pulls the seal from Craig Whyteââ?¬â?¢s box. He delays opening the box to build up the suspense. "Craig, all the pilgrims are praying that this will give you your life changing money that Rangers football club so badly need." As the lid of the box slowly opens. I hear ââ?¬Å?Dad your dinnerââ?¬â?¢s on the tableââ?¬Â and I wake up just in time to see wee Sammy from Shettleston win 250 quid and a steaming plate of mince and tatties on the table. I may never know what happened to Craig Whyte.

Former Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has defended the organisation against accusations of bias. The lawyer who represented Celtic manager Neil Lennon before the SFA, Paul McBride QC, has made such a claim. "To say bias in favour of anybody, I don't think so," Smith told BBC Scotland. "But it's hard to get that across. People have that mindset. "I never saw any evidence of any bias whatsoever in almost three years." Smith stood down from the post in April last year, having taken up the job in 2007, and he was succeeded by Stewart Regan in July. McBride's assertion that the SFA is "the laughing stock of world football" came after Rangers assistant Ally McCoist won his appeal against a touchline suspension and Madjid Bougherra and El-Hadji Diouf avoided further bans for misconduct. Diouf and Bougherra escaped with fines of �£5,000 and �£2,500 respectively and a warning over their future conduct. Both players were red-carded in the 1-0 Scottish Cup replay defeat at Celtic Park on 2 March but were not handed further bans after facing the SFA's disciplinary committee to answer a case of "misconduct of a significantly serious nature". McCoist successfully appealed against a two-match ban after being charged with misconduct for clashing with Lennon at the end of the game. Continue reading the main story There are no SFA employees on any of these committees. But the criticism in general will come for the organisation Gordon Smith Former SFA chief executive On hearing the decisions, an outraged McBride added that the SFA "have been shown to be not merely dysfunctional and not merely dishonest but biased". Celtic boss Lennon was careful to distance himself from the comments made by McBride but was puzzled by the decisions reached on Tuesday by the SFA's disciplinary committee. "I find it interesting that, after all the fall-out from that game, I am the only one who has been banned," Lennon told BBC Radio Scotland. "If you think it is fair then a lot of people are burying their head in the sand on this one." Lennon chose not to appeal the automatic suspension meted out for his touchline clash with McCoist, therefore Smith thinks the two cases cannot be compared. "The two instances are not like-for-like," he explained. "Neil Lennon admitted guilt by not appealing against the ban. "Ally McCoist did appeal, his case was heard and he won that case." The former chief executive did admit to being surprised that Bougherra had escaped with a fine and a warning after twice grabbing hold of referee Calum Murray during a stormy match at Celtic Park. "I thought he would receive a greater punishment," said Smith. "At the time, for the very fact he put his hand on the referee, I thought he would get a further one-game ban, even it was just to apply to the Scottish Cup. "But I don't know how the decision was made or what the evidence was, so I can't really comment on that." Smith's successor, Regan, had been quick to condemn the behaviour of Bougherra and Diouf at Celtic Park. The day following the match, he said: "Only a matter of months after our referees withdrew their labour, we had to witness the match official, Calum Murray, being manhandled, while another player who had been dismissed brazenly walked to his own supporters in defiance." However, Smith explained that Regan and his SFA colleagues were in no position to influence the verdicts reached by their various committees. "The decisions were made by committees and they are made up of football people who are representative of the Scottish game," he added. "There are no SFA employees on any of these committees. But the criticism in general will come for the organisation." Regan has already secured the backing of the SFA board to streamline the disciplinary process, with those reforms to be voted on at the annual meeting on 6 June. Former Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has defended the organisation against accusations of bias. The lawyer who represented Celtic manager Neil Lennon before the SFA, Paul McBride QC, has made such a claim. "To say bias in favour of anybody, I don't think so," Smith told BBC Scotland. "But it's hard to get that across. People have that mindset. "I never saw any evidence of any bias whatsoever in almost three years." Smith stood down from the post in April last year, having taken up the job in 2007, and he was succeeded by Stewart Regan in July. McBride's assertion that the SFA is "the laughing stock of world football" came after Rangers assistant Ally McCoist won his appeal against a touchline suspension and Madjid Bougherra and El-Hadji Diouf avoided further bans for misconduct. Diouf and Bougherra escaped with fines of �£5,000 and �£2,500 respectively and a warning over their future conduct. Both players were red-carded in the 1-0 Scottish Cup replay defeat at Celtic Park on 2 March but were not handed further bans after facing the SFA's disciplinary committee to answer a case of "misconduct of a significantly serious nature". McCoist successfully appealed against a two-match ban after being charged with misconduct for clashing with Lennon at the end of the game. Continue reading the main story There are no SFA employees on any of these committees. But the criticism in general will come for the organisation Gordon Smith Former SFA chief executive On hearing the decisions, an outraged McBride added that the SFA "have been shown to be not merely dysfunctional and not merely dishonest but biased". Celtic boss Lennon was careful to distance himself from the comments made by McBride but was puzzled by the decisions reached on Tuesday by the SFA's disciplinary committee. "I find it interesting that, after all the fall-out from that game, I am the only one who has been banned," Lennon told BBC Radio Scotland. "If you think it is fair then a lot of people are burying their head in the sand on this one." Lennon chose not to appeal the automatic suspension meted out for his touchline clash with McCoist, therefore Smith thinks the two cases cannot be compared. "The two instances are not like-for-like," he explained. "Neil Lennon admitted guilt by not appealing against the ban. "Ally McCoist did appeal, his case was heard and he won that case." The former chief executive did admit to being surprised that Bougherra had escaped with a fine and a warning after twice grabbing hold of referee Calum Murray during a stormy match at Celtic Park. "I thought he would receive a greater punishment," said Smith. "At the time, for the very fact he put his hand on the referee, I thought he would get a further one-game ban, even it was just to apply to the Scottish Cup. "But I don't know how the decision was made or what the evidence was, so I can't really comment on that." Smith's successor, Regan, had been quick to condemn the behaviour of Bougherra and Diouf at Celtic Park. The day following the match, he said: "Only a matter of months after our referees withdrew their labour, we had to witness the match official, Calum Murray, being manhandled, while another player who had been dismissed brazenly walked to his own supporters in defiance." However, Smith explained that Regan and his SFA colleagues were in no position to influence the verdicts reached by their various committees. "The decisions were made by committees and they are made up of football people who are representative of the Scottish game," he added. "There are no SFA employees on any of these committees. But the criticism in general will come for the organisation." Regan has already secured the backing of the SFA board to streamline the disciplinary process, with those reforms to be voted on at the annual meeting on 6 June.

From The Daily Mail. Fair do's.

Rangers have no skeletons in the cupboard, but these songs do the Ibrox men little credit By JOHN GOW When the news that UEFA are looking to bring charges against Rangers for sectarian singing, there is hardly a Rangers fan who did not groan with displeasure. It's in the nature of being a supporter that you dislike bad PR for the club you love. It would be easy to metaphorically put your head under the pillow and wish it would all go away. Well it isn't going away. It was never going away. Some fans pretended it was and nothing could touch the club. They are wrong. There are people who spend most of their waking life writing about and trying to hurt The Rangers any way they can. In a world without meaning this is their raison d'�ªtre. However, let us be clear. Some of the songs Rangers fans sing have become unacceptable, and frankly bizarre, in modern society. It's not necessary to sing about Chapels and Nuns considering there are more than enough Championships, Cups and victories against Celtic to cheer. Rangers are standing at a crossroads that has two paths. The first is to blindly walk on the current course. It will be a 'death by a thousand cuts' with a long, slow degradation of Rangers reputation and standing. There will almost certainly be bans from UEFA and the SFA/SPL or Scottish Authorities will eventually be forced to make their mark. This road is exactly what many non-Rangers fans secretly desire. The second option is to embrace Zero Tolerance, completely forbid the singing of those songs and chants like 'No Pope of Rome', 'The Billy Boys' and 'The Famine Song' but also in return demand Scottish football and society stop all offensive and sectarian songs. Including the terrorist-chic of IRA songs. The charge by some fans that if these songs are banned the club will start to lose part of it's identity is false. Singing about Rangers or even your pride in Britishness is not the same as pejoratively referencing another religion or nationality. In 1960, James Handley writing in 'The Celtic Story' wrote that: until a Catholic centre-forward in a Rangers blue jersey scores a goal against a Celtic team the tension will persist. If that should ever come to pass then the rabble would be bewildered and all its fire extinguished. The notion that the mob can be ultimately educated to see the folly of its way is a hollow one, for the creatures who compose it are ineducable. Not only is the text highly inflammatory and surprisingly reminiscent of Graham Spiers, he fails to understand The Rangers support. In the end when his Catholic Rangers player scenario once again came to life, the Maurice Johnston goal did not cause depression amongst Rangers fans but sheer joy. In fact it was even sweeter because it made the Celtic fans feel worse than usual after such a late decider. In the end it has always been about the club winning Championships and beating Celtic. That is Rangers' identity. This is a crucial point. Stopping songs about Catholicism or Ireland is not the same as asking Rangers fans to stop singing about Rangers and even of Britishness. Some fans have fallen into the trap of forgetting an identity is for something and not just against something. If the fans do stop then the club can legitimately defend the support. They have done this in the past when certain journalists questioned some pro-British songs. It soon became obvious that their query was not completely driven by an anti-sectarian stance, but to a reaction against any mention of British identity. In the end they had to back down. They had no case. However if the singing does persist, Martin Bain can hardly be seen to be defending the support if fans mention Famines and Priests. No-one can. Not Bain or any other CEO in the future. It doesn't matter if fans say they are not insulting those who died in a famine. If you mention a famine you can hardly blame people taking offence. If another fan group quoted the Ibrox Disaster - even if they were not belittling the tragedy - Rangers fans would still find it unacceptable. It doesn't matter if you elaborate some response that you dislike Catholicism as a religion but have no problems with Catholics. If you sing about "No Pope of Rome" and "No Nuns and no Priests, fuck your Rosary Beads" you will not be taken seriously. It doesn't matter if you sing 'The Billy Boys' and explain that Fenian does not mean Catholic and that Celtic fans sing in praise of Fenians. Society is not a debating chamber. Ideas are transmitted crudely. Sometimes those who make the most noise win. It has already been decided Fenian means Catholic. Game over. And lets be honest, in the same way some people use Hun to mean British or Protestant and then pretend it only means Rangers fans. There is no way a sizeable - especially young - section of the support does not equate Fenian with Catholic. Now before you get the impression I am just putting on a hair-shirt after a good beating with the big guilt-stick, I would like to re-emphasise - that as well as stopping those songs seen as offensive - Rangers FC and fans should demand zero-tolerance of sectarianism and discrimination from everyone. Demand that everyone should actually follow through on their strong zero-tolerance campaigns and expose them when they don't. Continue to ask questions if you see double-standards. Ask why it is a crime to be up to your knees in Fenian blood, but not Hibee or any other blood? Politely ask why offensive songs about the Pope are worse than offensive songs praising the IRA? Ask why journalists like Graham Spiers of The Times believes pro-IRA songs are "political" and why Andrew Smith of The Scotsman thinks "any acknowledgement of the Irish Republic can be viewed as pro-IRA" and that "The British Army are guilty of acts of terrorism in Iraqw" (sic) . Demand to know why glorifying guns and violence is acceptable? Query why IRA songs are "political" but UVF songs are sectarian? (Please note I am against both.) Once questions are asked it will surprise you how many secretly support or defend the IRA, or their own form of bigotry. They get off lightly because they are never asked any difficult questions by a support too busy navel-gazing over a few indefensible songs. Only recently I came across an article by a St Johnstone fanzine interviewing the BBC's Stuart Cosgrove who said: "One time we were through at Hearts, and we were at Falkirk station on the way, on the same day Rangers were playing Falkirk. It was Huns galore - thousands of them, and there were maybe 40 of us in the CYS from Perth. We got on the train at Falkirk Station, we just opened the windows as it started moving, and gave them "Orange wankers" and all the rest of it, and of course as soon as we were moving - the train stopped and started moving back into the station! The driver must have been a Hun or something." http://www.blueheaven.org.uk/cos1/cos3.php This is an employee of the same BBC who lecture others on sectarianism. This is the level of debate we are dealing with. It only needs the light of day for it to be exposed for what it is. (Ask yourself if you hear Stuart Cosgrove in the future discussing sectarianism that you won't be better informed about him by knowing that quote.) Rangers fans welcome fans and players from all religions and nationalities. From Dubliner Alex Stevenson who went onto coach the Republic of Ireland national team to Nacho Novo of Spain and Lorenzo Amoruso of Italy. From the supporters in Rome called 'the Italian Gers' to the Dublin Loyal of Ireland. From a report that show 5% of Rangers fans in Glasgow are Catholic (4% of Celtic fans in Glasgow are Protestant) to the Gers proud Asian fans. No-one cares because they share the support of The Rangers Football Club. However, wider society doesn't see this. They only see the stereotype projected and hear nonsense songs. They naturally assume the worst. So accept the challenge. Take the opportunity to make the Ibrox experience noisy and colourful. Sing about the magic of Rangers history. If there are non-football songs make sure it is for a positive identity we can share together. Society wants Zero Tolerance so lets give it to them. Start demanding the zero tolerance of all offensive/racist/bigoted songs. Not only is it the right moral choice but it's the best action for the club. There is nothing to fear. Rangers have no skeletons in the cupboard. Let us see if others can say the same. http://www.theawayend.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=677:uefa-charge-is-an-opportunity-for-rangers&catid=51:features&Itemid=109

Rangers have been handed a boost with the news Lee McCulloch will be fit for the club's title run-in. It was originally feared the midfielder, who underwent an operation earlier this year to remove a cyst on his knee, would be sidelined for the remainder of the season. However his manager Walter Smith confirmed on Friday that the 32-year-old would be in contention to play in Rangers' SPL fixture away to Aberdeen on Wednesday, April 13. The player's return will see him available to feature in eight of Rangers' remaining SPL matches, with three games scheduled before a further five are added to the calendar after the SPL split. The Ibrox club's post-split game with Celtic has already been scheduled for Sunday, April 24. McCulloch had been a virtual ever-present for the Ibrox club this season before his injury, featuring 27 times before being forced out of a win over Hearts on February 2 after just 20 minutes. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/242464-mcculloch-ready-to-return-to-action-for-rangers/

Perhaps this has been posted already, tho' I don't see it. http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8734_6856123,00.html SOUNESS TRIBUTE TO HOLMES BACKING Posted 06/04/11 17:53EmailPrintSave Hamilton v Rangers. Click here to bet. Graeme Souness has hailed former Rangers chief executive David Holmes for his courage and bravery in making him Ibrox manager 25 years ago. The arrival of the Scotland captain from Sampdoria transformed the fortunes of a club who had not won the Scottish title for eight consecutive seasons. Souness, who replaced Jock Wallace, soon brought in England internationals Terry Butcher and Chris Woods before leading the club to the championship in his first season, and then began the nine-in-a-row years by regaining the trophy in 1989. Rangers stand on the brink of major change with Craig Whyte closing in on a takeover of the club and Souness believes Holmes deserves credit for implementing seismic change a quarter of a century ago. Speaking to the Rangers News on the eve of the anniversary of his appointment, Souness said: "To say David Holmes put his neck on the line was an understatement. "I was 33 and had no experience. He gave me the chance to be the manager of Rangers and that must have been a worry to him. "It should never be forgotten what David Holmes did. The club was in turmoil and it was fragmented." Souness immediately brought Walter Smith from Dundee United as his assistant having worked with him on the international scene. And current Rangers boss Smith also believes the chief executive deserves huge praise. "The vision of David Holmes was fantastic," Smith said. "People can make the decisions - like the one he did - but the hard part is seeing the plan through. "I don't think people realise how difficult it was but David had the willingness and the perseverance to make it happen." Souness was sent off in his first match after kicking Hibernian striker George McCluskey and continued to provoke hostility and controversy, not least when he signed former Celtic striker Maurice Johnston from under the noses of the Parkhead club. But he insists his intention was never to upset people for the sake of it. "My experience from Liverpool and also being a foreigner in Italy was that other teams treated it as their cup final when they played against you so I was prepared for what lay in store," said Souness, who quit for Liverpool in 1991. "However, it was far more intense in Scotland. I was regarded as some big-head coming back to Scotland to show how it was done, but that was never my intention. "All I wanted to do was put Rangers back to the place that they should always be. "That aspect did not really bother me because I had had it throughout my career and I had really strong characters around me in the dressing room."

Darrell King Share 4 Apr 2011 Almost a year ago, this newspaper broke the story that Rangers were under investigation from HMRC over the use of Employment Benefit Trusts for over a decade. In the same article, we said that Lloyds Bank only had one plan for the club ââ?¬â?? cuts, cuts and more cuts. This would leave a team made up of players on low wages, with the squad supplemented by kids from Murray Park. Star names would go and, on top of that, the stadium was being neglected. We said that administration was a possibility, and that a sale would be unlikely unless someone agreed to offer a warranty on the potential tax bill that could, if found a case was there to answer, amount to tens of millions of pounds. The reaction? We were accused of scaremongering; in fact, some reckoned there were agendas at work to devalue the club just as they were going through an attempted take-over bid from Andrew Ellis. The day after we ran the story ââ?¬â?? which came about after weeks of investigation, including talking to players who at that stage had received letters from HMRC saying they would be part of a future probe, and talking to sources inside the boardroom ââ?¬â?? Sir David Murray responded. It was April 30 last year and, unless Iââ?¬â?¢ve missed it, that was probably the last time he went on record to talk about anything to do with the club. ââ?¬Å?This amounts to scare- mongering. Rangers are not in any danger because of their financial position,ââ?¬Â said Sir David. ââ?¬Å?People can think what they want of me, but one thing I would never do is put the club in danger. ââ?¬Å?If anyone wants to buy, let them make their play. They do due diligence and see where they are ââ?¬â?? but there is nothing to hide. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve had the club up for sale for two years. I am not going to be hard to deal with. It is a straightforward process.ââ?¬Â Subsequently, as we also predicted, Ellisââ?¬â?¢s bid fell. The ââ?¬Ë?for saleââ?¬â?¢ sign came down, well publicly anyway. And Rangers drifted on. Behind the scenes, Lloyds tightened their grip, squeezed more and the squad was asset-stripped further and further. Only Walter Smith ââ?¬â?? and his guidance of the team to two successive championships ââ?¬â??saved them from oblivion. Anyone who doubts that, just pause for a minute. Read the words of Alastair Johnston on Friday and imagine life at Rangers Ã?£30million poorer from what the Champions League has earned the club in the past two years. In fact, every Rangers fan should read what Johnston said over and over. Last Friday was the day when someone finally told it as it is. The day the chairman said enough was enough. Sure, he maybe got carried away, the nod of his head to a query on whether the club could go bust sparking all sorts of doomsday headlines and a subsequent retraction to the Stock Exchange. But Johnston showed guts and, in doing so, endorsed what this paper said a year ago. I wonder how the Lloyds Bank PR person felt on Friday when Johnston revealed that Donald Muir was the bankââ?¬â?¢s man, and that the only reason Rangersââ?¬â?¢ credit facility was rubber-stamped was because he was on the board. Or the fact that Lloyds refused to speak to Martin Bain ââ?¬â?? the man paid to run the club ââ?¬â?? for the first six months after they moved in back in October 2009, preferring to do all their business through Muir, who was acting on their behalf. This is the same Lloyds PR man who challenged us at every turn, asking us to remove any mention in articles that Muir was ââ?¬Ë?Lloyds Bankââ?¬â?¢s manââ?¬â?¢ and insisting that he was actually there are at the behest of the Murray Group. What Johnston did was brave, honourable and truthful at the same time. He laid it bare for Rangers fans who looked at our headlines a year ago and said ââ?¬Å?No way, not us. We are Rangers. Taxman? Administration? Not a chance.ââ?¬Â Well, the truth is out there now. Johnston is a fan first, chairman second. He knows itââ?¬â?¢s quite outrageous to ask the clubââ?¬â?¢s supporters (as is about to happen) to collectively shell out in the region of Ã?£15m in season ticket money when they donââ?¬â?¢t actually know what they will be watching next term. He also put pressure on all those involved in the current situation ââ?¬â?? Craig Whyte, Murray and the bank. Itââ?¬â?¢s time to do a deal, or move aside. His message, essentially, is this: If the status quo is to remain, let us know so we all know what we are getting into ââ?¬â?? especially Ally McCoist. Murray spoke of a straight-forward process, yet Ellis couldnââ?¬â?¢t see it through after months of hanging around. Whyte has been on the scene for five months, and we are now told it will be this week when a decision is finally made. His camp say he is getting little help, especially over issues like the Ã?£2.8m tax bill that popped up last week at the 11th hour. Murray wants Ã?£6m for his shares, when it could be argued that they are worthless in light of the possible tax liability that could sink them out of sight. The bank want their full Ã?£24m when they are selling off bad debts all over the place at 60p in the pound. They are looking after themselves, fair enough, but at least be straight. Donââ?¬â?¢t kid people on you are supportive when you are looking after your own interests. And what of Whyte? We know nothing really of this man, except that he appears to have patience, money to back him up, and that he has impressed Johnston and the board. If he walks, for whatever reason, he should tell the Rangers support why. If he does a deal then, even with tax problems still hanging around their neck, the club has a chance. But the time has come for him to show his hand. Buying Rangers is, after all, said to be a straightforward process. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/the-truth-is-out-there-1.1094453

POLICE will issue the Old Firm with a list of banned songs as they begin their biggest crackdown on sectarianism. Both Celtic and Rangers will be asked to distribute the list to fans and ask them to stop singing them. The banned songs are thought to include The Famine Song, The Billy Boys and other tunes that glorify terror groups such as the IRA and UDA. Senior Strathclyde police sources say officers are ready to wade into stands to arrest offenders. A source said: "The police and the clubs need to work together and there has to be change in attitude by fans. "Thousands sing these songs but we cannot turn a blind eye any longer. "These songs have to become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving." Persistent offenders will be warned inside grounds. If they fail to stop, they will be arrested and could be taken to court and banned from attending matches. Fury over sectarian singing has increased in a season which has already featured six highly-charged Old Firm matches. The Catholic Church last month compained about singing coming from the Rangers end during the Co-operative Insurance Cup final, which Rangers won 2-1. And Rangers fans have been prosecuted for singing The Famine Song, described as racist by High Court judge Lord Carloway. It contains the words "the famine is over, why don't you go home" and has also been attacked by Celtic chairman Lord Reid. Last month, the Sunday Mail revealed a Celtic fan had received a two-year banning order and a �£300 fine for a song which described Rangers manager Walter Smith as a "sad, Orange b*****d". Lawyer David McKie last month successfully defended police officer Christopher Halaka who was accused of chanting pro-IRA slogans at a Perth taxi rank. He was cleared of breach of the peace with religious aggravation at Perth Sheriff Court. Mr McKie said: "Some songs about the IRA and UDA may be sectarian but singing them isn't necessarily breaking the law. The lyrics may be about history and politics and have nothing to do with religion." Scottish historian Professor Tom Devine, of Edinburgh University, said: "There should be caution until we see how this works. "But questions remain. How are those engaged in such singing to be identified? "Will they be charged with breach of the peace aggravated by sectarian intent? "And will the ban apply to all football matches and parks in Scotland?" Last night Celtic said they were unaware of the plans and couldn't comment on the new measures. Rangers were also unable to comment. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/04/03/police-chiefs-give-celtic-and-rangers-list-of-banned-songs-in-sectarian-crackdown-86908-23035258/

The following article has been doing the rounds for a few days, and as usual it's full of lies and incorrect and misleading information. Just because Murray has transferred his shares to an off-shore trust company does not mean that he is not the beneficial owner. Most of his Murray Sports shares have been owned by IFG Nominees CI Ltd for a number of years, and I have never given it a second thought. That's the same company that owns the shares in MIH, and not the one mentioned in the article. Just because "Declan" is a director of the company does not mean he owns the club and it is nonense to suggest it. I'm a director of a number of companies, one of which is based in the Republic of Ireland, and it doesn't mean that I own any proportion of any of them. If the club did go into administration Murray's wealth would be unharmed. Rangers are a limited company. Limited means that there is limited (or no) liability on the shareholders. Murray will have placed his shares in an off-shore trust because it benefits him personally from a tax point of view. Standard stuff when you are at his level. Now for the biggest lie. Uberior owns Cumulative Redeemable Preference Shares. This entitles them to divdends only. No mention of the word "Convertible". There is no right to convert them to Ordinary shares. Murray's ownership cannot be diluted to 7%. It's not worth wasting any more time in the article, but there's nothing in it that is of any note, other than to highlight their continued capacity for being liars.

The latest from Traynor with a nice little dig at the end: http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/jimtraynor/2011/03/are-lloyds-trying-to-sell-rang.html

The Rangers Supporters Trust have called on Lloyds Bank to make clear their plans as Craig Whyte's takeover bid hangs in the balance. The �£33million deal will see the Scottish tycoon take over 75% of Sir David Murray's shareholding, with London-based property developer Andrew Ellis becoming a 25% partner. However, it is understood the bank's desire for an 'exit payment' of more than �£1m is just one of the key stumbling blocks and patience is fast running out. Whyte has targeted Thursday for the deal to be concluded by which time Rangers supporters are expected to be told the club's debt has been slashed to around �£21m from the �£27.1m figure announced in June. RST chairman Stephen Smith said, in these fraught circumstances, the Light Blues fans deserve to be informed of Lloyds' position. "Lloyds Bank can be a convenient whipping boy," Smith said. "It is very easy to paint them as the bad guy in this situation and there are some who may feel excuses are being put in place for the deal not happening. "However, our main concern is with the way that the bank is treating Rangers "We are living in extraordinary financial circumstances where Lloyds Bank have been kept afloat by the taxpayer. "Yet it appears they are refusing to accept a deal which will give them all their money back. "It just doesn't make sense. "If anything, it appears that the bank is trying to devalue the club. "So we would like Lloyds to tell us about their strategy. "We are not talking about breaching commercial confidences, or asking them to come out with figures and percentages. "We want to know their plans for the club and for them to confirm that they are operating normal commercial arrangements with a company the size of Rangers with the turnover of �£50m plus. "They should be able to do that but we have asked on a number of occasions and have been met with a wall of silence. "But as Rangers fans and taxpayers, we are surely entitled to know what's going on. "Anything else is not acceptable in the 21st century." Smith admits the rank and file of the Rangers support have grown tired of the takeover saga. "People are weary with it all," he said. "It has been dragging on for around nine months. "There have been various deadlines which come and gone, the first being in December when there was talk of Walter Smith getting money for the January transfer window, with another being in February. "But meanwhile, it seems the bank's restriction have been detrimental to our abilities on the pitch. "We have had to go with five loan players in our squad, while fighting in all three domestic competitions and in Europe. "Now we are down to one competition, the title race, and that might come down to fine margins. "And if Rangers lose out then Rangers fans will not forgive the bank." No one from Lloyds was available for comment. http://www.teamtalk.com/rangers/6839240/Supporters-chief-wants-answers

Manchester United are favourites to win the �£8million race for Blackpoolâ��s sought-after midfielder Charlie Adam, who plays for Scotland against Brazil at the Emirates on Sunday. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has bided his time for 25-year-old Adam, who was the subject of a bidding war between Tottenham and Liverpool in the last transfer window. But after discussions with Walter Smith - Adamâ��s former boss at Rangers - Ferguson will enter the race for the player as he seeks a long-term successor to Paul Scholes. Blackpool will not stand in his way of moving at the end of the season and Adam is believed to find the allure of Champions League football a huge incentive, even if he will not be guaranteed a regular starting place. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1370336/Manchester-United-set-make-8m-summer-Blackpool-star-Charlie-Adam.html#ixzz1Hngbs3mV

Someone's having a laugh.

Craig Whyte has warned Rangers that only a swift conclusion to his takeover will give Ally McCoist the chance to make significant summer signings - avoiding the bleak scenario predicted by Walter Smith earlier in the week. While the prospective owner is willing to fund half-a-dozen signings, sources close to the deal insist this will only happen if he is in position soon. (Daily Mail) http://sport.scotsman.com/football/The-Rumour-Mill-Friday39s-football.6740208.jp

I apologise for the length of this article but I think the subject has to be covered properly as opposed to restricted. Sectarianism in Scotland - The Simpleton's Solace When Rangers beat Celtic (or progress in Europe for that matter), the reaction from some quarters is always easy to predict. Either blame the referee or if that isn't possible when the light blue's were clearly hard done by, then place the focus on to what songs the Rangers fans sung. Let's be clear from the outset and do something that these dangerous people refuse to consider and be objective. Some songs Rangers fans sing are offensive. Moreover, I can also understand that other dirges such as 'No Pope of Rome' or imbibing hitherto harmless ones with stuff like 'FTP' could be seen as less than tolerant. Ergo, I personally feel that using chants like this has nothing to do with supporting Rangers and only gives credence to the flawed opposing argument that only one club have a serious problem with such issues. However, when discussing this subject I think it is also important to highlight that, while people may find offence at any specific term/song/chant, absolutely none are banned in this country per se. More than two weeks ago a summit was held within the Scottish Parliament to discuss the issue along with the broader subject of Old Firm associated troubles. In addition, once again the SNP Government promised funds of over half a million pounds to deal with said topic. When one considers that the previous Scottish Labour government also spent millions on combating sectarianism, one must ask where this money is actually going given a solution seems no less near than ever before? Furthermore, dialogue with football supporters in respect of the sport's contribution to this wider social disease remains minimal. You or I weren't invited to any summit; just talked down to instead of with once again. To that end, when the summit findings were announced, I took the liberty of contacting all the neutral authorities involved in the matter - the First Minister, the Justice Secretary, Strathclyde Police, ACPOS, the SFA, the SPL and the Leader of the Opposition in Scotland - Iain Gray. In my letter I specifically requested a list of proscribed songs/terms/chants which could be applied under the 'Unacceptable Conduct' rules oft quoted by the footballing organisations and with respect to racially/sectarian aggravated breach of the peace laws oft quoted during the extremely minimal prosecutions we hear about. It won't surprise many to hear that despite the promises made at the summit the replies received were inconsistent with each other, made excuses, were patronising, didn't answer my clear questions or in the case of serving MSPs (Iain Gray aside) or footballing authorities didn't even reply within the two week time-frame requested. Yes, these organisations really are serious about the issue! Nevertheless, one conclusion was clear from those that did reply: there was no available list of banned songs/terms/chants because no-one really had the courage to say what was acceptable and what wasn't. In many ways, when you then examine the number of arrests we see at football games (and in Scotland generally) for hate-related crimes, this wasn't a surprise. The problem is greatly exaggerated and quite simply generally only exists in the minds of people who harbour a grudge. This grudge has been clearly visible since Rangers' fine win over Celtic on Sunday afternoon. Instead of examining an excellent display from the Ibrox men or the poor performance of the match officials (this time arguably in favour of Celtic), the usual suspects have declared they once again find religious offence. Be it less than official online bloggers, official Celtic fan groups or discredited journalists for 'The Times'; the organised planning of their reaction has been immediate. Coordinated articles in broadsheets, complaints to the government and emails to UEFA is the usual MO and the recent resurgence of 'The Billy Boys' apparently the main source of their faux annoyance. In 2006, this song was allegedly banned by UEFA and Rangers fined twice since for 'discriminatory' chanting - be it using terms like fen*an and/or adding FTP to otherwise non-problematic songs. The fact Rangers were also given a 5 year probationary period is also meaningful as this runs out in May which may explain why a dead issue is suddenly valuable to a few people again. Nonetheless, at the time, our club and support acted quickly and the songs/terms involved almost disappeared overnight. Unfortunately, in the intervening time the same principles haven't been applied to other clubs and supports. Disgraceful songs (and behaviour which is formally illegal) in glorifying outlawed terrorist groups; chants urging 'h*ns' to go home (directed any anyone with a perceived Protestant background - be it Rangers, Hearts, Dundee or match officials); regular club-sanctioned displays in support of the IRA; approved banners of Ibrox on fire; songs about Walter Smith being a 'sad orange b**tard'; all amidst an overall anti-British sentiment which makes a mockery of Celtic FC's inclusive policy. Yet we hear next to no criticism of this. Interestingly, the recent promotions of Neil Lennon firstly to Celtic captain then manager as well as the signing of Paddy McCourt have led to increasingly large elements of the Celtic support celebrating their Irish Republican 'heritage' more vocally than ever before. 'Like me and you he's a Provo too', 'Soon there will be no Protestants at all' and 'Paddy McCourt's Fen*an Army' are sung (or displayed via banners) with gusto. Therefore, it's not a surprise that some Rangers fans have saw fit to retaliate to this provocative banter in kind given excuses are made for Celtic fans. This has seen 'The Billy Boys' return of late but of course the usual hypocrites immediately complain about the same 'f' word being used. First of all, I don't think there is any doubt some people use the word fen*an in an bigoted manner. However, no more than those who use literally similar h*n in the exactly the same way. The fact that Celtic fans now use fen*an more than ever to describe themselves is also extremely relevant to any debate. The authorities I contacted above spoke about difficulties in banning specific songs/terms/chants because of context. I'd suggest that both sets of supporters being happy to use one word to describe the ugly anti-British, Republican nature of sections of the Celtic fan-base is exactly what they mean and why we've seen minimal arrests or action despite 'TBB' returning at some games. Of course Celtic fans then attempt to apply a flawed 'n*gger' analogy but this is clearly erroneous given the disgusting 'n' word isn't an adjective than can ever be used simply to describe people of a certain colour. Fen*an though can be used to describe people who celebrate the IRA and are anti-British. Indeed, that is its literal meaning. As a result, by increasing the celebration of their Irishness in such an offensive manner, they only give validity to the Rangers fans' behaviour they hypocritically complain about. Evidently what we have is a complex issue and one which can't be discussed easily in an article such as this or in a one-off summit between parties who all have their own motive. This is also true for people who use such a controversial matter to score points or, even worse, to make money from. Be it unemployed people whose very existence is to blog daily anti-Rangers lunacy or members of the Fourth Estate who choose to deliberately skew their own simplistic coverage, these people only serve to make the problem worse than actually offer genuine solutions for what is an age old social challenge. To sum up these people don't discuss a complicated matter like sectarianism because they have more morals than you or I. Nor do they convene 'summits' because they genuinely think a few small charities and a chin-wag will solve an issue that has blighted parts of Scotland for over a 100 years. Quite simply, the over-exaggerated and laughably biased outlooks we've read over the last few days are for nothing more than for financial or political gain. Now that really is Scotland's Secret Shame.

WALTER SMITH has held a secret summit with tycoon Craig Whyte to talk about the future of Rangers. The out-going Ibrox boss met with potential new supremo Whyte last Friday. Whyte is said to be inching closer to a deal to buy out Sir David Murray, and was at last week's Europa League defeat against PSV. Smith then met with the Scots billionaire for a face-to-face discussion about what the future holds for the SPL champs. Smith said: "I met Craig Whyte last week. It was a discussion from his perspective as to how I saw things at Rangers. "I have no inclination what way things will go. "Despite the length of time this has been going on for, that was the first time I'd met him. "I'm the lesser part of the procedure so I don't know what's going to happen. "The questions he asked were simply ones you guys might ask. He wanted to know how the squad is. He knows I'm leaving so he won't ask me about the future. "All he wanted to know was how I saw the current situation. "Now he has to go away and continue the financial aspects, which I have no idea what they will be." While Smith met Whyte, his successor Ally McCoist has yet to sit down with him. Smith added: "Is that strange? No, I don't think so. "The football side of it is part of the problem. You can have a fair idea of what it is going to be like, given the financial aspects of Rangers which have still to be clarified. "It should be obvious there would be a continuing down-turn if there is no change financially. "So it will be a hell of a task for Ally McCoist if there is no change. "The football side of things will be the lesser problem. The financial aspects are the main issue. "Maybe it's a good thing we don't know too much about that." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3485096/Boss-in-Whyte-summit.html#ixzz1HQH3Gpnq

BEING a great player doesn't mean you'll be a great manager. Just ask John Greig. Things never quite worked out for the Rangers giant in the dug-out the way they did when he was on the pitch. Walter Smith prays that the same fate doesn't await Ally McCoist. The out-going Gers boss knows well that circumstances conspired against Greig when he finished one season as a player and began the next as a gaffer. Greig was just 15 minutes away from doing the treble back in 1979, before Celtic stole the championship from under his nose. Financial pressures and an ageing squad never allowed Greig to fully recover in the four years that followed. Luck deserted the man who was named The Greatest Ever Ranger. Something that has never happened to the Ibrox club's Greatest Ever Striker. Just as well. Because Smith believes his protege will need every ounce as Rangers fight suffocating money troubles. He explained: "There are similar circumstances between both men. "At the time John had an excellent start as Rangers manager, but the financial aspects of the club were poor as well. "In his first season John was 15 minutes way from winning a treble. "His problems came when he had to start changing a team that was getting a bit older. "You always need a wee bit of luck to handle those circumstances and I'm not sure that John had that. "The club ended up going through a nine-year period without winning the championship - not just in John's time in charge. "In my own mind, that was solely because the club didn't have the necessary finance to keep them at a high level. "And there is a hell of a difference between being a popular player and being a popular manager. "It might help people to embrace Ally as a popular manager, but once the games start you've got to win. That's the biggest thing. "Ally knows that, none of it will come as a big surprise to him. "He knows he will be working in an environment where there are no excuses. "What Ally needs is a bit of the famous McCoist luck and hope that the background situation at the club can be sorted out." As the hangover from the Co-operative Cup win faded, manager Smith looked ahead to what lay in store for McCoist. He said: "No matter what happens, Ally will always be a Rangers legend. I don't think you can take that away from him. "People said to me when I was coming back, 'you might lose what you gained in your first spell as a manager'. "But if you've got that kind of ego then you shouldn't be in management anyway. You should never be afraid to take the job on. "I think there are a lot of comparisons to be made between Neil Lennon's situation and Ally's. "Both have known what it's like to play for their club, and that's important. "A lot of people come into a club without that knowledge. I was one of them. "Some don't realise the overall intensity that there is at the Old Firm. So there are parallels between Ally and Lennon. "Ally is ready to take the job. It's something he has always wanted to do." McCoist's own journey in management might just be starting out, but Smith's is coming to an end. Twenty trophies isn't a bad return for the Godfather of Scottish football. There might be one more to follow before the end of the season as the title race goes to the wire. One thing is for sure, Smith has already prepared himself for the fact that any silverware won this season will be his last. He stressed: "No, I don't anticipate working in football. If someone came and offered me an opportunity somewhere I'd consider it. "But it would need to be an exceptionally good one for me to consider that, on a footballing basis never mind finance or anything else like that. "It would need to be something that I wanted to do. "I'm not leaving with any great anticipation of going to another job in football. "I'll never come back as manager again and I won't come back to Ibrox with another Scottish team either. "So there will be things I'll miss about it but you still need to make the decision because retirement comes to everybody - unless you're Sir Alex Ferguson." The club's greatest ever boss thought he'd be long gone by now. With massive debts and a takeover still dragging on, Smith just hopes he hasn't left McCoist and Kenny McDowall fire-fighting in the long-term as they embark on their new adventure. He admitted: "I thought last season would be my last, although I never mentioned it to anybody. "Then I started to look at the circumstances and thought 'would it be better for me to handle this season, win or lose, than throw them into it'. "But when I look at the circumstances now if they don't get a buyer for the club I'm probably leaving at the worst period of time. "I really wanted to avoid a situation where there was a problem but Alistair knows everything that's going on at the club. "So whether it's my decision to leave last year or this year, he's just delighted to be getting the opportunity to be the manager of Rangers." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3485115/John-got-no-luck-I-pray-Ally-does.html#ixzz1HQIKtMcD

NEIL LENNON bounced and fidgeted in the main stand, a simmering ginger bundle of energy and frustration. He yelled. He cursed. He fed a non-stop stream of instructions to his sidekicks on the sidelines. Nothing the Celtic boss could say made a difference in the end. No amount of tinkering or yelling or substitutions could turn the tide of a game that always seemed destined to end in defeat. This time, when it was over, he couldn't even blame the ref. Let's be honest here - Craig Thomson got off the hook yesterday - big time. Had Rangers lost this titanic final, there would have been hell to pay for the two stonewall penalties he refused to give them. Instead? Well, Old Firm fans have better memories than an elephant who's spent six hours a day playing the Brain Training game on its Nintendo DS, so neither decision will be forgotten soon. At least history will boil them down to a side issue, a pub argument over what year it was that some diddy rubber-eared a kick in the knee and a blatant handball. Which, for the sake of a decent bloke, is a blessing. I've watched both those incidents over and over and still can't for the life of me understand why they weren't no-brainers for a man of Thomson's experience. Each time, he's in a perfect position. Each time, he could not have made the job easier for himself. Yet in the first half, when Thomas Rogne's boot clearly catches Nikica Jelavic, he gives the spot kick before changing his mind - presumably on the advice of linesman Graham Chambers 50 yards away. Then, when Mark Wilson sticks out his left arm to block Maurice Edu's flick on the hour mark, he has the best view in the stadium - yet waves appeals away. Someone said to me later that, to be fair, the guy got nothing else wrong all afternoon. What keeper ever got away with that excuse if he had a blinder only to throw one in ten seconds from time? Fact is, when it mattered most in a national cup final, Thomson got it absolutely wrong. Not once, but twice - three times if you count the call deep in extra-time when he only booked Charlie Mulgrew for hauling down Jelavic to prevent what would have been a clear goalscoring opportunity. These are the moments that can define careers. Scotland's No 1 referee is very lucky they won't stain his forever. As for Walter Smith? Well, he'll reckon - rightly - that justice was done in the end, because his team deserved this triumph, as he does himself as he heads towards the Ibrox exit door. On Thursday, he'd watched them go out of the Europa League to PSV Eindhoven thanks to a performance that simply wasn't good enough, brave enough or attacking enough. I wrote then that unless key men pulled their finger out at Hampden, they could kiss their chances of silverware goodbye for the season. One of those who needed to produce more than most was Steven Davis, missing in action against the Dutch. Well, he didn't half take a look at himself here. His goal capped a Man of the Match display, robbing the dozy Joe Ledley before driving on and shooting low beyond Frather Forthter's left hand - albeit a trundler in off the post - but his contribution was excellent, full of power, drive and desire. Davis was the catalyst for Rangers. Plenty others took the hint, none more so than Jelavic. His winning goal was maybe even scruffier than the first, hitting the left-hand post before spinning along the line and in. It's actually arguable whether any goals in an Old Firm final have taken so long to go in since Tam Forsyth - watching from the stands along with a cast of old-time stars - bobbled the winner in the 1973 Scottish Cup. do Rangers care? Don't be silly. They NEEDED this triumph - for their gaffer, for their fans, for their own battered self-esteem and they more than earned it. Celtic never came close to hitting the heights of the last few derbies, never knocked it around with anything like the swagger they've shown in recent months. In Beram Kayal, they had an outstanding midfielder, someone willing to scrap for everything and to constantly scope out the right pass. He was to Lennon's side what Davis was to Smith's but unlike Davis, he found few takers when he looked around him for handers. Georgios Samaras threatened to make an impact without ever delivering. Kris Commons and Gary Hooper had lost their spark. The best Joe Ledley can say is that his headed equaliser made amends for his part in selling the shirts earlier on. Forster never looked in command, Rogne and Mulgrew were suspect and - crucially - neither Wilson nor Emilio Izaguirre got to impose themselves going forward the way Rangers had let them in games gone by. By the time a limping Izaguirre saw a straight red for barging over substitute Vladimir Weiss, time was almost up and the game was too. Though just for once, a sending off and half-a-dozen bookings shouldn't be allowed to reflect badly on a meeting between these two, because both sets of players reacted admirably to all the warnings about the responsibility they carried towards the fans. No one over-reacted to tackles, they kissed and made up over tangles and, all in all, they produced a final that should be remembered for all the right reasons. Though to be fair, I'm writing this before they add up the final score in Glasgow's hospitals

WALTER SMITH last night condemned as ââ?¬Å?dangerousââ?¬Â the decisions of the referee after Rangers won the Co-operative Insurance Cup final 2-1 at Hampden. A goal from Nikica Jelavic gave Smithââ?¬â?¢s side victory in extra time after Celticââ?¬â?¢s Joe Ledley had equalised Steven Davisââ?¬â?¢s opener, but the match included a major controversy when Craig Thomson, the match referee, awarded Rangers a penalty in the first half only to rescind it immediately. Thomson pointed straight away to the spot as Thomas Rogne, the Celtic defender, attempted to challenge Jelavic inside the box. Seconds later he had told players it was not a penalty and booked the Rangers striker for diving. Thomson also turned down a Celtic appeal for a penalty when Mark Wilson fell in the box under a challenge from Sasa Papac and another plea from Rangers when Wilson appeared to handle in the box. However, it was the decision to overturn the penalty that angered Smith. ââ?¬Å?It is dangerous for a referee to do that. Very dangerous. If it had been in the other penalty box, I donââ?¬â?¢t know . . .ââ?¬Â he said, referring to penalty controversies that have involved Celtic in recent seasons. ââ?¬Å?I felt a wee bit aggrieved that Jelavic got booked,ââ?¬Â said Smith. ââ?¬Å?Obviously, the referee must have thought himself there was something in the decision to give a penalty in the first place so therefore it was strange he booked him afterwards especially as there was a similar incident at the other end of the field.ââ?¬Â This was a reference to Wilsonââ?¬â?¢s fall under Papacââ?¬â?¢s challenge. Smith could not shed any light on Thomsonââ?¬â?¢s process of thought as he changed his mind immediately. But he insisted that incident was relevant, despite the result. ââ?¬Å?It matters. It matters, none the less. It was a strange one,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?I would prefer to talk about winning rather than refereeing, but that was a very strange one,ââ?¬Â he said. The Rangers manager added that when ââ?¬Å?Celtic were mounting their campaign at the start of the seasonââ?¬Â over referees he had put forward his own philosophy. ââ?¬Å?If your team is good enough then you will win. That is how I have always looked at it. Regardless of a refereeing decision in todayââ?¬â?¢s game, we have come out of it good enough to win.ââ?¬Â Of the match, he said: ââ?¬Å?It was a terrific game. I thought we slightly edged the game overall and deserved to win. But it could have gone either way. We played exceptionally well.ââ?¬Â He said of the match-winner: ââ?¬Å?Jelavic is getting somewhere near match sharpness for us and he played very well for us today. Although, I felt that Steven Davis was, by far, the man of the match.ââ?¬Â Smithââ?¬â?¢s pleasure at the victory was enhanced by the vindication of his side, who had gone into the final as underdogs after a run of four Old Firm matches without victory. ââ?¬Å?I think it was strange for them to find themselves in a position where they were almost written off for todayââ?¬â?¢s game,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?It was a nice little challenge for them and they accepted it very well. The boys here do not need to prove anything to anybody. They have given everything for the club and have played exceptionally well. ââ?¬Å?They have to keep winning and today they found quite a bit which is a testimony to their own professionalism, overall fitness and desire to win. The motivation has to come from within.ââ?¬Â Smith was pleased to lift the trophy on a personal level, saying: ââ?¬Å?It is a nice one. The last time when I was leaving [1998] we did not win anything.ââ?¬Â Johan Mjallby, the Celtic assistant manager, felt his side struggled to play to their capabilities defensively. He explained: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s very disappointing. Itââ?¬â?¢s always hard to swallow when you lose a cup final, but all credit to Rangers who won it. ââ?¬Å?There wasnââ?¬â?¢t really much in it. From our aspect we were a bit disappointed the way we lost our two goals.ââ?¬Â He added that the substitution of Thomas Rogne with Glenn Loovens was for tactical reasons. ââ?¬Å?Jelavic was creating some problems for Thomas,ââ?¬Â he said. The Swede was succinct on the reasons for the defeat. ââ?¬Å?Maybe our passing game should have been a wee bit better,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?We didnââ?¬â?¢t really create as many chances as we hoped. But we still should have defended better for the goals we conceded.ââ?¬Â http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-manager-critical-of-referee-thomson-after-dangerous-decision-to-rescind-penalty-1.1091500

I really doubt Ally would say to any possible future boss to put up or shut up. It would be very stupid if he did.

Putting my dislike for the guy aside, what has he done for us that makes him a better team player than the others? He looks slow, he seems to take the pace off the ball, he hasn't created much for others and has only scored 1 goal albeit an important one. If McCoist decides not to sign him again next season I won't be to disappointed. So far he's flattered to deceive. According to some fans, Walter Smith signed him to wind up the opposition but it's backfired. He's been sent off and had the arse ripped right out of him by Scott Brown and Celtic on a couple of occassions now. To me, he's not done anything to warrant the optimism amongst the Rangers supporters.