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FERNANDO RICKSEN'S motor neurone disease is his personal tragedy. It is his family’s grief to contend with and his cause of inner turmoil. It shouldn’t be an excuse for the maudlin sentimentality that afflicts football supporters or for some to hijack a serious illness because it involves one of the game’s personalities. And it shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity for two-bob philosophies on how the victim’s suffering will unite the game. Fernando is a human being who is facing up to the reality that life expectancy is, on average, 14 months from the point of this appalling condition being diagnosed. There are no words adequate enough to express the sympathy that one person can have for another who has been confronted with his own mortality in such devastating fashion. But whether it’s Fernando or Stiliyan Petrov, struck down by a life-threatening blood disorder, they should be allowed to get on with coping. The game can, and must, take care of itself in the meantime. If Rangers want to organise a tribute match against Fortuna Sittard and give the proceeds to Fernando, it’ll be a decent gesture to make and will serve a practical purpose. Just as Celtic’s match in Petrov’s honour in September put tens of thousands of pounds into Stan’s charitable foundation and proved to be a worthy cause. But we don’t need to have either man portrayed as a martyr by those who revel in the grief industry. Fernando and Stan would be the first to tell the hijackers that you can walk into any hospital on any given day and find ordinary families who are trying to come to terms with a harrowing medical problem affecting a loved one. But they’re paying the penalty for having been made famous by Celtic and Rangers – and therefore forced to share their private ordeals with a wide audience. The supporters of both clubs can always be relied on to turn up in exceptional numbers and dig deep to honour the memory of their former heroes. In that respect they can’t be faulted. Where some leave themselves open to criticism is when they spout their nonsense about illness putting football into perspective and try to tell us that rivalry will be diluted for the rest of time out of respect for the personal sorrow of others. Sir Alex Ferguson will make the draw for the fourth round of the Scottish Cup in an Aberdeen hotel on Tuesday. If he manages to pair Celtic with Rangers we will all have to brace ourselves for a tie of unsurpassed intensity. There will not be a single thought given to either stricken hero if that day dawns and the dislike that one set of supporters will have for the other will reach new levels of polarisation. So spare us the need to trivialise matters of life and death by attempting to measure their impact on football. It’s an intrusion into private grief. And Fernando and Stan have too much to do in their private lives to be used in that way. We can’t even agree where cup finals should be played in this country without the issue descending into the usual farcical allegations of collusion in high places and private agendas. Easter Road got the Ramsdens Cup Final between Rangers and Raith Rovers because it was the right thing to do. The Fife team are entitled to a fighting chance against a much-bigger club and they’ll get that on a smaller ground rather than having to go to Ibrox. Celtic Park is rightfully holding the Scottish Cup final, with both semis at Ibrox, because a ground of that size should be necessary for a national showpiece. Time to put that row to bed in any case because Remembrance Sunday is coming up. We’ll need all our energy for the annual desecration of the war dead’s memory by arguing over who is or isn’t wearing a poppy. The illness hijackers can then turn into the guardians of our moral welfare for a weekend before moving on to their next bandwagon.

As it enters November that made me realise we are half way there to being back to the top as the clock goes. We've been in this incline for one and half years, another 18 months and we should have wrapped up the Championship title..... Fair play to Ally this season, we are romping all infront of us which we should have been doing last season but fair play even Usain Bolt is slow out of the blocks. That's quite a fast first 18 months....now we just need the off field matters sorted out (Would like to see Jim McColl do his biz) and its a case of here we come.....

1553: BREAKING NEWS Hibernian announce that manager Pat Fenlon has left the club. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/24768698

Green was in talks re Rangers future during this past week according to Keith in the radio earlier. So they are saying.

Trying to get back to some football topics.... Must say that when we signed Daly I wasnt overly enthused by his signing as I thought he would be "just another target man". When home in July the Rangers coaches we were dealing with told me that McCoist couldnt stop raving about Daly and said he hasd been exceptional even though they had only had a couple of pre-season games. Seems that I may have to start eating humble pie. He is far more mobile than I thought he was, no slouch on the ground, brings others into the game well and, after his first few games where you could tell he was desperate to score, has found his rhythm and looks like he could score in every game. Whether he will still be able to do it when back in the SPFL (or whatever they are calling it today) is another story, but the big fella is still, IMHO, proving his worth this season - and it often takes players longer than he has to settle at a new club - he looks like he has been with us for years. Keep up the good work big fella !

I have just read that our former player has motor neurone disease

......................if shareholder factions can't reach compromise Dave King has been unable to strike a compromise agreement with the various shareholder factions at Rangers, but the former Ibrox director has insisted that he will not give up on the club. King has held a series of discussions with the principal individuals involved with the situation at Rangers International Football Club, including Sandy Easdale and Paul Murray, but consensus proved out of reach and the forthcoming Annual General Meeting is likely to be a stormy event. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/dave-king-administration-is-distinct-possibility-at-rangers-if-shareholder-factions-c.1383303046 Lifted from FF: Dave King has been unable to strike a compromise agreement with the various shareholder factions at Rangers, but the former Ibrox director has insisted that he will not give up on the club. King has held a series of discussions with the principal individuals involved with the situation at Rangers International Football Club, including Sandy Easdale and Paul Murray, but consensus proved out of reach and the forthcoming Annual General Meeting is likely to be a stormy event. King had hoped to strike an agreement with the two main blocks of shareholders to appoint new directors to the board, including taking on the role of chairman himself, and begin the process of raising additional funding. Speaking exclusively to The Herald before releasing an official statement, King said that administration is "not an imminent threat", but he does believe it "is a distinct possibility if the AGM results in a continuing lack of continuity on one side or the other". As it currently stands, the shareholders represented by Sandy Easdale and his brother James, who is a non-executive director at Ibrox, account for around 25% of the company. This grouping includes Blue Pitch Holdings, Margartia Holdings and Charles Green, who has an agreement with the Easdales over the sale of his shares. The lock-in period for these shareholdings ends in December, when the AGM is going to be held. It is unclear what the terms of their agreements are with the Easdales. King will continue to closely monitor events, and would act swiftly if there was a possibility of re-visiting his consensus plans even at the last minute before the AGM. He believes talks with Easdale and Murray were constructive, and he praised both individuals, however not all shareholders were willing to compromise. King's current stance is that he is not prepared to buy shares in the market when his investment would be better spent going directly to the club, although this could change. "I'm not walking away, I'm going to continue looking for opportunities between now and the AGM to get a compromise situation," King said. "I will reassess my position depending on the outcome of the AGM, particularly if I believe short-termism remains. I will be prepared to reconsider my current position, and could possibly intervene in the market. "I don't believe the shareholder base will be so conflicted after the AGM, since there will be a shake up regardless of the outcome. In a year's time, it will be possible for a block of shares to be held by right-minded people, but we will have to get through a lot to get to that stage. I have never gone into a board meeting in my life to vote on issues, the board must work by consensus and discussion, but that has been a reflection of the way the business has been run recently." Paul Murray is one of four directors who will be nominated for election to the board at the AGM by the institutional shareholders who hold around 28% of the company. A former Ibrox director, and associate of King's, Murray has long campaigned for experienced corporate governance figures to be on the board. King will not, however, take sides ahead of the AGM, and will remain the outlet for any possible last-minute compromise. The South African-based businessman believes that the current situation - James Easdale and Brian Stockbridge, the finance director, are the only two individuals sitting on the plc board, and the club has no chief executive - is unsustainable even in the short-term. "The board desperately needs governance, and I'm sure Sandy Easdale would acknowledge that they've ended up in an uncomfortable position," King said. "It's very important that the board gets professional governance involved, with financial and business plans that take into account the need for fresh investment to take into account the funding shortfall that will come if the team is to compete again in the top flight, which is what we all want. In my view, there will be a need to two rounds of additional funding between now and then. "During the last week I engaged a number of stakeholders, both in Glasgow and London, to seek a compromise to the current imbroglio that is restricting the operational capability and the governance at the club. I have also had follow up telephone conversations since my return to South Africa. "Unfortunately, I have been unable to reach a consensus agreement at this time despite the constructive manner in which everyone approached the discussions with me. Certain influential shareholders are unwilling to compromise at this time and it seems inevitable, unless there is a change of heart, that an acrimonious AGM lies ahead. In my view, the AGM will not be decisive irrespective of its outcome. A continued polarisation is what I was desperately trying to avoid. For the avoidance of doubt and to avoid speculation I advise that Paul Murray and Sandy Easdale both displayed a constructive and flexible attitude during my discussions with them." King has long maintained that personal enmities and rivalries have held back the progress of the club. He has attempted to override those issues, but some shareholders are entrenched. Murray and Jim McColl, who is backing the institutional shareholders with his expertise and contacts, hope to be able to reveal the beneficial shareholders behind Blue Pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings, having made a legal request to the club for the information. Sandy Easdale currently holds the proxy for their votes. Despite briefings to the contrary, King would also not encounter any difficulties with being approved as a director of a publicly listed company. He has settled his dispute with the South African Revenue Service, having agreed to pay £45m in tax arrears, and fines totalling around £700,000 after he was convicted of 41 breaches of the Income Tax Act. All fraud charges were dropped by the state. King continues to be executive chairman of Micromega, his investment firm that is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, which is a competent jurisdiction. Any board appointment needs to be ratified by the nominated advisor - Daniel Stewart - that managers RIFC's listing on the Alternative Investment Market, and also by the SFA. As part of his disclosure to the nomad, King included a letter from SARS stating that they consider him a fit and proper person to hold a directorship in a plc, and supporting his bid to become a director of Rangers. This letter would also be part of any future submission to the SFA, who have their own fit and proper person criteria, which is reviewed by the professional game board. King would also argue that his time spent on the board under Craig Whyte's ownership, leading up to administration, was spent trying to hold the owner to account, for which he has a lengthy and instructive paper trail. King also stressed that he did not believe that Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive who sits on the PGB, would not unduly influence the decision. "I also take the opportunity to disassociate myself from the speculative and misinformed press coverage around my fit and proper status," King said. "Let me make my position clear. The settlement of my legal disputes in South Africa was concluded on a basis that has no effect whatsoever on my ability to serve as a director of companies. I presently sit on the board of many companies, including serving as Executive Chairman of a main board stock exchange listed company in South Africa. I have confirmed with my UK attorneys that the legal position is no different in the UK. That leaves only the subjective elements that would apply to any person joining a public company board or becoming involved in a football club under the auspices of the SFA. "I am fully alert to key questions that are likely to be put to me and I am confident that my responses will be persuasive. However, at this point I have not approached the SFA other than my discussion in 2012 to establish what the elements of the fit and proper test would be. The SFA is clearly not in a position to consider an application that I have not yet made. Such an application would only happen if I am able to reach an in principle agreement to become actively involved in the club's affairs - as is my continued stated intention. At the request of the NOMAD, I have supplied a letter from the South African Revenue Services confirming that they see no difficulty with me continuing to sit on the board of companies. Again, however, due to my inability to make immediate progress it is not necessary to engage further with the NOMAD at this time. When the time arises there may be other questions I have to respond to. I will do so on request. "I further do not believe that the CEO of Celtic FC attempted to negatively pre-empt any application that I might make to the SFA. I have complete confidence that the SFA will judge any future application on its merits as would be done for any person." King will now watch events in and around Ibrox with interest. As the one figure who unites the fans and has almost unanimous backing, King's temporary withdrawal is likely to fuel further protests at tonight's Scottish Cup tie against Airdrie at Ibrox. Fans are growing increasingly angry with the board, and the realisation that certain shareholders are preventing consensus will further infuriate them. King will continue to offer that alternative, though. "I thank every person that I met for maintaining confidentiality about the details of each meeting," King said. "I thank the media for their patience when being met with a repeated 'no comment' from me. I appreciate the importance to the community of what is happening at Rangers but I believe that the best interests of the club will not be facilitated by playing it out in the media. Over the last two years we have all witnessed the destructive value when individuals, who should be putting the club first, advance personal agendas through the media in an attempt to influence the most important stakeholder in Rangers Football Club - the fans. The result is the polarisation of interests that we are experiencing and the loss of valuable time and money in preparing the club to be competitive with our Glasgow neighbours, and other teams, when we return to the top flight of Scottish football - as we surely will. Thankfully the manager continues to make progress through the leagues despite the distractions he has had to deal with."

Manchester City are eyeing Celtic goalkeeper Frather Forthter as doubts continue to grow over Joe Hart’s future. City boss Manuel Pellegrini was already toying with the idea of buying another shot-stopper in the new year, but that has been boosted with Hart’s recent run of costly errors. And top of the wish list is Celtic ace Forster – who will be tracked by City scouts in the coming weeks as the club line up an offer for the 25-year-old. Manchester United and Barcelona are also known to hold an interest in Forster, who has sparkled for Celtic in both the SPL and Champions League in recent months. Celtic have already confirmed they are aware of huge interest in the player – and would not stand in his way if a top club came in for him. It’s thought the Bhoys would want at least £10million for their star man, but City could throw players into the deal to get the transfer done. http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/31/manchester-city-eye-celtic-goalkeeper-fraser-forster-as-joe-hart-replacement-4169065/

Here are the answers from Paul Murray on his Sons Of Struth Q&A session Do you foresee Frank Blin joining the rangers board should you gain power? I have huge respect for Frank Blin. For various reasons he decided to withdraw from the process. I would like to think that if we achieve a stable, competent Board then we can have a further conversation with him about a role. Who are the individuals hiding behind the corporate unknowns that are BPH and Margarita? I don't know who the beneficial shareholders behind Blue Pitch and Margarita are. If the Board wish to rebuild trust with the supporters then they should disclose this information asap. If they will not then you have to ask why? What do they have to hide? What guarantees can he give the support that we will have sustainable spending & what level of income does he foresee should the requisitioners be voted in ? First of all we have to maximise all revenue streams open to the Club. This will be the job of an experienced and capable CEO supported by the Board. We then have to balance our costs. We all want to be the most successful Club in Scotland but we must do it on a sustainable basis. It is not rocket science. During my 4 years on the Board previously we reduced the debt from £35m to £16m whilst winning 3 successive SPL championships. We did that by running the Club on a break-even basis based on domestic revenues with any European income being used as an "investment fund" to pay down debt or invest. There is no reason why that cannot be done again but we need a top class executive management team to achieve that. What has happened to Allistair Johnston will he be back on board. Again I have huge respect for AJ. I speak with him quite often but there are no plans to bring him back on to the Board. Most fans will agree the current squad is far too big and the wage budget is excessive, how does he plan to address this? It is a balance. We have to run a tight ship but we also have to invest so that we are ready for the SPL as and when we get there. I think we also have to be smarter where we spend our money eg we have allowed our scouting network to disintegrate. One of our plans is to invest to restore an effective scouting network How many new directors and what are their business background We have proposed 4 new non-executive directors. I have financial and investment skills. Malcolm Murray has extensive City connections. Scott Murdoch has property skills and Alex Wilson can help us rebuild the organisation structure of the Club which has been allowed to wither. More importantly we will look to appoint a top class CEO and CFO and we have candidates identified and ready to go. Do you think the banner protests are a good way to keep pressure on the board and should we keep them up until the AGM I think protests are fine as long as they are peaceful. We live in a democracy and it is entirely appropriate for people to express their views. Will he make sure Stockbridge and his cohorts have no links whatsoever to rangers using other rangers linked companies i.e GARRION security and rangers retail,rangers media etc as Stockbridge is still a shareholder in these companies right now and benefits personally We will have a policy that no Board members have financial interests in any Club contracts or other conflicts of interests. Does he plan to introduce a self imposed wage cap in line with turnover ratio? Almost all fans will agree the current wage bill is far too high, how does he intend address this See my previous answer on revenues and costs. I don't think a blanket cap is necessarily the right approach but clearly you have to balance the books. Will Paul Murray and co stop paying out bonuses to board members regards results on the park All Board members should have their remuneration bench-marked. In line with every other business I have ever been involved with any bonuses should only be paid for performance against sensible measures. Michael Grover Mr Murray you don't know me but you know of me.I sit in my seat in Copland Rear every home game where as a boy and through my youth stood supporting my team. I have responded to every "Clarion Call"to assist my club and have done to the best of my ability. As you probably realise I am not a young man and Rangers has been a big part of my life. The last 18 months has been a roller coaster event for our club and I don't want it repeated. I along with others have taken the decision to assist in handing out leaflets and protesting within our Stadium as part of the action group known as the Sons of Struth. What can you say and do now to reassure me that the future of Rangers is safe and I will not, after the AGM be back to taking peaceful direct action against you and the Board? Michael Grover: Michael, the issue in question here is re-establishing trust between the Board and the fans. The one thing that you can trust 100% with all of our group is that we will ALWAYS act in the best interests of the Club. The Club's interests must always come first. That has not been the case in the last couple of years and that has been a fundamental issue. Can we find out why the IPO cost so much and why?and who benefited from this vast overpayment also why was £5.7M written off using the IPO as an excuse? There has basically been a lack of transparency across the board with the level of IPO costs just one example. We will undertake to examine all "excessive" payments and see whether there can be any recovery for the Club. Do you envisage a second share issue diluting the current holdings? The Club will need to raise more capital so there will need to be at least one further share issue. To maximise the proceeds it is critical that there is a credible Board with a credible business plan in place. On that basis iam sure that there will be an appetite from existing and new investors. Will he ask for criminal charges to be brought if any wrongdoing with regards to money passing between green white and duff&phelps is seen to have occurred. I think the best and most effective agencies to examine this are the Police and BDO, the liquidators of the old company. Will he protect the good name of the club whenever it is being sullied? I think we have to defend the Club but also take a positive role in leading Scottish football. We are a massive and critical part of the game in Scotland and we have to play our part in helping shape it. Alan Flockhart Can u pass on the gratitude of the decent fans to Paul and the others in his group, hopefully one day his efforts are rewarded and we have a clean club again. One question I would like to ask, his thoughts on long term fan ownership? Thanks SOS I have said publicly that there should be proper representation for supporters. We would plan to canvass the fans to understand what they want and what is workable. As regards ownership I think an effective model would be to have say a small number of high net worth individuals owning say 30%, the fans owing 10-15% with the balance held by financial institutions. We also plan to introduce a Rangers Constitution that all directors would have to sign. This will set out our core values. As part of that exercise we intend to canvass the shareholders about putting Ibrox into a "trust" structure so that it is legally protected from any future sale. The club have been using Jack Irvine and Media House for “PR” for a long time. Would a new board carry on employing them? I think Jack Irvine should consider his position after we come to the end of this process. Will Paul and the group he represents ensure complete openness & traceability in their investors etc Transparency is key and has been sadly missing in the last couple of years. We will always ensure that we are open and transparent and that is why we are seeking full disclosure on who is behind Blue Pitch and Margarita. What kind of wages will the directors receive will everything be transparent the way yourself has asked for See my previous answer to this. Our group have no desire to make money from RFC. We are all custodians of the Club with the aim being to enhance it for the next generation. Will his group look at the amount of consultants still employed at the club earning vast sums and billing the club over inflated costs!. It will be the CEO's job to review all third party contracts and relationships and ensure that the Club is getting the best "value for money". As I said before we would have a policy that no directors have interests in any of the Club's contracts. Does he plan on working with king ? And also what's his views on the easdales involvement and would he consider working with them ? Iam supportive of Dave King, who I served on a Board with for 4 years. As regards the Easedales I think that they should disclose who they represent. That would go a long way to building trust with the fans on their intentions. Would you be willing to address the issues facing our disabled supporters and in particular wheelchair users and look into the amount of able bodied carers on the committee of the rangers disabled supporters club as it seem an uneven balance against disabled on the board, I would obviously be more than happy to address the rights and issues surrounding our disabled supporters. Taken from FF

[Coming soon]

RANGERS fans supremo Drew Roberton today called on the Paul Murray and Jim McColl camp to deliver the knockout blow to the under-fire Ibrox board. The Light Blues hierarchy are on the ropes after the departure of chief executive Craig Mather and directors Ian Hart and Bryan Smart in recent weeks. With multi-millionaire businessman McColl's backing, Murray and three shareholders - former chairman Malcolm Murray, Scott Murdoch and Alex Wilson - are attempting to win places on the Gers board. And Rangers Supporters Association chief Roberton, below, urged the group to spell out their vision for the future after McColl's TV appearance yesterday. He said: "They need to give the fans something more and put a really strong message across. "The board knocked themselves out recently and Mather was finished after Paul Murray's court win. But I would've liked Mr McColl to have given the fans something new and have one final push. I don't think Mr McColl revealed anything new in that interview. "I appreciate there has to be a certain amount of confidentiality. "I would seriously doubt that there are any fans that don't believe that change is necessary. "I have no doubt that they are in it for the benefit of Rangers as opposed to themselves. "At the moment, Jim McColl and the requisitioners are the only show in town. "But I wouldn't like to think they are going along on that basis and because they are the only alternative to the current board." McColl's rare public appearance came hours after Rangers began the search for Mather's replacement as CEO. The businessman confirmed former Liverpool supremo Christian Purslow is interested in a role at Ibrox, but Roberton doesn't expect the position to be filled in the near future. He said: "We need experienced, qualified people running the club and Christian Purslow certainly fits that bill. The advert has gone out for a new chief executive, are the board going to appoint someone before the AGM? "Who in their right mind would apply for the position at the minute with the turmoil that is still going on and the AGM still to be held? "Why have the club advertised it now? Mr Stockbridge and the Easdales must believe they have enough support from the shareholders and that they will still be there in the long-term. "But I would doubt they will be inundated with applications, and from the type of people that the fans want on the board, while the turmoil is ongoing at the club." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/gers-fans-chief-urges-mccoll-camp-to-land-knockout-blow-on-board-141211n.22575622

When the cracks open, the light gets in. NO one likes admitting they are lost. We’ve all took a punt at a crossroads and ploughed on, only to have that growing gnawing feeling we’re going further in the wrong direction. When you start seeing cows rather than buildings it finally dawns on you there’s nothing else for it, you’ll need to go back. Turning round is sore for the ego – but a far better option than charging on into the wilderness. Let’s face it, this new-but-really-the-same Scottish football set-up is heading in the wrong direction. We need to go back. I know the idea of going back to reconstruction talks is about as appetising as a roll ‘n’ cowpat but whether we like it or not we have to take another bite. It’s just isn’t working. The Premiership is all over before Halloween. Talk about scary. We might as well hold the end-of-season dance this weekend. The title race is over. Not that it ever really started. Same in League One. Relegation is pretty much a done deal in the top division as well. Even Hearts fans know they have more important battles to win. All that’s left is heavily-weighted relegation play-offs and the scrap to see what teams get to start pre-season the earliest to prepare for a European tie in deepest darkest Belarus. Not great is it? And we can’t say it hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Christmas decorations will be getting dug out soon and we still don’t have a title sponsor. Big companies won’t touch our game with a bargepole. They’re not interested and it won’t be long before everyone else feels the same. The one positive from those endless meetings in the last 18 months is we have one body in charge. It’s as easy to change the format of our leagues now as it is to change the curtains at Hampden, so let’s just do it. Fans have constantly been told we can’t afford a bigger top flight but wait and see, it won’t be long before we’re told we can’t afford not to have one. It doesn’t take the gift of second sight to see what’s around the corner. Scottish football is heading back down the rabbit hole. Next season we are likely to have a First Division – or Championship in new money – that includes Rangers and Hearts. Dunfermline could be in there too as well as St Mirren or Kilmarnock. Chuck in Falkirk, Hamilton, Dundee and others and it’s going to look like a mirror image of the division above. There will be weekends when attendances in the second tier outnumber the first, which would be bonkers. Scottish football will never have a better chance to have a bash at a bigger top flight again. So let’s just go for it. Ram the top two divisions together and do the same with the bottom two. Have a top 20 and bottom 22. Can’t hurt to have a go. I’d bet there would be a queue of sponsors who put down the bargepoles and get all touchy-feely. The Old Firm would be back. We’d have derbies in Edinburgh, Dundee, Fife and the Highlands. A 38-game campaign and freedom to play without constant fear of the drop, no split and a proper spread of money. Tempting, isn’t it? Ah, but... of course there’s a but. The undoubted howls of protest. It’s a leg-up for Rangers and a bailout for Hearts, they’ll say. Well, they’ll need to grow up. Rangers have had two years on the naughty step. It’s time to let them back in. If we need to wallop Hearts further to appease the rest then we can take more points off them next year too if need be. But what would be the point? There’s been enough self-harm in Scotland. There’s time to mend wounds and patch up the product. We’re all in this together. We need to turn round before it’s too late to find our way back. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/michael-gannon-scottish-football-never-2659293

We'll see. RANGERS fans are set to find out who the mystery money men behind Blue Pitch and Margarita Holdings are this week. The group of shareholders hoping to seize control at Ibrox has responded to appeals by the main Gers supporters organisations after holding talks with them last week. The requisitioners, led by wealthy businessman Jim McColl, have taken legal action to discover the identities of the anonymous investors. The findings are currently being scrutinised by McColl's lawyers and they are poised to make make the information public within days. Blue Pitch and Margarita, who own over 10 per cent of the Glasgow giants between them were part of the takeover fronted by Charles Green last year. They have backed the two remaining directors, Sandy Easdale and Brian Stockbridge, in the ongoing power struggle at Rangers. The support of Blue Pitch and Margarita could possibly be enough to keep Easdale and Stockbridge on the board in a vote at a future AGM. The AGM scheduled to be held on October 24 was postponed after the requisitioners won an action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. No alternative date has been arranged for the meeting - despite an offer to pay for the venue by businessmen Rangers fans. Meanwhile, Peter Lawwell has hinted that he would excuse himself if he felt there was a conflict of interest in his position on the SFA board of directors. South African businessman Dave King is seeking to become chairman of Rangers. But the Scot will need approval from the SFA that he is a "fit and proper" candidate to be charged with the running of a Scottish football club. His return requires ratification from the SFA board, which Lawwell is now a key part of. The Celtic chief executive was reluctant to be ushered into a conversation and the possibilities of the vote. However, he did suggest that he would not be present if he felt compromised making the decision. He said: "My main interest is Celtic, to promote and maximise the interests of Celtic and maximise it's potential. That's my prime concern in life. "But I wouldn't have taken the job on the SFA board if I felt the two couldn't be aligned. "There are areas where there will be conflict, no question, like the Scottish Cup Final, where there were other bidders. I would excuse myself in terms of the final decision. "I will do the job properly. There will be sensitive issues, but I don't think there will be too many where I would be conflicted. "There's maybe one or two coming up, but that would be SFA board business and not for today." Elsewhere, the SPFL have confirmed that the Ramsdens Cup Final between Rangers and Raith Rovers will be held at Easter Road in Edinburgh on Sunday, April 6, next year. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/mobile/rangers/lid-to-be-lifted-on-gers-secret-backers-141092n.22568121

Afternoon Gentlemen, Listen I'm a bit of a history nerd at times and I like my Football tactics, so I've always been fascinated with a lot of the older formations and philosophies. Are any of you, with respect, old enough to remember the above formation ? If so I'd appreciate the info. I've read a few articles online about the games that featured the 2,3,5 but they don't really tell you much other than it was engineered to be more geared towards team work instead of individual flair. I'm hoping to replicate it on the up coming Football Manager 14, but before that I'm going to need some of the roles explained to me etc etc.

Ringing fugitive on Interpol wanted list not unusual in new world of Rangers KEITH tells how trying to make contact with a man on Interpol's most wanted list is hardly unusual in the weird world which Rangers now inhabit. IT’S not every week you speak to someone on Interpol’s most wanted list. In fact, after 20-odd years writing about football for a living, this was something of a first. Not that it was actually much of a conversation. “Hello, Mr Rizvi,” “Hello, who is this?” “Keith Jackson from the Daily Record newspaper in Glasgow, I want to speak to you about your involvement in Blue Pitch Holdings.” “I think you have the wrong number my friend, I would ahem (click)...” “Mr Rizvi? Rafat? Hello?” “BEEEEEEEEEEEP!” That was about the size of it. Hardly earth-shattering stuff. In fact, the only truly remarkable thing about this conversation is that it needed to take place at all. But this is the way of it at Rangers in 2013 – this club has long since disappeared through the looking glass. Vanished into a world which is as much about the fugitives as it is about the football. I phoned straight back but Rafat Rizvi, or whatever this plummy-voiced gentleman calls himself these days, didn’t answer. So I followed up with a text message, offering to speak on or off the record and pointing out that the identities of those anonymous investors behind Blue Pitch and Margarita Holdings were likely to be made public soon. Again, no response. Perhaps he was just busy. Then again, perhaps men who are on the run from the authorities over a £600million bank fraud, facing a potential death penalty in Indonesia, don’t do protracted conversations. Not with press men at any rate. Which would be fair enough were it not for the fact the future of Rangers hangs in the balance all over again and that there are many thousands of supporters out there who are beside themselves with worry and who are asking for one simple thing from their club, the truth. Remember that? It’s not easy where Rangers are concerned. This is a club which currently employs more spin doctors than it does directors, a business which is engulfed in a cloud of its own toxicity. A company which attempts to confuse its own customers with an unrelenting barrage of spin and counter-spin. The truth? So many lies and so much misinformation has been spread in the name of Rangers that the truth has become a complete stranger. It has been twisted and distorted to such an extent that it has become almost unrecognisable. And it has to stop, for the sake of the fans and for the greater good of the Scottish game in general. It is time for Rangers to reconnect with the truth. Which is why it would have been nice had Rizvi stayed on the phone for a longer chat. He might have been able to clear up many of the issues which continue to distress these supporters and cause them sleepless nights. Just who are Blue Pitch for example? These mysterious offshore backers of Charles Green, who financed the Yorkshireman’s takeover, buying up Ibrox and Murray Park for a £5.5m snip thanks to the stupendous generosity of administrators Duff and Phelps. It would also have been of interest to ask Mr Rizvi, a long-standing associate of Green and shamed former commercial director Imran Ahmad, if he could shed any light on some of the names of those behind the equally mysterious Margarita. Between them, Blue Pitch and Margarita hold a 15 per cent stake in the club and their voting power – which has been handed over by proxy to the Easdale Brothers – could swing the balance whenever this club finally allows its shareholders to vote on the make-up of the boardroom at its long awaited agm. Could it be that Brian Stockbridge, for example, is to be found standing behind Margarita’s door? Just asking because if the financial director was to be among these penny-a-share investors then it’s no wonder they are attempting to block the changes that would ultimately lead to Stockbridge’s removal from power. Right? Here’s another thing. Did you know Stockbridge and James Easdale last week signed off on a robustly worded warning to the club’s entire workforce, making it clear that information leaks from inside Ibrox will not be tolerated? That’s right. Stockbridge, who infamously filmed former chairman Malcolm Murray worse for wear at the end of a long night out, and Easdale, who endorsed the return of a certain spin doctor to the club. The hypocrisy is mind boggling. In fact, it smacks of yet another hamfisted and ever so slightly sinister attempt to suppress the truth. The fact that their internal memo has already been leaked out on to the internet is a delicious irony. Much has gone on behind the scenes of this club in recent times which defies belief. Senior, trusted and hugely respected figures have been horribly intimidated. These people too have a story to tell. Just like Rizvi. It would do Rangers a world of good if one day the whole truth emerges from this distasteful debacle, no matter how unpleasant or even inconvenient that truth might be. The truth is all that can pull Rangers back from this world through the looking glass and allow it to look at itself in the mirror once again.

Thisis lifted from FF thread on a DR story running today re Paul Murray and the AGM, from someone who has read that story, emboldment mine: ============== "Christian Purslow still lined up to be new chief executive. New financial director is in place but no names are revealed. Murray stating he has a team ready to go to work. Murray and Mccoll's legal team have also secured the identities of the figures behind Blue pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings, they will be revealed by tomorrow. ===============

For your Sunday morning consideration. Just like the best newspaper keech, brought to you the night before! Unseeing seems to be the order of the day, alright. From the lights going out at Ross County, to the media blackout of celtc's 'Oranje Bastard' ditty, to media and SFA Prophets of a New Dawn, proclaiming Great Days Ahead. Those of you who played the music above will no doubt be reflecting on the stirring, rousing tune which inspired so much hope, fear and ultimately despair, as the Soviet Union sank from revolution to eventual collapse in 1991. I imagine those with no time for the doctrine of Marx and Engels can concede that, coming from Tsarist Russia, it was a noble attempt, even if it failed in gallons of the blood of its own people. What does this have to do with Rangers, I hear you ask? Hunners. Images of the old Soviet Union rushed back into my mind last week when the Pacific Quay CSC, in a move of unparalleled daftness even for them, decided to ask Jim Spence to cover the latest Rangers story; and then Josef Vissaronovitch Rhegan himself emerged on the back on some decent results for the national team to laud his latest useless initiatives. Perhaps Spence was being tested to see if the he could actually manage to report on Rangers without being inaccurate; perhaps it was to punish the listeners by making them listen to his awful ,stuttery, regional accent more than usual; perhaps it was an 'up you' to the Rangers fans who apparently lined themselves up with those other emblems of totalitarianism, the Nazis and the Stasi, by invoking the feared, Gestapo like tactic of emailing the BBC complaints department. Many of the survivors of world war two have, now you think about it, mentioned in their memoir the resemblance between the BBC and the authoritarian regimes they had help destroy, so this should come as little surprise. Who can forget Airey Neave's classic 'Colditz? A Holiday Camp Compared to the Beeb', or Douglas Bader's 'No Legs is Nothing Compared to No Freedom at the BBC'. Anyhow, those images of communist days. As a young leftie, I often watched with open jaw as representatives of the USSR came on the screen to tell us how everything there was wonderful and the western media were lying. That this was so obviously untrue left one wondering what it was they were trying to do; and the obvious answer was, of course, that they were trying to cover up the truth. Those old enough to recall the Chernobyl disaster will perhaps also remember the special, English language edition of Pravda which was on sale in Britain, and which sought to limit the consequences of this aged nuclear reactor blowing up to roughly akin to those of Kirk Broadfoot microwaving his breakfast. No-one was fooled. All the more nostalgic then, that Soviet Jim Spence should wind up his piece last week with a heartfelt op ed about how wonderful things were in the Scottish footballing garden, and that only Rangers were kept inside, locked in a permanent argument with its mum and not being allowed out to join in. Pravda got nothing on you, boy. No doubt the fans of Dunfermline & Hearts, going through their own miseries, felt a trifle piqued at being lumped in with the everybody happy! gang. It's unlikely many premiership treasurers are licking their lips at the thought of Hamilton winning the championship and bringing the bonanza that is the Accies travelling support (last home games, attendances 1,113 against Raith and 1,059 against LIvingstone) to the behemoth that is the SPFLP. Big Money!!! Kilmarnock fans, fighting their board to see who can hurt their club the most, might take issue with his comments; it goes on and on. Aberdeen close stands; the game is vibrant, apparently. celtc hide empty swathes of seats with banners; never been better! If only Pravda still existed, a job would be made for Spence instantly. The lights going out at Ross County during their game against ICT the other week says it all - if you don't want to see it, you don't need to see it. You can't help but think of Zaphod Beeblebrox's 'danger glasses' in The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which black out whenever danger threatens. Cool facewear, and great writing, but no basis to plan the future of the game. And what about us? A tartan version of Trotsky, exiled to the Mexico that is the fourth division, one can sense the ice-picks being readied lest we attempt to get back to what it known, apparently without irony, as the top of Scottish football. This expression seems to me to be akin to trying to find the top of your arsehole, but let that pass. The terror among some media commentators lest someone with money to invest get inside the doors of Ibrox is palpable; Rangers, the betamax to the SPFL's VHS, the Oracle to it's Teletext, the Scott Brown, if you will, to their Mezsut Ozil, are going to face some serious barricades which are being hastily erected to hold us back. Red Rhegan has broken his recent and extremely welcome media silence to re-assure the fans of other clubs that should Dave King try to get a job at Rangers, well, blimey, he will certainly have a good look at it and by gum, there will be no hiding places! Only the best of people for us! No doubt we'll all sleep better tonight knowing Stewart is looking out for us. Only a churl would recall his total lack of action when not one but two shysters bought our club, and conclude that he's more afraid of Rangers getting themselves organised than he is of any more damage to the club. We certainly have our problems and some our fans are probably as blinkered as Spence on some issues. But at least we don't pull the commissar's cap down over our eyes and insist that paradise is just around the corner. The bad news for Rhegan and his media mouthpieces is that our eyes are well and truly open now...we see you, and we know what we're looking at.

The irony of the Hitler loving Daily Mail, the oddity of years old photographs being used for a story near Remembrance Day 2013 aside - this is causing huge damage to us. It's already been on Sky and reference made to "Rangers' supporters salute" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477639/SHAMEFUL-Fury-UK-soldiers-investigated-performing-Nazi-style-salute-Helmand.html

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/former-celtic-chairman-brian-quinn-s-uefa-financial-role-1-2386596

Did I hear this correctly today? If so, could Rhegan tell us what the SFA did to prevent Craig Whyte getting ownership of Rangers two and a half years ago? Despite warnings about Whyte's background from the likes of AJ and Jeff Randall the SFA sat back and allowed Whyte to get his hands on Rangers and we all know how that ended up. Did Whyte make any such prior application to the SFA ? If so can we see it? Or did Liewell & his PGB call the shots & allow Whyte ownership knowing what was likely to happen as that would benefit Liewell's club ? So what's changed regards Dave King ? is it because his arrival at Rangers & subsequent investment might be of considerable benefit to Rangers that an 'application' now has to be made ? Do some people at the SFA not like the thought of Rangers returning to the top of Scottish football? Also has the fat,sweaty, bespectacled lawyer been working behind the scenes to change the rules? King's arrival yesterday certainly seemed to concern the usual suspects in the mhedia. English for one.

Taken from FF Sectarian Songs that are now being targetted by the Focus group include Include - Carsons Army (We're the volunteers of the UVF) Build My Gallows (Altogether for the YCV - Described as being not the YCV of the 1916 WW but the right wing youth element of the UVF?!) Fathers Advice (**** Bobby Sands he's Deid is now being classed as sectarian) No Pope of Rome (no nuns and no priests **** yer rosery beads) Focus are filming the crowd and if you are identified and witnessed singing these songs you will be arrested for this Im not wishing to dicuss the rights and wrongs of this, to me the whole world has gone PC mad, Ive spoken to admin about how I got the information and thought it was only right I try and warn fellow Supporters. ----------------------------

Q&A Summary of Meeting With Jim McColl Official Statement - POSTED ON OCTOBER 25, 2013 Meeting – Attendees – Jim McColl, Malcolm Murray & Paul Murray plus representatives from Rangers Supporters Trust, Rangers Supporters Association, Rangers Supporters Assembly and NARSA – Clyde Blowers – East Kilbride 4.00 24/10/2013 Paul Murray gave a brief introduction on why the group represented had come together and Jim McColl listed a number of serious concerns they all shared about a lack of corporate governance and financial transparency. The purpose of the meeting however was to afford the representatives of the fans groups the opportunity to get answers to specific questions. Questions had been collated under 3 Core Themes Immediate Issues Future Plans, Investment and Operations Fan Ownership Immediate Issues The perception that amongst the fans groups represented is that there is perhaps 50% general support for the group and 50% who at this time are not : The hosts were asked to tell us a bit about their team and why fans should support each? Paul Murray and Malcolm Murray briefly explained their backgrounds much of which was seen as commonly known. The other 2 people nominated for Board positions were spoken about: Alex Wilson Has a wide ranging skill set in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations A history of working with very senior people at a number of Blue Chip organisations Extensive experience in managing operational changes at large organisations Alex has multiple season tickets for Ibrox and has been a long term fan Would be invaluable in building a new organisation and structure at Rangers Scott Murdoch Has a major interest in property management One of the largest portfolios in UK Major involvement in the London market Also operates in New York & Hong Kong Has been London based for 25/30 years Scott has been a lifelong Rangers fan He has extensive commercial contacts in a number of global brand companies At this time the hosts were asked to comment on the question of securing Ibrox Stadium and Auchenhowie and if they would consider an asset lock on them? They confirmed they would take steps to do that – this would entail consultation with the shareholder base. They spoke about Rangers Directors being bound by a constitution established to do just that and to also constrain future Boards from for example borrowing beyond agreed levels. The Financial Position – there were lots of questions on this: Have you a current view or a plan to do a detailed health check? How serious a threat do you consider there is of Admin 2? Do you envisage a short-term need for refinancing and how will you deal with it? Are you for or against resolutions 9 & 10 and why? Would you deal again with Ticketus? The hosts have detailed views on financial issues but their main concern is to create a structure at The Club led by a quality CEO. They have identified and had discussions with a suitable candidate who they believe would work with them. They have also targeted a highly credible Head of Finance. Making such high profile appointments will they believe gain further support from the major financial institutions invested in Rangers. They are satisfied that this will help in securing further investment if and when required. The business will have a very credible executive management who will not only look over the recent past forensically but implement robust business and financial plans. The football operation will be able to focus on developing the team and on the field performance. It was the group’s view that there is no real likelihood of a further administration nor did they see any issue over short term financing. Resolutions 9 & 10 are not hugely unusual but at this time they agreed with the questioners that this was not appropriate for Rangers. Ticketus are not part of any future plans. AGM – It was stated that Rangers fans generally feel they have a lack of information from all sides and again a number of specifics were posed: Have you had recent dialogue with any of the other main parties and do you envisage any of them being involved in the future? Daniel Stewart – yes in trying to speed up the AGM process and they are still trying to progress this. Paul Murray stated that AGM could be held somewhere other than Ibrox and has someone willing to pay for an alternate venue. The current Executive Directors of Rangers – not recently Dave King – yes and meetings are planned over the next few days. Nothing specific has yet been agreed with him. Martin Bain – Paul Murray has a business relationship with Martin but the group have no intention of inviting his involvement with Rangers Mike Ashley – not recently What do you think about the possibility of shares being suspended? Jim McColl suggested that such an action if taken by AIM would only be to protect shareholders What are your views on the date of the AGM? Disappointed that since the Court of Session ruling it seems that the current Directors are trying to delay it – they would like it to be held as soon as proper governance would allow. Future Plans, Investment & Operations Plans Members of the Rangers support many of whom are shareholders are rightly concerned to be comfortable with plans going forward and a series of questions were raised in this respect: Have you considered how to deal with and can you share your thinking on matters like Scouting Maintenance Operational budgets Media & PR Will you examine contracts entered into on such as Security, retail and catering – will you share your findings? Yes on both counts but that will be part of the detailed implementation of agreed business plans. The Club has suffered of late from the lack of proper plans and not having a scouting network for example. It may not be appropriate to report every change implemented by the executive management of The Club. One of the key responsibilities of a CEO will be to examine and renegotiate any contracts that are not to his satisfaction in serving the best interests of The Club. Have you identified and can you share info on potential future investors? There are a number of prospective investors. The Institutions have indicated future support if a suitable structure is put in place. A number of individuals are considered prospective investors under the same pre-requisite. How do you propose to get The Club back to the pinnacle of Scottish Football and playing competitively in Europe – do you have a timescale? What differentiates you and your 5-year vision from the current Directors? Establishing a strong management structure that gains respect and support from the market will be the first critical step. Fan Ownership There were a lot of questions on this topic a lot of questions on this: Have you already considered this issue in detail? Will you publically back a fan ownership scheme – a 50+1 deal? What timescale would that be likely to take? Will you work with supporters to develop this concept? Will you also show a care of duty to supporters like Borrusia D? How quickly if/after you are elected will you devote serious reported efforts to this end? The intention is firmly to work towards proper fan involvement. All three of the hosts confirmed their support for this. The nitty gritty detail needs to be addressed but a future shareholder structure where Financial Institutions, High Net Worth Individuals and Individual Fans and Fans Organisations all had significant holdings would be welcomed. The group would canvass the support for input before anything was implemented. There is a very positive view of Rangers in the City and the relative value gap between for example Manchester United and Rangers was perceived to be considerably less than the current relative values of the businesses. Likely changes to football in Europe and North America over the next few years are likely to benefit a big club such as Rangers. The way German football was completely restructured over 10 years demonstrates that massive change takes time. Nobody wants or supports extensive borrowing by The Club – that model has clearly and consistently been proved to be a seriously flawed one. The group stated that they want to build trust between the Board and all of the stakeholders in The Club and they believe the best way to do that is by appointing quality people. They stated that doing that (and reiterated that they believe they have identified such individuals) ensures financial support will follow. Close Jim McColl, Paul Murray & Malcolm Murray stated that they have dealt with all sorts of blockages but that they have and will stick with their plans to introduce changes. They welcome future dialogue and involvement with Fans. They want to re-establish Rangers as the most successful Club in Scotland but to do it on a sustainable basis. They want the AGM to proceed as soon as possible. It was agreed that minutes of the meeting would be produced as quickly as possible – approved by the attendees and circulated amongst the Rangers support.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/barry-ferguson-saw-scottish-fans-2528944 YOU need a thick skin to be a professional football player. If you’re going to fall to pieces when fans scream abuse at you then you’re in the wrong game. But there are occasions when lines are crossed and when behaviour becomes so disgusting it’s unacceptable. That line was crossed in Moscow the other night. It wasn’t the thickness of Yaya Toure’s skin that made him a target for the bampots in the CSKA support. It was the colour. And this is exactly the kind of incident that should get football stopped. I’m deadly serious, if UEFA have any intention of stamping racism out of the game they should hit the Russians hard and fast. Kick them out of the Champions League right now and show the world football takes a zero tolerance approach to morons who think making monkey noises at black players is just a harmless bit of fun. I take my hat off to Toure for being able to handle what was going on around him and to concentrate on playing football. If it was me I might have walked off the pitch, as Kevin Prince Boateng did last season during a friendly for AC Milan. Maybe if Toure and his Man City team-mates had done the same thing – bringing a Champions League game to a standstill – it would have forced the powers that be to hand out proper punishments. But I can’t blame the guy for dealing with it in his own way. He stayed out there, took everything they could throw at him and did not quit until the game was won and his team was heading home with three points. He left them with nothing and I have to say I really admire Toure for being so strong. The question now though is what exactly are UEFA going to do about it? They talk a lot about “fair play” and “respect” but it’s time for them to put up or shut up and to show Toure they’ve got his back. They have a chance to make a real difference. Handing out two bob fines or closing stadiums for a one-off game won’t wash. It is time for a clear message to be sent around the world there is no place in football for behaviour such as this – and I’m speaking as a guy who is not easily offended. In fact, I’m all for rival fans giving the other team pelters. I used to love walking off the Rangers bus outside Parkhead on Old Firm day. As soon as you popped your head out of the door you’d hear the Celtic fans screaming and booing. It was brilliant. I’d go so far as to say I thrived on it. The moment you walked off that bus the game head was on. There was something special about walking out into a stadium knowing 55,000 people hated your guts – but the other 5000 were standing shoulder to shoulder with you and your team-mates. It created a feeling we were all in it together and that brought the best out of me. If you’re going to s*** yourself at the thought of getting abused you’d be as well walking back to the bus. It’s a man’s game and I don’t recall any team-mate of mine quaking in his boots because they felt intimidated by any set of supporters. Yes, a few of the foreign lads might have had that “what’s going on here” look about them when they first played in an Old Firm game but for me this was just the way it was meant to be. But I remember one game when I felt a line was crossed. It happened at Ibrox shortly after the 9/11 atrocity when Claudio Reyna was at the club. Some halfwit at the front of the Celtic end made an aeroplane gesture when Claudio was over there taking a corner. That one was hard for us all to take. I had sat in the dressing room with Claudio on the day the World Trade Centre came down so I knew how devastated he was. He had friends who were in one of the towers so it hit him on a really personal level. So for some idiot to stand there, arms outstretched, trying to goad and mock him at a football game? No, that was completely unacceptable. But what was done to Toure was even more appalling. I remember 1988 when I was just nine years old and Mark Walters had signed for Rangers. I used to go and watch a lot of games back then because my brother was in the team. To this day I can still see those images in my head of bananas being thrown on to the pitch. I was a kid, I didn’t really understand what was going on. But looking back, it turns my stomach to think Scottish fans could have acted like that. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then. If such a thing happened in a British stadium today there would be a massive outcry. You just need to see the stick Roy Hodgson has taken for telling a joke about a monkey to see how seriously the subject of race is treated. That ridiculous episode should never have got further than the dressing-room walls. Andros Townsend didn’t take offence because it wasn’t racism. It was just a bad joke. But what went on in Moscow on Wednesday night really does deserve all of our outrage. I just hope UEFA have the courage to do the right thing.

http://www.therst.co.uk/meeting-with-paul-murray-and-jim-mccoll/

RANGERS’ surviving directors were last night linked with a dramatic move to bring former Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir on board in a bid to stem the tide of support swelling behind Jim McColl and Paul Murray’s attempt to take charge at Ibrox. McColl, a millionaire businessman, and former Rangers director Murray last night hosted a meeting with representatives of three leading supporters’ groups where the plans they outlined were positively received. Now it is understood the current directors at the club – finance director Brian Stockbridge and non-executive James Easdale, along with the latter’s brother Sandy who sits on the separate football board – are considering Longmuir as a potential new chief executive. Longmuir has been out of work since July when he lost out to former Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster for the role in charge of the new Scottish Professional Football League. The 48-year-old had been at the helm of the SFL since 2007, having previously spent 20 years working for multinational drinks firm Diageo. During his final two years at the SFL, which saw the fallout from Rangers’ financial collapse land in his lap when the SPL refused the liquidated club a place in the top flight, Longmuir was perceived by Ibrox supporters as more sympathetic to their plight than either Doncaster or SFA chief executive Stewart Regan. However, it is unclear if Longmuir would be interested in discussing a move to Rangers in the current circumstances. Last night’s meeting, held at McColl’s Clyde Blowers offices in East Kilbride, took place on the day Rangers had been due to hold their first annual general meeting since the club plunged into administration and liquidation last year. But the agm had to be postponed when McColl and Murray won a Court of Session ruling last week which declared the current board had been wrong to prevent them requisitioning for the removal of existing directors and appointment of new ones at the meeting. That prompted the resignation of Craig Mather as chief executive and departure of non-executive director Bryan Smart. Last night’s meeting lasted around three hours with members of the Rangers Supporters Trust, Rangers Supporters Assembly and Rangers Supporters Association quizzing McColl and Murray. Full details of the meeting will be released today but Andy Kerr, president of the Assembly, made it clear there was backing for McColl and Murray. “I think the majority of fans are behind this,” said Kerr. “It was a very successful meeting. The main purpose was to gather information and we have done that and we will share that in a meaningful format with the fans. We were quite happy with what we heard from Jim McColl and Paul Murray and the key now is to communicate that information. We will put it together in a Q and A format. “The AGM is going to be the pivot for all of this. We heard that a board is ready to go in and that a CEO and financial director are lined up and that was good to hear because it was something that was causing us anxiety. We have some level of assurance and heard nothing that has given us any concerns.” No new date has yet been set for the agm. Dave King, the South African-based former Rangers director, is expected in Glasgow this weekend as he looks to return to the club. It remains to be seen whether he will do so with the existing board or lend his support to the McColl-Murray group. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/rangers-board-linked-with-bid-to-recruit-longmuir-1-3156598