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Rangers in crisis ââ?¬â?? Douglas Park has spoken to director Dave King, but admits takeover is ââ?¬Ë?impossibleââ?¬â?¢ because of tax investigation For sale ââ?¬â?? but whoââ?¬â?¢s buying? Darrell King Share 0 comments 28 Apr 2010 Douglas Park, the businessman who has interests in several car *franchises and a coach company, last night confirmed he has spoken with Dave King, the South Africa-based *millionaire Rangers director who remains interested in taking over the club. Park told The Herald there was a ââ?¬Å?real willingnessââ?¬Â from several individuals who want to help the Ibrox club out of their financial plight. However, with the revelation that an HM Revenue and Customs investi*gation is ongoing into payments Rangers made into playersââ?¬â?¢ offshore trusts over the past decade, Park conceded there would have to be certain conditions agreed with Rangersââ?¬â?¢ owners, Murray Inter*national, and the clubââ?¬â?¢s bankers, Lloyds, before any deal could be done. The SPL championsââ?¬â?¢ debts are still hovering around the Ã?£30m mark, and the HMRC investigation could lead to a tax bill ââ?¬â?? the exact amount yet unknown ââ?¬â?? having to be met if the club is found to have a case to answer. When asked if he had held discussions with King over a potential buy-out, Park would only say: ââ?¬Å?I have had meetings with Dave King since January, but the contents of our discussions are private. There are people out there with a real willingness to put millions of pounds of their own money into the club to try to address the current situation and return the club to stability. However, unless certain conditions are met, it would be impossible for anything to proceed. ââ?¬Å?At the moment, the bank are in total control of the situation as the season-ticket money, and any Champions League money, comes in.ââ?¬Â Rangers are anxious to discover as soon as possible the bankââ?¬â?¢s plans for the biggest revenue stream into the club, season-ticket monies that annually amount to between Ã?£18m and Ã?£20m, with sources telling The Herald there are fears this money will be used to attack the overall debt as the wait for a new owner goes on. Last night, Rangers were guaranteed automatic entry to the Cham*pions League group stages next season after Bayern Munich overcame Lyon 0-4 on aggregate in France. The German side, along with Barcelona and Inter Milan, who contest the second semi-final tonight, are all guaranteed to play in the 2010/11 group phase courtesy of their domestic league positions and, therefore, an automatic position has been freed up for the champions of Scotland. There are people out there with a real willingness to put millions of pounds of their own money into the club to try to address the current situation and return the club to stability. However, unless certain conditions are met, it would be impossible for anything to proceed. Douglas Park This will generate revenue of around Ã?£15m for Rangers and, again, answers are being sought from the bank as to what will happen to that money, and how much will be put into the business plan for the season ahead. Rangers issued a statement last night denying that Champions League income ââ?¬Å?had already been ring-fenced by the bank to reduce the clubââ?¬â?¢s debtââ?¬Â. However, when our sister paper the Evening Times broke the story yesterday, their suggestion was that senior sources at the club feared the Champions League and season ticket money would be used to address debts, not that it had already been agreed. The statement added: ââ?¬Å?Discussions with the bank in relation to the business plan will take place in the coming weeks. The club would also like to reiterate once again that at no time has director Dave King made an offer for the purchase of Rangers.ââ?¬Â Manager Walter Smith has expressed fears since last October over the future of the club, but he will say nothing else on the financial situation, or his own contractual situation, until being informed by the board of what the business plan is. Smith is almost certainly unwilling to commit to another season at the helm if the club is going to continue downsizing. At the moment, with six players out of contract, *Rangers are scheduled to return for pre-*season training in July with a squad of 14 first-team players plus two goalkeepers. Of that number, three are young players in Danny Wilson, John Fleck and Andrew Little, while another is Andrius Velicka who is unlikely to be match-fit for the start of the season after nine months on the sidelines with a knee injury. They could be open to predators in the transfer market for players such as Madjid Bougherra, Steven Davis and Allan McGregor, with no guarantees that any money from sales will be allowed to fund replacements. There has been no scouting network in place because of the financial cutbacks over the past six months; while the pre-season tour planned for America, including a money-spinning Old Firm match against Celtic scheduled for Boston on July 21, *cannot be confirmed until a management team is in place for next season.

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Rangers chief Alastair Johnston insists that they want to tie boss Walter Smith down to a new contract. More...

Here's more; http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2010/04/28/rangers-hero-nacho-novo-tells-celtic-to-shut-those-mouths-after-accusing-rivals-of-season-of-moaning-86908-22217510/

The roars of the championship celebration may still echo in the ears of Walter Smith and his team, but the Rangers manager knows that something substantial has to be put into action at the club. And that must happen now, if not sooner. Smith is aware the planning for next season must start immediately. The football world continues to spin, but Rangers remain directionless. In the global world of football plc, if a side is not going forward, then it is going backwards. Standing still is not an option. The Rangers manager has serious concerns in the short-term. This morning, in a normal world without a Ã?£30m-plus debt, he would be sipping an Anadin-laced refreshment while planning to secure the future of players whose contracts are running down and assessing the possibilities of signing recruits. Instead, Smith has to stare at indecision. He craves movement. ââ?¬Å?For us, the financial situation is well-documented. If anybody wants to look at the business columns, youââ?¬â?¢ll see exactly what it is,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?But we have to handle the problems that weââ?¬â?¢re left with because of that situation. We can only handle that for so long. I would feel, right at the present moment, that the ââ?¬Ë?so longââ?¬â?¢ period is up. Unless something happens, then you canââ?¬â?¢t keep asking this same group to come back and play week-in, week-out.ââ?¬Â Smith then mounted an appeal for clarity and a speedy resolution to the present situation where a clear budget has not been drawn up for the manager. ââ?¬Å?If itââ?¬â?¢s going to be the bankââ?¬â?¢s plan, if itââ?¬â?¢s going to be a new owner, if there is something else that comes along ââ?¬â?? a supportersââ?¬â?¢ buy-out or whatever ââ?¬â?? we donââ?¬â?¢t need it in a monthââ?¬â?¢s time,ââ?¬Â he said, stressing the immediacy of the crisis confronting him. ââ?¬Å?I can only have an opinion on how long it can be allowed to drift. And Iââ?¬â?¢m saying to you that, if something doesnââ?¬â?¢t happen shortly to let us know exactly where everybody stands at the club, then weââ?¬â?¢ve got a major problem.ââ?¬Â That problem may be exacerbated by the departure of the manager. ââ?¬Å?That leaves me with a decision. Iââ?¬â?¢ll need to say them: ââ?¬Ë?If nothing is going to change in the short-term, what is happening?ââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Â He was acerbic, too, about Rangersââ?¬â?¢ almost certain qualification for the group stages of the Champions League. If Bayern Munich knock out Olympique Lyonnais tonight in the semi-final of the competition, then the Ibrox side can start counting Ã?£10m of income. Smith said of the bankers: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m the manager. I can only point it out from the playing side of things. From the other side of things, theyââ?¬â?¢re elated arenââ?¬â?¢t they? Because thatââ?¬â?¢s them, theyââ?¬â?¢ve got an opportunity of the Champions League money again, theyââ?¬â?¢re rubbing their hands.ââ?¬Â Indeed, he had an unusual take on where Rangers could be if successive championships had not been won. ââ?¬Å?The club would maybe have been sold. There you are,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?Why? Because theyââ?¬â?¢re sitting back looking at two lots of Champions League money, arenââ?¬â?¢t they? Thatââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£24m, dead easy from their point of view. We have been disadvantaging anybody buying the club by winning. Thatââ?¬â?¢s what weââ?¬â?¢re doing.ââ?¬Â His contact with the people making the financial decisions is minimal. ââ?¬Å?You keep asking me the questions and I donââ?¬â?¢t know anything about it. They just tell me what they want to tell me, which is very little,ââ?¬Â he said. The impact on the playing side of the club, though, is substantial. ââ?¬Å?There has to be a situation, for the sake of the football side ââ?¬â?? never me or my position ââ?¬â?? that clarifies exactly where the club is going. If we donââ?¬â?¢t get that, then the club will suffer. Never mind me, never mind anybody else, the club will suffer,ââ?¬Â he said. What chance would there be of a third successive title? ââ?¬Å?I said quite clearly that the team will suffer,ââ?¬Â said Smith briskly. And the Champions League? ââ?¬Å?The thing about the Champions League is, if we donââ?¬â?¢t strengthen and donââ?¬â?¢t get any extra players in, weââ?¬â?¢re basically going in for the money. Thatââ?¬â?¢s how it is. Weââ?¬â?¢re not going to win it anyway. It would be a folly to consider that. ââ?¬Å?But the year that we had the big European games, challenged for the championship, won a couple of cups and got to the final of the UEFA Cup, we had 26 players on the staff. Weââ?¬â?¢re now down to roughly 16, taking away the younger ones. Iââ?¬â?¢m talking about boys with reasonable experience. Weââ?¬â?¢re down to 16, six of whom are out of contract. You start to see the problems that can occur.ââ?¬Â The only way out of that situation is for a budget to be drawn up now so Smith can make his dispositions. However, that is contingent on stability at the club. There are already growing whispers that Rangers could be the subject of a sustained, serious bidding process this week, possibly after their Champions League fate is ascertained. Smith would then almost certainly remain with the club with the proviso that his coaching staff remained untouched and his budget for players was realistic. But he is tiring of the situation. He said: ââ?¬Å?It was 18 months ago now that everybody was put up for sale. And for six months before that, we had the situation boiling away in the background. So weââ?¬â?¢ve had to deal with it for a couple of years now. But weââ?¬â?¢ve had a really good group of players, thatââ?¬â?¢s the one thing. They are great lads, terrific boys to work with.ââ?¬Â He said ââ?¬Å?the brightness and edgeââ?¬Â had been rubbed off the players by the rigours of the season. ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t think people appreciate just how much it takes out of a player in an Old Firm team, to go and win every week,ââ?¬Â he said. The campaign has taken its toll on Smith, too. It is not just time that is running out but his patience, too. He is standing on the front line with no sign of reinforcements and with at least two leading players ââ?¬â?? in Kris Boyd and Madjid Bougherra ââ?¬â?? likely to leave the ranks. The joy and justifiable satisfaction accrued by consecutive title victories will endure for some time. It has to be bolstered by substantial team-building. Rangers badly need a battle plan. The club is still fighting for its future. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/walter-smith-warns-that-planning-for-next-season-must-be-taken-immediately-at-rangers-1.1023298

SIR Alex Ferguson believes the capture of this season's SPL title has confirmed Walter Smith as a Scottish managerial great. The Manchester United legend took time to break from his own nerveshredding championship chase to hail the stunning achievements of the Ibrox gaffer. Ferguson, who had Smith as his assistant at Old Trafford, is involved in a frenetic flag fight with Chelsea as his team chase glory. However, the United supremo and godfather of management has hailed Smith after the Rangers boss extended his remarkable run of success. The Light Blues manager added another championship crown to his CV after seeing his side defeat Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday. Given the financial hardships and constraints he has had to work under, the success ranks as one of the Ibrox manager's most memorable. Ferguson believes Smith's quality is evident for all to see and feels the Ibrox gaffer should now be judged as one of the country's best managers for his work. Sir Alex told Record Sport: "First of all, you need to have ability and endurance to last such a long time as a manager. "Even more so given the fact that he has had to manage Rangers with the unbelievable expectation and with pressures on him all the time. "These are things that Walter has always had. "He has ability, has always been a great coach and, when he reverted to management, he proved the step up was at the right time in his career. "Walter has gone on to prove himself as one of the best managers in Scottish history. "The number of trophies he has got, which I think is now 19, tells you that." Ironically, Smith is at a decision time in his career at the same moment as speculation surrounds Sir Alex's future at United. Ferguson has yet to commit on how long he will stay in the Old Trafford job, while Smith is also undecided as to whether to extend his period at Ibrox as the club gets set for a massive upheaval. The Rangers gaffer will take a final decision at the end of the season or in the summer, but Ferguson says Smith has always enjoyed a love of the game which could play a part in swaying the decision. Sir Alex added: "The most important thing is that Walter has always kept his feet on the ground. "He has always had a great love of the game and never lost that. "These are the qualities that you need to be successful." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/04/27/man-utd-boss-sir-alex-ferguson-hails-walter-smith-86908-22215090/

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Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor feels that he has banished the infamous Boozegate saga. More...

Rangers boss Walter Smith believes his ninth SPL title was hard work, but he would not be drawn on his future. More...

I was looking at Walter Smith's stats as a player. They arent bad with Dundee Utd, and he was only loaned out to Dumbarton. I think most people believe he was playing in the lower leagues for years. But in actual fact he only had 2 seasons outwith the current Scottish Premier League. But, does anyone know what position he played?

Walter Smith has quashed rumours that a deal for defender Danny Wilson could be struck with Liverpool. More...

BOSS shoots down Liverpool move for Danny More...

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2942662/Gers-want-Jim-he-wants-Scotland.html Not fishing...

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http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/04/22/ally-mccoist-is-ready-to-take-rangers-hotseat-insists-walter-smith-86908-22203121/

According to Keek Jackson: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2010/04/21/rangers-eye-summer-transfer-swoop-for-david-goodwillie-and-james-mcarthur-86908-22200562/ I'd have thought both players would cost more than the figures quoted and I see no reason for us going for McCarthur unless one of our existing central midfielders is moving on. We're also linked with Craig Conway in the Daily Mail. Can't say any of the above players enthuse me all that much...

Last week the club sent out the season ticket renewal letters for season 2010/2011 - both by traditional post and by email. With a 53rd SPL title within reach and prices frozen for next year, surely everyone will be sending their payment back asap to ensure their seat at Ibrox! After all, the following promise in the letter will allay any fears we may have... Positive words then and I certainly appreciate the thanks for the supports' ever loyal financial and emotional investment each year. Some may find it patronising but I feel the gratitude is genuine enough - certainly retaining over 40,000 season ticket holders will be a big challenge for the club over the coming months. I know I can't be the only bear weighing up his options due to personal circumstances. And that is where the second part of the quoted statement comes in. Outwith the difficulty of finding the �£400+ to pay for the actual ticket, how can we be 'certain' our support will be 'rewarded'? To be clear, I don't expect success every year - that is unrealistic even if Rangers are capable of winning the SPL title at any given time. Similarly, I realise reaching a European final is a once in a generation event and even managing to qualify for (never mind from) a Champions' League Group may soon prove extremely challenging. As such, when I pay my �£400+; I don't do it because I expect success and silverware but simply to retain a close, emotional involvement with the club I love and supply one small investment towards achieving said success. On the other hand, what I do expect is the same commitment, emotion and investment from those connected with the club. Fortunately, for the most part, we do get that in return - even if it could be argued there remains a large gap between the support and those who run the institution. However, just what are the club doing to ensure we remain competitive? This season has seen many exciting aspects - from being on he brink of winning the title, to being unbeaten against Celtic, to winning the League Cup with only nine men - all with an admirable record in terms of statistics and value for money for those of us who renewed this time last year. Indeed if we do secure the title, it will be one of the most satisfying (and important) I've ever experienced. Nevertheless, there are many worries for the Rangers support which may accompany any title-winning hangover. First of all the club's ownership remains in doubt and, despite the manager's words in the season ticket renewal letter, he has been extremely vocal on this issue. Ergo, can we genuinely expect to keep our key playing assets as well as the moderate number of players whose contracts run out next month? Certainly it seems far from clear who will and who will not be here next year. Astoundingly even the management team are not guaranteed to be in charge. Just what influence do Lloyds Bank have on our great club and where does MIH sit - other than being a heavy burden on our immediate future? Furthermore, despite our good performance domestically, in Europe we have been poor now for two seasons on the trot and with an ever-weakening squad, there is little to be excited about in terms of improving on that record next season and beyond. Given the impact European football has on our finances, how does the manager and those who run the club expect to address that crucial challenge over the coming years? To conclude, I don't doubt the vast majority of fans will renew their season ticket - myself among them. And those that are unable to do so (for whatever reason) will likely be replaced by new fans that can. However, just how sincere are the words from the Chief Executive quoted above? Just where is our money going and how will it be spent? To maintain the 'spirit and unity' you mention in the letter, we need to know exactly what you are doing to reward our continued investment and loyalty. Actions speak louder than words. Why not start by making it completely clear just what the future holds for every Rangers fan.

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A decent and fairly complimentary article from The Herald. Steven Davis exhibits mind over matter as the creative brain of the Rangers team Davis has this season shown the skills that made him Aston Villa supportersââ?¬â?¢ player of the year Richard Wilson The worth of Steven Davis can be measured by degrees. No player has created more goals in the Premier League this season, and nobody at Rangers has performed with quite such refined technique and intelligence. He represents the imagination of a side that is predominantly, and convincingly, single-minded. Davis is a deft figure, and often unobtrusive when not striking at the heart of opponentsââ?¬â?¢ vulnerability. It seems at times as though he distresses teams with the subtle intent of his range of passing and incisive running. His burden this season has been to provide the sense of wonder, or at least some kind of ingenuity, when so much of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ game has been based on stern command. He relies on being astute, but perhaps his greatest quality is the diligence that frames all of his work. Team-mates remark casually of the way he turns up every week and produces every week, as though the relentlessness can be taken for granted. But then, naturally, this consistency of ambition and exertion is not without torment. In the 1-0 win over Hamilton at Ibrox earlier this month, when Rangers looked jaded in every sense, a stray Davis pass brought Kenny McDowall to the touchline. The coach immediately signalled to the midfielder to keep his head up, as though a moment of imprecision would feel like a small devastation to Davis. After the match, Walter Smith stood in the dressing room to address his players and asked who was feeling that heavy weight of fatigue. Davis, no doubt solemnly, raised his arm. Itââ?¬â?¢s my job to create things and Iââ?¬â?¢ve managed to get a decent number of assists and a decent level of consistency Steven Davis ââ?¬Å?When you see guys like Steven Davis suffering a wee bit, you know that itââ?¬â?¢s starting to get to them,ââ?¬Â Smith says, as if the endurance of the Northern Irishman is some form of guarantee. Davis might as well have said that he was exhausted with the sheer extent of the anticipation that surrounds him. He is recognised as one of the players in the Ibrox squad most certainly equipped with the attributes to succeed in the English Premier League, where he performed with distinction for Aston Villa and then a little more doubtfully for Fulham, and with that comes a demand to be constantly relevant. For Davis, this means applying his perceptiveness in the final third, or revealing occasional glimpses of extravagance. He brings an assiduous inclination to the business of being enterprising, as if the greatest satisfaction can be found in simply being central to something meaningful. ââ?¬Å?Thatââ?¬â?¢s the side of the game I like to play,ââ?¬Â Davis says. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s my job to create things and Iââ?¬â?¢ve managed to get a decent number of assists and a decent level of consistency. Weââ?¬â?¢ve got other players to break up the play and itââ?¬â?¢s the [other] side of the game that Iââ?¬â?¢m in the team for. There have been certain games when Iââ?¬â?¢ve maybe done better, but thereââ?¬â?¢s still room for improvement.ââ?¬Â The self-effacement is a virtue, so that despite having become the youngest captain of Northern Ireland, and played in the Uefa Cup final and in the Champions League for Rangers, Davis continues to seek greater sophistication. His time at Murray Park is often spent practising free-kicks and working on his finishing. Davis, among the four nominees ââ?¬â?? with David Weir, Kris Boyd and Andy Webster ââ?¬â?? for the Cheque Centre PFA Scotland player of the year award, is a pensive figure. The panache on the field may come naturally to him, but then he also understands that it must be accompanied by a fastidiousness if his potential is to be fully realised. ââ?¬Å?Davo as a footballer is top drawer, in his all-round game, and I have never seen him have a bad day in training, never mind on a football pitch,ââ?¬Â says Webster, who has spent the season on loan from Rangers at Dundee United. ââ?¬Å?His ability, his awareness, his passing, his movement, his work-ethic is second to none. Sometimes, when you know you are a good footballer, the running about is the hard part. But his fitness levels are exceptional.ââ?¬Â If the need to score a few more goals than the three he has so far this season is a small regret, then he might be consoled by their quality. His strike against Aberdeen 11 days ago, in particular, was one of exquisite savagery ââ?¬â?? a curling shot lashed into the top corner from 25 yards. It is the scope of his ability, something of deep value, that distinguishes Davis, but his care of it that is perhaps more invaluable. We might call it attitude, or at least recognise it as a willingness to distrust any sense of conceit. When Davis made such an impression on his breakthrough at Villa Park that he was voted the clubââ?¬â?¢s player of the year, young player of the year and fansââ?¬â?¢ player of the year, it was as a central midfielder capable, with sleight of mind, of providing a vital threat from behind the strikers. At Rangers, he mostly plays on the right, with two more doughty figures in the middle, although with a licence to drift that causes his marker to be disorientated. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s been a learning curve for me in the last couple of seasons, playing out there,ââ?¬Â he says. ââ?¬Å?I still prefer to play in the middle but I know the manager feels he gets a good balance with me on the right. Probably my best spell of the season was when I did play in the middle, just in December when the team was doing well. But I understand the reasons for playing me on the right and itââ?¬â?¢s a position I enjoy.ââ?¬Â He is a small, slender figure, as if delicate, but he carries the ball with an irrefutable sense of assurance. Davis is treasured at Rangers, but there is also a sense of him finding himself after his move to Scotland. He has grown in stature on the field, while winning his first medals as a professional, and become a father during his time at Ibrox. When his mother passed away last year, Ally McCoist and Ian Durrant attended the funeral, a gesture which he continues to appreciate. Davis supported Rangers as a boy growing up in the small village of Cullybackey, near Ballymena, but has found the pressure to win, to always be domineering, both a surprise and a stimulus. It has demanded that he reach for the best of his game, and limit the rest. ââ?¬Å?I didnââ?¬â?¢t realise [the demands] myself until I came up here, even although I was a fan,ââ?¬Â he says. ââ?¬Å?You probably take it for granted that Rangers and Celtic win. There are no easy games, youââ?¬â?¢re playing against teams who are always up for it and if you lose a game itââ?¬â?¢s all doom and gloom.ââ?¬Â Rangers have at least been able to rely on Davisââ?¬â?¢ ability to rise to the occasion.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/785587/Gers-boss-Smith-wants-a-level-playing-field.html Stick it to 'em Watty. :box: Best manager for any team in Scotland since... umm.... Walter Smith.

BOSS calls for massive overhaul of the Scottish game More...

PAPAC booking at Tannadice incurs two-match suspension More... Losing Papac is a blow but his form has been patchy of late. Will be interesting to see if Smith is brought immediately into the team to bed him in for those fixtures.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/169034-bougherra-said-no-to-january-rangers-exit/ To me he still seems sour and its just a bit of shit stirring but you never know.