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Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has called up four players ahead of their World Cup qualification double header. Craig Bryson, Chris Burke, Kevin Thomson and Lee Wallace have been added to the squad after West Brom's James Morrison and Graham Dorrans withdrew. Strachan's side host Belgium on Friday before a trip to Macedonia the following Tuesday. Morrison withdrew with a groin problem while Dorrans's injury has not been disclosed. West Brom midfielder Morrison, who scored in Scotland's 3-2 defeat by England, suffered a groin injury in Sunday's defeat by Swansea. "He felt a pain in his groin just before half-time, the last couple of minutes in the first half," said Albion boss Steve Clarke. "The medical people will assess it but I would imagine he is doubtful for the Scotland trip." Scotland currently sit in fifth place in qualifying Group A with five points from seven games.

Those of us old enough to remember the arcane system of Imperial weights, measures, and currency, do so with the absolute necessity of attention to detail. There were 20 shillings to the pound, 12 pence to the shilling, and 240 pennies in the pound. We were conditioned, look after the pence and the pounds will look after themselves. The pence was the basic building block and it is similarly so with the former Tayside college Law lecturer, Jum Spence who wants his Dundee cake and to eat it too. Prefacing all his comments on Rangers with, "I am saying this from the safety of the east coast"; was a flagging up of his march to martyrdom. He was anxious for immersion into the warm waters of victimhood. Last summer, he demanded contrition from Bears, shrugged-off Bears' legitimate grievances with the word, 'consequence', and led the charge to extinguish our club with the battle cry, 'sporting integrity'. Jum eulogised the Rangers Tax Case blog and often flashed his professional background to legitimise the blog's message. Jum's broadcast vocabulary such as, 'industrial scale' became a parrot of the blog. He was an absolute devotee, he worshipped at the altar. When Rangers won the big tax case and the entire blog was deleted that evening, Jum lamented the Orwell prize winning crib sheet. Jum's need to chorus was quickly sated with the appearance of Charlotte Fakes. Like Cosgrove, he acknowledged it's more than dodgy relevance; however, he opined the requirement to ignore it's provenance because the information was too damned good. Credential flashing was supressed in favour of big fun. Again, like his pal Cosgrove, CF was vital because it exposed the sour underbelly of Scottish football. Since CFs only referred to Rangers, it appears Jum and Stuart accepted Scottish football can be distilled down to the Bears, there we can agree. It's interesting that Jum is concerned reference Scottish football's sour underbelly, Cosgrove defined it as a certain club's heavy influence over particular journalists. In other words, the succulent lamb effect. In April of this year, the 12-12-18 plan for the future of Scottish football was first aired on BBC Radio Scotland. On the Thursday evening Spence presented Sportsound and described the idea as exciting and a panacea for our footballing ills. Roddy Forsyth pointed out that 12-12-18 confined Rangers to the bottom tier for another season, Jum dismissed his concern with, "it's not all about Rangers". I wonder if you agree that Jum's retort sounded a bit sour and if that truly was his conclusion; why such unequivocal support for Charlotte Fakes? Two days later on Saturday afternoon's Sportsound, Jum was allowed to reveal he had been in possession of the twenty-something page 12-12-18 plan for over a week. In fact, he had given the entire plan to his late teenage junior playing son for a couple of days, and he agreed, "really exciting". Rheinhart Gordon joked, "how did you manage to come by this"? Jum laughingly replied, "ah hiv ma sources". Again, the concern of Rangers remaining in the bottom tier was summarily dismissed. Fifteen minutes after Jum's BBC Radio Scotland had backslapped him heartily, three Chairman called in and wanted to know where Jum got the plan and could they send it to them because they had NOT seen it. I am informed more than three club Chairs called to expose Jum's underbelly but BBC Scotland's Producers were intent on fire fighting on his behalf. We know that Jum founded and edited an Arab 'zine for a decade, we know Dundee United's Chair, Stephen Thompson was a big mate and a member of the SPL committee, and we know Jum loved the idea of stiffing Rangers. Further, we know a big part of Jum's depression last week was his beloved Tangerine's decision to ban him and BBC Scotland because of Sportscene's trial by TV. Jum, and today's presentation of his predicament have conveniently ignored this fact. It got lost in the interference being run whereby Jum evoked Pastor Niemoller's words and compared himself with holocaust victims and ra Bhoy in Corduroy found his inner-Dorothy and labelled Rangers supporters complaining as, "the Stasi". Charlotte Fakes also disappeared into the blue nowhere while Jum suffered the slings and arrows of martyrdom. The situation has changed and maybe Jum will adhere to his legal training and begin to consider opposing arguments and objective presentation of evidence? I suspect shops will return to displaying prices in guineas(one pound and one shilling) before Jum succumbs to being fair about Rangers and Rangers supporters.

No-one likes a thorough examination. It could be a test for English, it could be a check-up at the dentist. God forbid, it could even be the prostate exam from an overweight medico with fingers like fairtrade bananas. This week saw the appointment of that bogeyman figure for many Rangers fans, Peter Lawwell, to the Professional Game Board of the SFA. Leaving aside the hilarious irony of anything connected with the game in our country having the sheer balls to call itself 'professional' - the name of the new league was, for me, the highlight of the summer, an act of self-mockery and criticism not seen since the Red Guards were touring the Chinese countryside in the 1960's - you'd think the raising of another Celtic employee to another administrative role ought to have aroused some examination. As things stand now with the SFL gone, the SPFL Board consists of Steven Thompson of Dundee Utd, Eric Riley of Celtic, Aberdeen’s Duncan Fraser, Les Gray from Hamilton, Mike Mulraney of Cowdenbeath and Bill Darroch of Stenhousemuir plus CEO Neil Doncaster. Even Celtic fans must realise Mssrs Riley and Lawwell's various roles raise some interesting questions. Is it good for the game, or their club? Is it good for them, personally? Can they avoid conflicts of interest, and can they operate best with a work-load of this nature? What does it say about the structures which oversee the much vaunted reconstruction of the game in Scotland? Gersnet poster Brahim Hemdani sums up the bemusement may feel when he said "Quite why the other clubs think that having two represetatives from one club in the top echelons of power is appropriate is beyond my comprehension but that is the state of play that we have to live with." I ask these questions because they will affect us, like every other club, and because the overall coverage of the move has been muted to the point of fearful censorship. Tom English has taken refuge in slating OF fans for being loonballs rather than look at the appointment itself, while no-one else seems to have mentioned it at all. Maybe no-one is a little concerned that one club looms quite so large over the landscape (you may recall Kenny Shiels swift demotion by the ever sensitive Pacific Quay from colourful entertainer to highly suspicious proto-bigot when he touched on this subject), or, more likely, maybe they're worn out by all these saga and don't care anymore. Dangerous attitude, if true. We need to care. My own view is that no-one from either Rangers or celtc should be on any governing body, nor anyone with a connection to them. Rules out a hell of a lot of people, doesn't it? But look at the history! Since the mid-1980's, the Old Firm have more or less run the game. First them then us have been, during that time, complete basket cases. Prior to that, with faceless, anonymous men who enjoyed the benefits, yes, but were primarily upholders of the game as a concept - that is, as a sport - Scotland actually did not too badly, certainly by comparison with its later, hideous self. Of the two potential scenarios - well meaning if possibly bumbling amateurs, or corporate OF types - one would have to be a follower of either side to support the elevation of the latter to the running of the game. If that maybe sounds like accusations of bias toward the media, maybe it is - given the outrage we saw over such issues as contentious capitalist contract practices and internal SFA inquiries, surely they would feel the make up of game boards also need a revolution? No? Happy to carry on as we have for thirty years, are you? Thirty years of continual decline and failure? Quite content to see the setup which has brought the game to the laughable stance of not even having a sponsor - bear in mind, this is a league which reaches both Rangers and celtc fans every week, that's market penetration many a company would give their right arm for; you are looking at well over 2,000,000 potential customers on a more than weekly basis being exposed to your product - and think this is a suitable plan for the future? Well, fair enough. Everyone's entitled to an opinion. But you can hardly be surprised when people raise a quizzical eyebrow, and wonder quite what the reason is for your optimism. celtc's current dominance is the reason put forward, I guess. That ignores their two decades of shambolic behaviour since the early 1980's; no doubt our period of insanity will be as quickly forgotten. It also forgets the wasteland that the rest of the game is; perhaps a momentary lapse in memory by our writers, or again, perhaps they just don't care. The game desperately needs diversity, in terms of cup winners and media coverage. We're unlikely to see the latter, since the media is as self interested as the next man. I can't see how having the people from the top club running the leagues will help create that diversity; the logical outcome will be a set up which favours that leading club. Cravenly avoiding the fairly obvious self interest inherent in this move, and whining about how Old Firm fans are loonies while you pretty much cowardly refuse to actually examine the move, won't impress anyone. Maybe, when this blows up in the face of Scottish football (as OF people running the game always will, in my opinion), those who have airily seen it through on the nod will have the guts to examine their own role in it. I won't be holding my breath, though. As the dire Neil Doncaster happily points out "“The relationship between the SPFL and the SFA is a good one and I think a much better one since the reconstruction’s completion on the 27th June.” This is unsurprising when the same people, two of whom are from the same outfit, sit upon these boards. If blissful happiness and an end to dissent is the aim, I can see the point. If running the game in a progressive and accountable way is the aim, it becomes rather more questionable. But questions are good, in a healthy democracy. We need our media writers to question, to examine. Their current craven obedience will be just something else we will all come to regret.

Haven't seen this on RM or here but according to the Daily Mail today McColl's gang tried to bring back McClelland as the chairman. Absolutely frightful stuff if true. A real return to the old days when he was Murray's puppet and presided over record levels of debt. I'm neither here nor there with the current board and prospective future board. To me they all remind of the South Park episode where a douche and a turd compete with each other. But it's absolutely disparaging that our prospective leaders want a return of one of our past failures.

I very much doubt it. Share Transfer to Killie Trust Marie Macklin cares passionately about the future of Kilmarnock FC and has always believed that community ownership is the best way forward for local clubs like Kilmarnock. Marie owns 46,677 shares in the club and will gift 45,677 shares to the Killie Trust. She believes that her shareholding on its own provides her with only minor influence but when combined with those shares already owned by the fans, could strengthen their collective voice and enhance their ability to effect change and help Kilmarnock FC in achieving its potential, for the benefit of the club and Kilmarnock as a whole. Marie’s passion for the club is undiminished and, as a businesswoman and life-long fan, she will watch developments at Kilmarnock FC with interest.

Reading elsewhere that Jim Spence when talking on radio today about us said "the club that died". Anyone on here hear the cretin say that?

Guys, I've been offline for a few days so apologies for my lack of contribution to recent issues. However, in my absence, I've noticed a few things being suggested/inferred/alleged about various people. Thus, a few points of order: 1. While we're happy to discuss any issue and/or protagonist in this farce, please avoid direct accusations of illegal behaviour which (at this stage at least) none of us can prove. Keep criticism constructive and fair! 2. While other forums and websites may wish to indulge their membership in terms of embarrassing us all by attacking, abusing and insulting each other, Gersnet will not stand for it. Stay civil and remember we're all Rangers fans here! 3. If you have any solid information which may clarify any specific issues with regard to various issues at Rangers FC (or elsewhere) please contact the club and/or Police Scotland rather than make unsubstantiated allegations (however understandable) on this website. I can't afford legal action! Thanks for your attention and understanding. Have fun!

by Andy McGowan | Contributor Agenda, propaganda, hand wringers, apologists—just a few of the terms thrown around in the Ibrox game of buzzword bingo. The irony of our current situation is that the men throwing these words around seem to be the ones with an end game that isn’t in the best of interests Rangers Football Club. The end game The Copland Road Organization is hoping for? Simply, the best outcome for Rangers and our fans. We have nothing to gain from the current board being cleared out other than that it is what Rangers need to move forward. There’s no blazers or freebees in our future; only attacks from the lunatic fringe backing the current board to all ends for a variety of reasons. The attacks on anyone willing to speak up against our dysfunctional boardroom will no doubt ramp up in the weeks to come with the return of Jack Irvine. I’m sure most Rangers fans hadn’t heard the name Jack Irvine until a few weeks ago, but everyone will remember Media House, the utterly useless PR firm who ‘represented’ us for years under both David Murray and Craig Whyte. Media House oversaw years of dignified silence under Murray while Rangers' name was dragged through the mud by the more extreme elements of the mainstream media. They also helped Whyte act like a playground bully, threatening to sue anyone who dared to reveal the truth about the pretend Billionaire during his time at Ibrox. With the club’s fresh start in SFL 3 it was a chance to reshape the club on and off the park. While we struggled on the park last season we done our best work off it in many years. For all the things Charles Green did wrong one thing he did right was to see the potential of Rangers’ self-produced media. Over the last 12-18 months the work done by staff at Rangers, RTV in particular, has been nothing short of exceptional. From documentaries such as "The Rising," to match day coverage for UK viewers and a fantastic interview with Ally McCoist, it is clear our in-house media had improved substantially. The club even used the official website to deal with propaganda being spread by Celtic bloggers determined to destabilize the club with rehashed versions of the same rumours they have been touting for years which previously went unchallenged. There is also a common misconception of the job Jim Traynor is doing at Ibrox. While our in-house media begun to thrive there was a boardroom war brewing in the mainstream media with both sides of the boardroom using certain newspapers to leak stories about each other. Traynor seems to have spent the majority of his time at Ibrox putting out fires started by our board, mainly those started by Charles Green himself. Jim Traynor worked wonders to have The Sun hold the Craig Whyte/Sevco ownership story to give the club a chance to reply only for Green to start a race row by calling Imran Ahmad a paki the very next day in the same paper. In the few months he’s been here, despite the constant fire fighting, Jim Traynor has done more for Rangers than Media House done in years. There is a lot of criticism of Jim Traynor because we don’t see him in front of the camera more often, but he is the Director of Communications — you don’t often see the Director appear in the movie he is directing. It’s not his job to be in front of the camera. It is his job to try and control how the club presents itself, one that he is doing exceptionally well under the most difficult of circumstances. Such is the good job Traynor and our staff have done and the poor job Media House have done that Rangers finally and correctly decided to part ways with the firm much to the delight of anyone who has witnessed their limp-wristed attempts to act on behalf of the club over the years. Sadly, it was a delight that didn’t last long. Despite the best efforts of the men they had been using to attack McColl et al public opinion had turned on Charles Green, Imran Ahmad and the board members who will now put aside what’s best for Rangers in an attempt to hold their positions. They needed a real attack dog, the ramblings of a discredited blogger shouting about politics weren’t cutting it and so Jack’s back. Jack wasted no time in telling us he’s here to represent Rangers and not the board. He certainly has a funny way of defending the club. His cosy relationship with Paul McConville and Scotzine’s Andy Muirhead—two men who have been slandering the club with half-truths and full lies for years now—should set alarm bells ringing for anyone unconvinced about this man’s intentions. There is something very strange about the relationship between these two Rangers haters, Irvine and his PR pawn Bill McMurdo. McConville even has a link on his website dedicated just to McMurdo which is akin to a link on the Rangers website to the Celtic store. Are these the men Rangers fans are willing to put their faith in? Jack has certainly made a great start to his defence of Rangers with the surfacing of his email from the Whyte era insulting the greatest ever Ranger John Greig and showing complete disdain for the fans. It certainly made for an interesting dynamic between Irvine and McMurdo who had to play down the incident on his blog. It’s not often you see the monkey defending the organ grinder. I’m no public relations guru but when the PR man immediately becomes the story, a highly negative story at that, then there is something deeply wrong. The PR campaign is about to be ramped up by Media House and I would urge fans to take everything they read with a pinch of salt. Taking these men at face value is incredibly dangerous for the future of Rangers football club. The recent Craig Mather interview for example which taken in and of itself seemed to be a forthright and robust piece until you look deeper as Shane Nicholson did. Curiously, Irvine chose to do an interview with Scotzine, a website which is nothing but a diet Celtic fanzine. You’d have to ask Jack why he chose Scotzine, a website even McMurdo describes as ‘ESPECIALLY media hostile to Rangers’ to speak through rather than one of the several Rangers websites who would be willing to sit down with him. Maybe he’s worried he wouldn’t be given such an easy ride from those who have Rangers at heart. I have doubts about Jim McColl, Paul Murray and Frank Blin but those doubts pale in comparison to the doubts I have about the men currently in our boardroom. Our CEO speaks well but he’s all talk — he’s tried to play both sides of this divide and now we can all see him for what he is: A yes man who will flip-flop on a moment's notice in an attempt to keep his position at Ibrox secure. We have a Financial Director who isn’t entirely sure how much money we have and a host of undesirables who manage to scare away two chairmen in Malcolm Murray and Walter Smith who, whatever your opinion of them, undeniably have Rangers' best interests at heart. And these men chose to be represented by a firm who did nothing but damage to us for years and who choose to keep the company of Celtic bloggers. We are in danger of seeing all the good work done by our media department undone by Media House who are already peering over their shoulders and who will have full control of our Club's output if Jim Traynor walks away like the many men who put Rangers first already have. There may yet be the opportunity to broker an uneasy peace between the current board and the group demanding change which is potentially a far more palatable outcome than our AGM being hijacked as a vehicle for both sides of the civil war, neither of which is without fault. It is looking more likely we will see a compromise from both sides but however it plays out whoever ends up sitting on the board it changes nothing with regards to Jack Irvine and Media House. Fans demanded the removal of Charles Green as a consultant when he became the story and the fans need to do the same again before Jack Irvine is allowed the time he needs to cause more havoc for the Club. He is here to muddy the waters as much as possible before the AGM and he will do so at the expense of Rangers and its fans in an attempt to keep the current board in power. Don't buy into it. For the avoidance of doubt Jack Irvine does not speak for Rangers. http://www.thecoplandroad.org/2013/09/and-they-couldnt-prevent-jack-from.html

Published on September 2nd, 2013 by Andy Muirhead With all eyes on Rangers football club currently, due to the continued ‘political’ infighting between shareholders and the fan base, public relations for the club is needed more than ever. However, even the PR company used by Rangers – Media House – has come under much criticism and increasing calls from Rangers supporters to be sacked due to comments attributed to Jack Irvine, executive chairman of Media House. Scotzine editor Andy Muirhead caught up with Jack Irvine, amid a busy schedule for the PR guru, to discuss his time at Rangers and those who are criticising him. AM: When did you start working with Rangers Football Club? JI: 2006. There had been huge sectarian issues and the football authorities were going to hammer Rangers. There was a danger the team would be playing in empty stadia and face crippling fines. We worked with the legal team to articulate the initiatives from Martin Bain’s management team to curb the sectarian excesses which in turn lessened the possible draconian punishments. AM: We heard from Sir David Murray that he was duped by Craig Whyte in purchasing Rangers from the former Rangers owner – from your point of view and of working with Craig Whyte would you agree with Murray’s statement? JI: Yes I do agree with Sir David. He was led to believe that Craig Whyte was worth in the region of £80million and he had no reason to doubt that. The Bank of Scotland and their boardroom representative saw no problem with Whyte as a buyer and, in fact, couldn’t get the club sold quickly enough. Craig Whyte appeared to be the answer to all of David Murray’s problems. AM: You represented Rangers under Craig Whyte’s tenure at the club which ended with it going into administration and subsequently liquidation – looking back what are your thoughts on your role and Media House’s role during that time? JI: It was a surreal time. I tried to explain to Craig Whyte that he couldn’t possibly run the club himself and I even introduced him to the former Newcastle United Chief Executive Freddie Fletcher who was also a former Rangers man. Freddie would have been magnificent but Craig decided he could do the job himself. Like many businessmen he was totally consumed by The Blue Mist the minute he walked into the boardroom. Media House’s role was what it had always been. Represent the club and its board and attempt to present the good side of the club to the media and public at large. Of course the bad started to outweigh the good very quickly and it was like pushing water uphill. AM: There has been allegations made that Media House and Rangers used friendly journalists to publish positive stories about Rangers and Craig Whyte in particular hiding the truth about the Motherwell businessman – what do you have to say about those allegations? JI: Of course we promoted positive stories – that’s what PR people do the world over. However it didn’t take long for my old newspaper colleagues – and more importantly certain influential bloggers – to find out the truth about Craig Whyte and tell the world. There is no way I could have covered that up or would even have tried to. The dam had burst. AM: Many Rangers fans are now seeing Media House and yourself as culpable in the demise of Rangers under Whyte and are against your continued involvement at the Ibrox club – claiming that you are not there to represent the club but elements on the board? What is your take on this – what is your role at Rangers? JI: That is utter nonsense. We can only work with the tools we are given. Craig Whyte ran the club into the ground although you would have to say he inherited a pretty leaky vessel. Our role at Rangers is crystal clear. We carry out the wishes of the board in an attempt to help the business survive and prosper. However much I sympathise with the agonies the fans are going through, and I speak as one of the original Bond holders, it is not they who instruct me. It is the board. It is naive to think otherwise. AM: A twitter account called Charlotte Fakes has been publishing emails and other correspondence involving you, Whyte, some journalists and Rangers officials – which seem to paint all parties in a bad light. What is your take on what this person is doing? JI: It is illegal. It is a breach of the Data Protection Act and the perpetrator faces serious consequences when he is caught. It is frightening some of the stuff that is going on nowadays on the web. I often wonder what it would have been like in the early 90s when there was the coup to unseat the Celtic board. How would social media have treated that? Would Fergus McCann with his bunnet and squint been given a chance to mount his brilliant strategy or would he have been slaughtered by the fans with laptops? AM: Rangers fans have claimed that the ‘dignified silence’ approach was perpetrated by the likes of Media House and that instead of keeping quiet, you should have gone in all guns blazing. Making demands, threatening legal action etc. What was your approach during Whyte’s reign when negative articles were published? JI: I seem to remember we banned the BBC and if you knew me at all you would know that I am not slow to tell editors and journalists when they are talking bollocks. Lawyers were regularly involved . Do I go out and announce this in the Copland Road to the fans? What do you think? I worked with or trained a lot of the current crop of journalists. I’m not going to publically traduce them although I will make an exception for some of the more stupid ones. AM: Whyte met with several Rangers supporters groups and bloggers who were very friendly to him and backed him to the hilt during his reign at the club – they have now turned on him as if he is the anti-Christ. What is your take on this u-turn by said prominent groups and bloggers? JI: I presume you have certain groups in mind. I can’t think who you are talking about but let’s be fair. The fans loved David Murray then grew to hate him. Ditto Craig Whyte, Ditto Charles Green. So it’s not only bloggers who changed their minds. The economist John Maynard Keynes is alleged to have said, “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” If that concept was good enough for him I hardly think we can criticise the bloggers. AM: Given the amount of flak, hassle and abuse you have taken – if you could do it all again would you still represent Rangers and Craig Whyte? JI: I have taken flak, hassle and abuse since May 1987 when I launched The Sun in Scotland. I thrive on it and the more I get the stronger it makes me. The answer to “Would you still represent Rangers” is obviously yes as I have just signed up for another season. I come from an East End Rangers family so I guess I’m stuck with it. Would I represent Craig Whyte? Not if I had known what I know now but it’s easy to be clever after the event as I keep reminding certain fans and journalists. Hindsight is a wonderful gift . AM: If you could stand in front of the Rangers fans today and talk to them what about the club and the way it is working and those wanting to take over – what would you say? JI: Give the board a chance. The Chief Executive has sunk a million of his own cash into the club. Fellow director James Easdale and his family have put in even more. Let’s all be mature. I know Frank Blin and Paul Murray are passionate about the club but to quote Mr Churchill: “To jaw jaw is always better than to war war.”

... you know, someone had to do it! I'll write and update a list of targets in the first post. Signed: - Nicky Clark (QotS, free, compensation, 3-year deal signed) - Jon Daly (DU, free, 2-year + 1-year extension deal signed) - Cammy Bell (Kilmarnock, 4-year deal signed) - Nicky Law (Motherwell, free, 3-year signed) - Steven Smith (free/Portland, 2-year-deal apparently signed) - Arnold Peralta (Vidal, free, 4-year-deal signed) - Ricky Foster (free, Bristol City, 2-year deal) - Biliel Mohsni (free, 2-year deal) - Kenny Miller (free/Portland, resigned) - Lee Robinson (QotS) - Tom Hateley (Motherwell, free) [ - Chris Humphrey (Motherwell, free, was in talks) signed for Preston North End] Gone: - Neil Alexander (end of contract) - Kane Hemmings (end of contract) - Kal Naismith (on loan, Accrington Stanley) + + + From FF ... Links galore ... The Express

MOST football fans in Scotland do not support Celtic. The majority are not Rangers fans either. MORI and Gallup do not exactly do polls on this sort of stuff so there is no way to be scientific about it, but maybe each of them has about 35-40% of the people who follow a team and the rest are shared around all the other clubs. What those of all allegiances are coming to terms with - whether they rejoice in the fact or resent it - is that Celtic have turned the Scottish game into a one-party state. For most of its history the league title has been an endless tennis rally between Celtic and Rangers, the championship switching from one to the other every year or two. Only now and again has one of them emerged into the clear daylight of a sustained period of dominance. Celtic won six in a row from 1905, Rangers five from 1927. In the late 1960s and early '70s there were times when it looked as if Jock Stein had built a force that would never be caught. When Rangers emulated Stein's nine consecutive titles - latterly buttressed by the bountiful revenue stream of the Champions League - it felt as if Sir David Murray, Graeme Souness and Walter Smith had moved the Ibrox club to a position of power which would obliterate any competition. And what happened? The Lisbon Lions era was built around Stein's individual genius and when his powers waned Celtic were drawn back into the pack. In the late 1990s Rangers grew old and tired, and misspent their resources, to the point a rebuilt Celtic got back among the titles. Currently the record books show only two consecutive league wins for Celtic but that is the equivalent of taking a snapshot of Usain Bolt in the early stages of a 100m race. Everyone can be pretty sure of what is coming next. At Tannadice on Saturday there were the latest renditions of a tune that the Celtic support has been singing for quite a while: "Here we go, 10 in a row." It's part-celebration, part-triumphalism, part-threat to you-know-who. There are 40 clubs which have long grown accustomed to the idea of having no real chance of being Scottish champions any time soon, and one which has a demanding fanbase unused to being denied anything for long. It is common these days to hear people talk about how Celtic have the potential to begin a period of unprecedented domination "if they use their money wisely". What they mean is that if Celtic keep running themselves prudently, employing the right manager and players, staying out of debt and always having money to spend to replenish a winning squad, it is going to take an almighty effort for Rangers to ever catch them. The apocalyptic scenario for Rangers is that Celtic keep getting into the Champions League group every year. They secured £20m in Uefa money alone last season and now they have another £16m this season. That is almost twice as much dough as Rangers raised from a one-off share issue. If Celtic pull off another two qualifications in 2014 and 2015 that would amount to around £80m washing into the club before Rangers even have the chance to take them on in the league. Given that all the fundamentals - season-ticket, commercial and sponsorship income - are otherwise broadly comparable between the Glasgow clubs, the long-term difference between them will be Champions League income. And that means that when a player's agent tries to bring a talent to Glasgow (the same player is often offered to both clubs at the same time), Celtic should be able to pay higher transfer fees and wages every time they both want the same man. All of this is a chilling thought around Ibrox. Horrifying, in fact. The Uefa golden goose that was once Rangers', and then shared, is now exclusively Celtic's. They can thank David Murray and Craig Whyte for that. It used to be the rest of Scottish football that was excluded at one or both of the Old Firm's expense; now Rangers are out in the cold too. Rangers have been in the Champions League group stage 10 times and Celtic are about to play in it for the eighth time. At a very conservative estimate (Champions League income has grown over the past 20 years) that is about £180m of Uefa money the Old Firm have enjoyed, in addition to their already vastly superior regular income. Last season Motherwell made around £195,000 from Uefa, and Hearts and St Johnstone £75,000 each - a tiny fraction of Celtic's £20m. The champions' excellent campaign also meant £100,000 in "solidarity" payments from Uefa for all other top-flight clubs, but that amounts to (welcome) crumbs. The Champions League embodies the concept of a self-perpetuating elite in which the rich get richer. When I spoke to a couple of SPFL Premiership club directors about how they reacted to Celtic generating Uefa income on a scale which makes it impossible for them to be given anything more than the odd bloody nose over the course of a season, one said: "It almost doesn't concern us. We're resigned to them always winning the league now and our competition is to finish second. Most clubs are happy for them to get into the group because it means a bit of Uefa money for us. It's probably very different for Rangers." Every empire falls eventually. The eras of Stein and Souness/Smith came to natural ends. Rosenborg show that even monopolising a country's Champions League access does not guarantee permanent rule. But Celtic's position of strength, and their advantages, are greater than any board of directors have known since Scottish football began. By Michael Grant (Herald)

Now I'm not one to get paranoid, or tell people what to watch/buy and what not to watch/buy. But going on the BBC site to perhaps see the highlights, I was shocked to see not one mention of the game. When you think that there were 42,000 TV Licence payers at the match, you have to wonder at their bias and just downright cheek. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/

I was most impressed with young MacLeod last season. His injury was a major concern; however, he made it back for the final game but appeared tentative. My hope for this season was that he slowly and surely regained both confidence and form. He has surpassed my desire. He looks fitter, taller, stronger, and is aesthetically pleasing as ever. Seven games has seen him play across every midfield position, mostly in the left berth. His first touch is always twinned with ensuring his head is up and assessing options. Yesterday's goal was the epitome of this trait and it highlighted another increasingly obvious quality, game awareness. I have two fears. Where will he play next week? Templeton will be left midfield, Law in the centre, and Crawford/Peralta compete for the right berth. The other obvious candidate for centre is Black, I would prefer MacLeod. Further, can the club hold on to him beyond this season? I believe he has a big future and wonder if the club in it's current predicament can fulfil?

Why do they give interviews to these reporters. Dave King exclusive with @mcgowan_stephen in tomorrow's Daily Mail.

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Tech/uefaorg/General/01/80/54/10/1805410_DOWNLOAD.pdf I know it has always been stated that you must have 3 years of audited accounts to enter a UEFA competition, however does the above provide the SFA an option to present us an "extraordinary" application if we were to win a domestic cup competition (or place second)?

THERE is one word which sums up how I feel when I think of the friendship I developed with Davie Cooper while the pair of us were at Rangers together in the 1980s. It is the same word which explains my emotions when I recall being on the same pitch as Davie, even as he produced pieces of genius on a regular basis for the team he adored. That word is blessed. Even now, reflecting on his career, I still regard myself as being blessed to have gained the chance to live and work and share football memories with Davie, whether at Ibrox or when we were in Scotland squads or just chewing the fat about the game we loved. There were always myths and misconceptions surrounding Davie. Some people believed that he sold himself short by not spreading his wings and playing in England, for instance. But the reality was that he loved his family, he was true to his friends and he idolised Rangers throughout his life. It spoke volumes for his determination to stay close to his roots that his whole career was spent at just three clubs – Clydebank, Rangers and Motherwell – in the west of Scotland. Yes, he was an insular guy, in as much as he had his routine and the people he wanted to be around, but what’s wrong with that? In the modern age, some players seem to move from club to club almost every year but Davie was faithful to those he trusted and he should never be condemned for showing loyalty to those who supported him. In my opinion, it should be quite the opposite. Part of the reason for him not leaving his homeland was his shyness – he just wasn’t comfortable being in the limelight – but the man had a passion for football and I still remember the look on his face in the tunnel before big matches. His eyes lit up and he was 100 per cent committed and buzzing. He was a complex lad but one of the tragic aspects of his untimely death in 1995 was the way in which he was becoming more outgoing and blossoming. And then he was gone. I honestly believe, towards the end of his playing career, that we were about to see another Davie Cooper, somebody who would have been a terrific coach and inspiration to young players in Scotland because he was so enthusiastic about football that it rubbed off on those around him. You could see him growing in confidence, thinking about his future. He never talked himself up and was one of the most grounded boys I ever met but I noticed a change in Davie after he came back from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. It was almost as if he had begun to recognise that there was a big, wide world out there and he wanted to be part of it. Davie was misunderstood. He had his mood swings but they weren’t an offputting aspect of his character. If anything, it was an endearing quality when he used to have a moan to his mates because it played right into our hands and we ribbed him about it and that provoked good banter. It also demonstrated how much he cared and how professional he was in his attitude – some people, when they are bestowed with remarkable gifts, take things for granted and fall into the trap of believing their own publicity but Davie never did. On the contrary, and having talked to fans at Motherwell and Clydebank who regard him as the greatest player to wear their jerseys, Davie was one of life’s perfectionists wherever he went and there were no airs and graces, just a deep desire to be involved in football. Some tried to argue that he wasn’t the most dedicated of trainers but that has been overstated. He wasn’t too keen on the running sessions but, if you threw him a ball and asked him to practise, he would be there until midnight and be the happiest man on the planet. The conditions never bothered him and I have spoken to supporters who share my belief that he had it all and perhaps never fully appreciated how many of his compatriots were enthralled by the way he could light up any game with a feint, a shimmy or a mazy dribbling run which was worth the admission money on its own. These kinds of people are rare in sport so they should be cherished. Somebody such as Davie wasn’t merely a footballer – he was an entertainer and one of the best. I feel blessed for another reason. That is because my sons have the opportunity to enjoy Davie when he was at the height of his powers, thanks to the wonders of new technology. The great goals, the mesmerising artistry, the outrageous pieces of trickery – they are there on YouTube or DVD and I would advise any youngsters with an interest in football to check them out. Davie asked for little when he came in through the door at Ibrox every morning, except for some tea and toast and a quick glance at his paper. Flash cars, fashion accessories and the trappings of fame held no attraction for him and that was another of his best attributes. Essentially, he was one of the old school, a modest lad who was happiest on his home turf. A real local hero of his generation. I have never forgotten Davie and I never will. The fashion in which he was taken from us at just 39 was very, very cruel. But it does mean his talent never ages. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ally-mccoist-pays-emotional-tribute-2242522?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

August 31, 2013 The Team We All Adore When all the dust has settled I expect the Easdales to be the power at Ibrox for a considerable time. My understanding is that the Easdales see themselves as being the proprietors of Rangers and are in it for the long haul. Sandy Easdale’s take-up of the remaining Charles Green shares is a big indicator of his intent to become Mr Rangers. Easdale is like a kid in the sweetie shop at Ibrox. He loves the club and has dreams of his boy running out in the Light Blue one day. This love of the Gers, something every bluenose will resonate with, will not cloud Sandy Easdale’s business judgement. He and his brother James have built up a bus and taxi empire nudging towards £100 million by being shrewd operators and ruthless cost-cutters. It is no secret that the Easdales are open to selling this business and this would allow them to concentrate on running Rangers. Sandy Easdale sees Rangers as a club with the potential to be on the same levels as top EPL teams and bigger than even the likes of Arsenal. It is this potential which brought investment from institutional investors at the IPO. Of course, there are those who are not happy at the Easdales’ involvement but that will have zero effect on their determination to turn the club into a formidable force once more. For those detractors, I have bad news and good news. The bad news is I understand that the Easdales want to make a lot of money from Rangers Football Club. The good news is they are in it for the long haul and will likely only cash out when Rangers is the big player in European football the Easdales plan the club to be. Whatever you think about it, the Easdales intend to be the future of Rangers Football Club. It’s a brave man who will stand in their way. What is needed at Ibrox is stability in the boardroom and at the club in general. Manager Ally McCoist doesn’t need the hassles generated by the civil war being waged at Ibrox. This is why I have backed the present regime. Craig Mather and the other directors need to be given time to prove their worth at the club. Now that Charles Green and Imran Ahmad are effectively out of the equation, those left must be given the opportunity to make their mark. It seems incredible that certain people are touting the involvement of three men who probably don’t have £2 worth of shares between them, while decrying people who are investing serious money to have shares in the club. That is the crazy world Rangers supporters are living in these days. It’s time we understood that backing the club means backing everything at the club. Including the directors. It’s a bit like being British. I have said some unkind things about Prime Minister David Cameron on this blog lately and I make no apologies. But I would oppose any attempt to oust him that was based on injustice and lies. And I would back Cameron to the hilt if he was making a genuine stand for British interests. I didn’t agree with everything Charles Green did. If you read my blogs quite some time ago I was both sceptical and critical while others were fawning over him and giving him honorary memberships in their fan groups. There comes a point where you just have to get behind your team and be an actual supporter, not a detractor. This doesn’t mean you must be sycophantic or ignore issues; it just means you learn to deal with things in a dignified manner. Like many other Rangers fans I lament the lack of unity in our support. It saddens me to say it but I think there are some people in our fanbase who thrive on discord and sedition. These people just don’t want unity. They do, however, want power and for other bears to be obedient to them. On this blog I have consistently said my loyalty is to Rangers. While Charles Green was there it was to the Green regime at Ibrox because that was who was running the club. Now that Green has left the building it is to the present regime. As I have said in this piece, I fully expect the future at Rangers to be the Easdales and they will have my backing. That might change and I might not like the way they do things. The point of it all is if you don’t like the present regime there are honourable ways to go about it and dishonourable ways. There are ways that don’t damage the club and ways that do. The present McColl takeover gambit is, for me, a destabilising and destructive move. Hence my opposition. As I keep saying, it should be Rangers first. We pride ourselves on tacking “Loyal” to ourselves as an identity. Time for Rangers fans to really be The Rangers Loyal. Not the Rangers Insurrection. One more thing. Let’s remember what it’s really all about. The eleven men on the park in the famous Royal Blue. ______________________________________________________________________

Has a bit of me. me, me running through it/

Aug. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Payment is in respect of personal income tax and tax liabilty of Ben Nevis, which is King trust co. managed from Guernsey, Channel Islands, South African Revenue Service says in e-mailed statement. • South Africa not pursuing fraud charges against King • King accepts liability on 41 counts of contravening South Africa’s income tax laws. • King to pay fine of 3.21m rand, or 24 months’ imprisonment after he entered into plea, sentencing agreement with National Prosecuting Authority • King ordered to pay 8.75m rand toward Criminal Asset Recovery Asset Fund

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has admitted he is keen to lure veteran striker Kenny Miller back to Ibrox. The Scotland striker is currently under contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps until the summer of 2014, and McCoist has yet to hold any talks with the player. Rangers remain under a transfer embargo and can recruit only free agents on September 1, and under the terms of Miller's contract with the MLS side, McCoist would not be able to sign him until January at the earliest. But speaking after a 2-0 win over Berwick in the Ramsdens Cup, McCoist said: "Kenny would certainly interest me, I would be lying if I said he didn't interest me quite a lot. "If there was an opportunity to get Kenny, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't explore that. We will have to wait and see. "I keep in touch with Kenny, but I haven't spoken to him since the day after the England game. In terms of the possibility of him coming here, I haven't spoken to him about that. "I wouldn't rule it out. I'll certainly be making enquiries in the next wee while. If it's a possibility, it's an avenue we would look to possibly pursue. "I don't know if Kenny would want to come, if we could afford him. There are millions of questions but I do think we need another forward." McCoist also expects some of his players to depart the club before the current transfer window closes next week. He added: "That's a possibility. There have been one or two enquiries made about one or two of our players. "But it would be unfair of me to mention them because the players don't know yet and it's miles away from anything concrete happening." Goals from Barrie McKay and Andy Little secured victory over Berwick and McCoist said: "I thought it was a solid performance and a well-deserved win." http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11788/8892872/ally-mccoist-keen-to-bring-kenny-miller-back-to-rangers

In times of trouble, the crown fits old Rangers King - The Herald 'IT would be reasonable to suppose that the Glasgow experience of John Barnes would have been enough to make the former Liverpool player shrink at a Scottish accent and positively bridle at the mere mention of the game north of the border. However, Barnes speaks of his brief tenure as Celtic manager with some insight and maintains a strong connection to the Scottish game through his role as a media pundit and his friendship with Dave King, the Scottish businessman and former Rangers director based in South Africa, who has been vocal in the unfolding turmoil at the Ibrox club. Barnes travels the world in his role as a football analyst and met King in South Africa, where the former England internationalist comments on both Barclays Premier League and Champions League matches. He believes strongly that King has a role to play as the power struggle continues at Rangers. The businessman lost £20m when the club was owned by Sir David Murray and has warned they could be in administration by Christmas. Barnes believes he was a victim of that high-spending Rangers, too, with his coaching career bludgeoned by the reality that he was facing greater resources at Ibrox. He also insists King could be the leader who rescues Rangers from in-fighting and brings the club back to the top league and to financial stability. Barnes lasted from June 1999 to February 2000 as Celtic manager, with a Scottish Cup defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle precipitating his demise. "I was not there long enough to learn a lot," he says, his sunny demeanour failing to disguise the disappointment of a opportunity that proved short-lived. Barnes was part of a "dream ticket", coming to Celtic Park in tandem with Kenny Dalglish, his one-time manager at Liverpool. He dismisses any notions he was an innocent thrown into the jungle of Scottish football. "Nothing happened there that I did not expect. I knew the expectations were high. I knew we were second to Rangers and if that continued it would mean that it would not work out." Standing in the BT studios in London where he is about to give his opinions on the English game, he pauses to reflect on the state of Scottish football then and now. "I think a lot of people are now looking at the dynamics of the game north of the border and saying it is not as easy at it seems. In those days it was very different. In those days David Murray was spending a lot of money. Rangers had better players and much more money than Celtic. They were signing such as Joerg Albertz and Michael Mols to join the good players they already had." Barnes was consumed by the imperative to defeat Rangers but with lesser resources. "It is strange to see how it has gone with Celtic and Rangers," he says. "The dynamic is different and it shows the way Celtic were doing things from a financial point of view was the right way and the necessary way to do it." He states bluntly: "Rangers are paying the price for that period." His friendship with King has given him the inside story on his rivals when he was manager of Celtic. King, who took up his role as a non-executive director in March 2000, began his formal association with Rangers as Barnes was ending his with Celtic but King and he have become close after regular trips to South Africa. "He tells me stories of what it was like back then," says Barnes, now 49 and travelling to the Middle East and elsewhere to talk football. "He tells me of the money Rangers were spending and that has impacted on where they are now. It is shame because they're a huge club." In March, King announced his intention to sue Murray, stating: "I seem to be one of the few people who actually invested cash into the club. I have made a claim of £20m the basis of non-disclosure by the then chairman, David Murray, of Rangers' true financial position as far back as 2000." Murray said he would vigorously contend any such claim if and when it was lodged. The past at Rangers is thus clouded with much animosity for King, but Barnes is optimistic on the club's future if his friend becomes involved. "He would be good for Rangers because he is a fan. He wants what is right for Rangers. It is a huge brand that can be hugely successful and it will be successful once again. It may take a few years but the more they can have people like him involved from a footballing perspective the better. If you are a football supporter, you want people like him to involved in football." Barnes, too, would like to become more closely involved in football. He managed the Jamaican national team for a season, taking them to first place in the 2008 Caribbean Championships, and then joined Tranmere Rovers in June 2009, lasting just five months before being sacked. "I would love to get back into management but it is hard. There are a lot of ex-managers who want to get back in. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to do TV work but if something came up I would definitely look at it again." And what of a return to Scotland? Has his experience at Celtic soured him? "It was fantastic up there," he says. "Obviously, the politics were not great but the football was good. I loved it, " he says.' ______________________________________________ Excuses excuses Barnes. Not like those associated with the dark side to revise history is it?. There's no denying we spent a lot of money overall during the DA era. However, lets take a look at transfer activity of the season in question.... The Poor Wee Souls Players In Stiliyan Petrov £2.8m Ian Wright - Free? Rafael Scheidt - £5m Eyal Berkovic - £5.75m Olivier Tébily - £1.25m Players Out Craig Burley - £3m Phil O'Donnell - Free Simon Donnelly - Free Darren Jackson - Free Total loss = £11.8m Us Dirty Cheats that Bought Our Tainted Titles Players In Dariusz Adamczuk - Free Michael Mols - £4m Tero Penttilä - £0.3m Thomas Myhre Loan Billy Dodds - £1.3m Tugay Kerimoğlu £1.3m Players Out Theo Snelders - Retired Jonas Thern - Retired Luigi Riccio - Released Stephane Guivarc'h - £3.4m Charlie Miller - £0.45m Antti Niemi - £0.4m Derek McInnes - £0.3m Ian Ferguson - Free Gabriel Amato - £3.75m Colin Hendry - £0.75m Paul McKnight - Nominal Total profit = £2,150,000 Except Albertz had already been with us for 2 seasons at that point. The simple fact of the matter is that we had a good team and good manager while they had John Barnes who was about as shite as Scheidt.

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/4915-decisions-to-be-made

Jim McColl has apologised to Craig Mather for a second time following comments made about the Rangers chief executive in an interview. The men are on opposite sides of a battle for control of the Ibrox boardroom, but Herald Sport understands the businessman has stressed again that he has no ill will towards Mather. McColl contacted Mather on Friday to apologise for some of the content of the interview. He has a since got in touch with the chief executive again, to further emphasise that he does not believe the content fully represented his views. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/mccoll-makes-another-apology.21990727 Somebody paste the full article please.

There is still work that Ally McCoist would like to carry out on his Rangers squad. He continues to monitor trialists, is keen on a centre-back and a centre-forward and there is interest from other clubs in "one or two" of his players. These are the routine tasks of a manager, but they also provide a refuge for McCoist. When he talks about the off-field issues at Ibrox, he has increasingly been referring to fatigue, among the fans, among the football community, perhaps even for most of those involved. Every week tends to bring a further development on the boardroom saga at the club. Since answering back to the criticisms of Charles Green when the former chief executive returned, briefly, as a paid consultant, McCoist has maintained the stance this his business is the team and his players; what happens in the boardroom is down to the directors. He returned to that theme yesterday, acknowledging that the continue drama at Rangers needs a conclusive ending. "Being a fan, ex-player and now manager, I just want what's best for this club," he said. "Everyone is reaching the stage where we're saying 'let's get this sorted and move on'. When I talk to Sandy [Jardine], wee Willie Henderson, big Tam Forsyth, everyone is of the same opinion: 'C'mon, let's sort this out and go forward'. If that's ex-players talking, it'll be echoed one thousand times by the supporters, but I'm optimistic that the off-the-park stuff can finally be sorted out." It is likely to be six weeks before the club holds its annual general meeting, at which a group of disgruntled shareholders will also table five resolutions seeking significant changes in the boardroom. The accounts are due to be published in the meantime. McCoist has become well-versed in financial issues that most football managers would not expect to encounter - "it's opened my eyes to a lot of avenues I'd never have imagined I'd go down," he said - but it will be a measure of his own progress if the exploits of the team do not add to the commotion. The season is in its infancy, but Rangers fans have taken heart from the performances of their side. The loss to Forfar Athletic in the first round of the Scottish League Cup will continue to irk them, but otherwise Rangers have shown signs of a stronger mental attitude, more variety and dynamism to their play and, crucially, a more emphatic sense of purpose. Airdrieonians were eventually swept aside last Friday night, with the kind of ruthless intent that McCoist has been demanding of his squad, and even if one game is not emblematic, the general sense is of progress. "We've miles to go and we've had one great second-half against Airdrie, so no-one's getting carried away," said McCoist. "The squad's getting better with the players we've brought in. People have to remember we lost £40-50m worth of talent [last year] and brought in free transfers, but we're delighted with the progress we'll make this year." Steve Simonsen, the former Dundee goalkeeper, and Sam Kelly, the 19-year-old former Everton midfielder, have extended their trial period at the club, while McCoist retains an interest in signing the Bosnian defender Boris Pandza. Negotiations are continuing between Craig Mather, the Rangers chief executive, and Pandza's agent. Several clubs are also keen on taking Scott Gallacher, the Rangers goalkeeper, on loan, with McCoist keen for the player to gain regular first-team experience. Cammy Bell, the former Kilmarnock goalkeeper, is one of the eight players who have agreed to sign as free agents on September 1, when Rangers' registration embargo ends. He could even feature as a trialist in Saturday's match with East Fife at Ibrox, after which McCoist will be able to choose from a full squad of players. The visit of Berwick Rangers in the Ramsdens Cup tonight is not incidental, since McCoist wants to foster a hardened winning attitude within his squad. It is also an opportunity for some players to prove their worth before potential replacements are eligible to play from September 1 onwards. "If you're Berwick Rangers, you're delighted we're not allowed to play any of our new players," McCoist said. "But I'm more looking forward to the game than having any worries because the boys that will play, those that didn't play on Friday, will know that's what expected." http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/miles-to-go-but-mccoist-confident-of-moving-on.21981607