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KIERAN PRIOR last night broke his self-imposed silence to outline his hopes and fears on the battle for the heart and soul of Rangers. In an explosive Record Sport exclusive, the London financier revealed he has twice had bids to buy out Charles Green in the last fortnight rejected by the former chief executive. He also explained he cannot yet back Jim McColl’s move to oust three existing board members at an EGM next month because the Scottish business tycoon refuses to invest in Rangers. Prior has also dismissed claims by former director Dave King the club is heading for administration by Christmas. Prior held meetings with Gers chief executive Craig Mather and finance director Brian Stockbridge in London on Monday and is convinced the club can prosper under the business plan they outlined to him. He even accused King of trying to spook shareholders into selling at the price of 30 pence a share – which Prior claims would leave supporters short-changed. He said: “My end game is the stability and growth of the club and its share price and to ultimately see a return on my investment. “I expect to hold my shareholding for between four and 10 years and have spent the last few weeks working under the radar and getting a feel for the different personalities and points of view. “I did not expect to be messed around by this debacle of good guys versus bad guys because nothing is ever that simple and there are always shades of grey.” Record Sport revealed in June that former Goldman Sachs trader Prior had come to the table as a major player behind the scenes. He has spent the last two months buying up stock and now has control of around 2.5 per cent of the club’s 65 million shares, at a cost of more than £600,000. His target was always to buy between five and 10 per cent, look under the bonnet, and see if the club was worth further investment. Prior added: “As someone who has invested I’m even more compelled to increase my stake than I was before meeting Craig and Brian Stockbridge on Monday. “I was particularly impressed by Craig, his candour and insight and I’m encouraged by the management structure going forward under his charge.” However, Prior has been thwarted recently by Green’s rejection of his offers of 34p and 34.5p per share for his five million shares, which would have netted the former chief executive around £2.3million. Prior added: “I’ve twice bid for his stock in its entirety. The money would go into an escrow account ahead of the formal release of the shares at the end of his lock-in period in December. “He told me to put my money where my mouth is and yet on each occasion I had to call him for an answer. “He then said he wouldn’t even sell to me for £50 a share. It has been like trying to negotiate with a chimpanzee for a banana. “He either wants to drag the club under or hold out for a higher price. If it’s the latter, he should negotiate better. “While Charles Green remains focused on individual battles we’ll never get anywhere with this club. He is the most disruptive influence of all. “He is so destructive and self-obsessed. He is a man without a cause, blinded by his own opinion on others. “While I’m here there will always be a buyer for his stock but I’ll take him out at a price when he begins to think rationally. “If he is short of money I’m likely to buy on more favourable terms the longer he waits and dilly-dallies.” Prior is less than impressed with the tactics of McColl, Frank Blin and Paul Murray, who have called for an EGM aimed at replacing Mather, Stockbridge and Bryan Smart as directors with Blin and Murray. Prior said: “If Mr McColl wants to get involved he should buy a significant number of shares. I don’t believe he wants to be that white knight and I’ve told him so. “Paul Murray seems to want a job on the board for a free ride. Mr McColl could have bought the entire stock in one gulp and it would have been change from his pocket. He has chosen not to and it exposes a glaring weakness in their case. “AIM rules legislate that anyone with over five per cent in a company can call an egm at any time. “In light of the interaction I’ve had with Green I’ve no doubt he would want to cause maximum disruption by calling egm after egm, therefore taking the club towards bankruptcy, until he is bought out. “I don’t understand why they can’t see that and it’s why I did not sign their letter of requisition for an egm.” Prior, a Manchester United fan who has had a soft spot for Rangers since he was a kid growing up in Salford, is adamant the club will not go to the wall again. That has been predicted by former director King but Prior took a swipe at the Johannesburg-based businessman as he revealed the comfort he has taken from his meeting with Mather. He added: “Craig impressed me. I don’t believe administration is on the horizon. “King’s comments might have something to do with his standing bid for the club at 30 pence a share. He could be trying to panic investors out. “People can call me cheeky for bidding 34 pence a share but it is not as cheeky as King. If he buys over 30 per cent he is obliged to make an offer for the rest of the shares – and it won’t be at the levels the fans bought in at.” Prior insists he would have no qualms about becoming the major shareholder at the club but his motivation is less about ego than solid corporate governance and accountability to supporters. He added: “I’m not looking to take over the club, although I would be comfortable as major shareholder. It’s about creating a stable, prosperous Rangers. “People should not be given free rides or play political games with shares they have been gifted. “At the moment, I don’t know how I will vote at the egm. I’m not being drawn into one camp or the other but I will vote for what brings greatest stability. “I’m trying to work to provide a third way where everyone wins, especially the fans, because no one wants a disgruntled club.”

Am I right that Mather said this would happen? Both in London at the moment.

I originally wrote this over the weekend and didn’t get an opportunity to post it due to the database issues that GersNet unfortunately suffered. Even after the recent developments with Imran Ahmad taking the club to court for the sum of £3.4M I am still going ahead and posting this. There was a time (I am sure some of you may remember) where I would have been all over the recent shenanigans surrounding the power struggle for our club, but a few things have changed in the last few years which have meant that I have taken a step back and no longer having my finger on the pulse of what is going on. This is something that I am not ashamed to admit to, so apologies if anything written here is inaccurate or not up-to-date. Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t care, I do, passionately, like we all do. However, for the best part of a decade I have typed warnings that we as a club were heading for disaster. Looking back, this ‘campaign’ and losing battle took some of the fun and enjoyment out of following Rangers and it alienated me from the vast majority of Rangers fans who refused to believe that our club was in any danger. The mess we currently find ourselves in can be traced straight back to Sir David Murray’s door. Without his reckless mismanagement of the club, there would not have been Craig Whyte, there would not have been administration, there would not have been liquidation, there would not have been Duff & Phelps and there would not have been Charles Green etc, etc, etc…. Now, this is not going to be a customary Cammy F rant, I am a changed person. For those lucky enough not to remember my inane rantings, I would rant tirelessly about SDM and basically anything related (or otherwise) to our great club. I hope my old Gersent friends forgive me and let me reminisce a little. As a fresh-faced youth growing up in the sticks I had two passions, football and music and my choice in both was hardly ‘en-vogue’ at the time. Rangers, under legend John Greig were going through one of the worst periods of their recent history (until this last year and a half) and the first wave of Punk and come and gone, but this kid passionately followed both. I spent years follow following Rangers and punk bands to all corners of these isles and beyond meeting up with many kindred souls some who I still like to think of as friends. Now, it was on a rare occasion that I found someone who supported Rangers and liked Punk music. To most they appeared mutely exclusive. There was one day that I was chased from Ibrox for wearing a Sex Pistols ‘God Save The Queen’ t-shirt. Ah, the naivety of youth! However as time marched on and times and attitudes changed, you began to see familiar faces at Ibrox and at concerts. In fact, about a decade ago I have the pleasure of seeing the Dead Kennedys at King Tut’s and met many people there whom I would also meet at Rangers games. In fact, I would take this opportunity to say that if you ever get the chance to see the likes of Rancid, Bad Religion, Cockney Rejects or The Angelic Upstarts do so as you won’t be disappointed. To witness The Upstarts blasting out Soldier, Green Fields Of France and Last Night Another Soldier is always a pleasure. So for longer than I care to remember I slowly but surely got totally engrossed in Rangers and Punk music and did so until just over two years ago when we were blessed with our twin boys. The boys were born dangerously premature and were both in hospital for a while. These events changed my perspectives overnight. I still passionately cared about Rangers but I admit that they fell down the pecking order. Our smallest went through an operation in Yorkhill just prior to being released from hospital after a torturous 15 weeks (99 days) on the day that we clinched our 54th title at Kilmarnock. In fact we heard that he was fine and coming back to the ward just as Kyle Lafferty scored the opening goal and we were 3-0 up by the time he was delivered back to the ward. Conveniently you could see the ever impressive structure of Ibrox from the wards window and I spent hours with him telling him endless stories of past glories witnessed at Ibrox and beyond. In fact, we took the bigger of our boys who had been released from hospital by this time to Ibrox to see the return of the victorious players / management team and the wee bugger slept through it all. Apologies, I digress. I decided there and then that my words of warning had fallen on deaf ears and whatever happened with Rangers was out of my control and that there was nothing I could do to change what was becoming inevitability. I stood watching the celebrations and knew that this was the end of Rangers as we knew and loved the club. I understood that all the glories were coming to an end and that soon we would run aground and everything would fall apart. The consequences of administration and liquidation are still being felt and I fear / predict that we will still not fully realise the ramifications for sometime. So the current infighting, power-struggle, call it what you will is frustrating and is in danger of ripping this institution apart, something that our many enemies have failed to do. The rhetoric that is being thrown around is disgusting and it now appears that the vocal element have pinned their colours to the anti-green mast. Now before going any further, I do not believe EITHER camp have demonstrated enough to convince anyone that they DESERVE to be the custodians of this club going forward. I have time for Green simply because he put his (or someone else’s) money where his month was when we needed someone to lead us out of liquidation. He also showed that he was no pushover and stuck up for us and club on more than a few occasions. We also have a situation where even the two most prolific and well known Rangers bloggers are backing different sides and populate their blogs with reasons to support their preferred option. I will give them credit as both have put up stern defences outlining why they are supporting Green or McColl, All the other ‘groups’ that have emerged since those days intrigue me, as they, like Green had the opportunity to purchase Rangers for £5M (in fact they could have gotten Rangers for £1 from SDM), but for whatever reason, they baulked. It would be safe to assume that they baulked due to the uncertainty of the ‘Big Tax Case’. Is it coincidence that once we had ‘won’ the Big Tax case, everyone and their dog wants to own Rangers?. The latest and very public attempt to have Rangers removed from Green’s control is hard for me to support as I don’t see how they plan to fund the takeover and the ongoing costs of running Rangers. So what’s the point of all of the above? Nothing really, other than allowing this oldtimer to reminisce a little, to remind everyone that we as a support were never privy to the truth from the boardroom and that we are in danger of doing what our enemies have failed to do. Also, there are two sides to every story and personally, I will never believe a word written by Rangers hater Keith Jackson and his Rangers hating paper The Daily Record. In conclusion, it is this fans opinion that if we were as vocal and venomous in our mistrust of the SDM regime, we might not be in this current mess. Cammy F – Punks Not Dead and neither are Rangers (just yet).

NACHO NOVO is playing in the league which sees him take on Jose Mourinho on Saturday night. But for the ex-Rangers striker, the SPL will always be the special one. Novo, 32, has been away from Ibrox for 18 months now, since joining La Liga outfit Sporting Gijon. As a born and bred Spaniard he's living the dream facing the likes of Real Madrid, and he's up against Mourinho's men this weekend. But Novo still finds himself thinking back to his time in Scottish football. He told SunSport: "I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to be involved in this kind of game. It's massive. "Real are a really great team and a lot better and stronger than they were last year. "It's going to be hard, but we have done very well when we have played the top teams at home. Hopefully we can get a good result. "I'm looking forward to it. There will be around 35,000 inside our stadium and the atmosphere should be great. "But it won't be like a Rangers and Celtic match. For me that's still the best there is. Nothing I can experience in Spain will come close to it. "That's one of the things I miss about Scotland, the supporters. "It's not just for the Old Firm games. Every week they travel all over the country to watch their team. The weather isn't great and it can be expensive, but still the fans are there. They sing for their team and as a player that is amazing. "We have some great teams in Spain and it's great football. But there are sometimes games where the atmosphere isn't anything like Scotland. The culture is totally different. "What you have in Scotland, you just can't beat it. I miss it. "Scotland for me is my home. It's where I have lots of friends who helped me turn from a boy to a man. "I was always happy there and some day in the future I think I would like to go back. I really love it. "Scotland gave me everything I have now. It made me as a player and made me as a man. "From Raith Rovers to Dundee and then Rangers, I grew up there and cannot forget that. "People forget I was so young when I moved there. It's the place I think of as my home. "That may sound strange because I am from Spain and that's where I live now. But whenever we have time off I fly back to Glasgow to spend a few days with friends. "The problem is we train so much here, mornings and then in the afternoons. "The next time I'll be off is at Christmas time." Even in Spain Novo is glued to his TV watching Ally McCoist's side in action. Rangers' shock 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock hit him hard last weekend. But his problem now is that his telly is on the blink. Novo added: "I got Sky TV for my house, but it's not been working properly. I'll need to change to another satellite company â?? or move! "I need to watch Rangers whenever I can. They are my team and they always will be. I have feelings for Raith Rovers and Dundee too, but Rangers are the team I support now. "I always check the results and I was disappointed to see they lost to Kilmarnock. "But Coisty and the lads are still at the top of the table and four points ahead of Celtic. That's the important thing." Novo has been in and out of the Sporting Gijon side because of injury this season, making just five appearances. But he scored a last-minute winner against Getafe last week for his first goal of the season. Now he's dreaming of a strike against Madrid this weekend. He said: "We created history for this club last season by beating them. It was fantastic. "All week in training we've been looking forward to this game. It's not a normal week because Madrid is special." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3970718/Id-rather-face-Celts-than-Jose.html#ixzz1fEkESJGh

Tom English: â??Paul Murrayâ??s bid was well-meaning but not based in realityâ?? Published on Sunday 4 December 2011 01:32 PAUL Murray, the former non-executive director of Rangers, raised his head above the parapet in The Scotsman yesterday when expressing his concerns about the way the club is being run by Craig Whyte, his old foe from the takeover process earlier in the year. This column has given short shrift to Murray in the past â?? and especially to his cohort, Alastair â??No Surrenderâ? Johnston, the great show-boater of the old guard. That is not to dismiss Murrayâ??s concerns over Whyte. Heâ??s entitled to be uncertain about Rangersâ?? future and worried about Whyteâ??s stewardship. There is so much secrecy and inconsistency surrounding Whyte that cynicism is not just an understandable instinct, but a necessary one. The contradictions are many. In October, Whyte gave an interview to STV in which he stated that he nothing to hide in his professional life. An hour later a BBC investigation revealed that Whyte had been disqualified from being a company director for seven years. At the outset of his ownership he rubbished the possibility that Rangers might go into administration. Now he is saying that it has always been an option. He said from day one that he would appeal should the HMRC decision go against the club, but he appears to have changed his mind on that one. In the wake of the BBC documentary he stated that he was going to waste no time in suing the broadcaster, but it seems he has not taken that step yet. He might yet, of course. There is a suspicious air around Whyte and much of it is of his own making, born out of his determination to keep his business affairs as private as possible. When he is asked to name a couple of his companies that he is particularly proud of and then refuses to name them, people are entitled to wonder what heâ??s all about. The mystery creates an information vacuum that then gets filled with speculation. Informed speculation, some of it. But the fact is that, when it comes to Whyte (his money and his motives), a lot of what is out there is little more than guesswork. His merits as Rangersâ?? owner can only be judged in time. This is where this column and Murray go our separate ways because there are things that Murray says that just donâ??t stand up to any kind of scrutiny. First of all, Murray expresses surprise at the talk of Rangers, potentially, going into administration. â??I am puzzled that administration is even being discussed,â? he said. â??The HMRC tax tribunal will not deliver a decision until well into next year so at the moment there is no tax liability to pay.â? Puzzled at administration being discussed? Hold on a second, there. Johnston, his big mate on the old board, was talking about administration away back in April. In fact, he got himself embroiled in a controversy about whether or not he stated the club could, in a worst-case scenario, actually go bust. â??Yes, if there is an excessive (HMRC) judgment against us then we might not be in a position to pay it,â? said Johnston on 1 April. â??But I never said the club would go bust as a result of it. The very worst thing that could happen is that we lose the case and, as a result, could be looking at going into administration.â? So it was OK for Johnston (and by extension, Murray) to talk about administration but, when Whyte does it, Murray is â??puzzledâ?. Heâ??ll have to explain that one. And, while he is at it, he might enlighten us further on his supposed counter-bid for the club and why he waited and waited and waited before he did something, which, effectively, was nothing. According to Whyte, it amounted to a â??five line e-mail sent from his Blackberryâ? when the Whyte deal was as good as done. Sir David Murray, it is understood, gave it no credence whatsoever, nor did Lloyds Bank. And nor would Johnston have given it the time of day had he applied his own rules to his mateâ??s offer. Johnston wanted transparency, but the Murray bid supposedly involved a £25 million share issue underwritten by a businessman whose name he would not reveal, with other backers coming on board as well. He wouldnâ??t name them either. The â??bidâ? also stated that Lloyds would only be paid off in stages, this despite Johnston having earlier stated that a prerequisite of any takeover was that Lloyds were paid off in full and removed from the Rangers landscape permanently. Murrayâ??s solution to the HMRC issue was to get Sir David to pay whatever bill came the clubâ??s way. Lovely idea, but unless he is an expert in hypnosis there was no way Paul Murray was going to get the then owner to agree to that. So his â??bidâ? was probably well-meaning but not based in reality. Meanwhile, Whyte was ploughing on and doing a deal. Itâ??s not a deal that Paul Murray or Johnston like and Whyte is not a man they have faith in, but the alternative was that Sir David kept the club â?? and they didnâ??t want that either. The fact is that, when Johnston came in as chairman, the mission statement he set out for himself was to find a new owner who would liberate the club from the grip of Lloyds Bank. Johnston found nobody. He failed. Paul Murray failed, too. He had his chance to buy the club and he didnâ??t take it. He sat and waited and came up with far too little, far too late. â??Everything we said has come home to roost,â? said Murray. â??I donâ??t take any pleasure from that. . . Talking about administration, being pursued by suppliers and the possibility of a fit and proper investigation at the SFA. . . itâ??s humiliating and embarrassing.â? Yes, itâ??s troubling, no doubt about it. But there was no nirvana option available to Rangers. The club had to accept Whyteâ??s offer or stick with Sir David and live with the consequences. There was no third way worthy of consideration. Sniping from the sidelines is understandable. For sure, Whyte needs to be scrutinised given the potential horrors that await the club. But to Paul Murray we ask: â??What would you have done?â? Once the attempted brainwashing of Sir David into accepting liability for a £49m tax debt ended in failure, what was the alternative? And the answer is, there wasnâ??t one.

CELTIC stand-in skipper Beram Kayal believes the Parkhead club are ready to leave their early season woes firmly behind them by going on to win the domestic treble and vindicate his assertion that they are superior to Rangers. The Israeli international midfielder was in bullish mood ahead of tonightâ??s pivotal Europa League Group I fixture against Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park, which he and his team-mates approach on the back of a five-match winning run that has re-energised their campaign. Kayalâ??s comments underlined the fresh confidence in the Celtic squad following the sequence of victories which has put them in contention to reach the last 32 of the Europa League and also seen Rangersâ?? lead over them at the top of the SPL table slashed from 12 to four points. In a thinly-veiled swipe at their Old Firm rivals, Kayal also insisted Celtic were the most accomplished team in Scotland last season, despite missing out on the championship to the Ibrox men by a point. The 23-year-old is hugely optimistic that there will be no repeat of that disappointment this time around, revealing that Neil Lennonâ??s men have their sights firmly fixed on a clean sweep of the domestic trophies as well as an extended run in the Europa League. â??Last season we played the best football in the country and we showed that to everyone,â? said Kayal. â??It has taken time to come together this season, but the gaffer is now doing that very well. We looked to win the league last season but didnâ??t do it. I hope this season everyone can do their best to win everything in this country and do well in Europe. For this moment, we are coming back to the right way. â??I am sure we can play the best football again this season, because we have the best squad and the best players in this country. We havenâ??t played like we did last season, but we are now getting there. â??We have power in the team and the confidence has come back for everyone. This is a good moment to start playing well for the rest of the season. Over the last month, everything has come together. Everyone has worked hard and tried to do the maximum. Everyone feels much better, but we need to continue, not just to do it for one month. At the start of the season, we drew and lost a lot of games. At Celtic you need to win every game.â? Celtic are two points behind Atletico Madrid and Udinese in their Europa League group, with bottom-placed Rennes a further three points adrift. Victory tonight appears imperative if Celtic are to go into their final fixture, away to Udinese on 15 December, with the knockout stage within their grasp. â??I think we need four points from the last two games to qualify,â? added Kayal. â??But this is a good moment for the team. We have played well in the last five or six games and we need to continue that in Europe as well as the league. â??Atletico are a big club and a good team and we need to continue with our good run to beat them. We played well in our last European game here against Rennes, when we beat them 3-1, and we need to do the same job in this one. When we play at Celtic Park the fans give everybody energy and power. We know Atletico are a big team in Europe with a lot of world-class players, but we want to beat them to have a chance of continuing in Europe this season. â??When we lost 2-0 to Atletico in Madrid back in September at the start of the group, a lot of our players were experiencing European football for the first time. Now we have a stronger mentality.â? Kayal is preparing to hand the captainâ??s armband back to Scott Brown soon with the Scotland midfielder now back in full training following his recovery from ankle surgery. Brownâ??s long-term future at Celtic remains uncertain. His current contract expires at the end of this season and no agreement has yet been reached on a new deal. â??Scott is the captain of the team and is an important player,â? said Kayal. â??If he comes back into the team, he will give us more energy and help us to play well. He is a big player, a good man and a good friend but I donâ??t want to speak about his contract. I donâ??t know what the future will bring.â? Brown is unlikely to be pressed into action tonight with his return more likely to come against Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday. Celtic have no fresh injury concerns for tonight, with defender Kelvin Wilson available for selection for the first time since September. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/celtic_have_the_best_players_in_scotland_says_bullish_beram_kayal_1_1988621

Published on Sunday 27 November 2011 00:52 SEVENTY-Five years after Celtic brought the first Indian player to Europe to play professional football, two others have arrived at Rangers. No doubt the trialists at Murray Park, Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua, are well-versed on the story of their predecessor in Glasgow, Mohammed Salim, a talented winger who never quite made it, remembered in places as the Barefoot Indian of Celtic Park or The Juggler of Calcutta as one Scottish paper called him in 1936. Salimâ??s time here was short-lived. Homesickness got to him. Truth be told, we donâ??t know how long his countrymen are going to be around either. For the players, and for the club, their arrival is like a journey into the unknown. What chance have these guys? Long odds against, you have to say. Chhetri, more experienced and a proven international goalscorer, is considered the best bet, but then he failed to impress when at the Kansas City Wizards last year and didnâ??t hack it during a trial at Coventry a few years earlier. There are also work permit issues. QPR wanted to sign him in 2009 but he was turned down for a permit because India are miles outside the top-70 nations in the world rankings. They still are. And that is still a huge issue. Even if Rangers wanted to sign these players, they might not be able to under the rules. We shall see. Somesh Upadhyay writes about football in his homeland and has waited a lifetime to see an Indian player have an impact abroad. In the beginning there was Salim. The Bangalore-born Paul Wilson flourished at Celtic in the 1970s, but he was raised in Scotland and came through the traditional Scottish route. More recently there was Bhaichung Bhuta, a star at home but one who couldnâ??t cut it at Bury. In between there was Harpal Singh at Leeds and not much else. There are some players of Indian origin â?? Michael Chopra, for instance, and the French international Vikash Dhorasoo â?? but to claim them as Indian would be clutching at straws. In these parts the best known Indian player is probably Jesminder â??Jessâ? Bhamra, a fictional female footballer in the film Bend It Like Beckham. â??If even one of Chhetri or Lalpeklua make it to SPL, the popularity of the SPL in general and Rangers in particular will scale new heights,â? says Upadhyay. â??It has a potential to add 50 million new fans at least. The fact that the SPL is telecast in India will only hasten the process. It is one of the most discussed topics among youths in India. Even in smaller towns, people keep up late at night to watch the matches.â? India is very much on the radar of the established football nations. Sometime today, Raymond Farrelly, head of business development at Rangers, is going to jump on a plane bound for India, heâ??s going to spend the next week moving between cities and meetings, from Mumbai to Delhi to Kolkata, all in the name of establishing links, building relationships that will, it is hoped, lead to a commercial result down the line. Last weekend, Rangers set up a Twitter page delivering Hindi text commentary of their game against St Johnstone. They have plans to provide future commentaries in Punjabi and Urdu. They have met members of the Indian community in Glasgow, will meet some heavy hitters from the football world this week and now they have two international footballers at Murray Park and an expectant audience in India wondering if either of them will be offered a deal to stay. â??My agenda is fact-finding,â? says Farrelly. â??I have a lot of a meetings and part of that is sitting down with members of the Indian media. The news of the two players coming across on trial has provoked a lot of media attention. Itâ??s unbelievable, the scope of it. The circulations of some papers over there blows you away. Thereâ??s a huge amount of interest in what weâ??re doing. â??You only have to look at the financial position of our game and where the club sits right now to know that itâ??s absolutely incumbent on us to explore opportunities around the world. If you look at the growth opportunities for Scottish businesses, a lot of them exist in Asia and in particular in India, where there is a real need for infrastructure and a lot of Scottish companies can provide that. So, yeah, weâ??re looking at commercial opportunities, trying to build an audience. Itâ??s a long-term vision.â? The challenge for Rangers is that plenty of others share the same vision. It is a paradoxical football landscape. There is little money in the domestic league and yet massive crowds at the biggest games, upwards of 120,000 for the elite fixtures. And Indian businesses are in acquisition mode abroad. Venkyâ??s, the poultry giant, owns Blackburn Rovers. An Indian group has long been linked with a takeover at Everton. QPR have had Indian backers. Huge sums are paid out to the English Premier League to screen their games in India. Everton just did a lucrative deal to show their games on mobile phones in the country. Rangers are exploring, but others are well ahead of them. Liverpool run a training camp there already. Manchester United have a presence also. It is said that there are 17 million United fans in India â?? and seven United cafes and bars. Bayern Munich are doing more than anybody, making regular visits while also laying down roots with the Bayern Munich Youth Cup for under-16s in Delhi, held last month. The whole shooting match was organised not by some coaching junior, some inexperienced wannabe but by Werner Kern who was an assistant coach at Bayern in their golden era in the 1970s and who has been instrumental in the coaching of recent stars such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller. Bayern have even sent a Legends side to play in India. It was captained by somebody called Paul Breitner. Bayern have played to crowds of 120,000 in India. Recently, Argentina played Venezuela in a friendly in Calcutta and they got 90,000 â?? and were pretty disappointed it wasnâ??t a lot higher. The place came to a standstill for Lionel Messi in the same way it was brought to a halt when Pele played there in 1977. â??You see the opportunities out there and it can be overwhelming,â? says Farrelly. â??Thereâ??s something like a 60 per cent growth in football advertising and there is a lot of large multi-national companies who are linked with football in India. Thereâ??s an appetite to work with a club with the history Rangers has. We donâ??t have the world class superstars other clubs have but we have a strategy that is about more than a player walking into a hospital and disappearing for the rest of the year. We have a strategy for a long-term legacy and if we can find the right business partners to develop it then creating an Indian powerhouse is a tangible goal.â? All eyes on Chhetri and Lalpekhlua, then. Not just Rangers eyes, but the eyes of the growing number of football obsessives in a nation of 1.2 billion. http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/sport-columnists/aidan-smith/tom_english_rangers_seek_indian_sign_1_1987329

"Stand up if you hate sitting down". That could be the chant you hear at football grounds around the country before too long. Record Sport's revelation that a group of Motherwell fans were ejected from Pittodrie on Saturday for standing in support of their team has sparked fresh debate on the introduction of safe standing areas at Scottish stadia. The idea has taken off in Germany and other European countries but so far the SPL hasn't entertained it as a viable option. Instead, the top-flight clubs in this country are forced to have a 6000 all-seater stadium which invariably lies half empty every second Saturday. It's a huge issue in England too and the FSF (Football Supporters Federation) are campaigning to see safe terraces brought back into football - and claim nine out of 10 fans want to see it happen. At the moment they don't represent fans in Scotland but spokesman Michael Brunskill has supporters in the SPL and urged SFL to highlight the issue as much as possible. Brunskill has documentary evidence which states it can be done safely and told Scotland's biggest clubs, Rangers and Celtic, that introducing a standing area won't contradict UEFA guidelines on all-seater stadia. He told Record Sport: "I urge Scottish fans, like the Motherwell supporters, to back the FSF campaign and sign our online petition first and foremost. "They should contact their MSP or MP, let them know their feelings on safe standing and ask them whether they're aware of it. "Contact your club and let them know, get in touch with the SPL and SFA as well. It's about raising awareness of the subject. "Football authorities say there isn't an appetite for it because few people contact them. "We don't do any specific campaigning in Scotland but we wouldn't turn any fan away. We'd strive to offer them advice. "Uefa regulations state that European games must be played in front of all-seater crowds. But Rangers and Celtic could still bring in a safe standing area because you can have flip-down seats - it's like a barrier with an upright seat. "So you have the standing area for domestic matches then flip it down for European games. "Any Scottish clubs who are in Europe could still comply with UEFA regulations and have a specific standing area." Brunskill has sympathy with the Well fans who were thrown out of their game with Aberdeen and believes clashes like that are completely avoidable. And with the likes of Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis and John Barrow, who designed the new Wembley Stadium, giving the thumbs-up to safe standing areas, the FSF are hopeful clubs will experiment with the idea in the not too distant future. He said: "We have dialogue with supporters who talk about tension at games between stewards and fans. It's normally over standing and this is entirely avoidable. "There are stringent safety guidelines on stadia laid down by the Government, it's called the Green Guide. But you can bring in safe standing to meet the criteria of the Green Guide." Celtic have been exploring the idea of introducing a standing zone and they told Record Sport: "We are carrying out a study into the possibility of introducing a safe standing area in Parkhead."

NEWCASTLE UNITED are poised to snatch Scott Brown for free as the Celtic skipper comes to terms with the prospect of being forced out of Parkhead. The midfielder has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with chief executive Peter Lawwell and had hoped to sign the deal which would have tied him to the club until the summer of 2016. But talks have broken down over a row about a fee due to Brown's advisers - and now Alan Pardew's Premiership high-flyers are hoping to cash in by landing the £4.4 million man for nothing on a Bosman transfer. Record Sport can also reveal that Dutch outfit Feyenoord and Bundesliga big guns Hamburg have been alerted to the player's situation and are weighing up offers. But Newcastle - whose stunning early-season form has catapulted them into the mix for Champions League qualification - are understood to be at the front of the queue. And they are ready to offer the 26-year-old a lucrative pre-contract in a bid to lure him south next summer. Brown was linked with a move to Tyneside at the end of last season, shortly after lifting the Scottish Cup - his first trophy success as Celtic captain. But he moved quickly to insist in an exclusive interview with Record Sport that he saw his future in Glasgow's East End and that his heart was set on signing a contract extension. He said then: "I've heard all the stuff about Newcastle but I haven't paid the slightest bit of attention to it. "I'm captain of Celtic, why would I even think about going anywhere else? "A few weeks ago I had the privilege of lifting my first piece of silverware since being given the armband 18 months ago. "I have a hunger to win more trophies as Celtic captain so that I can look back at my time with the club and consider myself to have been a success. "The club know how I feel and as long as the manager wants me here, then I don't see a problem in working out a deal." Manager Neil Lennon has also made it clear that he wants Brown signed up but there is no sign of an agreement being reached between Celtic and the player's advisers. In fact, sources close to the talks last night described them as "having hit a brick wall". Daily RHebel

HEARTS star Craig Thomson has been arrested and charged over claims he preyed on a girl of 12. Thomson, 20, faces "historic" allegations of grooming behaviour on social networking sites. It's been claimed he tried to lure the youngster into meeting up with him more than two years ago. The girl, now aged 15 â?? who claims to have been targeted over a two year period â?? is understood to be from the Lothian area. Cops have now reported the footballer to the Crown Office. Last night a Lothian and Borders police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with an historic offence. "A report has been sent to the procurator fiscal." Thomson, from Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, has only recently returned to Scotland after a loan deal in Lithuania. Last night the player was not available for comment. And a spokesman for the Tynecastle side declined to comment. Thomson had been playing for Jambos owner Vladimir Romanov's other club Kaunas on loan. But with the Lithuanian team's season over Thomson returned to Scotland last month. He has not been training with the rest of the squad as uncertainty hangs over his future in the game. The right-back came through the youth system at Tynecastle and is contracted to Hearts until 2013. A Crown Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that the procurator fiscal at Edinburgh received a report concerning a man aged 20, in relation to an alleged incident on 11 April 2009. "The case remains under consideration." Hearts were rocked this week by supremo Romanov's plans to pull -out from the cash-strapped club. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3946043/Hearts-ace-preyed-on-girl-12.html#ixzz1e8cbUQ3C

SCOTLAND star James Morrison has revealed his desire to sign for boyhood heroes Rangers. The West Brom ace grew up as a kid in Darlington following the exploits of idols Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup. And the 25-year-old has admitted that when the time is right heâ??d love to emulate his heroes and pull on a light blue shirt. For now heâ??s happy to remain a Premiership player with the Baggies, but confessed to a long-term dream of running out at Ibrox. Morrison said: â??Football can sometimes shoot you down when you start thinking ahead too much. But I could definitely see myself playing in Scotland. I'm a bit of a Rangers man so it would be nice to play there one day. â??The Old Firm games are quality and I try and get up there as much as I can to watch them.The Ibrox lads have sorted me out with tickets a few times. ì I could definitely see myself playing in Scotland. I'm a bit of a Rangers man so it would be nice to play there one day. î James Morrison â??Rangers is just a team I've followed since I was a kid so it would be great to play there in the future.I'm still young and hope to play at the highest level I can. â??No disrespect to the SPL but at he moment it's not where it should be. But one day in the future, who knows.â? Morrison had a chance to join Hibs as a kid, but Middlesbrough blew that idea out of the water so a move to Rangers would be second time lucky for Scottish football. Morrison added : â??When I was 18 Hibs tried to sign me on loan when Tony Mowbray was in charge. Middlesbrough goalkeeping coach Stephen Pears knew Mowbray from their time together and they spoke about it. I was up for it but the club said no.â? Morrison is a key member of Craig Leveinâ??s Scotland set-up and has become a fans favourite with his clever brand of attacking play. The former Middlesbrough player will start tomorrows clash with Cyprus in Larnaca and is itching to get the Euro 2012 failure out of his system. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/282783/Scotland-star-James-Morrison-wants-to-sign-for-Rangers?

RANGERS have launched a probe into rising star Grant Adam after he was arrested for allegedly belting out bigoted songs. Club chiefs confirmed the move hours after the goalie was nabbed on a night out in Glasgow. Adam, 20 â?? brother of Scotland and Liverpool midfielder Charlie â?? is expected to appear at the city's sheriff court today. Last night a club spokesman said: "We are aware the player was arrested and will investigate the matter fully." It is believed Adam was held at around 2.15am yesterday in the city centre by the officers after leaving a nightclub. A police spokesman said: "A 20- year-old man has been arrested in connection with an alleged sectarian breach of the peace." Adam is currently third-choice keeper at Ibrox behind Allan McGregor and Neil Alexander â?? but is considered a future No1. He has also won a host of caps for the U21 national team. Brother Charlie, 25, left Rangers for Blackpool in 2009 before clinching a £9million move to Liverpool in the summer. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3918865/Rangers-ace-Grant-Adam-on-bigot-rap.html#ixzz1d0hB6w6a

A tax tribunal which could decide the immediate future of Rangers Football Club has resumed. STV can reveal the hearing, known as a First Tier Tribunal, reconvened on Monday between the club and HM Revenue and Customs. Rangers are challenging a bill for £35m in back taxes, as well as £14m in penalties, over their use of an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) to pay players between 2001 and 2010. Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service has confirmed that the hearing has resumed. It is understood that five days, four this week and one next week, have been allocated for the latest hearing. Rangers have declined to comment on the hearing. Their owner, Craig Whyte, has previously conceded that administration could be an option for the club if they were unsuccessful. John Cairns, convenor of the taxation committee for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, agreed that was a possibility. He said: â??If the club loses, probably the most likely scenario is going into administration to get rid of this enormous debt. â??By the sound of it thereâ??s a chance of HMRC pursuing this quite vigorously because we have a high profile tax payer here. â??Itâ??s the same way as they pursued Lester Piggott and Ken Dodd a few years ago, to make an example.â? HMRC also declined to comment on the proceedings specifically but warned keeping businesses afloat which do not pay taxes was not their concern. A spokeswoman told STV: "We are unable to discuss individual cases due to taxpayer confidentiality. "HMRC has an outstanding track record in supporting those who are experiencing genuine difficulty paying their tax debts, and does not initiate legal proceedings against any business lightly. "HMRC only initiates administration, winding up or bankruptcy action where it believes this is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer. "There is little HMRC can do for a business whose viability is dependent on not paying the UK taxes to which they are liable.

November 5th, 2011 | Author: Gerry The Power of Black and White Scotland Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, November 5th 2011 Scottish political debate is characterised and marred by a host of difficult divides and fractures. There is anti-Nationalist Labour hatred; the rage of the so-called â??cybernatsâ??; and a widespread, almost national sport of anti-Toryism. All of these are part of a Scottish problem which we see not only in our politics, but also across society, culture and football. Why do large parts of the Labour Party so virulently hate the SNP? And why do part of the Nationalist community, â??the cybernatsâ?? think it appropriate to conduct themselves the way they do? The former have used a politics of fear and negativity for years against the Nationalists, while the latter believe they are taking a stand against an omnipotent unionist establishment which is biased against them. We can look for answers in each tradition. Labour until this year saw one of their main tasks as defending the self-preservation society they had built. In Scottish nationalism there is commonly a sense of self-righteousness and belief in one â??trueâ?? way. One reason regularly put forward for the vitriol is the lack of substantive difference between Labour and SNP bar independence. Something more is at work than this. I think that part of the problem is that Labour and SNP, even beyond the zealots on each side, donâ??t understand each other and so donâ??t understand what motivates their political passions and involvement. This is why they find it easy to attribute negative motivations to their opponents. Whatâ??s more, there is a profound asymmetry between the two in that Labour, the long dominant culture, has reacted with fury to being challenged by what it regards as the Nationalist interlopers who have dared to intrude into what were once â??Labourâ??s natural heartlandsâ??. In my view, Labourâ??s detestation of the Nationalists is found at all levels of the party, whereas the manic hatred of Labour seen in â??the cybernatsâ?? is found at the margins of the party. Labour misjudgement and caricaturing of the Nationalists can be seen everywhere â?? in Iain Grayâ??s latest whinge, Ian Davidson â??s â??neo-fascistâ?? comments, Douglas Alexander, Gordon Brown and about any Labour figure you care to mention. This picture is part of a wider story. We can see a similar pattern in the relationship of Rangers and Celtic, the former the long established dominant club and culture, the latter, seen as the imposters, â??alienâ?? and â??illegitimateâ??. The records of violence, abuse and even tragically deaths connected to â??the Old Firmâ?? isnâ??t balanced between the two, but of predominantly Rangers fans doing violence to Celtic fans; which doesnâ??t excuse the excesses and idiocies of some Celtic fans. The sheer volume of hatred, aggression and anger coming from one quarter in particular, seems to be something the current sectarian bill has failed to grasp. Yet, this is what dominant cultures do when under threat and their once unquestioned writ no longer runs. All of this in our politics and society can be linked to the absence of empathy across swathes of Scotland, damaged, bruised relationships, and an aggressive, masculine language of violence across society, as well as actual violence making Scotland a more violent country than our European neighbours. While we believe we are a friendly, warm, welcoming people, the other side of our society is a shaming record of violence, crime and alcohol abuse which is off the record compared to others. Some of this echoes Carol Craigâ??s analysis in â??The Scotsâ?? Crisis of Confidenceâ??, just reprinted in a revised second edition. She argues that it is commonplace for people to be labeled and judged â??worthlessâ?? and traces this back to Scotlandâ??s religious past and the division into the â??savedâ?? and the â??damnedâ??. I donâ??t think it is an accident that the Rangers v. Celtic divide originated around religion, and that the Labour v. SNP fissure often feels like a throw back to Scotlandâ??s embattled religious sects. There is the need for action in politics. Mike Small, writing in the pro-nationalist â??Bella Caledoniaâ??, said that a debate of â??cybernats v. cyberbritsâ?? was not only quaint given the prevalence of the internet, but also â??a boring gameâ??. Small argues that we desperately need to develop non-party bases for ideas to widen out the debate which has become phenomenally narrow, insular and focused on a political class. And he rightly points to the need for the SNP to change gear in this new environment and have the confidence to engage in a degree of self-criticism, which would ultimately strengthen, not weaken the Nationalist cause. We have to go much further than that. There is a whole host of men behaving badly across Scotland (and some women) and we have to stop colluding with it, allowing it to flourish by silence and evasion, and address it head on. We have to be capable of more than the current disfigurement of much of our society. Arenâ??t our political traditions capable of more than reflecting cliché and stereotype? Would it not aid the Labour Party if it recognised that the Scottish Nationalists have been a force for good in our nation these last forty years, and stopped using a pejorative, negative language of â??separatismâ?? and â??separationâ??? And given that this is the finest hour so far of the Scottish Nationalists, would it not aid a generous, pluralist, dynamic vision of an independent Scotland, if they were to tell the cyber-thought police to shut up? It is fascinating to reflect that even writing the above carries with it a slight feeling of foreboding for what some of our vociferous political tribalists might say, but we have to challenge them. It is understandable that so many people want to cling to a rigid sense of certainty in a turbulent, complex world, but in so doing they only aid a politics of insularity, conformity and conservatism. Such characteristics donâ??t really help Scotland address the kind of challenges we are going to have to face and open up public debate and discussion. Black and White Scotland, the voices of a monochrome world are damaging themselves, their own well-being, the rest of us, our society and our prospect for creating a different, collective future. The campaign for a Scottish self-government which is meaningful, taking a stand against the authoritarian mindsets found across society, and a dynamic, outgoing public culture, are all part of the same canvas and debate.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15504519.stm Derek McInnes is going great guns in the Cahmpionship, a loss and two wins shows signs that there is a good manager in there. Possibily a future Rangers boss? Not if he continues to do well in my opinion as he'd be taking a big drop in wages to comeback to Scotland. Things mght change, but not by that much, I'd say.

... or so sayest The Scottish Sun This would be strange. Us with all the negative reports of "unpaid bills" and frozen money still signing a player. Then again, he'd have to be a freebie ere we get him straight away. (On a sidenote, he seems to favour the Hooped Horrors, despite his dad placing a "Cooper" as his middle-name.)

The prepack route for Rangers Newco FC In the event of Rangers facing financial Armageddon after the resumption of their HMRC tax hearing a quick – very quick – recovery scenario is available to them. At any point during next month’s hearing they may consider their position is no longer tenable and, unable to meet the tax bill, a new company could be formed which attempts a prepack administration. A prepack offer from a new company, for example, Rangers Newco FC Ltd, would offer an administrator a deal for all assets of the club, including stadium and offer to meet outstanding player wages. Deals like this seldom offer unsecured creditors much but even a small percentage might realise more cash than the administrator would gamble on raising in an unstructured sale. In such circumstances, the administrator could accept as little as £4m for the unsecured creditors. In normal business Rangers Newco FC Ltd would begin trading and this would be the end of the story but football is not normal business. Rangers Newco FC would own a stadium and would employ some footballers but they would not be part of any league structure. They would need to apply for membership to the Scottish Football League or Scottish Premier League. In this scenario, the death of Rangers Football Club would leave a vacancy in the SPL, presenting several financial, logistical and sporting challenges. Without Rangers, the league would have to invalidate all this season’s results involving the club, one team would be without a game each weekend for the rest of the season, current TV contracts and sponsorship deals could be jeopardised, while future contracts would be worth a fraction of their current values. Every team in the league would have to downsize and some would have to win fresh support from their bankers, which may or may not be forthcoming. There is, of course, a resolution to this problem. Rangers Newco FC Ltd could present an offer to the SPL. The new company, with its stadium and thousands of potential supporters, could take the obligatory 10 point punishment for going into administration and adopt the place of Rangers FC, complete their fixtures and allow every other team in the league to fulfil commercial obligations. If these events took place before Christmas, Rangers Newco FC could be debt-free and signing players in January to enhance their league challenge. To force the deal through, Rangers Newco FC would require 10 of the remaining 11 SPL clubs to vote in their favour. If any two clubs stand against them, they would have to apply for membership of the Scottish Football League, but, having researched this story for several days, I expect Rangers Newco FC Ltd would get enough support to pick-up the place of the defunct Rangers FC. Any natural sympathies towards Rangers aside (which will not exist in all places), money talks and, apart from Celtic, this league is neck-deep in debt. Celtic might be in a position to survive Rangers failing but it would cost our club tens of millions. Crucially, if the other SPL clubs back Rangers Newco FC, they create a template for a snap recovery from their own troubles. Instead of repaying your debts, simply get yourself into a safe league position, ditch the company, prepack and start again with a clean sheet. This would create a clear incentive to stiff creditors. While the banks will get wise and not offer unsecured facilities in future, HMRC and small traders are likely to become perennial fall guys. Why would any mid-table team pay millions in tax, rates and policing bills, when they have a sporting incentive to ditch creditors without punitive penalty, freeing income streams to buy football bling in the next transfer window? This would make a mockery of the Uefa predident Michele Platini’s Financial Fair Play initiative and make our league the poster-boy for Financial Doping. Scottish football will be mortally wounded if it were to parachute a club straight into the upper echelons of the game while establishing a blueprint for the abandonment of creditors. It is incumbent on all who care about the game, in Scotland and throughout the world, that we insist Scottish Premier League clubs do not allow a prepack company to phoenix into the shoes of a dead football club. Celtic fans, as well as those from Aberdeen, Hibernian, Dundee United and St Johnstone, together with fans from Motherwell, who could become genuine championship contenders, and from those clubs who would avoid relegation if Rangers failed, must insist their club votes against any prepack company parachuting into the league. The SFA executive must use whatever influence it can to prevent the name of Scottish football being brought into disrepute. Politicians, who either have, or aspire to have, tax raising responsibilities, must register their abhorrence that a self-serving oligopoly should attempt to vote themselves an escape from paying tax. Fifa and Uefa must explain to the Scottish FA that the days of shady financial deals in football are gone. Watch the media coverage of these events carefully. If and when the decision time comes, the case to acquiesce to Rangers Newco’s demands will be overwhelming. Sincere ‘impartial’ observers will do their upmost to convince us all we must do whatever necessary to save Rangers for the good of the Scottish game. Some voices will even tell you Celtic need Rangers Newco. Whatever part of my club is dependent on Rangers I am willing to lose. Rangers-HMRC tax hearing resumes next month, when there is also a two week international break. The most important element of making a prepack offer succeed is to offer a fait accompli: ‘Here is a solution, you have no time and you have no alternative’. Should Rangers go into administration, I believe this is a very, likely scenario. If you are a supporter of Celtic or any other club, make your views known. taken from celticquicknews.co.uk (link removed) :tongue: :spl::spl::spl:

RANGERS are set to offer Kyle Lafferty a new deal. Officials from the Ibrox club will sit down with the Irishmanâ??s representatives soon in a bid to get the striker to extend his stay beyond next season. The Gers are desperate to sort something out with Lafferty well in advance of him running down his existing contract. â??Iâ??m really keen to see him extend his deal,â? said manager Ally McCoist. â??And Iâ??m hopeful we can do that. â??Itâ??s important we get talks underway and with him having said he would like to stay I would like us to sit down with his people and look at it all. I donâ??t want to lose him.â? McCoist has been a long-time supporter of his previously wayward star but has been delighted at the 24-year-oldâ??s growing maturity and influence on the team. ì Iâ??m really keen to see him extend his deal î Rangers boss Ally McCoist â??I know Kyleâ??s had both fans and critics in the past and he is what he is but Iâ??ve seen a steady improvement and thereâ??s a lot more to come,â? added McCoist. â??He has a very good goalscoring record here. â??And I think he will get better still. There are plenty more goals and good games to come from Laff and I want them to be here.â? The strikerâ??s contract doesnâ??t run out until 2013 but thereâ??s no way McCoist or Rangers will hang about till then to sort out his future. The Gersâ?? manager will look to owner Craig Whyte to get a new deal done and dusted soon. Whyte, though, has bigger fish to fry right now after another fraught week in charge at Ibrox. Court cases, the tax problem and television programmes have dominated the Ibrox clubâ??s agenda over the last few days. And although it is becoming increasingly difficult for McCoist to keep other issues at armsâ?? length and away from the football side of things he insisted: â??We have to keep that separate to everything else. â??We go to Tynecastle this weekend to play Hearts and if weâ??re not focused weâ??ll get our fingers burned.â? Whyte, meanwhile, insists itâ??s â??business as usualâ? and has vowed not to let anything distract McCoist and his players from going for four titles in a row. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/279116/Rangers-line-up-new-Kyle-Lafferty-contract?

The ownership of Rangers by Craig Whyte is entering a crucial phase as the tax tribunal approaches The key passage in the story of Craig Whyte and Rangers will happen in the not too distant future. That much is certain, after yet another week in which the Ibrox club found themselves courting front as well as back pages of newspapers. The occasionally warped situation where football fans have more of an interest in directors and balance sheets than full-backs and strikers has one positive offshoot. That is, scrutiny of those purchasing clubs should limit the potential for ruinous scenarios. Notwithstanding the fact boardroom change is inevitable following most company buyouts â?? let alone hostile ones such as this â?? the departures from Rangers directorships of John Greig and John McClelland were notable. Both made it clear they felt hampered and frustrated by Whyte's management. Greig is the former player perhaps most symbolic of the club. McClelland remains a respected figure in Scottish business circles. Both were part of an old regime at Rangers that expressed concern about Whyte's takeover in May; now, the old guard has been all but eliminated. Two of that group, Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre, have between them successfully frozen £780,000 of Rangers' assets as they pursue breach-of-contract cases. These are increasingly bitter battles, with Whyte firing spoken bullets towards the duo who, the owner believes, were complicit in Rangers' previous financial mess. In riposte, former Rangers board members will point to a £40m borrowing at the end of June 2009. By the time Whyte purchased Rangers two years later, he did so by buying out a bank debt of £18m. In that 24-month spell, Rangers won four out of six domestic trophies. Bain was the chief executive and McIntyre the finance director who collaborated with the Lloyds Banking Group on a business plan. The potentially significant impact of Employee Benefit Trust payments came to light during this period, but there has never been any doubt about the origin of these schemes in relation to Rangers: via the Murray International firm, effectively the football club's parent company, several years earlier. The former Rangers management team would also dispute the widely held notion that Whyte's due diligence uncovered a separate tax liability the club continue to dispute. That came about, it is instead argued, because of a precedent ruling that allowed Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to "revisit" Rangers. A day after the exits of Greig and McClelland, Whyte reopened his war with the BBC by withdrawing all club co-operation with the broadcaster. Central to this move was a documentary about the Rangers owner's business history, screened on Thursday evening, which has since triggered legal action by Whyte. For all the arguments about the public-relations merits of such a stance, one thing is clear: a sizeable chunk of the Rangers support has no problem with Whyte taking on the BBC. They regard this as a fightback against perceived reporting injustices. The blunt reality is that a vocal element of fans care little about the past of directors; they want to know their club is safe and that their team will win games. The entrenched attitude here is similar to that towards Bain and McIntyre. Whyte used another broadcast outlet, Scottish Television, to insist that his Rangers legacy will be a positive one. Which is, external and media wars aside, the most meaningful issue here. After all, that relates to Rangers' very future. The message from Whyte about the onset of administration if Rangers lose their upcoming tax tribunal is now more consistent. The consequence of that turn of events has seemed obvious for months, with the club patently unable to cope with a bill that could reach £49m in the event of defeat to HMRC. Whyte, as the secured creditor, would then inherit a business with only his chosen overheads. A key question that has to be asked to Whyte is: "Who will be the primary beneficiary based on the structure in place if Rangers enter administration?" Without threats from a bank or taxman, Whyte could then be in a position to sell Rangers on for a profit on an investment that was initially £18m and has since increased. Yet the penalties and brutal realities attached to administration go beyond those that would hamper Rangers' SPL title bid; few financial analysts see any sense in this being a chosen course of action for Whyte when he took Rangers on. The man himself insists everything possible will be done to keep Rangers from administration, an entirely understandable public stance. Still, the most bemusing aspect of Whyte's Rangers takeover â?? as has been the case from day one â?? relates to why he completed the deal with such a massive tax liability possibly forthcoming. The other recurring theme around Ibrox is what will happen if Rangers successfully challenge the tax authorities. If that occurs, Whyte will control a business without two of the main creditors that have cast such a long shadow over the club in recent times. Rangers would, in such circumstances, be more attractive to potential investors. Would Whyte, at that stage, seek a short-term profit by selling the club on, or prove that his talk of long-term investment is meaningful? Before he took over, those in the Ibrox boardroom were convinced Whyte did not intend playing a long game at Rangers. It may be no coincidence that Dave King, who has been linked with buying Rangers regularly in the past, has not severed his ties by resigning as a nonexecutive director since Whyte took over. Whyte's hint that Rangers would not challenge any loss of the tax tribunal highlights at least one thing. That is, he wants Rangers' circumstances clarified as soon as possible. In the meantime, a lack of European football in any form leaves an obvious hole in their income stream. The club have been embattled for some time, but how Whyte handles forthcoming events will be more worthy of scrutiny than what has come before. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/oct/21/craig-whyte-rangers?CMP=twt_gu

With SPL clubs looking to the future and considering using their own websites/TV channels for live matchday coverage we have to ask ourselves whether it is a good idea or not and how much would we be willing to pay? Personally I think it has the potential to be a great idea, but at the same time to flop. Would it be an SPL channel? Or would it be specific club channels? With Sky Sports & ESPN costing in the region of £25 per month and with very little SPL news/programmes other than the live matches it seems, for the average SPL fan not interested in the EPL, a ridiculous price to pay. A specific channel could provide more regular, accurate and interesting club/league news. Would it be cost effective for our clubs? Would it be affordable for our fans?

ST JOHNSTONE could turn to David Weir as a potential replacement should Derek McInnes move to Bristol City in the next few days. The Perth club gave McInnes permission to travel down to the West Country and interview for the position on Tuesday and were last night waiting for news on their managerâ??s future. A decision from the English club, who also spoke to Mark Robins, is now thought to be imminent, and Herald Sport understands St Johnstone would be interested in talking to Weir, the Rangers captain, if McInnes leaves the club after four years in charge. Any move to give the 41-year-old centre-half his first managerial role would hardly be straightforward. Weir is contracted to Rangers for the rest of this season, although he has played just 28 minutes of competitive action so far. He would have to decide if he wanted to take the step as a player-manager and also whether the move would suit his family circumstances. Weirâ??s wife and young family remain in Lancashire. Just as Owen Coyle played a role in the appointment of McInnes, the former Rangers midfielder has already passed on his own ideas to Geoff Brown, the St Johnstone chairman, about who might be a suitable successor. Others linked with the post include Paul Sheerin, the former St Johnstone player who is now in charge of Arbroath, Livingston manager Gary Bollan, and Jim Jefferies, who began this season as manager of Hearts. The decision from Bristol City was delayed last night by the complex ownership structure at the club and their npower Championship game with Crystal Palace. They went into it at the bottom of the table, without a victory in nine league and cup games. â??At Bristol there seems to be a board of executive directors and an owner, and the owner overrides the executive directors, so that comes into play,â? Brown said yesterday. â??Derek said he got on okay but nobody indicated whether heâ??s favourite or second favourite. â??If Derek does move on we would be looking for someone to come on board who would keep the confidence of the players going because he would inherit a good squad which is capable of keeping us free of relegation.â? That group includes Liam Craig, one of the players who has grown accustomed to rumours surrounding their manager. â??This isnâ??t the first time thereâ??s been speculation about the manager and weâ??ve got an experienced team that can deal with it,â? he said. â??If you look at the likes of Callum Davidson, Alan Maybury, Jody Morris and David McCracken, these are boys whoâ??ve been in the game a long time. â??Now weâ??re concentrating on Dundee United at the weekend. I donâ??t think that weâ??ve beaten them since we came back up, and thatâ??s something we want to put right. Weâ??ve made a great start to the season and we want to continue it. â??A total of 18 points is better than we could have hoped for after our first three games. Itâ??s a really good start, but thatâ??s all it is. It will mean nothing if we donâ??t kick on.â? Craig was one of McInnesâ?? earliest captures, initially arriving on loan from Falkirk, before becoming a regular in the team that won promotion to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and then established itself there under McInnes. â??Itâ??s scary to think that itâ??s four years,â? he added. â??Derek has been excellent for me. You knew right away that him and Tony Docherty [his assistant] would be a great management team. He has brought the boys in that he wanted and heâ??s been great for my career. â??Itâ??s been a successful time. Weâ??ve won the first division and been to a few semi-finals. The only disappointment is we havenâ??t got to a cup final yet. If he remains here weâ??ll look to put that right. But the Championship is a massive league and if he gets the opportunity it would be hard for him to turn down. Iâ??d be surprised if he did. â??There have been a lot of Scottish managers doing well down there and thereâ??s no reason why he canâ??t do the same. For the moment Derek is still our manager and hopefully we can keep him. But if he goes no-one will begrudge him his move and weâ??ll wish him all the best.â? http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/st-johnstone-look-to-weir-as-mcinnes-verdict-looms-1.1129978

On the face of it, there isn't a lot to be worried about as Rangers fans. After all, a cursory look at the SPL table shows us sitting proudly at the top less than six months after winning the title for the 3rd season in a row. Poor European performances aside, surely the Rangers support should have smiles as wide as the Clyde? Unfortunately the answer is no. While most fans will be enjoying what is happening on the park; off the field we're less confident. Oft-discussed tax 'queries', boardroom reshuffles, legal challenges and confusion over proposed government laws means it isn't easy to find a Rangers supporter who is genuinely certain of the club's competitive future. Indeed, even when Craig Whyte did finally take over the club there wasn't a great deal of real excitement despite the investment promises he made shortly after. Rightly or wrongly, cynicism was more prevalent - perhaps a remnant of failed promises from the previous regime? Moreover, a lack of demonstrable positive business experiences (and finance) from the new owner, coupled with the old and new tax investigations meant that rather than welcoming Whyte with open arms, many fans were guarded to say the least. To that end, the relationship between the owner and the support hasn't really improved. Although we've seen Gordon Smith appointed as 'Director of Football' the other names apparently involved are less well known to fans. Ali Russell, Phil Betts and Gary Withey may all stand up to scrutiny if you examine their business CVs but are they Rangers men in the same way people like John Greig, John McLelland and Alistair Johnston could show? Also, why haven't their directorships been announced to PLUS? Of course, just because someone isn't a Rangers fan per se doesn't mean they won't do a good job in their roles. In fact, it could be argued that having more 'neutral' minds in charge will mean more suitable business strategies. After all, if a self-professed Rangers man like Sir David Murray can run us to the brink of bankruptcy via a string of dubious tax schemes (aided and abetted by those named above) then that perhaps points to the wrong model. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing just where we stand with Whyte. Despite a low key meeting with the Assembly (and another one with the Trust tomorrow) his intentions are no more obvious than they were before he took over. Clearly, as touched on earlier, our European failures this season means finances will be even tighter than usual, so it is worrying that no updated plan of action has been discussed. We can only hope the Trust can ask the questions that matter. Can we really expect any positive outcome though? Without wishing to be gratuitously negative, the short-term outlook is bleak. In previous seasons without essential European income, we've lost up to £10million unless we sell key players. Given none were sold in the last window, can we really afford to turn down offers come January? How will such potential sales affect our title challenge? Add in £4million of outstanding tax claims; ring-fenced director dismissal costs and what must be large lawyer fees (which we also struggle to pay); then this is indicative of palpable pecuniary issues. If we take that line of reasoning to its natural conclusion, does this mean administration is more likely than ever before - irrespective of the larger HMRC tribunal due to be ruled on next month? If so, what are the ramifications of such a decision? Would a pre-pack agreement and ten point deduction be enough to start again afresh? How would the history and reputation of our existing club be affected? How would MIH and SDM's contribution be examined? Some of the answers may come on Thursday night via what is likely to be a less than positive BBC expose by Mark Daley of Panorama fame. Suffice to say, these answers won't be the ones we want to hear and quite frankly, the fact our club is now under investigation on three fronts (legal, media and tax) isn't just embarrassing but a scandal which should concern every Rangers supporter. Now, some will say our current predicament isn't one of Whyte's making. That's true and it's unfair to suggest the guy is to blame for existing HMRC problems. However, it has been several months now since he bought the club and he has yet to really show us how he intends to run it. With next to no board of directors and minimal investment, how can he possibly do so effectively? To conclude, as Halloween approaches, we certainly do have people knocking on the door of our proud club. They're dressed as tax men, lawyers, and journalists - and all are frightening me to varying degrees. However, the scariest aspect for me is that we've still to see the person who is answering the door to these people. Who is Craig Whyte and what costume is he wearing - the sheep or the wolf? It is beyond time for him to show his hand - no more sweeties and no more small change. What is the future of Rangers Football Club?

Ref: http://themondaysupplement.co.uk/headline/uefa-set-to-punish-celtic-and-rangers-for-craig-levein%E2%80%99s-no%E2%80%93show/? Haha.

THE SNP government's controversial plan to crack down on bigotry in football was dealt a huge blow yesterday - by Scotland's leading anti-sectarianism organisation. Campaign group Nil By Mouth said they wanted "less grandstanding and more understanding" from Alex Salmond. Their refusal to endorse the Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill is the latest setback for one of the First Minister's flagship policies. And it comes just a day after the Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia, Bishop of Paisley, called for the Bill to be delayed, claiming it had caused a "serious chill in relations" between the Catholic Church and the SNP. The Record can also reveal that previously supportive Labour MSPs are becoming "more sceptical" about the legislation. Last night, the party called on Holyrood's presiding officer Tricia Marwick to rule whether the Bill was legal - after warnings it may be at odds with European human rights laws. Nil By Mouth - who were formed after the sectarian murder of Celtic fan Mark Scott in 1995 - have campaigned for tougher laws in the past. But yesterday campaign director Dave Scott said: "We feel the legislation is robust as it is at the moment." He said he didn't think the Bill would "add" to current laws. Scott said: "We want to make sure the problem is tackled effectively. We want to see less grandstanding and more understanding. "We've become increasingly concerned and frustrated at the way this Bill is progressing and the fact that the debate has been limited to football. "I think people are confused as to what the Bill is supposed to do and it would be a mistake to allow this complex and deep-seated issue to be confined to football. "We have seen evidence of sectarianism in schools, communities and workplaces across Scotland and it affects people from all traditions." Nil By Mouth were at the forefront of the campaign to give yobs tougher sentences for crimes "aggravated" by sectarian hatred. Since new laws were introduced eight years ago, more than 2000 bigots have been convicted. The latest attempt to crack down on sectarian football fans also faces stinging criticisms in a Holyrood committee report due out tomorrow. It highlights confusion over what amounts to "offensive" behaviour and warns the Bill could clash with human rights laws. The criticism is doubly embarrassing for the government because SNP MSPs dominate the committee. The Bill was already branded a "distraction" in a strongly worded letter from Bishop Tartaglia to the First Minister. He accused ministers of concealing statistics showing the scale of anti-Catholic sectarianism in the wider Scottish society - and he warned the SNP risked losing "the confidence of the Catholic community". Under the proposed Bill, yobs will face up to five years in jail for offensive singing, chanting or gesturing. But the plans have caused confusion and anger among fans. In June, community safety minister Roseanna Cunningham said fans who sang the national anthem or made the sign of the cross in an "aggressive" way could face jail. Salmond attempted to rally support for the Bill last week after both Rangers and Celtic supporters unfurled banners voicing opposition. He told MSPs the future of Scottish football was at risk if they refused to back the plans. But last night, Labour sources said they were considering voting against the Bill. The party's justice spokesman James Kelly said: "We want to support tough, effective laws to tackle sectarianism - but we refuse to back bad or illegal legislation." He wrote to the presiding officer after the Scottish Human Rights Commission warned the Bill could breach human rights laws, which say people should understand clearly what is and is not a criminal offence. They also said it was unclear whether the Bill would infringe people's freedom of speech. Another Labour MSP said: "We have not reached a final position as yet but it is fair to say that as we've seen more evidence over the summer we have become more sceptical. "If the government were doing something we believed would be effective we would have no hesitation in standing alongside them. "But we have serious concerns. "The whole situation is actually making the atmosphere at football matches worse right now." A Scottish government spokesman said Salmond would meet Bishop Tartaglia tomorrow and show him as-yet unpublished legal guidelines on the Bill. He said: "We are confident that we can allay concerns about the Bill." The spokesman added there was "no intention to restrict freedom of speech" with the legislation. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/10/06/snp-s-flagship-laws-tackling-bigotry-in-football-are-blasted-by-leading-anti-sectarian-group-86908-23470273/

Rangers, under threat of administration because of a £50 million claim from the taxman, will renew their ambition to gain entry to the Premier League as well as reconsidering proposals for an â??Atlantic Leagueâ??, according to new owner and chairman Craig Whyte. Her Majestyâ??s Revenue and Customs is seeking £49 million in back-taxes, interest and penalties from Rangers, a claim that could see one of the great institutions of British and European football become the gameâ??s highest profile financial failure. In an exclusive interview with Telegraph Sport, Whyte said he would actively seek to leave the SPL to secure Rangersâ?? financial future, and suggested the club could even consider running two teams, one each side of the border, once the case and its implications have been dealt with. Whyte also confirmed that while he believes Rangers will win the case, administration is the likeliest outcome if the tax tribunal, scheduled for November, goes against them. Asked if administration would follow, Whyte said: â??It is one of the possibilities we have looked at, yes. The choice, in terms of an adverse finding, is pretty obvious really.â? Administration would bring an immediate 10-point penalty and the possibility of more sanctions, depending on the clubâ??s exit strategy. But Whyte is adamant that there is no threat to Rangersâ?? long-term future. â??Whatever happens Rangers will be moving forward. I will not allow the club to go bust. I can control the debt process absolutely, and whatever happens Rangers is going to be there playing in the SPL at Ibrox.â? Whyte would like them to play further south as well, describing Rangers as â??a Premier League club with the revenue of a Scottish clubâ?. He has committed to finding £5 million of working capital and £5 million a season for transfers, and may bring in third-party investment to help him do so. But he sees Rangersâ?? future in a move away from the Scottish game. â??I think I can turn this around and sort out the problem. I have put money in and Iâ??m prepared to put money in but I have said it is not a bottomless pit,â? he said. â??We are in Scottish football so it is not a viable proposition to go put £100 million into the team. If we went forward into another league set-up, say the English Premier League, then it is very viable to put £100 million more in. We are not there at the moment, but we would like to be. â??[Joining the Premier League] is clearly something that we would like to see examined, it is something we are working on behind the scenes. But there are other potential ideas in terms of European leagues, joining some of the Nordic countries, the Netherlands to create a league.â? Whyte bought a controlling stake from former chairman Sir David Murray last May for £1, assuming responsibility for £18 million of bank debt and the tax liabilities in the process. Since then early exits from the Champions League, the Europa League and most recently the League Cup have compounded the financial issues, and questions about Whyteâ??s background have intensified. The first Old Firm game of the season 10 days ago brought welcome relief with a 4-2 win over Celtic, and in the febrile atmosphere of Glasgow football that may be all that really matters to supporters. The financial issues may not be resolved away so easily. The threat to Rangers stems from a claim for £35 million in back-tax and interest and £14 million in fines relating to the Murray regimeâ??s use of a tax-avoidance device called Employee Benefit Trusts. HMRC claims Rangers wrongly used EBTs for a decade, effectively to reclassify regular salaries as loans that avoided income tax and National Insurance. Rangersâ?? own advice when the schemes were established was that they were legal, and HMRC made no complaint until last year, when it changed its guidance on EBTs. It has now targeted Rangers among 5,000 companies it believes misused EBTs. Whyte believes the club have been singled out as a test case and accuses HMRC of leaking information. Interest intensified earlier this month when High Court judge Lord Hodge, hearing former chief executive Martin Bainâ??s claim for wrongful dismissal, ruled that the club faces a â??real and substantial risk of insolvencyâ?. Whyte acknowledges the risk, but insists the clubâ??s long-term future is secure. He has repaid the £18 million to Lloyds, a fact confirmed by the bank, and transferred the debt to Rangersâ?? holding company, which is ultimately owned by his Liberty Capital Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Whyte has committed to writing off the debt if the club avoids administration. This structure means Whyte is the largest secured creditor and has control of any administration. â??Nothing is out of my hands because I control the club, I am the only secured creditor, or rather Rangers FC Group is. So on any decision, while HMRC might push, the group company controls the debt.â? This may be tested in administration. SPL rules require clubs to exit administration with the agreement of all creditors â?? a Creditors Voluntary Agreement â?? but HMRC is unlikely to agree. The SPL has complete discretion over what penalties to apply if a CVA is not agreed, but Whyte is certain they will not face penalties that could end in relegation. â??You might say that is a theoretical possibility but that is not going to happen.â? Whyte defends his business record which, by his own admission, is mixed. He says he specialises in turning round companies in trouble, and as such Rangers was a marriage of personal and professional interest. He is listed as a current or former director of 11 UK-based companies, some of which have failed. â??I get involved in businesses that are struggling and that means you sometimes get involved in the messy side of things. But overall I have had more successes than failures,â? he said. Whyte, who has homes in the Scottish Highlands, Londonâ??s Belgravia and Monaco, will not be drawn on his personal wealth â?? â??It would make my life a lot easier if I did but, frankly, Iâ??m not going to have journalists going into every aspect of my private lifeâ? â?? but says he has genuine business credentials. â??I have got four offices in the City, I have venture capital funds, I have asset management companies, I have stock-broking businesses, I have businesses in France, in Holland, I have got thousands of employees, but I donâ??t see why I should make every aspect of that public. â??Iâ??ve got everything from financial services to ticketing to cinema services, asset management, construction, I have got investments in all these sectors. I operate like a venture capital partnership so at any one time thereâ??s 20-25 companies in the portfolio. "I operate a family company in the city too that manages the family investments. We do all sorts of deals, public to private, commodity trading, Forex, a wide variety, but we try and keep it low key. â??Sometimes we might own them for two years, sometimes for five. But with Rangers we want to create a long-term sustainable business, which we will. But it's going to be a rocky road.â? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/8792112/Craig-Whyte-actively-seeking-to-leave-the-SPL-to-secure-Rangers-financial-future.html