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The statement yeaterday by Rangers IBC is in my opinion, an utter disgrace and those responsible for both the timing and its issue, should resign from the Rangers board forthwith. This especially applies to our current chairman AJ and so called "number 1 fan". At a time when we at last have some hope for the future, the very people who got us into a total mess in the first place and who have stood back over the last two years, doing nothing, whilst the club was being run into the ground , decide to issue this disgusting statement.The HMRC problem if indeed it actually turns out to be one, would have happened in any case and was not the fault of CW. Sir David Murray passed over his shares for the sum of �£1 after another surprise tax bill of �£2.9m was unearthed. Here yet again this bill was not a problem generated by CW. The current board are fully responsible! CW will clear off the club debt and invest in the future. The Plan B being considered by the board, turned out to be a non starter. IF CW had walked away, just what solutions were the IBC going to make? I venture to say NONE. We had no possibility to hold on to major stars, no money to attract fresh talent. At the very least CW offers us practical hope and this should be greeted with some dignity.

Statement by the Independent Board of Rangers Football Club plc More...

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/247592-statement-from-sir-david-murray-in-full/ I believe there is more though according to this site: http://www.sportinglife.com/football/scottishpremier/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/11/05/06/SOCCER_Rangers_Murray.html

As a keen rangers supporter I look forward to securing it's future as a leading force in Scottish and european football! Rangers are a great club with a great future, It has the best supporters in the world and I will do everything possible to protect and enhance the clubs standing going forward!!! Taken from a play, pause,rewind via sky+ and sky sports news and jim white

Well hello fellow bears. In this time of political correctness, today I have read an article compiled by this particular numpty and laughed my socks off at this pathetic attempt to slag off Rangers Club, their fans, Our Britishness, Our Queen, Prince William and Kate, together with Big bad Davie Weir and our Wicked Kit man.Have a look at this utter tripe, it will make you laugh. The Tims will sink to any level to highlight their resentment of our Royal family. Gerad makes one good suggestion quote by way of a jibe, Quote " why don't Rangers have the Union Flag added to our shirt". Well Gerad thanks what a very good suggestion I for one am all for it! THE FUTURE IS ORANGE.

Rangers fans have been hit with a one match away ban by UEFA after the governing body found the club guilty on two charges of discriminatory behaviour by their supporters. UEFA have also imposed further suspended sentences for one away game and one home match, which will remain in place for three years. A fine has also been handed down to the club totalling 80,000 Euros (�£71,213). The away bans on Rangers, which will also prevent their future opponents selling tickets to away fans, relates to the charge imposed following the away leg of their Europa League tie against PSV Eindhoven on March 10. The suspended home match sentence relates to a charge brought about following their home game in the same tie on March 17. Separate fines of 40,000 Euros have been administered for each charge. The club have three days to submit an appeal in writing but are yet to indicate whether they will do so. A statement from UEFA on Thursday confirmed: "The UEFA Control and Disciplinary body meeting today in Nyon has confirmed the following sanctions against Rangers FC after the two legs against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Europe League round of 16. "Following a charge of discriminatory behaviour at the first leg match against PSV Eindhoven on March 10 2011, Rangers FC have been fined 40,000 Euros and the club is restricted from selling any tickets to its supporters for two away matches in UEFA club competitions, with the respective home clubs also not authorised to sell tickets to Rangers FC supporters. "This ban applies to Rangers FCâ��s next away match and is suspended for the second away match for a probationary period of three years. "The Control and Disciplinary Body also fined the Scottish club a further 40,000 Euros for discriminatory behaviour at the second leg match on 17 March and ordered Rangers FC to play their next home UEFA club competition match behind closed doors. This sanction is however deferred for a probationary period of three years." Rangers were initially charged by UEFA on April 7 after reports of sectarian chanting by the club's travelling supporters during the Europa League game with PSV Eindhoven on March 10. The appointed match delegate, Geir Thorsteinsson, made reference to the singing in his report, which was then followed up by evidence from Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE). On April 14, UEFA then announced they had also charged the club following a report from FARE of further discriminatory singing in the return leg of the fixture, which was held at Ibrox on March 17. UEFA's own match delegate, William Campbell, did not include such allegations in his report. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/245780-uefa-impose-one-match-away-ban-on-rangers/

A Murray Park sales pitch in the wake of Sundayââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm game has taken Craig Whyte to within touching distance of completing his Rangers takeover. Whyte met with board members at the clubââ?¬â?¢s training ground immediately after the 0-0 draw at Ibrox ââ?¬â? the prospective owner using the summit to again lay out his plans for the reigning SPL champions. And he appears to have won over the doubters who blocked his hopes of finalising the buy-out of Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s huge controlling interest early last week ââ?¬â? including, crucially, chairman Alastair Johnston. Last night Johnston, who had previously questioned Whyteââ?¬â?¢s ability to finance the clubââ?¬â?¢s future, told BBC Scotland: ââ?¬Ë?The (vetting) committee are now much closer to viewing Craig Whyteââ?¬â?¢s bid as the right one for Rangers.ââ?¬â?¢ Sir David himself has been doing the diplomatic rounds urging directors to ââ?¬Ë?Back the Bidââ?¬â?¢, having dismissed the alternative consortium proposal floated by Dave King and Paul Murray. Sportsmail understands that at least two members of the vetting committee set up to oversee the takeover ââ?¬â? former chairman John McClelland and club legend John Greig ââ?¬â? were immediately won over. Asked about Johnston coming onside, a source close to the Whyte camp said: ââ?¬Ë?If this is true, then obviously itââ?¬â?¢s very good news. With a bit of luck, the deal can now proceed to completion.ââ?¬â?¢ Sir David can sell his shareholding without board approval, but does not want his last official act to be an acrimonious sale forced through against the wishes of the directors. He spent much of the weekend trying to convince directors that Whyte is the clubââ?¬â?¢s best bet. Lloyds Banking Group, who will recoup their Ã?£20million once Whyte takes control and pays off the club debt, have also been putting pressure on the board to rubber stamp the deal. One of the new manââ?¬â?¢s first tasks could be to finalise a six-year contract offer to star asset Allan McGregor ââ?¬â? keeping him at Ibrox until he is 35. The Scotland keeper has told the club he would be keen to stay in Glasgow if the deal is right but Sportsmail understands the new contract offers McGregor a small increase on his basic weekly wage of around Ã?£12,000. A number of English and foreign clubs are keeping a close eye on the outstanding Ibrox No 1 and former Scotland keeper Alan Rough told Sportsmail yesterday that Premiership clubs should be queuing up with inquiries. The 29-year-old has two years left on his current deal and any summer sale would probably be at no more than Ã?£5m. The future of a number of the current Rangers squad remains uncertain and striker Nikica Jelavic has told his team-mates they must stick together in the summer to help Ally McCoist bring silverware to Ibrox. Skipper David Weir and left-back Sasa Papac look bound for exits at the end of their contracts. Madjid Bougherra has again publicly declared he would prefer a summer transfer while McGregorââ?¬â?¢s future may well depend on how he reacts to the contract offer while Steven Davis and Steven Whittaker also have only 12 months left. ââ?¬Ë?If we can stay together and remain focused then I am convinced we can win a lot of trophies together,ââ?¬â?¢ said Jelavic. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1380574/Sales-pitch-seals-deal-Whyte-convinces-Ibrox-board-man-Gers-takeover.html#ixzz1KaJ49uL6

Cracking post,IMO. Borrowed from another forum. Firstly, let me state that I think the latest UEFA ruling on our club has been an absolute stitch-up, an absolutely scandalous farce of a decision. FAREââ?¬â?¢s involvement in the whole process has been nothing short of a joke. Let us face it, we are hardly going to get favourable treatment from an unaccountable organisation whose head is married to a staunch Celtic supporter who hates Rangers! We simply have to appeal the decision, or run the risk of facing guaranteed greater penalties in the future. There is also the fact that far worse behaviour goes unpunished throughout Europe on a regular basis. The problem of racist chanting in countries like Spain and Russia is much worse than anything I have ever heard come out of Ibrox. However, we cannot defend our own behaviour by simply pointing to the fact that others teamsââ?¬â?¢ fans are worse. Yes, the fact our club has again been singled out is not fair, and we have clearly been stitched up by enemies of our club ââ?¬â? but if we are clever about this, we can turn recent events into a victory. I would ask this question: do our enemies ââ?¬â? mainly Celtic fans who are motivated and prepared to put the effort into hurting us, Tims with typewriters in the press and ââ?¬Ë?Celtic-mindedââ?¬â?¢ politicians ââ?¬â? really care about what songs our fans sing? Do they really want us to become, for want of a better phrase, a ââ?¬Ë?family friendlyââ?¬â?¢ club? Of course they do not! No, all they want to see is for us to suffer, to continue to be punished by UEFA ââ?¬â? and eventually face being banned from Europe. If we manage to turn this all around and become the type of club they claim they want us to be, they would actually hate it. They will have nothing to complain about and will have left themselves open to be targeted for their own behaviour. I truly believe that this latest turn of events could be the making of our support and club ââ?¬â? our enemies have tried to strike us down, without realising that, if they do so, we will only become stronger. We have a long road ahead of us but it has to start somewhere ââ?¬â? and here is how I would go about restoring our reputation and making us a club to be proud of. The first thing we have to do is accept the unfairness of the situation which surrounds Rangers. Yes, the club absolutely must fight the latest UEFA charges as far as they can, to not do so would have catastrophic future consequences. However, we, the support, have to do our bit to make sure we are never put in such a position again. But how do we do this? The only option is for the club to work together with the fans, particularly people like RSC representatives, the Rangers Supporters Trust and The Blue Order. For too long, the club has failed to seek the opinions of the support ââ?¬â? indeed, I would suggest they have been openly hostile to groups like the RST ââ?¬â? and look at the mess we are now in. Together we have to come up with a proper plan to ensure we celebrate our unique position of being proud to be Scottish and British, our quintessential Britishness, if you like. Under normal circumstances, you would think that the Scottish club who pretend to be Irish and, in doing so, hate their own country would be seen as the one in need of having their behaviour and attitudes called into question. It certainly is a strange and bitter little country we live in. But back to the main point of this post, what can we do to put our own house in order?ââ?¬Â¦ We have to realise that the best way to celebrate traditions that we are proud of is not to denigrate that which we are not. I am not a religious man myself but it is clearly obvious to me that the best way to celebrate our Protestant culture is surely not to criticise other religions, particularly Catholicism. As far as religions go, Catholicism is the one I dislike the most ââ?¬â? but I do not think a football match is the best place to get involved in a theological debate. I do not think for a minute that even the most staunch of our Protestant supporters would go to the cinema and sing songs about religion, so why do we have to do this at a football match? Likewise, I despise a murderous terrorist organisation like the IRA but, again, do we really need to sing about them at the football? Most decent people surely hate the IRA but they do not feel the need to publicly sing about them, so why do we? Let the Celtic fans embarrass themselves by glorifying the murderers. Let us get our own house in order and show them up for the anti-Scottish and anti-British racist bigots that they are. It is time to celebrate our own culture and everything that makes us great ââ?¬â? it is time to celebrate what we are, not what we are based on what we are not. Now on to the bit which will probably be the most contentious issue in this post: what should we sing and what should we consign to the history books? In case anyone levels any ââ?¬Ë?handwringerââ?¬â?¢ accusations at me, let me state that this could not be further than the truth. I have sung every single song which has got us in trouble in the pastââ?¬Â¦ I still have them on my iPodââ?¬Â¦ I still sing them in my own homeââ?¬Â¦ my favourite Rangers pub was The Clachanââ?¬Â¦ part of me still thinks all fans should be allowed to sing what they want at the football ââ?¬â? yet I will no longer sing anything home or away which will put the club I love in jeopardy. And nor should any other Rangers fan who professes to love Rangers more than the songs they want to sing. With that in mind, I would put our songsheet into three categories: those which we should celebrate and sing with pride, those which should immediately be binned and, perhaps more controversially, those which are not in my opinion sectarian but still should be dropped. So, here goes (and I know this is purely subjective, that many are not and have never been sung at Ibrox, and that the list is not exhaustive ââ?¬â? this is top of the head stuff): Loud And Proud Penny Arcade, Derryââ?¬â?¢s Walls, Paisley Road West, Rule Britannia, Follow Follow (original lyrics), Wolverhampton Town, God Save The Queen, Every Other Saturday, The Sash, The Best, The Blue Sea Of Ibrox. Lose For Good The Billy Boys, The [so-called] Famine Song, Super Rangers, No Pope Of Rome, Here Lies A Soldier, No 1 Platoon, Men Behind The Wire, Weââ?¬â?¢re Coming, Will You Stand, Daddyââ?¬â?¢s Uniform. Non-sectarian But Do They Have A Place At A Football Match? Build My Gallows, UDR4, A Fatherââ?¬â?¢s Advice, King Billyââ?¬â?¢s On The Wall, Fields Of Ulster, I Was Born Under A Union Jack, Gibraltar, Englishmanââ?¬â?¢s Betrayal, Wee Spot In Europe. Again, let me state that I am not claiming to be an authority on the above ââ?¬â? I am merely just wanting to start the debate somewhere. An agreed list, like the above, should be finalised between the club and the support and then printed in the media and distributed on seats etc. I think the majority of our fans are Scottish, yet a lot of the songs we sing about, particularly the ones which land us in trouble, are related to the troubles in Northern Ireland. Now in no way am I knocking our Northern Irish brothers and sisters ââ?¬â? I am very fond of that particular part of the world and I appreciate the huge lengths so many of them go to in order to support Rangers ââ?¬â? but should they not be coming across the water to celebrate how magnificent Rangers are, rather than most of our support singing about the issues they have left behind in Ulster? If this is offensive, I apologise, I do not mean to cause offence on such an emotive subject ââ?¬â? all I am trying to say it should all be about The Rangers! Another thing I would like the club to look at would be creating an ââ?¬Ë?eliteââ?¬â?¢ songwriting team in conjunction with our fansââ?¬â?¢ groups ââ?¬â? and fully supporting, perhaps even financially, them. I would charge this new group of talented and creative individuals to come up with acceptable new songs which celebrate our club. We should have far more songs about Rangers and our magnificent history, songs about our current players and songs which celebrate our legends. I will end, at last many of you may say, by repeating the title of this post: ââ?¬Å?No-one likes us, we [should] care.

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain has again expressed concerns about the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) organisation, accusing the group of being influenced by those intent on damaging the club. Bain spoke out after the Scottish champions were fined a total of 80,000 euros (�£71,200) and their fans were banned from the club's next away match in Europe. The UEFA charges related to discriminatory behaviour by Rangers supporters during both legs of the Europa League tie against PSV Eindhoven last month. Rangers were fined an equal amount for both offences and handed a suspended ban on fans attending a second away game, plus the knowledge they will play a home match behind closed doors if fans repeat the offence within three years. Bain said in a statement: "In terms of the UEFA case brought against us, we have had serious concerns about the integrity of the evidence compiled by the FARE organisation and that remains the case. "We are also of the opinion that FARE has been influenced by people who make it their business to damage our club in any way they can. "We are committed to the eradication of sectarianism and believe it would have been more constructive for FARE to work with our club rather than against it. "Instead, they submitted evidence to UEFA with a clear objective in mind and have shown a complete lack of transparency or accountability when asked for clarification on various aspects of that evidence." However, FARE denied any bias against Rangers and accused Bain of stoking a feeling of victimisation among the club's supporters. In a statement released to Press Association Sport, Howard Holmes, chair of the FARE board, said: "We note the comments made by Martin Bain, Rangers CEO, after the hearing in Nyon today. "It is disappointing to see a major European club continue to question the motivation of a body such as FARE in submitting legitimate observer reports at two European games. "The FARE network has a long track record in the area of tackling discrimination and developing initiatives to encourage social inclusion. "Our expertise is widely acknowledged by European institutions in the football, governmental and social sectors. We are proud to have been a social responsibility partner of UEFA since August 2001. "We once again categorically refute any suggestion of bias against, or hidden agenda to damage, Rangers FC. "Mr Bain's comments will inevitably continue to feed a sense of a miscarriage of justice and external blame amongst Rangers fans, rather than accepting the extent and nature of the problem that exists. "Sectarianism is a very serious issue that has tarnished the name of Scottish football. "We look forward to renewed and serious action to tackle the problem across the game in the coming seasons." Bain also reiterated Rangers' commitment to tackling the problem of sectarianism among the club`s support. He added: "To be clear, we condemn sectarianism and there is no doubt the mindless behaviour of an element of our support has exposed the club to a very serious situation. "The people who engage in this type of behaviour are damaging the club they claim to support. "It is abundantly clear from this decision that if there is any sectarian singing at future matches the suspended bans will take effect. Those fans who engage in such activity need to take that message on board. "The majority of our fans understand the situation and would much rather focus on football. They show that clearly at Ibrox and the tremendous atmosphere they created at last weekend's Old Firm match was a case in point." http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/202747,rangers-we-have-serious-concerns-about-organisation.aspx

With most media sources now suggesting the takeover of Rangers is likely to be announced to the Stock Exchange later this week, it seems the question is no longer if this deal will happen but when. On the surface the price and stipulations agreed by Whyte look to be a good for the club and supporters alike. The vast majority of the long term bank loan will be eradicated and other existing debt removed while 'new' money made available to invest into the club - around �£30million over 5 years if the 'sources' are to be believed. Given our existing owner (and his directors) have struggled to provide anything similar without selling players or relying on Champions League money it will be fascinating to see how Whyte et al intend supplying their investment. Will we be exchanging old debt for new debt and one nosey bank for another? After all, surely Whyte won't be putting in �£30million of his own money - if indeed he does have the net-worth as to afford such a sum? It is obvious then that at this stage we have more questions than answers. So much so, that we're reliant on Sir David Murray, Lloyds Bank and the 'independent bid oversight sub-committee' to conduct due-diligence on the buyer on our behalf. We can only hope they do so without prejudice given all these parties will have their own self-interest to look after. Will Rangers FC and its loyal support really be high on their list of priorities though? The very fact we're basing our concerns on hope rather than expectation is perhaps as damning as any in-depth post-mortem on the Murray era. Much better then to look to the future and while our questions to Craig Whyte may occur after the fact they're still worth asking. It is probable that he'll be eager to meet with the Rangers Assembly quickly after buying so I'm sure they'll be ready to represent us all in asking the difficult questions that need to be answered. A bland interview with a salivating Chic Young just won't do. As a shareholder and season-ticket holder (though not yet renewed) I'll be expecting the Assembly to concentrate on the following few key areas - though I'm sure we'll all have our own equally important questions and concerns as well. - Who is Craig Whyte? Simplistic Google searches notwithstanding the lack of information on Whyte really is quite incredible. Other than a few failed UK businesses and questions about just how long his visas in Monaco lasted, we know next to nothing about this 'successful businessman'. Obviously he must have some sort of proof of what he offers - both strategically and financially. We need to know more about his past, his future and who his partners are. This should be the easiest question for him to answer. - Where is the investment coming from? �£5million of 'new' money for 5 seasons irrespective of player sales and European participation is a fair sum given the club struggles to make a profit otherwise in the stagnant SPL market. To that end, where is this money coming from, who is providing it and what guarantees are placed on the club as a result? This question is less easy to answer and the new regime may not want to reveal vital tactical information but given the club's current situation our concerns are valid so need to be addressed. - Where do you see the club in 5 years time? It may seem daft to ask questions about 2016 before the guy has sat behind his new desk in 2011 but despite the initial successes of the Murray era, Rangers have struggled with anything other than short-term fixes in the last 10 years especially. Furthermore Whyte is promising investment for 5 years but what happens after that? Do he and/or his backers pull out? Will the club be for sale again? What position will it be in? A long-term vision is something we all need and want to buy into. That may be literal if rumours are to be believed about share issues. Of course we could go on all day with a variety of specific questions. I'm sure transfer policy, supporters representation, board make-up, media/PR work, asset protection and youth systems are equally important dependent on our own personal bug-bears. But without answers to the big questions above, any promises on the individual elements have no foundation. To that end, we must concentrate on the wider issues initially. Now, common sense tells us we may not obtain all the answers we want and, of those we do get, we may not like them all. That's fair enough but, at the very least, any welcome for Craig Whyte and his backers should also mean putting him through the wringer as soon as we shake his hand. With �£20million of season ticket money still in reserve he should be equally as keen to answer. Will the grip match the smile?

From The Scottish Sun (I know, I know). If he signs this 6 year deal it'll be to get us top dollar for him. I reckon there could be a gentlemans agreement between the player and the club. Sign this contract and if we get more than �£x million we'll sell you.

HE could barely sign autographs for crying. Vladimir Weiss had tears rolling down his face as he sat among Rangers fans on Sunday. But it wasn't the 0-0 draw with Celtic that turned him into an emotional wreck. It's the thought of never playing for the Ibrox club again. Weiss, 21, joined Walter Smith's side from Manchester City at the start of the season. But after breaking a bone in his foot last month his time at the club is effectively over. That hasn't brought an end to his love affair with the Ibrox fans, though, as he joined them for the Old Firm title crunch. Weiss posed for pictures and signed his name while singing 'Glasgow Rangers, champions' at the top of his voice. But when they responded by chanting his name at half-time Vlad has revealed he completely lost it. He told SunSport: "I never got the chance to say goodbye to the fans. "That's one of the reasons I went to Sunday's game. "I wanted to spend some time with them at Ibrox - show them the appreciation I have for the club. "I left the stadium with nice memories. "It wasn't the result we wanted. But I enjoyed being in with the supporters for an important game like that. "I just came to Rangers looking to play football, but the club has now found a place in my heart. "The fans were brilliant towards me and showed that at half-time at the Old Firm match. "They were clapping their hands and singing my name - I just sat there crying. "I know it sounds silly but that's the truth. "It was so emotional for me and it's something I'll never forget for the rest of my life. "People surrounded me, asking to have their picture taken with me, and that was the least I could do. "It was just so special and although it made me cry I really enjoyed it. I went to the game with friends and we were in the corner of the stadium right beside the Celtic supporters. "It was all good fun. If I'm honest I was kind of giving it to them a little bit. "It was brilliant - singing 'Glasgow Rangers, champions'. I was also kissing the Rangers badge while pointing at the Celtic fans. "I think our fans loved it but I did too." Weiss was back in Manchester yesterday when SunSport caught up with him. His season is over because of a fractured foot. But the wee fella insists it would break his heart to think he will never get the chance to play for Rangers again. He added: "Honestly, I'll never forget my time with Rangers. "My future is uncertain at the moment. "I have returned to Manchester City because of the foot injury I have - and who knows where I'll be playing my football next season. "I have been told by the manager that I can return in pre-season and fight for my place. "But we all know I need to play games next season. "There is a lot of things I need to learn in football and I'm not going to learn them on the training pitch. "The next year is crucial for me. "I think I will go on loan somewhere to get games because that's what I need more than anything. "If I return to Rangers, then great. "But if it doesn't happen then hopefully one day in the future I will get the chance again. "I want to go back to Ibrox at some stage in my career. "Before I signed I didn't really follow the Scottish league. I wasn't a fan of Rangers or Celtic - but now I am. "I'm going to be a Rangers fan for the rest of my life." Vlad plans to return north before the end of the season and watch Rangers in action again. He's got a vested interest. There's a title medal at stake and he refuses to give up on it. Celtic moved into pole position in the title race after the 0-0 draw at Ibrox on Sunday. They're one point behind the Ibrox side but crucially have a game in hand, away from home to Inverness Caley Thistle. But Weiss insists nothing is certain yet - convinced Celts will still slip up between now and the end of the season. He added: "I still think it's up to Rangers. "For me the boys played better than Celtic on Sunday. They now have three hard games away from home. "Obviously if they win all their games they'll win the league - but I don't think that will happen. "Rangers need to go out and give everything in their games and see what happens. "I am confident the squad is strong enough to do it. "And I'm pretty confident Celtic will not win every game between now and the end of the season. "For me, I'm still hoping to get a winner's medal - I still believe that can happen." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3546693/Gers-fans-left-me-in-tears-Im-praying-I-play-for-Coisty-next-season.html#ixzz1Ka2mMedh

Apr 23 2011 Exclusive by Donna Watson MORE than 50 Old Firm internet hatemongers were last night facing arrest in a series of police raids. A top cop warned: "We're coming to get you", as the operation to crush the bigots was launched. A crack team will carry out the raids before tomorrow's Old Firm clash at Ibrox. They were due to continue throughout today in Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. Their targets are self-styled supporters who have been spewing religious and racial hatred on social networking and chat forums. Among them will be people who have posted vile abuse about Celtic manager Neil Lennon and Rangers star El Hadji-Diouf. The operation has been planned for nearly two months and involves officers from the Strathclyde Police Anti-Violence Directorate, which previously specialised in tracking down thugs setting up gang fights online. Detectives have tracked their targets through internet accounts and website registrations.They will be arresting them for a variety of offences, ranging from breach of the peace to incitement to racially aggravated violence. Action Superintendent Kirk Kinnell, who is heading the operation, said: "This is not a final warning. I want to reassure the public that we are taking action right now. "We know who we are targeting. We have at least 50 live inquiries and we will be coming to the home addresses of people in the near future." Supt Kinnell also revealed that the targets range from schoolboys to middle-aged men. As well as Facebook and Twitter, some of them have been promoting their sick views on football forums. The superintendent added: "All of the inquiries are at different stages. It is a complex process but there is no hiding place on the internet. "It is a broad-ranging inquiry and we are looking at comments about various individuals. This goes back to before the latest parcel bomb incidents. "So some of them are sectarian comments about Neil Lennon and some are racist comments about El Hadji-Diouf, for example. But all are violent and hate-filled. "These kind of comments have become particularly prolific over recent weeks and that has brought it into focus for us. "It is at the point where they have become filled with hate and anger and are likely to incite violent behaviour so we are acting on these as quickly as we can. "Everywhere we find people spreading the disease of hate online is where we will focus our activity." Supt Kinnell said it was "routine business" for the anti-violence team to monitor social networking sites. He said: "It is not difficult for us to track these people. We have cooperation from the Internet Service Providers Association and media companies which facilitate websites. They are helping us to identify those responsible. "This operation will continue for as long as it needs to. We will be relentless in tracking these people down until they stop posting this kind of abuse on the internet. "And if it stops in the coming weeks but flares up again next season, we will be right back on top of them again." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/04/23/police-launch-operation-to-arrest-50-online-old-firm-hatemongers-86908-23080866/

RANGERS chairman Alastair Johnston has sparked a high-stakes game of poker - with the club's future in the pot. Late on Monday night, with would-be Gers buyer Craig Whyte desperate to finally seal his �£25million takeover, Johnston REFUSED to be railroaded into rubber-stamping the deal. Instead he listened to another Gers director - understood to be chartered accountant Paul Murray - who promised he could broker a rival �£25m bid to underwrite a new shares issue in the club. SunSport believes that proposal is backed by the financial muscle of South African multi-millionaire Dave King and Lanarkshire motoring tycoon Douglas Park. As manager-in-waiting Ally McCoist sweats over what funds he will have, though, the nightmare news for Gers fans is that process could take 10 WEEKS. Forget all the financial posturing and alleged stalling tactics, the reality is that new boss McCoist could be marooned on July 1 with NO IDEA what his transfer budget is, with the SPL season due to start on July 23. Johnston, though, insisted he had grave doubts whether the transfer budget Whyte promised would materialise. And he said: "Based on the documents we have only been able to review within the last week, we are disappointed that they ultimately did not reflect the investment in the club that we were led to believe for the last few months would be a commitment in the purchase agreement. "Given the requirement to repay the bank in full under the proposed transaction, there appears to be only a relatively modest amount of money available that would positively impact the club's operations, especially as it relates to an urgent requirement to replenish and upgrade the playing squad. "Whilst the proposed transaction has addressed the interests of Lloyds Bank, the Murray Group and Craig Whyte, our perspective is solely directed towards the future of Rangers Football Club." Whyte had pledged McCoist would get at least �£5m per season towards improving the champions' threadbare squad. Johnston, though, is prepared to gamble on examining the shares issue option. He said: "The board has had an approach from one of its directors who wishes us to consider an alternative funding option. This would involve a fresh issue of new capital to raise �£25m to be invested directly into the club. The board believes it has a responsibility to examine this proposal whilst continuing its review of the Craig Whyte transaction. "After six months of limited engagement in the process, the board believes it is not in the best interests of its stake-holders for it to be pressed into an unrealistic timescale." The Independent Sub-Committee of the Rangers board has taken a huge risk. Johnston's soundbites claim he is desperate to make sure the best interests of the 26,400 minority shareholders are served. When the fan in the street picks through the legal language and peers through the smokescreens, though, this looks like one thing. A stalling tactic. Majority shareholder Sir David Murray, Lloyds Bank and Whyte himself are desperate to get the deal over the line. The bankers are CONVINCED the funding is there. Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain, finance director Donald McIntyre, non-executive directors John McClelland and John Greig CAN'T veto the Whyte deal but can shunt it into the sidings at a critical time. Meanwhile, the fans suffer once more. Johnston, though, said: "We have only very recently had the opportunity to meet Craig Whyte and his team. "Moreover, it is only in the last few days we have started to receive the draft agreements outlining the transaction. "We are still awaiting a detailed working capital statement demonstrating there is sufficient funding in place to meet the club's pressing needs. "On Monday, I had a lengthy conversation with Craig Whyte explaining the dilemma the board faces. It was a constructive dialogue, and whilst he expressed his frustration, he understood our position." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3536471/We-wont-be-railroaded-into-selling-Gers-Craig.html#ixzz1K0whqlEN

Alastair Johnston clarifies Board's position More...

Rangers winger Salim Kerkar has admitted he does not know why he has not yet kicked a ball for the first team but says he would not question manager Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s judgement as he waits for a chance to impress. Kerkar signed for Rangers in November after a protracted trial period that saw some confusion over possible compensation owed to previous side FC Gueugnon. Rangers signed up the player on a deal until the end of the season with an agreement allowing Gueugnon a share of any future transfer fee. Despite not having kicked a ball in anger, Kerkar said he was happy to have moved to Scotland. ââ?¬Å?Of course I'm glad I opted for Rangers, even though I have not played a competitive match to date,ââ?¬Â he told Le Buteur. ââ?¬Å?I put my misfortune to one side, knowing that I'm progressing at all levels. ââ?¬Å?I train every time with a bit more desire and I'm sure it will eventually bear fruit one day. I meet top players every day and I know I must raise my game a little more for me to get a place. ââ?¬Å? In the interview, the 23-year old said he thought he had been close to making his debut against Celtic in the cup replay defeat at Parkhead. Kerkar remained on the bench after Steven Whittaker and Madjid Bougherra were sent off in that game and says he is patiently awaiting an opportunity to show what he can do. ââ?¬Å?The fact of asking me to warm up during a derby is important evidence that the coach thought of me as a viable option for winning the game,ââ?¬Â Kerkar said. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s not nothing. ââ?¬Å?But during that away game against Celtic, I thought I would make my debut that day, but the coach changed his mind after the expulsion of one of my team-mates. ââ?¬Å?It was at that moment that I realised that I have to wait some time.ââ?¬Â The winger said that he was working hard to convince Rangers boss Walter Smith that he was worthy of a first team spot but was respectful of the managerââ?¬â?¢s decision. Kerkar admitted he did not know what more he should be doing and may have to ask Smith to clarify his position. ââ?¬Å?Frankly, I can not tell you what he thinks about me,ââ?¬Â he told the newspaper. ââ?¬Å?I may need to ask him to find out. "I give myself fully to prove he can count on me during games. The rest belongs to him. He is the master on board and I can not but bow to its decisions. ââ?¬Å?I'm not the type to go ask the coach to play me. I tell myself I'm the newest member of the team and I'm not from Barcelona or another big club to claim a starting spot. I'm at Rangers just to prove I deserve to play in a big club.ââ?¬Â

A must signing for me he is worth about 15 points per season.

WANTAWAY Rangers star Madjid Bougherra has been warned he's going NOWHERE. Algerian stopper Bougy revealed last week his plan to quit Ibrox this summer. But Gers boss Walter Smith last night warned that contracted players will NOT be sold - and Bougy admitted he is NOT a certainty to leave the club at the end of the season. Smith said: "The whole thing about the summer will be about the club's overall circumstance. "Everybody says that people will be leaving but I don't see how we have the capability to let anyone leave. "We have reached the stage where if we sell players and can't re-invest then Rangers won't have a team for next year. "But I don't know what will happen. That is something for the future." Bougherra, who still has a year left on his current contract and rejected a new deal, returns from injury for tonight's vital SPL clash with Dundee United at Tannadice. And Smith admitted: "We're glad at the minute to have Bougherra back. "He has played well for us over the season and are just pleased to have Madjid fit again." Bougherra held talks with Gers chief executive Martin Bain over a new deal seven weeks ago. And although he turned down his offer on the SAME money he's currently on, the stopper insisted last night his future has still to be decided. Bougy, 28, said: "I am focusing on giving the title to Rangers and then I'll talk about transfers at the end of the season. "There are some possibilities but I like Rangers and this is a very big club. I have a contract until 2012, end of story, so we have to wait to the end of the season." Smith, meanwhile, has heaped praise on Steven Whittaker for the job he did in central defence while Bougherra was injured. He said: "He's not just been useful for us when Bougherra's been out - he's been doing it for us all season. It's not often you have one player playing in six different positions for you over the course of a season. "We had a fair idea we would need to move quite a few of them around this season, but Steven's been invaluable for us because he's so able to do it. "Even in a one-off game, there are very few players who could move from right-back to outside-left but he does it. "He does the whole lot without complaining. So he has been terrific for us this season." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3534377/Dont-bank-on-a-move-Bougy.html#ixzz1Jv0owJKh

So, weââ?¬â?¢re under investigation again from UEFA because an organisation that meets at Celtic park and is run by Piara Power, whoââ?¬â?¢s close to Dermott Desmond, Celticââ?¬â?¢s owner, has videoed Rangers fans singing The Billy Boys in a European tie. Letââ?¬â?¢s face it, only the naÃ?¯ve would believe that an organisation run by a Celtic fan would never single us out for ancient terrace chants. Terrace chants that are no different to the ones you hear the length and breadth of Britain on a match day. Of course, FARE are fair, they took action when presented with evidence of racial abuse hurled towards Rangers players at a recent Old Firm game. No, wait, they havenââ?¬â?¢t acted on this, instead they have completely ignored this fact. Even after The Rangers Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Trust chairman, Stephen Smith, raised the issue on national television. However, with the impending fine or playing in an empty stadium in the post, it's now time to re-evaluate where we sing certain songs. I love The Billy Boys, but it is now clear Ibrox or away grounds are not the platform for it. Not my preferred course of action but this is the world we live in, sadly! What we can do though, is channel our energies into exposing certain organisations for they what they really are and what their agenda actually is. For this to happen in an efficient manner it would require all fan groups, forums and supporter clubs to put aside their differences and work together for a brighter future for our club. This is how we could turn recent events into a positive. There is a clear split within the Rangers supporting fraternity, a split that needs resealed if weââ?¬â?¢re to move in a forward direction. This might open up old wounds but should we let personal differences get in the way working towards our club moving back to the top of football again where we can be viewed as a powerhouse again? I can already hear the ââ?¬Å?heââ?¬â?¢s naiveââ?¬Â or ââ?¬Å?itââ?¬â?¢ll never happenââ?¬Â chants emanating from the web as this is read. We love, in all our glory, belting out The Billy Boys. What if we were to come together and work in unison that lets us belt out ââ?¬Å?We are the peopleââ?¬Â where it would actually mean something? Is it not most fans dream to have an actual say on how our club does business? Perhaps by coming together we could show the club and new owner in waiting that we can contribute more than just our hard earned cash. Is it possible for Rangers fans to take the ââ?¬Ë?can doââ?¬â?¢ approach and actively work on exposing corrupt organisations and investing in the future of the club which will not just to keep us afloat but will allow us to reap the benefits of our own endeavours? What camp are you in? The ââ?¬Å?It will never work campââ?¬Â or the ââ?¬Å?can doââ?¬Â camp? I see the opportunity, do you? Published on the forum I moderate on but Frankie can do his thing with it if he wants. I know we spoke about bridging gaps between fan groups and perhaps recent events could be a catalyst for it.

The SFAââ?¬â?¢S Disciplinary Committee were left with no option but to effectively slap the wrists of Rangers trio Ally McCoist, El-Hadji Diouf and Madjid Bougherra ââ?¬â?? after no evidence was presented that could allow them to impose stiffer penalties. Details have emerged of what went on at Hampden on Tuesday, when the Ibrox three appeared to explain their conduct in the now infamous Old Firm ââ?¬Ë?shame gameââ?¬â?¢ on March 2. McCoist was cleared of any wrongdoing after his touchline spat with Neil Lennon, who didnââ?¬â?¢t appeal his charge and accepted a four-game ban. Diouf was fined Ã?£5000 after he was sent off at time-up, Bougherra was fined Ã?£2500 for manhandling referee Calum Murray as he tried to send him off, with both players severely censured and warned about their future conduct. The punishments dished out were in stark contrast to the hard line SFA chief Stewart Regan promised to take in the immediate aftermath of the game ââ?¬â?? and has led to claims of ââ?¬Ë?biasââ?¬â?¢ from the QC who has represented Celtic in two high- profile battles with the governing body already this season, Paul McBride. Rangers were represented by their own high-powered three- strong legal team ââ?¬â?? headed up by Alistair Clark QC ââ?¬â?? and the three cases broke down like this ... McCOIST There was no evidence presented against McCoist to back up the SFA charge of misconduct. The Disciplinary Committee looked at TV footage of the moment when he and Lennon shook each otherââ?¬â?¢s hands at time-up. McCoist said something in the Celtic managerââ?¬â?¢s ear, to which Lennon reacted. McCoistââ?¬â?¢s comment was not heard by the referee or fourth official ââ?¬â?? and was not cited in the charge against him. The TV pictures shows Lennon pointing his finger at McCoistââ?¬â?¢s face, but there was no movement from the Gers No.2 ââ?¬â?? and that ensured the success of his appeal. BOUGHERRA The Algerian grabbed Murrayââ?¬â?¢s wrist as he tried to show him a second yellow card, but the officialââ?¬â?¢s report says that the player did so ââ?¬Å?in a pleading gesture not to be sent offââ?¬Â. It did not, therefore, constitute violent or threatening conduct. The Committee also heard evidence from Murray which downplayed the incident. DIOUF The Algerian was cautioned for his part in bumping into the Celtic physio as he ran on to the park, and for being involved in a touchline spat with Lennon during the first half. He was then given a second yellow, and subsequent red, for comments made to Murray at time up. He was not mentioned in the refereeââ?¬â?¢s report as requiring any further action to be taken, with Murray happy that he had dealt with Diouf adequately at the time. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ legal team argued that there ââ?¬Ë?is no rule to say a player has to leave the field when his red card was shown after play has endedââ?¬â?¢. Given that Murray had not reported him for any additional misconduct, nor had the police reported the player to the match official despite an officer attempting to stop him from throwing his jersey into the crowd, the Disciplinary Committee had no evidence to impose anything more than a fine. Meanwhile, it emerged today that Willie Young, the former whistler who was refereesââ?¬â?¢ supervisor on the night, wanted Bougherra hit with a hefty ban for his actions. In another move, the SFA could be set to replace the Disciplinary Committee with a compliance officer whose job will be to flag up incidents within 48 hours of them happening and implement new procedures to avoid repeats of this seasonââ?¬â?¢s emabarassments. The appointment could be rubber stamped at the SFA AGM in June. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/why-rangers-trio-escaped-bans-1.1096389

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

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/243221-mccoist-wins-appeal-against-touchline-ban/ Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist has won his appeal against a charge of misconduct following a meeting of the Scottish Football Associationââ?¬â?¢s Disciplinary Committee. McCoist had been handed an automatic two-match ban by the governing body following an altercation with Neil Lennon at the Scottish Cup match at Celtic Park on March 2. Lennon was also handed a ban for misconduct, which he has now served. McCoist lodged an appeal against the suspension and was therefore free to work from the technical area in the Co-operative Cup final against Celtic. The governing body has now overturned their original decision, allowing the coach to take his place in the Rangers dugout for upcoming games. Rangers players Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf were also at Hampden on Tuesday facing charges of ââ?¬Å?misconduct of a significantly serious natureââ?¬Â. Bougherra was fined Ã?£2,500 and Diouf Ã?£5,000 with both warned as to their future conduct.

The pair have both been warned over their future conduct but have escaped suspensions. Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf have escaped bans from the Scottish Football Association for their actions in Rangersââ?¬â?¢ loss to Celtic in the Scottish Cup. Diouf has been fined Ã?£5,000 by the governing body, with Bougherra receiving a Ã?£2,500 punishment. It is known Bougherra has been given a warning over their future conduct. The Rangers pair faced the SFAââ?¬â?¢s disciplinary committee to answer a case of ââ?¬Å?misconduct of a significantly serious natureââ?¬Â on Tuesday, with referee Calum Murray in attendance to give his account of events. Upon leaving the disciplinary hearing, Bougherra was asked by STV if he would be free to play in the Old Firm derby on April 24, replied: "Yes, yes, yes, the referee understands what I did." An official statement is due from Rangers shortly. Bougherra was shown two yellow cards during the game, grabbing Murrayââ?¬â?¢s arm as the official showed him a red card. Diouf meanwhile received his second yellow card after the full-time whistle, after becoming involved in a confrontation with the same official. The Senegalese striker has since spoken out over the incident, giving his version of events. ââ?¬Å?The ref said to me: 'You don't have the right to speak to me,' which annoyed me,ââ?¬Â Diouf said in March. ââ?¬Å?At the end I told the ref he was the worst ref I've ever had so he gave me another card. ââ?¬Å?I said 'you can give me as many cards as you like, the match is over now'. I know it's not good to get cards but I'm only suspended for the cup, not the league.ââ?¬Â The SFA are yet to announce whether they will charge Diouf for his remarks to Canal Plus on the affair, in which he also described Murray and his colleagues as ââ?¬Å?officials who were against us.ââ?¬Â Both Bougherra and Diouf received automatic suspensions for their sendings off in the match on March 2, although the bans will not apply until next seasonââ?¬â?¢s competition. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/243197-bougherra-claims-he-faces-no-further-punishment-for-old-firm-flashpoint/

I suppose it all depends if we can spend any money.

As Scotland's number one goalkeeper again helped deliver a crucial three points in Rangers' quest for a third SPL in a row, I turned to my mates and remarked just how important the lad is to our club. Surely the outstanding candidate for our player of the year this season? McGregor's time at Rangers has been a fascinating one for a 'keeper that is still a year short of his 30th birthday - a milestone that usually sees goalies mature on the field with their advancing years. Just over 9 years since he made his competitive d�©but for the club as an enforced sub for Stefan Klos in a League Cup tie away to Forfar, the Scotsman has been on a roller-coaster of a career so far. Considered surplus to requirements by both Dick Advocaat and Alex McLeish, McGregor was one Murray Park product that seemed to be destined for mediocrity in the early part of this century. Respective loans to St Johnstone (04/05) and Dunfermline (05/06) suggested he was going to be just another promising youngster without a future at Ibrox. The arrival of Paul Le Guen (and to a lesser extent Lionel Letizi) changed that. While both of these Frenchmen had had impressive careers before arriving at Rangers, both struggled on arrival in Glasgow but if Le Guen can lay claim to one positive upon leaving 'by mutual consent' he can point to installing McGregor as the club's number 1 goalkeeper - even if Letizi's poor form and injury contributed to this decision. McGregor went on to be voted the club's Players' Player of the Year for that season (2006/07). Since then he appeared to take confidence in his own ability and has improved year on year also making his Scotland international d�©but that season. A genuine natural shot-stopper it says a lot for him that he can keep guys like Neil Alexander and Craig Gordon behind him. Unfortunately, with this rise to prominence the lad has had his fair share of controversy. From being made a joint scapegoat for a Scotland team 'bonding' session to stormy personal relationships that seem him on the front pages as much as the back, McGregor's well known nickname and chant are certainly apt. Conversely crude songs about erroneous assault charges are less funny and it is to the lad's credit that he's never reacted to them - unlike other players and managers who do use such excuses for poor behaviour. Fortunately, current Scotland manager Craig Levein is another person who realises that McGregor has perhaps been hard done by in the past so, despite a disgraceful sine die SFA ban, the former Dundee Utd and Hearts manager recalled McGregor back to the international fold at the start of this season and he has since made the Scotland No1 position his own with some fine displays for his country. In the meantime McGregor has maintained his form at club level and as Rangers once again became the sole Scottish club to challenge on domestic and European fronts, he has been one player that has shown a high level of consistency and quality throughout. He may not have scored the goals of Kenny Miller or provided the graft of Steven Naismith but McGregor's plethora of vital saves is as invaluable as anything else this season. To that end, it is a huge surprise he's not even mentioned on the official Rangers Player of the Year list - despite the inclusion of players that, with respect, have failed to deliver this season. During a difficult period for the club in financial terms, McGregor is arguably the most expensive asset we have at the club. Out of contract in 2013 and with a variety of clubs always interested in his availability McGregor has come a long way from unglamorous loan spells and unsavoury international incidents. He truly has matured as a player and as a person. Next term will be McGregor's testimonial year given February 2012 will have been 10 years since his first team d�©but and this summer 10 years since he signed professionally in 2001. In a sport that now sees players more motivated by money rather than loyalty it is quite amazing that a player of McGregor's quality is still at Rangers. More so when you consider the variety of external factors that never seemed to impinge on his own self-belief. Of course without a club takeover the lad may not see this exceptional milestone but if he does decide to move on McGregor will leave Rangers with our thanks and as Scotland's number one. Thus, if he continues to court consistency instead of controversy there's no reason why he can't have another ten years as Scotland's number one!