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EXCLUSIVE By DARRYL BROADFOOT ALEX McLEISH will make a fresh bid to sign Kris Boyd in the summer regardless of whether Birmingham City are playing in the Coca-Cola Championship or the Premiership. McLeish last night reiterated his admiration for the Rangers striker despite Boyd failing to agree personal terms when Birmingham's �£3million bid was accepted in January. Birmingham occupy the second automatic promotion spot in the Championship with seven league games remaining and Boyd is a priority target, irrespective of what division the Midlands club will be playing in next season. Boyd's future is almost certainly away from Ibrox at the end of the season. He was sent home from training by Walter Smith for showing a poor attitude in the build-up to the Old Firm Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat at Hampden and despite scoring 95 goals since McLeish signed him from Kilmarnock for �£400,000 in 2006, he has been left out of big games by Smith. advertisement "I wouldn't rule out working with Kris Boyd again," McLeish said. "I couldn't rule it out, him being a part of my squad in future. "It is hypothetical now but we tried to go for him in January and I am really surprised he couldn't finish the deal. I got the feeling he didn't want to leave Rangers. I don't know if that has changed but I thought it was a good opportunity for him to come to England with a view to playing in the Premier League." McLeish is a huge fan of Boyd's predatory talents. He understands the tactical dilemma that has prompted Smith to omit him from Rangers' most demanding games in the SPL and in Europe and cited even more illustrious examples of natural-born strikers, Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba at Cheslea, who are unable or unwilling to take their share of defensive responsibilities. McLeish also confounded the popular conception that Boyd, with his dour demeanour, was a troublemaker after spats with Paul Le Guen, George Burley and now Smith. "I don't think he is problematic," McLeish added, "It is just a decision not to pick him. Sometimes I didn't play him away from home. "I can understand Walter Smith because a lot of teams, especially in Europe, play three in the middle of the field and if you don't match up then very often, you can get your backside felt. "Fabio Capello, as England manager, has been prone to doing that. I found it difficult getting strikers to work back to deep-lying midfielders. "They don't like to do it. It was a problem for Luiz Felipe Scolari and even Guus Hiddink said they Anelka and Drogba are two great strikers but that he must get them to think about their defensive job. "That maybe explains why Boyd has been in and out at Rangers. He understands it but also knows his worth and if he is playing in the right circumstances, he will get goals. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2496874.0.0.php

Been on Sky Sports News today that Aaron is claiming the fee we would have to pay Valencia to make his move permanent is in the region of �£3.75m. The way our Club is run these days it would be of no suprise to me if the lad was getting little or no playing time due to the fact we have no aspirations at all to pay that fee in the future thus Walter and Co. are hiding away from a future backlash if he were to become a regular player, do well and then return to Valencia after us refusing to buy him.

I know it's possibly his best season at Liverpool in terms of the league position and still in the CL, I can't help feeling someone else could do better though. I'd love Mourhino to take over but doesn't look like that will happen. Can't fault Benitez's European record but a club like Liverpool need to be winning the league. Bad enough Manure may match their league winners record this season. 19 years for them is siomply far to long!

By Lorna Smith and Mark Howarth, 14/03/2009 A CRACK team of debt-busting bankers has been put together to claw back millions from crisis club Rangers. The Ibrox giantââ?¬â?¢s finances have suffered like all businesses in the credit crunch ââ?¬â? causing some of the loans bolstering the club to be put under the microscope. Now cash-strapped Bank of Scotland bosses have hand-picked a posse of ââ?¬Ë?asset houndsââ?¬â?¢ to examine how the club can pay back much of its debt. Experts believe the bank could demand repayments of Ã?£20MILLION over the next few years ââ?¬â? taking the Rangers debt down to around Ã?£5million. Light Blues chairman Sir David Murray has already slashed 12 stadium jobs and ordered manager Walter Smith to axe eight stars in the summer. But last night there were warnings that more cuts could see Rangers facing a DECADE living in Celticââ?¬â?¢s shadow. A Bank of Scotland insider revealed: ââ?¬Å?The debt has been deemed too big and it was felt the time had come to start clawing back some of the cash. ââ?¬Å?The credit crunch means thereââ?¬â?¢s no such thing as easy money any more ââ?¬â? we cannot keep loaning companies big money against assets that leave us exposed. ââ?¬Å?We donââ?¬â?¢t want Rangers to suffer on or off the pitch so weââ?¬â?¢ve pulled together some of our best brains to make sure that the club comes down as gently as possible. ââ?¬Å?But the current situation cannot possibly continue. Ultimately, this is big business and, Iââ?¬â?¢m afraid, sometimes it hurts.ââ?¬Â As Rangers face Celtic at Hampden today in the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final, Stephen Morrow, Professor of Sports Studies at Stirling University, warned fans that the bankââ?¬â?¢s crackdown could see their club ââ?¬Å?in the wildernessââ?¬Â for the next ten years. He said: ââ?¬Å?This will make it even more challenging for a club like Rangers to compete. In some ways, Celticââ?¬â?¢s financial basis is different ââ?¬â? theyââ?¬â?¢ve been run in a different way which has left them less exposed. ââ?¬Å?If Rangers have to pay back, say, Ã?£15-Ã?£20million over the next few years, thereââ?¬â?¢s a risk of a big gap opening up between them and Celtic.ââ?¬Â It is believed the specialist lending team of bankers will study the clubââ?¬â?¢s estimated Ã?£25million debt before making a string of recommendations to claw back some of the clubââ?¬â?¢s loans. The options would include selling off assets ââ?¬â? such as players ââ?¬â? trimming overheads, selling other assets or attracting more investment. Professor Morrow added: ââ?¬Å?What youââ?¬â?¢ve got with a mature business like Rangers is that the business has developed ââ?¬â? thereââ?¬â?¢s only a fixed number of games they can play, theyââ?¬â?¢re playing those games to capacity crowds and thereââ?¬â?¢s a TV deal which is not going to get any better. ââ?¬Å?Once youââ?¬â?¢ve brought playersââ?¬â?¢ wages under control then thatââ?¬â?¢s it, there arenââ?¬â?¢t many more ways to lever huge sums of money into the club. ââ?¬Å?Unless someone comes along and gives you the cash, the only other way is to sell some of your assets and that means players.ââ?¬Â Rangersââ?¬â?¢ finances are tied into chairman Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s complex web of companies, Murray International Holdings ââ?¬â? of which the bank owns around 10 per cent. UNDER THREAT: Kris Boyd Sir David gained control of the Ibrox club in 1988 after buying the majority of its shares for Ã?£6million. As chairman, the businessman ploughed cash into the club, building a third tier on the main stand and raising the groundââ?¬â?¢s capacity by 7,300. Murrayââ?¬â?¢s costly European ambitions for the side, under Dick Advocaatââ?¬â?¢s management, saw them spend millions. But the clubââ?¬â?¢s debts spiralled as TV revenues failed to make a dent on mammoth transfer fees and playersââ?¬â?¢ salaries. By 2001, mounting debts threatened the clubââ?¬â?¢s future and Murray admitted mistakes were made. He said at the time: ââ?¬Å?We got it wrong. We obviously spent far too much money. We canââ?¬â?¢t let it happen again because that would be total mismanagement.ââ?¬Â In July 2002, Murray stood down as chairman but returned two years later in a bid to reduce the Rangers debt mountain. He organised the sale of a new batch of shares which raised Ã?£50million to start paying off the bank and, by 2006, the total owed had dropped from nearly Ã?£74million to only Ã?£5.8million. Since then, the debt has started to rise again at an alarming rate ââ?¬â? despite Rangersââ?¬â?¢ run to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. Last year it stood at Ã?£21.6million but is believed to have reached around Ã?£30million before the bank stepped in. Half-yearly figures released in January show the clubââ?¬â?¢s turnover is 50 per cent lower than 2006. And they are facing a 71 per cent jump in interest payments to nearly Ã?£8,000 a DAY. The credit crunch has hit the club hard as Murray International Holdingsââ?¬â?¢ huge commercial property assets have plummeted in value. Last night insolvency expert John Shields said: ââ?¬Å?Murray International Holdings is built on steel, property and football. ââ?¬Å?The bottom has fallen out of the market for steel and property, so the football cannot carry on being a loss-making luxury. The Bank of Scotland has specialist lending teams whose job it is to protect the bankââ?¬â?¢s money. Those men in grey suits will be looking very closely at the Rangers balance sheet and may suggest pruning the Ibrox staff. UNDER THREAT: Barry Ferguson ââ?¬Å?The team will probably be three-strong and theyââ?¬â?¢ll spend up to six months poring over Rangersââ?¬â?¢ accounts and working with the club to identify where the savings are. ââ?¬Å?They should have a strategy in place for when the transfer window opens at the end of the season and then guide the club through until it closes at the end of August. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re in a recession so season ticket revenue could fall, corporate hospitality has been cut, the Murray Park Academy hasnââ?¬â?¢t delivered enough young players. The only way to raise revenue short-term is to sell players. ââ?¬Å?Usually, the fact that the club has a wealthy parent company would be enough to satisfy the banks. ââ?¬Å?But Murray International Holdings has taken a hit as well so Rangers is more exposed than it would normally be. ââ?¬Å?David Murray is a realist ââ?¬â? he is trying to bring a sound business structure to the club which is essential for it to survive but if the bank is now restructuring the debt then there may be even deeper cuts on the way. ââ?¬Å?I think the fans need to rally round the chairman at this time, not barrack him for putting his neck on the line.ââ?¬Â Sir David recently admitted Rangers had lurched deeper into the red, losing nearly Ã?£4million between June and December 2008, with Ã?£1.4million paying off interest alone. An early exit from European football at the hands of Lithuanian minnows Kaunas in the second qualifying stage of the Champions League this season cost the club around Ã?£13million in potential revenue. During Januaryââ?¬â?¢s transfer window, Murray sanctioned the sale of star striker Kris Boyd for Ã?£3.8million in a bid to rake in cash. UNDER THREAT: Allan McGregor Boyd, 25, was on the verge of a move to Birmingham City but a row over his Ã?£20,000- a-week wages saw the deal fall through. Goalie Allan McGregor and captain Barry Ferguson, on salaries of Ã?£25,000 and Ã?£30,000 a week, were linked to a lucrative Newcastle United move which also fell through. Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s squad is to be trimmed to only 20 in the summer after failing to offload Boyd in January. But Murray has insisted that long-term loans were keeping the club stable, saying: ââ?¬Å?What Iââ?¬â?¢m doing is not panicking. We have a financial facility with the bank and we must work within that framework.ââ?¬Â Now that strategy has been thrown into uncertainty and earlier this month, Rangers admitted a dozen backroom staff would lose their jobs. John Macmillan, general secretary of the Rangers Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Association said: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s a pretty bleak picture ââ?¬â? the fans wonââ?¬â?¢t take kindly to this. ââ?¬Å?Most really donââ?¬â?¢t care about who owes what to whom, so we may see a split between the club and the fans over the next few years. ââ?¬Å?But the club must recognise that itââ?¬â?¢s not the fansââ?¬â?¢ fault that Rangers are in such a mess ââ?¬â? thereââ?¬â?¢s been mismanagement and unwise signing policies which continue to this day. ââ?¬Å?The way through this crisis is to put bums on seats, not to penalise the fans. The club should look at lowering prices and even letting in kids for free.ââ?¬Â Bank of Scotland has recently been bought out by Lloyds Banking Group after racking up losses of Ã?£10.8billion as part of HBOS. Both the bank and the club refused to comment. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_news/218758/Rangers-pound20m-debt-squeeze-David-Murray.html

By Andrew Dickson PEDRO MENDES has revealed memories of missing out on silverware will be the catalyst in his bid for victory against Celtic in tomorrow's League Cup final. The Rangers midfielder has a Champions League winners' medal in his possession after he helped Porto beat Monaco in the 2004 final. Free Kilmarnock tickets!He also lifted last season's FA Cup when he was in the Portsmouth team that beat Cardiff City 1-0 at Wembley. But Mendes has experienced disappointment too at a tournament's climax and lost out with Porto in extra-time against Benfica in the Taca de Portugal five years ago. While the successes he has had stand out, it's a rare moment of failure that makes him so determined to add further triumphs to his list. Mendes said: "I won the equivalent trophy to the League Cup back home with Porto but lost out on the Portuguese Cup to Benfica. "It is always hard to take a defeat but especially in a final. At that stage, the only good outcome can be a win because of what's at stake. "If you win, everything is fantastic but if you lose you just go to the dressing room and get into the coach moaning about everything. "You don't want it to be like that and the fans don't want to be going home moaning at everyone either. Pedro Mendes battles with David Rowson"We want to enjoy ourselves and have a happy ending. Hopefully we will be able to provide one this weekend and we desperately want to win. "If we were to do that, it would be our first achievement since I joined the club and that makes this a massive game for me." Mendes, who is fit after a recent thigh strain, is just as keen to come out on top for the sake of ensuring he reflects on his time at Ibrox as positively as possible in the future. He added: "When you look back at the clubs you've played with, you want to be able to think of lots of trophy wins you enjoyed. "I don't know when it will be but whenever my Rangers career is over, I want to be able to say I won cups and titles. "When you go to a big club, you want to achieve things with your team and create lots of good memories."

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CammyF throws down the gauntlet to the club s he asks Rangers to provide a museum at last to celebrate our proud history (with valued contributions from the Curator of the Scottish Football Museum). http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=772&Itemid=2 Part One ââ?¬Ë?The Scottish Football Museum exists to promote the unique football heritage of Scotland, to build and maintain a national football collection, and to educate and inspire future generations.ââ?¬â?¢ The above is the mission statement for the Scottish Football Association Museum Trust which through hard work and dedication has opened the impressive Scottish Football Museum at Hampden. I have a personal interest in this museum as my Grandfatherââ?¬â?¢s junior and amateur medals are now held in the museum and are occasionally on display. Richard McBrearty, Curator of the Scottish Football Museum kindly supplied detailed information that is used within this article and we at Gersnet are indebted to Richard for taking the time to add his input to this article and project. The above mission statement rings true when evaluating and showcasing Scottish Football and the same could be said for Rangersââ?¬â?¢ uniqueness and having our own museum is something that I know some fans have been suggesting for many years now. I believe that the first time I personally became aware of the need for a Rangers museum was after the tragic death of Davie Cooper. Many Rangers fans at the time rightly stated that a Rangers Museum would be lasting and fitting tribute to Davie Cooper. The idea of a museum has been muted and discussed at various AGMs, but as yet, there has been little, if any movement on this front. If you have been lucky enough to have visited the Ibrox Trophy Room you will know that there are many unique, interesting and quirky exhibits that deserved to be showcased in a dedicated museum ââ?¬â?? the ââ?¬Ë?Loving Cupââ?¬â?¢ instantly springs to mind. Indeed, the club feel that the stadium is a museum in itself and while that opinion has validity, we could build upon the existing tour by providing new stand-alone facilities for such an initiative. This existing tour has positive feedback but there is no doubt improvement, as always, can be sought. The best stadium tour that I have ever undertaken was the tour of the Santiago BernabÃ?©u Stadium in Madrid. Not only does this take in the wonderful Real Madrid museum, the tour is unique in-itself as there are no dedicated guides for the tour, you pay your money and allowed access to the stadium and complete this at your own leisure. All the exhibits on the tour and in the museum are showcased in Spanish, German and English. Real Madridââ?¬â?¢s museum is also interesting as it isnââ?¬â?¢t solely a footballing museum. Realââ?¬â?¢s basketball team are also well represented in the museum as are other sports like tennis and athletics. The history of the club is told as you wander through the museum and this is done in such a way that you leave the museum with all the historical information that makes Real Madrid the institution that they are. At the end of the museum, which takes up the majority of one stand, is a tribute wall that lists every player ever to play for Real Madrid and they are separated into the countries of their birth. There is only ever been one Scotsman to play for Real Madrid, a certain Mr John Fox Watson - 1948 ââ?¬â?? then player/coach and is credited as being the first British player to play for Real Madrid. . The BernabÃ?©u model is an example that Rangers could follow. Ibrox Stadium whilst being the famous home of Rangers Football Club has also housed various other events over the years; from the annual parades of the Boys Brigade and Orange Order to the Rangers Sports Days that were a highlight of the sporting calendar in the 1950ââ?¬â?¢s. There is some wonderful footage of the sports days on ââ?¬Ë?YouTubeââ?¬â?¢ and they did draw impressive crowds to Ibrox. All this information, photos and memorabilia will be currently lying around Ibrox somewhere gathering dust. We do have an unofficial publication, 'The Rangers Historian' that details our glorious history and Robert McElroy as well as the Club Historian David Mason would be ideal supporters representatives on any museum project. Ex-players, such as Sandy Jardine who is, according to Richard McBrearty, the Rangers representative on the ââ?¬Ë?Scottish Football Heritage Networkââ?¬â?¢ and has done a fair amount of work for that organisation, should also be included. There are also on-line resources that the club could use to supplement their official records. The Manchester Utd Archive site, the ââ?¬Ë?Stretford Endââ?¬â?¢ is a fantastic example of how fansââ?¬â?¢ hard work, dedication and love for the club could be used. Off course, we have our own unofficial and less complete Rangers Archive which is another empirical example of how much can be achieved without financial input. Richard McBrearty does warn that the idea for a museum would be hard to sell to the club as a money making scheme as very few museums actually do make a profit - Barcelona and Man United being the exceptions to the rule. Man Unitedââ?¬â?¢s museum was making profits in the region of Ã?£200,000 while he Barca museum has generated over 2 million visitors a year as a direct result of it being on the official tourist route. The same can be said of the BernabÃ?©u, this is on the official tourist route and, as a result, all tourist buses pass and stop directly outside the stadium. I have to admit that I havenââ?¬â?¢t managed to ride the Glasgow Tour Bus so I donââ?¬â?¢t know how close to Ibrox these go. If they take in the Science Museum then it wouldnââ?¬â?¢t take much to persuade Glasgow City Council to get the buses to go an extra mile to Ibrox? CONTINUES

... Character, Discipline, Strength, Fitness, Innovation, Technique, Imagination, Ambition, Consistency, Motivation, Quality and Bottle. All necessary virtues sadly lacking from the players and management team at our club. Negativity is our buzzword and with a chairman who is AWOL and a chief executive who is incompetent, this has spread to the fans and is a factor that we see not only in online forums but across the board at Ibrox and beyond. Is our future that bleak? Who can change it? Who really wants to? It's no longer a case of 'Hullo Hullo' but 'Cheerio, Cheerio'. 'Ready' has never been more inappropriate.

by Thomas Jordan AFTER waiting four months for their opportunity to return to the top of the table, Rangers latest reign as league leaders lasted all of 11 days. Hardly the hallmark of a team with the durability required to succeed as champions. The 1-0 defeat at the hands of Caley Thistle this week has prompted questions over the Ibrox club's title credentials. The obvious one, of course, will be do they have the bottle to come out on top in such a fiercely contested title battle? A two-week shutdown from the league, as they take on Hamilton Accies in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup before facing Celtic in the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final at Hampden Park, will put Rangers' title challenge on the back burner. advertisement That, however, will do little to dilute concerns among the Light Blue legions that their defeat to the Highlanders is a signal that this squad doesn't have what it takes to stop Celtic making it four-in-a-row. The implications if Rangers don't win the league are huge. From a financial perspective, it is imperative the riches that go hand in hand with entry to the Champions League are secured next season after failure to reach that stage this season left a �£10million black hole in the club's finances. Winning the championship this season will once again offer the SPL winners direct entry to the group stage of the competition. The runners-up, like this season, would face two qualifying games, but the standard of opposition standing in their path will dramatically increase under Uefa's qualification criteria revamp. On March 21 against Hearts, Walter Smith will turn his full attention back of the title race with Celtic now out in front, albeit only marginally with a three-point advantage. He will have 10 matches which will not only shape their season, but possibly the foreseeable future of the club. Does the Rangers manager have the players at his disposal to come out in top against a Celtic side that has already shown, not just last season but in previous campaigns, that they are good enough to prosper under the white heat of a title run-in? Indeed, captain Barry Ferguson is the only member of Walter Smith's squad who has truly influenced and delivered title success. Nacho Novo, who is currently out injured, has also played his part in the past as Alex McLeish delivered two championship trophies in 2005. But he has been no more than a bit-part player at Rangers in recent seasons. Here, SportTimes takes a look at the men who will be required to stand up and be counted in 10 league games of monumental importance to the Ibrox club. IN GOOD HANDS Allan McGregor has returned to the sort of form that brought speculation of a �£9m move to the Premiership last season. After a difficult start to the campaign, as he tried to find his feet following a long injury lay-off, the Ibrox goalkeeper is once again turning in some vital performances. McGregor's goal has been breached only four times in 13 matches. So this isn't a position that would cause Smith much concern. FULL-BACK FAILINGS Smith's first task as they prepare to welcome a rejuvenated Hearts side to Ibrox will be to find a replacement for the suspended Davie Weir. The stopper's red card, following a rare mistake which gifted Caley the three points on Wednesday, will mean he'll have to sit out against his former club. On previous occasions, Kirk Broadfoot has been moved inside from his usual right-back beat and Steven Whittaker has come out of cold storage to play as a full-back. That, you'd imagine, would tempt most opposing managers to try and expose Gers backline. Madjid Bougherra has been their most consistent defender throughout this season. Indeed, Smith probably doesn't like to dwell on what his defence would be like without him at its heart As for Weir, his displays, in fairness, have been pretty consistent. It's the full-back areas that let Rangers down. The way they play, both see plenty of the ball and are encouraged to push forward. While Broadfoot is always willing to do so, too often his final ball simply isn't good enough. At least, however, he is willing to get involved in the game. Papac, no doubt to the constant frustration of the Rangers management, is far more reluctant to join in on attacks. So is it a defence you could bank on to hold firm? Well, their recent form has been impressive, but cracks could appear the more pressure is put on them. WIDE-BOYS REQUIRED Pedro Mendes's influence has been badly missing in Rangers recent two matches. The Portuguese playmaker provides an extra dimension to their attacking play in particular. His passes are crisp, he spots things early and, unlike many of his colleagues, he isn't too predictable at times. Next to him will be the captain Ferguson. Having been over the course many times before, he knows what it takes to deliver a championship. And, as skipper, he knows there are more eyes on him than any other member of the Rangers squad. Maybe Rangers' biggest problem is that they don't boast natural wide players. For all Steven Davis has enjoyed an excellent campaign, he isn't an out-and-out winger. Neither is Kyle Lafferty, Lee McCulloch, Steven Naismith nor the various players deployed on the left of midfield this season. Perhaps the most comfortable in such a position is young John Fleck. But he is still cutting his teeth at this level. It would be unfair, for all his natural ability and enthusiasm, to expect him to carry older and more experienced team-mates between now and the end of the season. Overall, Rangers have a midfield that works well enough together but there have been several occasions this season when they could have played all night and not carved out a chance for any of the striker. BOYD BACK-UP Who scores the goals if Kris Boyd isn't bagging them? Kenny Miller pops up now and again with one, sometimes two, but can he do it when it matters most? Can he keep a cool head inside the penalty area when that one of only chance of the game comes his way? History would suggest not. Lafferty is struggling to provide clues as to how he is going to become a key player at Rangers and while Novo is always a threat coming off the bench, his injury problems could prevent him from being at his best for some time. This department, probably more than any other, will be the one that Smith will be concerned about the most. When everything is going well, they are most certainly capable of finding the back of the net. In the comings weeks, however, there will be more than one occasion when Smith is on the sidelines hoping to one of his frontman to snatch a goal that transformers what is appearing to be one point into three. Time, of course, will tell. Only a fool would predict the outcome of the current championship. But Rangers aren't only playing for the title - the financial baggage it carries means the future of the club is at stake. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493863.0.0.php

ARCHIE CAMPBELL has recently watched on as Gers teammate John Fleck forced his way in to Walter Smith's first-team plans and the young striker hopes to follow in his friend's footsteps in the not too distant future. Archie CampbellCampbell has been in electric form for Billy Kirkwood's under-19s this season, scoring 13 goals in 16 starts, and his ability to hit the net has kept his side in the chase for another domestic double. The Fife-born hitman joined Rangers at the tender age of 14 and came through the ranks with Fleck at club and international level. The pair featured for Scotland's U16s in the Victory Shield and were being touted as two of the most promising players in the country at that time. While Fleck has shot to stardom in 2009 Campbell has been continuing his development with the 19s and doing his best to impress so that he can take the next step in his blossoming career. At 17 he has plenty of time on his side but Archie admits he would love to be one of the next players from the under-19 squad to be drafted in to the top-team. He said: "I think the young players at the club have really been given a chance by the manager recently which is great. "Flecky, of course, has been brilliant but we have also seen the likes of Danny Wilson and Jamie Ness on the bench and they are only 17. "I am roughly the same age as them so hopefully if I can keep scoring goals I might get a chance in the future. "We will wait and see what happens but I think there is a big opportunity for all the players right now. Archie Campbell "Flecky has shown what can be achieved if you work hard, show the right attitude and impress the coaches here." Archie's pace and ability to find the net made him a stand-out as he progressed through the ranks at Murray Park. These attributes have again been evident in 2008/09 and he bagged a double against Hamilton Accies on Saturday to add to his impressive tally this season. He said: "I have been pleased with the way I have played this season and hopefully I am improving all the time. "I have managed to get a few goals and still have another year wit the 19s so I am happy with that but I know I need to keep working hard on every part of my game. "Right now I am trying to get stronger by working in the gym with the physios and this will help me a lot on the pitch." Rangers will take on Inverness Caley Thistle in the semi-final stage of the SFA Youth Cup on March 29 after the Highland Jags beat Old Firm rivals Celtic in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at the Tulloch Stadium. The tie will give the Murray Park starlets another chance to run out at Ibrox Stadium and Archie is not surprised to be facing Caley for a place in the final. He said: "I think most people thought that would be up against Celtic but I knew it was going to be a tough game for them. Archie Campbell"Caley made it difficult for us earlier in the season and I am sure they will do that again when they come to Glasgow later in the month. "But we are at home and the holders of the Cup so we will be confident going in to it and have a good chance of going through. "It's great the game is at Ibrox and we all want to get to the final at Hampden. Hopefully we can do that." The 19s have now extended their lead at the top of the league to four points after closest rivals Hibs drew with Celtic and Rangers romped to a 4-0 win over Hamilton on Sunday. Despite having a young squad Archie is confident his team have the quality and character to win the title again this season. He added: "The team have done great so far but we have to keep it going. "We still have a lot of big games coming up and need to have the right attitude going in to every one. "We are a young group of players but we are confident going in to every game and always think we can get three points." The 19s next match is against Dundee United on Saturday at Thomson Park, Dundee, kick-off 1pm.

With the custodian and his lap-dogs sneering at the we deserve better campaign calling us all faceless and clueless, it appears that our efforts and suggestions are at least hitting a note across the city. Once again, Celtc have stolen a march on us regarding scouting by employing two of Portugals top scouts who will work for Celtc - http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2493431.0.Celtic_will_ask_Portugal_pair_to_scout_for_the_stars_of_the_future.php Cammy F

by Matthew Lindsay RANGERS must land the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title if they want to avoid experiencing serious money problems in the future. That was the warning from financial expert David Glen today after the Ibrox club announced it has made a �£4million loss in its interim results. Glen, a senior partner in Pricewaterhouse Coopers, was unsurprised the Light Blues had performed so poorly. Walter Smith's team failed to make it to the Champions League group stage when they lost to Lithuanian minnows FBK Kaunas in the second qualifying round in August. advertisement As a result of that major disappointment, the Gers turnover was down dramatically to �£20m for the six months to December 31, 2008, from �£33m the year before. Those figures are in stark contrast to their Old Firm rivals Celtic who made a six- month profit of �£8m in the corresponding period. And Glen, who estimates the Gers debt is now around the �£25m mark, believes being crowned champions this season is vital to stave off the effects of the credit crunch. He said: "The results are pretty much as expected. Basically, this is what happens when a club doesn't have European football. That makes such an enormous difference to clubs financially. "In the last five seasons, Celtic have been pretty much ever-presents in Europe and that is a large part of the reason why they are in such a healthy position financially. "Rangers, despite reaching the Uefa Cup final in Manchester last season, have not been so successful. Hence the reason their debt is, at an educated guess, around about the �£25m mark." Glen added: "The trouble is that in the past when Rangers were in this situation they would work on the basis that they would get back into Europe the following year, or even the year after that. "They would work on the basis that things would come right. Often, they would turn to the bank to lend them more money. With the banking situation the way it is now, though, they can't gamble like that as much as they have done in the past. "They are on a knife-edge. Going another season without Champions League qualification is going to hurt them. "The crucial thing is they win the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. If they do, they qualify automatically for the Champions League group stage. If they don't, they need to get through two qualifying rounds. "They will be up against a better standard of opposition in the 2009/10 season, too. They will come up against good teams from Russia and the like. It will be a tough task to make it. "If they get into the group stage, their income is far more predictable. They will pick up �£10m - possibly �£12.5m if the second-placed team doesn't qualify for the group stage - and will be in a far healthier situation." However, Glen, an authority in the field of football finances, feels Rangers may attempt to trim their squad of first-team players in the summer even if they pip the Hoops to the SPL trophy and get into the Champions League group stage. Sir David Murray provoked outrage among the Gers support when he agreed to sell top scorer Kris Boyd to Coca-Cola Championship club Birmingham City for a �£3.8m fee in the January transfer window. Boyd, a lifelong Rangers supporter, dug his heels in and refused to join up with former Gers boss Alex McLeish at the St Andrew's Stadium - despite the promise of a hefty pay rise. But there were serious fears that several first-team players, including keeper Allan McGregor, defender Madjid Bougherra and midfielders Barry Ferguson and Pedro Mendes, would be offloaded in an attempt to balance the books. Glen continued: "As Sir David Murray said over the weekend, this (the club's interim results showing a �£4m loss) is what happens when a club has European overheads without European income. "The second half of the season is, in comparison with last year when they reached the Uefa Cup Final, are also going to show a huge decrease in income. There will be another significant drop-off. "Rangers just can't risk living with such a big squad any more. They have 28 first- team players at the moment and have said themselves they would like to trim that by about eight players. "I would expect the club to be net sellers in the summer - even if they win the league and get back into the Champions League." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493042.0.0.php

According to the Record at least... http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2009/03/03/new-contract-joy-for-rangers-starlet-rory-loy-86908-21167531/ Good stuff...

by Ronnie Cully ALL 12 SPL clubs are today anxiously seeking confirmation their TV deal with Setanta Sports is not under threat after it was reported the satellite broadcaster want to renegotiate their �£150million contract with the English FA. The Irish-based company have a deal with the SPL worth �£54.5m which runs until 2010, and last year agreed a new contract worth �£125m which is set to extend until 2014. However, after losing the rights to one of the two packages of Premier League matches in the latest round of bidding, concerns have grown about Setanta's ability to hold on to subscribers. Now, with reports claiming they have delayed making a scheduled �£10m payment on their contract with the English FA, and that they want to hold talks to renegotiate the terms of that four year-deal, fears are multiplying within the Scottish game. advertisement The new SPL contract which was announced last summer was heralded at the time by executive chairman Lex Gold as a major breakthrough for the Scottish game. He said: "It's the biggest-ever TV deal in Scottish football history. This will allow clubs to re-invest to make the Scottish game even stronger. "Ten years ago, we spoke about delivering a brighter future for Scottish football. "Today, as we look ahead to our next 10 years, we can do so with confidence. We look forward to working with them (Setanta) to continue building and developing our league." That confidence is now under pressure as the credit crunch bites. The BBC also has a contract with the SPL until 2012 for match highlights on TV and online on the BBC Sport website. But it would be a massive blow to every SPL club if there was even a delay in any of the payments from the deal they have with Setanta. And assurances will be swiftly sought that there will not be any disturbance to the cash flow. Alarm bells started to ring when Setanta's management last month ordered a major review of their business after they lost the rights to one of their Premiership packages. A Setanta source last night attempted to reassure subscribers and contract partners that they can survive this blow and that they will meet their commitments. They also have deals with the Premier League, the Indian Premier League, and the US PGA Tour and with Premier Rugby that starts next year. ITV - who, like Setanta, have a contract with the English FA - are also reported to be seeking to reschedule payments on their �£275m deal. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493031.0.0.php

JORDAN MCMILLAN will have mixed emotions this weekend when he sits in the stands at New Douglas Park to watch Rangers take on Hamilton Accies. The young defender moved on loan to Billy Reid's side at the start of January and has grown fond of his new surroundings and teamates Jordan McMillanBut he has never hidden his love for the Gers and when his current deal with the Accies ends in May he will return to Murray Park with one objective in mind - to make the grade as a first-team player with the club he has always supported. Jordan will not feature in Saturday's game due to an agreement between the clubs but is now fit and ready for action having suffered a frustrating spell on the treatment table with a hamstring injury picked up in his first game against Ross County on January 10. Getting back in to the Hamilton first-team will be easier said than done for the 20-year-old who has watched on as the club went on a six game winning streak before losing in the SPL to Motherwell on February 14. They then got back to winning form against Falkirk last weekend. McMillan has been hugely impressed with the group of players he has joined and insists Rangers will have to be at their best if they are to get three points from this weekend's crucial SPL clash. He said: "Hamilton are definitely an up and coming team just now and there is a good mix of youth and experienced players. "The young lads are bursting with enthusiasm which undoubtedly helps the team. "I have been well impressed with the likes of James McArthur, James McCarthy and Brian Easton. "They have been very good and you can see that there are players coming through behind them for the future also. Jordan McMillan and Paul McGowan "But to balance things up you have more experienced pros such as Mark McLaughlin who has a key role for the Accies. "He is 33 and you can learn a lot from the way he conducts himself and his attitude to training and games, he is a lot like Davie Weir. "He always wants to help the young kids and that helps a lot. "I definitely think Hamilton has a great team spirit and they are going places. "They will be up for the game against Rangers and will go in to it with no fear. "They recently went six games unbeaten so I think the boys are confident they can beat anyone and stay in the SPL which would be a great achievement." Jordan is hoping he can now play his part in the SPL run-in with the Accies and show Billy Reid and the management team at Rangers that he is ready to take the next step in his blossoming career. He said: "It's been great being at Hamilton, I needed the change to be honest. Jordan McMillan"I have been at Rangers for a long time and found it difficult to push in the first-team this season "So I had to go out and gain a bit of first-team experience. "It's just a pity that I broke down with an injury almost straight away but that has cleared now and I am just desperate to get back in the team and get a few games under my belt. "Leaving Rangers was not something I never really intended on doing. "I always said that I am a massive Bluenose and in the last couple of seasons when I spoke to the Rangers News I always said I never wanted to leave at any point. I want to be kicked out the door. "But as a career opportunity coming to Hamilton has been hugely beneficial and it was something I had to do. "I spoke to a lot of experienced players and the coaches at Murray Park as well as my family. "I looked for advice from everyone really and with the size of the first-team squad at Rangers right now it is difficult to break through. "But being at Hamilton has opened my eyes a lot in a good way. "They are an up and coming team and are trying to establish themselves in the SPL as am I. Pedro Mendes "That is why I decided to join the club until the end of the season and I have learned a lot. "You are fighting for a different cause and I had to adapt quickly. "But it has been a great experience and I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of boys to be working with." Walter Smith recently admitted his first-team squad could be trimmed from 28 players down to 20 in the summer with several youngsters being drafted in to make up the difference. Jordan believes this will provide a massive incentive for every Reserve and under-19 player at Murray Park and he will be doing everything in his power to secure one of those places. He said: "Obviously when you are at Rangers it is more difficult to push in to the first-team because of the quality there and the size of the squad. "But it has been well documented that that the gaffer will cut the number down a bit and this could give more youngsters a chance. Kris Boyd celebrates"We will wait and see what happens but I have no doubt that there are players in the Rangers Reserve team that could come to Hamilton and play every week. "I look at things just now and there are young boys at the Accies who have played over 100 games at first-team level and you can see they have benefited from that. "Of course the pressures at Rangers are totally different and that always has to be taken in to account. "The team is expected to play well and win convincingly every week, a draw is seen as a disaster. "At Hamilton it is all about getting results. There was a stage there where the team did not play to their best but kept clean sheets and got points on the board. "Sometimes that is what football is all about. "So it is a different culture but it is something I am really enjoying and I am thankful to the manager Billy Brown for giving me this opportunity."

Feb 26 2009 By Hugh Keevins ALLY McCOIST will help build a lasting tribute to Davie Cooper on Friday night ... then honour his old pal's memory by continuing the search for the Super Coopers of tomorrow. A debate about the health of Scottish football has raged since Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan attacked the level of criticism aimed at the last Old Firm game. McCoist doesn't deny some of the stick was justified but refuses to believe this country's well of talent has dried up. Along with Celtic coach Neil Lennon, McCoist will tomorrow help with the fund raising for a sensory park for special needs children in Clydebank, the town where Cooper began and ended his playing career. But Rangers' assistant manager refuses to believe the exceptional skills Cooper possessed, and which ultimately took him to Rangers and a place in the national side, have skipped a generation. McCoist said: "I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I'll concede Coop was the last of the breed of players who learned their football in the streets but I won't accept pessimism so far as the future is concerned. "The talent is still out there and Scotland will continue to produce the type of player who makes you feel the anticipation of the crowd whenever he gets on to the ball. "Kids don't play on the streets any more for a variety of reasons but that doesn't mean to say genius no longer exists. "Aiden McGeady has ability to go past people for Celtic. Aaron and John Fleck at Ibrox have it as well. They're the players who produce the stuff the fans go to the pub on a Saturday night and talk about. "The priority for coaches is to make sure the team they work for wins matches. If we don't do that, we don't have a job but football has an obligation to entertain After the Old Firm had been slaughtered for the derby game, I felt we went out against Kilmarnock with a 'Let's show these people' attitude. "Coop was the consummate entertainer. Whether it was the swivel of the hips or the 40-yard pass, he entertained no matter the fixture or the surroundings. "The highest tribute I can pay him is to say I worked many times with Ruud Gullit on TV and he was always raving about Davie and a game he played against him while he was at Feyenoord. "I like the idea of a lasting tribute to Davie in Clydebank because I first became aware of him in 1976 when the Bankies took Rangers to four games in the League Cup before we got rid of them. I won't name names but there were two Rangers full-backs who tried swopping sides of the park during the first of those games because one of them was getting such a chasing from this young kid. "Coop was, first and foremost, a humble man but when people talk about him they don't mention his medals, they talk about his skill." Cooper, who died in 1995, was revered by his team-mates at Ibrox and McCoist smiled as he recalled one occasion when they literally pulled his leg. He said: "It was Coop's testimonial match and we racked our brains over a gift. "Then one of the lads had a brainwave and got the right leg off a tailor's dummy and wrapped it up in brown paper with the message, 'What do you give the man who's got everything ?' "I couldn't put a price on what that left peg of his would be worth in today's transfer market. Beyond price I would say. "I appreciate there's more to the game than goalscorers and I say that as someone who made his name as one. Rangers had three quality finishes on Saturday against Kilmarnock and Pedro Mendes was outstanding with defence-splitting passes. "But fans love the genius of a Coop or a Jinky Johnstone or a Willie Henderson. We need more like them and I know they can still be found." Part of McCoist's remit is to help discover and develop stars of the future - a job a certain ex-colleague would never have expected him to take. He said: "I can guarantee Coop will be looking down at me shaking his head. The prospect of me in management would have tickled him. "Never a day goes by that I don't think about him and Tommy Burns. You might go from the Old Firm to work elsewhere but in your heart and mind you never leave Rangers or Celtic. "Stefan Klos once told me it was what distinguished the Old Firm from German clubs. "That's why Davie will be on my mind when I pay tribute to him in Clydebank on Friday night. He had that magic ingredient and others will come to show they have it too." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2009/02/26/exclusive-duty-is-on-us-to-find-the-new-generation-of-davie-coopers-insists-ally-mccoist-86908-21153912/

Now that we are back in our rightful place, I thought it would be interesting to look back at the Carlos Cuellar transfer again and the many questions it raises. The facts 1. We are told by the club that he had a release clause in his contract and he asked for a transfer. 2. We had absolutely no cash during the transfer window that we could even afford to bring in a loan signing, so if Cuellar had not been sold we would not have been able to bring in Davis and Mendes (and Edu). Some may argue that this is an opinion, but having studied the accounts I don't think that there is any doubt it is a fact. Where would we be if he had not gone? In my mind there is no way we would have been able to afford Davis, Mendes and Edu had we not sold Cuellar. I believe that the plan was always to buy them, but either with the Champions League cash or the proceeds from the sale of Cuellar as any available cash had already been spent on Lafferty, Miller, Velicka and latterly Bougherra. Our domestic defensive record has been good, and is the best in the league, and would probably not be a lot better had Cuellar still been here. However I shudder to think what our midfield would be like without Mendes and Davis, and I think that the football that has been played this season, while not being great, would be a hell of a lot worse without the pair of them and Celtic would be running away with the league at this point. Did Cuellar actually want to leave? After we got knocked out of europe the club's website went out of its way to stress that the club had received no offers for Cuellar. Why did it do that? Was it code to let others know that we were open to offers? It was obvious to everyone who witnessed the Kaunus debacle that we needed at least 2 midfielders and but it seems that we needed cash to be able to buy anyone and Cuellar was our most sellable asset. Cuellar watched the Kaunus game from the directors' box. Unusual behaviour for someone who planned never to play another game for us. I was totally disillisioned with the state of the club when we got knocked out of Kaunus, Perhaps Cuellar was too and thought "tae hell wi' this"? Perhaps he had been told that there would be no further signings while he was still at the club? For me, there are too many unanswered questions just to assume that the club wanted Cuellar to stay and would not have sold him if he had been happy to stay. Conclusion We are top of the league and we would probably not be there had Cuellar not left, so I have to be thankful to him for that. There are unanswered questions as to whether he jumped or whether he was pushed. His performances were outstanding last season and our memorable trip to Manchester was due as much to him as anyone, if not more. I don't have any bad feeling towards the big man and I wish him all the best in his future career and a part of him will always be "Carlos Cuellar, Rangers centre half".

I'm not sure what the general opinion on here is but agree with a lot that the above says. It seems clear Coisty is being groomed for the next managers job. Will his love and passion for the club prove to be enough though?

Rangers fans sceptical of SPL agenda The Rangers Supporters Trust has questioned the motives of the Scottish Premier Leagueââ?¬â?¢s unacceptable conduct policy as it awaits the latest report on fansââ?¬â?¢ behaviour, this time during last weekendââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm derby. SPL match delegate Alan Dick may mention some sectarian chants and songs that appeared to come from the away support during Sundayââ?¬â?¢s goalless draw at Celtic Park, but RST spokesman David Edgar is hoping for a balanced verdict, and insists Rangers fans are not alone in singing ââ?¬Ë?offensiveââ?¬â?¢ songs. Dick reported Rangers to the SPL in August 2007 under similar circumstances following the Ibrox clubââ?¬â?¢s trip to Inverness and, while there was no action taken, there was a warning of sanctions should there be any future complaint. Rangers have campaigned in recent years to rid the club of its sectarian baggage but the SPL would come under pressure to punish them if they are presented with evidence of more transgressions. However, Edgar has said another black mark against the supporters would leave the SPLââ?¬â?¢s agenda open to question. ââ?¬Å?While it is difficult to comment until weââ?¬â?¢ve seen the report, we are looking forward to an even-handed and consistent approach to the application of this legislation,ââ?¬Â Edgar said. ââ?¬Å?We find it hard to believe that Rangers fans are the only fans in the country who have ever sung an offensive song; yet we are the only ones who have been reported under the rules. ââ?¬Å?There were instance of distasteful chanting coming from both ends on Sunday but, yet again, the focus is only on one set of fans. ââ?¬Å?It therefore becomes very difficult for the supporters to understand what is going on. ââ?¬Å?Are the rules genuinely in place to eradicate offensive chanting or simply to punish Rangers? ââ?¬Å?What about Aberdeen fans singing about the Ibrox disaster or Celtic fans singing about Nacho Novo and the IRA? ââ?¬Å?We are committed to ridding Scottish football of all genuinely offensive chanting and Rangers fans have responded magnificently over the last couple of years. ââ?¬Å?However, we are left with wondering if this is a rule for all the SPL clubs or a rule simply for Rangers.ââ?¬Â Rangers escaped punishment for the Inverness affair after the SPL board took into account the clubââ?¬â?¢s efforts to eradicate unacceptable conduct by some of their supporters. The incident at the Caledonian Stadium 18 months ago came just nine days after the launch of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Ë?Follow With Prideââ?¬â?¢ campaign, which was aimed at cleaning up the clubââ?¬â?¢s image by ending sectarian and other abusive chanting. However, the club had previously been fined on two occasions by Uefa for offensive chanting in Champions League and Uefa Cup matches, amounting to in excess of Ã?£21,000. Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist played down speculation that the Ibrox club will be up on yet another SPL charge. McCoist, who will take control of team affairs for tomorrowââ?¬â?¢s Homecoming Scottish Cup trip to Forfar, said: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know enough about it. ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know what the delegate said in his report; Iââ?¬â?¢ve not seen anything so I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t comment on it.ââ?¬Â http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/0217/1224241324757.html

An excellent article from GeneralCartmanLee of which I'm sure most of us will agree with the concerns raised... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=751&Itemid=2 If reports in this mornings rags are to be believed then we will be reported again for sectarian singing after Sunday's match. Possibly it will be songs directed at Scott Brown while the imaginatively titled famine song seem to have upset the attending match delegate Mr Alan Dick. For anyone who isn’t aware what an SPL delegate is; this was a scheme introduced in 2005-2006 where a range of people who have been involved at one level or another in Scottish football will attend the match on behalf of the SPL to oversee the game. The match delegates liaise with the match commander, inspect the pitch and act as an eyes and ears in the crowd to watch what is happening on the pitch and in the stands. They produce a report on this which they then submit to the SPL with observations and recommendations. We seem to have made an enemy of one of these delegates and it now seems a one man crusade against our fans is underway from a former Motherwell and Partick thistle director called Alan Dick. Mr Dick has now reported Rangers to the SPL for sectarian singing on three separate occasions. Once for a game at Ibrox against Aberdeen at the end of the season in 2006, then at the beginning of the new season in 2007 at Inverness and finally on Sunday. Now, let's make it clear that just now it’s only speculation as the SPL have not confirmed what is in Mr Dick's report but I will say that on the previous two occasions he reported us, the information was leaked to the media before the report was submitted (now who could have done that, Mr Dick?) so we can safely assume this will happen again. Let’s examine this a little more closely. Mr Dick attends a game of football every week and we are being asked to believe that since 2005, when this scheme was introduced and an observer was placed in the stand at every SPL game, that he (or any other SPL delegate) has only heard offensive chanting three times and they all involved Rangers. The latest one was an Old Firm match for goodness sake. I have attended these games for many years and to pretend what is now termed as unacceptable chanting comes from one end if beyond a joke. During the Celtic fans every visit to Ibrox they will frequently chant about the IRA, use derogatory terms for protestants, make vile references to the Queen and Davie Cooper but these seem to be ignored. Dick reported us at Inverness for sectarian singing on the first game of last season but just two weeks ago various Celtic fans were arrested in the stadium for sectarian and racist chanting but the SPL delegate for reasons best known to himself, heard nothing. Finally our first report was concerning an Aberdeen game at Ibrox. I am sure I don’t need to tell anyone who has regularly attended these games over the years what we hear from the away fans - references to the Ibrox Stadium disaster being a particular favourite of these 'supporters'. Are we to believe that this chanting is acceptable to the SPL? Why were the reports in these games only about us? Where is the parity in all this? I shall digress, slightly, and ask one to cast their mind back to Love Street on November 13th, 2006; Armistice day, a day when all British citizens quietly reflect the sacrifices their fathers and grandfathers made in the two great wars. Celtic were playing there that day and because of that a minutes silence was cancelled; too risky no doubt given the Celtic fans appalling record on these occasions. This riled the home support, as coupled with this, they were to be subjected to 45 minutes of vile anti-protestant and anti-British singing. The stadium announcer so upset by all he had seen decided to make an announcement at half time asking the home fans not to react to the filth being spewed from the stands and to keep their heads. For the singing to be this bad you would have thought the SPL delegate would have mentioned all of this in his report and Celtic would have been at least warned by the SPL about their future conduct? Sadly this did not happen. Now a quick check would reveal who the SPL delegate was that day, can you see where this is going……yes it was Mr Alan Dick. No media exclusives either that Monday, eh? I am not trying to paint us as the innocents in all this, some of us will need to accept that part of our repertoire is now seen as unacceptable and will only bring us bad publicity and the quicker we drop these tunes the better. I more wanted to draw a comparison between the treatment we receive and the treatment that every other club in Scotland receive. I could go through each club in the SPL and find offence at something they chant whether it be homophobic, sectarian, racist or sheepist(!) - you will find this happening in every ground in Scotland. Surely people must see that we as a group of fans will be more willing to co-operate if these rules are applied to everyone. If there are rules written in stone somewhere saying what we can and can’t sing then enforce them across the board. After all, if fen!an is offensive then so is hun or if we are to believe that songs mocking the faux Irishness of our friends in the east end are so upsetting that they are causing their children to burst into tears then songs about people who murdered indiscriminately on this island are at least equally as offensive to us and any other normal member of society. At the beginning of last season Mr Dick said “If there is any flak for the delegate after the game because his name has been in the media then we've just got to put up with it. I am big enough, ugly enough and old enough to suffer the consequences but I don't feel intimidated at all.” This only seems to apply when Rangers are playing though Mr Dick and when you only apply these rules to one team then your motives will rightly be questioned and only one conclusion will be drawn...

I like to play poker. Not for bags of money, just a couple of quid. But wether your a high roller or just playing for small change the principles are just the same. Im no superstar either. I can though read a game and see whats going on and generally can tell when the best time to put my chips in. Ill wait till i get a good hand or identify when my opponent is weak and use that to my advantage. But if i dont do anything one thing will happen. My chips will slowly dwindle as the blinds go round the table and go up as time goes on and ill be left with nothing. Basically if you dont put my chips in the pot you wont win. You have to at some point take a chance. you have to bully your opponents on the table and let them know whos boss. Yesterday was the Ideal time for Walter Smith throw his chips into the pot and show his hand to our bitter rivals on the other side of the city. It was time to show them whos boss, to up the stakes and let thm know we meant business. Our bitter rivals have been showing weakness for quite some time now and we should have been taking advantage of the situation. But we didnt. Instead we opted to half the pot when we did in fact hold the better cards. We were weak when we should have been strong. and let our opponents live to play another hand into the bargain. and that is a dangerous game to play. you wont get the oppertunity to dispose of you oponents all that often so when the opertunity arrives you have to take it with both hands. Walter Smith is playing a very dangerous game. his over causiousness borders on gutless when we should be stepping up to the plate and stating our intent. He opts for saftey when we should be showing tact and guile leaving a side void of skill and imagination. But the real price is being paid by the players and you have ask what effect Walters negative tactics have on them. When you ask a player to continually play in the defensive mode that Smith so much desires for so long it must surely affect his ability and style in the long term. Basically I believe Smith is draining the life out of our players. guy like Whittaker, Beadsley, McCulloch etc came and were pretty decent players who looked to be good prospects but over time their form has deteriorated to nothing. Even ferguson seems to be suffering too. There are just far too many off form player at Ibrox at the minute and for me it is no coincidence. you dont get so many players turning bad for no reason. I blame Smith and his negativety. nobody shines in our team anymore. There are no standouts. nobody catches the eye. nobody flourishes. What future lies for the likes of fleck in Walters tacticle nightmare? If our first team players are being dragged into the myre by our manger what chance in hell do our kids have? How are they going to expand their game and realise their potential in the current setup? The truth is they wont, and that is the most worring thing of all.

RM poster 'BlueIsTheColour' gives his recommendations on how the club could look to improve via a more refined and wider-ranging scouting network. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=748&Itemid=2 Part One The Rangers of 2009 is not the club we all once knew. No longer can we attract Europe's best players when they are at the top of their game. In fact, nowadays we would struggle to pay their appearance bonuses, never mind their weekly salaries. The club is suffering the effects of an economic downturn and poor money-management from the Boardroom to the Manager's Office. In correlation with this fact, we are seeing a decline in the quality of performances produced on the pitch. There is no doubt about it; we are in the midst of a decline. Every year we have to sell our top players, qualify for the Champions League and continue to fill Ibrox with 50,000 fans, just so as we break even and don't record a loss year on year. Something has to change. David Murray and Walter Smith have constantly reminded us as fans that the days of big spending are over and that we cannot compete financially with the top European sides that are paying ludicrous amounts of money for players. But why are we making excuses for our predicament? We should be creating a new vision for the club, one which will see us compete in the Champions League, assert dominance in the SPL and become an attractive club again. I have such a vision; it is neither complicated nor costly. It is the creation of a multi-level scouting network which can identify the best young hidden talent from across the globe, find players who are within our price range and who will improve the squad and also give the manager a chance to explore avenues never before open to him. It is the future. At present, our transfer policy is very limited and many would say is failing. Our main source of players is close to home, from either the English Championship or the SPL. Due to the inflated transfer market in England, we are being forced to scrounge for bargains that may or may not improve our first team, or even be good enough to play for us at all. Walter Smith has spent �£30 million on players since returning to the club and only a handful of those signings have made a big impact on the first team. Too much money is being wasted when we can least afford it. The problem is that we have no real process of identifying players. It appears that our scouting system consists of looking to the over-priced English market, snapping-up the best talent in the SPL and attempting to sign any players that have impressed against us in Europe. That's hardly constructive, I'm sure you will agree. The whole system needs to be scrapped and reinvented. The pressure should not be on the manager to identify, scout and sign players whom he thinks can do well at Rangers. He also shouldn't have just one or two men who can go and report on players who catch his eye. I believe that the club should firstly appoint a Director of Football who will oversee the development of youth players, a new scouting system and will answer directly to the manager and Chairman. Following this there should be the process of hiring around ten top scouts, who will each bring a different wealth of knowledge to the club. For example, one or two scouts who have their finger on the pulse of the South American game, another two each for the Asian and African games, and the remaining 4 to report on the European game. This would only be a starting block, over time the network will inevitably expand and the more contacts the scouts can establish the more players that will be brought to the Director of Football's attention. Each scout will be responsible for creating an ever-changing dossier of players in their respective Continents who are great prospects, proven players or under-rated professionals. A list of between 15-20 of their top recommendations should be created, and constantly updated, for every playing position. Any specific talents or frailties should be noted as well as an in-depth description of how each player operates, the price tag and the possible sell-on value. Of course, this will not all happen overnight or be a quick-fix to our current problems. It is a clear and concise plan for the future which will have many benefits for both the club and the supporters. First and foremost it makes the job of manager so much easier. When he identifies a position that needs filled within the team he doesn't have to start his search from scratch, there will already be a vast wealth of information available to him on many players from around the globe. He has a knowledgeable Director of Football to consult with as well as each individual scout who can help find the player(s) who would be most suited to the manager's playing style and structure. This could inevitably reduce the amount of signings who are unable to make the grade in the Rangers first-team. There are also the financial benefits to such a system. It will uncover many talented young players who have yet to appear on the radar of the big European clubs and in doing so, give us a conveyor belt of talent from all over the world. If these players are successful they can then be sold on for much larger fees than the club originally paid without leaving gaping holes in the first team. The club can also save money by buying from poorer leagues than the English Championship, which will undoubtedly see superior players available for a fraction of the price of their over-valued English counterparts. The clubs' image will see a massive benefit, as will merchandise sales if an ambitious but prudent marketing structure is put in place. With the club finding players from all over the world, we can create an image of being truly global and use this to attract merchandise sales from football-mad countries like China, Japan and the USA where there is huge potential for massive revenue in this department. I won't go into too much detail on this point as it will hopefully be covered in more depth within another article. [CONTINUED]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1144161/He-fancies-future-Ibrox-boss-Rangers-crave-Prso-pomp.html

Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith is prepared to wait until the summer before deciding where his future lies. More...

Anyone like chestnuts, especially old ones? I've got one here and I think it's about time it was dealt with properly. It's called The Billy Boys. I recently wrote elsewhere........ For me, the so-called banning of TBB will always be symbolic of two things... 1. The contrived witch hunt against the Rangers community. 2. The disgraceful capitulation of a weak and misguided club leadership. Until and unless it returns, there will continue to be a wrong that needs to be righted. This is a truly seminal issue and must be addressed. I believe this to be true and that there are more important issues involved than will ever be resolved by a purely semantic analysis. I'd like to raise some with the rest of our Gersnet members. It's my opinion that we need to get over this hurdle and be able to sing this song again, even if it is with slightly modified words. However, rather than regurgitate what I've said many times already, I thought I would share the thoughts of another very commited bear who made a project of trying to uncover the well-concealed truth of this matter. He posted the following on another site some time ago ............ apologies, it seems this will cover about three different posts. Right folks, I'll give you my views on things and also feed you some info that I have received so far, I would have preferred to held this info back until further down the line but on second thoughts, given the growing unrest among the support re banned songs/banners etc, i think some of it should be known now so that people can use it as basic facts in the matter. At this point I'd advise you to put the kettle as you are in for a long read ;D Firstly, my views on the (alleged) banning of TBB in all shape and form...... In the aftermath of the Osasuna farce, a meeting was held at Ibrox, in attendance were RST, RSA, and other various bears including GMS. The only person I know of that was there representing the club was Martin Bain. In the course of this meeting (and this info came from GMS), Martin Bain (allegedly) held up and waved about a sheet of paper saying that he had received a letter from UEFA stating that TBB has been banned in all forms including the tune at any game that Rangers are involved in (including games under the jurisdiction of the SFA/SPL). I asked GMS if any of the others at that meeting got to read the contents of the letter and the answer was NO. I also asked if any of the others present had requested or received a copy of this letter, again the answer was NO. Now letââ?¬â?¢s just think about this for a minute and ask some questions. Did the above actually happen as described by GMS? Or Did the club come out with a 'You scratch my back, and I'll scratch your back' attitude and in doing so, ask those present to spread it about that things have happened as described above? Not long after this, all the stuff started appearing about the new SPL/SFA regulations regarding 'Unacceptable Behaviour' that were soon going to be published. It was also being touted that there was going to be a 'banned' list of songs published. I then contacted GMS asking him if he knew of any Rangers friendly solicitors that would be prepared to start asking the club questions with regards to the way the fans were being treated by the club in general on the grounds of Human Rights. My request was completely ignored, he didn't even bother replying. It was at this point that the penny started dropping for me, I began to realise that certain people or certain organisations, despite what they claim, did not have the best interests of the Rangers support at heart. Certain people and groups were only out to feather their own nest or were only doing things for the kudos. At this point I'd like to state that at no point during my subsequent continued correspondence with the club have I challenged TBB (as we knew it) being banned. I know, like the majority of bears that the problem has only arisen through peoples ignorance / lack of knowledge / determination to twist historical facts to suit their own agenda, i.e. giving the perception to the general public that when Rangers fans sing the word '******' they actually mean 'Catholics'. However, I am one of the ones that are prepared to move with the times a bit and accept that there is no longer any place for singing the line 'Up to our knees in ****** blood'. What I have been challenging the club on is the alleged banning in all forms. I am currently trying to get the club to state that the original song (We are the people), which was later ba*tardised to become TBB, is not banned at Ibrox or considered offensive by Rangers and as such shouldn't be sung anywhere. I am also challenging the club on the general welfare of the paying customers (lets face it thatââ?¬â?¢s what we are) being neglected by Rangers as they continually allow customers to be harassed and bullied by Rock Steady or Strathclyde Police without any avenue of recourse. Whilst in the confines of Ibrox, as paying customers, Rangers have a 'Duty of care' towards our welfare but it would seem that they are not interested. -------------------- So moving onto my correspondence with the club and the SFA. I shall post the relevant questions that I have put forward, list the response and analyse. The following snippets are excerpts from the letters received by me as I have not yet scanned these letters onto my computer (scanner is fu*ked). I will at some point in the future scan all documentation for viewing, in the meantime you are just going to have to trust me, if in doubt Sentry and PB can vouch for me just now. I sent off a letter to both Rangers and the SFA at the same time way back in August 07. In my letter to the SFA I asked them to clarify if TBB has been banned by UEFA in all forms in Scotland (as being suggested by Rangers), pointing out that others Scottish teams regularly sing their own versions, some even more offensive than ours. I also asked them if the SFA find the original song (We are the people) which does not contain any offensive lyrics to be offensive, stating that Rangers are claiming that it is the responsibility of the SFA to determine this. In my first letter to Kenny Scott my initial questions were as follows...... 1. Please state clearly (including justification) which songs / chants, normally sung by Rangers fans, are now deemed unacceptable at football stadia throughout Scotland under the SFA / SPL regulations? 2. Please state clearly (including justification) which flags / banners, normally displayed by Rangers fans are now deemed unacceptable at football stadia throughout Scotland under the SFA / SPL regulations? His response was...... ââ?¬Å?1. Rangers Football Club appreciate the difficulties encountered by supporters in trying to understand what is and what is not acceptable under the new guidelines. Despite this however the club is not in a position to state unequivocally which songs and chants are acceptable and which are unacceptable. What we would like to point out is that the Club policy is and will remain that we prefer supporters to sing songs about Rangers Football Club and about football in general. It is not only what the Club thinks is acceptable or unacceptable that matters anymore. Given the interest of UEFA and the SPL in the behaviour of our supporters at games both at Ibrox Stadium and away from home it is the view point of these and other objective observers which can bring the Club into difficulties. What Rangers Football Club would ask supporters is to think about what they are singing and what others may thing of particular songs. Where some people may consider it regrettable it is now the opinion of others which matters on the issue. 2. You also ask me to state clearly which flags and banners normally displayed by Rangers fans are now deemed unacceptable at football stadia throughout Scotland under the SFA/SPL regulations. There is nothing contained in these regulations which specifically relates to any particular type of flag or banner. It has long been the position that flags of any nationality which do not contain any added words or slogans which others may find offensive are allowed in stadia across Scotland. I see no reason why this should change in the future. If you have any difficulties regarding particular flags please do not hesitate to address your concerns to me in order that I am able to discuss the issue with you.ââ?¬Â He also went on to stateââ?¬Â¦.. ââ?¬Å?My final point relates to the final paragraph of your letter in which you indicate that Rangers Football Club have a duty to fully inform yourself and all other season ticket holders of said SPL Regulations. What I can tell you is thei Club more so than any other in Scotland I believe has fulfilled its obligation under the SPL Regulations regarding the issuing of statements and publication of such statements in all match day programmes and similar Club publications indicating that it will not tolerate any form of unacceptable conduct. In addition there has been widespread coverage of the new Regulations in the wider media and the subsequent discussion has been well documented. I do not believe the Club has anything further which it is required to do in regard to notification of supporters in respect of the new SPL Regulations.ââ?¬Â