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Posted Today, 07:02 PM SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 / BILLMCMURDO The boardroom saga rumbles on at Ibrox with the news that Rangers CEO Graham Wallace has had talks with representatives of Dave King. My understanding is that these representatives were Paul Murray and George Letham. No big surprises there but this is where we enter into the Twilight Zone once more. When contacted by a prominent daily newspaper, I am told that Dave King denied that these men were his representatives. Which begs two questions: 1) Why are these men purporting to represent Dave King? 2) Or is Dave King being economical with the truth? We could also ask why he is, if he is., Given that Rangers fans want transparency and that this requirement for transparency is often spoken of by Messrs Murray and King, surely it would be very much in the interests of both these men to clear matters up for the fans. In a nutshell, is Paul Murray representing Dave King in talks with Graham Wallace? This opens up a whole raft of other questions. Why is Graham Wallace speaking to Paul Murray? Is he doing so with the backing of fellow board members or has he “gone rogue” and if this is the case, what can be done to stop him? It is no secret that there is a rift in the boardroom and this is not something Rangers fans want to be reading about, especially in anti-Rangers outlets. I personally am fed up of all the cloak and dagger, which is playground stuff. We need men leading us, not boys. Yes, confidentiality is often necessary in business dealings but you can’t call for transparency to score points while being furtive and even deceitful. If Paul Murray is representing Dave King, fans should be told and not lied to. The whole matter hinges around Dave King’s now legendary £30 million to invest. Is the £30 million for real or a mythical figure that keeps Dave King in the limelight while deceiving the Rangers support? Even if Kings’ 30 mil is real and in place for investment, other questions need answering. These include a very important one i.e. Is that it? Is the 30 million all there is or is there more to follow? Not as a possible but something far more concrete? I mean, are there other investors lined up or does King himself have more in reserve? Just as vital is the question: What role does King want for his investment and can he get it? There are huge question marks over King’s suitability as a director of RIFC PLC both from the stock market perspective and from that of the SFA and SPFL. King needs to answer those for his own sake and others. Should King fail to get a directorship, is he happy to take a back seat and does this also mean there is a very real prospect that he will fall foul of AIM regulations concerning “shadow directors” who hold no office but exercise inappropriate clout? Can King’s ego handle being just a good guy investor with no hands-on power? I see the papers are waging a campaign against Sandy Easdale attempting to pressure him not to block this mooted Dave King investment. Easdale may be crazy to try and block this investment if it saves the club but he would be crazier still to rely on it given how precarious it appears to be. The fact that he is active in seeking alternatives is indicative, not of a churlish anti-King prejudice but of commendable business prudence and responsibility. As I wrote previously, Rangers require a custodian. Both Dave King and Sandy Easdale may have a lot to do to convince fans they can fill that role. Being more honest with the Rangers fans would be a good start. http://billmcmurdo.w....the-kings-men/

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/272-rangers-being-held-hostage-stockholm-syndrome It’s been a stressful week for those interested in the well-being of Rangers Football Club. Not only does the club admit to the Stock Exchange that if the latest share offer is under-subscribed it will be unable to pay its creditors; we have key board members who represent the interests of the vast bulk of existing shareholders conceding that his and our CEO’s intentions are different, confirming a split at board level. Meanwhile the negative detail of each onerous contract placed upon the club are drip-fed to concerned fans on a week-to-week basis: from retail deals where the money is yet to be released to our struggling accounts to stadium naming rights which appear to be the result of self-interest rather than good value. Never has it been more obvious that our club is being held hostage to the whim of chancers. Yet, bizarrely, almost in a comedic fashion, we have some fans absolving these people of blame. Wikipedia describes Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, as ‘a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them.’ The syndrome itself is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken in Stockholm, Sweden, in which several bank employees were held hostage in a bank vault from August 23 to 28, 1973, while their captors negotiated with police. During this standoff, the victims became emotionally attached to their captors, rejected assistance from government officials at one point, and even defended their captors after they were freed from their six-day ordeal. Ok, I’ll admit at the outset the analogy is a bit strong but if we examine the last few years – from the excesses of Sir David Murray to the actions of Craig Whyte right through to the present day incumbents, there are examples of the above. These include the eyes-wide-shut worship of Murray onto the lauding of Whyte’s supposed net-worth despite all the evidence to the contrary at the very outset to some fans insisting the ‘current’ board are not to blame for the club’s position now. Indeed, not only do we have bloggers continue to suggest Charles Green remains interested in the well-being of the club but we have various fans eager to hold their own as culpable in Rangers’ problems. Apparently it’s Dave King, the Union of Fans or Sons of Struth’s fault that the club cannot pay its bills. Similarly, possible investors such as Dave King who has proven his good intentions to the tune of £20million previously are mocked and pushed away. Conversely, some supporters are eager to extoll the virtue of Mike Ashley’s ongoing involvement despite many Newcastle fans being desperate to rid their club of him. He’s a billionaire they cry – without acknowledging the reason for his success is the kind of questionable retail and naming deals he strikes with clubs such as ours. Let’s be clear: the future of the football club is again in serious question and the danger should not be under-estimated. There has been a shortfall of at least 12,000 season tickets and it’s this lack of working capital that is directly impacting upon the club’s ability to trade. Thus, those that suggest the fans are to ‘blame’ for the financial problems are at least partly correct but the reasons are worth examining as well as the club’s inability to address this serious problem. Never has it been clearer that our money runs the club year on year – not Sir David Murray’s, not Craig Whyte’s and certainly not the anonymous investors currently in control of it. Therefore, engaging with the support should be a priority for any regime looking to make a success of the club. For all his faults, Murray realised this and while he was by the dominant partner in that relationship, we did have a nominal seat at the table and aside from a few small issues (comparatively speaking anyway!) crowds were always high and only his cowardice led to the Whyte debacle. Yet even in the dark days of that era attendances didn’t drop and after administration we had capacity crowd after capacity crowd. The same can be said after we fell to Division Three – our support did not dissipate and our loyalty should never be questioned. Not by anyone – least of all our own. Unfortunately the last year or so has seen attitudes change: not due to fans becoming lazy or greedy but because of a combination of factors. Firstly it become clear that much of the substantial monies raised in backing the Charles Green ownership were wasted and his associates less than ideal custodians of the club. In the face of this criticism, board changes were made and supposedly extensive reviews into the business carried out but the paucity of these contributions didn’t provide much solace. A poor quality (or at best inconsistent) product on the park wasn’t helping but promised changes highlighted in the review to address this have not been forthcoming. Thus, reluctantly, and by way of protest, many fans chose to withhold their investment and, if we’re brutally honest, that’s understandable. Generally, the last year has seen fans become ever more frustrated with their club and increasingly obvious evidence that the incumbent board – or more accurately the decision-making investment groups – cannot turn things around. Not just in terms of the £30million investment talked of in their empirical reviews but the kind of credible and transparent leadership required to rebuild trust in the boardroom and entice fans back to Ibrox. With almost 250 staff members and overheads of aging stadiums, training grounds and dilapidated white elephant buildings, is it any wonder a new administration event looms large on the horizon? Consequently, where does that leave us? Well, I’d suggest we have two distinct pathways ahead. One: if as seems likely, the share offer is subscribed enough to defer our problems to another day; we’ll have the fait accompli of 75% share-holding levels for approval of AGM/EGM resolutions related to the sale and/or leaseback of club assets ¬– such as the Auchenhowie training ground which has consistently been ignored by club representatives when talking about such revenue sources. Or, two: investment groups are able by way of this issue to consolidate their holdings enough to enable a sale to other interested parties. Now, I won’t try to predict the outcome but I’m certain both the existing ownership and the likes of Dave King and/or Mike Ashley will have planned for these eventualities over the last year. The events of the last week won’t be a surprise to them. What is easier to predict is that without one of these outcomes an insolvency event is inevitable as things stand. However, misguided suggestions that this may be an agreeable solution make me uneasy. For example, will onerous contracts be removed by this process, would ownership be guaranteed to change after it and what of the club’s league position after the fact? We don’t know so, simply put, no-one should look at administration with anything other than horror. On the other hand, neither should fans be emotionally blackmailed into providing what appears to be an ever-more toxic board and ownership with a mandate to stumble on in charge. The time for making excuses for these people has long gone. There is no defence of Charles Green and, whether he’s still involved now or not, his associates on the ‘current’ board are equally tainted by their deficiencies. With that in mind, what options are available to fans? Not many is the desperate answer. Yes we have worthy share initiatives like Buy Rangers and Rangers First but with further financial uncertainty abound, can we really expect fans to invest in shares after the events of 2012? Even so, we absolutely must consider such projects with an open mind but with the greatest will in the world, they’re arguably not a short term solution. Nevertheless, possibly buyers engaging with these groups going forward would go a long way to cementing the fans’ contribution in a better future. Indeed, it’s only through that kind of undertaking that we may finally achieve the kind of bond between supporters and ownership that has been missing for so long. Unfortunately, such a positive conclusion seems difficult to attain. The coming weeks and months will define the future and it may well be beyond the fans abilities to impact upon this. Nevertheless, neither should we be held to ransom by people who will never understand the love we have for our football club. We have a choice and while I’d never begin to tell my fellow fans what to do, at some point we have to stop identifying with people who don’t share our love for our club. In that sense Stockholm syndrome is not a workable survival strategy – it just prolongs our inability to escape from the status quo and it’s that kind of clarity every fan needs for our battles ahead. Either that or be held prisoner forever.

By TheLawMan on RM

DAVE KING has savaged Rangers’ 120-day review and branded it good news for CELTIC fans. The former Ibrox director dismissed chief executive Graham Wallace’s findings — claiming an office junior could have produced the same in a day.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/keith-jackson-its-check-mate-3286265#.UzKOhg6Tggg.twitter

....yet they'll prepare for Forfar match at four star Hotel. KEITH hits out at Rangers' lavish pre-match routine ahead of tonight's League 1 clash with Forfar claiming they are living a champagne lifestyle on an Irn-Bru budget. HERE’S a thing. You know those Rangers players involved in conceptual discussions about theoretical wage cuts last week? And who metaphorically booted the hypothetical idea into touch? Well, here’s today’s reality. Did you know they’re all being bussed to the Four-Star Carnoustie Hotel this morning? Where they’ll enjoy some fine dining for lunch, possibly at the hotel’s own AA Rosette-winning restaurant? Rooms will then be provided in order that they can enjoy an afternoon nap, for those not getting treatments in the spa. All for an away trip to Forfar? To take on Gavin Swankie and Darren Dods? Is it any wonder these players don’t know if they are coming or going? Or that, as he unwraps the chocolate on his fluffy cotton pillow this afternoon, manager Ally McCoist might pause to reflect on where it has all gone wrong. Talk about mixed messages? Talk about champagne lifestyles and Irn-Bru budgets? Talk about hubris, arrogance and over-indulgence? Talk about sledgehammers and walnuts. The constant noise and confusion around Rangers is truly head-melting stuff. No wonder the club’s new chief executive looked slightly ruffled last week when news emerged from Murray Park of his polite suggestion that the first team might consider 15 per cent pay cuts. For a man of his experience Graham Wallace, below right, ought to have known such a proposal would be unlikely to remain within the walls of the dressing room for longer than it takes a player to hit the speed dial button to his agent. It was bound to result in an outbreak of panic among a support that has seen this movie before and which was so badly traumatised by the way it ended. But Wallace can be excused because, not only is he new here but also there must be a million and one different, more pressing thoughts, pinballing around inside his head as he attempts to tackle this latest financial crisis. Commendably, he has promised to deliver a business model that will finally allow Rangers to live within its means. Sustainability, transparency and a bit of common sense would go a long way to sorting out the internal mayhem over which he presides. Today’s unnecessarily lavish road trip, though, is just more proof that, when he agreed to take on this position at the top of a dysfunctional board, he was in fact stepping into life through the looking glass. Wallace in Wonderland. Or not. It’s his job now to make some sense of the numbers, to crunch them down and to crush this club’s recent culture of big bonuses and eye-popping extravagance before what little cash is left in the bank has evaporated completely. There is a rich irony about the fact that, in Philip Nash, he has hired yet another big-earning accountant to assist him in this urgent cost-cutting review. But then this job is so big Wallace might need all the help he can get. And from people in whom he can trust. Wallace’s planning is all that stands now between Rangers and another financial catastrophe. At the present rate of spending, the club’s last reserves will be gone before the end of the campaign. In fact, the prediction of financial director Brian Stockbridge that Rangers will be down to their last million in April now looks hugely optimistic. It is quite incredible this man remains in charge of the books given his standing in the eyes of the fans. It was not long ago he was talking confidently of growing turnover to in excess of £100m. Only then to predict a £7m year-end loss. Which, in fact, turned out to be a £14m black hole. And if, as is being strongly suggested by people on the inside of this basketcase, Stockbridge has got it wrong again then the situation at Ibrox could soon become dire. Perhaps as soon as next month. At a time when every penny counts, thank goodness then that Stockbridge has handed back that £200k bonus he pocketed for watching Rangers win last season’s Third Division title. Right? And has the financial director and the rest of the board actually signed off on the halving of McCoist’s eye-watering £825k annual salary? After talking about it for months, why on earth would it not have been rubber-stamped by now? If all this financial remedial work really has been completed then Wallace should announce it to the Stock Exchange and also reveal the current state of the accounts. It should be done in the name of sustainability and transparency – and in the hope of forcing common sense to prevail. Wallace must be astonished at some of the numbers that have flown across his desk. It is not his fault this club has blown its chance to stockpile cash on its journey up the leagues and there is nothing he can do now to address this grotesque overspend. That ship has sailed. Had Rangers plotted a more sensible course they would be arriving in the top flight in 18 months in a fit and healthy state, with millions squirrelled away. But, in their vulgar rush to cuddle up to McCoist, former chief execs Charles Green and Craig Mather put their own popularity ahead of proper prudence. By doing this, they kept the fans onside and the tills ringing. All Wallace can do now is address the crisis this pair and Stockbridge created. He’s not helped by the fact that, simply by agreeing to join a broken board and glue it back together, he himself is now viewed with varying degrees of suspicion. But, unlike Green and Mather, he must not allow his own popularity to get in the way of protecting the club’s interests. Which is why it was encouraging to see the first steps towards a more austere future being taken last week. But, crucially, if Wallace is serious about grabbing the bull by the horns then he must do so in the boardroom because this is where the biggest excesses have recently been committed. It is hard to think of another club that spends millions less on its players than on the rest of its employees but that’s precisely what the accounts showed to be the case at Rangers last year. No wonder the players refuse to take the first hit when there are other far more bloated and obvious targets at the top of the marble staircase. These players may well feel treated like disposable window dressing when they are supposed to be the very heart of the club. And here’s another thing. They were asked to ponder a 15 per cent cut over a period of 18 months, while also being told the club hopes to sign even more players in the summer. Which means some of them might be volunteering to help finance their own replacements. And you thought lunch at Carnoustie was mad?

Rangers: Manager Ally McCoist instructed to cut wage bill By Alasdair Lamont Senior football reporter, BBC Scotland Rangers manager Ally McCoist has been told he will have to make cuts to his playing budget. McCoist has been in discussions with Graham Wallace recently as the chief executive undertakes a comprehensive review of the Ibrox finances. Wallace told shareholders at the annual general meeting in December savings would need to be made. And the players' wage bill at the League One side currently stands between £6m and £7m per annum. A spokesman for the Rangers board told BBC Scotland: "The CEO Graham Wallace outlined his strategy at the AGM and nothing is going to deflect him from getting Rangers back on an even keel. "Graham and Ally are reviewing the football budget, as part of the overall business review and it would be inappropriate at this time to discuss any figures." The news comes on the day that three million shares worth around £750,000 were traded in Rangers International Football Club plc. The share price dropped as low as 24p early in the day before rallying slightly to close at 28.5p. That is a fall from the 90p price at the launch of the share issue just over a year ago. Earlier this week, McCoist signed off on a pay cut of around 50%, which he agreed to in October. And consultant Philip Nash has been brought to Ibrox to help oversee the financial overhaul.

He and ex-board member Paul Murray – who is also a member of the group that is trying to win control at Ibrox – met with representatives of 60 Rangers supporters clubs in Belfast last night. And he didn't sugar coat the message that an institution that had designs on being kings of Europe less than 20 years ago remains on the precipice – 18 months after it entered administration. The future can be bright, however, with ambitions to play in a European Super League down the line – but only if the club is on a secure footing. "I personally think that the club is in danger if we don't get a win here," said Malcolm, who is likely to return as chairman if the vote on December 19 goes the way of his group rather than the current board being re-elected. "I don't see how it's going to be funded. The official statement from the last fans meeting with the current board said that they would have £1m cash left in April. "They spent quite a lot of that already in pay-outs so I don't know how much longer it will be before it runs out – probably before Easter if things don't change dramatically or unless they have investors lined up, which they haven't said they have. "We do have, both private and institutional investors, who will back us." The picture in Govan has never looked bleaker. Craig Whyte bought the club for a mere £1 in May 2011 from David Murray. By February the following year it was in administration and within six months Rangers found itself in the Scottish Third Division for the first time in its illustrious 140 year history. While things are improving on the pitch after last season's promotion success, off the field uncertainty remains. Paul and Malcolm are working to put Rangers back on an even keel and rallying the support of the club's Northern Ireland fanbase is crucial to them – hence the reason why they made the trip across the Irish Sea. Paul Murray said: "These are the customers of the club and unlike an English club, in Scotland the fans are the lifeblood of the club with the money they spend on season tickets, merchandise etc. "What I find disappointing is that last Thursday in Glasgow nobody from the current board came to address the fans and they didn't even reply to the email invite to come to Belfast, which I think is a really shoddy way to treat the customers."The fans saved the club last year and to not engage with them just isn't right." Their attempts to gain control of Rangers have met a number of barriers already. Paul was removed from the board almost three years ago. Malcolm was ousted as chairman earlier this year. They are, however, refusing to give up. Even in the last few weeks they have to go to the Court of Session in Edinburgh to win the nominations at the AGM. "I want to get involved to help save the club," said Malcolm (pictured). "This time last year there was a short period when we thought that things were looking pretty good. We raised £22m, had a clean balance sheet, had full asset ownership. Unfortunately with all of our difficulties most of that cash has disappeared on non-investment activities. "Investment activities mean spending money on the stadium or players – that's what a football club does – but the money has been spent elsewhere and it needs tight cash control for the future, new funding – which we have access to -and get the faith of the fans back." "This puts us in a position to go to any of the institutional investors who are still wavering and say we have the customers overwhelmingly behind our group to clean this up for the future. That's why it's important. "I was an institutional fund manager for over 30 years. In 30 years of trying to sort companies out this is the most complex situation I have ever seen, Ending up in the Court of Sessions in Edinburgh to get nominations at an AGM is outrageous and a waste of company funds. It could have been done months ago." It's only five years since Rangers were in the Uefa Cup final. Twenty years ago this season they were in what was effectively a Champions League semi-final against Marseille. Those days can return according to the Malcolm. He said: "Anything can happen, but we have to be in financial health to be involved." That's my mind made up then

As the incessant rain and rioting continue to ruin the summer for most British people, Rangers supporters have more dark clouds on the horizon with the news that HMRC (in conjunction with Sheriff Officers) appear extremely eager to ensure payment for an outstanding Ã?£2.8million (plus penalties) tax liability. With a previous ââ?¬Ë?queryââ?¬â?¢ regarding player EBT payments under the previous owner Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s custodianship, and a distinct inability to push through essential new signings, the Rangers support are rightly concerned about the fiscal situation at their club. Now, clearly both of these tax issues have arisen from deficiencies well before Craig Whyte bought the club just over three months ago. As such, to blame him for challenging the content of the two separate HMRC cases would be rather churlish. Moreover, it seems obvious that the Rangers chairman (along with tax expert Andrew Thornhill QC who is representing the club) is more than confident that both cases can be solved to the satisfaction of our support. In saying that, given sums of up to Ã?£50million have been speculated in the media as possible fees if these cases go against us, we may need more than bullish optimism as these queries play out in the courts. Indeed, if one juxtaposes the tax problems with our difficulties in the transfer market then thatââ?¬â?¢s where many Rangers fans will start to sweat. Obviously, our support have requested prudence in the face of dangerous over-spending in the early part of this millennium but there is a fine line between conservative cash outlay and endangering our chances of success this season (and beyond). This subtle difference was illustrated perfectly as we were knocked out the Champions League well before the group stage due, in part at least, to a distinct lack of depth in our squad. Of course, the club administration will point to the re-signing of key players and the capture of a few new faces as evidence that the days of alleged bank interference are gone. Wallace, Goian and Ortiz may not be the big-name players our fans crave but they will bring freshness and renewed ambition to a squad that has already proven it can compete domestically at least. Unfortunately, the sale of Madjid Bougherra along with high profile failures to capture our primary transfer targets means that once again the Rangers squad is a fragile one as the SPL really starts to get going. An apparent knee problem and MRI scan for Nikica Jelavic along with ill-health for Sasa Papac merely emphasises the lack of options for new manager Ally McCoist. With one negative story after another seemingly encapsulating the club in the kind of gloom that can derail championship bids, perhaps this will be the perfect time for the new owner to prove his intentions are honourable? From now until the end of August is a time where the transfer market finally becomes more focussed ââ?¬â?? none more so than in the EPL where the club 25 man squads will be drawn up by the Manciniââ?¬â?¢s, Dalglishââ?¬â?¢s and Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s of this world. Last season Rangers had some joy from this market but even they may not be able to wait until the cast-offs of our richer peers are available. After all, can we really afford to drop more early points after a poor home draw against Hearts as we unfurled the SPL flag last month? Even from just a few games this season, it is clear that Rangers are short both in central defence and in a creative sense. The loss of Bougherra and injuries to other defenders means strong interest in Carlos Cuellar and Roland JuhÃ?¡sz has to be converted into actual signings. Meanwhile, further forward in the team, Steven Davis canââ?¬â?¢t be expected to carry the creative burden on his own so a wide outlet with pace and the ability to score goals would be most welcome. Anything less than two further new signings and Rangers will really struggle to compete throughout another demanding season at home and abroad. While it is easy to be critical and perhaps over-analyse the very early stages of the Whyte era at Rangers, football fans are generally not the most patient (or indeed logical) of people. Our support needs and demands success at every turn and even though Rangers fans may have to learn to be more understanding of a changing economic climate in Scottish football; the welcome carpet for their new owner has already been rolled away. Exciting sound-bites now have to be turned into tangible progress. To that end, Craig Whyte may not be able to stop the looting in England but the Rangers support will expect him to chase the rain-clouds away from our club and provide the bright future he promised in May.

First of all, a Happy New Year to all Gersnet's subscribers; after a few weeks R&R; it's good to be back online and reading the varied opinions across the community! And it's with that initial greeting that we can immediately ask ourselves if indeed 2011 will be a prosperous time for our club. As ever the answer isn't easily found. Of course we started the year rather badly. After an icy December of cancelled game after cancelled game, it was no surprise to see our lack of sharpness affect our performance against Celtic. Added to the inconsistency we've seen throughout this season (despite being top) I wasn't expecting a great display on the 2nd, though I was disappointed with the familiar motivational problems rearing their head again. However, as ever, the reaction afterwards was overly negative and, as Monday's night's win over Kilmarnock showed, rumours of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. We may be four points behind our rivals but we're more than capable of winning our games in hand and retaining top spot - with or without Kenny Miller. On the subject of Scotland's most prolific striker, fans are again worried about his probable sale and, given the mixed messages coming from the club regarding Lloyds Banking Group's involvement, I certainly share in their concern. After all �£20million of European income should surely enable our manager to strengthen his squad in January in order to help facilitate the same CL revenue next season? Do we really need to sell in order to buy? A quick (and empirical) look at our finances tells us we're have around �£27million of debt after reducing this from the �£32million in 2008/2009's figures. Moreover, last year we used around �£9million of our European income to pay off any remaining transfer fees owed to other clubs. This means, instead of reducing our debt by only �£4-5million as in the 2009/2010 figures; we can hope to at least double that when we report in 2011. Therefore, with a decent Europa Cup run, we could easily find our debt almost halved by the start of next season. Now, that's great news in anyone's book but it doesn't automatically mean we'll have huge transfer 'war-chests' this month or even in the summer and beyond. The simple truth is that unless the club is bought over we'll remain reliant on MIH/LBG for ongoing finance. Thus, it is exactly because the CL income from the last two seasons has been so essential that the bank will be so reluctant to loosen the purse strings given our CL involvement is less than guaranteed (as Champions or not) next season. Their view will be that for their �£22million long term loan to be repaid in full, they will have to ensure the club remains on an even keel - without or without the European gravy. As such, while they may not be taking the �£20million from this season in one lump sum; they may 'suggest' to MIH that this money is used to reduce the long term debt in part once more while the rest is kept back for a 'rainy day' in seasons we don't qualify for the CL Group Stages. After all, without these monies we struggle to break even and unlike other clubs we don't appear to have the financial philanthropy of a mega-rich owner to guarantee our fiscal viability. I appreciate none of this is the kind of news that makes us smile. In this long, cold winter (someone please close that transfer window quick) positivity is hard to find so we may just have to content ourselves with realism. Unfortunately, that realism tells us that the days of huge transfer budgets every summer are gone. Indeed, the only huge fees we'll see nowadays is when we hope to move on our better players in order to supplement our operating expenses enough to keep the club competitive. Furthermore, even if we do manage to attract a new owner; I wouldn't expect a whole load of difference from this model. Craig Whyte (or rather certain journalists) have suggested an annual budget of �£5million each season if he takes over which, although conservative at first glance, is actually quite high (and possibly impossible) without major European dividends. We did spend around �£5million on transfers this season so is it any wonder we'll struggle to spend more as it stands? Again, I understand this is quite depressing when you juxtapose your Giovanni van Bronkhorsts with your Richard Fosters. Ten years is a long time in football and we are not just in a new climate but a new era. Monday's Ibrox Scottish Cup crowd shows just how difficult it will be to keep fans interested in a declining product with increasing prices. In a recession, the choice of �£30+ on a night out at the football or paying for your fuel to get to work for the week is a tough one. Unfortunately, these difficult choices extend to the club (and their bank) as well. All in all, I think as a support we need to examine the future carefully as we head into a new year. Sure, we want our club to be ambitious and our investment should entitle us to improved clarity from Rangers when it comes to finance going forward. But if we want to be taken seriously as partners, then we have to be realistic in what we expect. The unpalatable truth is that the 1990s have long gone and we're closer to bust than boom. To that end, prudence continues to be our buzzword so such vigilance requires patience and wisdom if we want our club to remain successful on all fronts. Like every bear, I look forward to meeting our challenges head on and urge everyone involved with the club to work with us in that regard. Here's to #54!

Has it really been almost a month since news broke of the proposed Whyte consortium takeover? Amongst the tepid stickiness of premature welcomes and the excitement of tabloid transfer war-chests, as ever there was minimal meat on the bones of this story from the outset. And there's even less now as we approach Christmas, the suggested date of deal conclusion from those 'club insiders' that are oft-quoted but rarely named. Of course we've been down this road before over the last year or so. From Graham Duffy (the alleged fan buyout champ), to Dave King (the alleged financial innocent), to Andrew Ellis (the alleged Murray 'shill'); the cast of this particular pantomime is varied and about as 'A' list as Elaine C. Smith in Mother Goose. 'Yes, we are interested in buying the club', says their statements to the stock exchange. 'Oh no you're not', says Alastair Johnston and much of the fan-base. Hilarious, if you're a 5 year old kid - less funny if you're a Rangers supporter anxious to hear more about the club's long-term future. To that end, the information vacuum surrounding this issue is making it difficult for the average bear. Sir David Murray (he's behind you!) seems more interested in garden proposals for Ratho and stadiums for Edinburgh rugby teams than his >90% shareholding in Scotland's most successful club. Alistair Johnston (he knows all the big stars) enjoys making 30min long bland AGM statements but appears mute from the comfort of the USA the rest of the time. Meanwhile our fan groups (containing more than a few panto dames I'm told) profess inside information but only relay rumour rather than offering tangible guidance. Is it any wonder we're easily beaten off-the-field by more organised clubs? Obviously we all understand that there are legal restrictions in place surrounding such matters but given it won't be long before the club are selling season tickets to us again, I'd like to know what I'm buying. I'm all for ongoing debt reduction and financial prudence but I also expect the club to remain competitive personnel wise. If a purported Champions' League bounty of �£20million can't reduce the debt to a fair degree while also ring-fencing some money for a new player or two in January, how do the likes of Whyte et al intend financing their plan in the longer term? Surely we're all a bit sick of asking the same questions and not getting any answers except the well remunerated Martin Bain expecting praise for NOT selling a key player half way through the season. Gee, thanks for that Martin - here, have another half a million and a French vineyard for your trouble. The script is all too obvious and just a bit boring. �£20million+ transfer war-chests; G51 super-plans; stadium upgrades; new found respect for supporters; oversight committees to make recommendations. Blah, patronise, blah, prevaricate, blah, boast etc etc. And this is where people like Bain are treading on thin ice this winter. By all means, play the prudence card to avoid further debt. Please do play hard-ball with any player you feel is asking for too much money. Yes, ensure we avoid censure from shadowy kangaroo courts eager to feast on the anti-sectarianism sham. But, please don't treat us like mugs. Show us a bit more respect and we'll continue to show our unwavering commitment to our club. Of course, the vast majority of our fans buy a ticket again next season; most probably with league title win garnish, new ownership cherry on top or not. But cancel the ownership pantomime now as we're not interested in being served up condescending clap-trap without substance. if people are really serious about becoming genuine leaders of the Rangers, do so through the correct channels - not a nudge to Jim Traynor here and wink to Darrell King there. Yes, we're all intrigued about SPL reconstruction and we appreciate that will play an important part in our club's future. But we're more interested about our club in a specific sense. In a period where you're releasing statement after statement about our supporters' alleged 'Unacceptable Conduct'; well I'd like to remind you that allowing external parties such as banks, objectionable people within football authorities and the media to dictate our future, whilst the people who pay your wages remain uninformed is also far from satisfactory. Will you work with us towards a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year or will you allow the Scrooges you're associated with to continue the 'Bah Humbug' attitude of the club to its loyal fans?

First of all, I'd like to make clear I'm as excited as any other bear about today's news about a hitherto unknown Scottish millionaire supposedly being in the final stages of buying our football club. To have the debt cleared and a fresh new regime in charge of our future is intriguing and it's no wonder our fans are keen to find out more. And that is the key to judging this front page 'exclusive' - we must know more. It's all very well the James Traynor's and Darrell King's of this world bagging themselves a few more readers today but while the hyperbole sounds good, we need some meat added to the bones. Despite the public protestations of the club in recent months, private negotiations have been ongoing regarding the sale of it to a consortium of interested parties - some of whom may have pulled out, some not. These include the new face, 'turnaround specialist' Craig Whyte along with the previously named Andrew Ellis and Vladimir Antonov. Others such as current Rangers director Dave King may well be involved further down the line. Certainly, speculation in the background has been rife and, as always, it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Even in the newspaper reports of today we have no official club comment and can only take the word of 'sources' and 'insiders' amongst the usual sound-bites about debts, tax queries and war-chests. This is where our support must then ask themselves a few questions. The last decade has seen dramatic downsizing occur at our great club. From the extravagance of Dutch international signings and 5* training grounds, to the paucity of broken Jumbotrons and loan swaps with Aberdeen; never has our future been so worrying. Indeed, if it were not for the best efforts of Walter Smith and his players in delivering a UEFA Cup Final run and two SPL titles on the trot, the current debt of around �£25million would be much higher. Therefore, any removal of this debt and the associated inflexibility of the bank who hold it is definitely something to be happy about. The question is how does any new owner stop the same situation happening again? Does he invest more money into the squad and hope that this brings continued domestic success - as well as the crucial CL monies? Or does he maintain prudence and gamble on the qualities of the existing manager and players? Risk-taking is something that has been at the forefront of our club's strategy since Sir David Murray bought the club over 20 years ago. Some have come off [Walter Smith (twice), Mo Johnston and stadium improvements], some have not [Paul Le Guen, Tore Andre Flo and over-investment in the Advocaat era]. We don't have the luxury of such mistakes now so any new club administration must be aware of the risks involved. �£20million 'war-chests' make for good newspaper sales but I doubt Craig Whyte (or his associates) will be gifting this cash, so how do we eventually pay for it? Wouldn't we just be swapping one �£20million+ debt for another? If one positive has come out of the decade of downsizing it is that surely Rangers fans are more savvy than ever before. While we're all ambitious and have high expectations, we must accept that our future isn't one which can be gambled away on a whim. After all, we can all argue for or against the Murray era but one of the few consensuses between these camps is that it lacked vision, lacked planning and lacked supporter involvement. As such, before we back any new owner we must know more about their plans. Rangers supporters are the lifeblood of the club and our financial contribution has never been more important. Our loyalty and commitment should not be taken for granted and for our backing we're entitled to be treated with respect and worked with (instead of against) as we enter any new ownership era. Yes, we cautiously welcome the news of Craig Whyte's interest but there is much more to be done before we can accurately judge the merits of his intentions. This should not be done on the pages of tabloids but in direct consultation with a support eager for positive change. Actions speak louder than words.

Northampton_Loyalist examines the positives behind the club's challenges and suggests prudence may indeed be the long term solution we want for a successful club. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=284:what-doesnt-kill-you-can-only-make-you-stronger&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67

When Rangers head off on their long-haul flight to Australia tonight, there will be plenty of time for Walter Smith to occupy himself with blue-sky thinking. Sleep is unlikely to come easily to the Rangers manager as he continues to mull over the financial nightmare that plagues his dream of landing the kind of player that will bolster a threadbare squad ââ?¬â?? and generate a ripple of excitement among the fans. Economy class will be the ticket with no chance of a Very Important Player upgrade. Michael Tongeââ?¬â?¢s name may not be on the passenger list when the plane taxis down the runway at Glasgow Airport. But by the time Rangers return from their tour Down Under on August 2, the Stoke City midfielder could well have landed at Ibrox on a season-long Ibrox loan agreement. The Englishman is one player definitely on Smithââ?¬â?¢s in-flight radar and a former Ibrox apprentice reckons the former England Under-21 star would be a shrewd acquisition. Barry Nicholson played alongside Tonge during a loan spell at Preston North End and reckons he has all the hallmarks to make an impact down Govan way. Tonge may carry a bargain tag, but Nicholson is convinced the fans will warm to player who carries a bit of quality. The former, Rangers, Aberdeen and Dunfermline player said: ââ?¬Å?I think Michael would do really well at Ibrox. ââ?¬Å?When he was younger he was very highly rated and he was one of those players who was talked about a lot when he was still a kid. ââ?¬Å?It has maybe not quite gone according to plan for him over the last few years, but he is a really good player. ââ?¬Å?He is very comfortable on the ball, he has good technique, he is a good passer of the ball and he is also able to create things. ââ?¬Å?When he was at Preston he made a good impression and I think heââ?¬â?¢d be ready for the step up to Rangers. ââ?¬Å?He is not really an out-and-out winger. I think if he went to Ibrox he would play the way that Steven Davis last season and always look to cut inside. ââ?¬Å?He is very clever at doing that and seeing the forward pass that can then open something up.ââ?¬Â The days of multi-million pound household names arriving in Glasgow are over, at least for the time being. Right now, the climate is one of prudence and purse-tightening, a fact reflected in the sheer number of players in the last 12 months who have swapped the SPL for the Coca-Cola Championship. Nicholson understands the reasons for this, but he remains a staunch defender of the Old Firm ââ?¬â?? and what they can bring to the table of any player with a hunger to parade his skills in a unique setting. He said: ââ?¬Å?Everyone I have spoken to recently seems to go on about the decline in standards in Scotland. ââ?¬Å?That may be the case, but you have to hope that there are some young players coming through who can help to change that. The Championship and the SPL are probably on a par in terms of the level the games are played at. ââ?¬Å?But the Championship is a lot tighter because there are more teams who are of a similar standard and with the same kind of finances available to them. ââ?¬Å?I still think that a player moving from Stoke, say, as Michael would be, and going to Rangers is a big step up. ââ?¬Å?Aside from anything else, Rangers will be playing Champions League football this coming season and that is a huge draw for most players. ââ?¬Å?Everyone wants the chance to play at that kind of level and even just in terms of size and stature, both Rangers and Celtic are huge clubs. They still have big reputations and while they canââ?¬â?¢t spend the way they did, they still give players the chance to play in front of 50,000 supporters week in, week out. ââ?¬Å?There are not too many clubs in Britain who can make that boast. At the same time, I can understand why so many players have moved out of Scotland to come down here. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢d have to say from my own point of view that I am enjoying my football down here. I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be in any rush to move back, although I still keep an eye out for the SPL scores. ââ?¬Å?It would be nice to see the profile of the league rise a little and if there were some decent European results this season it would go a long way to helping achieve that.ââ?¬Â A flight of fancy that Walter Smith would definitely share.

Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final at Bayern Munich on Tuesday is not only an on-field contest between two of Europe's great clubs - it also represents a clash of two very different financial philosophies. While at United the talk is of takeovers, Bayern supporters are safe in the knowledge that such a scenario is unlikely to ever unfold at the Allianz Arena. The system by which Bundesliga clubs are regulated, with an emphasis on strict financial rules and licensing, means Bayern are debt-free, allowing the club to offer some tickets for as little as 12 euros (�£11) in a world-class stadium. That is a world apart from the Premier League model of light-touch regulation that has allowed the United States-based Glazers to saddle United with debts of �£716.5m. It has become a debt too far for thousands of their fans, so much so that the Red Knights, a group of wealthy United followers in alliance with the Manchester United Supporters' Trust is attempting to wrest control of the club. Stuart Dykes is a Manchester United fan living in Germany. He also supports Schalke and pays 13 euros (�£12) to stand in the Veltins-Arena and watch his team. The cost of the ticket includes free public transport to the stadium from certain areas. Membership of the Gelsenkirchen club costs him 96 euros (�£86). "In England, the Glazers are allowed to come in, while Portsmouth can have four owners in a season. That cannot happen in Germany," Dykes told BBC Sport. "The German model means Bayern are attracting lots of investment but without the risk. It's completely different from United - it's a whole different philosophy. "Bayern looked at what was happening in the United Kingdom and said: 'We don't want that to happen here'. They wanted to maintain control of the club." Arguably, this financial prudence has come at a price, having limited the ability of German clubs to compete with their big-spending English counterparts, who can offer higher wages to players, in the Champions League. Bayern were the last German side to be crowned champions of Europe in 2001, having lost to United in dramatic fashion two years earlier. English clubs have triumphed twice since 2001 and appeared in the final on six occasions in the last decade, a period in which only one other German club has reached the final, Bayer Leverkusen losing to Real Madrid in 2002. "When clubs can spend what they want, like in the Premier League, it's very difficult for German clubs to succeed," said Antonia Hagemann, project manager with the UK-based Supporters Direct organisation, which has carried out a Uefa-funded study of club ownerships and fan involvement across Europe. "But there's a fair chance that they will have the last laugh. The German model doesn't restrict success, but the Premier League has set up a 'rat race' for everyone in Europe. It sees football as a brand - it is not interested in regulation." At the heart of the German model are the fans, rather than owners or shareholders. Bundesliga clubs broke the 2bn euro (�£1.8bn) level for the first time in 2008-9 It was the seventh successive season in which an attendance record was set - averaging 42,000 a game Average ticket price: 20.79 euros (�£18.70) - about twice as much as in the Premier League The Bundesliga is the European champion of sponsorship deals - 573m euros (�£515m) Until the late 1990s, all Bundesliga clubs were 100% owned by members - fans who pay to be part of the club. However, the clubs recognised the need to compete with their European rivals and that this might not have been the best way to do it. So some, including Bayern, spun off their professional football "sections" into outside limited companies, separate from the parent club, to attract investment. Under Bundesliga rules, members must own 50% of the shares plus one extra vote of these spin-offs. This is the so-called 50+1 model, which makes it impossible for private investors to take over a club. It is this model that many view as the best in Europe - and a far cry from the Premier League, where most clubs are struggling with debt. Earlier this season, Portsmouth became the first top-flight club to go into administration. A Uefa report in February revealed that the total debt of Premier League teams - �£3.4bn - is greater than that of the rest of Europe's top-flight clubs put together. And although the Premier League clubs make up more than half of club assets in Europe, Manchester United's debt is almost more than �£150m higher than that of the 36 clubs in Germany's top two divisions. That is because Bundesliga clubs must submit information about their budgets and expected expenditure, and prove they are financially stable in order to play in the league. There are also check-ups during the season, and licences can be withdrawn. Second Division club Arminia Bielefeld were deducted four points by the Bundesliga for breaching the terms of their licence after suffering a financial shortfall and were fined 50,000 euros (�£45,000) for the violation, which they admitted in February. "I think the strict system is just one of the reasons preventing them [German clubs] from competing in the Champions League," said Michael Ashelm, of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. Robben and Ribery You can watch Robben and Ribery for just �£11 "In the past, the German clubs had many problems with things like defunct training systems and antiquated managers. This changed a lot with a new generation of managers and coaches. "On the other hand, the financial system prevented the clubs from a disaster and allows for stable conditions - in contrast to England or Italy." And of the comparison between top-flight clubs' debt in England and Germany, he said: "You need a strong value as a club to carry such debt as Manchester United and Liverpool - and the value of Bundesliga clubs is under it. "This season Schalke had many problems with their liquidity. They have debts of about 140m euros (�£125m)." Schalke's debt accumulated from the construction of their new stadium, which was eased by a 100m (�£90m) euro sponsorship deal with Gazprom. "For a big German club, this is life-threatening," Anselm added. The German model does have its critics. Hannover 96 president Martin Kind has been a long-standing and vocal opponent of the 50+1 rule, and challenged it in the courts last year. However, 32 of the 36 Bundesliga clubs rejected his proposal. "Everyone in Germany used to look at the Premier League as the ideal model, but now the big clubs in England are in serious trouble," said Hagemann. "I tell everyone not to follow the Premier League model. Fans in England don't really have a say. "The English model is the worst model - its clubs have a perception a spending more money than they have." Tony Woodcock, the former England striker who had a spell in Germany with Cologne during the 1980s, says the financial restrictions placed on Bundesliga clubs are not necessarily a disadvantage. He believes Bayern are the "leading example" of how well run the German clubs are. "Bayern are a bit down the pecking order in terms of attracting players compared to other European teams, but they do have some top players," he said. "They have still attracted Franck Ribery, Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben - they have upped it a gear. To get them, you have to offer good rates. Bayern realise this." 606: DEBATE Financial fair play? Woodcock also believes that English clubs could learn a lesson or two from their German counterparts in how to treat their fans. "For my first training session in Cologne, 10,000 people turned up," he said. "In Germany, they welcome the fans to the training ground but in England it's like Fort Knox." A combination of reasonably priced tickets to watch the likes of Ribery and Robben strut their stuff in superb facilities ensures that Bayern fans are far happier than United supporters in the way their club is run, according to Dykes. It remains to be seen whether over the next few months the Red Knights and Must can bring a similar degree of German prudence to Old Trafford. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8589872.stm

Do Not Lose - We Cannot Afford it. This coming Sunday afternoon The Light Blues travel to the familiar territory of Hampden for this season's CIS League Cup Final with the intention of going out on the famous park against St.Mirren and winning the club's 26th League Cup trophy. For various reasons I feel this is a game that we simply cannot afford to lose and I'll try to explain why. There's the small, but obvious difference in prize money between winning the Cup and coming off second best as runners up, but despite the fact that our club needs every bit of cash it can get, there's a far more important reason that we can't afford to lose this Cup Final. That reason isn't taking our first trophy of the season back to Ibrox or putting another League Cup trophy notch in the history books. That reason is confidence and morale. Our club cannot afford to lose the SPL title this season. We literally have to win it. Despite the fact that we're in pole position to win our 53rd league title thanks to the commanding 13 point gap we've opened up in the table, the league is never over until it's over. A hell of a lot of people; Rangers fans, Celtic fans and non Old Firm fans are suggesting that we've already got this league sewn up. They're suggesting that there's no way we'll drop enough points for our city rivals in the east end to catch us. Well, perhaps it's a good time to show some prudence because every football team in the world is beatable. Every football team in the world gets beaten by teams they expect to beat and are expected to beat. We have an extremely tough run of fixtures coming up and we shouldn't take them lightly. The players and management do try not to take any game lightly despite how it may sometimes appear to us fans. To secure this 53rd title we need the whole team to keep up their confidence, their morale and the all-important team spirit because not doing so could cause us to drop more points than we anticipate. Yes, we're likely to drop some points in this fixture congested part of the season, but we want to drop as few as possible in order to make this SPL trophy ours mathematically and as soon as possible! Winning this CIS Cup Final on Sunday can help our team to do this, while losing it could be a sucker punch because losing a Cup Final always has the potential to dent confidence, lower morale and even dilute team spirit through weakening strong bonds. These things have a snowball effect whereby losing a Cup Final could potentially cause the loss of the next league match and so on and so on..... I certainly believe that we'll win the SPL title this season, but Sunday could incredibly play a very big part in doing it. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=234:do-not-lose-we-cannot-afford-it-&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67

By Lindsay Herron SIR David Murray has called on all fans to unite with one aim, stop playing into the hands of Rangers' competitors by scoring own goals in the media and accept that he is acting to secure the financial future of the Club. Some supporters were dismayed when they learned that a player had to be sold in the January transfer window and then a small group issued a 17-point list of complaints under the heading "We Deserve Better". Today, the Rangers chairman clarifies the current position the Club is in, explains the new structure for the future and calls on every supporter to get behind the team as they strive to bring the Championship back to Ibrox. Sir David MurraySir David has revealed that the squad will be trimmed from 28 down to 20 and bolstered by the best crop of youngsters that Murray Park has ever produced. He has explained that money must be brought in to compensate for the losses of this season which have been exacerbated by the current economic downturn. And he has reiterated that if he does not act with fiscal prudence then future investors may be put off and the financial future and stability could be undermined. Speaking exclusively to Rangers Media, Sir David said: "Over the past couple of weeks there has been an increased amount of media reporting about our Club and for the avoidance of doubt the required clarity needs to be given to our supporters. "If we go back to last year; it was a tremendous season. However, it is obvious that our runs in the two domestic cups and, of course, the memorable run to the UEFA Cup Final had a detrimental affect on winning the league. "I think any fair-minded Rangers fan would agree with that. "Then came the start of this season and we had the problem of Carlos Cuellar leaving the club on the back of the Kaunas result. "I met with a group of supporters at that time and I told them that we were unaware that Cuellar was invoking his get-out clause and leaving but I also told them that we would spend the money received and that was achieved.Ally McCoist and Walter Smith "At that point we had not entered the level of economic downturn which currently exists. "We are no different from any other business. Our static overheads are too expensive and we have less revenue. "You have to look to the future and analyse where additional revenues are going to come from outwith an extended run in Europe. "We had to take these things into consideration because the Club must be run professionally and financially correct. "Yes, we could continue to spend money but we would develop more problems and the Club would not be in a good condition. "What we must not do is play into the hands of our competitors by scoring own goals in the media. "We have to stick together and if we do that then we can come through this situation successfully. "I accept as the Chairman of the Club I am not immune to analysis or criticism. "We are a great Club with a great history but we must remain positive. "This mischievous element that we have is only going to destroy the things that they supposedly care so passionately about. Murray Park"I genuinely believe that the plans we put in place when Walter came back has been knocked off course by a couple of factors in a very, very difficult economic climate which I believe will become markedly worse before a recovery in the future. "What I'm doing is not panicking. It is a controlled management of the Club. "We have a financial facility with the bank and we must work within that framework. "I spoke to Walter and confirmed the need to bring in funds to compensate for the fact we are going to make a loss this year. "However, if we don't sell any of our players during this window then we don't sell any of our players during this window. "I think most Rangers supporters must realise that our overheads are too high for our income.Chris Burke "What can happen is when you announce that you are ready to sell then it can happen that regular first team players are targeted when you would rather that was not the case. "I have a responsibility to run the business properly. It's easy for people to be critical, but they are not offering any solutions. "As a Rangers fan I can understand why people are questioning why we are doing it but it's not just about the short-term, it's about the long-term financial stability of the Club." The trimming of the squad has started with the departures of Jean-Claude Darcheville and Chris Burke and Rangers want to get to a situation where they work with a smaller group bolstered by a fine crop of younger players. The Chairman added: "At the AGM in October Walter made it clear that the squad was too big and that we didn't need 28 full time pros and going forward he would run with 20 and younger players. "It is no coincidence that players like Loy, Furman, McMillan and Shinnie are all out getting experience at the moment and we are hopeful they will come back ready to be part of the pJohn Flecklans. "We have John Fleck, Jamie Ness and Danny Wilson now knocking on the first team door and they are undoubtedly part of our future. "In November I did say that we needed to prune the squad and essentially move six or seven players. "However, I also said that if there was an emergency then we would bring in a player if required. "Murray Park is now bearing fruit. People have complained about our youth system but it takes time to work. "We have never had so many players out on loan and we have never had so many promising young players. "I understand that some fans have concerns but I hope they understand that I am acting in the best interests of the Club and if we stick together we can achieve our goals." "Finally may I take this opportunity to thank all the supporters who have taken the time to write to give me their backing. Thank you, it is greatly appreciated."

Looks like we wont be buying out any contracts to free players then.