Cash Gates At Youth Final

[Chibmark 19]

Well, I'll be the odd man out and say I thought we were rubbish. Without their keeper we've had lost 2-0 and deservedly so. Certainly Rangers got stronger as the game went on so fitness levels are good but the standard was very low, from both sides really. Halkett did look strong and I thought Gasparotto also knows the basics about positioning and movement so has a chance. Burrows has pace but - based on the chance McKay set him up with - needs a lot of work on composure. FB's looked very ordinary, midfielders did look good at the end but when Hearts were fresh struggled.

 

All in all I was disappointed. If that's the standard of a good u-20 side I'd hate to see the others.

 

As Scott said above, I only saw the highlights but we looked pretty rubbish.

 

Scott says that it looked like a Rangers house style has developed. I'd agree but I think it's been like this for over 10 years now. Terrible football, guys taking too long on the ball and making the wrong pass.

 

Guys like Ferguson, Arteta and Mendes came to Rangers and looked world class, by the time they left, they wee slow in thought and in the pass.

 

Only a root and branch clear-out will enbale us to progress, we're going nowhere fast.

[26th of foot 6,082]

I enjoyed the game, four of us attended and got caught up in the excitement of a cup final.

 

Hearts were much deserved 1-0 leaders at half time, the lad Nicholson was a class above. Our second half equaliser was unexpected and the result of a fortunate deflection. I thought we would struggle to preserve equal terms and again, Hearts Billy King notched the Jambos into another deserved lead. The game changer in our favour was the double substitution of Barry McKay and Jamie Burrows, pace, strength, and a wee bit of game awareness allowed the team to get up the park and importantly, stayed there. We finished stronger, equalised courtesy of a Keeper's howler, and shaded the extra time period.

 

The penalties were dramatic, a truly wonderful piece of symmetry saw a gladiatorial duel between opposing Keepers to decide the destination of the silverware. Liam Kelly won out and Rangers are this season's Youth Cup winners. Well done the Colts. A particular mention for Craig Halkett, easily our man of the match.

 

It's the first time this calendar year, I left a game with an inner smile.

[ian1964 10,724]

I Knew Liam Would Save Me

 

CRAIG HALKETT insists he was always confident Liam Kelly would bail him out after he missed the chance to win the SFA Youth Cup for Rangers himself.

 

The big defender had a memorable match last night as the Light Blues eventually overcame Hearts to claim the trophy for the first time in six years.

 

Trailing 2-1 with a couple of minutes of normal time to go, Halkett headed in a leveller after moving up front to take the match to extra-time.

 

And after that passed without any more goals, he had the chance to score a decisive penalty in a shoot-out as Gers led 3-2 with one kick remaining for each team.

 

Halkett missed and when Angus Beith scored that meant sudden death beckoned, with keeper Kelly later emerging as the hero.

 

Having already saved three kicks from 12 yards, he scored one of his own before blocking Jambos goalie Jordan Millar to secured an 8-7 success.

 

It was a sensational end to the season for Gordon Durie’s under-20 squad and one it richly deserved for the strides it has made this term.

 

In Halkett’s case, there was as much relief as there was joy from him as he celebrated with his team-mates.

 

He said: “It was a brilliant game. I actually shouted over to the coaches with 10 minutes to go about going up front to see if there was any chance.

 

“They gave me the nod and when the ball came in late on, I heard the keeper shouting and I knew he wasn’t going to get there.

 

“When I knocked it on and it went in it was brilliant to get us through to extra-time but then I had a chance to win it in the penalty shoot-out.

 

“It was a good save by the keeper and to be fair, I was devastated. I knew it was a big opportunity to win the trophy.

 

“After that though, I still had faith in Liam and I knew he’d pull a save out from somewhere. He was brilliant.

 

“We can’t thank him enough and his penalty was one of the best ones from the whole shoot-out. He produced four great saves and all the boys were buzzing from that.”

 

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6963-i-knew-liam-would-save-me

[26th of foot 6,082]

Perhaps, an interesting aside?

 

Pie and Bovril is a long standing site that covers Scottish football in it's entirety. It is beloved of BBC Scotland, often referenced and the Editor is a most regular guest on the Cosgrove and Cowan show. In October, a thread began on the SFA Youth Cup 13/14, until Tuesday morning it ran to 5 pages, 30 contributions per page. Supporters of all clubs posting results and match reviews, anxiously awaiting the next draw, and the usual banter between opposing fans. The last contribution is from a Dandy Don informing the readership that the final was live on YouTube TV. The final result has NOT yet been posted.

 

Now, the word, 'Rangers' is a rarity on the site; sevcovians, the H word, zombies, .... etc are the norm. Further, the Stirlingshire Cup has a nine page thread on the same page. The point I am attempting to make, are Rangers being Espanyoled?

[Frankie 8,562]

Perhaps, an interesting aside?

 

Pie and Bovril is a long standing site that covers Scottish football in it's entirety. It is beloved of BBC Scotland, often referenced and the Editor is a most regular guest on the Cosgrove and Cowan show. In October, a thread began on the SFA Youth Cup 13/14, until Tuesday morning it ran to 5 pages, 30 contributions per page. Supporters of all clubs posting results and match reviews, anxiously awaiting the next draw, and the usual banter between opposing fans. The last contribution is from a Dandy Don informing the readership that the final was live on YouTube TV. The final result has NOT yet been posted.

 

Now, the word, 'Rangers' is a rarity on the site; sevcovians, the H word, zombies, .... etc are the norm. Further, the Stirlingshire Cup has a nine page thread on the same page. The point I am attempting to make, are Rangers being Espanyoled?

 

They'd like to think so.

 

More enlightening to note that clearly RFC fans using the site are next to zero. That says a lot for their inclusiveness,

[buster. 5,196]

Perhaps, an interesting aside?

 

Pie and Bovril is a long standing site that covers Scottish football in it's entirety. It is beloved of BBC Scotland, often referenced and the Editor is a most regular guest on the Cosgrove and Cowan show. In October, a thread began on the SFA Youth Cup 13/14, until Tuesday morning it ran to 5 pages, 30 contributions per page. Supporters of all clubs posting results and match reviews, anxiously awaiting the next draw, and the usual banter between opposing fans. The last contribution is from a Dandy Don informing the readership that the final was live on YouTube TV. The final result has NOT yet been posted.

 

Now, the word, 'Rangers' is a rarity on the site; sevcovians, the H word, zombies, .... etc are the norm. Further, the Stirlingshire Cup has a nine page thread on the same page. The point I am attempting to make, are Rangers being Espanyoled?

 

'Ostrichised' is the word I'd use.

 

The club have 'Espanyolificado' itself in terms of on-field competitivity and we face the prospect of years in the shadow of Celtic.

[Calgacus 8]

p & b is ok or the junior stuff, but 1 or 2 visits to their senior forums was enough for me

[The Real PapaBear 0]

football is a tribal pastime and we, who once ruled the tribe for a century, have been cast out of the tribe. Where we were feared, we are now mocked and ridiculed. Yet the tribe needs us to remain within reach so that they can continue their mockery and still use our size to give them credibility with tribes of other nations.

 

I'm sure there will be aappropriate biblical parable; maybe one of the Orange Order on here can provide it?

[Bluedell 5,627]

football is a tribal pastime and we, who once ruled the tribe for a century, have been cast out of the tribe. Where we were feared, we are now mocked and ridiculed. Yet the tribe needs us to remain within reach so that they can continue their mockery and still use our size to give them credibility with tribes of other nations.

 

I'm sure there will be aappropriate biblical parable; maybe one of the Orange Order on here can provide it?

 

Bad enough when others do it, but when we do it to ourselves.....

[Steve1872 4]

football is a tribal pastime and we, who once ruled the tribe for a century, have been cast out of the tribe. Where we were feared, we are now mocked and ridiculed. Yet the tribe needs us to remain within reach so that they can continue their mockery and still use our size to give them credibility with tribes of other nations.

 

I'm sure there will be aappropriate biblical parable; maybe one of the Orange Order on here can provide it?

 

Have you not got an indie parade to attend?