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Queens Park won the league at a canter, not only are they now professional but the core of their side is also full-time. That will give them an advantage next season too as League 1 is largely part-time. It would be no surprise to see QP in The Championship within a few seasons. Unfortunately being badly run is inherent in football. Football is almost unique in its ability to attract and accept incompetence, nepotism and corruption at its administrative levels. I was told of a club who appointed a former player to a senior position within its PR department. Not only did this former player have no qualifications for the job he was literally unable to turn on a computer and use basic Microsoft programmes. In no other industry would that man be even considered for a job in that department. This type of appointment is endemic in football. The current Chief Executive of the SFA, Ian Maxwell, has only spent 10 years in any kind of administrative position, yet apparently he's the best qualified person in the world to head up our entire association and its nearly £40 million turnover. Whatever his many faults Sir David Murray was a shrewd and capable businessman, as is Dermot Desmond. Yet Celtic will lose millions this year and I don't need to remind anyone of what state Sir David's tenure left Rangers finances. Being well run in football is very, very difficult if you actually want to challenge for titles and trophies. Look at the finances of the top teams in England. Despite having access to an almost bottomless pit of TV, sponsorship and prize money less than six sides in that league breakeven on a regular basis and none of them challenge for trophies. Leicester City, the one side who've been able to break the 'big club' monopoly in England lost £20 million in their last published accounts. Occasionally one of the big six clubs will make a profit, but that usually involves a run to at least the semi-finals of the Champion's League, and it doesn't factor in the debt they've built up or the colossal investment put in by owners to get them to that point in the first place. As football stands it's impossible to apply normal business rules to it and expect success, if success is measured by on-field performance. The vagaries of prize-money and the effect of a down-turn in form make projecting beyond the immediate future near impossible. Liverpool, arguably the best side on the planet last season, will lose a fortune next season if they fail to qualify for the Champion's League as looks increasingly unlikely. Who would have predicted that this time last year? I can well understand why senior executives brought into football from 'normal' industries take one look at it and decide that even the remote possibility of not qualifying for the Champion's League and access to its money is a risk that must be managed. Which is where ideas like the Super League or even the proposed changes to the Champion's League come from. If you're the Rangers finance director do you pass a budget that allows for Champion's League football? If you don't the budget for signing and paying players will be significantly less, making even qualifying for the tournament even harder and perhaps giving our main rivals an opportunity to claw back some of the lost ground. If you do give a budget that allows for Champion's League football and we sign players based on that income what happens if we don't qualify? Look across the city to see what happens. For me this is why applying many best business practices to football is a waste of time. It's also why I've become so wary of phrases like "investment is needed to progress" and "can utilise our fan base and stature, and be provided with the investment that some PL sides receive, we can move up in the world" because, and I'm mean no disrespect, but they're meaningless phrases when faced with the reality of football in the UK. The reason German club football is healthier is because the entire structure has embraced a different ownership or economic model. Their league is still dominated by one big club, but big clubs can be relegated and smaller clubs can progress without fear of bankruptcy. It's not just the fabled 50% plus one ownership model, although that's a huge part of it, it's the culture around the sport where the focus is on the supporters as much as the players. That simply isn't the case in this country, and hasn't been for a long time. We're playing a cup tie at 6.30pm on a Sunday today and the only legal way I can watch the match is to subscribe to yet another TV channel on top of the the main two I'm already expected to subscribe too, find me a supporter who thinks that's a good idea. I remain unconvinced the popular uprising sparked by the Super League will lead to any genuine change in how football is governed or run in this country, but who knows, maybe it's a turning point. I didn't arrive at this overnight. It's taken decades for me to realise what I actually want from Rangers. They're currently providing it. Unfortunately our finances remain precarious, but at least by focussing on football we've a chance of selling a player or three and balancing the books this summer. How that leaves us for next season only time will tell. In the meantime I look forward to simply being entertained, and that can happen at any level of football.

Spoiled? Spoiled? Holy Mary Mother Of Jesus. I'll be partying all through the summer Glasgow Rangers Champions.....

Gerrard must go

ok heres my 2 bobs worth . Firstly I am and was totally against any closed shop league , whether it super , dooper or whatever , there must be relegation and promotion irrespective , its one of the things that makes football great no matter how poor you may be , theres always the chance you just might succeed , also no matter how good you might just crash and burn , its what gives us the fear in big games and I love it . Second , this mock indignation , that was shown down south last week was nothing other than covering their own arses , they give not a jot about the fans , this was about the other 14 losing out , end off. Lastly , I totally understand wanting to better ourselves and get more money , however at what cost , to see bang average players getting paid a fortune with no commitment or care for the club , you only need see what this season has meant to our current squad , its what we love about them , they get it . we strive for success and greatness , down south 17th spot is what the majority would settle for at the season start , not for me , sorry .

As gutted as I am at tonight’s result , this season will go down in history as one of the greatest ever , we have not only seen off Terry Munro , but his general Lawell , captain lennon and private brown , as well as various other non descripts, we have performed above and beyond in Europe and the future is red , white and blue . We are only 3 years into this and have a squad worth millions , and a potential route into the Champions league , we need to stay sane and true , if we win the league next year we are guaranteed a direct spot . The opposition have no manager , are going to lose easily 10- 15 players, and we know from experience how difficult a job it is to bring in a few players into a disjointed club never mind an entire team . Enjoy your summer guys , 55 was delivered , end off .

we have been playing like our season was over since 17th march and now it is.

Some fans think we should just turn up and pick up the prizes. Truth is we've still some distance to go before dominating trophies here. We could do with a good summer of recruitment.

Showed a total lack of professionalism and game management in both games. We had chances to take the ball into the corners and run down the clock in both games and we failed to do so. Paid the ultimate price and still haven’t won any cup now for 10 years.

Not a single player gets pass marks for me.

That should be a red.

Agree, Can you imagine David Sullivan and the Gold brothers turning down an invitation for West Ham to play in any ESL? No neither can I. It's the same with Leeds owners and probably half of the 14 that were so outraged not to be asked and now want the other 6 punished.... again to help their own cause not for the good of football. I am agaisnt a closed shop, but UEFA/FIFA have been proven to be corrupt so will not take any lessons from either. It is a moot point about any clubs moving South and I would have thought it will come to a head if there was a vote for Independence. Then the decision is whether you want to continue in a league operating outside of the UK?

Hugely disappointing to go out the SC tonight but I cannot miss making comments about referee Alan Muir’s abysmal performance. He should have red carded Wotherspoon for his tackle on Hagi before HT and could easily have shown second yellows to McCann and Kane. And at the two penalty saves by the St Johnstone keeper he was well off his line. Rant over

Defoe was faultless.

Two games in a row we haven't played keep ball in the last minutes and paid a penalty tonight massively. As for their goal it looked like "keepers never score so he doesn't need marking". 55 has now for me been spoiled as we have obviously taken the foot off the gas,and now I fully expect unbeaten season is not going to happen.

We only got what we deserved, we were just not at the races

You're going in to extra time then ? ?

No, of course not. We'll start at 9.45pm...

Podcast related. Don't vote if you'd rather take the huff...

We were favourites to win the Scottish cup, i personally just couldn't see it happening, we just took our the foot off the throttle too much since our league triumph.

Thank God.

This is Gersnet, not FF.

Yes the league was priority and I’ll be smiling all summer about that, but this hurts, as did that last minute capitulation in Paisley which I’m still not over. Only saving grace was no fans inside tonight to boo them off, as they might have deserved it for tonight’s performance but not in the bigger picture of course, but we all know it would have happened.

I had a hearty laugh when Tav was popping up at the left hand side of the goal to head the ball in. That´s the place where our 2nd striker should have been - all night long. Same tactics that we`ve seen these last three years against a team that was hard to play through, a team that worked hard to shut uis down, a team that had sussed us out in midweek. Yet we go again with Plan A and for 90+ mins. Aribo and Kent, despite being well below par, were kept on. People will go on about 55 and rightly so, but this needs to be adressed. In many ways we can count ourselves lucky that Slavia put us out, any of the remaining sides would have torn us a new one twice, as our whole performance levels burst after 55. Bar 90 mins against the Scum ... and those account for nothing more than a little banter and pride.

We looked like all the pressure was on us from the first minute to the last penalty. League was the main goal, but too many players haven’t turned up since then.

Season was all about winning the league - we won it at a canter. Disappointing in both cup compitions but that's cup football for you. Bring on flag day.

We had the chances, but we weren't good enough. Painful losing to that kind of football too.

Jesus man. Well, season over but definitely still work to be done over the summer. Still delighted with the season as whole but we are still tripping up on high pressure games.

How is he not picked up? Standing unmarked in middle of 6 yard box - all about bottle now.

By far the better team but we're not really creating enough clear cut chances to ensure the winner. A big 15mins ahead!

Kane escapes a 2nd yellow - what a surprise

So it's an extra 30mins - we had chances to score, hope we don't live to regret those missed chances

Not if your pulling back a Rangers player apparently

We will, once their back line tire a wee bit more. Let's say 61mins...

We should be used to this as a Rangers fan by now, teams just sit in, work hard and try and hit us on the break, we just need to up the pace and work them and eventually we will get chances.

Saints were always going to work very hard so the status of the game isn't really a surprise. I do think we'll get more space as the game goes on, just like in midweek.

Now, does Premier Sports really only have 2 cameras in the ground? From those replays of the penalty incidient, you could see exactly nothing. Pathetic review.

Think that's a bit unfair. Whilst not being anywhere near our best, we've created the 2 best chances of the game (Kamara and Alfie), should have had a penalty and whilst St Johnstone have been "stuffy", they have not really created anything

Only came on at roundabout 25 mins but it has been pretty dire so far. Sure, Saints don`t make it easy, but there is hardly and creativity or spark in the midfield, Aribo nigh-invisible, Hagi well pummelled all over the park, Morelos isolated and surrounded by 2 or 3. Not unexpected. Is that Craigan* constantly and relentlessly laying into our players, while the main commentator almost willing St. Johnstone to grab something. Nearly as pathetic as what unfolds on the field. Wonder how long Alfredo will last, looks a bit tired, but also on a yellow and somehow "in the mood". If we do sub people, I hope Wright and Roofe come on quickly. *Best comment: "Morelos needs to understand that not every contact in the area is a penalty." ... and we think back to these last two games where Griffiths "fell" and got a penalty and Saints in midweek just the same. Wonder what he would have said about that.

Poor 45 mins but should have had a pen and St Johnstone should be down to 10men. Need to up our level of performance in 2nd half. We aren't the same team without Alfie but it may be worth taking him off as one team will not finish with 11 and id bet it will not be the team in yellow.

St Johnstone look more dangerous / likely to score than we do at the moment.

Job spec

Beautiful move, but Kamara should be slotting that home.

Man City never fail to miss an opportunity to annoy me. Quite frankly, it should be a cricket score. City will now win it in the last minute with a scrappy goal, just to annoy me more.

I agree strongly with your sentiments. Contrary opinion seems to stem from using a measure of "success" and "progress" that's rapidly becoming outdated and irrelevant, or even counterproductive. The football enterprise in general and the elite end of it in particular has become increasingly dislocated from the fans who created it. The sport is directed by people for whom fans are an inconvenient condition of generating turnover. Yet there seems to be no shortage of fans who still think success lies in embracing the madness ever closer. For me, the future lies in an entirely different paradigm and in time I believe more will see it too. The sad fact is I no longer have much interest in football. If it wasn't for Rangers I doubt I would watch another football match. I put far greater value on supporting Rangers than climbing UEFA's greasy pole.

Great post John. I'll publish that early next week.