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Not sure if any of you heard the remarkable Arsene Wenger stat from the weekend. Apparently Arsenal's Saturday starting 11 was the first time since 1986 that a player who didn't feature in an Arsene Wenger managed Arsenal side didn't start. So 37 years give or take a few months. As you do I started to think of a Rangers equivalent. Best I've come up with is 59 years although I can't say a player started every match in that period. So here's my workings - Jimmy Gordon joined Rangers in 1907, played 315 times (won 10 Scotland caps) and left the club in 1920, the year Bill Struth became manager. Struth took over in May of 1920. I don't know what month Gordon left though. Fast forward to Eric Caldow. Caldow was signed by Struth in 1952 and played for Rangers until March 1966. An unbroken 59 year connection with Bill Struth (I think). Happy for someone to correct or improve this. BTW Reading about Jimmy Gordon he apparently played upfront, in midfield, in defence and in goal for the Rangers first during his career. Love that.

Good 1st half from us, apart from their goal!. Creating chances but it is worrying when we don't score them!.

Well, oral sex can be fun.

Just noticed that 5 years ago today we launched the Gersnet Podcast on YouTube! Plenty ups and downs over that period with lots more to come I'm sure. We also just passed the 6K subscriber mark last week and nearing 1 million views. Thanks to all for your support!

Davie Cooper signed in 1977 and played under Souness while Walter Smith was his assistant. Barry Ferguson signed pro at Rangers in 1997 and played under Smith, he left Rangers (second time around) in July 2009, so a span of 32 years. Allan McGregor signed for Rangers a month after Smith left however he did play for him second time around, so if we include that then that's a span of nearly 46 years and counting. Derek Johnstone signed for Rangers in 1970 and left in 1986 (for the second time), being released by Souness and Walter Smith. He didn't play under them though.

Congrats to all. I have listened regularly for the past 2 years having caught the odd podcast before then. Particularly enjoy listening to Colin, John(hi John), David Fraser and Chris Jack but really all contributors are good. I only really listen to this and the odd H&H podcast. There are a few going about at the moment but feel this is one of the best. Keep up the good work.

Easily our best football of the season, bit composure in front of a goal and could have been 8 Ryan Jack was immense, Cantwell and Raskin are becoming great signings

After such a cool and sound performance, the only thing that gets you down is that these chaps were capable of it all season, but ... Then again, Raskin and Cantwell have been a revelation, driving the midfield on. Jack is back to his best and the defence is settled. Sakala and Colak form a fine striking partnership, Kent at his industrious best. Tillman and Hagi to come, if everyone's fit and we pick the right team, this looks good.

Played like that at Tynecastle too recently

First 10mins apart, that was a wonderful performance. Full of great football and some brilliant goals. More like the Rangers we know and love.

Like to see a couple of subs on There you go😁

This is excellent .

Thankful Goldson hasn't had a save to make yet 😉

Magic pills have erased the gout 👍

Yes, apparently my other half said our wedding tasting tonight takes precendence so I will be watching the game tomorrow morning, hopefully having not seen the result

I've had to cancel my trip to Paris to watch the game, taking the eldest to swimming practice instead. Probably better for my blood pressure.

I see Chris Kamara has received his MBE this morning one of the good guys of football alway makes you laugh and smile , Unbelievable Jeff

Apart from the sloppy goal we lost, I thought the game was almost a carbon copy of our recent Tynecastle victory. Lots of slick passing and moving, lots of chances created but not enough them converted. That could and should have been 7 or 8 tonight.

As we have all said countless times since - God only knows why Cantwell and Raskin didn't start at Hampden

Where did that come from? Brilliant Rangers. The effort, the movement, determination and skill aplenty.

Jack rightly MOTM on RTV but could have been four or five others

Too late though from MB 😁 Great performance tonight. Jack my MOTM, but a good few contenders.

Don't stop, Rangers.

And along comes number 4

Great finish from Sakala

I'm more worried now than I was pre-kick off!!😮

Celtc FC can beat the lot. They've employed at least one convicted paedophile in every decade since the 1950s (at least).

Anyone have Goldson for FGS?

The last time Rangers played on Christmas day was 1971 at Easter Road. The snow fell that day too, a blustery billow in the first half changed to a blizzard during the last 15 minutes of the second. Colin Stein scored the only goal of the game in the last minute in front of 25,000 attending.

The persecution continues. I wonder when Perderasts-R-Us FC will declare solidarity and support, there being a speshull relationship, 'n' 'at. Barcelona taken to court over referee payments Spain’s public prosecutor decides to proceed with business corruption case after scandal involving club’s payments to a senior refereeing official’s company Martyn Ziegler , Chief Sports Reporter Tuesday March 07 2023, 7.40pm, The Times A court will now decide whether there is enough evidence for a full case to be heard against Barcelona and former president Bartomeu https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/barcelona-taken-to-court-over-referee-payments-392k98xsc The scandal involving payments by Barcelona to a senior refereeing official’s company is heading to court after Spain’s public prosecutor decided to proceed with a case against the club for business corruption. Spain’s El País newspaper has reported that charges have been brought and a court will now decide whether there is sufficient evidence for a full case to be heard against Barcelona and their former president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Payments by Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira’s company totalled almost €7 million (£6.24 million) from 2001 to 2017 while he was the vice-president of Spanish football’s referees’ committee. The club have denied any wrongdoing, saying the money was for technical reports on referees and youth players. El País reported that the prosecutor’s office will accuse Barcelona of “business corruption”, which includes fraud in sports. Under Spanish law that includes a section that explicitly covers sports competitions and includes “managers, administrators, employees or collaborators of a sports entity” as well as “athletes, referees or judges” who intend to “deliberately and fraudulently predetermine or alter the result of a test, meeting or sports competition”. The payments came to light as part of a tax probe into Enríquez Negreira’s company. Barcelona said that they had hired the company as an external consultant to produce “reports in video format of youth players from other clubs in Spain” and for “reports related to professional refereeing”. El Mundo newspaper reported that Enríquez Negreira had threatened Bartomeu, then the Barcelona president, to create a “scandal” when the club decided to stop paying for his company’s services in 2018. At an event on Tuesday, Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, was asked about the scandal and replied: “Barça has never bought referees and Barça has never had any intention of buying referees. Absolutely never. The forcefulness of the facts contradicts those who try to change the story.” Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, has said it is unable to take any action because it is time-barred. The Spanish FA has said that Enríquez Negreira has not been part of the referees’ committee since 2018, when Luis Rubiales took over as president, and that rules now prohibit any committee member from being employed as a consultant by any club.

Massive game tonight in Edinburgh for Rangers. I'd imagine bulk of the starting XI picks itself but a few key choices in midfield and attack are uncertain. Can Jack play another 90mins? Is Tillman fit? Morelos or Colak as our #9? Any room for Yilmaz and Matondo on the bench? I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if Jack started again after 90mins on Saturday but he could be rested for Raith game so not altogether unlikely. Tillman could play instead of Sakala if he's fit (but no sign of the American in training pics). Colak played well in first 45mins on Saturday so may retain his slot ahead of Morelos who may lose his place depending on his contract status. Same could happen to Kent at some point. A tough match ahead so subs will be vital!

They're still a well-run club. They've just made an absolute howler with that appointment. Most could have told them at the time!

As trophies go the Glasgow merchants cup makes a nice addition to any trophy cabinet

I'm not sure Pedro even knew he was making mistakes, which is maybe why he never seemed to learn from them.

I've gone for the blond Lowry like most others. He had a smashing game, and hope this is the lower end of the standard we can expect for our outlay. Raskin next in line but he looked jaded in the second half when Killie changed to a pressing game and he didnt have the freedom of the pitch to operate in. Raskin does look like a proper midfield player though and it makes it a sackable offence for Beale to select Lundstrum over him last week. I'm not getting over that any time soon. The worrying aspect was that while we put in only our third decent first half performance in 16 games under Sir Talkalot, in two of those 3 games we have not turned up for the second half. In the other 13 games we havent turned up for the first half and played better in the second half. Only Tynecastle did we put in a complete performance. One good game in 16. Somehow 14 wins have been miraculously achieved in that run, which is certainly papering over the cracks which are pretty wide if you peek under the paper. Onto Easter Road and another tough fixture at a difficult venue. Hopefully our last visit to Edinburgh inspires us.

I think they know that already. They know exactly what needs to be done. The problem lies in the doing, not in the knowledge. For some reason, at times these players seem incapable of delivering what they fully understand is required. It has to be a flaw in the psyche of certain members of the squad and suggests no amount of coaching will change the situation.