26th of foot

Ah, the 'H' term/ Who can forget a breathless Stuart Cosgrove telling of a visited seminar at Hampden when the then Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland told the audience, he had no interest in progressing complaints reference the 'H' term? Apparently, Sellik season ticket holder, Frank Mulholland considered the 'H' term to be an offensive term for Rangers supporters, and not sectarian. Thus, we await Frank's conclusion on his fellow Hail Hailers singing to the Hearts supporters last Saturday, "go home ya H-u-ns" after both third and fourth goals. Don't hold your breath, although I wish Cosgrove would, forever. Anyways, to quote one of those "witty" Green Brigade banners, 'we don't care what the animals say'.

Quite a punt by McInnes, I believe May to have played a dozen games in two seasons?

I read a piece in the last several months where Cosgrove in a fit of pique; no doubt irritated by the continual accusations of his considerable contributions to the Rangers Tax Case Blog, revealed he is paid £42,000 per annum by Beeb Scotland for presenting On/Off the Ball. He also appears weekly on Beeb Scotland's Media Review, and is regularly commissioned to present, 'my life in five books', present both music and football documentaries, 'my life in five records', ........ The thing about Cosgrove is he is NOT going away any time soon, he is a 65 year old man with an infant child. He has established a standard of living and will maintain it, spitting venom at all things Rangers is an earner. He is mining a seam, and will continue to do so.

Since the game takes place on the Glorious Twelfth, can we bag ourselves a brace? I wouldn't eat them myself, thus I will be handing my pair into the local foodbank.

Richard Wilson remains employed by BBC Scotland. As stated above, Gordon, English, Wullie Miller, and Jum Spence were all at Dens Park for the second Dundee derby in a week. They stopped broadcasting circa 22.15hrs. Now, reports are flooding the media of Dundee United Chair, Stephen Thompson was assaulted in the corridor outside the Boardroom, "he was bowled to the floor in front of his wife and kid". Do not be alarmed Gersnetters, dearest Stephen got back on his feet and safely returned to the Dens Park Boardroom. All of the above are present at Dens, Spence lives in the tunnels, corridors, and technical areas of grounds(not Ibrox) and BBC Scotland do not report on the incident? I suspect they were all awaiting the accepted line(spin) on the incident before reporting. Police are involved, thus allow me to report in a Beeb Scotland manner : Arabs Chief, Stephen Thompson courageously defended both his wife and child against a rabid assault carried out by jackboot clad assailant screaming, 'no surrender'. Police Scotland are refusing to rule out a sectarian motive in such a cowardly assault. BBC Scotland reporter, Jum Spence empathised with the latest victim, "I was shouted at from across the road because I was an altar boy". Police Scotland are appealing for witnesses.

BBC Scotland have settled on providing a service to licence fee paying Rangers supporters that is sub standard. When Rangers play at Ibrox, we and the opposition supporters receive a tangled mess. For example, last night the nominated useful idiot was Steven Thompson. He was introduced by Richard Gordon as, "being across all the media reports on events at Ibrox". The match preview was an after thought that lasted a couple of minutes. Thompson began most sentences with, "I imagine" and, "I suspect"; the teams were read out and we were back to Dundee, where Gordon, English, and Spence were located. At both half time and full time, Richard Gordon utilised the same introductory phrase, "it appears one sided". Thompson agrees and then begins each of the next six sentences with, "Apparently" and, "by all accounts". Clearly, Steven is watching Rangers TV but cannot reference the fact. Further, 'I suspect' Beeb Scotland is streaming Rangers TV? We pay our licence fees, are Beeb Scotland paying for the Rangers TV service? We had no reported reaction from either clubs' manager. They should be embarrassed at such a service and if Cosgrove and Cowan were honest in their satirical weekly take on Scottish football, they would be lampooning it mercilessly. That would require integrity, and Steven Thompson should attempt to find some soonest. Take a leaf from Richard Wilson's book and tell them to get someone else to participate in such ridiculous presentation.

How many times must Rangers and Rangers supporters administer a sound thrashing to Ewing Grahame? Sacked from the Herald a dozen years past because of odious behaviour on a returning team flight from Stuttgart after Rangers CL match. I make the Scotsman's correction to be the fourth occasion that a newspaper has had to publish an apology/correction to Rangers because of Bitter Ewing in the intervening years. I believe he is freelance, why any blatt takes his copy reference our club is beyond me.

You know, I suspect the Pars Chairman, Ross McArthur might be about to put CQN's Paul Brennan center stage in his own penned narrative? Now Paul, what evidence do you have that Jimmy Calderwood was a recipient of an EBT issued by Rangers? Peter will dictate the next chapter to Paul tomorrow.

I hope the Crimson Forehead will prove to be a Man for all Seasons? Good stuff.

CQN's owner, Paul Brennan has been Peter Lawwell's media window of choice for a dozen years. There is considerable competition for Lawwell's favours among Yahoo minded journos and agencies. The usual suspects occasionally lose their discipline and openly bitch about Brennan's continual good fortune. Peter Martin(a close neighbour) used to expose his own jealousy by confirming Sellik rumours by reference CQN reporting it, "it must be true". It's just another part of ra Sellik doing a significant of business, by proxy. Lawwell briefs Brennan, he in turn briefs a like minded/useful idiot.

I attended the first demonstration by Bears outside Pacific Quay. The gathering was a protest at the obvious lack of objective reporting by BBC Scotland. I carried a small short wave radio with ear phones, and listened as Pat Nevin and Cosgrove wondered aloud, "what are they protesting about"? You would have thought journalistic curiosity meant Beeb Scotland would send a reporter outside their door to find an answer to said question? The sinister part came later, when dozens of photographs of the demo' appeared on Sellik fans websites. Those photos were taken from the fourth/fifth floor of the Pacific Quay building. The pictures on Kerrydale Street and Sellik Quick News were asking their readers to identify any folks in the photos? Senior Beeb management were confronted with the evidence and promised to investigate. Peter Lawwell will reveal the identity of the Yahoo that pelted Ricksen with a lighter, before Beeb Scotland reveal the identity/indentities of the/those employee(s) responsible for distributing those pictures.

Full time. Well done Rangers and Graham Dorrans. Motherwell played with lots of enthusiasm, pressed us all over the pitch. They were direct and won most of both first and second balls. Uncontested crosses kept flying across our box in the second half, better teams, better players will punish us. Holding on to possession appears an issue, winning free kicks, throw-ins, and corners to keep the team up the pitch is also a problem. Last week against Wednesday(it was a friendly), we played neat triangles and quickly released balls forward down the channels and switching by playing the diagonals. We couldn't do that today because of Well's pressing, some one must come short and the ball must stick or draw the free kick. I agree with the concensus, we played our get of jail card today. We won, three points, but we need to improve.

At half time. Far too many uncontested crosses flying across our box, again. Candeias is providing no protection to Hodson. Herrera is pretty static, several breaks down our left and he has neither to near or far post. Next goal the winner?

Well done Frankie, three days out and successfully names this afternoon's team.

Ah, those cyber Masons are a vague and unquantified threat.

They will be running out of available venues soonest. Bairds, the Foggy Dew, and the Welcome Inn have been closed by the Licensing Committee withdrawing licenses. The Council want to turn the lower Gallowgate into a tourist trap, several hundred year old flea market, restaurants opening on Bain Street and Calton Close, .....etc. It's a real shame they allowed ra Sellik's wish to have an area close to the ground where their support could exercise their bigotry. The council created the Plastic Paddy Theme Park 25 years past. The one pub that still refuses to subscribe and conform, the Hielan Jessie receives continuous abuse and occasional assault from passing Yahoos. The interesting problem for the council will come when they take on the PIRA shop.

I tried everything when I was seven years of age. Joined the Wolf Cubs, the Tufty Club, the Good Readers club at the local library, ...... etc. I found real solace at the Band of Hope, was encouraged by a mature lady replete in a Salvation Army uniform, wielding a tambourine to sign the pledge. The Band of Hope is the place.

Cheers mate. I didn't add a probable/possible line up, because I have only seen the pre-season friendly against Marseille.

Democratically elected? Amazingly, considering he is a continual and constant open goal; his missives never reach the media.

On May 6th 1978, the bright sun glinted off silver as our Captain stepped up to receive the Scottish Cup. Rangers had just achieved a 2-1 victory over Aberdeen. The second Treble in three seasons had been secured and skipper, John Greig was the first player since Davie Meiklejohn fifty years before, to be offered a testimonial. Also at Hampden several weeks previously, Ham and Egg picked up the League Cup, after 2-1 extra-time defeat of ra Sellik. The filling in the cup sandwich was the League Flag, secured after a 0-1 win at Tannadice, and celebrated at Ibrox against Motherwell(2-0) the week before the national cup final. Derek Johnstone was Scotland's Player of the Year, he and partner, Gordon Smith had notched 65 goals between them in all games. The national team had qualified for it's second successive World Cup finals in Argentina, and were installed as fourth favourites for the trophy. Follow following Rangers demanded a pair of Ray Bans. The manager, Jock Wallace prioritised the signing of Dundee United central defender, David Narey. The General Manager, Wullie Waddell was determined to remodel Ibrox, a lasting legacy for those that perished on the 2nd January'71. As the bulldozers began leveling the Copland Road terrace, the manager's European ambitions diminished. An uneasy personal relationship quickly shattered and Jock Wallace sensationally resigned on the 23rd May, John Greig departed the dressing room and journeyed the marble staircase to be appointed Manager the next day. The Rangers support was recovering from the untimely and tragic death of winger, Bobby McKean. The shocks continued, Derek Parlane left for a fee of £150,000 to Leeds United and Jock Wallace was appointed boss at Leicester City. Bill Withers sang, 'Ain't no Sunshine' and Rangers supporters hummed the refrain, as life was increasingly lived in the shade. John Greig's first season as Gaffer was one game away from another treble, and his tactical astute football saw us defeat both Juve' and PSV in the European Cup. The new Ibrox was constructed around us, one stand in each of the following three seasons. Our league position descended and two seasons further on.we languished in fifth. Meanwhile, Jock Wallace had raided Motherwell for two players. Both Ian Clinging and Gregor Stevens moved to Filbert Street for six figure fees. He promoted promising young striker, Gary Lineker and came within an inch of enticing Johan Cruyff to the Blues. Leicester won the second division and reached the FA Cup semi-finals. The managers' carousel was then, as it is now, perpetual. By the start of season 82/83, it was accepted that John Greig was faltering badly. We had finished third the previous season, 12 points behind Champions, Celtic. The sun was setting but Greig received one more time around with a new central defence. John McClelland had a new partner in Craig Paterson, paying Hibs a then club record fee of £200,000. Robert Prytz from Malmo, Sandy Clark from West Ham, and Dave McKinnon from the Jags came aboard too. Despite finishing eighth in England's top tier, the former jungle fighter cited home sickness as his reason for leaving Leicester and taking over from Davie Hay at 'Well. Looking back with hindsight, I suspect the first symptoms of Parkinsons had appeared? On the 4th September'82, Rangers opening Championship fixture was at Fir Park. Motherwell had been promoted as Division One champions and exuded expected confidence of a young, fluid team sporting a newly appointed experienced manager, Jock Wallace. The press loved the pairing; Wallace's successor, Greig, was facing his possible successor. The fans loved it too, 20,000 squeezed into the ground, all supporters buoyed by new season enthusiasm. The game lived up to expectation. Rangers team that day was, Jim Stewart, Dave McKinnon, John McClelland, Craig Peterson, Ally Dawson, Robert Prytz, Davie Cooper, Ian Redford, Jim Bett, Colin McAdam, and John MacDonald. The massive travelling Rangers support were still entering the ground as Rangers started well, forcing a number of corners. 'well keeper, the eccentric Hugh Sproat was performing to standard, wearing a green top and keeping the thrown kitchen sink from entering the net. Sproat at both Ayr United and 'Well supported a number of Bookmakers in their efforts to keep their issue at private schools; in between being cautioned for continually sitting on the crossbar. His real test was minutes away. A through ball saw MacDonald run ahead of former Ger, Alex Forsyth. A lunge from the full back felled 'Polaris' and Robert Prytz beat Sproat from the penalty spot. Rangers squandered a number of opportunities before going in 0-1 at half time. The second half began as the first, lots of Rangers pressure and on the hour mark, the Bears doubled their lead. Davie Cooper cut inside the right back, dummied the rushing midfielder, before squaring the ball to Ian Redford. His shot was parried into the net by Sproat. More chances were created and spurned as the game moved into the last fifteen. A punt down the middle caught Paterson underneath the ball, Well's Bruce Cleland ran off our McClelland and prodded the ball into the net. This was not the McClelland we had witnessed playing for Northern Ireland in the world cup in Spain two months previously. The question was raised, 'can John only play in the sun'? Further proof arrived ten minutes later when a flighted free kick by John Gahagan was met by Joe Mercer climbing above both our central defenders. He bullet headed the equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw. We first footed Fir Park in the New Year, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat, courtesy of a Brian McClair hat-trick. We finished the season in fourth, 17 points behind Champions, Dundee United. We lost 2-1 in both cup finals, to both Celtic(League Cup) and Aberdeen(Scottish). By early autumn'83, Greig had been dismissed. Both Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean were interviewed, both accepted, returned to their clubs, and both withdrew their acceptances. Rangers were in a mess and the stage was set for Wallace's return. Confidence and fitness improved, an unbeaten run of 16 League games encompassed a League Cup final victory over Celtic by 3-2. The symmetry was complete and many are opinionated that the tipping point was that last 15 minutes of the Fir Park opener? On Sunday, we have another opener against the claret and amber and Pedro is under pressure. Ian Cathro's demise means Caixnha bears the weight of both Bears' expectation of success, and a salivating media's hope of failure. Last week, on a Beeb Scotland discussion reference the importance of PE Teachers to Scottish football; Cosgrove said to Richard Gordon, "That's another reason for not having all these imported duds. We don't know who there PE Teachers were, ah mean, who was Caixnha's PE Teacher"? The common currency among the usual suspects is to treat our manager as a figure for ridicule. I hope this quote stimulates Pedro to inspire the team on Sunday. His road to credibility will be longer than most. It's no easy first step, 'Well are four successful competitive games into their season. They have a proven scorer in Louis Moult, 18 and 19 goals for a poorly performing Motherwell side these last two seasons. Richard Gordon revealed Aberdeen have bid £450,000, and may go higher. I suspect our new central defence will tether Moult; however, on the evidence of one pre-season friendly against Marseille, I don't see us scoring many from open play. I predict a repeat of another Rangers manager's first league opener against the claret and amber. Paul le Guen's side ran out 1-2 winners, goals by Sionko and Prso. Oh, for Dado up front on Sunday.

"schadenfreude" - i take it that schadenfreude is lower Saxony patois for work it up your arse?

No, those Dandy Dons in Cyprus tonight, are not signing, 'are you watching Ryan Jack'? They are crying into their retsina, gubbed 2-0 by Apollon Limmasol. Now, I know at this point, we should lament the Scots coefficient in Europe, share an empathy with Dolly, and express sympathy to all those at Pacific Quay Aberdeen SC. Well, work that up your arse. Are you retching Dandy Dick?

There was a poll at the turn of the year of all 129 MSPs. Ruth Davidson supports the Pars, Mundell is an MP, and I do not know who Tomkins opted for. The headline was only one Rangers supporter and 12 MSPs claim to support Partick Thistle.

Cockeyed Optimist!

Chris McLaughlin has had his press privileges withdrawn. He can still attend by paying at the gate/securing a ticket. I am on record as not believing in banning journos, I would prefer they are taken on directly by the club. McLaughlin's withdrawal of press privleges occurred after Rangers opener against Hibs in the Petrofac Cup two seasons past. He attended Easter Road and began his immediate post match report with, "Four Rangers supporters have been arrested and are alleged to have indulged in sectarian chanting ....." We were over a minute into the Match Report before we found out Rangers had defeated Hibs 2-6. Rangers supporters engaged McLaughlin on social media, specifically Twitter and Facebook. He stated he had checked with the Match Commander, as was his regular practice, and it was germane to include these facts in his match report. Several weeks later, Chris's own team, ra Sellik were at Pittodrie, and usual IRA karaoke occurred. Again, Chris was engaged because he failed to mention any arrests in his match report. Remember, Chris's usual practice is to check with the Match Commander? McGlaughlin replied he had checked and there was nothing to report, no arrests. Imagine everyones' surprise when Monday's Press and Journal reported six arrests for alleged sectarian chanting? Who was lying, McLaughlin or the Match Commander? We were not told; however, McLaughlin withdrew from both Twitter and Facebook. Precedent is a big factor in these matters. When Dundee banned Spence fore two years, he was banned, not allowed in the Dens or training ground. BBC Scotland continued to report live from Dens, Scot Davie and Brian McLaughlin mostly covered the games. When the Yahoos withdrew Hugh Keevins press privleges for two seasons, there was no NUJ solidarity from Chris McLaughlin, or from Beeb Scotland.