26th of foot

Drink driving attracts a £400 fine and a year ban, sing the Billy Boys and receive 4 months in the pokey. Jim often reminded the Radio Snyde listenership that sectarianism was an issue of social responsibility. I would say that drink driving is too. Anyways, any word on whether ra Sellik have decided to appeal Jim's conviction?

I have penned in another article, it's all about amplification. Guidetti, Sellik's continuing censures from UEFA, land deals, ..... etc; all presented amid a soundtrack of low, ambient tones. Rangers and Rangers supporters transgressions are cranked up to eleven on all amplifiers. Demands ensue, immediacy is demanded. It's only three weeks past that the then Head of Sport at Radio Snyde, Jim Delahunt was demanding Sandy Easdale(a man steeped in both Rangers and west of Scotland culture") provide a statement on the marble steps reference the club's on going problems with sectarianism. The stimulus was the chanting at Starks Park, Jim had demanded nothing of no one after the League Cup semi-final the week before. Even Jim's accepted resignation from Radio Snyde today, has been buried in the inside pages of today's papers; confined to a few paragraphs by friendly journos.

Our opponents in this on going debate are ahead of the curve. They have completed the above analysis stated by yourself. How many times have the Green Brigade been banned at ra Stydome? A solution was sought and given by the Lord Advocate and Justice Minister. They know we will scream injustice over the continuing and again, increasing usage of the H term. The frustration will be vented in indiscipline on our part and the chorus of 'whataboutery' will rise. In debate, if you accept the terms and terminology of your opponent, you have lost. We are being told we are the problem, if we accept that position, they will continue to wield the stick. As stated, the John Guidetti incident has seen ra Sellik adopt a most contorted position. They banned any employee using the term 15 years past and threaten discipline upon any employee using it; however, are prepared to defend Guidetti for that very indiscipline. Hhmmm!

The stick to beat both Rangers and Rangers supporters, has already been fashioned. The anti-sectarian legislation was not proviing the necessary statistics, in fact the accrued stats suggested the problem lay elsewhere. The current Lord Advocate and Justice Minister are currently ensuring the stats will prove Roseanne Cunningham's initial hypothesis. The club will have to meet this most serious challenge head on, sooner rather than later.

My agreement with Tannochsidebear is the two games against Hearts. Indeed, the league table does not lie. At Ibrox, we should have been 2 or 3 clear at half time. They had five players booked in the first 45, all for persistant fowling of Templeton and Wallace. Similarly, at Tynie, we dominated the game for a full hour, half of that time with ten men. My opinion, its the Hibs side that has battered us, until yesterday obvously.

These last several days, I am in my wee Mallorquine finca and have been often off line. Today, I am in Palma and have trversed the length of the Paseig del Born and cannot find a news vendor selling WATP? I have let them know in my best Spanglish, "it's an outrage".

Here's the gig. Chris issues a statement backed by the club. 'Apologies, I've had my £30 of software moment. In future, I shall ensure James Cook edits all my outpourings'.

We have film footage of the then Sellik Chairman, Brian Quinn on stage at the Clanree Hotel in Donegal; he is clapping his hands and singing a song lionising PIRA. Accompanying him are the then Sellik players, Pearson and Hartson, going at it with gusto. No news source would touch it, eventually the Aberdeen based P and J broke ranks, and the maelstrom ensued, or did it? A three line whip was imposed, no calls, no discussion, no amplification. A couple of days later, Peter Lawwell pulled the plug, "thirty pounds of software". That line, "thirty pounds of software" was the lifebelt needed for many to hold on to, as the good ship, 'Sellik' was safely navigated into calmer waters. The above is what Stuart Cosgrove labels, "whataboutery". It's a principle that Stuart only applies to Rangers and Rangers supporters because whataboutery is often awkward and inconvenient to his argument. Further, Cosgrove has stated that the RST should not get involved in making statements, better confined to achieving fans' representation. The constraints applied to Rangers supporters grows, denied usage of words, parameters on involvement, and we should always be mindful of whataboutery. James Cook's revenge, and that is what this is because Gerry McCulloch has told us so, will result in lots of high fiving and synchronised sniggering at Pacific Quay if the new Board bends. Meanwhile, Chris Graham should subject himself to a penny lecture on DISCIPLINE.

I got in from the game last evening and CQN was alive in anticipation of this particular tweet. It seemed obvious this would be currency on today's news at some point, the level of amplification to be decided. My money was on the Herald's Gerry Braiden to break the story and lead the charge. I am not attempting a shoot the messenger type mitigation, but why James Cook? He is the chosen messenger. Have James Cook and Chris Graham had a spat in the past, is it an evening of the score on Cook's part? Do we know anything about Cook's motivation?

I seem to remember, John is a time-served Joiner.

Inevitably over last weekend, comparisons were being made with Elmer Fudd's takeover at ra Piggery. Of course, it was presented as Elmer riding astride a white unicorn into a lush emerald green valley. I remember differently, Elmer rode off into a Bahamian sunset with new wife and £39million in his back pocket. The first game after McCann's takeover was Motherwell at Swine Pastures, 35,000 rolled up to witness a 0-1 pumping by the claret and amber. It's also noteworthy, McCann was four years into his tenure before ra Sellik secured the title. Our road back to the top will be similarly long and weary.

Can I just say? Power to the woggle.

Only, if you agree a three year membership with the Tufty Club.

I volunteer to Chair tomorrow's EGM at Ibrox. My qualifications are thus : Five year membership of the Tufty Club, three years perfect attendance at the Band of Hope, and seven years as a Cub and Scout. Now, bringing the qualities of penetrative thought and foresight to the fore, all garnered from the august organisations mentioned above. I require volunteers to form a firing squad to accommodate Messers Lambias and Leach. I can assure Gersnetters, I hold a further qualification to plan and conduct ranges (stages 1-5) on all infantry weapons. I will also volunteer to officiate as OC firing Squad.

Another predictable piece from Andrew H Smith(whatever became of the H). The former Editor of the Sellik View quotes Brian Dempsey, a man that Elmer Fudd jettisoned within weeks because he failed to cough up the promised funding. What about Brian these days? Declared bankrupt with debts of £11million two years past. Why the sanctimonious Yahoos continue to love dearest Brian is a mystery; surely, there should be a Brian Dempsey Bankruptcy Blog? Gets my vote for the Orwell Prize.

This is interesting. I have banged on about selected interested parties in both broadcast and print media being invited to lunch with the Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland last autumn. Cosgrove was breathless with excitement, before and after the event. The word from CQN was the LA had no interest in pursuing any parties for useage of the 'H' term. The appointment of fellow big, big Sellik man, Michael Mathieson as Justice Minister appeared to reinforce the dynamic. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of Nicola's office, when Frank and Mike are asked to contribute. Well done for taking such action.

The caravan moves on, the Easdales' dogs', Jack and Bill continue to bark by proxy. Recovery of the club assets will be long and weary.

I hope I am wrong, but I am becoming increasingly anxious about the choreography and mood music surrounding this latest furore. If we go back a decade and look at events surrounding Villarreal, an organisation headed by Piara Powar(married to big Sellik fan, Aasmah Mir) called FARE(Football Against Racism in Europe) reported Rangers on a number of counts. The evidence was accrued and presented by FARE, UEFA accepted it and began a series of punishments against Rangers. The thing is, with hindsight, we can see their was a number of journos in the know. The main man in the know, was Spiers. His product in both broadcast and print had been demanding punishment from UEFA and he adopted a 'told you so' attitude when it duly arrived. He reacted strongly and defensively when Bears wanted to know their accusers. There was no need to know, Rangers supporters should confine their energies to sorting the problem. The immediate linking of Chelsea supporters' actions on the Paris metro with Rangers was made pre-Collymore tweet, by Spiers on BBC Radio Scotland on Thursday. Cosgrove and Eamon O'Neill piled in too, and Friday evening's events reinforced the thrust. A weekend of the usual suspects predicting no action from the footballing authorities, has been justified by Doncaster's comments. 'A told you so' this time will see demands for UEFA to get reinvolved and greater powers to be prepared at Holyrood. Both Frank Mulholland(Lord Advocate) and Michael Mathieson(Justice Minister) are season ticket holders at Sellik Park. I can see another bigger stick being fashioned to beat Rangers.

The latest stick fashioned to beat Rangers, includes some foresight and penetrative thought. I listened to Cosgrove on BBC Radio Scotland on Saturday and he levelled the accusatory finger of 'WHATABOUTERY'. Rangers supporters must own up to the problem and deal with it, without reference to what supporters of other teams are singing/chanting. Cause and effect has no relevance, Rangers operate in a vacuum. He added that the footballing authorities will do nothing as usual, hinting those in charge are predetermined to ensure calm waters for the good ship, Rangers. Further, Rangers supporters organisations like the RST should NOT issue statements reference Stan Collymore, they should stick to achieving club ownership. Michael Grant was a guest and he penned an article in Monday's Herald reinforcing Cosgrove's musings on 'whataboutery'. The Observer's Daniel Taylor weight in too, sectarianism is a peculiar Rangers problem and he could not help himself with a wee zombie reference. Delahunt and Keevins demand Friday night's events be treated in isolation, without added reference. The parameters of the debate have been determined before it takes place.

Zappa, I provided the match preview for the Hearts abandoned game at Ibrox, could I ensure continuity of the re-arranged fixture on 050415?

I thought I would share Radio Snyde's Objective Host of ra Show, Jim Delahunt's latest words of wisdom with fellow Gersnetters. After taking calls on another bout of sectarian singing by our on-message fellow Bears, Jim was impatient with Nuremberg Hugh's soliloquy and decided to grip the situation, "the Rangers Chairman, David Somers must make a statement on events at Stark Park". The Shugster correctly points out that Somers would not understand the subject matter. Undeterred, a strident Jim counters, "the Easdale brothers are steeped in both Rangers and west of Scotland culture, they should be making a statement on the matter, tonight". Who is more out of touch with the sensitivities of the Rangers support; the current Board or Jim(the thruster)Delahunt?

I propose the Curate's Egg , 'good in parts' approach. Let's lift what is good from wherever it emanates, and utilise it for the greater Rangers support good. Why waste energy investigating the derivation.

Craig Whyte's fortune hangs in the balance ...... Tip the scales.

The current Board have always harboured aspirations to host a three-ring-circus.

The Herald online community is a fetid swamp of Rangers hatred. It's the usual suspects, Yahoos, Dandy Dons, Jambos, Hibees, and Arabs. Constant ridicule competes with pyshing competitions ie 'we hate Rangers more than your lot'. It has been rehashed to hold on to their commenting community, which in turn has an impact on advertising revenue. It's an important factor, the Herald online commenting community(there must be a collective noun) hate Rangers more than the Hootsmon, P and J, Courier, ....... etc.