26th of foot

Thanks for the reminder, packing my bergen at this mo'; will include lubrication. "ah don't wanna squeal like a hog"

Currently, I am in the Shenandoah Valley(Virginia/West Virginia). I did NOT know this game was on, there has been NO build up coverage this side of the pond. I need my sleep as I am walking part of the Shenandoah Valley Loop over the next three days. I am paying homage to a fine up standing Presbyterian, Stonewall Jackson. I doubt any of the local bars are showing the game.

Glenn Gibbons has spent 40 years spitting the same old, same old Rangers hating venom. Spiers regularly lionised 'the Great Gibbo' in his Sports Diary columns in both Scotland on Sunday and ra Herald. If anyone cares to relate their objections to Glenn's bile, then Quins Bar at Bishopbriggs Cross is his republican slop house of choice.

I am over State-side at this moment and have followed reaction to the latest BBC documentary on Gersnet. It appears to be the proverbial Curate's Egg, good in parts where it shines much needed light into dark corners. Oh, as we all know, there are many dark corners at Rangers these last dozen years. BBC Scotland's continual portrayal of the Rangers support ie Sammy is a dearly held comfort blanket. It perpetuates and reaffirms their necessary hatred. Mark Daly will be remembered by Bears for the latter aspect of his piece. I have stated before that their is a large group of west-end media types that have dinner partied these last 20-25 years on starters, main courses, and puddings of Rangers hating fare. The O'Hara brothers, Lawrence Donegan, Maggie Shiels, Joan McAlpine, Pat Kane, ................... etc. It would appear their collective arm has been thrown around Mark Daly, they have shown him the path to on message success. As for Spiers, he is their truculent bam willing to peddle succulent lamb apocryphal tales. He begs for recognition at their table.

I will be in attendance. I will worship at the altar of the sublime Dave Smith, admit admiration for Alfie Conn, and tolerate Billy(Wan Fit)Mathieson(couldnae kick doors at Halloeen). It will be fcuking brilliant to laud and applaud the squad(including Jim Denny) that provided the best season of my Rangers supporting life. Defeating the national cup winners of France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and Russia is a real deal achievement. Further, the story of Rangers taking on the Soviet KGB team in the final in Catalonia amid Fascist Spain is yet to be fully told.

I believe the deadline for the hooped hordes to renew their season tickets for another nine months amid breeze-block bile, is the 19th of this month. Given the raging uncertainty that swirls around our club at the moment, the many Yahoos who have shares in a brain must be party to the musing, 'actually what are we receiving for our dosh'? Well, there's 19 home games against average to less than average opposition. Further, there's a CL pre-qualification round or two that will almost certainly see them relegated to another qualification round for the Europa Cup. However, we must not forget that after Manager of the Year and tactical genius, Neil laments, "we don't seem to get any breaks in Europe", there is certainty that whoever humped them will have been found to have broken a transfer embargo. The General Secretary of the CSA, Mad Joe O'Rourke is on record as supporting all calls from his member clubs to bhoycott renewals unless Rangers(newco) are relegated to SFL 3. Nearly every Yahoo that has called a radio open line, or corresponded with a newspaper has also promulgated Mad Joe's line. It will be most interesting to hear the take up percentage on the 20th. I suspect what we all know to be true will be confirmed, they only turn up to see the Rangers.

Okay, quid pro quo on transparency and clarity. Stewart, how much of an influence is your brother, Michael? As a Senior Lecturer in Irish Studies at Durham University, when did Michael start blowing cheese through a hole in his balaclava? We should be told.

The journo that penned the piece is the Herald's Chief Sports Writer, Hugh MacDonald. He succeeded Spiers in that designation, previously he was the Herald's Literary Editor for a decade. Where to begin with just another hate filled maggot? As Literary Editor, he panned Nick Hornby's 'Fever Pitch', stated it did not compare to David Bennie's 'Not Playing for Celtic'. I have read both tomes and in the case of Fever Pitch, re-read it. Former rc priest, MacDonald is correct in that they don't compare. One book is a wonderful narrative on Arsenal obsession, the other muses lots on rare skin conditions, rc retreats, and attending ra Piggery. During ra Sellik's run to Suvul, MacDonald was beside himself on media coverage of his hooped heroes. He demanded BBC Scotland hand over their entire broadcast capacity(radio and TV) to noon to midnight blanket coverage of each game. He returned to this demand for the third time when BBC Scotland's Director General replied in a several paragraph letter to the Herald's correspondence pages. He ridiculed MacDonald, pointed out every game had received both radio and TV live coverage, and BBC Scotland had other responsibilities. MacDonald is just another Sellik loving, Rangers hating obsessive.

Twenty years ago, ra Sellik were in deepest financial trouble. The situation rumbled on for 4-5 years before McCann arrived before the padalocks went on the gates at ra piggery. During that whole period, Radio Snyde was owned by Sir Jimmy Gordon(mega Yahoo) and it's Chief Executive and Head of Sport was former Sellik PRO, Paul Cooney. Regularly, Cooney would open the programme pronouncing, "tonight's phone-in is for Celtic supporters only". He would explain that other callers would have to wait to the next programme because, "Celtic supporters deserve facts, not speculation". Thus, Nuremberg Hugh would sit in ra Piggery car park in the Radio Snyde outside broadcast car and host McCann, Brian Dempsey, Wullie Haughey, ......etc; all spouting the heavy pressure line to remove the incumbant Board. It was controlled to achieve a specific aim. It worked. Today, it's another couple of junglies hosting ra show, Jim ra Tim Delahunt and former Sellik TV presenter, Gerry McCulloch. Rangers fans receive nothing other than speculation. Obviously, we deserve disdain. Not once has Radio Snyde replicated the sanitised phone-in treatment awarded to ra Yahoos two decades past. Only last week, Delahunt told the listenership that Bill Miller's plans to appeal to the 20 million folks in the States claiming Scottish diaspora would fail because 12-15 million of them were Sellik supporters. Sometimes the comedy writes itself. When Rangers get through this horrific period, we MUST remember Snyde's approach

Succulent Lamb Journalism. Spiers attended SDM's Jersey home and was served local lamb. Spiers described the meal as convivial, the served lamb as particularly succulent. A piece completed and published over a dozen years past is continually cast up as a metaphor for the perceived cosy relationship between the Scottish media and Rangers. As Bears, we know the reality. When MON's first season culminated in a treble, ra Sellik organised a thank-you for a couple of dozen hacks who had adhered slavishly to the on message club line. The location was One Devonshire Gardens(currently the Hotel du Vin) in the west end of the city. It was a long, boozy lunch, lasting until early evening. Those in attendance included : Guidi, Gibbons, McCarra, Spiers, Cooney, Phil Gordon, the O'Hara brothers, Keevins, MacDonald, ..............................................., etc In principle, was this episode another incident of succulent lamb journalism? Of course it is, although I prefer to think of it as a gathering of Truculent Bam Journalism.

Another fine left back in the mold of Billy Mathieson and Stuart Munro. Unsung, but not unloved.

I will be in Tennessee for several days later this month/early next month. May as well flash my Gersnet credentials, introduce myself to Hill Billy Miller, and pose a few questions. What should I ask?

The strapline on SSN is naming Bill Miller as preferred bidder, quoting Rangers' administrators.

Clearly, there is a concurrent choreography going on in the shadows of the Rangers crisis. The shadows get longer and the power struggle becomes keener. Another Rangers hating Lawwell placeman will further expose the Board to ridicule. Once again, Lawwell will be trawling his comprehensive file marked, 'useful idiots'.

The original article by Boss is exceptional, it exposes Drysdale and the SFA. Leggat's exposure of the press conference is interesting, highlighting an agenda driven BBC Scotland. It was Alastair Lamont who repeatedly attempted to bait McCoist. Clearly, his News Editor, Dairmid O'Hara instructed him to illicit a particular response. Ally's refusal to take the bait shows a mature awareness, I suspect BBC Scotland are realising the law of diminishing returns.

I seem to remember reports at the very start of this season stating Dundee United required an urgent injection of capital. There were genuine fears that ra Arabs would NOT see the season through. Thompson pumped in another £250,000 from his personal finances(to protect the family investment) and put up security to borrow a further £500,000. Over the last dozen years, Dundee United have bennefited from Rangers visiting Tannadice thrice on at least two occasions. This equates to a clear several hundred thousand pounds being pumped into United. Maybe Big Fun has been superceeded by economic reality?

I like it; however combined with the red socks(white tops), it brings back horrific memories of the 1969 Scottish Cup final.

Tease? This week has seen a huge TV expose of Care Homes, I hope Alastair Munting is a man of moral fortitude?

Craig Whte is a willing 'Daftie for Hire'. He can walk, talk, smile, ............. and just about deliver a written paragraph to the broadcast media. I would allow him to chose the appropriate price. Hanging, burning, bayoneting, garroting, disembowling, ............. etc.

For decades, Sellik minded individuals complained on Snyde that their old Board were fiddling(a most appropriate word when discussing anything Sellik) attendances. The Biscuit Tin was very real. The Kellys, Whytes, Grants, etc would cram the day's takings into the tin and remove several grand for personal purpose. They would make an adjustment of 3-4,000 on the attendance to justify the deduction. This action that went on week in, week out for several decades is now used as a stick to beat the old Board and as fuel for endless wink, wink jokes. These same Yahoos, full of moral fortitude and sanctimousity will flood Snyde lines in the coming weeks demanding their club pay ALL the back taxes owed on the fiddle. We know that they are principled folks, arn't they?

Here's the gig. We win - Thomson will be crucified. All the usual calls for transparency/clarity will ensue. They win - no mention of Thomson. Cavalier football, Lennon's a tactical genius, Sellik to win the Champions League, ..................... yada, yada, yada A draw - certain aspects of Thomson's performance will come under considerable scrutiny. Expect BBC Scotland's highlight package to be extended to bring the full spotlight to bear.

"Haw Graham, fancy some Whyte relief"?

When Fergie left Rangers, he headed to East End Park. His first competitive game for the Pars was the opening game of the season against ra Sellik. It finished 0-0, but the remarkable feature of the match was the constant stream of vile sectarian abuse dished out by TGFITW. So much so, MON was questioned on it post-match, his reply was anodyne, "Ferguson is old enough and big enough to take it". I remember the Herald's Monday match report penned by ra Bhoy in Corduroy. He had spent the previous year pleading with MON to do lunch, it was obsessive, unrequited love. Thus, in the match report he parcelled Fergie's vile haranguing and the beloved MON's response in a mitigating one line, "Ian Ferguson has all the charm of a child molestor". I hope that Fergie returns to these shores one day and does well with Graham Spiers.

Rangers were founded by teenagers, all the early reports of the club highlighted their enthusiastic approach. Rangers were the light and speedy blues. A word, 'SPIRIT' became synonymous with our club; whether it was the spirit of Rangers or the spirit of Ibrox. The word, SPIRIT defined our first 50 years. My first game was in the early 60s, at Cathkin Park against Third Lanark. It was the opening game of the season, the sun shone and my father placed me over the wall to sit on the wide grass verge with the other boys. I was aware of the growing excitement of those surrounding, everytime the team in blue went forward. It was heady, the feeling of oneness was overwhelming. I fell in love with the SPIRIT. At the age of 7-8, 3-4 years after the described event, I fell in love with Rangers. Whatever happens, whatever becomes of my club, whatever manifestation it takes, .............................. I look forward to falling in love all over again.

No Surrender.