26th of foot

These last dozen days, I have found myself among the pastis sipping, navette munching, and lavender wearing surrender monkeys du sud de la France. It's a common sight to see the youth sporting the football tops of Barca, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, and particularly Olympic Marseille. I know Gersnetters, like me you are non-plussed at the absence in that list of the Greatest football club in the world. Peter Lawwell has been telling all and sundry for five years that ra Sellik are a world brand, proud of heritage and origins, and project an instantly recognisable image. The green'n'grey hoops are unique in world football; well, unless your in Yeovil, Dublin, Lisbon, .................. etc . In the rice paddies of Japan/China, the Kim-chi fields of Korea, .................. and in the Fergese Tirane kitchens of Albania; men and women crowded around short wave radio sets, avidly listening to live commentry of ra Sellik. Children in Ulan Bator are soothed to sleep each evening by Glen Daily's, 'it's a grand old team'. It's all true, continually reinforced by both broadcast and print media performing mutual masterbation. How can the EPL resist? I note Lawwell's latest musings on, "the English and Welsh premiership". I have found a place where we can all breath, it's at the mouth of the Rhone, Arles is a tranquil idyll. A Roman town with lots of architecture to prove it, an amphitheatre, an arena, and bath houses too. I spoke with some American archaeologists last evening, on a three month dig in the amphitheatre. They may have found Russell Crow's flip-flop, but have discovered no trace of ra Sellik. It was market day today, Arles temporarily has no Les Halles, they close the main drag for a kilometre and a couple of hundred stalls appear for the morning. It's the usual mix of local and world wide produce. My wife ensured two hours in the locale, no sign of green'n'grey. A stall selling football tops had the usual suspects including a whole host of North African jerseys, but alas no ra Sellik. There's an Irish pub, I ventured in, the usual homage to Plastique Paddery adorned the walls, again no trace of ra Sellik. Fellow Gersnetters, I give you Arles and the Camargue. Even the local cowboys don't wear corduroy.

It's Travis that deserves the recognition, but I suppose I had better offer congrats to Scott. The folks in Forfar, at the Guide Dog Training School will be well chuffed. I hope Travis is presented at Buck' Palace, give him an opportunity to take a chunk or two out of a corgi?

Aidan Smith is a Hibby, who penned a tome about supporting Hearts for a season. Oh, wait a minute, he also revealed his old man was a Sellik supporter and he was too, until his middle teenage years. Aidan is a product of his conditioning, he suffers from the effects of multi social and economic deprivation so prevelent in Edinburgh's New Town. Aidan's alma mater is Fettes College; yep that one, attended by Tony Blair and SDM. Aidan talks sh1te.

Ian provides an opportunity to every Gersnetter. Surely, it's then up to each and every Gersnetter to avail themselves or not, of the opportunity provided?

Now, both Nicky Campbell and Graham Spiers are alumni of St Andrews University. Campbell attended the English Lit' faculty, Spiers hung around the Divinity faculty like a bad smell. I suspect both were undergraduates at the same time period. I wonder who was the most pompous? Which one swept across the cobbled streets on his bicycle, replete in flowing crimson gown? In other words, who shagged who?

I am making this point in isolation, it is NOT mitigation for the intended assault on Lennon. In almost fifty years of attending Scottish football, last night's chanting from ra Yahoos situated in the Roseburn Stand, was the worst I have heard. It began in the first minute ans was sustained with unbridled gusto until the last minute. It was the full lexicon of the IRA songbook. Minute 2: oh ah up the ra. Minute 4 : Roll of Honour. Minute 7 : Boys of the Old Brigade. Minute 11 : oh ah up the ra. Minute 15 : oh the wee huns are shite. Minute 22 : The Merry Ploughboy. Minute 29 : Sean South of Garyowen. Minute 39 : get the Brits out now. Minute 44 : oh ah up the ra. Minute 50 : PIRA. Minute 53 : IRA. Minute 55 : Never Defeat the IRA. Minute 58 : Jim Jefferiries is a sad orange bastard. Minute59 : oh the wee huns are shite. Minute 64 : Fcuk the Queen, IRA all the way. Minute 66 : Off to join the IRA. Minute 72 : Michael Fagan shagged the Queen. Minute 73 : go home ya huns. Minute 79 : Go home British Soldiers. Minute oh the wee huns are shite.

The Land Register states Murray Park is owned by Rangers.

I would like to thank everyone for their contributions and I am encouraged by the interest shown. The influence being wielded by ra Sellik from representation at the highest level, has been considerable. It's only a couple of years past that four members of Westminster CSC were members of the British Government Cabinet. John Reid, Des Browne, Jim Murphy, and Brian Wilson were four members of 18. No other club in the UK could boast such influence. Westminster CSC was founded 15 years ago and is open to both Houses of Parliament, it's membership has never fell below 50. The cronyism involved has been considerable and goes across party divide. Denis Cannavan was a Labour MP for quarter of a century, he was dismayed when he was NOT selected by the Labour Party to be a MSP in 1999. He stood as an independent and won his local seat in Falkirk. He retired in 2007 and immediately transferred his support to fellow Sellik season ticket holder and SNP candidate, Michael Mathieson who has won the same seat the last two elections. Nepotism is another huge problem among Sellik minded representitives. The last Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin ensured his son, Paul Martin was a shoo in as a MSP for the same seat, Springburn. The McCabes, McAvoys, McElhones, ......etc have all acted similarly. My own MSP, Michael McMahon has been involved in nepotism twice. After election in 1999, he was the last of the 129 MSPs to speak at Holyrood, almost two years after the opening. His first contribution was at the specific request of Cardinal Winning. The topic was Clause 28, he was determined that information on homosexuality would NOT be made available in denominational schools. Michael was horrorfied his children would be subjected to such information; however, we could only assume child rape by the school chaplin was not such a horrorfying thought? Anyway, just after Mad Mick's first contribution, the Polis raided his Holyrood office and took away his official personal computer. Subsequently, his Research Assistant(and nephew) was charged with five counts of child porn downloads. McMahon's next go at nepotism has been far more successful, last Thursday Siobhan McMahon was elected as a MSP on the central Scotland list. I believe she is 26, graduated five years past, worked in the meantime as Jim Murphy MP'S Research Assistant. Siobhan is Michael's daughter and like her old man has been heavily involved in the census Irish ethnicity, the Irish Famine memorial at Carfin, and Sellik season ticket holder. Let's hope all these Yahoos leading the dolce vita as MP s, MSPs, and Councilors; end up in the same place as former MP and professional Sellik supporter, Jim Devine.

I hope Admin' can leave this thread on the Rangers Chat side of things, certain aspects of yesterday's election will have an impact on the club we all love. First, the good news. A fair number of long term Rangers haters have had the electoral boot applied to their collective arses. The generation long comfort zone whereby Labour party apparatchiks in west central Scotland habitually exhibited their support for Irish nationalism, whilst vehemently denying the same principle to their fellow Scots, has been exposed absolutely. Frank McAveety's role in the recent census, encouraging his fellow Yahoos to tick the box for Irish ethnicity has had the effect of him losing his Glasgow Shettleston seat. Michael McMahon MSP also chorused vicTIMhood and he has seen his majority slashed from several thousand to several hundred in Lanarkshire. Other Yahoos that have bit the dust are Tom McCabe in Hamilton and Larkhall, Pauline McNeill in Glasgow Kelvin, and Charlie Gordon in Glasgow Cathcart. Clearly, there will be chasms of hospitality space available at ra Sellik's next home game. Charlie Gordon is a former Convenor of the Glasgow City Council Labour grouping. He moved to Holyrood several years past, whilst maintaining his position on the Board of Scottish Enterprise(Glasgow). Along with Paul Cooney, Wullie Haughey, Alec Mosson, ...... etc; this particular Board wielded considerable clout in ensuring three streets sold to ra Sellik for a penny, the Commonwealth Games being centred on ra Stydome, and the re-location of a number of Quangos, including Sports Scotland across the London Road from ra Stade de Gadd. Pauline McNeill is a rabid Yahoo, a protege of both former Glasgow Lord Provost, Alec Mosson and former Hillhead MP, George Galloway. Further, it's good to know, George has fail failed to access Holyrood on the Glasgow list. Of course, some of the SNP MSPs are cut from the same cloth. Linda Fabiani's victory in East Kilbride provides a platform to someone who is no shrinking violet in the sectarianism debatew. Michael Mathieson MSP for Falkirk West wanted every match official to declare their childhood football alegiance. The worst news is former Deputy Editor of ra Herald, Joan McAlpine has won a seat as part of the south of Scotland list. Pat Kane's former wife hates Rangers with a rare passion, she used to exhibit her Irish national credentials on her websirte, 'Go Lassie, Go'. Her most inspirational hours were not the birth of her children, or marriage, .... etc; nope, she cites her attendance at convicted murderer and terrorist, Bobby Sands funeral. I believe McAlpine wields huge influence with the SNP leadership, she writes most of Salmond's speeches.

Surely, the Bears in both the main stand and enclosure were enquiring of Spiersy, 'what's it like to take it in the rear'?

Five-six weeks past, Neil Lennon was in the High Court in Nothern Ireland reference liability on a land deal worth several millions. His co-signatory on that deal was Thomas Murphy, better known as PIRA chief, 'Slab Murphy'. Google the jolly craicster Slab and you may want to reconsider the source of these devices?

I guess Mr King can telephone Joe Lewis to find out what is at the centre of a doughnut.

I agree. Press the ball and the space around the ball, in the same way we did against Killie in the Scottish Cup game at Ibrox and ra Sellik in the League Cup final. It's hard graft, but the high energy approach must prevail in these last seven games.

Hugh MacDonald replaced ra Bhoy in Corduroy as ra Herald's Chief Sports Writer. Previously, he was ra Herald's Literary Editor. In this designation, he had several columns in the various Herald Sports supplements. Where to begin? He chastised BBC Scotland during ra Sellik's run to Suvul, claiming their coverage was inadequate. Hugh wanted a full dozen hours saturation coverage of each match; before, during, and after on both radio and TV. BBC Scotland's head honcho, McQuarrie wrote a several paragraph piece for the ra Herald's correspondence page, pointing out they had covered every game live on both radio and TV and MacDonald's demands were ridiculous. Ridiculous and MacDonald are well aquainted bedfellows. He wrote of his attendance at St Mungo Academy, gathering in the school toilets on the days of Euro games at ra Piggery, to belt out rebel songs. He admitted to growing up in a household where neither his father, nor grandfather ever used the term, 'Rangers'! What term did they use? He declared the closing of Royston Road to hold a street party celebrating Wim Jansen's ending of ten-in-a-row as a, "legitimate expression of Irish identity". Hhhmm, one murder, one attempted murder, a rape, 106 arrests, the busiest night in the Royal's A and E for a generation, ................. etc. Aye Hugh, you are probably correct. Even as Literary Editor, Hugh could not help himself. He penned a piece slaughtering Nick Hornby's 'Fever Pitch'; stating it did not reach the heights of a proper supporter's tome such as, 'Not Playing for Celtic' by David Bennie. I checked out said tome in my public library, it was published several years after Hornby's extraordinary book, in truth it read like a homage. Bennie is a prod' from Carntyne who decided to support ra green'n'grey, he had a close friend who was a priest, and a number of not very interesting skin afflictions. Believe me, that sypnopsis is over promoting the book. Thus, what was MacDonald's motivation for dammning Hornby? I could go on, suffice to say like several others in the Scottish footballing media, Hugh is himself a former priest. Gerry McCulloch, Martin Hannan, Tom English, ..... et all. Truly, Hugh is just another bitter bastard.

Absolutely. A couple of years past, he asked the PF office in Glasgow to drop charges against Douglas Haggarty, the Legal Services Chief of the Scottish Legal Aid Board(SLAB). Now, Paul McBride was a member of the SLAB Board too. He advocated there was not enough evidence to convict his chum on the charge of soliciting a teenage rent boy in the toilets of the St Enoch centre. Despite two Security Guards and two Police officers following Haggarty and the boy into the toilets, the PF agreed with McBride's request and all charges were dropped. A Fiscal fine was deemed more appropriate than court proceedings, thus avoiding bad publicity for SLAB. In 2009, Paul McBride's earnings from Legal Aid fees exceeded �£200,000. Now, if McBride thinks the SFA are corrupt and bias, what does he say about his involvement with SLAB? We should be told.

The Scottish legal system's most high profile chutney sniper has utilised the opportunity provided by BBC Radio Scotland, to spit venom upon the decisions reached this afternoon by the SFA's Disciplinary Committee. My sources tell me that BBC Scotland's Chris McLaughlin contacted McBride by telephone asking for his opinions on Ally McCoist having his two match ban overturned on appeal, and both Bougherra and Diouf being subjected to heavy fines, as opposed to bans. At this point, I should remind Gersnetters what Jim Traynor said earlier this season regarding his colleague, Chris McLaughlin, "clearly, he is a sill for Celtic football club". The telephone was handed to fellow Sellik supporter, Kheredine Idessane who provided the required lubrication for McBride's hissing fit. The QC stated, "the SFA are the laughing stock of world football". He goes on, "any sensible person will conclude the SFA are dishonest". Further, he concludes, "the SFA have shown themselves to be not only disfunctional but bias". Now, I am positive I read at the weekend that ra Sellik had proclaimed their war of words with the SFA was over? McBride's state of tumescence is becomming more obvious. He was first introduced as, 'someone close to the Celtic Board' late last year in the immediate wake of Dougie McDonald's and Hugh Dallas's resignations. Increasingly, his utterances allow ra Sellik to abdicate their responsibilities. He has no official connection, other than being Neil Lennon's lawyer. He is free to toss hand grenades, he is the IRA to ra Sellik's Sinn Fein. As much as he would enjoy the experience, the SFA cannot dsiciplne McBride. I suspect the QC has lost his discipline because he adopted the role of Sellik's attack dog, he confirmed his rabid credentials by sinking his teeth into Rangers. McBride questions the words used by McCoist to stimulate Lennon's angry response, wants to know why Bougherra confronted the Celtic Physio' in the tunnel, and demands why Diouf was allowed to contradict a Match Commander;s decision and manhandled the referee. McBride wonders aloud as to the consequences of Celtic players behaving likewise tonight in Perth? It may be convenient for ra jobby jabber to say the things ra Sellik Board think, but I suspect the real reason for McBride's venom is bad advice offered to Neil Lennon. Ally McCoist appealed after taking counsel, he succeeded, his ban overturned. Lennon did not appeal on advice from McBride, and thus has sustained a two match ban(concurrently). Neil Lennon must feel shafted!

Whilst walking along Paisley Road West on Saturday, I listened in on my new DAB radio(tiny thing it is too). Traynor destroyed Chico, constantly jabbing at his competence and questioning BBC Scotland's continued employment of the clown. Interestingly, a number of Yahoos raised the mis-match on Radio Snyde's phone-in that evening. Jim Delahunt(the latest Objective Host of ra Show) was quick to defend Chico and assure his fellow happy hoopsters, "Alastair Johnston did nod". As they say, a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse.

I switched on BBC Scotland's Ceefax pages at 7.30 this morning. Both local news and sport, pages 160 and 390 respectively chorused, "Rangers Debt increased to 29million". At 9.30, it changed to, "Rangers Debt Increases by 3.5million". At this moment it reads, "Rangers suffer �£3.5million Profits loss". It would appear BBC Scotland are determined to put a negative spin on the interim results.

Aw naw, Phil ra Fantasist will become depressed, again. Any Gersnetters willing to chip in to pay Phil's taxi fare to the centre of the Erskine Bridge?

I believe the ground that is currently the car park and was the Albion Training ground, was originally purchased by funds raised by the Rangers Supporters Association. The training ground was effectively one grass pitch and two black ash pitches, it opened early-mid fifties. As Leggo stated, the planning consent for the Club Deck included the proviso that a car park be built. A Special General Meeting was called and the Albion was transferred over for a nominal sum. When the Casino thing was floated, Glasgow City Council awarded further development consent on the ground, thus making the land more valuable. I think the ground is now owned by Premier Property Group(PPG), David E Murray owns the vast majority of the equity in PPG. I would hope this would not be a deal breaker, the Whyte camp can refer to Elmer Fudd's building of ra Stade de Gadd; the then Glasgow District Council Planning Committee waived the need for a car park to service a far bigger build. I seem to remember they were happy as long as their beloved Sellik stated an intent to build a car park in the future. As many have said, disengaging all those Murray owned companies that have contracts to provide services to Rangers, could take years. I hope not.

I believe Frankie can be seen performing this very talent at any number of East and Mid Lothian Miners' Welfares(including Morningside) on Sunday evenings. Often, he is billed between the Bingo and the Hoat Pea Special serving.

Tom Devine paints a picture with a most familiar style, namely sectarianism is a one way street. His contribution, both in court and in print on the Herald's correspondence page is another determined effort to legitimise his fellow Sellik supporters continued lionisation of the IRA. Back in the spring of '93, I was coming to the end of my professional life. I travelled by rail on a Saturday morning from Liverpool to Glasgow, my aim to attend the olf firm match at ra Piggery. The date was the 230393, the train was full of Yahoos, a lot of them Irish. It was their home game and they drank and sang their way through the IRA songbook. At Carlisle, the news swept throughout the train that two bombs had been detonated without warning in the town of Warrington. The Yahoos went into a frenzy, some were salivating in anticipation at the carnage and destruction. The last hour of that journey will always stay with me, the intensity of their singing moved through the gears of increased excitement. I alighted from the train at Central and crossed to the Toby Jug. In contrast, the pub was quiet as reports filtered through from Warrington on the TV behind the bar. I met my mates, we shared a taxi to Parkhead, the driver said the radio was reporting the death of a child. We lost that game 2-1, it did NOT matter. The Jungle chorused one song of IRA support after another throughout the game. By seven O'Clock that night, we knew two children had been murdered, 3 year old Jonathan Ball and 12 year old Tim Parry. PIRA's recce of the Warrington shopping centre had spotted an opportunity to maximise damage by placing two bombs in two metal litter bins. In effect, those lattice containers became hundreds of pieces of lacerating shrapnel. Deliberate detonation without warning highlighted their murderous intent. And, Tom Devine wants us to believe that singing songs in support of an organisation capable of the above, is a legitimate act?

I note Journo, Martin Williams is again operating at his selective best. Aynone who has read any of Mad Joe O'Rourke's epistles over this season, including yesterday's; will know he habitually loses his discipline. Constantly, he refers to Rangers supporters by the 'H' term, whilst pointing the accusory finger on sectarianism. Oh the irony, but as is often said, ra Yahoos don't do irony. Further, yesterday's attack from Mad Joe stated Ibrox was, "a cess pit"; however, Martin Williams appears to have spared Mad Joe any embarrassment. I wonder if Peter Kearney will be writing to the Diocese of Oregon where the Jesuit order have a agrred a pay-out of in excess of 160million dollars for 60 years of child abuse against native American children? Or, how about correspondence with Strathclyde Poilce after yesterday's conviction in a Perth court of a constable singing songs in support of the IRA?

There appears to be more than a hint of a suggestion that Rangers have both visual and audio proof of Lennon racially abusing both Diouf and Weiss in the tunnel at half time, during the Scottish Cup game. Further, I would suggest that the Match Commander has allowed both the referee and subsequently the SPL room to manoeuvre on the issue. Clearly, the ref' and the SPL do not want to pull the pin on this particular grenade. Thus, the Match Commander is abdicating his responsibilities if he does not send a report to the PF. It has been widely reported that Lennon is conspicuous by his absence. I wonder if both ra Sellik and Paul McBride have ensured Lennon's retirement hors de combat? Leggo' is correct, the whole issue stinks.

Ah, Sean Murphy from Prestwick. Again, as he has often done in the past, Sean evoked the sensitivities of his young son being subjected to the singing of the big bad Rangers support. Phil McGillivan utilises his daughter, Roisin in the same regard. Amazingly, when their fellow Yahoos are indulging in full Plastic Paddy throated lionisation of those jolly child murders from the Emerald isle, the IRA, both Sean and Phil do not complain. One can only imagine their attention is distracted, as they join in with the celebration.