26th of foot

All that inner balance, ying and yang, transcendental weighted equations, life based harmony, .......................... pysh demands a daily/weekly mantra. A cerebral comfort blanket to get you through times on an even keel. Maintain your centre and you will maintain your focus.

With the above in mind, I have settled on the next week's balanced approach - 'a third choice manager results in third rate performances'.

I have related this to a few Yahoo aquaintances, iot has the desired effect. I am reinforcing it with, 'MAF is NAF'. Call me Marko(Mark Antoine Fortune) looks promising in providing short term(and let's all hope that morphs into long term) hilarity for us and excrutiating embarrassment for ra Yahoos.

Bears, find your centre and hugely enjoy the next week.

BBC Scotland's love affair with their beloved green'n'grey hoops has become increasingly apparent this last decade. Remember Suvul, BBC Scotland driving an open top double decker bus over to Anduluzia, nearly 150 staff joined the junket, and Queen Margaret Gardens operating on a skeleton staff for a week.

A succession of Sports Producers and News Editors at Beeb Scotland have ensured a Rangers hating ambience. Truly, ra Sellik are the Establishment club.

The first Rangers teams were full of willing teenagers, their absolute enthusiasm more than compensated for their lack of game nous. In the early years from playing on a the flood plain at Fleshers' Haugh, through Burnbank, to Kinning Park, the young Rangers attracted crowds in excess of 2,000(considered huged by comparitive standards). Rangers were NOT successful in their first 20 years, a few losing Scottish Cup finals, plus a few minor cups; why did these crowds continue to turn out?

It was the way Rangers attacked the game, Moses McNeil(the club's first internationalist) is the epitome of what we are attempting to get at here; he was a strong running inside forward/winger that drifted past opposition lunging tackles. When he was dispossessed, he tackled back with venom despite being callow and half the weight of his opponent. Rangers were often recorded in the newspapers as playing the game in, "a light and speedy manner".

A big part of popuarlising the game in the late Victorian era was through cigarette cards and postcards(both given free with the purchase of a packet of coffin nails and newspapers). Each club would be depicted in the way they approached the game, Rangers were always portrayed by a young athletic player running at full tilt with the ball at his feet, the underlying strap line was always, 'Rangers - the Light and Speedy Blues'.

It became journalistic and Bluenose shorthand to refer to, "the Light Blues".

Thus, nothing to do with the colour, or the depth of blue hue. It was game approach, a light and breezy style that attracted large crowds. The Rangers approach perculated through the club, the second eleven were known for 60-70 years as , 'the Swifts' - darting, rolling, balanced, swooping, turning, ........................... etc

We should be proud of our original nickname, it should endure; we are the Light Blues - absolutely.

Professional Youth football is competitive and in my opinion, exciting to watch.

Reserve football is truly awful and rarely offers worthwhile opportunity. A first team regular needing games to regain fitness is it's only real value.

The Andy Websters of this world treat reserve football with no respect, they barely achieve quarter pace. Even Youth players stepping up are subjected to the unprofessional attitude of seniors who should know better.

The only future for Rangers Reserves is to get them into Division 3. If this doen not happen, if it's not on the immediate radar, then bin the Reserves and ensure all the club's concentration and resources(after the first team squad) are poured into Youth football, it's far more important.

Moscow Dynamo were the much preferred club of the old communist Soviet secret Polis, the KGB. When we won the ECWC in Barcelona in 1972, considerable tensions arose because Spain was a fascist state under Franco. When the Bears entered the field to celebrate winning the cup, the Guardia Civil(Spain's paramilitary Polis) were immediately determined not to be seen to be losing control by a Euro wide TV audience, particularly those watching in the Soviet Union. The TV plug was pulled and batons were wielded.

Being old guard KGB will not help Dynamo, Peter Lawwell and his on message press-pack will be more than a match for them in the dirty tricks department.

Seriously, one must feel for Australia.

Everything that flies, crawls, slithers, swims, .......etc will bite you, sting you, kill you. Salt Water Crocs, Fresh Water Crocs, Taipans, King Browns, Funnel Web Spiders, Box Jellyfish, Sea Wasps, Sea Crates, Sea Snakes, ....................etc are joined by the most toxic predator on the face of this good earth - the Yahoo.

Colin Hendry is a big Bluenose from a big Bluenose family. He realised a dream in his one season at the club, winning a treble and NEVER letting the club or the support down. He was treated appallingly by wee Dick.

I believe Colin and Denise have four children. I hope they find support from the greater Rangers family.

When Fergie moved to Dunfermline, there was a notorious 0-0 draw at East End Park against Spiers green'n'grey heroes. Fergie was routinely abused in a sectarian manner. MON was indignant after the game, saying Fergie was old and big enough to take all sorts of abuse.

Now, the full attention of any Hack should have been on MON's refusal to deal with the specifics of the sectarian nature of the abuse. Spiers lead the charge of mitigation, his Herald report included the line, "Ian Ferguson has all the charm of a child molestor".

At that point Spiers lost any right to stand on the moral high ground and pontificate on sectarianism in Scottish football. He was at the game, he witnessed it, he chose to stay in MON's good books and run interference.

At the end of that season, ra Sellik rewarded all on-message journos with a slap up bash at One Devonshire Gardens. All the usual suspects were in attendance, Glenn Gibbons, McCara, Kevin McKenna, Keevins, Cooney, Delahunt, ...............etc Spiers was invited too and attended.

Spiers deserves every ridicule aimed at him, he has appeared twice on TV, on Scotsport and on Tam Cowan's Offside. On both occasions he regaled the audience with a medley of Elton John melodies. Spiers is a graduate of Divinity, his old man is/was a Baptist Minister; he knows the devil is in the detail. Thus, "Ian Ferguson has all the charm of a child molestor", what's his motivation for such a statement?

In the 1974/75 season, Stewart Kennedy was as good a goalkeeper as I have seen at Ibrox. One of the main reasons we won the League that season, of course it all went wrong after Wembley.

We took the Strathclyde Uni Union mini bus to that game, 22 of us in a sixteen seater. We were uber confident, Stewart Kennedy in goals, Alfie Conn in flowing locks strutting the midfield, and Derek Parlane up front. Conn had a decent game and Parlane was unlucky with a shot that hit the post. As for Kennedy?

I continue to see him wrapped around the post, the ball behind him in the net. We were 3 down in no time, a Bruce Rioch penalty brought us some hope, onlt to concede another two. It was a 5-1 humping. Like every other Scot, we had all retired to the Wembley bars(behind the stands), downing warm bitter from plastic tumblers.

The mini bus returned with only 18 on it, everyone of us had reviewed our appreciation of Stewart Kennedy. His performance that day, totally destroyed his confidence, he did not look like an international keeper after the Kev'n'Trev show.

Should I have included Graham Roberts??

You should also include Colin Stein.

I saw Colin play 45 minutes in goal for Rangers at Ibrox in a Glasgow Cup tie. He managed a clean sheet, in a 3-0 victory.

Before Woods, it was a toss up between McCloy and Nicky Walker.

I don't think the Bears ever really appreciated the Big Gas Meter? He arrived at the club from Motherwell, in a deal that saw Brian Heron and Bobby Watson going to Fir Park. The goalkeeping situation at Rangers prior to McCloy's arrival was transient. Norrie Martin, Eric Sorensen, and Gerry Neef had competed for the number one jersey for three years, all failed to establish themselves long term.

Big Peter had a poorish start, the team suffered a few unexpected away defeats and he was blamed. A low struck shot from distance at East End Park had evaded him and immediately it was a case of, 'he's too big, cannae get doon tae low shots'. His form improved and the team's too, 1971,72, and '73 saw three trophies arrive. During his 16 years as a Keeper at the club(he spent another few years as a youth coach), he was challenged by Stewart Kennedy, Jim Stewart, and Nicky Walker. Both Kennedy and Stewart were international Keepers, but Big Peter always survived.

He made 533 appearances, 230 shut-outs.

Remember, Aberdeen are second in Mark McGhee's poll of clubs to manage.

Oh Dear.

I fear AmDram Queen and objective host of BBC Scotland's Sportsound, Reinhart Gordon will be fulminating(in the most objective way, you understand) about Rangers("I was raised to absolutely hate Rangers") attempts to kidnap and sell young Aberdonian teenagers into Slavery.

All together now, 'oh the nothern lights of old Aberdeen, mean sweet fuck all to me, oh ....................................

We could ask about that on the sheep forums... :devil:

Has anyone stopped to consider Radio Snyde's Bitter martin's feelings in all of this? These last couple of years, McGhee has been his neighbour in a small up market estate in Lanarkshire. Bitter utilises this often, McGhee is Snyde's main man for Snyde SuperscoreboardXtra Roadshows. McGhee's thoughts are sought and given on a wide range of footballing issues, Ferguson and McGregor, Kyle Lafferty's simulatiion, Rangers run-in at the end of last season, .........etc. You get the picture, Bitter has an on message rent a quote living next door.

Now, Mark has buggered off to Furry Boots City(Furry boots you fae then) and left Bitter inconsolable in the process. Who is going to talk to Bitter in the wee small hours about his favourite/only subject, 'ra Sellik'?

I have been in France for nearly 3 weeks, has Motherwell appointed a new Manager?

Apparently Mowbray "invented the huddle".

Who will be the first Yahoo Journo to mention the tragic circumstances of Mowbray's previous time at ra Piggery?

I suspect Nuremberg Hugh will invest heavily in this, immediately in lieu of the first serious set back of Mowbray's reign. Of course, it will be presented as a positive test of his character.

Obviously, I would not wish Mowbray's past on anyone, but over 40-odd years of Scottish football watching leads me to wonder why such events are inevitably presented as only happening/or happening in isolation at ra Sellik.

Reference the Yahoos opener at the Dung Heap, will McGhee be managing events for his number one or number two choice? We should be told.

There's a real symmetry to Nakamura's proposed move to Espanyol, from Glasgow's diddy team to Barcelona's diddy team. He has that Feng Shui thing nailed. If Barca fans can be arsed, they might raise a chant of, "Nakamura se comio a mi perro".

Why does nobody do the bike thing from Lands End to John O Groats?

John O Groats to Lands End is cheating, it's downhill ALL the way.

Best of British, good cause, small donation made.

Jim Devine MP has claimed expenses for ice-cream and associated shelving for other confectionary.

Jim Devine MP is an early day motion specialist, obviously his (communion) wafers are wholemeal.

The only other cone-tract that Jim has with ice cream, is the Cappouchi-Man's vans regularly reversing over him. Thus, ensuring maintenance of Jim's careful presentation of a well blootered burst baw visog.

I'm sitting in my office and all I can hear is Yankee Doodle Dandy getting played by the ice cream van going round the local schemes.

 

 

 

Or to give the song its new name: ....the "Glasgow Rangers Champions" song.

 

 

 

 

Obviously a bluenose icey. :spl::spl:

 

 

"Glasgow Rangers Champions na na, na na, na na, na."

All ice cream vans' tunes should be standardised, it's the type of thing we pay our MSPs to do on our behalf.

Michael McMahon MSP : I propose Greensleeves.

Frank McAveety MSP : I second Greensleeves.

Paul Martin MSP : I disagree, everybody knows, well ma Da told me and he's the Speaker at Westminster, that arch enemy of the catholic church, Henry xiii wrote that melody. Greensleeves in Latin is an anothingmy for F-T-P and get it right intae they f-e-n-i-a-n bastards. Even although most ice cream drivers are Tallies, they're awe in that P2 ludge, ma Da's seen them hinging fae Westminster bridge.

Michael McMahon MSP : I propose the Fields of Athenrye.

Frank McAveety MSP : I'll hae a double nougat wae that.

Paul Martin MSP : Ma Da likes an oyster and raspberry when he's rebelling against the famine and ra crown.

We won the title at Tannadice in 75/76 season.

Big DJ ran in the only goal of the game in 20 odd seconds.

Tries to be irreverent and funny. Fails.

 

Ewan Murray is Spiers' prot�©g�© - can't stand him!

Frankie,

I have to disagree with you on the nature of the Spiers/Murray relationship. I watched last March as Spiers and Murray strolled the avenues of Lisbon together, matching cream chinos, and deck shoes. Graham sported a salmon pink pinstripe shirt, Ewen was replete in a maroon pinstripe. Sleeves rolled up, and top two buttons undone in the dappled spring sunshine. An hour later, the thunder storm hit and the two of them were skipping, skidding, and giggling together under the deluge and the pines. Graham was windswept and trying extremely hard to be interesting. Ewen had a look of knowing inevitibility.

Ewen Murray is the Bhoy in Corduroy's catamite.

I do not believe that presentation is Green Brigade's new banner, the spelling is correct, including their own perception of 'Celtc'.

Christ, quality analysis there!

I have a favourite recollection of Paul McGrillen.

It's over a decade past at Bathgate Juniors park, it's a mid afternoon reserve fixture and John Brown has just taken over as reserve coach and has included himself in the team. Falkirk have included arch Rangers hater, Paul McGrillen up front, he has been out for several weeks injured and this is his first step back to fitness.

The first minute and Falkirk have a free kick on the half way line, they roll it into McGrillen's feet, Bomber comes straight through, takes ball and both McGrillen's legs. A stick on yellow card for the Rangers centre half; however, McGrillen jumps up and throws a punch at Bomber. A smiling John evades the haymaker and waves goodbye to Paul. The ref flashes a red, and we all applaud McGrillen off the pitch for having the audacity to attempt a punch on Bomber.

Five minutes before half time, McGrillen left Bathgate Juniors park in a taxi, to a chorus of, "McGrillen's a shite bag".

The first real sign that an individual/consortium is/are serious, is when he/she/they put up the several hundred thousand big ones to conduct due diligence.