Tannochsidebear

One thing to remember that I haven't seen elsewhere is that the club were actually represented at the meeting through Jim Hannah, who was very positive about both the report and trying to move things forward. He also made it clear that, in his opinion, the club were very open to taking forward sensible and practical recommendations, and this was reiterated when discussing media relations. Stopping short of an outright assurance (not his remit) he indicated in the strongest possible terms that the club were ready to back any fans initiatives regarding media boycotts etc, and what I read out of that is that while the club wont come out and attack any media person or organisation, it will behind the scenes back the Assembly should they wish to do so. Of course this meeting was before Murray stepped down, and we have no idea if the new regime will take a more proactive stance in this regard. I am assuming the Assembly has already sent a letter to the new Chairman asking for his thoughts on this and other matters.

The signs of Timmy's financial hardships are clear for those having a good look this summer. They have got rid of 11 players and brought in 5. I would imagine their wage bill has been dramatically reduced due to getting rid of the dog-eater, VoH and Balde, with only really Fox and Fortune being big earners of those coming in. Add that to the �£10M+ it has cost them for the manager, transfer fees and contract pay-offs (remember Balde's �£1M golden goodbye) it really is a season of high importance for Timmy to win the title and guarantee CL income next season. This is our chance to really put Timmy in the mire if we can get the best out of our reduced squad, which I believe to be better in every department than theirs, and win back to back titles. Couple that with the new qualifying set-up for the CL and the news that as long as the CL winners have already qualified for the group stage through their domestic league (highly likely) the SPL winners go straight in again, it is arguably a bigger title to win for off the park reasons than it is on the park. Another guaranteed CL income in 2010-11 will get our finances back on track, and another season without it will see Timmy go into meltdown.

Between Davis and Whittaker in a game which only showed how poor Accies are, (surely relegation certainties) and we were guilty of taking the foot so far off the gas we were in neutral for most of the proceedings. We had a real chance to get into double figures and send out a message to the rest of the league, but we decided that with 2 weeks off until the next game, we would get into the holiday spirit rather early. We can only hope those unfortunate enough to be playing International football over the next 10 days come back to the club injury-free and ready to go as the big stuff really starts from now on.

If Smith thinks it was wrong to issue a red card to KT, then surely he must appeal it. Not only does it enforce a one game ban immediately, it brings a few disciplinary points for his tally this season already, and means he is on his way to a totting-up suspension as well. KT looks like he has not learned a thing since he moved to us in this regard, as yet again he has been carded for a badly timed, unrequired tackle in an area of the pitch that was not hurting us. He became double the player he was whilst out injured last season, but the reality is he has continually let us down by either picking up silly cards, and being suspended for big games. Walter, I'm sure, has already had a few words with him about this, and i'm sure a club fine and a real dressing down, in private, will sharpen Thomson's focus to stay on his feet in similar situations in the future.

Hearts 0 Rangers 3 Scorers Boyd, Naismith, Bougherra.

For progression, and assuming (dangerously) that we do indeed end up in pot 2, I would love to get Bayern Bordeaux and Unirea. We do quite well against German opposition and I would want to avoid a battle of Britain scenario. Bordeaux are easy to get to and probably one of the weakest in the pot, and Unirea are real CL minnows. For nightmares, the Group of Death would be Man U, Atletico and Wolfsburg. The English and German champions sandiwched between a really impressive Spanish team. For good Euro trips, I would love to go to Bayern, Madrid and Liege. Germany is always a good trip and Munich is a wonderful city. I have always wanted to go to Madrid and as we cannot play real, this will do for now. A nice wee trip to Belgium would be a lovely day trip, and easy to get to for the buses as well.

I agree he scored a few important goals in the run-in, but players are judged overall, and as such looks a waste of �£1M. Not a personal go at a good honest big guy, just a judgement that if Walter thought he only merited half a dozen games, he clearly was not worth the �£1M price tag, and that money could (and should) have been better spent. Remember he was bought pre-Kaunus when we bought 3 strikers to add to the already over-subscribed strikers department at the club. None of this is Velicka's fault, but it does add to the overall assessment of his worth and value.

Just joined the mini-league today, and I am already joint-top. Whoo-hoo!!!

Agreed DJ, on both points. What we could do with �£1M to spend now!!

I think you are right Calscot. Normally, a loan deal will include the club taking on the player picking up the wages of the player and the insurance for the player. Therefore Rangers will still have his wages paid for the season, by Bristol's insurers.

I shall be there again this season and I cant wait for the draw. I am hoping we do not get an English team. It just doesn't feel like a CL tie if you are only going "down the road" on a bus or train. "Real" CL ties are where you are up at an unearthly hour in the middle of the night to head to the airport, your first pint when you are normally fast asleep, on a plane by 7/8am, get to your destination, get the Euros out for a few beers, speaking the local language (well I know what 4 beers is in quite a few languages!) then going to the match and back home in the middle of the next night. The draw will determine wether this season's trips are going to be "worth it" or not, but at the very elast I would like three new clubs we haven't played in the last 15 years so it will at least be a new experience for me.

I disagree with the OP, and am more in line with Craig on this one. I think we have to start giving the kids a taste of action at the right times. That may mean bringing them on when 2/3-0 up at home with 20 minutes to go, and playing perhaps one in defence and one in midfield against weaker opposition at home. In the league cup, we only have two rounds to play before the SF, and whilst I think we are seeded for our first round, it is an all in draw for the QF and normally a tasty tie, which is not the place to be throwing in the kids. So you are really looking at one league cup tie to try to field a few kids. It may be that the league programme will allow us to play a few more in the weeks where we have CL action, but that will depend on the CL draw and how that fits in to our league fixtures. For example, if we have St Johnstone at home on the Saturday and Real Madrid away on the Tuesday, it would be an ideal chance to rest big Davie and perhaps Pedro and play a couple of the kids.

The problem with this is that if Thomson is not considered fit enough to start the game against Falkirk, who are a lot of people's tip to go down this year, there is no way Walter will throw him in from the start against the Jambos, which will be a fast and furious paced game. If he is not quite at the pace of match action yet, it will need to be after the Jambos game before he can get a start. Probably half an hour against Falkirk if things are going well, and hopefully another 80/90 minutes in a closed doors game perhaps next Tuesday/Wednesday, another 90 minutes the following Monday/Tuesday and then ready for the Hamilton game on the 29th.

I think that our depleted squad of today could easily get the 40 points necessary to survive in the EPL from just the home and away matches against that lot. And that is without their TV share. Seriously, not one of those teams would be leaving Ibrox with a point, and we would win, in my baised and humble opinion, at least half of those away games.

When we allow a scummy director to be heavily involved in the disciplinary committee, making friendships with other committee members etc, what sort of outcomes do you expect for scummy players getting caught out for acts that the referees "missed".

I agree. As I sit in the Copland rear, I obviously didnt get a great view of the goal, but from where Petrov was positioned, the one thing you expect is for your keeper not to get beaten at his near post.

We all agree Adam is talented, and if he can get his head downa nd work hard, I really think he could be playing for Scotland within the year. Not that that is such a great achievement, but it would be for someone so far out of the picture at Ibrox and so ridiculed by many bears. Good luck Charlie, go and prove yourself son.

The draw for the final qualifying round of the CL has thrown up a mixed bag of fortunes for the 4 clubs above us in the rankings. Just to recap, we need 2 clubs out of Arsenal, Lyon, Sporting Lisbon, and Panathanaikos to get knocked out for us to go into pot 2 of the main event. In this morning's draw there were virtual byes for Lyon and Arsenal, drawing Anderlecht and some Irish mob respectively, but far more difficult ties for Lisbon and Pana. Lisbon have drawn Fiorentina while Pana have drawn Atletico Madrid and both will start as underdogs despite being the seeded side. I would be very surprised if Forentina and Atletico do not progress, ensuring not only their own participation, but allowing us to take our place in pot 2. Revised pot 2 after chicken counting Lyon Inter Milan Real Madrid CSKA Moscow Porto Alkmaar Juventus Rangers with pot 3 now looking like Olympiakos Marseilles Dynamo Kiev Stuttgart Bordeaux Besiktas Copenhagen I know where I would rather be!!!

I actually think the record has got every single one of those ratings wrong. There is not a single comment I agree with out of 11 players. I really wonder what match they were watching.....silly me, they were too busy in Moscow where apparantly the scum came from 10 lucky breakaway goals down to beat the favourites for the CL, while playing football only the gods could dream up, with 11 world class players in the side. Anyway, back to us. Alexander 5, was a joke at the second goal. Whittaker 6, poor defensively, got sucked in for build up to 2nd goal. Weir 6, Old legs are getting slower. Anytime oppo pass the ball he is lost. Bougherra 7, better than in London, but still shaky against better opposition. Needs to cut out forward assaults. Papac 5, Quiet game, gave little going forward. McCulloch 5, Mr square pass. kept it simple in possession, but hasn't a clue how to really play that anchor role, took wrong option in defence numerous times. Davis 8, MOTM, Good midfield work at both ends, and great vision for Miller. Mendes 7, Linked up with Davis really well, and won plenty of ball back from City in engine room. Novo 6, Decent shift, needs to work on defensive reading of game to help Whittaker. Miller 5, Apart from goal was embarrassing. Ran the ball out the pitch several times, offside several times, didn't make enough blind side runs. Good pace when ball over top but cant do anything with it. Still refused to shoot. Keeper made goal easy for him. Naismith 6, Played well. Floated around in the hole as well as giving outlet on left. Linked up play well between midfield and attack. Good at finding space. Impressed. All in I was impressed with how we kept the ball, passed the ball, and created chances. There was a pace and energy about us that we didn't see too often last season. The Rhebel obviously has its own agenda (They must be embarrased bumming up McCulloch by now just because he gives them all the inside stories) and I will copntinue to refuse to buy it, or believe anything I read in it.

Ya beauty. I didn't trust Walter to not re-sign him if we got rid of a few other players off the wage bill. That display at Hampden in the SF will go down as possibly the worst individual display I have ever seen from a Rangers player. I know we have let our standards slip due to our financial mismanagement, and that the term "Rangers class" is overused and probably doesn't really relate to the current day but Dailly was so far away from everything I want from a Rangers player it was unture. Granted a true professional and a team player, easy to manage, but just a really really poor football player.

DOnt know the reason but that is now 4 of the 'Well '91 squad that have died too young, after apparantly being fully fit the day before. Absolutely shocking news.

I will go for Boyd, again. If he stays fit and plays in a 4-4-2, he will again break the 30 goal mark for the season. The improvement to his overall game last season was admirable, as was his decision to turn down a pay rise and a transfer to Brum, and this season we could see even more from him. Other contenders for me will hopefully be Bougherra, Whittaker, and Davis.

I was there last night and we were awful. Neil Murray was as ineffective as he was in a real Rangers shirt, and McSwegan just didn't know how to play that strikers role. Really missed Walters and Durie, I hope they are back next year. I left after the scum beat Hearts to reach the final, but cant believe they beat a good United side. On a sidenote, police were called into the crowd twice last night to eject unrly supporters. The first time was very early into proceedings, a bunch of United fans got thrown out for "innappropriate behaviour" and then near the end some Jambos behind me got ejected for singing the billy boys. Amongst their pathetic reportoire was "I'd rather shag a sheep than Mrs Mols" "BJK" and all sorts of other stuff not required at such a family event. Another definate example of why drink should never be allowed back into our game, sadly, as some dicks just cant behave when having a drink, and spoil it for the rest of us.

You really must put a warning on the title of the thread if in the Rangers chat section to suggest that you are going to be talking about egg-chasing. Gave an audible "uugghh" when I started to read a thread I thought was going to be about the scum players getting done for their antics in the run-in, and found you started talking about Lions and citing. Booooo. But seeing as I quite often agree with your views, I forced myself to stay awake whilst reading the rugger parts to get to your point, which is valid and "almost" worth opening the thread for!!

I agree S_A, it shows yet again the respect the club has for the fans. To you see any of the papers coming out with an apology for their complete and utter mischief-making lies? Dont hold your breath.