maineflyer

Why was this thread moved to this out-of-the-way, lowest profile location when it is so clearly linked to the closed thread mentioned in the main Rangers forum? This smacks of an unwillingness to deal openly with criticism and to make sure the fewest possible members ever read it. Most unimpressive from Gersnet.

Ffs don't tempt fate or they might actually return.

Since there appear to be those administering this forum who see fit to inhibit free expression by closing threads without explanation or, as far as I can see, due cause, I would like to register my disgust and severe annoyance at this practice. It's not something I expect to see on Gersnet and I hope this might stimulate some kind of explanation for the abrupt closure of the "Here we go again ..." thread earlier this evening. It would be useful to know if this is likely how debate will be moderated from now on. I acknowledge the private messages from Bmck on this matter but since he is so far unable to explain the thread closure, I think the matter needs wider review.

If it's about context then why is it Gersnet has masked the word fen1an so that you have to use inventive spelling to post what is a perfectly benign word in its own right. Context .... why don't I believe a word of it? Like most sites, Gersnet has pre-judged context and implemented a ban in full compliance with the anti-Rangers spin-meisters. Context, don't kid yourself. It's actually somewhere between fear of accusation and a wish to display politically-correct credentials .... the same reason so many people are nervous at the prospect of TBB being sung.

When did we start justifying those with excessively thin skins .... deliberately thin enough to contrive offence at anything that doesn't suit their fatuous agendas. If I called Neil Lenin a muppet, would you expect Jim Henson to take offence at the context? Didn't think so.

Unfortunately, it's entirely possible that the club may get punished for reasons nothing to do with UEFA and everything to do with the political agenda in Scotland. Does that make it any less clear? I do not for a minute believe that UEFA ever banned a Rangers song or that there can be any punishment today against a directive that was never issued or at least never issued in the terms being claimed by Rangers. It is however possible that we could be punished under a new initiative by UEFA, which the club would no doubt use as a justification for everything it has been saying. In fact it would be entirely in keeping with their duplicitous nature. Why should we sing the song, defiantly or not? because there is simply no alternative. You may want better strategies, as I do, and good luck finding them. However, while definitely more intellectually satisfying, I'm afraid you will only find the same old dead end in the process. The reason why the song should be sung as a means of leveraging progress is because it is the only option available to you, me or any other concerned supporter. Unless of course you want to join the naysayers who look to indulge their own sense of personal propriety to gauge what is best for the club - personally I think these people have done nothing but contribute to the problem while salving their own consciences. Neither is it true to say that no one is coming up with strategies for dealing with the greater anti-Rangers agenda. Some of us have been ridiculed widely for years as peripheral radicals because we advocated open protest (not the Rangers way) and confrontation. We challenged the RST for its failure to act on our behalf and many chose to see it as trouble making. In fact some people have been showing the way for over ten years while most adopted the smuggery of their comfort zones, choosing to pretend there was no real problem, or at least that this was just a cycle and the pixies at the bottom of the Rangers garden would soon come along to hoist us back to a better place. The problem IS the Rangers support - if you're not seeing suggestions then perhaps you're not looking. Sing the song ffs, stop making life so easy for those who don't deserve it. Pissing in the wind is exactly where we're at today and it will stay like that until we develop sufficient conviction that we want it to change. Sing the fucking song.

He'll end up at the piggery and he'll become just another disillusioned average player, moving on to the lower EPL or the championship in a couple of years.

It's actually of no consequence what I think UEFA will do. I've made no comment on what UEFA will or won't do if we sing this song. If you press me I'll say no, they won't touch this with the proverbial bargepole. However, the issue I have is with those running Rangers and who have been deliberately misleading the support they should serve (or at least pretend to serve), while using those lies to further the cause of those who would see the club punished and diminished. Unless the Rangers hierarchy embrace some degree of honesty with respect to the support instead of endlessly manipulating and deceiving, they are actually contributing to the pressure on the club. I would also put it to you that until and unless we address this particular problem, it won't matter what views websites such as this take on Graeme Spiers, the catholic conspiracy, The Liewell, or whoever. As long as Murray or his mouthpieces refuse to deal honestly with the support and seek & act in a spirit of mutual interest instead of selfish exclusion, the club isn't worth supporting. There may be some here who think supporting Rangers is some kind or rote process, trooping out the same old mantras, falling into sheeplike lines of little Rangers soldiers, but I think there must be more to it than that or it has no value at all. Unless you first decide what Rangers is/means/ represents then how do you know what it is and whether you want to support it. Does supporting the club mean unthinking allegiance or does it merit better? I think it does, sing the song and flush out the corruption that is patently rife in our club. If by some chance we get fined or otherwise punished then it will still have been the most worthwhile exercise of the last twenty years. We need to stop fixating on the problems and have the conviction to pursue the solution with a vigour that's been almost entirely missing at Rangers since that evil bastard bought the club from better men.

In line with the points you make - and with much regret at the lack of reasonable alternatives - the only practical course is to sing the song. I believe there is no other way to access the truth.

Empty promises. Like most people who are lied to, they then found themselves all but ostracized by their erstwhile informants. Unless .... surely you don't think .... no, they couldn't ..... could they?

Two problems ..... Murray and a lack of any credible supporter voice.

The reason diplomatic language is what it is, is to ensure that everyone comes to the same understanding, or at least is justified in coming to the understanding they choose. The "banning" of the Billy Boys is a wonderful example of the diplomat's ability to interpret words to meet a pre-arranged agenda. I believe Murray decided it was in his personal interest to be seen to stamp out certain "attributes" of the Rangers support. TBB became one such attribute when it was seized upon by the people who pull the strings of the OC and others. I also believe UEFA were duped into their reaction to complaints against Rangers. However, while UEFA could be excused for acting in ignorance, those running Rangers cannot. I believe Rangers lied deliberately and not only contrived the UEFA ban of TBB but knowingly used senior members of the RST to further that lie. That the intervening years have never seen the UEFA correspondence revealed to those it seeks to influence is telling enough. I do not believe TBB was ever banned by UEFA and that the truth will not be allowed to emerge until after Murray sells his shareholding - and that his desperation not to be exposed as an outright liar may even see disclosure restricted as a condition of sale. As things stand I believe we have been used and lied to by those who we should expect to stand shoulder to shoulder with us. I also believe there is now no alternative than to challenge these lies by requiring UEFA to confirm or deny the song is banned. I'll also repeat my opinion that any unwillingness to do so is both cowardly and against the genuine interests of Rangers.

Hi, welcome to Gersnet. Where are you from ..... just joking. Unfortunately, there's been so much bullshit written and spoken about the sale of Rangers that no one could reasonably know what to think. That some of the worst nonsense has been pedalled by the likes of the RST and other 'connected' fans (aka bullshitters) only makes it harder to believe a word of it. My advice is believe nothing until you see Murray personally handing over his share certificate.

There's not much wrong with that.

Zappa, Never blame politicians for behaving like ..... politicians. Expect them to behave like weasels and you won't be disappointed - but don't blame a skunk for the way he smells, just learn to deal appropriately with his 'tendencies'. Neither should you look to the enemy for fair treatment or blame him for the way he acts. Instead of pointing the finger of blame you should just accept the enemies are best attacked at every opportunity. The people you DO blame are those who should be lifting every finger to help you, those who sit at the same table, but who instead spend their time aiming their finger of blame at YOU. In this case, exactly the people you seek to excuse, Murray and Bain ...... now Johnston and Bain ...... oh, and supporters like you.

Thanks but the donations will only be used for a Rangers cause, that's a firm decision. If no one comes up with a suitable idea then I'll think of something myself - but you all made the donations and I think it's only appropriate the membership should decide what to do with it.

It's about 10 weeks since Gersnetters donated towards the cost of the Brian Laudrup article published in a Danish newspaper, which I covered from my own funds. Donations totalling �£157.96 were made and still sit in my Paypal account. I'd like to invite suggestions how best this money might be used in the interests of the Rangers community and I'll be happy to transfer it to Gersnet admin to use for whatever purpose attracts most support. Over to Gersnet members............

Anything but this craven shit, constantly apologizing, always playing their game. They call us sectarian, we ask the fans not to be sectarian. They complain our songs are discriminatory, we ban the songs for being discriminatory. They say the famine song is a slur on those who died in the famine, we ban the song without question. They whistle, we bark. We're continually on the back foot, always judging our actions according to the criticism of the most deceitful, duplicitous bastards on the planet. I can't remember the last time our club came out and criticized the fen1ans for their behaviour at Ibrox. Where was Bain when they contrived a cancellation of the OF game after O'Donnell died, or when they played their integrity card. They tell us we're in the wrong and our club tries to figure out how to apologise. Murray tried for twenty years to sanitize Rangers because he bought the fen1an shite and knew no better what Rangers were about. Bain is a weak clown of a man who pours out this claptrap year after year. Rangers and too many fans seem ignorant of our past and our right to hold our own views, regardless of whether the Catholics or the Oirish or the republicans happen to agree with them. The Billy Boys .... sing it loud and sing it long. Fuck the muppets running Rangers, fuck UEFA and the SFA ... and fuck any of you embarrassed cowards who don't have the stomach to stand up for yourselves.

Looks like you've started without me.

I think you've just made a decent case for why Rangers should buy a backbone and tell them all to fuck off. They want to dock points, let them. They want to close a stand, let them close it. Some things are just not worth winning.

From the official site, more bullshit from the cowards running Rangers..... RANGERS Football Club today repeated its warning to supporters not to engage in any sectarian singing at its fixtures. The club is at serious risk of punishment by footballing authorities if sectarian behavior is in evidence among its fans. This includes the singing of songs such as the Billy Boys, which is banned by UEFA, and the Famine Song, which has led to people being arrested and convicted in the past. Ahead of tomorrow's match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Northern Constabulary have confirmed it plans to take a zero tolerance approach to sectarian behaviour. Rangers Head of Safety and Security, David Martin, said: "Our fans have given us tremendous backing in Europe this season and we want that to continue in our domestic matches. "As Martin Bain has previously stated, the majority of our supporters agree there is no place at Rangers for sectarian singing and the fans and the club have made great strides in recent years to address this behaviour. "Unfortunately, we still have an element of the support who insist on singing offensive songs, particularly at domestic away matches in the SPL. "For the avoidance of doubt, the club is at risk of punishment at ALL matches, domestic and European, and fans risk arrest if they participate in sectarian singing. "Fans who engage in such behaviour only let themselves, other supporters and the club down. "Problematic behaviour by supporters at away matches is not unique to Rangers but as a club, we are determined to tackle this issue."

Folow Follow???:surprised:

It hasn't been a 'great season' or anything like it. That's simply inflating the truth to the point of wishful thinking. We've started the season OK in domestic competitions without ever achieving the standard of play that would attract descriptions like 'great'. The most you can say about Europe is that it has been a relief not to fail utterly like last year - but we are still in the same old circle where we start well and then fade badly. Neither has the club been sold, the managerial future been resolved, or funds yet been allocated to strengthen the playing staff. Ffs, I'm at a complete loss to see where any of this could be considered to be 'great'.

Doesn't that just sum up the low ebb of Scottish football ..... Ra Mighty Sellick chasing a "Swindon hot shot". FFS, you have to hope they actually get this wurzel muncher!

Personally, I hope the next round is our last round. This is already shaping up like the last time we had a long run in Europe - weather cancellations, depleted squad, fixture congestion, title to the piggery.