maineflyer

She told me she thought he was a little 'strange'. I don't know exactly what that means but I'll ask her when I take her out next week.

If there's a better support following a football team than the guys at Old Trafford tonight, they've yet to show themselves.

The hypocrisy of which you speak is a most unattractive trait and one which few of us avoid completely. The media on the other hand seems to cherish and cultivate it, which is why anyone dealing with the media always assumes the worst while hoping for the best. I don't doubt Edgar has been the subject of deliberate misquoting from time to time but he's resorted to this explanation on quite a few occasions to field criticism and might have found the sense to either adjust his methods (written statements?) or leave the giving of statements to someone else. There is just a suspicion on my part that there is less mis-quoting going on that Mr Edgar would sometimes like us all to believe ... knowing where the hypocrisy lies can be even more difficult that avoiding it yourself.

Advice that certainly doesn't apply to the GMP or the Spanish police, both of whom seem able to behave atrociously without the excuse of provocation .... of the three, only the Turks seem to have any capacity for reasonable behaviour.

Damned good point really ..... can you imagine the extent of Murray's ego with that amount of money to play with.

I don't think anyone here is particularly naive about the inventiveness of our media and no doubt the RST isn't immune to it. However, most 'spokesmen' take that into account before before they offer opinions they later regret. Could the naivety you mention be more usefully directed at those whose role it is to interact with the media?

Don't really need to canvas opinion to know that much.

You're probably right .... RST spokesman in shock "opens his mouth without thinking properly" scandal. Is that an excuse btw?

Taken from the Manchester Evening News - more idiocy from the RST, whose 'retiring' spokesperson apparently hasn't yet heard of that famous Rangers phrase "No Surrender". Why don't these people just go away quietly. Fears of a mass invasion of Rangers fans for next weekââ?¬â?¢s clash with United look to be wide of the mark ââ?¬â?? with the Glasgow club failing to sell all its tickets. The Scottish outfit were given 3,700 seats for the high-profile encounter at Old Trafford. But the M.E.N can reveal that HUNDREDS remained unsold yesterday, with just three days until Tuesdayââ?¬â?¢s Champions League clash. That news will come as a shock because tickets for the so-called ââ?¬Ë?Battle of Britainââ?¬â?¢ were expected to sell quickly north of the border. Greater Manchester Police launched a massive security operation ahead of the match after Rangers fans rioted on their last visit to the city in 2008 for the Uefa Cup Final. Piccadilly Gardens was turned into a battleground as hundreds went on the rampage when a screen showing the match broke down before kick- off. On that occasion more than 100,000 ticket-less fans flocked to Manchester for the match. Rangers officials admitted they had failed to sell their ticket allocation for Tuesdayââ?¬â?¢s tie ââ?¬â?? but would not confirm how many were still going spare. However, a source told the M.E.N a ââ?¬Ë?substantial percentageââ?¬â?¢ were unsold. David Edgar, of the Rangers Supporters Trust, said many fans had not bought tickets because they feared they might be ââ?¬Ë?a target for retributionââ?¬â?¢. He said: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s nothing to do with the people of Manchester who were nothing but friendly. ââ?¬Å?There is a lot of resentment up here towards GMP, who we think fibbed their way out of what happened in 2008. And to get on a long bus journey to be corralled, surrounded by stewards and police, to have to watch what you are saying, itââ?¬â?¢s just not an attractive proposition. ââ?¬Å?Rangers fans are realists. Weââ?¬â?¢re not going to win so we would be better off spending our money on going to the Valencia game.ââ?¬Â Police have so far received no intelligence to suggest thousands of fans will travel down from Scotland without tickets. Rangers supporters who do come to Manchester will be subject to a large-scale security operation. Tickets will only be given to supporters when they board coaches from a holding area at Wiganââ?¬â?¢s DW Stadium on the day of the match. And some 250 extra police officers have been drafted in to ensure there is no trouble. Alcohol exclusion zones will be set up and a record number of staff will be monitoring events on city centre CCTV cameras.

The fact is there's no basis for a meaningful comparison. The only way to know anything would be for Rangers to play in the EPL for a few seasons. You'll note I refuse to acknowledge the OF term in this debate - ideally we would stop using it altogether.

Don't believe I ever said Dalglish was part of any conspiracy - maybe you could read it again.

The prime example of making a hero out of a villain has to be Kenny Dalglish, who was absolutely shite in the vast majority of his 100+ caps but is now lauded by our media as a flawless genius. The national team is no different than the rest of Scottish society, infested from top to bottom by the papist mafia who turn any and every issue to reflect their bitter envy. Any player who turned in a couple of good performances and has the right social pedigree, or whose affiliations are seen to be in their book of unquestionable acceptability, is likely to be endlessly forgiven ... McFadden, Tom Boyd, Pat Nevin, etc, etc. Take the sainted infallibility of Jock Stein, Jimmy Johnstone, Billy McNeil and the rest of those whose memory has become inseparable from the mythology underpinning the sellick story. The whole thing is as sickening as it is transparent.

No need, your comments have been nothing but helpful.

I think it would say more about Gersnet if we avoided any overt mention of the site and instead left the focus clearly on an expression of goodwill from Rangers fans. That's what will mean most to Brian Laudrup and that's what is most important to me. I feel we're doing this on behalf of all Rangers fans, not just Gersnet members, but we all know that it's us who are doing it. If this goes ahead then everyone will come to know it was the work of Gersnet. There's no need to go looking for what will come to us anyway. Let's sign off the message as it stands and tag on the web address at the bottom.

That's much more effective.

All spelling mistakes gratefully received. I thought Glasgow Rangers was appropriate for the audience in question.

It's not actually subtle at all and you're not nearly as smart or as confident as you'd like us to believe. Anyway, I've had enough of this now.

Somehow I don't think covering the cost will be a major problem. Those who can give, will. Those who can't give will contribute their support and that will be more than enough. So...... Me and my iPad sat down andvrattled off some words, which I hope manages to capture at least a sense of what we are all feeling at this news. The length may be a problem but it can be cut back I'd necessary, although that will inevitably mean losing something. I suggest we start with what we believe is appropriate and reduce it if it turns out to be necessary in terms of space or cost. Please feel free to suggest changes or even an alternative article but this is what appeared in front of The players and fans of Glasgow Rangers have long thought of themselves as belonging to a very unique family and, like any other family, news of a brother in trouble brings profound concern and sadness. So it was for tens of thousands of people associated with Rangers football club when we learned that our very special brother from Denmark was starting his fight against cancer. Of course, this is firstly a private and personal matter for Brian Laudrup and his own family but for many thousands of Rangers fans around the world this is also a call to arms, a deeply felt need to express support for the man who graced the game of football like few have ever done and who embraced the Rangers family as it embraced him. There are people in every corner of the world who have Brian Laudrup in their hearts and in their prayers. Brian the player, of course, but mostly just Brian the man who was always gracious, always smiling, always the perfect brother. The Rangers family opens it's heart to you Brian and wishes you every strength to win this struggle as you've won so many others. You beat everyone they put in front of you on the field of play and you will beat this too. With love and strength, Your Rangers family.

I will indeed pen a few words this evening when work finally draws it's claws out of me. Lord knows what I'll say but better minds might lend a hand by making whatever changes/additions are necessary. I'm thrilled there are still those amongst us who can still leap into action when it counts - bmck!

But not, apparently, the only show in town, of which there have been several.

If you have the time and energy to take it on - and the Gersnet team are happy to do so - then it I'm sure everyone would be grateful and supportive. And I think the credit probably belongs with Pete for the idea.

Suggest you seek the plan from the RST. They're the ones who are supposed to have one. Yes, I do think the way to address the current problems (are in any doubt there are problems?) is to attack the root of them. Repetitive or not, it has to be preferable to saying nothing. And these are not just current issues either. You are entitled not to be entertained by repetitive "bleating" but you should know it's not done with your entertainment in mind. If you don't care for it, feel free not to read it. The RST is a failure today because enough people turned a blind eye to what went on several years ago - it's debatable if enough give a shit about the RST today to bring about any kind of effective change but it seems unacceptable to me that the folks who fukked it up should now wallow unopposed in the midden they've made of it. If you want to act on a grander scale then please, go ahead, the stage is all yours. Or you can always sit back, do nothing and moan about those who feel strongly enough to express an opinion. I don't particularly mind what you do or don't do.

I think you're probably right about that.

You need to catch up. About five years should do it. It's not about joining the RST. Most of us who did have left. You can't change something from the inside when it's controlled by people whose existence depends upon their being no change, people who ensure against change by continually co-opting the weak and dependent. Tell you what mate, you join and show the rest of us how much change you can achieve. I've every symathy for your sentiments but they don't count for shit in the sordid world of today's RST.

I'll be happy to contribute to any costs.