Norris Cole

Aye, we're usually treated pretty well by the English, so I like to see them do well. As for the Scottish clubs, I like to give them the same level of support in European competition as they give us.

Yeah, I'll chip in. Didn't catch the game but a tremendous result for British football :cheers:

Somewhere, in a parellel universe, Celtic are going for 9 in a row. And Murray is being chased through the streets of Edinburgh by a blood-thirsty mob.

Liverpool and Arsenal - two teams perfectly suited to this competition. I can see one of them lifting the trophy.

Incidentally I notice Sporting Lisbon (albeit getting pumped) and Panathanaikos are both playing Champions League knock-out football tonight, two teams we papped out of Europe last year...:ffs:

Looking good for Novo, not so much for Heid It and Hoof It... Rangers duo Lee McCulloch and Nacho Novo could be set for a return to action in next month's Co-Operative Insurance Cup final. Test results on Tuesday confirmed midfielder McCulloch suffered a calf injury in last week's 4-0 win over Forfar in the Scottish Cup. McCulloch was initially told he could be out of action for up to four weeks. Meanwhile, striker Novo is set to return to full training next week after suffering an ankle knock in January. McCulloch, who has been impressive in the holding role in recent matches but missed Saturday's 3-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier League, is hoping to be fit in time for the Co-operative Insurance Cup final on 15 March. Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist told the club website: "I was getting the wee cheesy grin from Nacho today and he's back out running which is great to see," "Everybody will be delighted to hear the wee man is not far away from a return now and big Lee is the same. "He has a very minimal tear in his calf and that happened last week up at Forfar but I'd hope he'll be back in full training in a week to 10 days." DaMarcus Beasley was also injured in the 4-0 win at Station Park following a challenge from Elliot Smith, which earned the Forfar player a red card. The Rangers winger should be back in contention for the visit of Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 4 March. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/7907934.stm

Not sure, but last I looked Hills had Rangers and Celtic joint favourites for the league, but Celtic favourites for the League Cup

Nice words but, no offence Boughy, we have heard all this before...

I look forward to seeing some of these names in the first-team set-up in the not too distant future.

Look at me everyone, look at me! I'm still important! Look, look! Hello?!?

Your attitude makes me wonder whether you accept the Kaunas defeat as a blip. It was arguably the lowest moment in our esteemed club's history and Smith should have been hounded from the club at the full-time whistle. I will hold Kaunas against Smith until the day he goes. Let him know that some of us haven't forgiven and certainly haven't forgotten

His words were: "There are very, very few young players in Scotland just now who reach the level that’s required to come in and play for Rangers". ...which was his defence when criticised for not playing youngsters.

Walter would give his right nut for penalties right now.

Nice one. He must have been to the Peter Grant School of Motivational Speaking.

Big opportunity missed by Man Utd tonight IMO. Played Inter off the park in the first half but no away goal.

Fulham 0-1 Swansea

Not being among the more creaky-kneed on here, I was not around when Berwick happened. What I will say is that I would FAR rather go through a Berwick Rangers than a Kaunas - of that there is not a doubt. It will remain a title won in spite of Smith IMO, but yes, to an extent what you say has some truth in it and I see what you're saying about playing for a draw against Aberdeen and Celtic - even if it's something which I think Smith should be slapped about the face with a trout for. Of course we'll wait and see if we really can win this league. If May brings us 4 in a row, I can guarantee that a hell of a lot of the Walter defenders will jump ship, leaving behind only the blind loyalists. It's probably clear from my posts on here that I resent the fact he's still here after Kaunas. It does anger me the "business as usual" attitude between Murray and Smith post-Kaunas, when it was the starkest wake-up call for change imaginable.

What I hate more is the freedom with which a word deemed sectarian in a court of law - "hun" - can be used "without fear or favour" by Rangers-haters while we fall over ourselves trying not to offend them. It's kafkaesque.

Smith played McCulloch, Dailly and Adam in midfield in Kaunas. Smith played for the draw. Smith said he could "see it coming". The players on the park didn't do the business, but Walter Smith was the architect of Kaunas. No amount of '9IAR this, Manchester that' changes that. If I had delivered such a shocking result at my work there's at least a reasonable chance I'd get the bullet. What gets my goat is that after Kaunas Murray didn't come out and warn Smith that it was unacceptable or even say that he'd give Smith a couple of months to turn it around. Oh no, after the single worst result in Ranger's history he gave his old mate his full backing. What the f*ck kind of message is that? Words cannot describe how much I despise this "ah but Manchester...earned a second chance..." attitude.

Man U are all over this mob.

I've no problem with a winter break but surely two months is a bit excessive? Smith says he wants the season to run until June - quite simply, he won't be able to do that every second season due to international tournaments so I'm not sure what that one's all about. I've also read Smith making noises about a summer season. I'd hate that, firstly for purely sentimental reasons, secondly because the SFA can barely be trusted to do anything competently let alone the complete restructuring of the league season. Surely "SFA think-tank" is an oxymoron?

I'm supporting the British team as always. I'll go for 1-1.

Pity because I thought he had a chance. Looked comfortable when he was given a game up at Pittodrie on the last day of the 06/07 season. He must be one of the older members of the youth squad now as well?

Would be great to get Novo back for the final. Just ask Caldwell and McManus which striker they'd rather see sat up in the stands.

No, it was down to Smith playing McCulloch, Dailly and Adam in midfield in Kaunas. And playing for the draw. Again. Kaunas was this season. It was also a large part of the reason we tried to punt our top goalscorer - had we succeeded there would have been no title this season. Do you see how I can still hold Kaunas against Smith, aside from making us a laughing stock throughout Europe? Or maybe I should thank him for avoiding last year's fixture backlog? What is it with online forums that anyone who is critical of the club in any way is compared to a "tim"? You simply haven't answered my point here. Celtic's worst run of form in a decade has propelled us to the top while covering up our own deficiencies. That's not my opinion, it's simply what has happened. If Celtic hadn't gone on a run of 1 win in 6 league games, we'd have been well behind and Smith would be getting it in the neck. Or presumably you'd still be defending him. As for 9IAR, do you not remember how close Aberdeen ran us in 89 and 91, and Celtic in 96 and 97? Show me where I said this. Actually I specifically said the UEFA Cup run was lucky. Smith refused to rest first team players eg. Weir in the lesser games last season with the end result that the team was so dog tired towards the end of the season they had to be dug out of a hole in both cup finals by Boyd. That, to me, is victory in spite of Smith. As a Rangers fan I demand the club be taken forward. Smith's been given plenty funds where McLeish had his transfer and wage budgets slashed, so I'm not taking the financial situation as an excuse. I'd love nothing more than for Walter to win the title this season, at the same time fully recognising it'll be in the 2004/05 mould of papering over the cracks. As Sue Barker might say, what happened next? I respect Smith as a Rangers man, and will always take his side over the Rangers-hating scum in the SPL and the mhedia. However, the defence of Smith is a defence of mediocrity.