Norris Cole

Friday I think.

I wouldn't have thought he'd be on the panel, but I don't know that for sure.

Pure poison.

I accept what you're saying, but the point I'm trying to get across is that it's not merely my own personal view that Walter has to win the championship as Rangers manager - it's been the bottom line for every Rangers manager since Wilton. Harsh? Maybe, but a fundamental part of being Rangers manager. No-one's arguing that we haven't improved since Le Guen left, but Smith simply must win a championship to be considered truly successful in the role of Rangers manager (Mk II). It does not say in the Rangers manager's job remit: 'Must win Scottish Cups and finish 2nd'. So yes, I can accept he has achieved his objective if we win on Sunday. Let's hope he does. But I'll want him out regardless for a variety of reasons. Changing my mind over Sunday's result would be fickle in the extreme - Smith is a big part of deeper underlying problems at Ibrox and the club is in desperate need of regeneration.

LOL It must kill them that they need us to win the league on Sunday. In fact it must kill them that we win titles and they never will.

2-1 Davis, Lafferty

Brilliant Ha ha!

Well, the case has successfully gone through a shite referee. Now the real test - the Rangers-hating beaks at the SFA. Expect all manner of 'sporting integrity' mock outrage from various Sellick-minded rent-a-gubs in this week's press.

Unless my memory's wrong, I remember him scoring two great goals at Tannadice in his last game for Rangers. Ooh Aah Huistra, Say Ooh Aah Huistra...

From the same site:- Mike McCurry effectively sacked as grade one referee Graham Spiers The SFA is suddenly two leading referees down after Mike McCurry was effectively sacked yesterday by the organisation as a grade one official, while Stuart Dougal confirmed that he was sticking to his decision last week, with his retirement imminent, not to play any further part in the remainder of the season. Dougalââ?¬â?¢s fine career has been slightly tarnished by recent controversies, notably while handling the Celtic-Dundee United game at Celtic Park last Tuesday and Saturdayââ?¬â?¢s Rangers-Aberdeen encounter at Ibrox, both of which brought him criticism. Two players were sent off in the Ibrox game. McCurryââ?¬â?¢s dismissal, however, has been more shocking in its swiftness and brutality. Two years ago the 43-year-old was regarded by many as Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s leading match official, having been handed a host of big games, including seven Old Firm encounters. Now, he has been made virtually a nonperson by the SFA. McCurry, who is also an ordained Baptist minister, has had a torrid 18 months. The referee has been the subject of lurid newspaper headlines about his private life, while also being savaged for mistakes made in a number of high-profile matches in which he has recently officiated. Over the weekend the SFAââ?¬â?¢s Referees Committee took the decision to axe McCurry forthwith from their grade one list, a full two years before he was due to retire. Kenny Hope, the former referee who is now a member of the Referee Committee, telephoned McCurry to relay to him the grim news. McCurryââ?¬â?¢s grade one career as a referee was due to finish at the end of the 2010-11 season. He has, in effect, been put out to grass by the SFA two years early. Last night he was said to be ââ?¬Å?guttedââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?dismayedââ?¬Â by the decision. There have been persistent rumours in Scottish football that McCurry has been unfairly victimised by the SFA, which he hinted at when interviewed by The Times in March this year. The match official had been mauled in particular by Craig Levein, the Dundee United manager, for crucial mistakes that he made a year ago when Rangers beat United 3-1 at Ibrox. Levein called McCurry ââ?¬Å?weakââ?¬Â and said that he had ââ?¬Å?bottled itââ?¬Â that May afternoon after the referee had disallowed a Danny Swanson goal for United and had also refused to give Leveinââ?¬â?¢s team what was perceived to be a blatant penalty. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve had a tough time, there is no doubt about it,ââ?¬Â McCurry said in his interview with The Times. ââ?¬Å?As a referee I am no longer given the high-profile games I once was, though I canââ?¬â?¢t comment on that, you would need to ask the SFA about it. ââ?¬Å?But it is very obvious: if you compare last season with this one, and look at both the high-profile games I did, and the number of live TV games I did, they are both greatly reduced.ââ?¬Â It has been alleged that McCurry has become a particular victim of the views held by Hugh Dallas, who heads up the SFAââ?¬â?¢s referees development department. It is an allegation that was given further credence yesterday by a public relations company, believed to be acting with McCurryââ?¬â?¢s approval, which issued a statement in which it was claimed that Dallas and Donald McVicar ââ?¬â?? also in charge of SFA referees ââ?¬â?? had ââ?¬Å?made it personalââ?¬Â with McCurry. The statement went on to claim that the SFA had wanted ââ?¬Å?ridââ?¬Â of McCurry ever since he became an ordained minister four years ago. Dallas, who would not comment on the matter yesterday, has always vehemently denied that there was any personal agenda against McCurry, but that it was always simply a matter of refereeing competence and performance. There has been a decided shift in SFA policy, however, since Dallas told The Times two months ago: ââ?¬Å?I can say categorically that Mike McCurry has not been castigated or cast out by the SFA. ââ?¬Å?Mike is still one of our grade one officials and has been doing plenty of SPL matches. So the idea that Mike has been ostracised by us is not true.ââ?¬Â An SFA spokesman said last night: ââ?¬Å?There is nothing sinister about Mike McCurryââ?¬â?¢s removal from the grade one list. What happens is that the Referee Committee keep a constant monitor of how our referees are doing, and their performances are judged throughout the season, as they should be. ââ?¬Å?The committee then decides who should be retained, or promoted, and who shouldnââ?¬â?¢t, which is what has happened in this case.ââ?¬Â http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article6315721.ece

There has been something quite disgusting about the treatment doled out to Mike McCurry, the Scottish referee who has just been binned by the SFA, two years before he was due to retire. McCurry, an ordained Baptist minister, has gone from being Scotland's leading referee two years ago to a state of oblivion in football. First, he has had to endure ludicrous tabloid headlines about his private life, and also, due to his denominational leanings, been repeatedly abused by a section of Celtic supporters. McCurry has made mistakes on the field but his abrupt removal from the SFA list of officials is deplorable. http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/05/ranger-must-close-out-title-race-if-they-are-to-be-great-again.html

Must be highly thought of - surely one the highest profile such jobs in the game. Good luck to him, a very good player for the Rangers was Pieter Huistra. http://english.ajax.nl/News/Archive/Article/Huistra-new-coach-Young-Ajax.htm

Lafferty is an Ulster Protestant. The mhedia have a job to do on him.

Owen didn't turn them down surely?

I really think we need to drop Mendes for this game, so I wouldn't be hugely disappointed to see Barry in his place. I'd also love to see Novo given a significant role on Sunday.

Of course he's made us competitive again. But the question is how long do we accept being "competitive" without winning the league? It's a question for Murray because, regardless of my own personal views, if we don't pull it off on Sunday our custodian will be facing some difficult questions from an awful lot of unhappy Bears. Whether people on here think it's right or not it's what will happen. Funnily enough I've never felt the need to constantly criticise Walter for his style of football. We have poor players by our historical standards. However you don't need to play like Brazil 1970 to win the SPL in 2009. The players (and officials) must take their share of the blame, but Walter is the first Rangers manager in living memory - perhaps ever - to play on the break with one up front against non-OF domestic opposition and play for the draw. Whether you, I, or those on this board think it's fair or not, the fact is that not winning the league is a monkey on his back and he'll feel the heat like the rest of the club if we fail again. Another way of looking at it is a title win this season could form the start of the rebuild. Wonder how Souness's South African consortium is coming along...

JB the point many seem to be missing (or I'm not getting across very well), is that all that any Rangers manager in history has ever been required to do is finish above Celtic and win the championship. Cups and UEFA finals are great, but the "supply of trophies coming through Ibrox" you refer to has to include the championship. This is the reason I'm saying Walter has neither played attractive football nor been a success. It's no issue to me what kind of football we're playing, as long as we win the title. We're still waiting, hopefully this time next week we're celebrating our first league success in four years. It's perhaps harsh terms to judge a manager but them's the stakes at Rangers, always have been and no manager - Smith included - has ever complained about it.

No. The point I was trying to get across is, that's where you and I differ. superciliousness (Noun) - the trait of displaying arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior; condescension, disdainfulness, arrogance, haughtiness, hauteur, high-handedness, lordliness - overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors Cough, cough...

So I can't take this season's 37 games into account? Inverness at home? Aberdeen away playing for a draw? Same at the Piggery when Celtic offered nothing? If we win the league it'll be in spite of Walter, but then I've stated that previously on more than one occasion so why you're coming out with the same tired old insults is lost on me. Glory hunter? Hanger on? This climax to last season you just love talking about - were you there at Pittodrie singing yourself hoarse after we'd gone 2-0 down and all was lost? Just you keep on repeating yourself calscot. Seeing as my views on Smith (see below) won't change regardless of the outcome, humble pie won't come into it. You really do have a selective memory when it comes to my previous posts don't you? For the avoidance of any doubt though, I'll state again that I've been calling for his head all season, and will continue to do so even he if he wins the double and offers to pay off my mortgage. As for being 'Mr Smug' depending on Sunday's outcome - I could level the same accusation at yourself, but then we clearly have very different mentalities.

Judging by the state of his coupon it may actually have happened at some point.

It's just struck me how pathetic that statement is. If Celtic win the league it means Aberdeen will have missed out on Europe (because Dundee Utd will have got the point they need). Sad, sad bastards.

Indeed. Credit to Mulgrew for walking off in the manner he did. I thought Alan Thompson's head was going to explode into a thousand pieces.

Aw mate that's gonna be excruciating. Had to rely on text updates for Hibs and Aberdeen which was torture, so thank god I'll actually be there on Sunday.

Think I'll watch this one as well. ITV4 I take it? Should be decent, I reckon it'll be a pretty even match-up and it'll be nice to watch it without the gut-churning fear I had watching last year's final. No real preference as to the winner, I'll go for Shaktar on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

I'll be lying semi-conscious on the floor of some Dundee pub or another.