Rangers Football Club

RANGERS kept up their valiant attempt at winning the SFL Reserve League with a hard-fought 4-2 win at Raith as two late goals finally saw off Rovers. The Light Blues travelled to Kirkcaldy needing a victory to close the gap between them and leaders Morton to six points with five games remaining. Goals from Robbie Crawford, Kamil Wiktorski, Jamie Burrow and Kevin Kyle gave them the success they needed to keep themselves in contention. Whether they will be able to do enough in the long run remains to be seen with the Greenock club in command of the competition thanks to their 100 per cent record after eight outings. But regardless of whether losses to them and Dumbarton are costly or not, the league is certainly continuing to be a useful tournament for the clubâ??s fringe players to keep in shape. This was a fixture the away team controlled much of and coach Tommy Wilson will have been happy on the whole with the way his players performed. Gers were certainly dominant in the first half and the only surprise at the halfway point was that they didnâ??t lead by more. They began brightly with Kyle and Kal Naismith both having good chances to break the deadlock without taking them. It was a fair reflection of the way the game had begun when Crawford fired home after Kyleâ??s knock down from a deep Darren Ramsay free kick after eight minutes. But having gone 1-0 up, the visitors spurned so many chances which, had they taken even some of them, would have finished the contest before it was even quarter of the way through. Kyle had two more openings but his shooting was weak each time and both sneaked just the wrong side of the post. Naismith saw a decent drive from 25 yards held by the keeper, Crawfordâ??s grasscutter was spilled and Ramsay put an attempt over the bar too. Francesco Stella, a scorer in last weekâ??s 7-2 victory against Ayr, was next to have a go and he should have bulged the net but was blocked on the line. All of that meant coach Wilson would have been a frustrated man as his side was pegged back after 35 minutes through his namesake Jamie. Blair Currie did well initially to keep out a fierce Raith free kick but the rebound fell to the home forward and he scrambled in on the line. Thankfully the away teamâ??s response was good and they were ahead again just 90 seconds later through Wiktorski when he headed Naismithâ??s right-wing corner in. Stella and Kyle could both have added a third before the interval but neither was able to and it was the odd goal in three that gave Gers the edge going into the second period. Rangers continued to press and Ramsay, Crawford and Stuart Urquhart each steered goalwards from outside the area but none of them could find their range. With that, Raith finally settled and began to enjoy a little possession themselves but they couldnâ??t make the most of it at first. Bad finishing and a couple of offside calls kept them at bay but they grew in confidence and levelled after 65 minutes when Nat Anderson made it 2-2. Again, Wilson will have been infuriated at not seeing his players close the game out by that point. And with their tails up, Raith set about trying to win the match themselves after being out of the running for so long. But it was the away team which did enough to come out on top at the climax as they got two quick goals in the final 12 minutes to make the difference. Substitute Burrows had only been on the park for a couple of minutes after replacing Ramsay but he showed great awareness to break the offside trap and dart clear. And with just the keeper to beat, he showed real composure to hold off a defender and slot in to put the Ibrox side in front again. They werenâ??t finished there though and Kyle got a good goal which will do his confidence no harm seconds later as his bullet header sealed the 4-2 win. There was even time for the big hitman to hit the bar and although a fifth never came, there's no doubt this triumph was a merited one for Wilson's team. RANGERS: Currie; Mitchell, Wiktorski, Jordan Wilson, Clarke; Ramsay (Burrows 76), Urquhart (Telfer 59), Crawford; Naismith, Kyle, Stella (C Gallagher 65). * Read more on the official site...

RANGERSâ?? clash with Elgin City in the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup has been moved to Sunday, December 2 for live TV coverage. The Ibrox meeting with the Highlanders will kick-off at 1.15pm and will be live on Sky Sports. It will be the second match in a week between the two sides as Rangers head to Borough Briggs the previous weekend. Earlier this season Rangers defeated Ross Jackâ??s side 5-1 when David Templeton made a terrific debut and scored two goals. Boss Ally McCoist said: â??If you get a home draw thatâ??s all you can really ask for. They are a team from the same division and we have already played them this season and had a favourable result against them. â??We want to go as far as we can in the Cup. I have repeatedly said that the League is the most important thing for us but, that said, we want to do as best we can for the club and the fans.â? We will bring ticket information for this game as soon as have it. * Read more on the official site...

RANGERS suffered an injury scare over Anestis Argyriou as they routed Alloa to storm into the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup. Greek defender Anestis Argyriou had to be carried off on a stretcher when he fell awkwardly on the touchline 10 minutes into the second half. There were fears that it could be a serious problem but the medical staff have revealed that he went over on his ankle. He left Ibrox on crutches and he will be assessed tomorrow but it is not thought to be a long term problem. Boss Ally McCoist said: â??It didnâ??t look good when he went down like that. That is the one big disappointment on what was a good day.â? The Rangers manager also revealed that Emilson Cribari was taken off as a result of a calf problem he has been carrying for a couple of matches. Again it is not thought to be serious and he should be OK when the league campaign resumes next weekend with a home match against Peterhead. McCoist said: â??Emilson has a problem with his lower calf that has been niggling him for a couple of weeks so we took him off as a precaution. â??I think Lee McCullochâ??s nose was out of joint a bit when I moved him to centre back because I think he fancied a hat-trick. â??He was hiding when I took Cribari off but in all seriousness as captain he was more than accepting of needs must.â? Read more on the official site...

SCOTTISH singer Amy Macdonald today showed her support for the work of the Rangers Charity Foundation by helping to promote the recently launched limited edition pink shirts with first team coach Ian Durrant during her visit to Ibrox as a guest of the Club. Only 5,000 shirts are available in a variety of adult sizes for men and women and over 50% of the stock has already been bought since it was launched just over a week ago. Following two sell-out concerts this week in Glasgow, Amy is enjoying a day at Ibrox and speaking ahead of the match, she said: “The pink shirts are a great way to help raise funds for a special cause. "I’ll definitely be wearing mine with pride. The Rangers Charity Foundation does some amazing work and it’s great to be here at Ibrox today to be able to cheer on the team!” Charles Green has also thanked the Rangers fans for displaying their charitable spirit once again as the limited edition pink shirt – launched in support of the Rangers Charity Foundation - is selling in huge numbers. £15 from the sale of each shirt will be donated to the Rangers Charity Foundation in support of its fantastic work in Glasgow and across Scotland and the Chief Executive would like to thank main sponsor Tennent’s for agreeing to the initiative and the fans for their incredible backing. Green said: “I know that this initiative has been a year in the planning and although it has been a difficult year for everyone connected with Rangers Football Club, there is absolutely no doubt that the spirit of our supporters, including their charitable spirit, has been incredible. * “The Rangers Charity Foundation is a vital and cherished part of the Club’s spirit and activity and this initiative demonstrates the Club’s continuing appreciation of the wonderful work that the Foundation does. “I would also like to personally thank main sponsors Tennent’s for their key role in this initiative as the Tennent’s logo has been replaced with the Rangers Charity Foundation branding on the pink top. "Tennent’s have supported and stood by the Club in difficult times and I appreciate their backing on this matter and thanks to retail partners Sportsdirect.com for their part in making this initiative so successful.” Paul Condron, Marketing Director at Tennent Caledonian Breweries, added: “Tennent’s has always been a business with a strong community and charitable focus.* “When Rangers approached us to discuss the launch of a limited edition charity kit, we felt the most appropriate way we could support this initiative was by allowing our Tennent’s branding to be replaced by The Rangers Charity Foundation branding to help to maximise visibility and awareness of the Foundation. "We’re obviously delighted with the success of the campaign and that several very worthy causes will benefit by around £75,000 from sales of these strips.” The limited edition shirts are priced at £39.99 and are available to buy from the Rangers Megastore and online at sportsdirect.com. The initiative has the potential to raise £75,000 in support of the Rangers Charity Foundation as it celebrates a decade of charitable giving and it is hoped that the shirt will be a big hit with fans who can wear them with pride. * During the last 10 years over £2.5 million in both cash and in-kind support has been donated making dozens of inspirational projects a reality, from funding a replacement bed programme for residents of the Erskine Home in Glasgow, to specialist facilities for teenagers with cancer to Braille books for Scotland’s blind children and life-improving nebulisers for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. One of the projects benefitting from the sale of the limited edition shirts will be The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice after the Foundation recently announced a landmark partnership with the Hospice to raise £100,000 towards a new palliative care facility which will be built on a proposed site within Bellahouston Park. Read more on the official site...

ALLY McCOIST bemoaned individual errors as Rangers were dumped out of the League Cup but honestly conceded that Inverness were worthy winners. The Highlanders were 3-0 winners at Ibrox to reach the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time in their history but Rangers contributed to their own downfall. The deference was caught out as Andy Shinnie had all the time in the world it seemed to score the first goal, although there was a hint of offside. The second Inverness goal came about from poor marking at a corner and then Anestis Argyriou gave away a penalty to seal Rangersâ?? fate. McCoist said: â??I didnâ??t think there was an awful lot between the teams in the first half. Neither team created an awful lot. â??They got the break with the goal and we always felt the first goal would be important. I wouldnâ??t mind seeing it again. â??That said the second half was very disappointing. I thought the individual errors that created the three goals were very disappointing* â??In the second half Inverness were better than us and deserve to be in the semis more than we do. â??It was an opportunity for us to play against an SPL team which we did do against Motherwell but the intensity in which we played tonight was miles short of what we showed against Motherwell. â??We got what we deserved in the second half and so did Inverness. â??It probably is a reminder of how far we have to travel but Iâ??m extremely aware of how far we have to travel. â??There is a thin line because it is very difficult in the sense that I will never make excuses for the second half performance. â??The league remains our top priority and the cups are a bonus. That said we have a very big cup tie on Saturday and we have to be ready for that.â? * Read more on the official site...

LEE McCULLOCH believes Inverness showed more hunger to win against Rangers tonight and admitted the Light Blues were guilty of conceding â??criminalâ?? goals. What had been a good Halloween initially for the club captain after the announcement of his contract extension turned into a nightmare when he saw his side beaten 3-0. Gers actually had the better of the first half and were unlucky to trail to Andrew Shinnieâ??s goal at the break. In the second period, however, they were well beaten as Gary Warren and Graeme Shinnie while Neil Alexander stopped the scoreline from being even worse. It was a difficult result for McCulloch to stomach, particularly after the euphoric manner of the 2-0 victory against Motherwell in the last round. But he knows the Highlanders were deserving victors and had no complaints about the final outcome. McCulloch said: â??We obviously fancied our chances with being at home and after the Motherwell game but Inverness were the better team. â??They were more organised and passed the ball better. They created more chances and probably wanted it more than us. â??On the other hand, we made individual mistakes. We didnâ??t play well and the goals we lost were terrible, terrible goals to lose at any level. â??Itâ??s disappointing because when we go through the goals again, weâ??ll see they were criminal ones to give away. â??Itâ??s obviously a bad night for us tonight but weâ??ve got to lift ourselves now for the weekend and the game against Alloa. We need to put things right.â? Read more on the official site...

THERE has been growing speculation recently that an announcement from the First Tier Tax tribunal is imminent. The Club has no knowledge of when such an announcement will be made. However, the Club as it now stands as part of The Rangers Football Club Ltd. has been informed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs that any decision by the First Tier Tax Tribunal will not affect the operations of The Rangers Football Club Ltd. This tax liability which is under consideration by the Tribunal is historic and was a matter for The Rangers Football Club plc ('oldco') which is in administration and will be subject to liquidation in due course. The Rangers Football Club Ltd. is a corporate entity formed following the acquisition in June this year by a consortium led by Charles Green of the business and assets of Rangers, including the Club and its honours. Unpaid tax liabilities led to the demise of 'oldco' and the EBT arrangements were part of 'oldco's' liabilities. As HMRC stated in June when they decided to vote against the proposed oldco CVA, no tax liabilities relating to 'oldco' would transfer across to the new company. HMRC have recently reaffirmed this position to the Club's tax advisers, Deloitte. The Rangers Football Club Ltd. is a company free of external debt and all liabilities relating to 'oldco' are a matter for the administrators. The impending decision of the First Tier Tax Tribunal once again calls into question the validity of the SPL Commission into the use of EBTs. They are clearly a matter for the old company and The Rangers Football Club is trying to rebuild as a great sporting institution Read more on the official site...

ALLY McCOIST is hopeful that David Templeton will make a return to the Rangers squad ahead of schedule. Sundayâ??s clash with Clyde will come too soon for the deadline-day signing who has been absent since injuring his ankle against Annan in mid-September. However the winger was back out on the training pitch at Auchenhowie today and, along with Kane Hemmings, is nearing a return. McCoist will assess the playerâ??s progress next week before deciding if he is ready for a dramatic recall against Inverness in the League Cup on Wednesday. The boss said: â??The good news is that the wee man looking healthy again and heâ??s out on the training ground and Iâ??d hope in the not too distant future heâ??ll be back playing for us. â??This weekend has come a little too early for him. Wednesday is a big game and it would be a big call but weâ??ll see how he is on Monday and I wouldnâ??t rule anything out. â??The most important thing is that when he comes back heâ??s 100 per cent fit and ready to go again.â? McCoist is getting closer to a fully fit squad, with Andy Little now available for selection and Fran Sandaza the only slightly longer term absentee. He added: â??Thankfully weâ??re looking ok. Andy Little is back and played 35 minutes for us last week and made a difference when he came on. â??Heâ??s had another good weekâ??s training and heâ??ll come back in. Kane Hemmings, another young lad, has been doing a little bit of training as well so weâ??re getting closer. Read more on the official site...

A FANTASTIC item of football folklore was presented to Rangers today in the shape of the jersey Jim Baxter wore against England in the famous 3-2 victory at Wembley in 1967. Rangers legend Baxter was the star of the show 45 years ago when the Scots â?? bossed by another Ibrox great Bobby Brown â?? humbled the then world champions with an incredible display of style that bordered on mickey-taking. Baxter, then with Sunderland, was at his impudent best and there is a lasting image of the swaggering midfielder keeping the ball up in the air as he trotted on the Wembley turf. Today the shirt worn by Baxter on that incredible occasion was presented to Ally McCoist and Sandy Jardine by lifelong fan Jimmy McGarrity and his son Mark Deighan. Jimmy takes up the story: â??I became friendly with Alan Hudson of Chelsea in the late 1960s and we were out one day with Alan Ball. â??Alan Ball had swapped shirts with Jim Baxter after that Wembley game and given it to Alan Hudson later on. â??Hudson then asked him if he could give it to me because I was a big Rangers fan and I had been at the game in 1967.â? Jimmy gave the famous shirt to his son Mark who had forgotten all about it until he found it in a box recently when he was clearing out his loft. Mark said: â??I couldnâ??t believe it when I came across the shirt. I was flabbergasted. â??It was only then I realised the value of it and I spoke to my Dad and we decided it had to be given to Rangers.â? Jimmy added: â??Rangers have gone through a lot with the SFA this year so I thought it was only fitting that we give the shirt to Rangers and I hope the fans enjoy seeing it.â? Read more on the official site...

EVERYONE at Rangers has been saddened by the recent passing of our colleague David Allport who lost his battle with cancer at the weekend. * David worked with the Club for over four and a half years and was a valuable member of the IT team and instrumental in a number of system enhancements. * His contribution to the Club was invaluable and he will be sadly missed by his friends at Ibrox.* David is survived by his wife Lorna and two young children.* Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time. * Read more on the official site...

ALLY MCCOIST could not hide his disappointment after watching his side exit the Ramsdens Cup following tonight's 4-3 penalty shoot-out defeat to Queen of the South at Ibrox. The manager thought his side had done enough to secure a victory when Lee McCulloch won a spot kick with 20 minutes left and the skipper slotted the ball past Lee Robinson. But with both teams had been reduced to ten men following the dismissals of Kevin Kyle and Willie Gibson, Gavin Reilly equalised in injury time to make it 2-2 and take the game to extra time and then the lottery of penalties. Ally said: â??Itâ??s a sore one thatâ??s for sure and weâ??re really disappointed. â??To lose in the manner we did on penalties was disappointing and I donâ??t think there was a lot between the teams. â??I thought we probably had done enough after we got the second goal when we were down to ten men. â??We are obviously disappointed in the way we lost the second goal as well. â??Having seen it again a couple of the boys were telling me it was our throw-in and then then the lad looked a yard offside. â??But that aside we should still be defending it better. â??Itâ??s not a wake-up call for me itâ??s just a massive disappointment. â??We were all aware how difficult the game would be tonight against a good Queen of the South side that are doing well in the league and they also knocked Hibs out of the League Cup. â??But we definitely need to do more in terms of creation with the ball. â??Tonight we didnâ??t do it as much as we have done in our recent home games.â? Read more...

RANGERS Chief Executive Charles Green said: â??We made very clear in the statement that we made that we have never questioned the integrity of the panel. That is beyond reproach. * â??What I do have an issue with is the fact that the SPL has relentlessly been pursuing a fixed and predetermined agenda on EBTs from the moment they realised that they would not be able to get Rangers back into the SPL without a fan revolt. "Until that moment the SPL were looking to trade SPL status for an admission of guilt on EBTs and a sanction of stripped titles. We couldnâ??t and didnâ??t give them that. "You need look no further than the initial draft of the five-way agreement. "There is reference in that to EBTs and the outcome was stripping titles but if I make a statement that the SPL is pursuing a predetermined outcome then Iâ??m bringing the game into disrepute. "From the moment that SPL status for Rangers was off the agenda weâ??ve been heading for stripped titles. * â??What Iâ??m doing is using free speech to tell the fans exactly what has happened and I am now on disrepute charges for matters of fact. "The words that seem to have upset the SFA so much are that â??the SPL appoint the jury, set the outcome and set the punishment before the trialâ? - those things are true and I stand by them. â??Whether or not the Commission works to that agenda remains to be seen but letâ??s be clear there was a predetermined outcome. "If their Chief Executive and lawyers were drafting agreements that contained definitions of titles that would be stripped in late June/early July long before a Commission was even thought about, how can anyone say they are not pursuing an agenda and a predetermined outcome? * â??I would ask the SFA and the SPL to release the first draft of the five-way agreement put together by their lawyers to reveal all of the sanctions. Stripping of titles was definitely within that document. * â??In terms of this commission, if the SPL agenda prevails then Rangers will be found guilty and being found guilty we will lose five titles. * â??If Iâ??m wrong then it will be a different outcome. * â??What I said before is that this commission is not independent because the SPL have set it up. Saying that they are not independent is not saying that they are not impartial. â??Thatâ??s what I have an issue with and I will make these points when I go to see the SFA â?? not unless Iâ??m in jail before then because there will no doubt be 50 odd charges by then. * â??We want to focus on whatâ??s happening at the club in terms of filling the stadium, going to Annan and filling the town â?? they are the good things. * â??But all people want to do is keep chasing Rangers and to chase us to the grave â?? and we are not going there.â? Read more...

ALLY McCOIST insists his completely re-built team will come good on their travels after three disappointing draws in the opening five matches of SFL 3. The manager revealed there was a team meeting to discuss the situation after the latest blow came in Saturdayâ??s goal-less draw at Annan. However he remains confident that his new side will overcome the current difficulties in the weeks ahead. He said: â??We had a meeting were views were aired and thatâ??s a good thing but there were no raised voices. â??Everyone knows we have to turn our away draws into victories but there has to be a realisation that we are in a transitional period as a team and as a club. â??There is no doubt about the places we are going to the opposition are having the time of their lives and rightly so. â??These players are saying itâ??s the biggest game of their lives when they play Rangers so that in itself is a compliment to us. â??We have to accept that and what we have to do is do better when we have the ball. â??We all know the pressures of getting results at this football club no matter which competition we are in. â??The flip side of the coin is that we have had three draws away from home so itâ??s not a disaster but I do accept we should be playing better with the ball away from home. â??Iâ??m fully focused and certain that the results away from home will come but itâ??s not going to be an overnight fix. â??You look at the team that played Celtic last season, none of them started at the weekend. We donâ??t have Jelavic, Naismith, Davis, Edu or any of these guys â?? they have moved on. â??So we are going to need a bit of time. Having said that I do know that managers donâ??t get time. At the same time everyone has to have an appreciation of where the club is at the moment, but weâ??ll get there.â? *

SEBASTIEN FAURE makes his first league start for Rangers as he starts at right-back against Annan Athletic this afternoon. The French defender comes in for Greek star Artemis Argyriou, who is ruled out after he was injured in a 3-1 bounce win over Falkirk at Ibrox last week. Otherwise Ally McCoistâ??s team more or less picks itself, with Ross Perry joining Emilson Cribari in central defence and Lee Wallace deployed on the left. David Templeton and Barrie McKay will support striker Lee McCulloch from the left and right flanks, with Dean Shiels playing just in behind the captain. Ian Black and Lewis Macleod team up in the engine room once again, with Neil Alexander starting in goal. Chris Hegarty takes a place on the bench as the back-up defender while Robbie Crawford â?? who played at Galabank for the reserves on Tuesday â?? is also listed as a replacement. Fran Sandaza and Kevin Kyle have to make do with places in the dug-out and Scott Gallacher, another who featured four days ago, completes the squad. This is the first time Gers have played a first-team fixture at Annan and a capacity crowd of around 2,500 will pack into the SFLâ??s smallest venue for kick-off at 3pm. If you live outwith the UK and Ireland you can watch all of the action live and exclusively at www.rangerstv.tv. Lindsay Herron presents the show with commentator Tom Miller taking you through every kick of the 90 minutes. RANGERS: Alexander; Faure, Emilson, Perry, Wallace; McKay, Black, Macleod, Templeton; Shiels; McCulloch.

YOUNG Rangers defender Kyle McAusland has joined Ayr United on a three month loan deal. The 19-year-old was a regular in Billy Kirkwoodâ??s under-19 side last season, making 18 appearances and scoring twice. He has featured as both a central defender and a right back in the youth set up for the Light Blues. A hip injury collected in the second week of pre-season had kept him out of action until early this month when he appeared in a 3-1 victory in a closed door game against Falkirk at Ibrox. McAusland replaced the injury Anestis Argyriou at right back in that match and set up the opening goal for Francesco Stella before conceding the penalty from which the Bairns equalised. He also featured on Tuesday night for Tommy Wilsonâ??s reserve side against Annan, completing the full 90 minutes against Annan Athletic. Now McAusland will have the opportunity to gain valuable first team experience with the Second Division outfit.

LEE McCULLOCH admits he would love to be the latest player to extend his future with the Light Blues. The skipper is in the final year of his current Gers contract, but Ally McCoist has already indicated his desire to keep his captain beyond next summer. That news was welcomed by McCulloch on the back of Lee Wallace, Lewis Macleod, Robbie Crawford and Barrie McKay all committing their long term futures to the club. However Jig knows heâ??s unlikely, at 34, to be handed a similar five year deal! He said: â??That would be great news for me. I'd love to stay for another year anyway. â??I know Iâ??m getting on a bit so I'm not expecting a five year deal! â??It would be great but as far as Iâ??m aware talks haven't started yet, but I would be keen to talk. â??It's good to hear that the manager thinks I could be here for another season.â? However despite his senior role in the squad, McCulloch insists he doesnâ??t feel any extra responsibility to improve the clubâ??s current position. He added: â??I think everyone in the dressing room has a responsibility, along with the coaching staff and the manager, to get the club back. â??I'm just here to play my part. I don't see myself having a different role from anyone else. â??I'm maybe a little bit more experienced than some of the boys and they know that if any of them need help with anything I'm happy to give them that.â?

ALLY McCOIST is hopeful that he can tie down senior stars Lee McCulloch and Neil Alexander on longer term deals in the coming months. McCoist has just made McCulloch club captain while Alexander is obviously the No1 keeper since the departure of Allan McGregor over the summer. Both players are out of contract at the end of this season and with a signing embargo now in place on Rangers for the next two transfer windows McCoist would be keen to secure both players beyond next summer. McCulloch has made a terrific start to the campaign with eight goals and is relishing his new role as skipper while Alexander remains a first class goalkeeper with vast experience. McCoist told RangersTV: â??There has nothing been planned yet but it goes without saying that they are players who are very valuable to the team and the club. â??I would imagine in the next couple of months or so that their representatives will be sitting down with the club to discuss extensions to their contracts. â??Hopefully from their point of view and from our point of view we can do some good business.â? McCulloch has been with Rangers for over five years while Alexander joined in January 2008 and they have been at the heart of the club's major successes. YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL McCOIST INTERVIEW NOW ON RANGERSTV *

RANGERS have confirmed prices for the clubâ??s League Cup tie with Motherwell at Ibrox on Wednesday 26 September will be frozen once again in recognition of the phenomenal support the fans have shown this season. Tickets are available to season ticket holders now at the same price as the previous ties against East Fife and Falkirk at the Stadium â?? £13 for adults, £8 for concessions and £3 for children. Public sale for these tickets starts on Friday at £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for kids. Family tickets are also available for this match (2 adults and 2 kids seated in the Family Section) priced £35. Rangers fans have shown their unwavering support for the club in 2012/13 and season ticket numbers have hit almost 36,000 so far. Chief Executive Charles Green has once again thanked the fans for their loyalty and support.* He said: â??The huge crowds we have attracted at Ibrox this season in the SFL and cup competitions have been the envy of football clubs UK wide and this game will be no exception as our fans yet again demonstrate their unwavering support for Rangers. â??There was speculation we would sell match programmes at £14 and charge fans just 50p for entry to the Motherwell game but we wonâ??t do that as it is not the Rangers way. "I would like to make it a fantastic evening so that Motherwell fans, or indeed fans from other SPL clubs that have the privilege of visiting Ibrox this season, remember what they are missing. â??Clubs have been benefiting from Rangers in league games and cup competitions for 140 years and this year will be no different. "Our fans have turned out at Ibrox in huge numbers in all our games this season and few clubs in the world could count on that support. â??I know there will be huge interest in this game as we are playing the current SPL leaders and our fans will be out in force once again at Ibrox to support Ally and the team.â? To buy tickets fans can click here, call 0871 702 1972 or go to the Rangers Ticket Centre. Calls cost 10ppm from a BT landline, mobile and other providersâ?? charges may vary.

ALLY McCOIST played a pivotal role in securing new long-term contracts for youngsters Lewis Macleod, Barrie McKay and Robbie Crawford â?? because he feels they deserve it. The Rangers boss wanted all three exciting prospects to feel they were first team players and on equal footing with the other squad members. And he sincerely hopes the trio will fully develop into top players for the club in years to come. Macleod, McKay and Crawford have all pledged their futures to Rangers for the next five years. McCoist told RangersTV: â??Iâ??m particularly pleased at this piece of business because itâ??s important we secure our young players. â??These three lads have been heavily involved with us since the start of the season and weâ??re delighted they have pledged their long-term futures to the club. â??Itâ??s something we have been working on for a number of months now. I just felt that the three of them should be treated exactly the same as the other players in the squad. â??They are all good friends, they have come through the ranks together and now they are in and around the first team. â??So I felt if we could get them all tied up collectively it would be good for all of us. â??They are all good players and we are delighted with the progress they are making. â??There is a long way to go in their careers but things are going nicely right now. â??Lewis has had more game time than the other two but they will all have their opportunities.â?

BARRIE McKay is looking forward to a bright future after pledging the next five years of his career to Rangers. The 17-year-old forward was one of three Gers youngsters to agree deals today to stay at Ibrox until at least the summer of 2017. He has appeared in all eight of the Light Bluesâ?? matches this season and scored against Peterhead in the clubâ??s first Third Division outing. It has been a meteoric rise for the young forward, who only arrived at Auchenhowie from Kilmarnock last summer. The change in fortune for the Scotland under-19 international is not lost on him. He said: â??I didnâ??t start off here but Iâ??m delighted that I came here and Iâ??m pleased that my future is here. â??The facilities here are obviously much better and playing with better players is a big thing. â??There is more pressure, but thatâ??s something that you need to be able to deal with. â??When I first came here my target was to be starting for the under-19 team, but then I was training with the first team. â??That was a great experience and itâ??s great when people put their faith in you.â? McKay has already wowed Rangers supporters with some of his early displays in Ally McCoistâ??s side and he admits that support from the Ibrox crowd is something he loves to feed off. He added: â??The more you get on the ball, the more enjoyment you get out of football so when fans are backing you it helps to build the confidence. â??Itâ??s great that right now weâ??ve got a group at the same age getting in to the squad and having our futures shorted is great. â??We can all go through it together rather than on our own and that will be great for us all.â?

LEWIS Macleod is delighted to have agreed a long term deal that will keep him with Rangers until the summer of 2017. The talented 18-year-old joined Robbie Crawford and Barrie McKay in pledging his long term future to the Light Blues today. Midfielder Macleod has started all eight games played by Ally McCoistâ??s side this season and he admits he wouldnâ??t want to be playing his football anywhere else. He said: â??Itâ??s brilliant. I wouldnâ??t want to sign anywhere else so to be here at Rangers is great. Iâ??ve been here since I was ten so itâ??s been a long time and a big part of my life.â? Macleod was tipped to make the break in to the first team last season after appearing on the bench in the run in to the SPL season. However his first outing didnâ??t come until he was included in McCoistâ??s starting lineup against Brechin at the end of July. He hasnâ??t looked back since and his experiences of playing in front of a packed house at Ibrox have been moments he has relished. Macleod added: â??Playing week in and week out in front of almost 50,000 fans has been great. Itâ??s a big difference from playing under-19s football. â??The tempo is much higher but when you play with better players I think you improve yourself. I think that has helped a lot of aspects of my game.â? Macleod has also had the benefit of advice from two men who have plenty of experience of his central midfield role. New captain Lee McCulloch has helped play a part in Macleodâ??s development but it was Ian Durrant who appeared most excited by his emergence last season. â??He has got the experience from doing it himself and itâ??s always great to get advice from people like that,â? said Macleod. â??All the coaches have been great and the more experienced players like Lee McCulloch help you along too, and for me heâ??s been great because heâ??s played the same position.â?

CHARLES GREEN, Chief Executive of Rangers, issued the following statement today: â??The Rangers Football Club Limited will not attend tomorrowâ??s hearing (Tuesday, September 11) of the SPL-appointed Commission investigating the circumstances surrounding the use of Employee Benefit Trusts by previous owners of the Club. "The Club cannot continue to participate in an SPL process that we believe is fundamentally misconceived.* â??Neither the SPL, nor its Commission, has any legal power or authority over the Club because it is not in the SPL. "For that reason it has no legal basis on which to appoint its Commission. The Club ceased to be subject to the SPLâ??s rules when it was ejected from its league. "Our lawyers have made that point repeatedly to the SPL in correspondence and yet our requests for an explanation from the SPL have been completely ignored. The SPLâ??s silence on these issues is deafening. The outcome of the SPLâ??s process will have no legal effect.** â??First and foremost, I would like to explain this decision to our supporters across the world whose loyalty and commitment to the Club in very difficult times has been unwavering and heart-warming for all those involved at the Club. Our decision regarding this commission is approved unanimously by the Board and the Manager Ally McCoist. â??Since the decision was taken by HMRC on June 14 to reject administratorsâ?? proposals for a Company Voluntary Arrangement, the fate of Rangers FC lay firmly and clearly in the ability of the consortium I led to form a new company and corporate entity that would ensure that Rangers had a future as a football club. â??At all times we were fully transparent in our dealings with the football authorities, be they the SFA, SPL or the SFL. "There was no ambiguity whatsoever regarding the status of the company when it made an application to join the SPL. "As we all know, 10 SPL clubs decided against the admission of the new company to the league and The Rangers Football Club Limited subsequently applied to the SFL for membership and we are grateful for their acceptance. â??In short, what was decided by the SPL membership is that Rangers was finished as a member of the SPL. "Despite this, the SPL now see the new owners of the company, and the new company itself, which owns all the assets of Rangers FC - including SPL championship titles â?? as fair game for punishment for matters that have nothing to do with us at all. "And letâ??s be very clear about what this Commission is. Although the SPL goes to great lengths to emphasise the independence of its Commission, the Commission is not independent of the SPL. It has been appointed by the SPL. It follows SPL rules and its process is managed by SPL staff. "I donâ??t question the impartiality of the individual panel members but whatever decision they reach is a decision of the SPL.** â??To make it crystal clear, the new owners purchased all the business and assets of Rangers, including titles and trophies. "Any attempt to undermine or diminish the value of those assets will be met with the stiffest resistance, including legal recourse. â??Furthermore, we ask the question genuinely. Why did the football authorities do nothing to address an issue that was public knowledge for at least two years, and was reported in the Clubâ??s accounts for several years, before the Club went into administration and was subsequently taken over by new owners? "HMRC contacted the SPL regarding EBT matters in October 2010, they met to discuss what documentation the Club had lodged with the SPL. "Did the SPL launch an investigation? Did they appoint a Commission?* Did they ask to see EBT correspondence? Did they ask any questions at all?* No. They did absolutely nothing.***** â??What compounds the breathtaking hypocrisy of the SPL in this whole saga, is that the SFA, the SPL and us - as the new owners - took part in numerous discussions regarding the new companyâ??s league status during which it was made clear that a deal was there to be done where â??the EBT issueâ?? would be dealt with as part of a package of sanctions which would be implemented in return for membership of the SFA and a place in either the SPL or Division One. "We do not accept that people who are willing to come to an agreement on such matters then have a right to instigate a full blown inquisition when matters do not unfold as they thought they would. â??In our view, it beggars belief that an authority which can be heavily involved in these discussions to the point that the Chief Executive Neil Doncaster repeatedly stated he was not interested in stripping titles from Rangers can lurch from that position to setting up its own Commission under the chairmanship of Lord Nimmo Smith. "I must make it clear that we are not questioning for a moment the integrity of Lord Nimmo Smith and his colleagues but we believe the SPL have been hypocritical in their approach to this matter. "Quite apart from their negotiations with our consortium, I know the SPL were well advanced in their discussions with another bidder and his representatives where EBT issues were raised and there was again an understanding that the EBT issue could be dealt with by agreement if new owners were to take over at Ibrox. â??Why is the SPL rushing to judgement now when it has been sitting on the matter for two years? Their haste is particularly difficult to understand when the tax tribunal judgement is imminent. "The factual issues in both cases are identical. We have to ask why is the SPL so anxious to issue a judgement in this matter before the tax tribunalâ??s findings are made public. "The position is even harder to understand when one of the reasons the SFA did not pursue any form of disciplinary charge on EBT matters following Lord Nimmo Smithâ??s April report was because it was felt unwise for the SFA to pursue the matter when the tax tribunal judgement had not been made public. "Nothing has changed as the judgement still has not been made public. Why is the SPL rushing ahead when in April the SFA felt it unwise to do so? â??Rangers was not the only club in Scotland to use EBTs yet nothing was done and little has been heard about it. Also, Rangers stands accused of achieving sporting advantage unfairly â?? yet there is little debate over the fact in all the years EBTs were in existence at Ibrox, the Club often failed to win either the league title, or the main cup competitions. "Furthermore, the period concerned saw a significant downsizing of the playing squad both in money spent on transfers and players wages. â??The decision we have taken has not been taken lightly. There are powerful representatives from Clubs within the SPL â?? not all of them by any means â?? who appear hell bent on inflicting as much damage on Rangers as possible. "It is lamentable that the Board and executive of the organisation have not been able to deal with this appropriately. We do not hold every SPL club in the same regard. Several clubs were placed in an invidious position and we believe their interests were not best served by those in more powerful positions. â??Furthermore, as a Club we are not satisfied that the issue of conflict of interest relating to advisers to the SPL has been satisfactorily dealt with. â??Once again I would thank our supporters for their patience and tolerance. They have been asked to take it on the chin time and again and we stand united in saying: No more. "As far as I am concerned, Rangers Football Club has won a world record 54 league titles, and, whatever the decision of the SPL Commission, these titles cannot and will not be taken away from us and our Manager Ally McCoist is in total agreement.â?

PAUL CLARK, of Duff and Phelps, joint administrators of RFC 2012 PLC (formerly The Rangers Football Club plc), issued the following statement today: â??I can confirm that the business and certain assets of RFC 2012 PLC â?? including the honours won by the Club - were acquired by Mr Charles Greenâ??s consortium as part of the sale and purchase agreement. â??The SPL have been in contact with RFC 2012 PLC with regard to the SPLâ??s Commission which is examining Rangersâ?? historic use of EBTs.* However, having taken legal advice, it is the Joint Administratorsâ?? opinion that the SPL is not able to pursue RFC 2012 PLC in this matter.* â??The SPL have stated that the Commission is empowered to review the use of EBTs under the contract between the SPL and its member club.* RFC 2012 PLC no longer has a contract with the SPL and therefore the SPL has no jurisdiction over it.* â??This has been communicated to the SPL and considering that further involvement in this matter is not in the interests of its creditors, RFC 2012 PLC will have no further involvement with the Commission. â??Our primary role as Administrators was to rescue the business which has been achieved by Charles Green and his consortium and whilst any sanctions the Commission may levy will not affect RFC 2012 PLC this process would not appear to us to be helpful to the ongoing revival of Rangers.â?

TWO of Rangersâ?? away Third Division matches have been moved so that they can be shown on television. The trip to face Elgin City at Borough Briggs has been put back a day and will now take place on Sunday, November 25 at noon. Gersâ?? game at Montrose on Saturday, December 15, meanwhile, will now start at 12.30pm rather than the original kick-off time of 3pm. Both matches will be screened live by ESPN and any further fixture changes will be announced in due course.

FRANCESCO STELLA scored in his first outing in a Rangers shirt and Kevin Kyle struck too as the Light Blues beat Falkirk 3-1 in a closed-doors game this afternoon. Australian midfielder Stella*was in the right place at the right time to put the hosts ahead in the first half at Ibrox. He had a quiet game otherwise but contributed to a victory as Gers filled their gap in play due to the international break with a worthwhile friendly. Ally McCoist fielded an experimental team against the Bairns and deployed his starting line-up in a 3-4-3 formation. Kamil Wiktorski joined Sebastien Faure and Emilson Cribari in defence, with Lee McCulloch joined in midfield by Robbie Crawford, Artemis Argyriou and Stella. Kyle spearheaded the attack, with Barrie McKay and latest signing David Templeton either side of him. There was no sign of Dean Shiels, Andy Little, Chris Hegarty or Andy Mitchell as all four are on international duty with the full and under-21 Northern Ireland teams. Lee Wallace also sat the game out due to a knock which stopped him from joining the Scotland squad while Ian Black and Fran Sandaza were also missing. Stella nearly struck inside 70 seconds when he started a move which led to him being in on goal but being beaten to the ball at the last second by the keeper. Kyle then headed past the post and McKay had a chance to shoot but made the wrong choice when he set up Crawford instead and he missed. Falkirk got forward well in the first half and Lyle Taylor, their most threatening forward, shot wide as the visitors tried to respond. He drilled past the post though and that was the cue for Stella to break the deadlock at the other end with a close-range finish from a deep right-wing cross. Back came Falkirk through Taylor once again and he hit the bar as the Westfield side came close to an equaliser. Templeton should have made it 2-0 after taking advantage of a defensive lapse to get past the last defender but his effort was straight at the keeper. And in their next attack the First Division side drew level as substitute Kyle McAusland fouled Taylor in the box and he sent Scott Gallacher the wrong way from the spot. Rangers rallied and eventually went in front once more with 19 minutes of the match remaining. Replacement Kal Naismith did really well to break away from two opponents before playing the ball to Kyle on the 18-yard line. He then flicked the ball on to Tom Walsh, whose shot was screwing across goal and wide until it deflected off a defender and into the net instead. Fraser Aird could have added a third late on with a rasping drive from 30 yards but it was stopped on the line. And instead it was Kyle who sealed the victory seconds from the end when he nodded in a Walsh cross at the back post after a short corner from Naismith. McCoist will have been pleased the forward, along with Faure, Crawford and Hutton, got valuable minutes under their belts. Heâ??ll also have been happy McAusland came through his return from a hip injury unscathed and that youngsters Walsh, Murdoch and Naismith showed up relatively well. RANGERS (3-4-3): Gallacher; Wiktorski (Murdoch), Faure, Emilson (Pascazio); Argyriou (McAusland), McCulloch (Hutton), Crawford (Aird), Stella; McKay (Walsh), Kyle, Templeton (Naismith).