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RANGERS Chief Executive Charles Green has released the following statement on league reconstruction: â??The continuing debate on reconstruction of Scottish football is leaving football fans up and down the country bewildered and thoroughly exasperated â?? and who can blame them? â??They feel their voice is being ignored by their own clubs let alone the football authorities and fear the current proposals will not herald meaningful change. â??I would like to make Rangersâ?? position on this issue crystal clear so there can be no ambiguity when clubs within the SFL and the SPL come to vote on a reconstruction model. â??First, we obviously support the creation of a single league body as anything that can be done to streamline the byzantine structures of Scottish football should be welcomed. â??Secondly, I am disappointed that the notion of a league structure of three leagues comprising 14 teams each was not pursued more vigorously as this would have gone some way to addressing the concerns of many football fans regarding small leagues. â??Given we are where we are, I am putting forward the following league structure proposals which I firmly believe to be in the interests not only of Rangers but also Scottish football as a whole. It is essential that any proposals address satisfactorily the issue of sporting integrity and I believe our proposals do that. â??All things being well, Rangers should win the Division 3 title and, that being the case, we should be promoted. That should happen regardless of what league structure the powers that be put in place. â??It would be manifestly wrong to deny any team promotion having won the competition they have entered into at the start of the season. Equally, teams which have been relegated should not benefit unfairly from any a restructuring of leagues. â??The principle of promotion and relegation for the clubs which fall into these categories at the end of this season should be enshrined in any new league set up. So, if, as widely predicted, we end up with a 12-12-18 set up, Rangers should be promoted and this promotion should be to the middle tier. "There is already a precedent for this situation, established by the SFL at the end of the 1993-94 season when Stranraer, winners of the lowest of three divisions, were promoted to the new second tier on the basis they were champions of their division and merited promotion. â??Indeed, recently the chairman of Stranraer FC referred to the matter and supported the prospect of Rangers being promoted in the event of a 12-12-18 outcome. There has been no shortage of voices banging on about sporting integrity over the last year but sporting integrity must cut both ways. Should that be observed during reconstruction discussions then significant benefits would delivered, particularly to clubs in the middle tier who have yet to reap any financial benefit from Rangers playing in lower divisions. â??As we have seen recently many clubs are struggling and the likes of Dunfermline would be given a much-needed financial boost by Rangers playing in their division. â??Clubs in Division 3 are already enjoying a season where their home matches against Rangers are generating 10 times the revenue they would expect from any other home game. In the exceptional case of Queenâ??s Park, their home matches against us at Hampden will generate several seasonsâ?? worth of gate receipts. â??We are genuinely pleased to have done our bit to assist these clubs financially and have been warmly welcome by SFL clubs. We would like to continue helping the game in Scotland and thatâ??s why I am proposing that a Rangersâ?? Colts team be admitted to the SFL, and I hope Celtic would also consider doing the same. â??The SFL has shown real leadership in proposing this initiative although it should be pointed out that this was not the result of lobbying from this Club. This is an SFL initiative and is genuinely practical in that it would result in bringing much needed additional income to the game. â??My rationale is that when Rangers are promoted, the lowest league will return to where it was in terms of revenue generation. A Rangers Colts team would add value to the league and other clubs would see their home gates enhanced significantly by Rangers fans, particularly those who lived locally. â??I would also be prepared to guarantee other clubs the ticket revenue equivalent of 300 Rangers fans turning up for matches. â??This initiative would help smaller clubs who have no choice but to generate revenue any way that they can. I should point out that such a proposal would often double the gate at in the lowest division. In fact, such a scheme would have virtually doubled the attendance at the weekend at one Division 1 fixture. â??If the 12-12-18 structure is to be the chosen one then I would propose that two additional teams, one a Rangers Colts team, are added to the lowest league. Of course, as chief executive of Rangers, I have a duty to pursue the interests of this club. I have talked openly in the past about exploring other playing environments and change may well happen at some time in the future but no-one knows when. â??As things stand, we all have a duty to do the best for the game as well as our clubs and that is why I think these proposals would be good for Scottish football. All I ask is that these proposals are discussed and considered in a fair and balanced manner.â?

MORE THAN JUST NAMES ? Many Rangers fans have at one point or another been a member of a Rangers supporters club. A great many of these clubs bare the name loyal , be it in a place name like the our own Tyneside True blues RSC, Bridgeton Loyal or the Las Vegas , the Corby , Naples , Dubai all RSC's . There are many many more all around the world and that's before we start naming clubs after famous club servants like the Arthur Numan loyal RSC etc . Also there are as many ,if not more , RSC's with the words True Blues proudly in their name. It would seem loyalty is a trait we admire and respect , something not taken lightly but seen as a commitment and a statement of intent. A pledge or declaration that we are not just glory hunters or part timers but we are linked forever to the club we love. We are not just there when the going is good like supporters of so many other lesser clubs. STANDARDS Once a Ranger always a Ranger was the saying in my younger days . More than a club and Rangers Family are the current sayings , but they mean the same thing . Your never an Ex Rangers supporter , oh sure some may not have been there for years even decades, but they still class themselves as Rangers men and women , and rightly so . I make no apology for quoting , in my opinion the greatest Rangers of them all Mr Wm Struth "To be a Ranger is to sense the sacred trust of upholding all that such a name means in this shrine of football." . So what does "being a Ranger " mean in today's world of money , share issues and players getting paid huge wages ? To me being a Ranger either as a player , manager , supporter or any member of the Rangers family is all the same and is down to 3 things . 1: Never letting the good name of the club down by your actions or your deeds. Knowing that you are only the guardian of the name Rangers supporter, player, manager and that you have been awarded the honour or being called such until your time is over and the next generation takes your place . 2: Remembering with pride that you are a Ranger and feel privileged of being so . Standing by each other when things are not going well , thereâ??s enough people out there have hatred in their hearts towards us without us ever fighting amongst ourselves 3: Loyalty , both of the fans towards the club and the club towards the fans , because one is nothing without the other LOYAL AND TRUE We all know where and why we are at the top of SFL division 3 instead of our rightful place on top of the SPL. We are where we are and we will progress back to our rightful place , the reasons we still have a team to cheer and a club to love is down to loyalty . The loyalty of our supporters who have stood by us while it seemed everyone and anyone lined up to kick us while we were down . The same loyalty that has broken football attendance records and had media crews from all over the world visit our club to see just what it is that makes the most successful football club in the world truly " the people " The loyalty of great servants like Sandy Jardine , who was already rightly regarded as a legend, who led us on a protest and offered us a voice when so many others stood back in silence . We owe him a lot and we will never forget HIS loyalty to us . We also owe a huge debt to our manager Ally McCoist, who many believe held the club together. While deserters fled and the torrents of hatred envy and bile of our haters fell on us in a seemingly relentless tide . Ally stood up for us , not by going into petulant rants as other managers do, but with dignity and upholding the standards befitting the position he holds , by saying the words " we don't do walking away " he steadied the ship and helped galvanise our shell shocked and fragmented support making it something once more to be reckoned with . Ally has had the worst start that any manager could imagine in his worse nightmare . From the time he took over from his mentor , Walter Smith , until now the club has been in turmoil of one kind or another and only of late has any kind of stability returned . He has never been able to spend the time doing the job he loves , coaching the team , and to be honest it shows . Standards have dropped and although we are on top of the league the performances of our players on and off the field is not the standards that should be a prerequisite for wearing the jersey . I myself find some of the press statements he makes about the squads work rate and attitude being ok to be a sign that he has maybe lost touch with the mood of the supporters he was so recently in tune with . That and the odd barbed comment about people not on the inside not understanding whats going on is a worrying sign and but one which I am prepared to put down to his frustration at his players and his reluctance openly criticise them in case it has a negative effect, as the recent statement from our CEO did. I prefer to think he is trying to personally absorb any flack away from his squad , but even his loyalty must have its limits and the players are in his debt as much as the fans so its time for them to step up. Many are openly saying Ally should leave now as he has let things drop so far and that he won't be able to turn it around . Ally had openly admitted he knows of there are shortcomings and he will address them . If ever anyone deserved our loyalty , the time and chance to succeed then it's Alistair Murdoch McCoist MBE . So I say we should stand by him as he has stood by us , we should not be questioning his every move but by the same token he must recognise that we to love Rangers and like him want whats best for the club . No man is bigger than the club and I sure Ally would be the first to agree with that. If Ally can't take the club forward on the park at a pace that matches the supporters aspirations and that of the business then he will go and go with out thanks , but at least give him every opportunity to try. I believe that by turning our backs on one of our own who has stood by us without giving him every chance we would be loosing what makes us more than just a club . We Are The People , and rightly so !

Danny Lennon got St Mirren job 2010/11 season his squad / team has cost him less than 100k , his wage bill will be 1-2 million tops a year, they won cup today. Now on paper our team would expect to beat St Mirren ? Lennon seems to get the best out of his team proving you don't need to spend big money to compete and win a cup on the road, is it down to Man Management ? All the excuses about Ally not having time, 21 day's to get players in, wants to get a new team for next season, we have a wage bill 7 million a year fo compete in Div 3, 2 , 1, the above with Lennon is an example that you either got it or your not no more excuses Ally.

Ally talks a good game he likes to say what we want to hear.

Seen a video of Billy Davies recently at Nottingham Forrest day to day and the attention to detail way hr run the football side of the club was immense.

FRIDAY, 15 MARCH 2013 16:14 Ally Fires Back At Snipers WRITTEN BY NEIL SMITH MANAGER Ally McCoist has insisted that critics having a go at the squad and the coaching staff don’t have enough knowledge to comment properly. McCoist and his players have come under fire – especially after last week’s defeat by Annan. However, the manager fired back - particularly at un-named ex-Rangers players who have offered their views in the media in the past week. Speaking at today’s press conference, McCoist said: “I think there will be massive differences in opinion on the job done. There will people out there, without doubt, who will not give us any credit at all if and when we are lucky enough to win the league. “It won’t be difficult for me. If and when we are lucky enough for it to happen the players will certainly deserve it and they will get my congratulations which will hopefully be the most important thing to them. “As I say there is no-one from the outside that really knows what’s going on. It’s very easy to have an opinion without full knowledge of what is going on and that’s the beauty of football. “Everybody has opinions and indeed differing opinions. That’s why it is easier for me, believe it or not, to take criticism because I’m very aware of the difficulties everybody is facing at the club. “There have been comments from one or two ex-Rangers players who have coached and managed at a level as well which are pretty ignorant because they don’t know the full story and they are a little bit misguided. “They are entitled to their opinions, of course, but we in here don’t take them too seriously.”

■2h Rangers FC Official ‏@RFC_Official AMcC -" We'll likely need to have completely different sides to win the different divisions. We're also unsure where we will play next season" I would have thought some of our team would be good enough for next season, this is worrying.

Usually I'm not one for hypothetical questions - it is, as memorably described in 30 Rock, merely lying to your brain - but I'll beg your indulgence just this once. Imagine the following scenario; you have used a supplier for a number of years. Their service levels are generally good, so much so that during hard times for them, you found ways to get more money to them. This you did without prompting, simply because you felt it was the right thing to do. You have a great relationship â?? in fact, more than that; having helped them in their bleakest period, youâ??d say you have a bond. However, their standards have slipped recently, massively so. Not only is the quality of their work unacceptable â?? some would shoddy â?? but their workers seem not to care, displaying a dreadful attitude that reeks of complacency. You decide to complain to the management. They tell you that, in fact, you are mistaken. The workers have had a tough time of it. They are going to hire a few new ones soon and it will sort everything out. Actually, come to think of it, they arenâ??t even doing that badly. A director who has been at the firm for a number of years says that the CEO shouldnâ??t listen to customers anyway, as all they ever do is gripe. You then find that those workers, the really lazy ones who you are financing, have taken to social media to laugh at you and all the other customers. Would you give any money to that firm again? Would you hell. But thatâ??s what Rangers expect of us as the posties get ready to bring round the season ticket forms for 2013/14. Now, itâ??s a flawed comparison, no doubt. We are supporters, not just customers. We love our club, weâ??ve been through the mill with them and we stood up to be counted. We donâ??t do walking away. But the fact is that, unpalatable as it is to some, we are customers. This is the 21st Century and attitudes have changed. I know we all like to be wonderfully staunch, but the fact is money is tight for many and the pressure to cut back on unnecessary outgoings is always there. When you are a family looking at economies, a season ticket, with its upfront payment, is always going to be a quick and easy one. When the football being played is entertaining, then it is a pressure we just donâ??t succumb to. When itâ??s not so free-flowing and joyous, there has always been that bond between player and fan. My club is your club is our club. Even when that was eroded (as it has been at every major club) by the money players earn, the club was usually engaged in a title race. There was enough to keep you going. What we have now is really, really terrible football. Almost indescribably bad. Given the standard of the opposition, what we are serving up most weeks is evidence that the current Rangers side really does have a strong claim to be the worst ever. They are, more often than not, sluggish, half-paced, unimaginative, dull, sloppy and content to get by against part-timers. There is no vision, spark or drive. This is bad. This is very bad. What has enraged thousands of fans, however, is that the players and staff donâ??t seem to care. In the days after the Annan defeat, we learned that Kyle Hutton had won the Murray Park darts tournament, was going to spend the afternoon watching a DVD after finishing training at 1pm and was attending a concert with several of his team-mates. How do we know this? He told us himself through the magic of social media. When fans pointed out that Hutton, whose performances recently have been so bad that he resembled a drunk wearing lead boots caked in lard, may be better served maybe spending more time in training, he took a hissy fit any toddler would be proud of. After telling fans to â??bore offâ??, he and Darren Cole exchanged jokes about the ridiculousness of anyone suggesting they do extra training. To put this in context, they laughed at Rangers fans for having the temerity to want them to better themselves as professionals. And they did it in public! Now, Iâ??m not going to swoon at young players for acting like spoiled, overpaid prima donnas. Weâ??ve seen dozens of Kyle Huttons come and go. Itâ??s the arrogance of youth. He gives the impression that his life would be perfect if only it wasnâ??t for the bothersome Saturday afternoon football matches. He might think heâ??s all of that and a bag of potato chips, but history suggest that only one or two of any crop of youngsters will make it and, given his attitude and limited talent, it isnâ??t going to be him. No, what enraged me is that this attitude is fostered at best and encouraged at worst by the management team. Kyle Hutton and Darren Cole both felt comfortable openly mocking their fans in a public forum that they knew was filled with supporters. Ally has to publicly back the squad. I get that. But a listen to his interviews over the season â?? not just after matches, but before and even during â?? make one thing abhorrently clear; he really thinks weâ??re doing okay. Sure, heâ??d prefer we were doing better, but weâ??re supposed to be winning the league and we are. The fact itâ??s against bank clerks and panel beaters doesnâ??t matter. And his mentor is even worse. Listen to Charles Green: â??Walter Smith said to me the other week he said â??look Charles when you look out there it is not pleasant but you have to remember when we were winning nine in a row, we were getting booed off thenâ??. Source - STV In other words, â??never mind what the fans say. These ungrateful sods are always moaning. Ignore them. Their opinion doesnâ??t matter.â?? This attitude has been allowed to flourish at Ibrox, and it is coming home to roost. Well, be very careful Rangers. The players, cocooned in their Murray Park bubble, may feel that they are untouchable and our concerns are baseless, but thatâ??s where they are wrong. Not just about whether this season is acceptable â?? and it isnâ??t â?? but about the whole dynamic. Because, as any businessman will tell you, when your customers are upset, it doesnâ??t matter if itâ??s valid or not. What matters is making them happy again, and quickly. Otherwise they will stop giving you money. It isnâ??t rocket science. Walter, love him as we all do, is from a different generation, the Murray School of thinking where the fans are a necessary nuisance whose cash is needed, but whose opinions are not. Itâ??s archaic and in these times itâ??s downright dangerous. Charles Green is at a pivotal point of his stewardship. His forecasts rely on the continued support â?? the amazing support â?? of the Rangers Family. He canâ??t take it for granted, and neither can those who we continue to fund. And if people canâ??t see why we are upset, then get them out the door and donâ??t let the door hit their arse on the way out. Weâ??ve had enough of low-to-no standards and being held in contempt by youngsters whose wages we pay and whoâ??ve delivered precisely nothing in their career yet. Let me end this with a friendly warning to Charles â?? donâ??t take our kindness for weakness. Itâ??s only you who will lose.

Im sorry but DJs opinion on the question of Ally having the ability to manage Rangers disappeared in relevance for me when he stated on Clyde," I dont care what people think, ally is my pal and I am not going to stab him in the back". He will back ally no matter how bad it gets......so his opinion is irrelevant in a debate of this managers ability. Why are we thinking that we need better players to have decent football in the lower divisions....in the 3rd division ffs!!. This is total madness, the football and the performances, be them or a not committed enough, lack of fitness, or not being able to put 2 passes together, or not being able to change tactics , or playing players out of position........these are allys decisions, as well as bringing in around 8 players who did absolutely nothing.....or should I say he did absolutely nothing with. He also had a great squad of players last season, and his management lost us around 10 million pounds in not qualifying for the champs league, then Europa league, then the league cup, then the scottish cup and then throwing away a 14 point lead.......so how is he as a manager going to change that just by bringing in new players. Its the manager that is the problem, and as much as I hate to say it, cos I love the guy, this job is far too big for any rookie manager and a guy should not be learing the trade at Rangers. People are making Ally bigger than the Club itself, and I fear (although I hope to god I am wrong) that we will miss what should be an opportunity to build a fantastic team of football players fit to wear the gers jersey, an ethic based on traditions. At the best he will have us playing like Walter Smiths team and at worst....well you have see it all too many times Its unbeleiveble how many people are in denial, do you really believe that these players have went from Scottish cup and league cup winners last season, to being pure shite now, all because they cant be bothered. If the actually cant be bothered then that is Allys fault full stop.

I thought Wilson was thought highly at Ibrox.

Spot on mate the worrying thing is , if Ally can't gel a team to play attractive football on the deck playing bottom of tier football against posties, labourers, taxi drivers, giving him more money to sign players is not the answer.

8 games left 24 points up for grabs Ally's got same squad of players to start next season he should be using these last 8 games to turn it around no more excuses.

With the players we signed from SPL and Cribari reputation mixed with youth having 2nd highest wage bill in Scotland ,most fans regarded us having an SPL team playing in the bottom tier of football, i was looking forward after the settling/gelling period we would be playing good attractive football foundations to build for seasons ahead back to SPL. We seem to have gone backwards.

DJ: Coisty deserves a chance to get it right DEREK JOHNSTONE today appealed for under-pressure Rangers boss Ally McCoist to be given time to rebuild his squad in the summer. The Ibrox gaffer has been heavily criticised in the aftermath of his side's embarrassing 2-1 home defeat to part-timers Annan last Saturday. And despite the high regard the 50-year-old is held in, many Light Blues fans want him out. However, SportTimes columnist Johnstone believes his friend and former team-mate is deserving of a chance to strengthen for next term. Rangers can bring in players for no money from September 1 despite the 12-month embargo they had imposed on them by the SFA last year. And DJ reckons McCoist will leave of his own accord â?? if matters fail to improve significantly on the park in the 2013/14 campaign after he has recruited new players. He said: "Only certain people can manage a club like Rangers. Given the state the club are in, Ally needs to be given time to take them on. "If it is not working next season then people will have a choice to make. He will have been in the job for a few years and will have brought in a few players. "But Ally will not need to be told. Nobody is bigger than the club. "If he feels he can't take the club forward he'll allow somebody else to come in." Johnstone added: "The club is 17 points clear at the top of the table. But still the 45,000 fans who go to games at Ibrox are expecting more. "In the last couple of weeks more and more Rangers fans have been calling the radio phone-in and saying they are unhappy and want change. "But better players will be coming in. Ally missed out on his first seven or eight targets last summer. He was unable to convince many players to drop down to the bottom tier. He had to go down his list to get players. "Rangers may be playing in front of full houses at Ibrox, but players don't want to play in the Third Division. That was the problem in getting new faces in. "But there will be better players brought in to the club in September. "There will be new defenders, midfielders and forwards arriving and performances will improve as a result." Rangers take on Elgin City in the Irn-Bru Third Division at Borough Briggs tomorrow â?? and they must win if they want to ease growing pressure on their boss. Johnstone said: "The players have to stand up and be counted. Season ticket renewals are coming up and Rangers aren't sure what league they are going to be playing in. "If they are in the bottom 18 then is that going to entice punters to buy season books again and go along and watch what they have been seeing? "The players haven't been performing in recent weeks. Many of them have downed tools. They need to start to produce the goods."

Walter told everyone Ally was ready for the job, i'm not convinced Ally is but your not going to hear a bad word said by Walter on Ally. Walter has spent a lot of money as manager of Rangers in his 2 tenures, he hasn't had to build a team from scratch which Ally has had to do.

Why was Lawwell with Doncaster in london part of the negotiation's, i didn't think Lawwell was on the SPL Board ?

Spot on it's an absolute joke to win your league and not get promotion, i would think CG will accelerate us out of Scottish football if this happens.

We had no choice against the corrupt.com we won our case not losing any titles.

Do you honestly believe CG would just say yes we will come back to the SPL next season..? Do you honestly think the Rangers Fans would want to go back to the SPL and be happy to subsidise SPL grounds next season it's still RAW maybe another 2-3 years might be different. I couldn't care about Hearts, Motherwell, Dunfermline, or anybody else who is in trouble i won't be subsidising these clubs and i would imagine a lot bears feel the same.

What's money got to do with it mate, we went down to Div 3 due to Sporting Integrity , SPL wanted CG to hand in 5 Titles to go to Div 1 we said NO we went down all the fans wanted it start down from DIV 3......We are not going stright to SPL it's not that straight forward......CG is not happy at winning a league and not being promoted...

If the ban was lifted can Rangers not sue due to the fact it shouldn't have been there after winning case in court, it would make SFA look bad. And we spent on players to get us through to the next transfer window , would they players had been signed under the circumstances etc.... I don't see an ban being lifted and i don't see us being fast tracked to SPL...

My understanding is that CG is here for the journey he will back the fans as the fans would revolt through principle not to be fast tracked back to the SPL, i also believe the only way he would accept a fast track and possibly the fans would be if Rhegan, Doncaster, were removed from there positions and it was a fresh start all round , it's the only way a see a fast track to SPL..... Certain Board Members have already whispered that under no uncertain terms Rangers come straight back up to the SPL.... Charles Green has looked at the Conference League because he is not happy with the 12-12-18 league set up meaning if we win Div3 we are still playing same teams next season no promotion making a mockery of the league set up and i think the tv right's money they will be getting etc....Playing in the Conference is a much better standard of football and the chance to move up the English Leagues with the opportunity for more revenue where the 100m figure maybe achieved...

Dunfermline have been given a winding up order from HMRC.

Bluebear - Paul Brennan Celtic Quick News mate what a wallaper.

In the new round of league reconstruction discussions between the Scottish Football League (SFL) and the Scottish Premier League (SPL), one of the more surprising topics to reappear from the dead of previous meetings is a Rangers and Celtic second team, or 'colts' playing in the lower leagues. - SPL clubs to vote on April 15 A few other countries, most famously Spain, have a similar system where the bigger teams have another side in the lower divisions. It gives an avenue for their young players to play competitive football, and in return allows more money to the opposition through media interest and support. But would it work here? The answer has to be yes. Many forget that Rangers and Celtic fans make up around two-thirds of the total football support in Scotland. Considering most SFL3 teams get an average of 500 people at their games, there would be no problems in equalling or exceeding that gate for the 'colt' sides weekly. And that is a very conservative estimate. If the colt sides are playing an important match or against each other, then the attendances would rise to thousands, maybe even over ten thousand. For those scoffing at such a figure, Rangers had just under 3,000 already this season for a reserve match, and in the past, Rangers versus Celtic reserve games have had more than 30,000 spectators. We live in an austere economy so reduced prices and less crowded matches are sure to attract those who can't afford a weekly match at Ibrox or Celtic Park. And as Rangers fans have discovered to their surprise, apart from the Light Blues themselves, most SFL3 teams play good passing football. During the Second World War, Rangers had a second team in the North-Eastern League as well as the first team in the Southern League. This was done to help the northern sides stay solvent and amazingly the second string sometimes got higher crowds than the first due to closer competition. Of course this won't be repeated, but there is no doubt that seeing a Rangers team battle with a Celtic team, in whatever guise, would be popular. Yet it won't happen. There is too much bad feeling in Scottish football to see another Rangers and Celtic in the league. Instead of just saying 'no' like mature adults, we have whispering campaigns against David Longmuir, the CEO of the SFL, for putting the proposal forward. The gossip is that he is helping Rangers by proposing the concept. The suspicion is that it would help Rangers while they are in the lower leagues. But surely believing the cost of setting up, administering and running a second side in a professional league would be a money-spinner in the short term is madness. Even in the long term, any profit would be minimal. This is about helping Rangers and Celtic develop players and also to give money back to the lower clubs in increased attendances. Even if 500 extra fans went per game it would double the matchday revenue for those sides. If thousands went, it would support our game tremendously. But the football demographics are forgotten and jealousy rises to the surface. Rangers and Celtic don't get more money or attention in Scottish football because they have carefully placed stooges. It's because collectively their fans are the majority of Scottish football. Instead of letting the distorting effects of the huge size of the Rangers and Celtic fanbase work to their favour, they deny it exists or move into quasi-conspiracy mode. As ever, pettiness and Scottish football go together. Unsurprisingly, when Rangers offered to play a second team in the North-Eastern League during WW2, there was the same jealousy from the southern clubs. The unnamed Rangers response*, rumoured to be Bill Struth, pointed out that it was just "a pathetic admission by certain people of their inability to field a team capable of attracting public interest". In that respect, nothing has changed. *'The First 100 Years' by Bob Crampsey.