der Berliner

Well, much of the reaction given to the first and this statement on here is negative. Yes, I do see the point in putting money into the club directly via new shares, should they become available. I do see the spot of bother regarding not buying shares from the club when they were availabe but seemingly telling people that there were no options. The end goal of Club 1872 is to secure a major sharehold in the club, so that it is safeguarded from the likes of Murray (not sure what gunslinger's remark is for?) or Whyte/Green/Ashley et al. Be that 25+1 % or whatever. At a time when nigh all major shareholders are Bears anyway, that goal may not be that important, of course. Yet, on the other hand, how likely is it that such an amount of shares will exclusively become available to Club 1872 again? He might just as well sold it all up to all/other/new shareholders, increasing their sharehold and in turn leave Club 1872 with the 5 % +/- that they have. Maybe people are also unwillinging to hand their money to King (i.e. the major saviour of Rangers FC), paying him some of his investment back ... despite also enhancing one own's foothold in the club. So getting to this 25% sharehold via new shares or those from King is essentially working to Club 1872's goal ... the only point of debate seemingly is administrative stuff with people wanting to have a word where their input is going to. Not sure what your remark re sneaking into the ground without pay has to do with this. But money shall go directly into the club. "My money" shall go that way, is the mantra of the day. Fair enough. I am still under the impression that every supporter of the Club 1872 schemes can decide which way his/her money goes, can they not? Legacy shares for King's hold, normal shares as per wish? So far I have not received an answer to that question. It would be the reasonable way of Club 1872 to spread the money invested by its members and so far I have not anything to the contrary. At least not in their data. As it happens, the jackpot for the German version of Eurojackpot stands on Euro 72m this Friday, an ominous number. I'm off to get my ticket ...

The supporters main share vehicle Club 1872 buys shares, from either source. So what is negative about that?

If you don't test the youngsters at a bigger stage, you'll never know how they'll cope. At other clubs they mostly have to, as the clubs can't afford to buy players. Not least with no crowd there to put extra pressure on their backs. Dickson looked quite capable and Barjonas hardly let us down. Given that we have a neat points / goals advantage, we should utilize the options we have in full. BTW, the fact that we have no crowd putting pressure on our players may have been a factor why we are where we are with all those new players. For some may rise to the challenge and the noise, while others succumb to it.

As expected, the usual suspects write stuff that yield not much but pessimism and the odd cynical remark, and neither reveals that much. No disrespect here, but wouldn't you say that Club 1872 acquiring shares of RIFC is - one way or another - a good thing?

Yet, is that legacy money or from the usual sources?

Club 1872 and Dave King agree RIFC funding for first six months of 2021 Club 1872 is pleased to announce our first share purchase under the agreement recently announced with Dave King. This first purchase of 1,250,000 shares takes the Club 1872 shareholding to 5.12% – securing a crucial 5% shareholding again. Full article here: https://club1872.co.uk/news/club-1872-and-dave-king-agree-rifc-funding-for-first-six-months-of-2021/ I assume those closer to the topic will be over it soon enough.

SG has confirmed that Roofe had a niggle and was taken off because of that, though he would have changed the front-3 anyways (probably Kent ahead of Morelos ahead of Roofe). https://www.rangers.co.uk/video/video-old-firm-win-reaction/4UuoVTnR8Ce4TlZkpTC9XJ Must say that Kent looks as devoid of "luck" as Morelos has, but the latter`s contribution is bigger to the team. Wouldn`t mind playing Itten with Roofe and Morelos to see how that works - pending on the opposition.

Does Erskine Bridge has webcams?

Indeed, 55 will be a treat!

I hope Roofe wasn`t injured, as he wasn´t the worse on the park till then. Hagi has come in of late and been quite good again. Maybe we argue about individuals, but perhaps we should - every now and then - be happy, that we have so many good options now.

Matter of fact, my POTG despite McGregor`s heroics was Davis. Probably the only outfield player fully at it, always tracking back and offering an option. Couldn`t believe how lackadaiscial Aribo looked, how off the boil Kent. Obviously, credit to the Scum, as their had their tails up for the best part of the day and pressed us hard ... they wanted it more. I would assume SG will adress that. Hope Roofe is fine, as he wouldn`t have been the first I would have hooked. Itten should be given a role alongside Roofe and Morelos up top. Keeps the ball, has an eye for a pass and is always a target if relief is needed at the back. Best players IMHO, Davis, McGregor, Balogun and Goldson.

Very much as you`d seen OF matches go in the past. As I said above, Sir Walter even in the NIAR had such games and came out on top. Today our defence had to show as much quality as our forward line usually does, and they did so admirably. Thought that Celtic were falling out of it from 60th min onwards, as we started playing our game. The red card helped and will be made to be the turning point in the game, but in truth, one wonders whether that would have transpired anyway. Its history now though, 19 ahead, 3 on the trott against the Scum, 22 games unbeaten in the league ... wow, just wow.

Obviously, we`ve seen similar stuff before in OF games and the team that does all the cool stuff does not necessarily win. Sir Walter was an expert in that.

You want 100 % from our guys and despite their enthusiasm, we look sluggish and tiresome in nigh all departments. Desperate stuff at times. Essentially a carbon copy of our game at the Scumhut with reversed roles. You can just hope that it will be a game of 2 halves. Aribo almost anonymous and slag in speed and passes, Kent not in there at all. Might replace him straigh away with Itten.

It is good to have options on the bench. Re Kent, I reckon we want to put pressure on them early on in their own half, where pace might be more important than "more" trickery. Of the latter, we already have Aribo, Roofe and Morelos. I expect our players give their all and keep their concentration levels up for 90+ mins. A victory would be fine, a draw okay. A loss will hurt against this vile band, but wouldn`t be the end of the world either. Just do your job, men in Blue!

Added: IN - Bright Osayi-Samuel (23) - England, RW, QPR - contract till summer 2021 - LINK - TM

We have the best defensive record (bar that blip against St Mirren) and all our defenders are ready. We have a very potent strike-force of a lethalness that the Scum has rarely faced this season. We might be not as attack minded from defence to front tomorrow as we have been, but IMHO, if Aribo, Roofe, Kent / Hagi and Morelos make up our starting attack-line, we have some reason to think that we will get goals. Everyone needs to be up for this and if that`s the case, we should be fine. If I dread anything, it is the unpredictability of the officials.

That`s essentially it though. The way the Scum`s players are let of the hook for years now - as opposed to anyone else (and not least us) is obvious to anyone without tainted glasses. What baffles and angers me most is the silence from clubs, players, journalists and even officials with regards to this. There is a reason why the likes of Brown and Griffiths go on doing what they are doing with a smug smile on their faces, as they know nothing will be done. And even if a player takes the liberty and challenges them on the park, it is that player who gets drawn and quartered, not the scum. Of course, the most dignified and sporting action would be to horse them on the park, but that would not change the fouls the committed like Eduoard`s nor Brown`s abysmal posturing and goading of opposition players. Methinks their European "card return" is equal to ours, but in Scotland the facts show that they get far far less cards than anyone else ... and not because of them being the less offending players.

Yet, you will only see that against teams that sit deep or keep all our players covered. Kamara et al do it too, BTW, but somehow you need to draw the opposition out as well as finding a better angle. We did that last season too, difference now is that we have more potent options up front, options that convert a few of the chances we create. On a sidenote, Davis does control the midfield as well as being excellent - despite his age - to cover positions, chasing people and lost cases, even dropping into a semi- CH half role every now and then yesterday. He`ll be acert for Saturday, as will be Kamara, Aribo, Roofe, Morelos, and Kent instead of Hagi, I`d assume.

.... the boy should be wary then.

As we do celebrate Christmas as well as the New Year (Silvester) over here in Germany, another bit of East German folklore to let 2020 quietly pass away ... A thousand stars are a cathedral, In a silent, world-wide night. A light blooms in the candle`s shine, That embraces us and fills with contentedness. All this silence makes us blithe, A glow that pierces every heart, And silvery the high cathedral swings, Silently surrounded by the breath of Christmas. All darkness sings away, We have lit our light. It lights our way for the new year, In a deep, starry night.

Yep, probably not too bad to play against two open and aggressive sides ahead of the Old Firm, job done and not too bad either. Here´s to Frankie ?

... and Alegria the next Morelos. I`ll ask the Norns next time I see one!

A couple of names added to the rumours, though both are more whispers, I would assume. IN - Alfie Doughty (21) - England, LB/LM, Charlton Atheltic - contract till summer 2021 - LINK IN - Thomas Robert (20) - France, RW, Airdrieonians - contract till summer 21 - LINK