johnnyk

UEFA Under 19 Championship Elite Round Scotland 2 Slovakia 1 Wednesday 27 May 2009 Bramall Lane, Sheffield Scotland Under 19s got their European Championships Elite Round campaign off to the perfect start with victory over Slovakia at Bramall Lane. Billy Stark�s side paid the price for failing to convert their first half chances when Slovakia took the lead through a 28th minute penalty. Scotland dominated proceedings in the second half, and grabbed a well deserved equaliser when Rangers midfielder Stephen Stirling converted a penalty in the 54th minute. Club team mate Jamie Ness wrapped up the victory in 67 minutes with a volley from just inside the box. http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=128&newsID=4674

OWEN COYLE will not be the new manager of Celtic after last night ruling out a move to his boyhood heroes. The Parkhead club will now start a fresh hunt this morning for a man to replace Gordon Strachan after their first choice decided to remain in England. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2009/05/27/owen-coyle-declines-celtic-offer-to-take-over-as-manager-86908-21394328/

RANGERS boss Walter Smith is trying to piece together a �£3million summer swoop for West Brom's Chris Brunt. Record Sport can reveal Smith has identified the Northern Ireland winger as his priority target to fill the problem position on Rangers' left flank. The 24-year-old, who scored a flurry of goals towards the end of the season as Tony Mowbray's team launched an ill-fated late bid to beat the drop, is aware of Smith's interest and is desperate to clinch a move to his boyhood heroes. Brunt is a close friend of Ibrox duo Steve Davis and Kyle Lafferty and is believed to have discussed a possible move with them both. But with Rangers counting every penny this summer Smith will have his work cut out to get a deal done for a player who cost the Baggies �£3m from SheffieldWednesday. A deal could hinge on the future of deposed Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson - and also on the future of Mowbray himself. He wants Ferguson and is prepared to spend more than �£1m to clinch the signature of the Boozegate bad boy - but Mowbray is also a contender for the Celtic hotseat. Smith then must hope Mowbray stays at The Hawthorns and follows up with a firm bid for Ferguson -which would allow talks to open up on Brunt.It is likely Rangers would have to find at least �£2m and allow Ferguson to move south if a deal is to be struck. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2009/05/28/exclusive-rangers-eye-3m-transfer-move-for-west-brom-winger-chris-brunt-86908-21394923/ Decent player IMO...........

SPANISH police arrested more than 40 people in Barcelona last night as thousands celebrated Barcelona's victory in the Champions League final. Rioters overturning barricades, threw cans, bottles and stones at police, who responded with rubber bullets, television pictures from the centre of the city showed. Radio station Cadena Ser reported that fans set rubbish containers alight and smashed windows, signs and traffic lights. Police fired rubber bullets in an effort to disperse crowds in the city's main square and down its most famous thoroughfare, Las Ramblas, shortly after 2 am local time, Cadena Ser said. Ambulances took injured revellers away. Police estimated 100,000 fans gathered in the city's Catalonia Square to watch the match and celebrate the team's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in Rome, the third time the team has won Europe's top club competition. Police were not available for comment. Two weeks ago police arrested 45 people in the same area of Barcelona in violence following the team's victory in the King's Cup final against Bilbao. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25550863-12377,00.html I saw some of this on SSN and it seemed quite bad. It didn't get the same coverage we got though

BOB MALCOLM has revealed sickening sectarian abuse has forced him to start a new life on the other side of the WORLD. The former Rangers star is no angel. He's made mistakes in the past and let himself down. He's the first to admit that. But Malcolm has matured in recent years - he's learned his lessons. Yet there are some who simply refuse to forgive and forget. And it's those twisted bigots who are driving Malcolm away to Australia and a new career with Brisbane Roar. The former Motherwell midfielder - who jets off to Oz in two weeks - last night revealed: "I will miss my family, but there is nothing else worth staying here for. "Since I got my driver's license back I've been pulled by the police seven times in three months, all because of the make of my car. "When I was last stopped the policeman asked me what I was doing. I told him I was moving to Australia because I'd had enough of life here. "I've had enough of walking along a street in Glasgow and someone screaming 'ya dirty Orange b*****d' in my face. "I've just had enough of all the hassle. It's the main reason for me wanting to give Australia a go. "I won't miss any of that, it's not worth it anymore. "I will come back one day because I like having my family around me. "For the moment though, I'm just looking forward to getting away." Malcolm, 28, believes it's the right time to try something new. A title winner with Rangers, last season he helped Mark McGhee's Motherwell secure an incredible return to Europe. Now he wants a new challenge and he said: "It's a new life I'm about to embark on and I'm really looking forward to it. "It's something new and it's an exciting time for me. I was asked to go to Australia last year, but I didn't want to miss out on Motherwell going into Europe. "But I now feel it's the right time to move on and try something new. "I've spoke to the manager here and my new manager in Australia. "It's a new challenge and I'm ready to go. I feel as though I've done everything there is to do in Scotland. Even if another Scottish club had come in for me this summer I'd have turned them down because it's time to try something different. "And I don't think you get much different than flying to the other side of the world to play your football." Malcolm will hook up with former Ibrox team-mate Craig Moore at Brisbane Roar. Indeed, he will move into Oz's house until he gets set up on his own. And with the A-League really taking off Down Under, Malcolm can't wait to get started. Ironically, his first game looks set to be against CELTIC on July 12! He added: "The Australian League is developing all the time and big Oz has told me it's a really good standard - I don't think it's too far off the SPL. "Of course, Oz is over there and Ian Ferguson is manager at North Queensland Fury. "On top of that Charlie Miller is there and big Scotty Wilson is also flying out this summer. "So I will have plenty of people around me and that should help me settle in at first. "I think I'll shack up with Oz until I find my feet so it should be interesting times ahead. "I will go over for my medical and if everything is okay I will sign straight away. It's one of those ones, don't knock it until you've tried it. "Danny Tiato is there and so is Robbie Fowler and Kevin Muscat. "The manager has said to me that the league in Australia has really taken off in the last few years and I can't wait to get started. "My first game will be against Celtic on July 12. "That should be interesting. It should all be a good experience." Malcolm insists helping Well into Europe and Gers into the last 16 of the Champions League remain his proudest moments from his time in Scottish football. He reflected: "I've achieved a lot and I will take with me many happy memories. "Obviously growing up as a boy I dreamed of playing for Rangers and I was lucky enough to get that chance. "To win titles and cups with Rangers was incredible and each honour is special in its own right. "Also, helping Motherwell into Europe last season was a major achievement and one I'm very proud of. "At Rangers you are expected to win titles and cups, but it's not every year a provincial team like Motherwell makes it into Europe. "The manager here built a really exciting team and I was proud to be a part of it. "But if I had to pick out one outstanding memory it would be playing my part in helping Rangers into the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time. "It was a major occasion in the club's history and I was lucky enough to be part of it. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2451771.ece Good luck Bob.............

Hope he stays on and helps us win the league again next season!!

He's proved me wrong and IMO deserves to stay next season.........

aye i wish the game was today, nerves starting to kick in!!!

o the blue bells are blue.................................

I'd play Niguez or Beasley. They certainlty wouldn't be expecting it and they have pace to go past defenders and put in decent crosses, but it won't happen ............

this should be pinned up on the dressing room walls but hopefully the players should already be up for the biggest game of their careers but if they are not geed up enough maybe this will help!! samaras has just made a total arse of himself saying what he has, it doesn't make one bit of sense apart from being totally biased

for �£3m he's not good enough for me!!

They just want to be loved by everyone don't they, scum at the lowest level............

6-0 , boyd, lafferty, weir, boggie, novo, davis...............

that's what i mean he must be short sighted or corrupt as Noris said .............

if the linesman can't see that he is either blind or in the wrong position

you can't say the 2nd half was bollocks m8 can you first half yes but they scored with their first shot on goal and it was good goal no matter how much I hate the wee chunt. we were unlucky in the end IMO and if we play like the 2nd half the next 2 games then we have a chance of winning the league........

If we took our chances we would be top of the league, very poor finishing in the 2nd half and not attacking enough in the first. Why can't we play like we did in the 2nd half the whole game??

Keep the faith m8 and the export should help Frankie bringing the Ros�© wine :fish:

Little bit of nerves starting to kick in but I was confident the scum wouldn't score after we did on Saturday and confident of victory tonight :cheers:

3-0, Boyd 2, Mendes.................

If he's not improved by this time next season then yes I would say get rid but he needs time to settle back in and hopefully get back to his best. Hutton took over 6 months to get back to his best form (fans were calling him for everything in that time) so I will give Smith at least that amount of time before I judge him again. A full injury free pre-season will hopefully get him on the right road again..................

i heard that plonker, he said murray should ban 42,000 of us as we were all bigots. i wasn't singing the add ons as many thousands more weren't they are just really hurting :devil: but he was also saying other songs we were singing were sectarian like the sash and BJK etc etc But the songs they were singing were fine, what chance have you got!! the shite they are coming out with now saying all the media and neutrals want to see Rangers win the league, eh since when timmy

They will probably now keep him a hospitality box at the piggery so he won't get caught again

You been drinking again Gribz :fish: I hope he is one to leave but who would take him with the wages he would want. Maybe a championship team or big Eck Even if he did go I doubt we would get much for him!!