Doc

This stems from a conversation with my brother on the phone before the Maribor game and then the aftermath of that 3-1 win. My brother said, “This is different, Gerrard doesn’t have to be here. But he is and it’s great.” That set me thinking because he was right. Stephen Gerrard didn’t have to come to Rangers. He could have chosen to start his managerial career at any number of clubs in the Championship or even in League One and the assembled punditry would have nodded their heads sagely and pronounced it a wise move for a young, promising manager to learn his trade before seeking to take on his ultimate ambition – which every man and his dog knows Is to manage Liverpool one day. But Gerrard is here and he has chosen to be manager of our club, with all of the burdens that such a role brings. I watched Gerrard as a player with Liverpool and England and while I could stand back and admire the notable outstanding performances (CL final, saving Liverpool in the FA Cup with the wonder strike against West Ham, etc) he always struck me as an enigma. He was never totally likeable and the best that I could say about him was that he was the least unlikeable England captain of recent years. He seemed to carry all of the weight of expectation for both Liverpool and England upon his shoulders and while there were CL and FA Cup campaigns where he reached the pinnacle of success, the ultimate prizes of a Premier League title for Liverpool or a World Cup for England were always snatched away. As a Man City fan I laughed my head off when he stumbled, allowed Chelsea to score and handed the title to City in 2014. I was delighted and utterly unsympathetic in the heat of the moment but the aftermath was uncomfortable because you could see how much it had meant to him personally. That one moment crystallized everything about his career and his honest reaction to it afterwards, that it would hurt him until the day he dies, is I think at the heart of where we are now. Gerrard probably knows the extremes of ultimate success against all odds and the deepest pit of defeat, feeling that he was responsible for it – more than 99.9% of players or managers. It’s easy to say he is looking for redemption and it’s probably no secret he would ultimately like to wipe out that day in 2014 by winning a title as manager of Liverpool. But that doesn’t explain why he is here. Why he chose us. Thank goodness he has because spirits around Rangers have been raised to a degree that would have been unimaginable 6 months ago. When Pedro was gone, Murty was probably going to be let go, most of us would have been happy to accept anyone who looked like they had a clue how to manage a team properly and get it to defend at least. For the first time since Walter was manager I feel like we have someone at the helm who understands tactics and has a vision beyond the next crisis. For the first time since Souness arrived in 1986 I feel like we have a manager who feels comfortable with the grandeur of Ibrox and the history of the Rangers that the building embodies to us all. McCoist, Warburton, Pedro and Murty all looked too small for the Rangers manager’s suit, the arto deco furnishings made them look uncomfortable and somehow less. But from the day he walked in Gerrard looked like, not only was he comfortable with it, he understood the importance, he intuitively knew what a big cub expected and what its manager must be. Ultimately how he does will be decided by results on the pitch and we all hope and pray that things go well. The start to the season and the transformation in the attitude and work ethic displayed by the team has been a revelation compared to where we were at the end of last season. If we can catch and overtake Celtic within a couple of seasons, it will rank as one of the greatest achievements for any rookie manager anywhere it football. That’s the prize and boy is it worth having. Gerrard knows you don’t get to be Liverpool manager just by who you were – witness Gary Neville, his failed management career and any dreams of managing Manchester United turned to dust. You have to succeed and at as high a level as you can. Rangers are a club who can succeed and who wouldn’t want to be the man to make that happen? Although it’s painful to remember, the closest parallel to Gerrard’s arrival that I can think of is Martin O’Neill taking over at Celtic. After a successful spell at Leicester O’Neill was being courted by top English clubs and he didn’t have to move to the Piggery. He chose to be there because he believed, and sadly for us was ultimately proved correct, that he was the right man at the right time and could make a difference. For the first time in ages I feel we have a manager who, while he is still learning, has already assimilated a lot from all of the top flight coaches that he has worked with for club and country and will bring that to our dressing room. Uniquely that includes knowledge of the management techniques being used by the coach of out bitter rivals. We have a manager who understands young players and who will expect the best that he knows his players are capable of giving and it shows on the pitch. The weight of expectation hangs heavy at Rangers. It always has because of our glorious history and what we expect as fans from our players and our manager. There is a Rangers way, typified by class and dignity and the way that Gerrard has presented himself so far ticks every one of those boxes. He makes me proud in my club again in a way I can’t entirely explain and which hasn’t been there for years. For the first time in a while I feel we have a manager who carries that weight of expectation, not clumsily like his predecessors, but securely and with a steely sense of purpose. I feel that Gerrard has chosen us because of who we are and what we represent and he isn’t ashamed even if the media would desperately love him to be. He wants to be here because the chase is on, the prize is there to be won and he welcomes that chase like no other. Let’s go!

Celtic have to put a marker down and stamp on us hard at the Piggery in a few weeks otherwise the alarm bells will be ringing hard for Rodgers and his multi-million team. Even a draw will be seen as a loss and if we win there will be utter meltdown. The prospect of the Invincibles being caught and overtaken by a rookie manager and a nearly completely rebuilt Rangers in a matter of weeks was utterly inconceivable as recently as last week - but it's on. Who knows, the way they are playing we might be going to the Piggery a good few points ahead ?

Let me second that thought and tip my hat to 26th of Foot for his sterling efforts. For those of us unable or unwilling to sample to cesspit that masquerades as objective sports journalism at PQ, the insight is always illuminating (and hilarious). Away from Scotland, BBC Five Live is giving ever more air time to the odious Chris Sutton and providing a platform for his hatred of all things Rangers. A victory at the Piggery in a few weeks will probably be the only thing that will make his new 6o6 slot anything other than an utter no go zone. It sickens me that there are so many ex-Celtic players now on taxpayer subsidy to top up their pensions. The idea that the BBC are in any way impartial is just a joke.

Sounds like an exit strategy being prepared for clubs in England who might be in the market for a manager around Christmas. Alongside a more immediate deflection strategy ("Don't blame me, they wouldn't spend the money") if Septic crash out of the CL next week. All is clearly not well at the Piggery.

What will they do if we are the only ones left in the next round? There will be no Dons or Hibs to hide behind and there will nothing else on hand to fill 3 hours with on a Thursday night. If they choose to ignore us then their out and out bias will be impossible to ignore.

Pacific Quay will be in meltdown tonight. Fantastic.

Yeeeesssss!

Even better. Celtic 1 AEK Athens 1 Full time. And Septic couldn't find a winner against 10 men for the last 30 minutes. Makes a difference when the referees aren't on your side doesn't it?

Definitely questions for Plod Scotland to answer here. They are either conniving in this mayhem or just utterly incompetent. I expect nothing to be done about the locals named in the original piece. And no doubt they will be looking to do the same in future. If it only took the Imperial Bears a couple of days to unravel the social media timeline and produce the evidence that clearly links these scumbags to the trouble, why aren't Plod Scotland doing a better job with all the resources they command? I guess that after ignoring all the Hibs fans who rioted at the Cup Final and attacked Rangers supporters and sweeping that incident under the carpet, this is small beer. It makes me sick.

Another example of one rule for us. Another rule for everyone else and nobody in our so called media will call it out for what it is. Last time I checked you pay the same taxes to pay for Plod Scotland and the shower at Holyrood, regardless of whether you support Rangers or not. We seem to be getting the shitty end of that particular deal.

That was tighter than I would have wanted at the end but we are through and that's all that matters. Work in progress and we are lot further on than we were at the same stage last year.

Forgive my cynicism. But expect this to be settled, the claimant paid off, and the lid to be kept on this snake pit of child abuse for a bit longer. You would hope that someone in the media would have the guts to shine a light on this and call out the cover up and hypocrisy for what it is and give these poor kids the justice that they deserve. That fact that nobody will shames Scotland and its so-called independent press.

If they do go under they won't be missed. Certainly by most of the good folks of Dundee who have better things to do... What goes around comes around. Ironic that we are still standing and getting stronger and they might not see Xmas. Now that would be a nice present.

A vile vindictive little club. Karma's a bitch isn't it?

Especially in his early career, McCoist missed lots of chances. The last season under Jock Wallace could have been very different if Ally had taken more of the chances on offer to him. Morelos ran the self proclaimed £100 million defence ragged and created a couple of gilt edged chances that on another day would have given us a famous victory at the Piggery. If he matures the way Ally did and becomes more ruthless he will be a hell of a player. Bill Leckie doesn't know shit.

He is a bitter man. He just has a bigger mouthpiece than most. Don't give him the time of day.

Sympathy levels are pretty low from me, and many others I would imagine.

Sums it up perfectly for me. Couldn't watch the first half as I was driving to the the in-laws. Second half was a strong performance and plenty of Rangers teams have come away with a win from the Piggery having created far less. We just needed one chance to stick. Bit gutted but happy with the effort and commitment that the players put in and the way our manager outmanaged the supposedly mighty Brenda. We have to build on this.

You just have to look at the aftermath of the Cup Final against Hibs to confirm that. The Keystone Cops would have done a better job.

This has been coming and not even dodgy refereeing could save them today. Well done Hearts. Every team in Scotland should be taking hope from this, not just us. Despite all the hype, this is an above average Celtic team, nothing more. Their regular hammerings in Europe prove that even if the BBC and the other useful idiots choose to ignore it. Makes yesterday's shambles at Ibrox all the more annoying. Sadly.

Hearts 4 Celtic 0 Brenda's bubble burst. Thank fuck for that!

PSG popped their bubble big time tonight. Here's hoping for zero points and a minus 25 goal difference after 6 games. The true state of Scottish football sadly. Even with a free run at the CL for 5 years, they are nowhere.

I would echo much of what has already been said. Gersnet has always felt like a close knit family to me. It's a great little community of like minded souls and it's a lifeline back to my youth. I live outside Scotland and can't enjoy the camaraderie of going to the math with my Dad, my brother, my uncles and my friends from school that was such an important part of my growing up. The ability to hope and speculate about Rangers in the run up to a game, the tension of the game and the release of joy or recriminations afterwards has to be done remotely. Gersnet and its many and varied contributors give me that and more. Sure we can argue and disagree and sometimes it can get close to the bone but this site is well moderated and run by Frankie and the other guys and if people need to be told to cool off and calm down they are told - to everyone's benefit. This is a site filled with decent people, not with trolls or nutjobs and long may that continue. I believe that to be a Rangers fan is a special gift only given to a chosen few. In these times our club and its fans are under attack and abuse from all sides and it is important that we confront our attackers in an intelligent and calm fashion that captures the dignity that has always been associated with our club. We need spaces like Gersnet where we can debate and argue how best to do this - and we certainly do. Frankie and the other guys who have run the site over the years have created a special place that shows Rangers fans at their best. For me Gersnet sets the bar for others to aspire to. This is the best place on the internet to be a Rangers fan. Anyone who comes and checks it out can't help leave with that impression. Great job. Keep it up because it's totally appreciated.

He was a rare voice of sanity amid all the ex-Celtic haters that populate Sky and the BBC. A great player for us and I for one wish him all the best.

I like that dream.