Steve1872

Chairman's Statement As you may be aware the member clubs of the Scottish Football League are holding a meeting tomorrow to discuss the current proposals for change within the Scottish game. Unfortunately there has been a great deal of ill-informed speculation and erroneous reporting on our position in relation to various, hypothetical scenarios. We believe it foolhardy to comment on â??questionsâ? that have not as yet been put to the club by the SFL Management Committee. When Ronnie MacDonald bought the Accies in 2003 we were within a few days of administration or indeed Liquidation due to the clubs enormous debt level for a club of our size. We had a total breakdown between our board and the supporters in addition to the punishments from the authorities. No club, until now, has been in such a critical position and we hope Rangers will be the last club to be in such a desperate position. In many ways the current Rangers situation mirrored our own and we should be aware the effect liquidation has on the supporters who in many ways are the innocent victims of management. We would urge all clubs to work together to reshape the leagues in a fair and equitable manner and to make decisions purely for the long term prosperity of our game and the enjoyment of the supporters of all clubs. Harmony must be restored between all clubs for the good of our game and the continued existence of all Scotlandâ??s Clubs. Les Gray Chairman http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1885:chairmans-statement&catid=44:news&Itemid=140

1 July 2012: Mr Michel Platini-President UEFA Route de Genève 46 Case postale CH-1260 Nyon 2 Switzerland Fax: +41 (0) 848 01 2727 1st July 2012 Caro Michel I have the honour to attach a copy of my findings and opinion by way of published article regarding the current situation within Scottish football. As you will see my own views are in common with many of your own views and Art.2 (f) of the UEFA Statute that I know you have tried your hardest to accentuate namely: f) ensure that sporting values always prevail over commercial interests. The whole question of Rangers FC situation rests upon that very principle namely whether indeed UEFA can sustain a situation whereby a club that is per se older than its Association and which played football from 1873 until 1899 without the need for a Limited Liability Company as a shell should truly be denied continuous football simply because the ‘Limited Liability Company’ has failed commercially. If indeed the sporting value should as per the Statute ‘always prevail’ then Rangers Football Club which was since its inception a separate entity to Rangers Football Club Limited must be allowed continuous football especially since the Scottish Football Association (apart from failing in its statutory obligations towards UEFA) has also failed to adhere to Art.2 (j): j) ensure that the needs of the different stakeholders in European football (leagues, clubs, players, supporters) are properly taken into account; The SFA have to date failed ensure the said “needs of players and supporters” whilst it has indeed canvassed only the views and needs/requirements of other clubs who of course knowing full well that only Rangers FC and Celtic FC have any chance in European Championship Competitions would seek to eliminate Rangers FC as a rival. They do so in complete violation of Art.2 (f) as above namely sporting value to always prevail above commercial considerations. Art.2 (2) permits UEFA: “to achieve its objectives by implementing any measures it deems appropriate, such as setting down rules, entering into agreements or conventions, taking decisions or adopting programmes.” In my view thus UEFA has the statutory powers to intervene on an urgent basis in this matter and has the powers to order that Rangers FC be permitted continuous football at the same level as last season for the reasons stated in my attached treatise. I have, as always the honour of remaining Yours sincerely Giovanni Giovanni Di Stefano GIOVANNI DI STEFANO LETTER TO UEFA PRESIDENT MICHEL PLATINI RE RANGERS http://www.studiolegaleinternazionale.com/blogHome2.php

Former Rangers player John Brown has claimed Ibrox chairman Malcolm Murray pulled out of a planned meeting on Monday in which he had promised to produce paperwork to show who owns the club's assets. Murray had been due to meet Brown and former Rangers director Donald Findlay QC after the former player demanded to see documents proving the ownership of the club, stadium and training ground, but said the talks were cancelled at the last minute. However, the Ibrox club insisted the meeting had been delayed and would take place later in the week. A statement released by Brown said Murray had "cancelled a meeting at which he promised to produce the paperwork which would show who owns Rangers". It went on: "The meeting at a secret location was called off at the last minute by Murray." Brown, who won several titles with Rangers in the 1990s, added: "Rangers supporters know they can trust Donald Findlay and he agreed to meet Malcolm Murray and look at all the paperwork and give his legal opinion. "Donald just wants to help Rangers supporters be able to get all the facts so they can make up their own minds whether or not they should buy season tickets. He told me he just wants to act in the best interest of Rangers fans. "He just wants those supporters to know all the facts and it looked as though Malcolm Murray was going to produce the paperwork which shows who owns the club and its crown jewels. That is all we ask and it is what would give everyone clarity. "But he then pulled out and cancelled the meeting." Brown, who is leading an attempted fans' buyout, added: "Now we will try and get Malcolm Murray to the table again and give him another chance to show who owns Rangers and who owns Ibrox Stadium, The Albion car park and the Auchenhowie Training Complex. But after what has happened, I am not hopeful." A spokesman for the club said: "The chairman had a number of meetings to attend today and the meeting with John Brown has been rescheduled, not cancelled." http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/439/7860151/brown-murray-cancelled-talks

Kyle Lafferty admits he is excited about the challenge of playing for FC Sion after leaving Rangers. The Northern Ireland international has signed a three-year deal at Sion after he rejected the transfer of his contract to Charles Green's newco version of the Ibrox outfit. Lafferty, who is flying out to be unveiled as Sion's new signing on Monday, admitted his move left him with mixed emotions after seeing Rangers go into liquidation, but he is relishing the prospect of playing abroad. "I am excited," Lafferty told Sky Sports News of his move to Sion. "I had a great four years at Rangers and have done what I came here to do - to win titles, win medals and score goals for my boyhood heroes. "It was disappointing for everyone [Rangers going into liquidation], but it is a new challenge for me." Kyle Lafferty Quotes of the week "But it is the next chapter in my career and I am looking forward to it. I have already been over in Sion and it is a lovely place and they have got great expectations. Disappointing "It was disappointing for everyone [Rangers going into liquidation], but it is a new challenge for me. "I have always wanted to play abroad and this is a chance and hopefully I can go out and win titles with Sion and add to my CV." Lafferty admits he is saddened to see Rangers in the state they find themselves but he has backed the newco to help the club recover. "I think every single player has tried their hardest to help the club," added Lafferty. "Taking a wage cut, that was no problem for every single player, even the younger lads, but it is just sad to see the club getting liquidated. I think the newco will be up and flying soon with the players that are still there that I have known will be there for years to come. "It is always going to be Rangers no matter what the name is, it has still got the same fans, same manager, same players that have stayed and Rangers is going to be around for a lot longer." Sympathy Lafferty also rejected suggestions a bust-up with Ally McCoist at the back end of last season played a part in his decision and he admits he feels sympathy for the manager for all the problems he has been forced to contend with. "Everyone will be thinking the fall-out with the manager played a part in my decision, but me and the manager spoke and we are friends again and I would love to play under him again," continued Lafferty. "He's had a tough year. I actually feel sorry for him. "He is a great manager, he is one of the lads really, but his first job in charge isn't the way he wanted it to go, but he will be there and he will get the lads fired up for the challenge for whatever league they are in to win the title." http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7859304/ 3 min interview

For us as Rangers supporters perhaps the defining characteristic of this nightmare we find ourselves in has been the unbridled hatred of fans of other clubs towards our situation and our plight. A willingness to damage their own clubs in order to further damage our club has been something we have found irrational. One wonders how we arrived at a point where individuals hatred is so intense that damage (a damage which some have warned may prove fatal) to your own is acceptable collateral damage in order to inflict further pain on Rangers ? It was in 1933 that Hitler set up his â??Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda or Propagandaministeriumâ? - Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda under the command of Joseph Goebbels. Its remit and strategy were simple but effective - Propaganda for the masses had to be simple, and appeal to the emotions. To maintain its simplicity, it had to put over just a few main points, which then had to be repeated many times. As Goebbels observed.... "The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea so sincerely, so vitally, that in the end they succumb to it utterly and can never escape from it." You don't need to search too far to find evidence of such a strategy in practice, a quick look at some of the Scottish news outlets provides us with a wealth of evidence. Some Rangers fans have pointed to some favourable articles in recent times and suggested there was perhaps a changing tide. Ron Scott at The Sunday Post fired the first pro- Rangers salvo at the weekend. Here is a quick summary of the bullet points. All quotes are verbatim. As the fans and clubs become hysterical about how the Light Blues should be punished, it's worth remembering the Ibrox club has done nothing unlawful. The SFA then decided to impose severe sanctions on Rangers after awakening to the fact that Craig Whyte was not a fit and proper person to own the club.Yet the independent Ibrox board set up to look into Whyte while he was still negotiating with Murray decided themselves that [he] wasn't fit and proper to own the club. They told the SFA that at least fifteen months ago,but the powers-that-be decided in their wisdom to take no action at that time. It's all very well to bleat on about sporting integrity. But why risk the entire future of Scottish football especially when the facts clearly show Rangers have done nothing wrong. It is especially wrong when the facts show there is absolutely no need for the authorities to treat Rangers the way they appear hell-bent on doing." That last line is particularly important â?? facts. Facts do not play a significant role in the Goebbels strategy â?? the mantra it repeats, often, is designed to play on the emotions of the heart not the logic of the brain. James Traynor expanded on Scott's view... For months now there has been a savagery. The game has been ripping itself apart all in the name of fair play. Or was it sporting integrity? Forgive me, the reasons for the crisis that threatens to destroy Scottish football have been lost somewhere in the lust to tear and shred one club. It's as though a century of hatred and probably jealousy have erupted. And the handful of reasoned souls left in the game are fighting a losing battle to cap the flow. So why is it Jim that those reasoned souls are fighting what you call a â??losing battleâ? ? The answer I'm afraid lies within your own profession. They don't rely on facts or reasoned argument â?? they rely on appealing to the heart. And when those hearts already possess a considerable blackness towards Rangers â?? it makes their jobs all the easier. We know who they are - we have been incensed at their lies of the past few months. They are the journalists of â??enlightenmentâ? - those who are happy to repeat a mantra, irrespective of the lack of substance or fact, so long as it strikes a chord with the emotions of the heart. What are the mantras ? â??Rangers have cheatedâ? â??Rangers and their fans are showing no remorseâ? â??Rangers believe they are a special case and should be treated differentlyâ?. â??Sporting Integrityâ? â??Scottish football would be better off without Rangersâ? Lets have a look at them in action. Step forward Michael Grant of the Sunday Herald. Even now â?? liquidated and broken, with new voices piping up on their behalf â?? the message is unrepentant and challenging. You can't survive without Rangers. Sky will disappear without us. Keep us out and you'll die next. We've been punished enough. Craig Whyte did all of this, take it out on him. Vote us in . . . or else. Have you ever heard any Rangers fan saying â??Vote us in or elseâ? ? I certainly haven't. The popular movement amongst our support appears to be a desire to go to Div 3 and work our way back up. But the mantra continues.... Under Whyte they bought players and gave lucrative contracts they could afford only by not paying their taxes. They were in a league in which every club they played â?? and usually beat â?? did pay the revenue. Helped by Whyte's financial doping they got £2.6m for finishing second, almost a million more than Motherwell, who were third. No wonder it rankles other supporters. This little piece is most worthy of investigation. What is it designed to do â?? suggest that Rangers under Whyte's tenure Rangers still managed to profit to the tune of £2.6 million ? If those were the facts and I supported another team I too would be angry. But of course that little piece is extremely selective. It neglects to mention that our future by way of season ticket revenue was sold for £24 million. Our prized striker was sold for a fraction of his true worth. That the Whyte refers to sold our heritage, brought our club to it's knees. That a consequence of his actions is we now see a player exodus from our club which will probably see a loss to the club of anything up to £30 million. On the subject of punishment he tries to suggest Rangers have got off lightly. Murray overlooked the fact that so far there has not been a single SFA or SPL punishment which has materially affected Rangers at all, let alone been "extreme": they finished the season second, the same position they were in when 10 points were docked for going into administration. Their three-year European exclusion may feel like a punishment but actually it is merely a consequence of failing to meet Uefa entry criteria as a newco. And remind me Mr Grant how did we arrive at the position that a newco had to apply for SPL membership ? That guy Whyte....the same one who only a few paragraphs ago you tried to suggest had brought some financial benefit to Rangers. Of course presentation of the facts is not in the remit of the journalists of enlightenment â?? they simply have to repeat the mantra to give succour to those proscribing to the bloodfest which is Rangers. Whilst I have only mentioned Grant there are plenty of others who qualify as journalist of enlightenment. You only need to read the columns of Gordon Waddell and our â??old friendâ? Spiers. The latter is particularly amusing. Tweeting as â??refreshingâ? this rising up of non Rangers fans his article however seems to struggle with contradiction. Well, your average Scottish football fan has put the kybosh up all of this. As recent days and weeks have gone by, there has been a swelling contempt among fans of all clubs for what they viewed as a blind-eye approach to Rangers' sins in favour of a swift SPL return for the club and its money-generating hordes. In the beginning, just about everyone in the media called this wrong. Most claimed that, come hell or high water, Rangers would be looked after in the SPL next season. I said it myself more than once â?? the SPL cannot allow Rangers to be temporarily deleted. We need the club. So is that akin to the turkeys voting for Christmas then Graham ? I would caution all Rangers fans to be wary in the days ahead as the journalists of enlightenment become particularly desperate. Their ship of â??Sporting Integrityâ? has floundered and been shown to be nothing but a sham. The suspicions of many were confirmed in the Clyde Chairman's statement that the driving force behind all this was Sky TV money and not some utopian sporting ideal. But don't expect any of the journalists of enlightenment to write about that in their columns. They are far too busy feeding the bloodlust to concern themselves with the ethics of it all. Perhaps its fitting the closing remarks are left to one who has refused to board the bus of the enlightened...James Traynor.. "Is going out of business, struggling to emerge as a newco without fan support and being banned from playing in Europe for three years and being branded pariahs not punishment enough? If the answer is still no then there is no justice." http://dartagnanthe4thmusketeer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/for-us-as-rangers-supporters-perhaps.html

I VIVIDLY remember the night true blue John Brown refused to eat his pudding because it was green and white. We were at the St Andrews Sporting Club for a night of wine-and-dine boxing and dinner had reached the dessert course. That's normally the point in the evening by which the red wine has kicked in and conviviality is at its height, but the menu got in the way on this occasion. The jelly served up turned out to be lime in flavour and the ice cream was of the vanilla variety. The colour co-ordination was indigestible for Bomber and he pushed his plate to one side with the kind of authority he used to exert over opposing attackers when he was wearing a Rangers jersey. It was a sign, of sorts, of devotion to the cause I suppose. It also displayed the kind of Rangers man of the people credentials that drew hundreds to hear Brown speak at Ibrox on Wednesday at the start of his proposed takeover bid for the club. But enough is enough. Rangers require tens of millions of pounds to extricate themselves from the mess they're in. Protesters refusing to buy pies at matches to deny Charles Green money, as per Bomber's instruction, won't register with the International Monetary Fund. Bomber's rhetoric appeals to his audience but it isn't helping anybody move forward. This week it's time for the game's movers and shakers to get real and do what's best for the future, even if it's through gritted teeth and with their eyes closed while absorbing the pain. Football's first commandment is, was and always will be look after number one, and that's what the SFA, the SPL and the SFL will do when they hold their various meetings over the next few days. I know it's a conspiracy. You know it's a conspiracy and they know it's a conspiracy. But it's conspire or expire when it comes to parachuting Rangers into the First Division and seeing if the game can recover from the damage that's already been done. And the collateral damage isn't confined to the chaos on the park. Turnbull Hutton's emails would have been good reading over the last few days - I don't think. The Raith director was a private citizen and doubtless a pillar of the local community until he spoke out and opposed Rangers avoiding a new start in Division Three. He stated his club could hardly be sympathetic towards an Ibrox support whose extremist element had threatened to torch Stark's Park. The arsonists had assembled after another Rovers board member, Eric Drysdale, had received death threats following his appearance on the independent panel that imposed a 12-month transfer ban on Rangers. Is this really what we've become? Pyromaniacs and dangerous threats to the personal safety of others? The likelihood is our game has already been permanently damaged by the fall-out from Rangers' journey through administration into liquidation. Boycotts and bad feeling will follow us for years to come, but there's a game to be saved in the meantime. Or what's left of one. Rangers going into the Third Division might be best for all concerned because it would mean a three-year cooling off period and that could dampen the enthusiasm for public order offences. But it'll be a warm day in Minsk before it's a good idea for the wellbeing of the game as a whole. Falkirk boss Steven Pressley is correct when he says the compromise arrangements being made are designed purely to accommodate Rangers. But if that's what saves financial hardship on an industrial scale from taking place then that's what will happen over the coming days. The game has no moral compass. There is no moral high ground for anyone to occupy. We're now in a state caused by one club's financial irregularities and the way out of it is to make the rules up as we go along. And if Rangers are relegated for the first time, suffer banishment from Europe for three years and have to build a team from scratch following the mass defection of their best players, does that not beg one question. Have we approached the stage where the club has received punishment on an appropriate scale for the nature of the offences that took place inside Ibrox? Or, as Bomber might say, have they had their just desserts? http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/hughkeevins/2012/07/bomber-brown-nails-his-colours-to-the-mast.html#more

http://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/ Ron Scott â?? The Voice of Experience LINK here

â??RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB IS A SEPARATE ENTITY TO THE RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB LTDâ? SAYS GIOVANNI DI STEFANO THE DEVILâ??S ADVOCATE. THE SFA, SFL AND SPL ALL HAVE BREACHED UEFA STATUES SINCE 1975 BY GIOVANNI DI STEFANO UEFA is the administrative body for association football in Europe and, partially, Asia. It is one of the six continental football organizations that are united under the supervision of FIFA. UEFA consists of fifty-three national associations members. UEFA represents the national football associations of Europe, runs national and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those competitions. It was founded on June 15, 1954 in Basel after consultation between Italian, French, and Belgian associations. Initially the European football union was accounted for 25 members which later doubled by the early 1990s. The Statutes govern the manner upon which European Football is advanced. Art 2 of the Statutes confirm the objectives of all those association and clubs that are recognised and admitted to UEFA. It states the following: The objectives of UEFA shall be to: a) deal with all questions relating to European football; b) promote football in Europe in a spirit of peace, understanding and fair play, without any discrimination on account of politics, gender, religion, race or any other reason; c) monitor and control the development of every type of football in Europe; d) organise and conduct international football competitions and tournaments at European level for every type of football whilst respecting the playersâ?? health; e) prevent all methods or practices which might jeopardise the regularity of matches or competitions or give rise to the abuse of football; f) ensure that sporting values always prevail over commercial interests; g) redistribute revenue generated by football in accordance with the principle of solidarity and to support reinvestment in favour of all levels and areas of football, especially the grassroots of the game; h) promote unity among Member Associations in matters relating to European and world football; i) safeguard the overall interests of Member Associations; j) ensure that the needs of the different stakeholders in European football (leagues, clubs, players, supporters) are properly taken into account; k) act as a representative voice for the European football family as a whole; l) maintain good relations with and cooperate with FIFA and the other Confederations recognised by FIFA; m) ensure that its representatives within FIFA loyally represent the views of UEFA and act in the spirit of European solidarity; n) respect the interests of Member Associations, settle disputes between Member Associations and assist them in any matter upon request. 2 UEFA shall seek to achieve its objectives by implementing any measures it deems appropriate, such as setting down rules, entering into agreements or conventions, taking decisions or adopting programmes. Art.7bis (3) confirms the Obligations of the National Associations and states the following: Leagues or any other groups of clubs at Member Association level shall only be permitted with the Associationâ??s express consent and shall be subordinate to it. The Associationâ??s statutes shall define the powers apportioned to any such group, as well as its rights and obligations. The statutes and regulations of any such group shall be subject to the approval of the Association. Historically the Scottish Football League enjoyed a two divisional structure (Divisions One and Two) between which clubs were either promoted or relegated at the end of each season. By the mid- 1970s, this organisation was perceived to be lacking in commercial exploitation, and decided to split into a three divisional structure. The Premier Division which was formally Division One; the previous Division Two became the First Division; and for full commercial enterprise a new Second Division was created. This came into force in the 1975-1976 season but was regrettably not communicated to UEFA in accordance with Art.7 (3) as above. Notwithstanding such this continued until 1994/1995 when a four divisional structure was introduced, along with a new Third Division with all four divisions consisting of ten clubs. Yet again in violation of Art.7 (3) no such communication was submitted to UEFA for approval. On 8 September 1997, the football clubs in the Premier Division decided to withdraw from the Scottish Football League and formed the Scottish Premier League. This was in order that the more commercially viable clubs could retain more revenue generated by the ever increasingly popular game. Originally, league sponsorship money was divided proportionally between clubs in all four divisions; after the SPL was formed, this was no longer the case. The ratio of course violated Art. 2 (f) ensure that sporting values always prevail over commercial interests. Further, yet again no notice was served on UEFA in accordance with Art.7 (3). There are currently twelve clubs in the Scottish Premier League. Originally the SPL contained 10 clubs, but it subsequently enlarged to 12 for the 2000/2001 season. Yet again the SFA and the SPL unsurprisingly failed to comply with Art.7 (3) in notifying UEFA de jure. The whole position thus of Scottish Football and its Association is one of non-compliance with the UEFA Statutes. Notwithstanding such in the 2009 season the SPL ranked 13th in the UEFA ranking and in the 2010 season was permitted to field two clubs for the Champion League. As a non-compliant Association since 1975 at the very least the position of course is one that must attract the attention of UEFA. Since the SPL was created five of its members entered â??Administrationâ?? namely the protection from its creditors. Motherwell was first followed by Dundee, Livingston, Dunfermline and in 2004 the then Chairman of Rangers planned to raise almost £60m to wipe away what he described as a â??proportionâ? of the debts accumulated. Gretna filed for â??Administrationâ?? after the Chairman became ill and could no longer sustain the club. On St. Valentine Day 2012 Rangers entered into â??Administrationâ??. As of 1 July 2012 de jure and according to Companies House â??The Rangers Football Club Limitedâ?? company number SC004276 incorporated on the 27th May 1899 is still â??In Administration.â? Rangers Football Club was founded in 1872 by Peter and Moses McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath. That year it is recorded as having played only two matches and was officially formed in 1873 when the club held its first annual meeting and staff were elected. In 1873 all its matches were friendly because it had failed to comply with a registration deadline for the then Scottish Football Association which was created in 1873 a year after Rangers was formed. Celtic was formed in 1888 and its first recorded match between Rangers and Celtic took place that very year. On the 13th March 1873 eight â??clubsâ?? formed what was to be Scotlandâ??s governing body with its statement in a daily paper confirming: â??The clubs here represented form themselves into an association for the promotion of football according to the rules of â??The Football Associationâ?? and that the clubs connected with this association subscribe for a challenge cup to be played for annually, the committee to propose the laws of the competition.â? In 1890 Rangers FC became one of the ten member clubs of the Scottish Football League and came equal top. In 1894 it defeated Celtic to win the Scottish Cup. Prior to a formal incorporation at Companies House in 1899 Rangers had won two league titles and three Scottish Cups. Between the years of 1872 when Rangers Football Club was founded and 1899 when a company called â??The Rangers Football Club Limitedâ?? was formed Rangers had been in existence over 25 years and played in the league. It was always the intention of the founding members of the Scottish Football association and the Scottish Football League to promote football and not commerce. UEFAâ??s own Statute states Art. 2 (f) ensure that sporting values always prevail over commercial interests. The Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Football League as well as the Scottish Premier League are all in serious violation of non-compliance with the UEFA statutes as above by the failure to notify UEFA as per Art. 7(3) of its Statute. Whilst it may at best be morally correct to exclude The Rangers Football Club Limited from the Scottish Premier League Ltd membership, that can only be achieved if the Scottish Premier League Limited has itself been compliant with UEFA Statutes- which it has not. Those founding Scottish Football never envisaged a game that would place commercial enterprise above sporting values. It is why Rangers Football Club played for over 25 years as a team or club and not a commercial enterprise. There are two distinct bodies within a club: - the team that represents the sporting values of a club and the commercial enterprise that encompasses the said team/club. By effectively â??killing offâ?? Rangers Football Club as opposed to seeking sanctions against The Rangers Football Club Limited in effect punishing a separate body namely the â??teamâ?? which is a completely separate entity to Rangers Football Club Ltd is contrary to the UEFA Statute and Statutes which the SFA, the SFL and the SPL have themselves openly violated and must be investigated by UEFA. Seeking or imposing sanctions upon an entirely innocent party as Rangers Football Club that was founded in 1872 a year prior to the SFL is tantamount to imposing capital punishment on an innocent party and is both de facto and de jure unjust and invariable unlawful. UEFA must be made aware of this anomaly and consider what actions, if any it must take against the SFA in order to safeguard the integrity and consistency of the game which must at all-time be paramount above commercial considerations. http://eturnkeysec3340002378c9.users.site2you.com/content/sitenewsreadmore/infobox/news/template/default/active_id/822

WALTER SMITH last night revealed the blueprint he felt would have saved Rangers and secured a prosperous long-term future. Earlier this month Smith fronted a consortium that wanted to buy the troubled club to save it from more potential damage. The former Ibrox boss teamed up with wealthy Scottish businessmen Jim McColl and Douglas Park but they were told the asking price was £20million. Negotiations with English-based company Zeus Capital then came to an abrupt halt. That has left Charles Green â?? whose own consortium paid just £5.5m for the clubâ??s assets â?? in control of Rangers but the future looks bleak. Big-name players have quit and supporters are refusing to buy season tickets. The sorry situation has left Smith frustrated as he believes all of this would have been avoided if the current owners had sold to his consortium. Smith, McColl and Park have now walked away from any future dealings and have no intentions of getting involved in further discussions with Greenâ??s people. Walter said: â??We were really disappointed. Although the bid was late coming in, we were led to believe there was an opportunity for us to take over. â??When I was approached by Douglas and Jim to go into it I was delighted to do so because I felt â?? and still do â?? that having the two of them effectively owning the club would have been the best thing for the future of Rangers. â??Despite their attempt, we didnâ??t manage to get it. Right from the start, Jim and Douglas were perfectly clear what their intentions were. We were going to make the bid and hopefully take over. â??It wasnâ??t going to be a situation where there would be a massive influx of cash. The club was going to have to settle down and get two years over with. They were going to be really hard years. â??The beauty of what they were trying to do was that they were prepared to buy the club, to put themselves out and to put a proper structure in place. â??And they werenâ??t looking for anything in return. That is the big difference between them and other people that have been involved. â??They were prepared to help with the running of the club over the next few years, which was going to be important, but every penny that would come in from season tickets and all other areas would go directly into the club. â??There was no money going to be taken out at any time. â??When we talked about it, the three of us were quite clear that there was never going to be any protracted negotiations in the takeover. â??Weâ??d make the bid that we felt was right for the club, the right amount of money for everybody involved, and we would get on with it. â??I was disappointed these two people didnâ??t manage to gain control of the club and I still think both of them represent by far the best option for the future. â??Despite a bit of criticism for the lateness of the bid, I can assure you there was plenty ground work done prior to and during the few days that we made the decision to withdraw. â??Right at the very start of this, we decided we didnâ??t want long-winded or protracted aspects to anything. â??They were disappointed but I stress to everybody that both Jim and Douglas deserve credit for the attempt and for the fact that it wasnâ??t financial. â??It was to make sure Rangers Football Club get back to where people would associate Rangers being. â??We were perfectly clear in what we were doing and what was going to happen. â??The main thing is the disappointment that the club itself is not going to benefit from the knowledge of two of Scotlandâ??s better businessmen. Rangers needed them. But that is now it over.â? Several other parties also asked Smith to back their moves to buy Rangers. He refused to go public with any of them but it was different with McColl and Park. He felt they were right. They decided tough decisions had to be made, including slashing the first-team wage bill to £5m per year for the next two seasons. That would have meant reducing it by two-thirds but they were keen to clear the decks and make sure the club never again entered administration. Smithâ??s group would have told the fans of their plans. Transparency was of paramount importance to them. But at this stage, unfortunately, too many key questions remain unanswered from Green and his men. Smith said: â??What we were going to do was put in a management team. I wouldnâ??t have been the chairman, I wouldnâ??t have been taking any money. Iâ??ve made a good living already out of Rangers. â??It wouldâ??ve been a management team turnover in terms of hopefully a few years. Then we would have gone and looked for investment. Jim and Douglas could have stayed in or withdrawn.â? More drama and potential heartache now await Rangers. SPL clubs are certain to block the newcoâ??s application this week and Gers will be forced to sweat it out to see if they can get into the First Division. Rangers may have to start again in the Third Division and that strikes fear into Smithâ??s heart, not only for the club he loves but the Scottish game as a whole. He stressed: â??Weâ??re now looking at no Old Firm games. Thatâ??s a drastic circumstance for Scottish football. People have to say that, whether they like it or donâ??t like it, the Old Firm are a major part of Scottish football. â??I know that a lot of the time from other clubs thereâ??s a resentment of that. â??I donâ??t think Rangers would want different treatment from anybody else. But the whole circumstance has been badly handled. â??Ten years ago we had an administration aspect at Motherwell then we had a liquidation at Gretna. â??So any sanctions that they were going to take against any club shouldâ??ve been put in place at that time. â??That aspect has been negligent from the SFA â?? that nothing was put in place. So what we have now is something of a free-for-all with Rangers. â??A lot of the stuff that is coming out wouldnâ??t have happened if there had been proper statutes in place. â??Everyone is going to start to have a fear now about the very future of Scottish football. â??Everyone can posture, it might be good to have a wee kick at Rangers at the moment. â??However, the bottom line is that if Rangers go to the Third Division â?? or even the First Division and are not competitive â?? then itâ??s going to affect the whole of Scottish football in a drastic way.â? http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2012/07/01/rangers-in-crisis-walter-smith-reveals-blueprint-he-thought-would-drag-beloved-club-out-of-the-mire-86908-23903027/

Lucky if there was about 40 there m8 was hoping for wae more than that Alright mate I'm at the protest where is everyone Today's massive newco protest at Hampden seems to have gone well. The only downside was when they had to book a second taxi to get home. To the mere 50 fans of 11 clubs combined in the SPL who are protesting at Hampden, this is how #Rangers do it https://twitter.com/CompareTitles/status/219073629340712961/photo/1/large

Clyde have released a club statement, stating their opposition to any plans to parachute Rangers newco into Division One. The club follow Dumbarton, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Greenock Morton and Raith Rovers in coming out against SPL proposals to "relegate" Rangers, rather than have them apply to Division 3. The strongly worded statement from the club board said that the proposals put forward by the SPL had been "rushed" and had been forced through by "threat or inducement." While the club admitted that elements of the proposal had merit, particularly the parts on league reconstruction and financial reworking, they dismissed the notion of Rangers playing in Division 1 next season out of hand. The statement on the club website read: "As a club owned by its supporters and recovering from having been on the brink of extinction, the Board of Clyde Football Club recognise the damage done to the credibility of Rangers Football Club by its successive owners, and the subsequent impact on staff and supporters. "These proposals do nothing to restore that credibility. "It is not for us to become involved in punishment, that is a matter for the SPL and SFA. The SFL clubs are being asked to change their rules so that the SPL and SFA can apply sanctions that fit short term financial interests. "It is not for us to tell any club what they should want for themselves, but to enter anywhere other than the 3rd Division risks Rangers Football Club being burdened with the legacy of commencing its rebuilding in a manner that they later look back on with regret. "Rangers Football Club does not need to be handed a competitive advantage, they are more than capable of returning to the SPL via the 3rd Division on their own merit. "Rebuilding from the bottom can restore the dignity stripped from the club by its former owners." The statement was also damning in its verdict of the manner that the proposals had been made, suggesting that if finances were so tied to the fortunes of one club then there was an even bigger problem with the wider game than had been previously realised. The statement continued: "If things are as bad as indicated then Scottish Football is in a far worse state than is being acknowledged. In which case it is time to accept the bankrupt model needs fixed and not supported and perpetuated on the back of this proposal. "The fact that other clubs might face similar financial distress because Rangers Football Club enter the 3rd Division is hardly a reason to compromise the integrity of the SFL and further compromise Rangers Football Club." While many clubs have voiced their displeasure at the thought of Rangers playing in next season's Division 1, there were some positive ideas suggested by the Clyde board in their statement to the club website. Among the suggestions was an amnesty on sporting sanctions for any club which is forced into insolvency as a result of the financial implications of Rangers being outside of the top two divisions, and an automatic entry to Division 3 for any team which goes the "newco" route in future. The statement ended with Clyde suggesting that if members of the SPL were genuinely working in the name of sporting integrity with their wish to see Rangers removed from the SPL, then they would understand if SFL clubs did likewise. The statement concluded: "If the SPL clubs vote as indicated on the basis of the increasingly discredited notion of sporting integrity, it would be questionable if the SFL clubs did otherwise. "The reality is that we are faced with unique circumstances and it would be foolish to pretend otherwise, that probably means that compromise for some is inevitable, and perhaps even worthwhile for everyone in the long term. "The solution however is not this hastily cobbled together proposal. The Board of this club sees no merit whatsoever in adopting this proposal." http://sport.stv.tv/football/108706-clyde-become-the-latest-club-to-reject-spl-proposals/

JONATHAN HOPE last night revealed he is backing John Brownâ??s bid to gain control at Rangers as he wants the club back in the hands of loyal fans. The Glaswegian football agent has come forward with the promise of funds due to his friendship with the former Gers player. Newco Rangers are currently owned by Charles Greenâ??s Sevco but Brown wants control to go to the supporters and is fronting a takeover bid. Hope is willing to back the plan, while making it clear he has no interest in long-term positions or placement within the running of the club if Brown succeeds. He told Record Sport: â??I am backing the Rangers fans and Johnâ??s campaign to bring ownership of Glasgow Rangers FC to the fans. â??Iâ??ll have no involvement in any role at Ibrox, except that my hospitality box may cost slightly more than most! Seriously, I grew up a Rangers fan and remember the days when players played for the jersey. â??I used to love the days where my grandad would take me through crowds to the turnstiles. I want that family feeling brought back. â??Iâ??m going solo on this one. Itâ??s personal and has no links to any businesses or people I am involved with. â??Once a Ranger always a Ranger. Why should I be different merely because I have a few quid to back a friend and Rangers legend? â??John is the leader and Iâ??m a face in the crowd who will proudly stand behind him with the rest of the family. Iâ??m dealing directly on a friendly basis with John.â? Hope is understood to be willing to offer cash backing to Brown, which would be in the shape of a loan and be payable back with no interest. Rangersâ?? future gain would come from the agent using his contacts in other sports and the celebrity world to bring money-spinning events to Ibrox. Hope explained: â??My role isnâ??t a profitable investment, just that Iâ??m merely supporting my friend. â??But I have plans that I would propose to the future board where we can bring world championship boxing and concerts to Ibrox. â??My boxing promotion company will be launching soon and I have eight fighters who have belts or are ready to go for belts at pro levels. â??I could launch that with Rangers Promotions, as well as helping the club to host music events. â??My other ideas for bringing in revenue to Rangers are in place but I have no further comment to make until John announces progress.â? http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2012/06/30/rangers-in-crisis-football-agent-jonathan-hope-throws-weight-behind-john-brown-s-bid-for-power-at-ibrox-86908-23902481/

â??Basically, the toys came out of the pram,â? Magic :ns::ns:

Chris Hegarty, who was out of contract with Rangers, has signed on to play for the ‘newco’ Ibrox club. The central defender, 19, has agreed a one-year deal. Good one Chris

It is understood that Howat was particularly irked by the notion that the other SPL clubs have been talking amongst themselves without including Celtic. “Are we all in this together?” he at one point exclaimed. ABSOLUTELY F***ING RAGING more like!!!!

Tensions within the Scottish Premier League spilt over at Thursdayâ??s informal meeting of the member clubs â?? minus Rangers â?? The Daily Telegraph can reveal. The spat, which saw Celtic isolated, is a sign of the changing balance of power within the SPL now that the Old Firm axis has been split by Rangersâ?? demise. The meeting had been called so that clubs could discuss next weekâ??s special general meeting, at which the Rangers newcoâ??s application to join will be heard. Seven clubs â?? Aberdeen, Caley Thistle, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibs, St Johnstone and now St Mirren â?? have already decided they will oppose the application, rendering it dead in the water. The most immediate consequence is the invitation to the Scottish Football League to accept Rangers into the first division, in return for a variety of inducements including a £1 million payment for the TV rights to the newcoâ??s games as well as play-offs for promotion. Should these proposals be rejected, there is a backup plan to start a two-tier SPL â?? with Rangers in the second division â?? although that idea is not favoured by the Scottish Football Association, who want the two league bodies to unite in a pyramid structure within two years. In the meantime, those SPL clubs who were frustrated in their desire for changes to such substantive matters as the distribution of TV revenue because of the need to gain an 11-1 majority â?? impossible while Celtic and Rangers voted as a unit â?? have a unique chance to exert control. When this intention was alluded to near the end of Thursdayâ??s meeting it prompted an sharp outburst by Robert Howat, Celticâ??s company secretary, who took the place of Peter Lawwell because the Parkhead chief executive is still on holiday. It is understood that Howat was particularly irked by the notion that the other SPL clubs have been talking amongst themselves without including Celtic. â??Are we all in this together?â? he at one point exclaimed. This position is regarded as risible by the non-Old Firm clubs on the grounds that Lawwell and his former Rangers counterpart, Martin Bain, engaged in monthly meetings to discuss matters of mutual interest such as their SPL voting strategy. â??Basically, the toys came out of the pram,â? said one source. Another added: â??It was lively for a while but it calmed down. After all, what can Celtic do about it?â? Meanwhile, an SPL based on the Belgian Jupiter Pro League format has emerged as a possible outcome of any restructuring of the Scottish game to emerge from the current crisis. The Daily Telegraph understands that Caley Thistle and St Mirren are amongst those who are attracted by the Belgian set-up, which has 16 teams playing one another home and away, for a total of 30 games each, before splitting into a play-off format. The top six play then play one another home and away. Each team starts the playoffs with half the number of points they acquired during the regular season (rounded up to the nearest integer). At the end of the play-offs the top team are declared champions. Teams 7-14 divide into two groups of four with each team playing the others twice. Teams 7, 9, 12 and 14 form one group and Teams 8, 10, 11 and 13 form the other. The winners of each group go into a two-leg final. The winner of that game would play home and away against either the 4th or 5th placed side (unless the winner of the Scottish Cup finishes in the top four of Playoff One). The winner gets a European place. The relegation playoff proposal is for five games between the two bottom sides. Team 15 starts with 3 points and Team 16 starts with none. The loser is relegated while the winner engages in a final round playoff with three top teams from the first division. The winner of the group of games would play in the SPL. When The Daily Telegraph put this idea to one Scottish football administrator, he replied: â??Anybody who wants to explain this to an audience will have to start by saying, â??You are going to feel sleepy.â?? But I have heard talk about the format and it does have support â?? although how much is difficult to say.â? St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour, meanwhile, said: â??As events unfold this may be an opportunity for real change in Scottish Football. â??St Mirren shall throw their weight totally behind a 16-team league structured in a similar way to the Belgium system, with a large number of crossover games at the end of the season to determine relegation, European places and champions.â? Maurice Edu has hinted he will seek a way out of the Rangers turmoil as he wants to test himself at the highest level. The United States midfielder, who has been linked with a move to Bursaspor, was not among the 13 players who turned up for the start of pre-season training on Thursday. Chris Hegarty, who was out of contract with Rangers, has signed on to play for the â??newcoâ?? Ibrox club. The central defender, 19, has agreed a one-year deal. Rangers chief executive Charles Green has urged fans to back his consortium instead of resorting to what he described as attempts to undermine their rescue plans for the club. A crowd of around 1,500 staged a protest against the new regime outside Ibrox on Wednesday night, led by former defender John Brown. Green said: â??Itâ??s not right that a proportion of Rangers fans continue to attack my consortium and try to undermine our rescue plans. â??Itâ??s not right that every two weeks a Mel Gibson appears, delivers a Braveheart statement, then doesnâ??t deliver anything.â? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9365386/Rangers-in-crisis-Celtic-concerned-over-SPL-power-shift.html:drum:

REBEL clubs could find they are powerless to prevent newco Rangers playing in the First Division. Lower-league outfits Raith, Morton and Falkirk have all spoken out against Charles Greenâ??s club being put into the second tier if they are refused entry to the SPL. They reckon if the SPL are so interested in sporting integrity the Light Blues should be banished to the Third Division. However, the SFL say the decision to accept Rangers into the First Division could require the backing of only 16 of their 30 members, not 22 as previously believed. An SFL spokesman said: â??Weâ??re not sure where the 75 per cent figure came from but it isnâ??t in our rules.â? The League Management Committee are now set to propose a voting structure, with a straight majority call the most likely outcome. SFL clubs will gather on Tuesday at Hampden for informal talks on the way ahead, 24 hours before the SPL meet to almost certainly deny newco Rangers entry into the top flight. As Record Sport first revealed, the SPL have put together an incentive package as they plead to the SFL for help in bailing them out of the Rangers crisis. There will be play-offs introduced at the end of the season between the SPL and First Division and SFL clubs have been offered £1million by the SPL next season in return for television rights. There are plans to merge the two bodies to become the SPFL next summer, as we also revealed, with a more equal distribution of cash and the introduction of a pyramid structure and regionalised football in the lower leagues. The proposals are likely to go to a formal vote by SFL clubs the week after next. A number of them want to squeeze more concessions from the SPL and feel there is still some work to do before they are persuaded. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/sfl/2012/06/29/rangers-in-crisis-club-could-require-simple-majority-to-be-admitted-to-first-division-86908-23902177/

â??They wanted to stay with Rangers and they wanted to play with Rangers and that meant they turned into a band of brothers. It formed a bond of friendship that will last a lifetime. WATP

Players walking out and refusing to play for the new team. Just a dozen or so homegrown starlets to pull on the jersey. And no guarantees which league â?? if any â?? theyâ??ll be playing in. Bruce Rioch knows what Ally McCoist is going through. But the man who led Middlesbrough through their liquidation hell insists Rangers can survive. And he reckons the bonds forged by those who DONâ??T do walking away will exist forever. Rioch told SunSport: â??This situation can do one of two things. It can deflate you or it can inspire you. At Middlesbrough, it inspired us. â??I know there will be some Rangers players who will feel they need to leave because they have wives and children to feed. â??They might be worried about the financial situation. But I know from my own experience that they could miss out on something really special that will stay with them forever.â? Steven Davis, Allan McGregor, Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker, Kyle Lafferty, Rhys McCabe, Sone Aluko, John Fleck, Jamie Ness and Juan Ortiz have all quit the Gers newco. Gregg Wylde and Mervan Celik left long before the club plunged into liquidation. Lee Wallace has joined Lee McCulloch, Neil Alexander and a handful of kids in revealing he wants to stay and fight on. And ex-Scotland skipper Rioch insists theyâ??ll NOT regret sticking with crisis-torn Gers. He said: â??I canâ??t remember any low points because I was just focused on being positive. I just focused on inspiring and lifting other people and I am sure that Ally will be doing the same. â??The players will have a chance to start a new era. With Ally in charge, they have an inspirational leader in their midst. â??We had a band of brothers that pulled us through when times were really tough and Iâ??m certain that will happen at Ibrox. â??I would not say there was a secret to our success. But the factor in the Middlesbrough story of 1986 was the fact that the majority of the players were homegrown. â??They wanted to stay with Middlesbrough and they wanted to play with Middlesbrough and that meant they turned into a band of brothers. It formed a bond of friendship that will last a lifetime. â??Some went off to other clubs which was their right. But they missed out on a close collaboration that the boys who stuck around always will have. â??It was almost unique and that is something that the Rangers players who stay at Ibrox will enjoy.â? More than 25 years after Boroâ??s liquidation hell, Rioch recalls a spirit-sapping summer of fear and uncertainty. It mirrors so much of the chaos and anxiety sweeping Ibrox as Gers get ready for life outside the SPL. Rioch added: â??We released about 20 players at the end of the season and kept just 14 or 15 players. â??The fans rallied round the team when they saw how guys like Tony Mowbray, Colin Cooper, Stuart Ripley, Alan Kernaghan, Gary Parkinson, Gary Hamilton and Gary Pallister thrived in the face of adversity. â??A tremendous camaraderie developed between the players and the coaches and the fans and the consortium that took over. â??There was a lot of speculation about the club going out of existence. That was right from the end of one season until the eve of the following season. â??We werenâ??t allowed to play pre-season friendlies because we werenâ??t insured. The best we got was a closed-doors friendly with Sunderland. â??We didnâ??t have enough players for the second team so we asked players from Billingham Synthonia if they would like to play. â??It was daunting but Tony Mowbray was instrumental in everything we did. He was a good young captain who inspired the other young players. â??We won back-to-back promotions and that provided the foundation for Boro to go on to great things under Bryan Robson and Steve McClaren. â??The club won its first major trophy in 2004 and went to the UEFA Cup Final in 2006. â??No one could have imagined that when the padlocks were put on the gates at Ayresome Park by the bailiffs and we had to train on local parks. That just shows that it need not be all doom and gloom.â? Rioch admits heâ??s been shocked by the demise of Gers. He added: â??It is hard to think that a club of Rangersâ?? stature would not be involved next season. â??Ally is vitally important to making sure Rangers do bounce back from what has been a disastrous and humiliating episode in a proud clubâ??s history. â??I would imagine that they will be inspired to go forward. â??I think that Rangers can come out of this stronger than ever. â??Rangers fans who might be fearing the worst should not be too downhearted. â??I hope, like many people hope, that this situation can be resolved so they start going upwards again after all the trials and tribulations of this year.â? Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4402964/We-didnt-walk-away-at-Boro-my-brave-boys-made-club-great-again.html#ixzz1zELdXyOG

CARLOS BOCANEGRA doesnâ??t regret signing for Rangers. He wishes circumstances were different and he could return to the club. But Captain America blames one man for wrecking his dream. Heâ??ll never forgive Craig Whyte for the GREED which has brought Rangers to their knees. Boca blasted: â??I donâ??t regret going to Rangers. â??I love the club, the people about it, I enjoy it all. â??The support worldwide and in Glasgow is unbelievable. â??But it is kind of sad to see that the actions of one guy can affect so many people. â??They can affect a nation because Rangers are such a big institution in Scotland. â??Whether you support them or you donâ??t, itâ??s a household name and they and Celtic are what make Scottish football function. â??Itâ??s too bad someoneâ??s greed can ruin so many lives. That was a bit frustrating to me.â? The Gers defender insists he is desperate to stay at Ibrox. But heâ??s waiting to find out the fate of crisis-torn Rangers before making a final call. The USA stalwart didnâ??t return for pre-season training at Murray Park on Thursday. Heâ??s been allowed extra time off after spending the summer playing in World Cup qualifiers. He could be promoted to skipper if he stays, after Steven Davis and Allan McGregor both walked away. But heâ??s refusing to commit himself to Gers until he knows at what level they will compete in the new season. Asked if he would be quitting, he said: â??I donâ??t know. I want to stay, I love that place. â??Iâ??ve really grown to enjoy the atmosphere going into training every day, the city, the culture and the lifestyle there. â??A rulingâ??s coming up whether we stay in the SPL or not. â??After that I will have to do some thinking and speak to the coaching staff and the other players to see whatâ??s going on and then Iâ??ll know more. â??Iâ??d like to stay if everything works out. â??The biggest thing for me with Rangers was Champions League football. That was the one club competition Iâ??d never been a part of, so the lure of playing in the Champions League with Rangers was a huge attraction. But now thatâ??s been taken away from us and Iâ??ve come to terms with that and it might never happen now. â??Like I said, I do want to stay at Rangers. â??Iâ??m hoping that it works out and that we can stay in the SPL. I canâ??t speculate further because I donâ??t know what the decision is going to be and then I have to go from there.â? Bocanegra, 33, is convinced Gers will live on regardless. He said: â??The Rangers brand is so big globally and especially in Europe that itâ??s never going to go away. â??The fanbase of 50,000 every week, that just doesnâ??t go away from a name change. â??Itâ??s a technicality â?? add a word or take one away â?? but the Rangers brand will be there forever. â??Things like this happen and unfortunately for me and the guys at Rangers right now, we were the guys who took the brunt of it. â??But the club will go on and 10 or 15 years down the road probably most people wonâ??t remember this. â??Unfortunately, it was just my time period and the other guys at Rangers and itâ??s just something we had to deal with.â? Bocanegra was on course for a league winnersâ?? medal after a sparkling start to the season before Rangersâ?? world came crashing around them with a losing run, administration and a 10-point penalty. And he admits he will look back at an incredible season with frustration. He said: â??The season had a lot of ups and downs. When I got there everything was great, we were on a 15-game winning streak and it was amazing. â??But then around Christmas time we started to hear rumours about possible administration and that came in February. â??That just kind of pulled the rug from under us, so that was a bit difficult. â??When you get docked 10 points and youâ??re in a title race, thatâ??s something that takes the wind out of your sails. We couldnâ??t really catch Celtic then. â??That hurt and we got a few injuries as well. But one thing we said was that we donâ??t want to feel sorry for ourselves. â??You donâ??t want to be guys who make all these excuses and so we said whatever happens, we are still going to go for it. â??But in the back of everyoneâ??s minds it was: â??Well, the season is over, weâ??ll not win the title.â?? â??Of course, we were going to go out and try our hardest, but you win and Celtic win, so itâ??s kind of like we knew that 10 points was going to hurt. â??It was always on our minds and things like that suck.â? Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4402576/One-person-is-to-blame-for-ruining-so-many-lives.html#ixzz1zEJlMk4K

JOHN FLECK last night revealed the Rangers players feel BETRAYED because they were told a catalogue of lies as the club lurched towards oblivion. The 20-year-old severed his ties with the Ibrox club after refusing to have his contract switched to Charles Greenâ??s newco. Fleck, who jetted south yesterday to speak to interested clubs in England, admits he canâ??t believe the current state of the club. And he puts the blame squarely on the former owners who dragged Gers into the mire by not coming clean about the seriousness of the financial problems. Fleck â?? a target for Coventry City â?? said: â??Itâ??s terrible. Youâ??d never think something like this could happen to a club like Rangers. â??But a couple of people have taken over the club and just told lies. â??Itâ??s not been great for the boys or the staff at the club. â??When you see John Brown standing outside Ibrox speaking to the fans, youâ??d never think something like that would have to happen. â??It seems the fans donâ??t trust Charles Green, but I have never met the guy. â??I was on loan at Blackpool, so I wasnâ??t around the place. â??I donâ??t know whatâ??s best for Rangers now. â??It depends if Green is the man to take the club forward, but I donâ??t think the fans believe he is.â? Under-fire Ibrox chief Green has savaged the players who have exercised their right to refuse to join his newco and has threatened to sue them and their future clubs. But Fleck insists his decision to walk away is NOT a financial one. He said: â??Some fans think the boys are just leaving to get more money, but I am going for football reasons. â??I donâ??t think I would have played under the manager. â??The fact other boys had said they were leaving maybe made it a wee bit easier. â??But I was always thinking about it. â??I want to be playing regularly and if I get a good run of games I think I am a half-decent player. â??Itâ??s all about finding the right club.â? Fleck, who burst on to the scene at Ibrox as a raw 16-year-old before falling out of favour, reckons the experience of Lee McCulloch will help the next generation of Gers kids flourish in the SFL. He said: â??The young boys might get a decent chance if the club are not playing in the SPL, so it will be good for them. â??Lee is staying so heâ??ll probably be the captain. â??He doesnâ??t want to move his family so is staying and thatâ??s good news for the club.â? Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4402583/Fleck-We-were-all-told-lies.html#ixzz1zEHrX6Dn

looking around on other forums vast majority are with div3 div3 gets my vote

The Rangers Fans Fighting Fund have listened to the views of a variety of Scottish clubs and their fanbases about the current situation at Rangers and would like to offer Rangers supporters the opportunity to give their collective opinion. In the interests of sporting integrity, the RFFF approached Charles Green for permission (which was granted) to conduct an electronic survey on their behalf amongst the Clubâ??s season ticket database. This will give an indication of the thoughts on what Division you, the fans, believe Rangers should aim to be playing in next season. The choices, as we see them, are: 1.Rangers should apply to join the SFL First Division next season (which may include possible sanctions) 2.Rangers should apply to join the SFL First Division next season (with no sanctions) 3.Rangers should apply to join the SFL Third Division (with no sanctions) In order to complete this survey please click on the link below - entitled 'Rangers Fans Fighting Fund Survey' - and submit your entry no later than 12noon on Monday 2 July 2012. As fans you are encouraged to express your views in this survey and the results will be made public https://www.research.net/s/RangersFanSurvey

As events unfold this may be an opportunity for real change in Scottish Football, St Mirren shall throw their weight totally behind a 16 team league structured in a similar way to the Belgium system with a large number of crossover games at the end of the season to determine Relegation, European places and Champions. Would this freshen up Scottish football?

Naturally we hope that if our partners mentioned above do not invoke exit clauses in their contracts we would not have to go down this route. The decision on those matters is outwith the control of the club, let us hope that the possible scenarios are not as severe as they could possibly be and that we show those partners our support to convince them to support Scottish Football. As events unfold this may be an opportunity for real change in Scottish Football, St Mirren shall throw their weight totally behind a 16 team league structured in a similar way to the Belgium system with a large number of crossover games at the end of the season to determine Relegation, European places and Champions. This with a change in the distribution model would allow us to look after the interests of all full time teams in the country on a football and financial basis. With a ten team league below this for aspiring SPL clubs and a pyramid system beneath that, this would allow all clubs to develop and find their place in Scottish Football. The poll conducted has confirmed the opinion of the Board, which has enabled us to confirm our position publicly, in addition a sixteen team top league has been the fans expressed view and this now may be possible to rebuild a solid future for Scottish Football, Scottish Football Clubs and its Supporters. More of statement