Steve1872
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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.
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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?
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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
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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/
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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?
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â??Basically, the toys came out of the pram,â?
Magic
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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
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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!!!!
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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?
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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.
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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
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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?
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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?
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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?
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looking around on other forums
vast majority are with div3
div3 gets my vote
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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
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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?
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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
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St Mirren have become the seventh Scottish Premier League club to object to the newco Rangers entering the top flight next season, insisting sporting integrity must outweigh the financial consequences facing the club.
The Saints chairman, Stewart Gilmour, informed the Rangers' chief executive, Charles Green, and the manager, Ally McCoist, in person that his board could not support their application to join the SPL. Green's consortium require an 8-4 vote in their favour at the meeting next Wednesday to remain in the top flight but have been effectively consigned to the Scottish Football League, in either the first or third division, a week in advance.
Gilmour admits that "major cutbacks" are necessary at St Mirren and the omission of Rangers from the SPL will increase the financial burden on clubs. But he said: "I met with Charles Green, Alistair McCoist and other representatives of Rangers newco last week. I made it perfectly clear that our directors' view was that our club would not be voting for a newco entry to the SPL, directly to the officials of Rangers newco.
"This meeting was held in confidential circumstances to allow both parties to enable the other to see their respective positions. A very positive meeting was held. However, the position of St Mirren has not changed and our stance of sporting integrity was maintained against the very pressing commercial arguments."
The chairman added: "Regrettably, the commercial, and hence financial, impact is still not clear to the club. We are very hopeful that this aspect will become clearer in the next few days.
"It has been impossible for the clubs to downsize as quickly as we would like due to the contractual obligations of the club. These are considerable and must be maintained to ensure the club does not slip into the fate of others. It is possible that major cutbacks may have to be made within the company. This may well involve people in the club losing their employment â?? not a good situation â?? so please accept that the club will be unlikely to be signing any new players until this situation is clear."
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Doing rounds on twitter
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Mo Edu just tweeted
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@MauriceEdu: Always funny to read headlines and articles from a source u never did an interview with lol...fun times...I guess anything to sell a paper (ref to this story t think
Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu: I feel bad for talking US compatriots into moving to Ibrox
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Rangers could donate to RFFF and they could pay
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Lee Wallace you are a star
Like all bears
we dont do walking away!!!!
:rfcbouncy::rfcbouncy::rfcbouncy:0 -
Lynsey Millar@lynsey1484
@JohnDCGow I work for a bank. U can also ask the bank to put a care message on your acc so that no further d/d's for that bill can be set up
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:ns:
:rfcbouncy:
Ron Scott â?? The Voice of Experience â?? Sunday Post - July1 2012
in Rangers Chat
Posted
http://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/
Ron Scott â?? The Voice of Experience LINK here