Steve1872

[h=1]Donald Findlay tells Aberdeen, Hearts: stop bleating about Monday's vote[/h] Wednesday 17 April 2013 Cowdenbeath chairman Donald Findlay claims the "bleating" Scottish Premier League club chiefs who have attacked St Mirren and Ross County over the failed league reconstruction bid only have themselves to blame. Cowdenbeath chairman Donald Findlay claims the \"bleating\" Scottish Premier League club chiefs who have attacked St Mirren and Ross County over the failed league reconstruction bid only have themselves to blame. Plans to introduce a new 12-12-18 set-up under one league body were shot down on Monday when Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour and his Staggies counterpart Roy MacGregor both voted no. That drew stinging rebukes from Hearts chief executive David Southern and Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne, with Gilmour in particular picked out for criticism. <p>But Blue Brazil chief Findlay - a former Rangers vice-chairman - says those attacks are the actions of desperate men now releasing that their decision to refuse the Ibrox club re-entry to the SPL after they were reformed as a newco last summer has proved costly.</p>< p>Findlay - who resigned his boardroom role at Rangers in 1999 after being filmed singing a controversial anthem - said: "What I find ironic is the hysterical reaction of certain Premier League chairmen who kicked Rangers out of the SPL for whatever reason.</p>< p>"Suddenly they have realised they have made a big mistake and now want them back in (the same league body) as quickly as possible - but they haven't got their way.</p>< p>"Well hell mend you, you shouldn't have kicked them out in the first place.</p>< p>"It's far too easy to blame the likes of St Mirren and Ross County for what they have done. Of course it is. The problem with the Premier League is that the people who should make themselves out to be the scapegoats are the ones who kicked Rangers out.</p>< p>"What we are seeing now is a fit of pique. They think everybody else should just behave like a bunch of nodding dogs. They are now not happy because some people have said no.</p>< p>"All this bleating that is going on is quite comical."</p>< p>The league reconstruction bid would have seen the SPL merge with the Scottish Football League's three divisions and reformed in a new three-tier set-up.</p>< p>A fairer share of income and the introduction of play-offs were also promised.</p>< p>But those hopes have now been sunk after the SPL clubs failed to reach the minimum 11-1 majority to proceed.</p>< p>Hamilton chairman Les Gray has called a meeting of the 10 Irn-Bru First Division clubs - including Cowdenbeath - on Monday with the prospect of an SPL2 expected to be on the agenda, although SFL chief executive David Longmuir insists there is no plans for a "breakaway".</p>< p>Findlay will attend the second-tier get-together but is adamant that Cowden are "not interested" in joining SPL2 and claims the club favours a 42-club solution.</p>< p>And he was similarly outspoken on the 12-12-18 plans, which several club chairmen have insisted had to be brought in to stave off financial disaster.</p>< p>"I have never thought that simply tinkering with the league structure was the answer," he said.</p>< p>"All this stuff about having two leagues of 12 and then they split at midnight or whatever is definitely not the answer.</p>< p>"Clubs only go out of business because they are not being run properly. It's as simple as that. If you run your club in the right way and live within their means, your club will not be going out of business.</p>< p>"You can do what Cowdenbeath does, and that is live within your means - and we do not have a single penny of debt - or you get the right people in charge of the game, which we don't, to make sure we have a structure which means every club gets a fair share of the income so the smaller clubs get the chance to develop its own players and improve the quality of the product.</p>< p>"That would mean, however, that the big clubs would have to live within their means, which they currently seem incapable of doing."</p>< p>And Findlay suggested the time was now up for Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan and Neil Doncaster, his opposite number at the SPL.</p>< p>He said: "I would pose the following questions, under the stewardship of Mr Regan and Mr Doncaster has the game improved? Has the product improved? Have the crowds improved? Has the income improved? Has the sponsorship improved?</p>< p>"If the answer is as obvious as it is, then those who organise the game - namely the club chairman - ought to ask if they haven't done so, isn't it time we brought in the men who will?"</p>< p>Third Division Stirling Albion's operations director, Stuart Brown, believes the forthcoming meeting of the First Division clubs is "inappropriate" and claims the formation of an SPL 2 would be a retrograde step for the game in Scotland.</p>< p>He said: "There is an element of divisiveness about that meeting. If they have something to say then why not say it to the 30 clubs, rather than have a meeting that can only be described as unofficial.</p>< p>"I shudder to think what would happen if there was an SPL 2 . I hope the First Division chairmen see it as a non-starter.</p>< p>"It would be a real backward step for Scottish football."</p>< p>Third Division Annan Athletic's chairman Henry McClelland believes a solution can only come by involving all 42 clubs.</p>< p>"I don't agree with the First Division clubs having the meeting, it looks as if they are trying to stitch something up," he said.</p>< p>"I would be very disappointed in the First Division clubs if the purpose of the meeting was to try to form an SPL 2 but I don't think that will be the case.</p>< p>"I believe all 42 clubs should get together with an arbitrator, someone like Henry McLeish (Scotland's former First Minister), with maybe a couple of other independent people, to find a way forward."</p>But Blue Brazil chief Findlay - a former Rangers vice-chairman - says those attacks are the actions of desperate men now releasing that their decision to refuse the Ibrox club re-entry to the SPL after they were reformed as a newco last summer has proved costly. Findlay - who resigned his boardroom role at Rangers in 1999 after being filmed singing a controversial anthem - said: "What I find ironic is the hysterical reaction of certain Premier League chairmen who kicked Rangers out of the SPL for whatever reason. "Suddenly they have realised they have made a big mistake and now want them back in (the same league body) as quickly as possible - but they haven't got their way. "Well hell mend you, you shouldn't have kicked them out in the first place. "It's far too easy to blame the likes of St Mirren and Ross County for what they have done. Of course it is. The problem with the Premier League is that the people who should make themselves out to be the scapegoats are the ones who kicked Rangers out. "What we are seeing now is a fit of pique. They think everybody else should just behave like a bunch of nodding dogs. They are now not happy because some people have said no. "All this bleating that is going on is quite comical." The league reconstruction bid would have seen the SPL merge with the Scottish Football League's three divisions and reformed in a new three-tier set-up. A fairer share of income and the introduction of play-offs were also promised. But those hopes have now been sunk after the SPL clubs failed to reach the minimum 11-1 majority to proceed. Hamilton chairman Les Gray has called a meeting of the 10 Irn-Bru First Division clubs - including Cowdenbeath - on Monday with the prospect of an SPL2 expected to be on the agenda, although SFL chief executive David Longmuir insists there is no plans for a "breakaway". Findlay will attend the second-tier get-together but is adamant that Cowden are "not interested" in joining SPL2 and claims the club favours a 42-club solution. And he was similarly outspoken on the 12-12-18 plans, which several club chairmen have insisted had to be brought in to stave off financial disaster. "I have never thought that simply tinkering with the league structure was the answer," he said. "All this stuff about having two leagues of 12 and then they split at midnight or whatever is definitely not the answer. "Clubs only go out of business because they are not being run properly. It's as simple as that. If you run your club in the right way and live within their means, your club will not be going out of business. "You can do what Cowdenbeath does, and that is live within your means - and we do not have a single penny of debt - or you get the right people in charge of the game, which we don't, to make sure we have a structure which means every club gets a fair share of the income so the smaller clubs get the chance to develop its own players and improve the quality of the product. "That would mean, however, that the big clubs would have to live within their means, which they currently seem incapable of doing." And Findlay suggested the time was now up for Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan and Neil Doncaster, his opposite number at the SPL. He said: "I would pose the following questions, under the stewardship of Mr Regan and Mr Doncaster has the game improved? Has the product improved? Have the crowds improved? Has the income improved? Has the sponsorship improved? "If the answer is as obvious as it is, then those who organise the game - namely the club chairman - ought to ask if they haven't done so, isn't it time we brought in the men who will?" Third Division Stirling Albion's operations director, Stuart Brown, believes the forthcoming meeting of the First Division clubs is "inappropriate" and claims the formation of an SPL 2 would be a retrograde step for the game in Scotland. He said: "There is an element of divisiveness about that meeting. If they have something to say then why not say it to the 30 clubs, rather than have a meeting that can only be described as unofficial. "I shudder to think what would happen if there was an SPL 2 . I hope the First Division chairmen see it as a non-starter. "It would be a real backward step for Scottish football." Third Division Annan Athletic's chairman Henry McClelland believes a solution can only come by involving all 42 clubs. "I don't agree with the First Division clubs having the meeting, it looks as if they are trying to stitch something up," he said. "I would be very disappointed in the First Division clubs if the purpose of the meeting was to try to form an SPL 2 but I don't think that will be the case. "I believe all 42 clubs should get together with an arbitrator, someone like Henry McLeish (Scotland's former First Minister), with maybe a couple of other independent people, to find a way forward."

Chris McLaughlin‏@BBCchrismclaug14m#StMirren chairman Stewart Gilmour says there was air of arrogance and bullying at Monday's #reconstruction meeting. Says SFA should mediate

Championship Celebration Day in April 1975

Chris McLaughlin‏@BBCchrismclaug58mHamilton Accies have invited all Div 1 clubs to a meeting on Monday. BBC Scotland understands SPL2 will be on the agenda.

In the shadows of Celtic park in the heart of Glasgowâ??s east end, a group of Rangers fans decked out in blue tops and striped scarves are dancing and singing in the street. Not something you would expect an Edinburgh boy to be masterminding. The normally mellow men who just enjoy a pint and pub banter are jumping in the air, their grey hair bouncing in the sunshine, as they perform for the man holding a camera in front of them. This is not a familiar setting for an artist who in the past has created huge Christmas card paintings for John Lewis and an impressive Tam Oâ?? Shanter mural. But for Chris Rutterford, getting himself among the Rangers fans was going to be at the heart of his latest project â?? a 48ft-long, 7ft-high mural for the Bristol Bar in Glasgow. â??For me, I wanted to make it about the fans. Everyone knows the players but they come and go, itâ??s the fans that stay with the club,â? the 39-year-old said. â??People donâ??t like getting their photograph taken so most people were a bit reluctant but after the first lot, I had my iPad and showed them how the mural was at that point and it made it easier for them to see where it was going. Suddenly they were thinking, â??Iâ??m going to miss out on thatâ??. â??The more people I involve in the painting, the greater the humanity is in it. Itâ??s a great motivator knowing this is a communal, shared experience.â? For self-confessed rugby man Chris, trying to capture the spirit of Rangers fans during one of the most difficult times in the clubâ??s history was certainly a learning curve. â??I had watched Rangers in Europe but Harry (Wylie, owner of the Bristol Bar) took me to my first game and it was against Annan Athletic,â? said Chris. â??I was in the directorâ??s box and I had been told I had to wear a suit and tie but it was only when I got there I realised my tweed suit was a little on the green side â?? but I was wearing a blue shirt. â??I had my camera with me and was taking photos of the Blue Order. My lens looks quite big when itâ??s extended and Iâ??m there zooming in on the crowd, theyâ??re all jumping around and singing songs â?? itâ??s quite amazing. â??But half-an-hour in, they started chanting towards me and my camera. So Harry suggested, â??I think youâ??ve taken enough photosâ??. I think itâ??s maybe a symptom of what, as fans, theyâ??ve gone through over the last year and that they didnâ??t know what I was up to.â? Having started the project in August, the evolution of the mural has paralleled Rangersâ?? season in the Third Division as they begin rebuilding after being liquidated and forming a new company. The mural features more than 180 faces in the crowd, many of those being regulars from the Bristol Bar, but also featuring faces which have come to represent the Ibrox club, such as Ally McCoist, Walter Smith and Graeme Souness. However, for Chris, itâ??s giving the fans that he has met and got to know the chance to have their football passion permanently preserved thatâ??s given him the most satisfaction. He said: â??The wee guy in the far corner is Willie. He delivered all the boards and timber and kept asking me, â??when are you putting me in?â?? I think it really starts with him because, though Harry commissioned me, Willie brought me the raw materials. â??The art world has abandoned the common people in a big way and disappeared to the world of the stockbrokers and the like. I would rather have paintings and really big art that is for drinking in front of. â??People with beer goggles on arenâ??t as discriminating,â? he says with a chuckle. Chris used an acrylic undercoat and then applied oil paint and beeswax to create the array of colour and life on the expansive work, with the whole process captured on film and condensed into a two-minute video. And being from the east coast, Chris says, allowed him to create a work which isnâ??t influenced the issues that usually surround both sides of the Old Firm. â??I think other artists have tended to focus on the more aggressive nature of it whereas I think the crowd is just full of normal people who just want to get their joy in it,â? he said. â??I always knew that Glasgow was a really friendly place â?? Iâ??ve gone drinking there and to places like the Barrowlands loads. â??Being from Edinburgh, you do feel a little out of your depth because Glaswegian personal space is a lot closer in than in Edinburgh but Iâ??ve had great nights in Glasgow and theyâ??re always really nice to me in the bar whenever I go there.â? The mural is on display as part of an exhibition of Chrisâ?? work, including the John Lewis paintings and the Tam Oâ?? Shanter mural, running from April 6 to 14 at the Artâ??s Complex on London Road. From there, the Rangers mural â?? which is the same length as a double-decker bus â?? will be placed in its permanent home, the Bristol Bar. â??Iâ??m a storyteller,â? said Chris. â??Iâ??m happy with the mural. The east end of Glasgow is a run-down area so itâ??s nice to bring something to that area thatâ??s unlike anything else.â? http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/magazine/220341-rangers-fans-stars-of-edinburgh-artists-mural-destined-for-glasgow-pub/ nice video in link

Rab Boyle‏@RFC_Rab2hWatching real-time Google Analytics stats for the website. Second biggest referrer of traffic to tonight's statement? Kerrydale Street.

RANGERS announced today that the Club has decided to terminate its contract with Francisco Sandaza. The player has been advised of the situation. Francisco spoke at length to someone posing as an agent and engaged in a conversation which the Club believes to be a material breach of his contract of employment. The player was suspended but after careful consideration and a hearing with Francisco and his representatives, the Club, and our advisors, believe that dismissal is the appropriate course of action. The termination is subject to the right of appeal under SFL rules and there will be no further comment from Rangers on this issue.

[h=3]PAUL GASCOIGNE was taken to school for 90 minutes by Ian Durrant and knew he’d been jousting with a midfield genius.[/h]Gazza will never forget the Under-21 clash between Scotland and England at Pittodrie in February 1988. Even if he tried to, Durrant wouldn’t let him. England may have won the Euro Championship qualifier 1-0 — but the Geordie maverick’s lasting memories are of losing his own tussle with an Ibrox prodigy at the peak of his powers. Their confrontation came just eight months before Durrant’s knee was wrecked on the same turf in a horror tackle from Neil Simpson during a fiery Aberdeen-Gers clash. Gazza recalled: “I knew Durranty before I came to Ibrox because I had played against him in the Under-21s. “The press around that game were billing it as a competition to see who was the best young midfielder in Britain — and Durrant BATTERED me.” With Gers pal Derek Ferguson and Celtic’s Peter Grant as his sidekicks in midfield, Durrant bossed it. Somehow, the Scots still slipped to defeat. Yet Gazza knew he’d been in a game. He added: “I went home to my dad and told him I had just played against one of the best midfielders I’d ever come across. “Durranty was absolutely outstanding.”

[h=1]It’s been hell.. Coisty’s lucky he didn’t end up in rehab with me[/h]PARTY TIME ... Gazza and McCoist had so many good times celebrating Gers' trophy success Exclusive By IAIN KING Published: 19 minutes ago [h=3]PAUL GASCOIGNE climbed the famous marble staircase, then popped his head round the door of the manager’s office.[/h]There behind the desk sat Ally McCoist, the pal he’d laughed with, cried with, lost with, won with, fought with... Then launched fireworks at his house. A smile creased the face of the flawed Geordie genius and pride coursed through him. His old mucker, Rangers manager. That was before Craig Whyte’s disastrous reign brought the club tumbling down. Before Gers’ Greatest Ever Striker had to face up to life as boss of the club he loves in Division Three. As he fights the biggest battle of his life to stay off the booze and out of the grasp of the demons that haunt him, Gazza’s mind was yesterday firmly back on football. And Super Ally. Gascoigne believes Rangers would not have survived the darkest days in their history without McCoist. He brushed off any criticism of the manner of the Blues’ title triumph and said: “God knows how many sleepless nights Ally has had this season, yet he’s still there fighting. “Good on him, it’s a wonder he didn’t end up in rehab with me! “Listen, when I walked into the manager’s office and saw Coisty sitting behind the desk, I was so proud of him. “I know how much the club means to him and it is such a shame that he should get the job at one of the biggest clubs in the world and be forced to go through all this. “The job has been taken out of his hands, bless him. “Before you know it, there has been this massive shock and the club is on its knees. “Yet the experience Ally has come through this season will stand him in great stead in the long run. “I pray he never has to go through anything like this again. But if he does he will be ready for it. “He has handled it so well. I watch his media conferences and he gets questions thrown at him about all sorts of things. “He is the only manager I know who answers 20 per cent of his questions about football and 80 per cent on finances. “He is a coach, director and chairman rolled into one, but he is strong enough to cope with all of that.” When Walter Smith signed Gazza in that stunning £4.3million transfer coup from Lazio in 1995, he found a kindred spirit in McCoist. Behind the pranks and the belly-laughs lay two steely-eyed winners. Even now the respect for an arch predator is evident in the distinctive tones of the most gifted footballer of his generation. Gazza recalled: “Ally was a terrific striker because he wasn’t just a goal poacher. He could score from everywhere — headers, volleys, shots from outside the box. “The one that sticks in my mind is that driller from distance against Switzerland at Euro 96. The sad thing for Scotland was that the goal wasn’t enough to take them through. “But he was some player and he was a clever guy, too, because we used to play Countdown in the dressing-room after training and he always beat me! “Still my revenge was that I used to launch some fireworks at his house. I loved that. “I remember calling him at 3am and saying: “I have a present for you, open your ****ing window.” “He did and I launched the biggest rocket I have ever seen at his house. It was fun that. “He was screaming at me: What the **** is that?’ and ducking behind his curtains!” If there’s a moment that sums up the relationship between the two Ibrox icons, it came during the 1996 Coca-Cola Cup Final against Hearts at Celtic Park. McCoist — once again showing the instincts that brought 355 goals in 581 games for Rangers — had already notched twice when Gascoigne shaped to make a pass and the telepathy disappeared. Gazza made a show of his displeasure to the punters by waving his arms in disgust, Coisty lost the plot. The pair had to be separated in the dressing-room and Gascoigne grimaced: “We had a one-minute fall-out when I told him to move for a pass, then I didn’t deliver the ball. “To be honest, I was angry at myself but I had a blast at him and he lost it in the dressing-room at half-time. “I was wrong, so I apologised to him and said I would do better in the second half. I scored a couple, we won 4-3 and lifted the cup and we were back as pals again.” Gascoigne is on his way back to Glasgow for the SunSport-backed Audience With Gazza at Glasgow’s Thistle Hotel on Friday, May 3. The Nine in a Row band of brothers will be out in force to support a star whose fall from grace took him into a sea of drink and to the brink of death. Drying out in Arizona has left Gazza with a mission in life again, fighting his battle every day. You pray for the talent that brought us so many moments to treasure as he sighed: “It’s amazing, people have this picture of me that I have been drinking solidly for years and years. “I have had a long time to sit and think about this and I have worked it out. “In the last 11 years I have been drinking seriously for about 14 weeks of that time — yet it has caused me all this damage. “I know if I take a drink again, I am going to die and that’s the truth of life for me now.”

[h=1]Show Ally the money[/h] Exclusive By IAIN KING Published: 5 minutes ago [h=3]RANGERS legend Paul Gascoigne has pleaded with Charles Green to splash the cash â?? and give Ally McCoist the chance he deserves as Ibrox boss.[/h]Gazza opened his heart exclusively to SunSport as he battles back from the brink after his recent stint in rehab in the USA. The former Ibrox hero was thrilled to see close pal Coisty lift the Third Division title at the weekend. He ignored the flak boss Ally has taken for Gersâ?? stumbling run-in and insisted: â??Once Coisty starts investing in the players he wants THEN you can judge him properly. â??That will be him as the real Rangers manager, when he has an open wallet to play with. â??Right now you are seeing 50 per cent of the coach I believe he can become. â??Give the man a chance because he is keeping the club afloat right now. I am glad Charles Green has had the common sense to realise what Ally has been left with and kept him.â? Gazza is keeping tabs on the reconstruction saga to see where Gers end up. He rapped: â??Common sense should be shown by the geezers in charge of Scottish football and they should get Rangers back where they belong. â??I saw the fansâ?? boycott at Dundee United and I agreed with it. What happened to Rangers had nothing to do with the staff, the fans or Coisty but they feel as if they keep getting punished. I understand that. â??I think there has been a lot of disrespect towards a club that I love. â??They need to wake up to the fact that they need Rangers in the SPL. â??Itâ??s critical to the game there, everyone outside of Scotland looks to the Old Firm game. For the sake of Scottish football that HAS to come back. â??Itâ??s a joke, they should promote the game and that means Rangers and Celtic playing each other.â? Gascoigne is gearing up for a return to Glasgow in the SunSport-backed Audience with Gazza at Glasgowâ??s Thistle Hotel on Friday May 3. A host of his old Nine in a Row pals, led by Richard Gough, have pledged to support him and he said: â??Coisty IS Rangers right now and the club owe him for that. â??I hope I can see him when I come back up, it will be nice to say hello and share a laugh with the little fatty!â?

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/3668-charles-green-statement CHARLES GREEN has issued the following statement: “Rangers have won many championships and honours but I believe it would be wrong to underestimate the value of what has been achieved this season. *“Ally McCoist’s players have just secured the SFL third-division title and that is the first milestone on the road back to full recovery. *“It is a triumph which, in all honesty, cannot be held up beside the 54 top-flight championships but it is a triumph nonetheless and the manager and players are entitled to feel pride and happiness that they have completed the task. *“Of course we would all have preferred to have witnessed a more exciting brand of football but that will come. Some of the performances have been below what fans expect of a Rangers team and no effort will be spared to improve on that front. “However, this Club’s fans have shown tremendous loyalty and as far as I am concerned they are the real stars. “So, I want to make it clear this latest triumph is for each and every one of them and the other cups and titles I’m sure we’ll collect on our journey back to the pinnacle of Scottish football will also be for the finest support to be found anywhere in the game. “My abiding memories of this season will be seeing Rangers fans enjoying themselves in bars and restaurants in towns I struggle to find even with the use of my sat nav and I must say we were given a great welcome everywhere. “The fans’ behaviour was a credit to the Club, so to everyone involved I would like to say thank you and well done. “We have taken another significant step in the rebuilding process and that will continue. Now the most pressing issue for us and for other clubs is league reconstruction which, of course, has turned into something of a fiasco. “Today the SFA released results of a major survey which made it clear fans want to see an expanded top division and no more than three tiers. That is entirely consistent with my earlier proposal for 14-14-14 set up which is no more complicated than what is being currently proposed by the SPL. “In fact, their notion of two divisions of 12 fragmenting into three of eight is more convoluted and isn’t something which appeals greatly to many of our clubs. Yet, if they vote this in they’ll be doing it out of fear of being left with the status quo because they have been told constantly no other option can work. “That’s simply not true and it is comforting to know the fans can see that. “Look, we are all agreed we must have change but it must be the correct change and it must be for the greater good of the game. It must not be for the few. *“That’s why the findings of this first ever Scottish National Football Survey shouldn’t be dismissed with mere platitudes. If the club’s are really listening to their fans they will act accordingly and do what is right. “No matter what anyone says the current proposals will not give the fans what they are demanding.”

I thought it would be interesting to see where all of our previous transfer targets ended up, to see if we missed out on anything special. I might be forgetting a few, and I know we had some on trial like Bruins and Abelairas but ultimately didn't offer them deals. Roland Juhasz - we supposedly offered £3m in 2011 for him from Anderlecht. He has subsequently lost his place in the Hungary team and is out on loan at Videoton in the Hungarian league. Wesley Verhoek - another target from 2011. He opted to sign for FC Twente that year, rarely played and then signed for Feyenoord last year. He has played one 90 minute game for them. David Goodwillie - I think we made about 50 bids for him, the highest being close to £3m. God knows what's happened to him since; had a loan spell at Crystal Palace for a week then returned to Blackburn Reserves. Enar Jaager - A right back we had on trial and Ally said he was desperate to sign. This flagged up issues for us all; Whyte was refusing to sanction it despite saying we could afford it, and Ally "needed" him despite having 5 right backs over 21 on the books and constantly playing Bartley and Perry there. Jaager went on to have further trials with half a dozen other clubs before eventually signing a rolling one year deal with the club he originally left in Norway. Craig Conway - I remember Ally saying we had offered him a deal in 2011. He opted to sign for Cardiff instead. Could be a Premiership footballer next season, and has played 11 full games for Cardiff this season. Neil Danns - Another one Ally was desperate to sign for centre mid when he was leaving Palace. Danns turned us down and instead signed for Leicester, where he rarely got picked and is currently punted out on loan to Huddersfield. Daniel Larsson - Malmo's pacey striker that we were seemingly after ever since he scored against us. He moved to Real Valladolid when his contract expired. No goals in 10 appearances. Michael Fink - We had him up in the Summer just before the end of the transfer window, and supposedly offered him £6k a week. I think it was Green who pulled the plug on this one, or there were disagreements with the player over the length of the deal. Currently plays for Erzgebirge Aue in Germany. Many have been saying on here that the only reason we have been so poor on the park this season is because Ally did not get the players he wanted... and yet the majority of those players seem to have either turned out to be poor or to have had terrible seasons. you could argue that they may have played better for us in a league like the 3rd division, but it would seem to be unlikely. therefore the argument that we MUST give the management team time to bring in the players that they want is bit spurious.. Who else did we try to sign in the past couple of seasons?

The following is a quote from French sociologist, Ludovic Lestrelin: "Rangers are an institution, and remain so, even in the fourth tier. There is something both chivalrous and noble in continuing to go to the stadium during the storm. It's beautiful because it's difficult. Suffer together, rebuild together, then conquer together. Then you begin to write history."

Elginâ??s Stuart Leslie Iâ??ve dreamed of scoring a title winner for Gers ... now Iâ??ve done it Gers dream ... Elgin goal hero Stuart Leslie By ROBERT THOMSON Published: 9 hrs ago 2 STUART LESLIE always dreamed of clinching silverware for Rangers. On Saturday he lived out those childhood fantasies. Sort of. The Elgin City striker scored a penalty to beat Queenâ??s Park 1-0 â?? and see his beloved Gers crowned Division Three champions in the process. Inverness-born Leslie, 22, used to travel from the Highlands to Ibrox with his father Ian. And he revealed his family were bursting with pride at his role in the Rangers story. Leslie said: â??I grew up a Rangers fan, so as a boy I always dreamed about scoring a goal to win them something. It wasnâ??t exactly that, but it was probably the next best thing. â??When I came off on Saturday I had afew messages on my phone. One said â??Thatâ??s you written into the history books nowâ??. Heâ??s taken that too far, but itâ??s a nice thought. â??My dad is a massive Rangers fan so he was delighted. â??I scored at Hampden and it helped Rangers win the league, so it was perfect for the family. â??I had a few pals text me as well. I might not have to buy a drink the next time weâ??re out.â? Former Inverness kid Leslie has watched Rangers from afar since turning pro. But he played alongside current Gers pair Kyle Hutton and Ross Perry for Scotland Under-19s and is thrilled to see them do well. He said: â??I know Ross and Kyle from when I was at Caley Thistle and got into the Scotland squad. â??I donâ??t know them particularly well, but Iâ??m pleased for them. They deserve it and hopefully they can kick on now. â??I used to go to games with my dad and weâ??ve been down to Ibrox for European nights. â??When I started playing it went on the back-burner a bit because Iâ??m playing on a Saturday. Thrilled â??But Iâ??ve still looked at their results every week and have supported them from afar. â??My dad wasnâ??t at Hampden or Montrose, but he was thrilled when I spoke to him.â? Although Gers won the title by a wide margin it was not as convincing as people expected. And after seeing several teams take points off them this term, Leslie reckons people will have more respect for the Third Division. He said: â??Rangers have slipped up a few times, but they were always going to get there. â??Being full-time was always going to be a big thing and they have some really good players as well. Theyâ??ve deserved to win it. â??But it has made a lot of people think differently about the Third Division. â??People started off by saying theyâ??d romp it. But the way it has worked out, with teams like Annan, Montrose, Stirling and ourselves taking points off them, they realise itâ??s a decent standard. Hopefully we can keep it going and get into the play-offs.â? Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/leaguedivision3/4868434/Elgins-Stuart-Leslie-Ive-dreamed-of-scoring-a-title-winner-for-Gers-now-Ive-done-it.html#ixzz2PCVou4yz

Paul Gascoigne looks set to return to Ibrox in a glamour friendly. With Manchester United being lined up as possible opponents, a Rangers legends squad could take the pitch on May 6, with Gazza said to be desperate to be involved. (Sunday Mail)

A sensational new bid by Rangers and Celtic to join English ­football is receiving top-secret backing from Prime Minister David Cameron, writes the Sunday People. Sunday People Sport can ­reveal that Number 10 is ­taking a ­â??massive interestâ?? in the ­potential switch of the Scottish giants. Cameronâ??s surprise part in the controversial move is two-fold: * Because of fears over safety if the Glasgow clubs go into Englandâ??s lower leagues and â??swampâ?? small grounds with their massive support. * And, bizarrely but ­significantly, to catch votes in the upcoming vote on Scottish independence. Two major powerbrokers ­involved in the process confirmed that ­meetings have taken place ­recently with Cameron and other leading figures. And the Prime Ministerâ??s team are planning to pull strings to make the move happen sooner rather than later. Both Rangers and Celtic have tried to find ways of coming to England in the past few years, only to run into resistance. Rangers â?? under the leadership of Yorkshireman Charles Green â?? have even looked at joining the Conference. PM: David Cameron has his reasons for welcoming the Scottish giantsPA And Celtic were manoeuvring to join the Football League at the third tier a year ago â?? as we exclusively revealed. Until now the gameâ??s authorities have found ways of stopping the border ­raiders coming to England despite many clubs ­welcoming it for financial reasons. But if Cameron and his government allies can help persuade the leaders of the FA, Premier League and Football League behind the scenes it could be breakthrough time. One prominent figure, who wishes to remain anonymous, insists Rangers and Celtic have â??never had a better chanceâ? of coming to England because of the political climate. He said: â??This is a major issue and the talks have gone all the way to the very top. â??There would be huge potential ­problems if Rangers decided to buy their way into a Conference club. It is something they are openly talking about. â??Could you imagine thousands of their fans turning up at tiny grounds and all of the policing and security problems that would cause. â??That is a major worry for Cameron and that has been pointed out in ­discussions about what would happen in those circumstances. â??And, of course, there is the vote on independence which is currently splitting Scotland and putting Cameron under pressure as the Queen would see the union being broken up on his watch. â??Rangers fans are squarely behind the unionist cause and will always wave the flag. But if Celtic were to be playing in England it might prove to their fans that they should be British. This may sound strange to people in England but there are hundreds of ­thousands of votes here â?? and football is at the middle of a lot of debates up here.â? Hot Scot: Rangers coach McCoist celebrates with the league trophyPA The Conference issue could be kicked into touch, as fresh moves are being talked about among Championship ­chairmen to find a way of bringing Rangers and Celtic into the second tier. One top source confirmed: â??It is the only sensible solution. We all know the clubs want to come here and would do virtually anything to make it happen. It would be very difficult under the present rules. But there are moves afoot. Any government support could only help.â? One scenario is that the larger clubs in the Championship form a breakaway â?? in effect Premier League Two â?? and invite Rangers and Celtic to the party. It would only take a year to set up, which would no doubt meet with ­approval in high places, where a deal BEFORE the Scottish independence vote in September 2014 is seen as crucial. The most drastic plan would be for Celtic or Rangers to BUY a Conference side, or a struggling League One or League Two club, but this would also increase government safety concerns. Such an option could see the ­astonishing prospect of Rangers and Celtic moving lock stock and barrel to England before eventually returning to Ibrox and Parkhead. The Scots giants are even willing to pay to come to England â?? with talk of a£15million bounty each which would go to Football League clubs who could lose out. But those amounts would be peanuts compared to the money that would roll in from TV revenue when they reach the Premier League promised land. Top clubs in England pocket in the region of £60m each from TV rights â?? that figure will be closer to £100m from next season when an astonishing­Â£3billion new deal kicks in. Celtic, in contrast, pick up £2.4m for winning the Scottish league

Derek Parlane, King of Ibrox Park, followed in the footsteps of his dad, Jimmy.Both played for Rangers, Man City and Airdrie!

http://www.rangersmegastore.com/rangers-fc-champions-12-13-t-shirt-mens-375697?colcode=37569718

David Templeton‏@dtempleton8916mGood to win the league! Don't care what anyone says its been a hard year and delighted to get my first medal with rangers!

[h=3]More Than A Title[/h] by Peter Ewart | Contributor It may be today, after beating Montrose (well, on the way back down the road afterwards), or it may be at Hampden, or back at Ibrox. We could even be playing Linfield in a friendly when we clinch SFL3, but clinch it we will. Yet another trophy will be in the bag for the greatest club in the world and it is time to enjoy the party. It hasn’t felt like much of a party lately. To roll out the football clichés we are stumbling, even falling over the line. Our home form has turned ropey and there are question marks over the tactics and style of football. So much so that it has put some fans at loggerheads. I understand why people will defend Ally to the last. He saved the club. But I also understand that that’s not an excuse for playing bad football with an inflated loss-making wage bill and poor tactics and results given the opponents we’ve played. We have however blooded a lot of good young players (in McLeod’s case a great young player). There is great potential but massive room for improvement and a number of ways that improvement can be achieved. What needs to be remembered is that everybody wants the same thing and Rangers back at the top in the shortest time possible. Not everyone realises it, but everyone is pulling in the same direction. There is a lot of nine-in-a-row arrogance present in both the fans and the current management at the minute. The fans are spoilt and impatient for success. We can do more to back the team vocally too (you don’t have to be in BF1 to sing) And the management don’t seem to take on board any criticism – they always know best and seem content to stumble through. But all that is in the here and now. At the end of it the title will be won and current problems can be addressed. In future generations they won’t be talking about the piss awful home defeat against Annan or playing 4-5-1 against Stirling Albion. You’ll be telling your grandkids that it was the trophy that was the first stepping stone back to the top. It started an irresistible momentum to claim back our rightful position. There’s a lot of debate over what number trophy this is – is it league championship 55, trophy 116 or something else. It doesn’t matter what number it is, it will rank as one of the most important in the club's illustrious history. When you see big Jig lift the trophy in May, remember the spring and summer 2012 when the club’s future was in the balance. Remember the suggestion of a "year out playing friendlies". Remember the repeated attempts from some to kill us off all together. Remember the lies, vitriol and hatred sent (and still being sent) our way. It is victory over all that. Success and trophies are a very large part of Rangers history. Just look at the trophy cabinet. Our great history form the greatest motivation for future Rangers teams, to wear that royal blue top and drive them on to succeed. Look at how we defended our league titles to the hilt against the venomous and groundless attack from the SPL. It’s why Integrity FC wanted titles off us so badly, it would have been a huge body blow. They form an immense pressure to succeed every game, every season. It’s not a total surprise that some of our ‘big’ summer signings from the SPL have struggled from the transformation from big fish in small ponds to Ibrox. The weight of history and expectation can hang heavy – ‘Websteritis’. For some it will be the first trophy they remember, for those us lucky enough to have been associated with this great club for many years, it will be one of many and will bring back memories of successes from the recent and not so recent past. And for it being SFL3 it’s not a bad piece of bling either. It sums up the ludicrous nature of Scottish football that we don’t know what league this league win will put us in. We could even be playing to win the same trophy next year, which would be a very cynical attempt by the authorities to create apathy in our support, but we’ve proved it doesn’t matter who we play, we’ll be there to back this great club. Not everything is perfect and there is much to be done, but there is even more to celebrate. Enjoy it when it comes.

Mark Everton Walters‏@MEW19346mCongratulating GRFC on winning their championship