Steve1872

RANGERS: Alexander; Hegarty, Perry, Cribari, Wallace; Little, Macleod, Hutton, Templeton; Shiels, Sandaza TEAM NEWS: On the bench today are: Currie, Crawford, Faure, Aird, Naismith and the referee today is Steven McLean

East Fife oppose new league changes EAST FIFE chairman Sid Collumbine is certain most lower-league clubs in Scotland want to see changes to the league structure — just not rushed through for next season. With a proposed 12-12-18 set-up on the table, there have been suggestions that the changes could be fast-tracked and implemented for the 2013/14 campaign. Collumbine said he is dead set against that idea and would rather see any shake-up in place for the start of the 2014/15 season at the earliest. The Bayview chief said: “I’ve no problem with changes but to try and push it through for next season? I’m totally against that. “There are a number of Second and Third Division teams who have been trying to get up the leagues and spending money to try and reach the play-offs but that money would be wasted. “Yes, we need change, but changes have got to be made fair. “East Fife have been trying to get into the top four before the end of the season and we have spent money to go along that road. “We’ve done that and other teams have budgeted for what they think they can achieve this season but to change the goalposts halfway through a season is just not on, in my book. “Obviously, there are a lot of things still to be ironed out but I’ve spoken to a few chairmen and they agree with me. “In fact, they are not happy at all.” Under manager Billy Brown, Collumbine’s club are chasing a promotion play-off spot and are three points off fourth place. The Fife club took the decision this year to invest two thirds of the gate receipt garnered from their League Cup clash with Rangers, around £100,000, in a fixed interest bond, which will mature before the end of the season – a decision which has steadied the ship financially. Although cashflow is not an immediate problem, Collumbine would love to see crowds at Bayview pick up. All but one of the Third Division fixtures had a higher attendance than the 486 who saw the Fife’s Second Division game against Albion Rovers on Saturday and Collumbine said: “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve got to look after your own club. “We’ve got a director, Harry Blyth, who is in schools all the time, and we’ve had youngsters down and around the club, so we’re trying to do all we can on that front. “The only thing that will bring people back through the turnstiles is results and we’re trying hard on that front. “We own our own club and the bank can’t come in tomorrow and just shut the doors, which is more than I can say for some other SFL clubs. “As long as I’m here, we’ll try and keep East Fife healthy and safe.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=W8cJSBQr6nA# PRECEDENT IN SCOTTISH FOOTBALL CONFIRMING STRANRAER JUMPED TWO DIVISIONS IN 1994

Grant Russell‏@STVGrant Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan calls off Rangers trial, again, over 'uncertainty' on club's league future

Rangers' former director Paul Murray has echoed the words of Alastair Johnston and called for BDO to fully investigate the role of Lloyds Banking Group, Donald Muir, David Grier and others in the sale of the club to Craig Whyte and subsequent liquidation of the company running the club. In an in-depth interview with The Rangers Standard, he has also called into question whether David Murray was indeed duped into selling to Craig Whyte or was just pressured by the bank into doing so. In an interview with Peter Smith on STV just before the end of last year, Alastair Johnston called the sale of the club a "heinous crime" and stated that Craig Whyte was "addicted to lying and cheating" and "candidly was a chancer". He also went on record as saying he feels that "Lloyds Bank had some responsibility" in the sale of the club to Whyte and that the "source of funding was something any bank should have known". It is clear there is a strong feeling from those who were on the board at the time of the sale that they were excluded from the process and that despite raising concerns the sale was pushed through in line with outside interests. On the involvement of Lloyds Banking Group (LBG), Paul Murray said the following: "What you are dealing with is a totally dispassionate London centric bank, who might say they are interested in Scotland, but Scotland is a very small part of their business. It was quite clear they wanted out of Scottish football." Murray feels the involvement of so many competing interests within the club made the board a difficult place in which to operate. "It was quite a strange board because you had Donald Muir and Mike McGill effectively as LBG and David Murray representatives. You had people like myself, John McClelland and John Grieg, you had Dave King in a slightly different camp as a non-executive director as well as a significant shareholder, then you had Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre as executive directors. I said at a number of meetings, "this board is dysfunctional". I stand by that. You had conflicting views and in any organisation you have to have a sense of purpose. The other thing I found quite frustrating about the board structure was that Donald Muir and Mike McGill essentially kept quite a lot of things to themselves. They didn't always share details with their fellow directors. You were always one step removed from the bank. Donald Muir and Mike were managing that relationship." Murray also states that the role of Donald Muir was consistently downplayed but that LBG were effectively running the club. "Donald Muir used to always claim he was not a bank representative but it was quite clear to me that he was a representative looking after the bank's interests, and the bank is entitled to do that, but if you are going to do that then have the decency to do it publicly, don't try to hide in the shadows and manage the club but take no responsibility for what is going to happen. You can't have ownership without responsibility. When Walter Smith made the comment, "the bank is running the club", that was the case. The bank were very much directing operations saying "we want you to do this; we want you to do that". If you take those actions you have to have the responsibility of standing behind them. They very much hid behind the scenes. They were constantly squeezing the club and I think they should have been more open about that." When asked if David Murray was duped by Craig Whyte, as he has said publicly he was, Paul Murray has a different view. "There is no question that the bank pressurised David Murray into selling the club. The pressure was very much coming from the bank. I am of the opinion that Craig Whyte could not in a month of Sunday's dupe David Murray. Was David Murray duped? In my opinion he was not duped but I don't think he knew about Ticketus. I don't think David Murray or even Mike McGill knew that he (Whyte) had sold the season tickets because I don't think David would have sold the club to him." Paul Murray confirmed that a report had been given to David Murray which, despite not explicitly making any serious allegations against Craig Whyte, painted a less than flattering picture. "The report wasn't commissioned by the board but by someone who had the club's interests at heart. That was presented to Alastair Johnston round about March before the club was bought in May. It was shared with the rest of the board and was presented, by Martin Bain, to David Murray. The report is about 15 pages long and it just shows a picture of quite small time business, no real financial substance, lots of dormant companies. Nothing that was suggesting he had done anything really bad, just a picture of low level, ducking and diving and a few things in Monaco where he had been accused of not paying rent etc. but a lot of it hearsay. When I got the report I just thought to myself, surely the club can do better than this. I just felt, what is this guy going to do to take the club forward? We just couldn't find out anything of any real substance. We were asking Donald (Muir) and Mike (McGill) what have you checked and we were told "don't worry it's all coming through", but we were kept at arm's length." So what of his own impressions of Whyte? "It was 31st March that we met him for the first time. People think I don't like Craig Whyte but I've got nothing personal against him, he was a perfectly civil guy, but it was clear to me that there was no substance. I was asking questions about companies he had been involved in and it was all very vague, no specifics. In the early part of April, Donald (Muir) and Mike (McGill) then started showing us detail of the deal and myself and Donald McIntyre were asked to help Craig Whyte's team with the cash flow for the club. I went to a meeting with Phil Betts and Whyte's advisors and they were completely disinterested in the future. It told me these guys were preparing for something else." So who does Paul Murray feel has questions to answer over what happened to the club? "I think Donald Muir's role needs to be fully examined, I've spent a good deal of time with BDO and I am really challenging them to have a full investigation of everyone's actions, including my own. I think Donald Muir's conduct has to be looked at quite closely, in particular his relationship with David Grier. I think BDO should look at the conduct of the football governing bodies as well. They did certain things which have to be examined. Were the punishments properly administered, were they premature in being applied before we knew the full extent of what Rangers had done or hadn't done? The consequences of those actions were quite severe. Apart from reputation, a lot of money has been lost. Ten of millions of pounds worth of players have gone, the club has lost commercial revenue and I do think the football governing bodies have to be held to account. BDO are going to examine everything. They will probably take a two or three year time line and look at the whole thing. The actions of the old board, LBG, Donald Muir, Murray International Holdings, Craig Whyte, Ticketus, Collyer Bristow then into Duff & Phelps , David Grier and the actions of the football governing bodies. If the original judgement of the FTT is upheld then essentially the old company had been put into liquidation for nothing. It's been a victim of a series of actions by different people at different times which has led to liquidation. The club has been damaged and there has to be legal recourse and people brought to account."- We can only hope that BDO will carry out the thorough investigation that Paul Murray expects and that the roles of those named here will be fully examined. It will take time but there should be no dark corner of this mess on which light is not shone. http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/204-paul-murray-the-rangers-standard-interview-part-2

http://m.local.stv.tv/glasgow/news/209102-rangers-chief-charles-green-claims-club-should-leave-scotland/ Charles Green interview

1,018,000 bricks were used to build our Bill Struth Main Stand, held together by 536 tons of cement!

[h=2]This e-petition has received the following response:[/h]As this e-petition has received more than 10 000 signatures, the relevant Government department have provided the following response: It is now in the public domain that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is seeking leave to appeal the First Tier Tribunal decision that found in favour of Rangers FC. In relation to Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs) more generally, HMRC has increasingly seen EBTs being used as a way of avoiding Pay as You Earn (PAYE) tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs). HMRC will form a view based on the facts of the case. Where HMRC believes a company has used an EBT as a way of trying to avoid obligations to account for PAYE and NICs, HMRC will challenge the arrangement and seek to recover the unpaid PAYE and NICs. In cases where a company does not accept HMRCâ??s view that the EBT scheme does not work and PAYE and NICs are due, then it for the company to appeal HMRCâ??s decision within the appropriate time limit, and effectively choose to progress matters to litigation. HMRC is disappointed to have lost the First Tier Tribunal stage of the court process and, as stated, will seek permission to appeal the Tribunal decision. The decision was not unanimous and the diligence of HMRC investigators was acknowledged by the whole tribunal. HMRC is committed to tackling avoidance and it is right that HMRC challenges the type of avoidance seen in this case to prevent the loss of substantial amounts of tax and NICs. We do not comment on speculation about breaches of confidentiality. This e-petition will remain open to signatures until the published closing date and will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee should it pass the 100 000 signature threshold.

http://www.centralfm.co.uk/on-air/listen-again/sport-central/34423-the-football-phone-in-with-kenny-shiels-and-jim-traynor JT interview at just past 43 min

Ryan Coming Next Week Written by Andrew Dickson AUSTRALIAN goalkeeper Mat Ryan is set to join Rangers on trial next Monday after a shoulder injury prevented him from travelling to Scotland this week. The 20-year-old is highly rated in his homeland and has caught the attention of Light Blues manager Ally McCoist. Pundits Down Under, who perhaps donâ??t appreciate the scale of Gers in light of their continuation in the SFL, have criticised the move. But Ryan is keen to train in Glasgow and if his time here is successful, he could be someone the club looks to recruit when it is able to register players again later this year. The youngster is currently contracted to Central Coast Mariners but hurt himself playing against Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League on Sunday. He could face Melbourne Victory in Launceston this Saturday and is then scheduled to make the trip to the UK. Capped twice at full international level by the Socceroos, Ryan is being tipped for big things by observers in Oceania. And McCoist has revealed he comes highly recommended by a number of his contacts in that part of the world, including Nine in a Row legend Ian Ferguson. The manager said: â??Weâ??ve been informed Mat has had to go for a scan after a small injury last weekend and weâ??re hopeful things have just been put back a week. â??Iâ??ve been told by his representatives heâ??ll be due to arrive in Scotland on Sunday night or Monday. â??Weâ??ve watched videos of him and Iâ??ve spoken to Fergie over at Perth Glory about him along with one or two of the boys in Australia. â??Heâ??s had nothing but glowing reports. Heâ??s a young goalkeeper with huge potential and I look forward to seeing him.â? http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/3089-ryan-coming-next-week

lifted of FF Just back from Ryan mcgowans leaving night and can confirm that aslong as ally is our gaffer then the 1 year contract clause will be activated and Ryan will be wearing our colours next season

Tom English‏@TomEnglishSport In regard to Jim Traynor's piece on Rangers' website. I was the one who ridiculed Watty's comedy bid. What are you going to do about it Jim?

36883 signed 47 signed last hr good 24 hrs

Baldy Slapdome‏@rfc_dickson JT was a very late addition to Five Live's schedule given the late launch of his column, just not quite enough time to add him into the show

Rab Boyle‏@RFC_Rab Stand down. Traynor is not going on the radio. You'll have to make do with his opinion piece on the site (which is taking a battering).

Rab Boyle‏@RFC_Rab Jim Traynor. Five Live. Coming up soon

ALLY McCOIST is hopeful of concluding a deal to keep goalkeeper Neil Alexander at Rangers beyond the end of the season. http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/3087-boss-hopeful-on-neil

THE shape of things to come, three divisions of 12-12-18, has been agreed in principle. This abomination will now be pulled and stretched by selected members of the SPL and SFL in a desperate attempt to make it more presentable. Good luck with that. It would be easier trying to iron out the lines on the face of the old broad, Madge, in Benidorm. 12-12-18. It’s ridiculous, especially when you remember the two 12s will fragment into three eights. Yet this time supporters will just have to buy into it. Whatever happened to that new and bold notion that fans were all important? It isn’t that long ago clubs, particularly those in the top flight, were solemnly insisting that ignoring the views of fans would be akin to financial suicide. Remember? It was when the game was wrestling with the problem of what to do with Rangers. All the clubs were squealing that the wishes of fans had to be granted. If you swallowed any of that bilge you probably also believed in sporting integrity. Of course it was all nonsense. Sporting Integrity was a cloak of convenience, albeit a rather thin, practically transparent one, behind which club leaders huddled together to come up with sanctions. Rangers had to be punished, they deserved to be punished but it seemed as if additional penalties were being randomly introduced depending on who was in which meeting. Many Rangers fans like to think the frenzy to cause the club as much additional pain as possible was driven by one club but that wasn’t strictly the case. Many fans of many clubs waded in but this is not to say Celtic fans or their club didn’t attempt to influence the outcome of debates on Rangers and possible sanctions. Of course they did. And they are still at it on social media sites and on blogs clattered out by individuals who are no better than semi-literate. The sheer hypocrisy of what is happening within Hampden’s corridors of power right now will be lost on them but let’s not pretend sporting integrity or the wishes of supporters really are important to all those clubs pushing for this change. If they were listening to fans they wouldn’t be sticking with a top division of 12 , and if there was any integrity there would be no rush to bring in changes for the start of next season. If, as seems likely, the structure is altered for 2013-14 supporters won’t get what they’ve already paid for, especially those following teams striving for promotion. Actually this entire season will be rendered meaningless. Sporting integrity won’t merely be compromised, it’ll be crushed but this is what happens when desperation slips in and throttles reason. This belief won’t sit well with the few who are more or less running the SPL and influencing thinking within that desperate organisation but they can’t complain. After all, they’ve dismissed Rangers’ views completely. This club, the biggest one in the country, were not invited to take part in talks which will shape the game’s future. We are then entitled to conclude that this club are not important, which is strange indeed when so many fans of other clubs continue to be obsessed by Rangers, who are simply getting on with their own affairs asking no favour from anyone. We do, however, expect commonsense to be applied, along with fair play. Look, Rangers will return to the top flight, which will of course have to be rebranded. Rangers will take a seat at the head of the table where, despite the latest insult of being shut out of reconstruction talks, we will act with the good of Scottish football in mind. We’ll work through the divisions and we will return stronger and better than ever before. This club accepted their sanctions and moved on but too many others have been unable to do the same. They continue their assaults and while the deranged, who are using social media sites as conduits for their twisted agendas, should be ignored there are more than a few in the mainstream still maligning the club at every opportunity. In a BBC radio debate last Saturday night one pundit, in a matter-of-fact manner, said Charles Green speaks with ‘forked tongue.’ No attempt to explain or justify the statement, just as no explanation was offered when another radio voice claimed there was a dishonesty about Walter Smith when he went public with a late bid for the club. Word of advice gentlemen. From now on be very careful when talking or writing about this club. To paraphrase something said about another club, Rangers will not be treated less than others. And although there is no desire to pick fights, be assured that no one will attack Rangers with impunity. Better, however, to quote Bill Struth: ‘Never fear, inevitably we shall have our years of failure and when they arrive, we must reveal tolerance and sanity. You do that, you will emerge stronger than before.’ Tolerance and sanity. That’s what Rangers will demonstrate and maintain, especially when back at the summit. After all, someone has to. 12-12-18. Dear God http://rangers.co.uk/news/opinion/item/3085-remember-sporting-integrity

http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/201-hmrc-petition-our-chance-for-answers first mention on newsnow now trending@ 70 per hour

http://rangersfacts1872.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-rangers-loving-cup.html?m=0 read about it here

lifted from ff I was invited to Ibrox hospitality today that included a visit to The Blue Room. I naively thought that I might have been there during the Loving Cup celebration. It wasn't to be unfortunately but it was a great day regardless! I did however meet Charles Green when he was doing a wee tour with some guys in the corridors and he pointed to a picture and said "and this is Eric Caldow!, I had to inform him that it was indeed Wee Willie Henderson. He acknowledged my unwarranted correction and carried on with his tour! When walking off, he gave me a wee wink and a thumbs up. The guy's trying hard to immerse himself in all that's Rangers..........and I was only too happy to keep him right on a few wee points!

36000 signed