SteveC

They are still unsure whether that is the case or not, the STV report said they were still checking to see if there was a get-out clause for Ashley not to return the badges even after the £5 million was paid.

FORMER Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston has warned the club may have to abandon its crest and start afresh to beat Mike Ashley in the battle for its identity. The shocked ex-Ibrox supremo was disgusted by the news that ownership rights of the club’s trademarks - including the iconic badge - were handed over to Ashley’s Sports Direct empire by his associate Derek Llambias in one of his last acts as chief executive before Dave King’s takeover. Now Johnston - an expert in the field of corporate branding through his role as vice chairman of the powerful sports and media firm International Management Group - has warned their only option may be to redraw the club crest if Ashley plays hardball with King in his attempts to negotiate a deal to reclaim the club’s identity. Johnston said: “At some point in time it may be that the only answer is to get as close as you can to what has not been passed on to Ashley and basically get the fan base committed to follow that. “I don’t mean a new badge entirely but to get as close as you can get to it without trespassing on what Ashley thinks he’s got the rights to. “I do a lot of trademarking, logo and licences around the world. It really depends on the registration and the tolerance of the authorities with respect to the time of the tenure and the territories involved “Is this just the UK or are the rights worldwide? There are a whole of questions you need to ask before you come up with a strategy. “But clearly there are certain things within the public domain that you can’t protect. They can’t protect the red, white and blue scarf. “I’m not sure how much they could protect the Lion Rampant - but it’s the juxtaposition of Aye Ready and some of the other elements that you can protect under copyright.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-rangers-chairman-alastair-johnston-5496255?

Seems that way though "STV understands Rangers are continuing to examine the documentation to ensure there is no get-out clause which would prevent the badges being returned in the event of the loan being repaid." suggests we should be cautious until it is so confirmed

It's clearly unethical but I doubt it is fraud or illegal

Murray seemed very nervous about this on BT Sport. Weak talk about hopeing to talk to Ashley (who shows no signs of ever wanting to talk) and that the board are hoping for a win-win situation between Rangers and Ashley after the talks. Ashley has a win situation already and by all accounts detests the new board so why this is being floated as a likely outcome is a mystery.

i think it is now being suggested that this is no longer true and they have gone to him in perpetuity. Sure would be good to know...I fear he is the kind to take the most wicked of revenges

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-boss-stuart-mccall-warns-5480520? STUART McCALL has warned Lee McCulloch that his Hearts red card could cost him a place in Rangers' promotion push. The Light Blues captain was handed a two-match ban after being sent off for an elbow on Jambos striker Osman Sow in the 2-1 win. He'll begin that suspension by sitting out the trip to Queen of the South at Palmerston tomorrow before missing Sunday's clash with Raith. McCulloch will miss next two Gers games Keith Campbell And McCall admits McCulloch is not "undroppable" as his side push for second spot and momentum going into the play-offs. He said: "Lee made a poor decision. I understand why he did it but it was a blatant red card. He led with his elbow and it was wrong - but he knows he was wrong. "He has got to take his punishment and move on now. He has got a two-game ban - whether he gets back in the team thereafter we will see. "Since I've been at the club he has done fine. He's been good in the dressing room and his performances have been good. "If whoever comes in over the next two games does really well, then he might not get back in. "He's not undroppable no, but at this moment in time with the games we have played he has done nothing to merit being dropped." McCall also admits his players will not know their future at the club until the end of the season. Twelve first team stars are out of contract in the summer, including McCulloch, Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller and Ian Black. But the interim Gers boss believes the impending arrival of Dave King as chairman makes the end of season picture no clearer. He insists Rangers have to know what league they will be playing in first. He said: "I don't think it will be too long before Dave becomes chairman of the club, so that is another positive move. "I'm not really (being kept up to date with what is going on off the field). I'm just concentrating on the football. "I've spoken to a couple of directors about things but we have five games in 14 days so I'm just focusing on that. "As for contracts, that can only be sorted when the club knows what league it's going to be playing in next season, so that is the key." Last Sunday's win over title winners Hearts puts Rangers back into the driving seat for second spot. Motherwell's 5-0 victory over Premiership basement boys St Mirren last night virtually sparing them of the automatic drop. But McCall is not worried about meeting his former employers in the play-off final. He said: "It's not looking likely at all because Motherwell are not going to finish in the bottom two - I hope. "First and foremost we have to do our job and get in the play-offs. "But I said when Motherwell signed Scott McDonald that I believed - and I still do - that they would have enough to get out of trouble." McCall must first navigate his way past a tricky away trip to Queen of the South if he's to keep his unbeaten record since joining the club going. He said: "I'm still aghast because I've just watched a video of the second half. "I haven't showed the players because I think they know they were not in a good place at that time. "The news about Ally broke on the afternoon of the game and it was just a down day. "As much as Rangers underperformed, all credit goes to Queens. They are a good side, especially down there. We know how difficult it will be."

Yes, that would be welcome

Not here, certainly: http://www.rangers.co.uk/teams/professional-youth

Rangers FC retweeted Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1m1 minute ago It's all over at Forthbank and Ian Durrant's U20 side have beaten Killie 2:1 thanks to goals from Gallagher and second half sub Burrows.

Nicked from FF: (interesting line up) "Team: Kelly, McCrorie, Mbabu, Gasparotto, Pascazio, Aird, Ashmore, Dykes, Gallagher, Ramsay, Roberts Subs: McMinn, Whiteside, Ogen, Stoney, Gibson, Burrows and White. Latest tweets: @RFC_Youth Kelly with a big save from Whittaker but the Gers are doing all of the pressing. Aird on the right flank is causing Killie problems." .......Currently 2-1 to us Mbabu replaced at HT

Keith Jackson @tedermeatballs : Court of session clears Dave King as fit and proper to take up role as Rangers chairman. Full story @Daily_Record soon. DK: Hopefully this endorsement will also provide the SFA with additional comfort to complete its consideration of my fit and proper status.

He wasn't this even when you'd never seen him play, though, which more than slightly weakens every single posting on him since then.

I rather selfishly voted for the 23rd as it is the only one I can make. (See you next season, Frankie!). The April one probably makes most sense, however, given the circumstances.

No, they'll have been counting season ticket holders who didn't turn up. The - expanded - away section was absolutely jam packed as you'd expect, there were empty seats dotted throughout the rest of the ground, even in the well populated bits plus some gaps. Most I've seen for a while though and I think that it is totally understandable that some who have drifted away in the last year have found far more entertaining ways of spending a Saturday afternoon without fear of ending up with a police record and losing their job for singing the wrong words after a few beers. I hope we get them all back but I don't really see it, tbh. In ten years I think a crowd like yesterday's at a Scottish game will be something of a sensation, unless we are playing the yahoos.

Had a tenner treble on - very unusually for me - 3 homes = Rangers, Burnley and Sunderland Close....but no cigar!

Apparently he is going to spend in the summer (though only to avoid spending after the TV deal kicks in and prices and wages get even more astronomical): http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/568481/Mike-Ashley-vows-to-splash-the-cash-at-Newcastle-BEFORE-5bn-TV-deal-kicks-in

This must be some kind of delayed April Fool's trick - this makes no sense whatsoever. It's like an attack of vertigo reading about some of the things that have gone on. We are surrounded by bitter enemies but my word, don't some of us go out of our way to help them destroy us.

I will be booking my travel this week, I guess I'll just have to presume the 23rd. Dinner aside, even the game is dodgy - not just where we end up vis-a-vis the play-offs but also - is there not a likelihood of the game changing for TV reasons nearer the time? I have to get back home for work reasons early on Sunday so I have little leeway in any case. If I travel by train there is quite a difference in price between fixed and flexible tickets, so I may just "hit and hope".... Mind you, the way some of the threads are turning out is it going to be a dinner or a bun fight?

Whatever they are, some on this and other forums will soon twist them to being King and P Murray's fault. (Along with their bed fellows in this, Speirs, English, Ill Phil and Haggerty.)

Glad to hear it, hope he comes to the night out too....(and hope I can make it....)

Did Vuckic move into the old street, then?

I'm not cowering in fear, I am just talking about attendances which is the subject here. We would win some games, even some games v the bigger teams - as you say, they are crap, but the crap Arabs seem to be forever papping us out of cups (before and after we dropped down the leagues). Long term I think attendances will plummet anyway. Scottish football has been dire for decades. THe Old Firm changing the gates share out further widened an already huge gulf in resources that led to total league domination by two teams (30 years coming up - 30 years!). As EPL and La Liga games are constantly pumped into warm homes and local pubs, the long term attraction of games in shite weather while being treated like criminals as you go to the match will quickly pall. Our situation brought fans flocking back to the ground in a show of loyalty (spelt d e f i a n c e in the Scottish Press) and if/when we go up there will be an initial surge. That surge will quickly pall if we are not challenging Septic is my opinion and will pall dramatically if we are mid tale in a dross league and take a few pumpings. On the other hand, If we do well and win the league I expect a wave of joy, relief and GIRUY to carry us for a good few years and also, on a personal note, to die happily . But, as the years pass, we'll look around and realise that winning in a two horse race in a league that no-one outside Scotland (and increasingly few within) treat as anything other than a joke, is not actually that attractive. We need a revolution in the Scottish game for the long term. Anyway, that aside, the second of my short term scenarios above would do very nicely for the next 5 years, thanks very much, and would guarantee full houses. The former scenario would not and that is not cowering in fear, just a remark on what the attendances would be like after the initial euphoria.

Yes, it is - however an extra year to avoid being humiliated by the timz and sheep and rag-dolled by the Arabs (minimum of 12 games v these hateful threesome) is another matter altogether. Those who think tens of thousands will flock to see a Rangers team not challenging and regularly losing in the top tier are being wildly optimistic. It's quite possible that we'll have "sell outs" every week due to huge season ticket take up. How many turn up after Xmas if we are mid-table or worse and have taken a few heavy beatings, however, is another matter - as is how many would renew the following season.

I didn't see the interview - can anyone give me more detail on what he said re Southampton?