SteveC

I think it would only be fair to our Brentford fan to say that Lewis is still learning as he has not been tested much, as he has not played at a good level. it is true he scored the goals that knocked out top league opposition for us in the cups this season but top league in Scotland is a crap standard, way below what Lewis will now be facing. All the praise here is justified at the level he has been playing. Quality and fitness are on another level where Brentford are currently far less where they are aiming for so success is not guaranteed for Lewis there and would be hugely surprising were it acheived immediately.

"Questions must be asked of the new shareholders – again, in the interests of parity with Ashley. Some of mine would be:- What are their plans – if they have any – to help raise revenues in the future? Short, mid and longer term would be great. What are their intentions in respect of control of the club? Do they intend to oust other factions and wrest control? What are their plans for the management, coaching and playing side of the club? How do they intend to take on the club’s many detractors in the media and elsewhere?" How come he never wants these questions answered by the charlatans he works for?

"exceptionally fit"? We've got players who are blowing out their arses after about ten minutes! We've got players who lumber after postmen and brikkies in from a day's work who are skinning them for sheer pace. As for Ally only losing it once - just think for a few minutes of the all the utter humiliations and shameful displays this means he did not lose it after

KENNY McDOWALL fears Lewis Macleod’s departure to Brentford could trigger the start of an Ibrox transfer-window exodus. The caretaker Rangers boss lost his prize asset yesterday when the young midfielder signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Championship outfit. But with an entire team of players out of contract in the summer and free to speak with interested parties from today, McDowall is worried his promotion push will be undermined by further sales. The Ibrox interim manager, who had no say in Macleod’s £1million move south, was gutted to lose him. When asked if he feels the 20-year-old is much better than Brentford, McDowall said: “I absolutely think so – but that’ll be down to Lewis, whether or not he fulfils his potential. “He has a lot of experience for a young lad and that will stand him in good stead. “I was told he was going for a medical, that was as much as I heard. That’s the beauty of the window. It’s the month from hell. “It’s generally not a good window with most teams wanting to keep their best players. Unfortunately we are not capable and are not being allowed to. “I will just have to wait and see what else happens. It’s outwith my control.” Lee McCulloch, Steve Simonsen, Kenny Miller, Kris Boyd, Kyle Hutton, Richard Foster, Lee Robinson, Stevie Smith, Bilel Mohsni, Ian Black and Jon Daly are all out of contract in June. And McDowall will seek urgent talks with chief executive Derek Llambias and football board chairman Sandy Easdale to address the situation. He said: “I’ll need to have meetings pretty sharp with Derek and Sandy. They’re free to speak with people so we’ll need to address that.” Given the uncertainty, kids Callum Gallagher, Craig Halkett, Tom Walsh Robbie Crawford and Kyle McAusland have all been brought back to Gers from their loan spells. Subject to international clearance, Macleod will become a Brentford player when the window officially opens on January 3 but will not be eligible for the FA Cup clash with Brighton. Bees boss Mark Warburton said: “I’m delighted to have secured such a young talent as Lewis. He’s had an outstanding season and will be an excellent addition.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-boss-kenny-mcdowall-lewis-4900649?

Happy New Year to you all.

part 2: There are rumours that Ian Black also has a Rangers tattoo, is that true? No, Blacky’s got a Scotland flag. But that’s the same. I’ve never seen anyone, let alone a footballer, with a French flag tattooed on them. But to me, it’s really great. Anthony Andreu (Hamilton player) told me that he really appreciated the Scottish patriotism, but that it didn’t mean you couldn’t be interested in other cultures too. You’ve always got to remain patriotic, but by the same token you’ve always got to keep open to other influences. It’s exactly that. I’m a patriot, I’m proud of being French, but I still accept others, whatever their nationality or colour. And I’m not just saying this for the sake of it: I’m getting married this summer to my childhood sweetheart and she’s black (laughs)! Earlier you were asking me if Glasgow was divided because of Rangers and Celtic, and it made me think how the city was during the referendum. Glasgow voted Yes as it happened, but it made me laugh because it was at that time that you realised some people just don’t have any ideas of their own. You’re a member of staff at Rangers? Well you must vote No then. I’m certain that some of the guys must have voted Yes though. In fact Richard Foster got involved in arguments with just about everyone at the club because he refused to hide that he was voting Yes. It was mad really (laughs)! Returning to Rangers, I’ve been told that the club gives you an enormous amount of freedom in terms of fitness and diet. It must make a change from the incredibly rigorous regime you were used to at Lyon? To be honest, I don’t mind it too much! No, in all seriousness, you are right. At lunch after training every day, you’ve got all the sauces you want: mayo, barbeque, whatever. They aren’t going to be policing what you eat here. And what’s more, it’s a buffet! As long as you’re playing well and you’re not eating excessive amounts of unhealthy foods, then you can eat what you like. You can even get second helpings. I know for me, who has a metabolism that’s prone to putting on weight pretty easily, I really watch what I eat and restrict myself, and I feel really fit at the minute, much sharper. But that’s because I am careful and look after myself. If a French coach came over here they would go absolutely mental at what the players eat (laughs)! At Lyon, we were really restricted, and the coaches watched what you put on your plate, monitoring to see if you hadn’t put even just the slightest bit too much. It’s too strict sometimes, even in the youth teams. And its then that you’re more likely to get frustrated, just because you’re banned from so many things. I remember at Lyon, with (Claude) Puel and (Remi) Garde (coaches), you couldn’t even approach them to talk to them. Here, on the first day of my trial, McCoist spoke to me in French and said “See you tomorrow my pal!”. I said to myself, “What’s going on! This is Ally McCoist, not just anyone! And he’s talking to me!” Puel and Garde would never come and eat with you, but here, McCoist showers with us (laughs)! Not to mention that he finished a training session by putting himself on the goal line, pulling down his shorts, and making you all hit shots at him because he missed a one on one in the training game… (Laughs) Me and Bilel fell on the floor with laughter. It was insane. The manager who shows his arse to the whole team is one who really is one of the boys. If the coaches want to work you hard, they do, and the laughter is over. But if you do your job well all year round, then they will basically never shout at you. In the changing room before the games, there’s laughter and chat, we have a coffee. At half-time, me and Bilel are sometimes amazed because they drink tea! Blacky is the worst for it. He takes tea and some biscuits at half-time (laughs). It’s much different in France, there’s no comparison. Attendances at Ibrox have been down this year because of the conflict between fans and the board. Since relegation, lots of fans have been saying that the atmosphere is like a “library”, as the Hearts fans were singing the other day. What are your thoughts on this? Well first off, I love the Hearts stadium. Really close to the pitch, lots of echo, great atmosphere. It’s great. Saying that, we don’t have the Union bears anymore. We really miss them. Sometimes, the atmosphere is a little quiet, but at away games, especially the friendlies against Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday, it was absolutely incredible. The guys were singing the whole game, and if we could have that at Ibrox, it would be superb. Otherwise, the best game in terms of atmosphere was the game when we were in Division 3 against Motherwell in the League Cup. There were probably only about 27, 29 thousand fans there. It was a Tuesday night and we won 2-0, we played really well. Motherwell have made a brilliant start to the season and our fans urged us on all the way, for ever move, and every press. There was a real electricity about the ground. The Union Bears did a display at the end of the game, which said “good-bye” to the Motherwell fans in each different language, it was hilarious (laughs)! There was also the last game of the season in Division 3 against Berwick. Record attendance of 51 thousand fan. When we ran out, the whole stadium was waving the Union Jack. The match was rubbish, but the atmosphere was simply fabulous. When I ran out onto the pitch I had goosebumps, really, it was just amazing. In the tunnel, Simply the Best sounded a million times louder than usual. After the music had stopped, the fans continued singing it a cappella. The first few passes of the game, wow!! Amazing, amazing. And the party afterwards with the fans was brilliant, great memories. What do you make of Boxing Day and the Boxing Day week in general? For me, it’s all about the week. My parents, my gradparents,and my brother all came for the week during my first season over here. There was ten of them, so I had to get them an apartment in Glasgow. I remember my gran was roasting a turkey when I got up to go to training (laughs). Seriously, it was really weird for me. In fact, we were due to meet at 9am instead of 10.30am. No one wanted to come to training on that day, but it’s our job. We all arrived at 9am. We had played 4 days previously again Elgin. We did a warm up, piggy-in- middle for 10 minutes, and then that’s us, everyone back home. I got back at 10am! Do you have a specific fitness programme that you follow during the Christmas period? It’s a personal one. If you want to do fitness, you do fitness. Otherwise, we don’t. At Rangers, the set-up isn’t like Real Madrid. We have a masseur, two physios. You don’t have five masseurs, five phsyios, five fitness coaches! To finish off, how do you view your future, knowing that you’ve hardly played this season and your contract is up at the season’s end? It seems like it might be complicated to stay at Ibrox. I’d love to play in the Championship in England, so I’m looking out for opportunities down there. The thing is, I’ve not played badly over the past two seasons. I’ve not had my chance this season, even when the team has been playing poorly. I don’t complain, I get my head down, I play with the youth team and I keep training as hard as I can. This winter, we will see, but because I’m out of contract in the summer the club can’t loan me out. There’s also the Old Firm game on the 1st February. To be honest, it would really piss me off if I wasn’t here for that. I’ve always said that I would at least like to experience it. Playing in it would be an absolute dream: even just being there to experience it would be amazing. Everyone’s been waiting for this for three years. It would be crazy." *** Some interesting stuff in there - frightening re Ally as a laugh in training and diet-wise but then we knew that.

Thought this worth sharing from FF: "Lifted this from another forum, some things we didn't know about players, training etc!! Training seems like a hoot! http://www.hat-trick.fr/sebastien-fa...st-jimmy-bell/ You’ve been here for two years now. What does “Rangers” mean to you? (After a long time spent thinking) Well it’s easy to say this and a bit of a cliché, but it’s a religion. There’s football here which is one thing, but then there’s Rangers, the fans, and everyone else associated with the club, it’s amazing…even after the club was relegated to Division 4, people kept their jobs at Ibrox or at Murray Park. And they are just so proud to work here, and they so proud to say “I work for Rangers”. When you are a professional player, you tend to move from club to club, it’s part of the job. It’s not easy to really absorb the culture and ethos of a club, apart from those who stay for years and years and really become ingrained in the fabric of the club, like Lee McCulloch. Sometimes, the supporters shout at you or get angry. But you can’t let it get to you, you can only do your talking on the pitch. They’ve had so much good football over the years that I think they sort of have a right to be angered, to be honest. In any case, playing at Ibrox is far from easy. There’s so much pressure. You can be winning 2-0, but if you misplace just one pass you’ll be whistled. I mean I heard a few boos at the Gerland (Lyon stadium), but never like the one’s you get here sometimes! (laughs) Did it take you long to learn what it meant to play for a club like Rangers? What did you expect when you came over? No, I didn’t expect it to be honest. I knew Rangers were a massive club, but I didn’t know how they were perceived by the other Scottish clubs. The Glasgow clubs really are hated by the other Scottish clubs. It’s incredible! What’s more, you have to understand that I was a but unsure about coming over here in the first place. I said to my agent: “You’re kind, but I’m not sure if I want to be dropping down to play in Division 4 in France” and he said “It’s Division 4 in Scotland”. He said: “Seb, please, just go over for a few days, check out the facilities and the stadium, you’ll soon change your mind.” On the first day of my trial I trained with the reserves, and it went well. That night, I went to see the first team play in the League Cup again East Fife. It was a Tuesday night, we won 4-0 and almost 40, 000 fans were there. It was…mad, just mad. I called up my agent and said: “If you can sort it out for me, I really want to stay here!” Everything you do and say is reported on and scrutinised at a club like Rangers. Has the press had an influence on the atmosphere at the club? First of all you need to understand that the press and its reporters here are a million times worse than in France! I’m sure I’ve seen the word “crisis” used to describe our club just about every day of the year, even when we win. Taking this into consideration, I do think that it’s had an influence. I must say, not on me personally. To be very honest, I don’t read the papers, apart from when they discuss politics or cover stories from France. But at the level of the club more generally, they have definitely had an influence. Ten days ago, an old team mate of McCoist’s, John Brown, said to the Sun: “You are a disgrace!” The coach brought us the article and he had an argument with Kenny Miller. After we got beaten by Hearts, apparently Miller had called up a journalist wanting to speak to him to tell him the manager had made some bad decisions, although it turned out that he hadn’t. McCoist got so angry: he threw the paper, he stamped on it, he was shouting and screaming! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him like that. Blacky brings the Sun in every morning, and we read it. McCoist reads all the papers every morning in his office at Murray Park, which by the way is enormous (laughs). I think that its mainly at the level of the club staff that the papers have an impact. In your eyes, who represents the soul of the club? Jimmy Bell the kitman. He’s been here since 1972, I think. It’s amazing that he was taking care of McCoist and Durrant when they were players, and now its them who are in charge. It’s an amazing story and an amazing history, one which you wouldn’t get at many clubs at all. Jimmy’s got his own room in Ibrox where he displays all the Rangers kits and all the Rangers photos that he’s collected over 40 years. In his office at Murray Park, there’s a room, which we are forbidden from entering (laughs), which has all of his souvenirs, his trophies…it’s his very own museum! When it looked like they might be re-possessing Ibrox, he had to pack up all his stuff because he was scared that it would be taken off him. He is really the soul of the club, its him, its Jimmy. He’s a great guy, even if he’s always sulking. You need to get to know him…I remember when I arrived on trial, I didn’t speak English. “You don’t speak English, ****ing French!?” he said (laughs). But I mean really nasty to me! But nowadays, along with Bilel, he tells us loads of stories, loads of jokes. He’s really a top guy, he’s golden. I’m trying to help our readers understand the complete devotion that Rangers inspires in people. To give us more of an insight, is it true that one of the players has got the logo of the club tattooed on his calf? Yeah its Danny Stoney! He’s a good lad who we’ve loaned out to Stranraer. He’s got a tattoo that’s blue, with red around it, and five golden stars in the middle. It’s amazing, simply amazing. When I was at Lyon, even though I was also a Lyon fan, I would never have got a Lyon tattoo. It would never have crossed my mind! It’s just a different type of relationship to the club here. At Lyon, if I’d have got a club tattoo while I was at the academy I’d have had the piss taken out of me! “Suck up!” they’d have said. Here, it is praised! But by contrast, at Lyon if you change your hairstyle or your clothes, people will talk about it. Here, no one cares! The outfits people wear here, and I’m talking about the players, are just….Take Lee Wallace for example, I’ve never seen him wearing jeans (laughs)! At Lyon, you dress well to be stylish or whatever, but here, not at all.

The Isle of Man investment group firm was the largest shareholder in the club but has now sold its 16 per cent stake to a consortium made up of Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor in a deal worth almost £2.7million. And now Laxey chief Colin Kingsnorth has revealed he handed the trio the 13.3million shares the firm has built up since December 2012 in order to halt Ashley's Ibrox takeover. He also accused chairman David Somers of being a "wet fish" and admitted his disillusionment with the ruling Ibrox regime after Norman Crighton, Laxey's man on the board, decided to quit earlier this month. Rangers are desperately short of money and need to raise £8.3million before April 1 if they are to stay afloat. The Glasgow giants' cash crisis got so bad they were forced to off-load their best player Lewis Macleod to SkyBet Championship side Brentford on Wednesday for an "undisclosed fee". Newcastle United owner Ashley - who owns an 8.92 per cent stake and controls the club's retail division - now has the club in his iron grasp after issuing the board with an emergency £3million loan. However, the Scottish Football Association has already blocked his attempt to raise his stake to 29.9 per cent after ruling it would breach "duel ownership" regulations. Kingsnorth, though, believes the billionaire Sports Direct tycoon can only be stopped from inside the Ibrox boardroom. In a statement handed to Press Association Sport, he said: "I sold because a fans-based group were hopefully going to be the best placed to take on Ashley's power. After Ashley removed Norman Crighton, Ashley's most vocal critic, it was obvious David Somers was just a wet fish agreeing anything Ashley wanted. "I am sure the Three Bears are an upgrade on us for fans and hopefully this is the start of the ownership being in the right hands." Motor group boss Park is said to be worth £78million, while Letham - who sits on the board of the Rangers Supporters Trust - has already loaned the club £1million earlier this year. Taylor, meanwhile, bought a 3.2 per cent stake in the club last month - meaning the consortium is now in control of 19.5 per cent of Rangers. The trio have already lodged a £6.5million offer to underwrite a share issue with the club's board. In return, they want two seats on the Rangers board. It could be Friday at the earliest before the Laxey sale is confirmed to the Stock Exchange, however. Wednesday's transaction will not see any cash flow into Rangers' coffers but it will allow the Three Bears to take part directly in any share issue taking place early in the new year. A motion at this month's AGM which would have allowed the club to raise new shares and offer them to new investors before existing shareholders was controversially defeated. A spokesman for the RST said: "Assuming that it is the Three Bears who have bought these shares, then we are delighted. It is the first bit of good news we have had in a long time." Meanwhile, caretaker boss Kenny McDowall insists his side can cope without Macleod. The 20-year-old flew south to London on Tuesday and after passing a medical has now agreed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Bees. Scotland Under-21 international Macleod's exit would be a major blow for caretaker manager Kenny McDowall with his side short of creativity and sitting 15 points adrift of Scottish Championship leaders Hearts following a 4-0 hammering from Hibernian on Saturday. McDowall, though, insists he has enough in reserve to manage without Macleod. Speaking at the pre-match press conference for Saturday's Championship clash with Dumbarton, he said: "It would be naturally a blow to see him go. He is a talented lad and he's got the opportunity to move on, which looks like it may now be the case. "It's disappointing to lose him but that is football. You have got to move on. "Lewis is one of our top players but it is also an opportunity for someone else to come into the team and stake a claim. So nothing has changed. We are still a good team. "It's not one player which makes our team. We have a lot of good players in that changing room." https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/...6698--sow.html

Brilliant! In non Twitter speak: Laxey partners chairman Colin Kingsnorth confirms he has sold his 16% stake to the Three Bears: "I sold because a fans-based group were hopefully going to be the best placed to take on Ashley's power. After Ashley removed Norman Crighton, Ashley's most vocal critic, it was obvious David Somers was just a wet fish agreeing anything Ashley wanted. I am sure the Three Bears are an upgrade on us for fans and hopefully this is the start of the ownership being in the right hands."

That's right Zappa. Could be another good guy buyer though. Kennedy, say, as an example. Where did this Artemis rumour start, in any case? Is there anything behind it to lend credence.

Sinclair said his goodbyes over a week ago. Anyone wanting to work for us better be prepared to do it for free. We have no money. How hard is it for people to grasp that?

If would be nice to be able to disagree

Yep - Green & Whyte = beggars

DAVID Robertson thought Premier Division title celebrations with Rangers two decades ago were an anti-climax because they had just lost their third away league game in a row. Having just seen the Ibrox side record the same sequence of results for the first time since, he’s adamant his sheepishness then is nothing compared to the shame that should be felt now. CONNECT WITH THE SCOTSMAN • Subscribe to our daily newsletter (requires registration) and get the latest news, sport and business headlines delivered to your inbox every morning • You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google + Robertson was part of the Rangers team which limped over the finishing line to claim the sixth of their historic nine championships in a row in 1994. Without a win in any of their final five games, they were only confirmed as overall victors after their penultimate fixture as closest challengers Motherwell drew at Raith. Having lost on the road consecutively to the Steelmen, Hibernian and Kilmarnock, it was the last way Robertson and his team-mates wanted to retain the silverware. And as Walter Smith’s men marked their achievement off the back of a 1-0 reverse at Rugby Park, it was little wonder they were more muted than usual. Back then, Robertson and his colleagues could at least take satisfaction from finishing top of the table on a regular basis, but these are changed days at Ibrox. Saturday’s 4-0 Championship mauling by Hibs followed recent 2-0 losses at Hearts and Queen of the South to leave Rangers 15 points behind the Jambos halfway through the campaign. Favourites to win the league in the summer, they’ve now been written off by most as also-rans who will make the play-offs at best in the months ahead. Former left-back Robertson, 46, can’t believe how far on-field standards have fallen at his old club and insists the players have nobody to blame for that but themselves. The ex-Elgin and Montrose manager, currently coaching youths in America, said: “I’m surprised at what has happened because it shouldn’t be hard to lift yourself to play for Rangers. “Normally when a manager moves on, as was the case when Ally McCoist left, there’s a bit of a spark but we didn’t see that at all at the weekend. The players must have it in their minds they’ve a new man to impress, whether it be Kenny McDowall, Billy Davies or someone else. “Whoever takes that job in the long run is going to want players they can count on but there weren’t many who showed at the weekend they are reliable. “It was different when we won the league in 1994. Winning cups with Rangers was great but sometimes it was hard to get over the line in the league because we were so far ahead. “I’m not saying we couldn’t motivate ourselves but we just expected it to happen at some point and knew it would come. “I remember the game at Easter Road where we lost and to then win the league without winning at Kilmarnock once again was just an anti-climax. “We celebrated a bit but with it being the club’s sixth championship, it had become a habit and we were disappointed not to do it in style. It’s not that there wasn’t excitement. The first time we won it when I was in the team it was great but that year it was just a relief to win the title. At least we could say then we had delivered that. Now I think the players will be a little bit ashamed of what is happening. “I’ve coached in the lower leagues myself so I know what it’s like. There are some places that aren’t the most glamorous to play at and can be hard to lift yourself there. “But if you’re going to Easter Road or Tynecastle, where there’s a good atmosphere and it’s like playing in the top division again, there shouldn’t be any problem with motivation. “If you can’t get yourself set to play there for Rangers there’s something far wrong. The players can feel sorry for themselves that they’ve lost their manager all they want. But they’re getting paid well and they’re playing for a huge club. You can talk about the club’s money problems but when you’re out on the field you don’t think about any of that. “That’s just an excuse. They are professional players who are getting well looked after and they have to do more. There are so many footballers who are out of work who would love to be in their position and they’ve got to do a lot better.” A total of 12 Rangers players will be out of contract at the end of the season, including Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller, Jon Daly and recently-appointed coach Lee McCulloch. Kyle Hutton, Bilel Mohsni, Steve Simonsen, Lee Robinson, Ian Black, Richard Foster, Stevie Smith and Darren McGregor are also on deals which are due to expire in the summer. Robertson is adamant if current performance levels continue very few will be kept on. He added: “If they’re showing no heart playing for Rangers in a lower league that’s not good for them. It will be hard for them to get another deal at Rangers. But if it doesn’t work out for them there, who is going to take a chance on them elsewhere? “They can come out in newspapers and say they are disappointed with how they played but if it keeps happening there are serious problems. Rangers were a bit unlucky at Hearts because they were the better team for a lot of the first half, even for a spell after they had a man sent off. But to go two goals down in 12 minutes at Hibs then not respond is not good at all and if that kind of thing is going to happen it is maybe time some of the players moved on. “In the Third Division and League One, where Rangers were strolling to titles, even a draw with somebody resulted in talk about the wheels falling off. “This is different. You’ve got to win every game and the older players should be experienced enough to bring the rest through and back into form but it isn’t happening. When you’ve got players such as Miller saying they’ve lost their bottle, that’s really sad. Him and Boyd should be helping the others.” Robertson sees no way back in the title race for his old side. He fears if Rangers’ slide doesn’t stop soon things could get worse and they could be in danger of missing out on the play-offs. Robertson said: “You would think at worst they will end up in the top four but if they continue the way they are going even that won’t be assured. Hibs are only four points behind Rangers now and Queen of the South and Falkirk aren’t far off after that. It could be a real embarrassment. They’ve got to be careful they don’t finish third or worse.” http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/money-problems-just-an-excuse-for-rangers-flops-1-3646420

FORMER Rangers owner Sir David Murray and other directors will face no further action over the liquidation of the club's operating company, it has emerged. Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte is the the only former Ibrox executive to face legal moves to ban him as a director over the company's financial meltdown. Mr Whyte was banned from being a company director for 15 years in September after a judge heard his conduct in dealing with Rangers was "shocking and reprehensible". Whyte was previously banned from being a director for seven years. A second ban was sought by UK Business Secretary Vince Cable after Rangers' liquidation in 2012 and the subsequent liquidation of Whyte's firm, Tixway. The role played by all board directors of the club in the three years prior to the administration in of Rangers Football Club plc was looked at by the Insolvency Service's Investigations & Enforcement Directorate. The conduct of Sir David Murray, Rangers legend John Greig, former chief executive Martin Bain, former director Dave King and chairman Alistair Johnston all came under the microscope - but it is understood no further action is to be taken against anyone else. The Insolvency Service had two years from the point of insolvency in February 14, 2012 to start proceedings. But action has only been progressed against Mr Whyte over that period. The legal move to disqualify Mr Whyte came after a confidential report was submitted to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills by the Insolvency Service's investigators within six months of the club's operating company going into administration. The Secretary of State then decided it was in the public interest to seek a disqualification order over Craig Whyte only. Action can be taken against directors if their conduct has not been satisfactory leading to the disqualification of directors for periods of between two and 15 years. After the two years has expired, disqualification proceedings can only then be made against further individuals with a rare special application to the court and agency insiders say there has to be a "strong argument". However it is understood that there no such application has been made. That means that Mr Whyte is the only executive to face action over conduct from the liquidation of RFC 2012 plc, the new name given to the original operating company Rangers Football Club plc. Mr Whyte, who took over Sir David Murray's majority shareholding on May 6, 2011, was in 2000 disqualified to act as a director of for seven years. The investigators examined the £9 million PAYE and VAT debt to the taxman amassed when the oldco under Craig Whyte's leadership went into administration. Insolvency experts also said directors can be found guilty of misfeasance by giving ownership to someone who was not a fit and proper person. Mr Whyte bought Sir David Murray's majority shareholding in Rangers in May 2011, raised £24 million through selling off the rights to three years of supporters' season ticket money to London-based Ticketus to help complete his £1 share purchase agreement take*over of Rangers and pay off the club's £18m debt with Lloyds Banking Group. An independent Rangers board committee set up to review takeover offers, delayed Mr Whyte's buyout and expressed concern over "a lack of clarity" over the new owner's financial muscle, hours after he had completed his buyout. The committee was led by chairman Alistair Johnston, who was removed from the board later along with Paul Murray, who had launched a late rival takeover deal. The following October Rangers' non-executive directors, John Greig and John McClelland, who were members of the independent board, resigned from their posts at Ibrox saying that they had been isolated following Whyte's takeover. Mr Whyte was given the maximum ban possible in September following a petition raised on behalf of UK Business Secretary Vince Cable after the operating company went into liquidation. Lord Tyre said in a full judgment that Mr Whyte's conduct of the business was "characterised by dishonesty" in a case that "can be regarded as quite out of the ordinary". He said the Ticketus deal funded his acquisition of the club while failing to inform the members of Rangers' independent board committee who were tasked with negotiating the sale of the company. Lord Tyre said Mr Whyte "misrepresented" to them that the funds for purchase of the company were to be provided from his own resources and from the commercial activities of his British Virgin Islands- based Liberty Capital Limited firm. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/h...gers.114970599

PANIC-stricken chairman David Somers pleaded for someone to save Rangers from financial meltdown in the New Year – by sending out begging letters at 4am on Boxing Day. Record Sport understands Somers sent the emails to a number of wealthy individuals in a bizarre early morning attempt to raise the millions needed to keep the Ibrox club in business in January. The cash appeal – which indicates the high level of boardroom concern at the club’s latest plight – was launched just two days after the SFA blocked Mike Ashley’s plan to plough around £8million into the club by taking his holding up to 29.9 per cent. And the apparent urgent nature of this latest move has shocked those potential saviours who woke on Boxing Day to discover they had been contacted by the man at the head of the crisis-hit regime. It’s understood Somers asked all the various parties, including Sales Sharks owner Brian Kennedy, if they would be prepared to step into Ashley’s shoes by underwriting a share issue and snapping up more than 40 million new shares. Failing that, Somers asked if any of them would be willing to lend large amounts of emergency cash to the club on a secured basis. As of last night, there was no indication that Somers had been successful with either request. Last night the Rangers chairman could not be contacted. The move came after a trio of wealthy Rangers fans, Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor, put together an offer of £6.5m to underwrite the anticipated emergency share issue in an attempt to win control of the club back from Sports Direct magnate Ashley. A separate offer of £16m in funding from South African-based businessman Dave King remains on the table despite being rejected by the Rangers board two months ago when they chose instead to accept a drip feed of crisis loans from Ashley. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-boxing-day-begging-letters-4891366 +++++++++++ Please give us money - someone who doesn't want to see the books, that is. Hic! No 50 million from BPH then No war chest from benevolent Billionaire MA then No money for wages unless they sell MacLeod then

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30628144 Rangers can find no respite. Nobody presumed that a new era was beginning when Kenny McDowall changed from assistant to caretaker manager in the wake of Ally McCoist's resignation, but the manner of the team's 4-0 collapse to Hibernian suggests that a malaise is now deep-rooted. Disillusioned and fraught, the away support chanted sack the board at Easter Road, and anger remains raw. Both on and off the field, this is a club that is fundamentally broken. The frustration for disgruntled fans is that in their view the repair process has not yet even begun. The situation is always fluid at Ibrox, but fundamental issues cannot be ignored. The most pressing is financial, since the club does not currently have the funds to pay January's wages. Disaffection is also entrenched, though. The reaction of shareholders at the annual general meeting was a clear indication of the lack of faith in the board of directors, and those shareholders who currently hold power at Ibrox: Mike Ashley, the owner of Sports Direct, Sandy Easdale and the 21% of shareholders who have empowered Easdale with their proxy vote. David Somers, the chairman, was castigated at the AGM, and the publication of an email he sent to an associate of Ashley in which he expresses concern for his board position should a consortium including Dave King see their funding offer accepted only further undermined Somers' position in the eyes of fans. Rangers, again, are on the brink. Ever since he found himself thrust into the role of caretaker manager, McDowall has looked as though he considers the circumstances as a blight on the role. He was a strong influence on McCoist, so there was little prospect of a sudden shift in tactical or selection decisions. The squad, for all that there is undoubted individual ability, appears drained of confidence and self-belief. Hearts now stand 15 points clear at the top of the Championship and the concern for Rangers now is trying to find the form and momentum to make it through the play-offs. In normal circumstances, this state of affairs would be at the forefront of supporters' discontent, but it is only one aspect of it. Before the football side of the business can be repaired, the financial side needs to be addressed. The anger at the AGM seemed so pronounced that the three Rangers International Football Club directors - Somers, Derek Llambias and James Easdale - and Sandy Easdale, the chairman of The Rangers Football Club board, must have been left with the acknowledgement that there is little chance of them turning round public opinion. With Ashley's application to the Scottish Football Association to raise his RIFC stake from 8.92% up to 29.9% having been rejected, and a funding offer made by a consortium of Rangers-supporting businessmen comprising Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor, the board has an option that would go some way to appeasing fans. It would, though, also lessen their control of the club, and weaken their own positions. The £6.5m offer - based upon buying the 40m shares on offer in a forthcoming share issue at 16p per share, at a small discount on the current market price of 18p and the norm for such issues - would only be the initial stage of fundraising that Rangers need over the coming months. The board estimated in the annual accounts that at least £8m is required to keep the business functioning for 12 months, but that was based upon season ticket sales returning to normal and other assumptions. The reality is that more than £10m is likely to be needed just to keep the business going, and significantly more to invest enough to allow it to grow and be restored. Park, Letham and Taylor know the reality of Rangers' financial situation and the problems that need to be addressed. To fully recover, fans and directors need to be working in tandem, so that revenue streams are restored at the same time as fresh investment is sought. That means that trust is as precious a commodity at Ibrox as finance. It remains in short supply. Resolution nine was rejected at the AGM by shareholders - including, it seems, some represented on the very board that proposed it - so that existing shareholders now need to be offered enough shares to maintain their stakes in the share issue, before non-shareholders can participate. Park, Letham and Taylor can still provide funding, since the latter holds a 3.2% stake and so can also apply to buy the rump of shares left behind by existing shareholders. When the board attempted to raise funds last September, the majority of existing shareholders declined to invest further. The Rangers Supporters Trust has, meanwhile, sent a series of questions to Somers in an email, including asking him to "outline the terms of the recently announced new commercial arrangements with Sports Direct" and if Sports Direct "have the right to choose a shirt sponsor at the end of the 32 Red three-year sponsor period". The situation is clear yet complicated. Rangers need money urgently and the fans want to see change in the boardroom. Ashley effectively controls the club, but cannot invest further in return for shares without attracting SFA sanctions - although he can try to legally challenge the ruling. A group of Rangers fans want to invest, but that would lessen the control of those currently in the boardroom. The stage is set for further turmoil.

Scarcely matters as we'd not win it if we got there (and we may be heading for -25 points in any case)

Me too, I think they'd ask Ally back as manager come to that, but I'd settle for that over the current regime. We need to get some semblance of Rangers back or there is no future. We'd like 'off and on the field' solved immediately but we need the former done to survive the next year, painful as it is the latter could wait and we'd still be existing - just playing sh@t football.

Or that orange shirts are what we need!

I quote from Jackson's column this morning: "it will require the approval of a board which, up until now, has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep such well-meaning investors at arm’s length in order to cling on to control."

"sorting out yet another Rangers-made mess" - I think he'll find that the lawyers costs previously were not due to a Rangers-made mess but a Rangers-haters-made mess. That and the tabloid-esque grammatical infelicities aside not a bad summary, I suppose. This line packs a lot into itself: "A toxic slurry of administration, liquidation, groping Yorkshire hands, secret videos, missing millions, police probes, arrests and now impending court cases." This bit is crucial: "First, it will require the approval of a board which, up until now, has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep such well-meaning investors at arm’s length in order to cling on to control. Also, this cash offer may well be conditional not just on two seats on the board but also upon Park, Letham and Taylor being allowed to look under the bonnet of Rangers and examine the actual depth of the current financial crisis."

No and can't find it on a search. Curious. And we are so used to everything about Ibrox being so straightforward, too.... Anyone who read it able to add any detail to the title?

It's not madness to them. They don't care that much about things changing - they'd probably prefer it, but they aren't going to actively push for it - and it was the cheapest option. What you call "utter madness" to them was a "no-brainer".

That's down to the avatar, I reckon