BlackSocksRedTops

Call me mental but I'm getting far more excited about the prospect of buying these guys from the lower leagues with potential than the dubious transfer policies we have used in the past. ie. Nearly 4million for Lafferty...I really like the idea of a manger that can spot a player and can build something It might also be something to do with getting old and cranky but football has changed for me. For example, I no longer watch the Champions League as it leaves me cold and bored. Every year it's the same teams and the same games.

I think Jamie Vardy has made an ass of that type of statement. Agree 100% I trust MW so that's good enough for me

Christ. I'm Scottish and I don't begin to understand it

It’s an interesting debate indeed. Was there not a poll among Old Firm fans prior to the Referendum that showed more Gers fans were in favour of a Yes vote? From my own circles of family and friends, the overwhelming majority of No voters were all Celtic fans and I’m married into an Irish catholic family. From the 8 close mates of mine that are Rangers fans, 7 of them were all Yes voters and all 8 of them were Atheists. (I literally don’t know an actual Protestant to be honest) I think there is a large number of people who would use their vote in a referendum/election based on the perceived prejudice and bias against/for their team and fair doos to them but I’ll be honest I’ve never once entered the ballot box with Rangers in mind. I also think it’s easy for the press and other people to generalise about the Rangers fans but I’m sure if there was a survey showing the political, social and cultural breakdown the wider fan base, many people would be very surprised.

That is utterly ridiculous tbh

What did religion have to do with the Indy debate?

Is that right? The clubs greatest achievement and they still have to somehow mention Rangers. Sad does not even cover it

This. Have we agreed to this as a club or did we even get a say?

That sadly has become the default topic for a lot of Celtic fans. I actually have mates who are season ticket holders at Parkhead who have distanced themselves from several other Celtic fans based on the fact that they are so concerned, nay obsessed about Rangers and all they talk about is what is happening at Ibrox. Weird

Maybe I missed something but can Hartson please provide evidence of Rangers "celebrating" the arrival of Barton? I think most people I've spoken to seem to be quite realistic and measured about the signing and have faith in our manager unlike 10,000 people turning up to see a new manager whose recent CV was far from glowing. Just ask Liverpool fans about Stoke's 6 goals. I also don't get the Barton is a massive Celtic fan guff. One or two tweets here and there and he is a massive fan. Stop mischief making Hartson.

I agree 100%. Why do we need to have anything to do with the Record? It is an irrelevant pamphlet of lies. They need us to sell papers therefore they need us far more than we need them. Honestly speaking, who the feek buys The Record anymore?

Breaking news...thanks to advances in forensic software, the FBI have stated that the two suspicious characters spotted on the grassy knoll in Dallas in November 1963 were wearing Rangers tops. My god, you could not make this up. Did plod ever stop to think why so many people were angry? Instead of knecking another chicken pastie from Greggs, get into the Stadium and do your job. Take ownership of your mistakes and stop looking to blame someone else

Whatever the formation next season, we need to find a way to turn greater ball retention into more clean cut chances. We seem comfortable on the ball and that has to be encouraged but if you look the possession stats compared to shots, shots on target etc. it's poor IMO. I'd also like to see more shooting from outside the box. We seem keen to try walk the ball into the net sometimes

Interesting debate. As far as I'm concerned "morality" and football don't mix. Good luck to the club that rides such a high horse. Ultimately if the player can do a job for you on the pitch, that's where it's starts and stops for a manager IMO. Ok, Barton has his fair share of scraps on the pitch. He maybe opens his gob too much but I feel we need to show faith in the manager. He's obviously sanctioned this signing and believes that he can get the best from Barton as a footballer and as experienced pro. On a side note about high horses and morality in football. Over the last few years I've taken some stick from some mates who are Celtic fans. Some of this stick has come the way of morality, Rangers and football. For example, when Rangers signed with Puma and SD, they were forever telling me about the terrible business practices of SD (indeed true) and how it suited a club like Rangers. I was quick to mention that they were currently sponsored by Nike, a company with a horrible track record in cheap labour and exploitation. Cue silence... Next it was when Rangers got a Betting co. to sponsor them. The moralising started all over about the ills of gambling and how it is wrecking so many lives. Fast forward 1 year or so later and the high and mighty Hoops have a betting firm sponsoring them. Like I said above, high horses and football don't work

I'm curious as to why you are disappointed that he is signing (not trolling just asking dude). I'll be honest, I was a bit mixed about it myself as I feel it could turn into the "Joey Barton" sideshow and I'm worried that if there is so much spotlight on one individual we might in turn lose our overall focus. I'm sure MW is too shrewd for that to happen. Hopefully he'll ask JB to go easy on Twitter as it's only going to be ammunition for the bams up here (on both sides tbh). As a player, I think he could be great for us. We are young team and sometimes a bit naïve IMO, therefore a wise old head pulling the strings could be a great fit for us. As long as it's all about football. Not Twitter

Who's their guest contributor? Angela Haggerty?

Fair doos Pete. I know Dylan is not everyone's cuppa but for me it's the lyrics. When I first heard the lyrics "Hey, hey, Woody Guthrie, I wrote you a song, 'Bout a funny old world that's comin' along. Seems sick and it's hungry, it's tired and it's torn. It looks like it's dyin' and it's hardly been born" I know this guy was different from the rest

Hopefully just a mutual Everton/Scouse thing?

I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of the guy (Barton not Dylan) but it is clear to all and sundry we need a higher level of player throughout our team to enable us to progress next year. Barton was the player of the year for a team that is heading to the EPL so that is good enough for me.

I'm sure there is also a story in one of the papers by one of the official which supports this whole incident

I hate to be pedantic Berliner but Wattie signed Healy, not Ally

No thanks mate. One of the most refreshing things about this bright new dawn under Mark Warburton is that we haven't fallen into the lazy thinking that has blighted our club for the last 10 years or so. ie. Let's keep looking back at the past... Boyd, Novo, Miller, Smith, Foster etc. Forget the past. Let's keep looking forward and instead of dusting off some old year books to find our next star, I'd rather we found them with good scouting and a keen eye for new/potential talent.

I made the mistake of tuning into Radio Scotland to listen to the match and couldn't believe what Willie Miller was saying prior to the match. He was stating that this is not "must-win" game. How do you work that out Willie? Every game in group scenario is a must win game IMO and the point has been proven by the result and where it leaves us. We should have gone all guns blazing v Georgia and that would have given us the luxury of going into the German game with nothing to lose. A defeat is kind of expected but if we managed to pick up anything it would a bonus. Now we have to win this game IMO and the Poland game (Gibraltar should be a given). Typical friggin Scotland. with attitudes like Millers, no wonder we are so far behind

I've not been excited as a Gers fan since wee Dick came in. The more I hear from Warburton, the more I like him and think he could the best appointment we've made in donkeys. He's progressive, he's positive and speaks very clearly and concisely about the game of football. For this fan, the manager is not only saying the right things but within one game we can see there a recognizable plan. Gone are the days of football by chance. Welcome to football by design and the 21st Century. Post script. Is it just our new strip or did Waghorn and Tavernier look like a couple tanks? I wouldn't mess with them in a hurry

You've gotta have fai-fai-fai-faith as George Michael once said