ian1964

I'm not saying it's not true,I also don't know the guy like you do,no harm in asking the source as we don't want to get our hopes up and then kicked in the nuts again.

Source??.............................................

By ANDREW SMITH Published on Sunday 22 April 2012 00:00 ALLY McCoist fears that the best-case scenario for Rangers next season could be scrapping it out for a place in the top six. Even if the Ibrox club exit administration through a Company Voluntary Arrangement, they are likely to lose major playing assets. In return for 75 per cent wage cuts, all the high earners had clauses inserted into their contracts that will allow them to leave in the summer for modest fees. With none of the prospective new owners promising major investment, most players are likely to activate these clauses. Even if Rangers are not liquidated, McCoistâ??s hopes of making a trophy-winning impression as manager will involve having to work with a squad with youth at its core. Hibernian under Tony Mowbray flourished with a young side in the mid-2000s, finishing third and fourth, but McCoist fears even that may be beyond Rangers. â??Youâ??d have to say that itâ??s a possibility [that Rangers will field a very young team]. We donâ??t know what the outcome is going to be. Iâ??m not in control of the situation in terms of bringing players in or selling players. We donâ??t know the finances, if and when we get a new owner. â??Itâ??s not always gone badly when kids have been thrown in but youâ??d have to say thereâ??s absolutely no way weâ??d reach any level of where we have been, if that was the case. Certainly for the foreseeable future, and the next two, three, four years could be challenging. I donâ??t think thereâ??s any doubt about that. â??Hibs did well with young players but they arguably had the best batch in the last 20 or 30 years in Scottish football. Iâ??m not saying our batch are anything as good as that. So fourth might not even be remotely possible.â? If Rangers became as irrelevant to the title race as the club were in the early 1980s McCoist admits it would become the â??biggest testâ? of a support who largely deserted the club during that fallow period. â??I really do [think the fans would continue to back Rangers]. In a perverse way, they like adversity, a challenge. I think theyâ??ve been sensational. I donâ??t think there are many clubs in the world who could get 48,000 for an old boysâ?? game. Now it could be about getting 48,000 for a young boysâ?? game. â??Ever since administration, the fans have turned up to Inverness and wherever weâ??ve been. I just think theyâ??ve been great. â??It would be our biggest test, there is no doubt about that. It would be an absolutely massive test but I really donâ??t think it would scare them. It would galvanise them, be an act of defiance.â?

By TOM ENGLISH Published on Sunday 22 April 2012 00:00 THE tortured tale of the sale of Rangers took another twist yesterday when Paul Clark, co-administrator at Ibrox, contradicted the supposed front-runner in the bidding process, Bill Miller, on a significant detail of the American’s gameplan. In his lengthy statement on Friday, Miller stated unequivocally that he would not proceed unless he got guarantees from the SFA and the SPL that no further punishment would be visited upon Rangers for the sins of past administrations. “My offer is contingent upon the regulatory bodies agreeing that the club will begin the 2012-13 season in the SPL and will do so without any loss of points and with all historic titles intact,” said Miller. “I will not acquire the club unless I receive written assurances from both regulatory bodies to this effect.” Clark has now played down Miller’s demands. “The prospect of it being no [punishment] measures is I think nil, it’s not going to happen is it?” he stated. “But having the parameters of what those measures look like is what he is seeking. I think they are close to agreement.” Written assurances, says Miller. Parameters, says Clark. The confusion is typical of this vexed business. “What he has actually been doing is speaking to the SFA and SPL,” Clark added. “Some of those discussions we have been involved in, some of them we haven’t. I can’t tell you precisely what he’s now doing, even though I do know, but he’s pretty close to getting [an agreement with the football authorities]. He’s used words like guarantee, I think ‘comfort’ would be a better word. One could liken it to parameters of the measures they could take. I think they are very close if they are not already at that position. They are very close with discussions.” The detail of any guarantees or comforts will be fascinating to hear. The SFA and the SPL will know that the eyes of Scottish football are upon them now. Clark sought to clarify some of the detail of Miller’s bid, confirming that Rangers are now staring down the barrel of a new company/incubator/liquidation and that there is in all probability a three-year ban from European competition imminent should Miller’s bid be accepted. There is, though, a long way to go before that happens. “I think we need to split his [Miller’s] statement at this point into two parts,” said Clark. “The first part he is making it clear he would be making an asset sale. The football club would move into a newco entity, of that there should be no doubt. “There would be a newco that would continue to run the football club. The idea then would be, because of what appears to be wrongdoing that has occurred within Rangers, those wrongs can be righted and then at a later date he would go through a CVA bringing the old company back to the new company. Make no mistake, his bid is predicated on there being a new company that owns, runs and operates Rangers football club.” From a Rangers fans perspective, this is the doomsday scenario. A newco is precisely what they are fighting to avoid. “[On Europe], that’s a discussion, but I think that [a three-year ban] would have to be the starting point assumption. I think that’s a different discussion with SFA and UEFA. I certainly haven’t been involved in a discussion with Miller that would lessen that three years.” In all of this, it is still hard to avoid the possibility – or perhaps, probability – that Duff & Phelps are holding out for the re-emergence of the Blue Knights, possibly with Brian Kennedy in tow. It is believed that the Knights and Kennedy are now exploring things together and may come back into the picture having left it abruptly last week. Clark spoke to Kennedy on Friday. “It’s fair to say they are still around. I had discussions with Paul Murray and various others on Friday and some of those discussions went into the evening. I have made it clear that I am ready, willing and able to speak on the weekend. Certainly, if they still have a desire to move forward, we have made it clear they have to do that now and with no more delay. We are happy to work with them to put them back in place, if that’s what they choose. “Until nine or ten days ago, we had put the Blue Knights consortium in pole position. We hadn’t accepted them as preferred bidder but we had pretty much told them that was their position. Then within 24 hours of us having that conversation with them… “The withdrawal of the financial commitment was by Ticketus rather than the Blue Knights. They withdrew their financial commitment to pay the exclusivity fee and that was a real setback, it was a real move from their position because we had made it clear we needed that financial commitment.” The financial wherewithal of the Knights is still an unknown, even this late in the process. Question marks remain as to how much cash they actually have and is it anywhere close to being enough. They are now beyond the point of cheap statements of intent and need to deliver something of substance. Clark also had something to say about their on-off business partners, Ticketus, and the challenge of separating Craig Whyte from his shareholding in the club. “Ticketus have always told us they have the ability to get Craig Whyte’s shares. They said ‘You don’t need to do anything with Duff & Phelps, we’ll deal with it’. There are other bids, in the first instance the Miller bid, that don’t need the Craig Whyte shares because it’s an asset deal. There are also opportunities as Miller has alluded where a type of structure could be put in place where the obtaining of the shares is not essential. It’s fair to say Ticketus have been robust on the position of the Craig Whyte shares.”

The Scottish Premier League is set to do a deal with Bill Miller â?? the American tow-truck magnate who is favourite to be named as preferred bidder for Rangers when the administrators announce their choice â?? which would go some way towards meeting his demand that the Ibrox club should not start next season with financial penalties, points deductions or the annulment of previous championships. Under proposals to be presented to the SPL clubs on April 30, teams who are insolvent at the start of a season or who hit the financial buffers during a campaign would be deducted 15 points or a third of their previous seasonâ??s total, whichever is the higher. Another suggested change to existing rules proposes that a club admitted to the SPL as a newco should be deducted 10 points for each of its first two seasons in the league. Should Rangers not emerge with a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) by the start of next season they would â?? should the new rules be accepted â?? be deducted at least 22 points, based on their current SPL total of 66. Alternatively, since Millerâ??s proposals involve the sheltering of the healthier sections of Rangersâ?? business inside what he calls an 'incubatorâ?? company, he would require the consent of the SPL and the Scottish Football Association to transfer the clubâ??s share in the two governing bodies. SPL sources have confirmed to The Sunday Telegraph that the league cannot offer any such guarantees, but that â?? consistent with the requirement to consider what is in their best interests â?? are not compelled to reject Millerâ??s business plan. Last night, Paul Clark, one of the co-administrators, told The Sunday Telegraph: â??He [Miller] is speaking to the SFA and SPL. "Some of those discussions we have been involved in, some of them we havenâ??t, and I donâ??t think anyone should read anything into that. "I canâ??t tell you precisely what heâ??s now doing, even though I do know, but heâ??s pretty close to an agreement. â??Heâ??s used words like 'guaranteeâ??. I think 'comfortâ?? would be a better word. One could liken it to parameters of the measures they could take.â? The statement issued on Friday by Miller was uncompromising but Clark said that he did not believe that the American necessarily expected to be granted a complete amnesty from punitive measures. â??The prospect of no measures is, I think, nil â?? itâ??s not going to happen is it?â? said Clark. â??But having the parameters of what those measures look like is what he is seeking. I think they are close to agreement. â??Miller is an experienced businessman and he put out a fairly full and open statement of his position. "I am assuming that even from afar he is doing so for all the right reasons and with the right intentions and his local advisers are certainly busying themselves on this. Heâ??s taking the right steps.â? One question that has puzzled many observers is how Miller can achieve a deal without a partnership with Ticketus, the London-based agency, which has rights over Ibrox season tickets for the next three years. â??I think we need to split his statement at this point into two parts,â? said Clark. â??The first part is making it clear that he would be making an asset sale. The football club would move into a newco entity, of that there should be no doubt. â??The idea is that because of what appears to be wrongdoings that have occurred at Rangers, those wrongs can be righted and then at a later date he would go through a CVA, bringing the old company back to the new company. "Make no mistake, his bid is predicated on there being a new company that owns, runs and operates Rangers Football Club.â? On the field, Rangers seemed unburdened by care when they travelled to Tynecastle to meet Scottish Cup finalists Hearts. They took the lead in the 28th minute after Andy Webster had fouled Maurice Edu for a free-kick which Sune Aluko despatched beautifully over the defensive wall. Former Hearts defender Lee Wallace â?? for whom Rangers still owe £800,000 of his transfer fee â?? contributed to his sideâ??s second goal with a cross which Hearts failed to clear, allowing Andrew Little to scoop the ball home. The same combination made it 3-0 to Rangers with two minutes left.

To be honest,I have never thought much of him as a player,but he has scored what,5 goals in 7 games?,something like that so he has came on a bit,still doesn't excite me,but fair play to him though.

Now!,if somebody could make a recording of that for me to down load and watch,well that would be just fantastic

Hmmm,a wee bit harsh maybe?,nobody was to know Healy would flop and Little would shine.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/latest-rst-news/450-an-analysis-of-the-bill-miller-bid-for-rfc

Saturday, 21 April 2012 00:14 Bill Miller is Chairman of Miller Industries, a group of companies which builds tow trucks, recovery vehicles and transporters. In the year to 31 December 2011 it had Sales of $402m and profits after tax of $23m. It has a subsidiary named Boniface Engineering in Thetford, Norfolk, England. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange; at today's closing share price it has a market capitalisation of $182m. at 31 December 2012 it had cash of $50m. A: Bid or not yet? 1.Mr Miller's statement today refers to making a bid on Monday 23 April 2012. It does not describe a bid already made, acceptable to D&P or otherwise. 2.Mr Miller refers to "grandstanding" and "15 minutes of fame". His statement has the flavour of grandstanding throughout. 3.He calls himself one of "three qualified bidders". He has not yet bid. D&P have "made crystal clear" that only unqualified bids will be accepted for consideration before a preferred bidder is nominated. Mr Miller's bid is riddled with conditions. 4.He says "I have held a series of talks over the past week with officials from the SPL and SFA ..." He then states “My offer is contingent upon the regulatory bodies agreeing that the club will begin play in the 2012/13 season in the SPL and that they will do so without any loss of points and with all historic titles intact. I will not acquire the club unless I receive written assurances from both regulatory bodies to this effect." What verbal assurances has he received to make him believe that written assurances will be forthcoming? That is simply not deliverable by the Administrators. It ignores possible UEFA sanctions. 5.He says "I am acutely aware that the club will require working capital and this will be assessed in more detail in coming weeks as the due diligence progresses". How long does he expect due diligence to take? How much attention has he paid to information in the electronic data room? B: CVA or something else? 1.It is on the matter of the CVA process that his lack of understanding ought to provoke real concern to D&P. 2.He simply does not understand what the process of exit from Administration by CVA entails. He may not even understand what a CVA is. 3.For his information, a CVA is a collective rehabilitation process where 75% of creditors voting can accept a proposal which sets an amount payable at which amounts due to them are settled, less than the full amount due. This vote binds all other creditors existing as at that date to accept this reduced settlement. It usually comprises a series of payments over a number of years, normally three to five years. It is proposed by a "Nominee", the nominated Supervisor, who becomes the Supervisor when the Arrangement has been approved. 4.Funding of this settlement usually comes from an amount made available by an incoming investor, plus amounts from the earnings in future years. Where prize money or television money arises through success in competitions, a proportion of this upside would normally go to into the pot of settlement funding. 5.He says " ... I have proposed a purchase of the club through a CVA from the beginning." This implies he has intended to set up a newco from the beginning; if so he should purchase from administration and leave the Administrators to liquidate the insolvent company. No need for the expense of a CVA! 6.He talks of an incubator company. He does not define what an incubator company is. He offers no examples of how this has worked in the past. He produces a paragraph of utter nonsense talking about D&P working to make the sick patient healthy through a CVA process that effectively works to radiate the toxicity of past administrations' sins ..." The most silly statement comes in the last sentence of the paragraph - "Once the CVA process has been completed and the patient is on the mend, the Administrators will return Rangers Football Club plc to me for a nominal sum." What? Administration ends with entry into a CVA. What does he mean "Return"? By what means will the incubated company be reunited with the "patient"? All nonsense. 7.He intends to bid £11.2m, the sum which includes the £500k non-refundable deposit. The assets of the Club per the Statement of Affairs within the Joint Administrators Report is £134m. The net asset surplus after paying all creditors, including full settlement of the Ticketus claim, apart from any liability arising from the 1st Tier Tribunal decision is £60m. His offer appears derisory in the face of these values. 8.What security will the creditors have in respect of future contributions to the CVA pot? A guarantee from Mr Miller secured over Mr Miller’s personal assets? 9.What security over pre-CVA assets will the creditors require so as to make recovery should the CVA fail? 10.What anti-embarrassment clause will the creditors seek to insert and rely on to ensure that part way through the CVA the assets are not simply sold on from the incubator at a substantial profit without them receiving all or any of the windfall? C: Ticketus – how will they be treated? 1.His thinking is equally disordered over the Ticketus position. He boldly says "... I am the only bidder who has refused to entertain offers from Ticketus or engage in discussion with Craig Whyte." He later asserts "There is no way Ticketus would agree to a 'pence in the pound' settlement as has been suggested by others". 2.If he has not spoken to Ticketus, how does he know what Ticketus will accept? 3.If they will not accept 'pence in the pound' from where does he see payment in full? It cannot be from a CVA and it will not be from him. Again, all nonsense. D: Operations in this limbo of incubation 1.What exactly does Mr Miller think he will acquire into the incubator company? How does £11.2m stack up with these acquired assets? 2.Which Rangers will be the Rangers licensed by SPL + SFA? The incubating one or the one in CVA? 3.Which Rangers will own the rights to the players’ contracts? Will they be transferred for a fee to the incubator, or allowed to expire at the end of their contract period? 4.Who will own the land and property assets of the club? In summary Mr Miller is proposing an unworkable solution, based on a complete misunderstanding of the insolvency legislation in play, and with no real understanding of the future funding required, all based on a derisory offer not yet made in writing. D&P should not entertain this, far less regard it as a “structure with potential. If it were not that his understanding is so glaringly deficient, it would look like he is dressing up a liquidation / newco scenario in bamboozling terms.

[video=youtube;t1-AznZKz-E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1-AznZKz-E

Brian Kennedy and the Blue Knights are working together to scupper controversial American Bill Miller's bid for Rangers - and have been given until Monday to come up with a rescue package. Increasingly desperate administrators Duff & Phelps last night warned that, without an alternative on the table, they will have no choice but to name Miller as preferred bidder on Monday. His convoluted plans to duck £100million-plus of debt would put Rangers on a direct collision course with Scotland's football authorities as they grapple with new rules on financial fair play. But Duff & Phelps representative Paul Clark confirmed that the club faces running out of money in a matter of weeks, making an imminent sale vital if liquidation is to be avoided. Insisting they will proceed with Miller 'if no further and better bid comes along', Clark - who admitted that completing a deal by the end of the season now seems unlikely - also said that talks with former Rangers director Paul Murray's Blue Knights consortium would continue over the weekend. And the chances of the home-grown bid trumping the transatlantic takeover appeared to have strengthened with the late conversion of rugby magnate Kennedy. He told Sportsmail: 'I have been speaking extensively with Paul (Murray) to try to find a solution.' Asked how that might work, the Sale Sharks owner - who has always insisted he wouldn't work in a consortium - added: 'We are working at that.' Sportsmail understands that Kennedy has been in talks with Ticketus and the London-based firm's involvement would be an important lever in persuading disgraced former owner Craig Whyte to part with his shareholding. Clark warned: 'Without season-ticket sales, the money would run out towards the end of May or early June. From that point of view, we really do need to proceed with one of these bids. Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2132974/Brian-Kennedy-Blue-Knights-hijack-Bill-Millers-takeover-Rangers.html

Ma heid hurts!!!!!...................Right,If the administrators are saying that CW isn't a problem then they have to be more expicit,no?.

No-one can take away our history,what is happening to us now will be part of our history,so long as there is a team playing at Ibrox called Rangers I will be there. Also,I like the idea of dropping into the 3rd Division,if the corrupt SFA and the other clubs get their way with regards to sanctions meaning we can't compete for the title due to points deductions,restrictions that they all want imposed on us,yet want us to remain in the SPL so as to continue to feed of our support as we are a cash cow for them. No thanks!,if we are to start again then so be it,as has already been posted we could develope more young players as we come up through the divisions,hopefully keeping the support that we have now which would continue to generate cash and keep expenditure down and grow again to dominate Scottish football,as our history shows we are the biggest and most successful club in Scotland.

If Daly finishes top goal scorer then he should get it!

Is it really expecting too much for the SFA to make it clear what their intentions are?,these new rules should not apply to Rangers,or any other club that is in administration. We went into administration under existing rules/laws and we should be allowed to exit administration under the same rules/laws,any new rules/laws that are put in place should apply to the next club that goes into administration in the future.

PETER LAWWELL has opened the door and invited the Protestant hating bigot Joe Oâ??Rourke into the inner sanctum of Parkhead. And that puts Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell in the dock, accused of condoning Joe Oâ??Rourkeâ??s call for Protestants to be drowned. It leaves Peter Lawwell in a position where one of the most powerful men in Scottish football, a man who sits next to Scottish Football Association chief Executive, Stewart Regan in the SFA boardroom, is open to accusations that he consorts with a sectarian bigot. That he is willing to treat with a man who has been warned by Strathclyde Police not to repeat his hate filled sectarian rants against Protestants again, or he will be arrested. Despite all of that, Joe Oâ??Rourke remains as the general secretary of the OFFICIAL Celtic Supporters Association. Which surely tells all in Scotland that Joe O'Rourke's message of bigoted sectarian hate has been backed by those Celtic supporters who are members of the OFFICIAL Celtic Supporters Association. Now, despite being caught and exposed as bigot,Joe Oâ??Rourke is still boasting of how he has been welcomed into Paradise by Peter Lawwell and given privileged access by this man who is the chief executive of Celtic and a board member of the Scottish Football Association. Does consorting with a proven bigot such as Joseph Oâ??Rourke not call into question whether or not Peter Lawwell is a fit and proper person to have a position of power within one of the SFAâ??s member clubs? I think I know what the answer would be, were that great Celtic man and Parkhead chairman, Sir Bob Kelly, who was also proud to have been the president of the Scottish Football Association, still around today to protect the good name of Celtic. Something Sir Bob Kelly held dear. But thereâ??s more. More to shame Celtic and tarnish the clubâ??s good name, which Sir Bob Kelly prized and protected. For Peter Lawwell is not only consorting with a Protestant hating bigot, in the shape of the man who is the general secretary of the OFFICIAL Celtic Supporters Association, Joe Oâ??Rourke. Peter Lawwell, the chief executive of Celtic and a powerbroker who sits around the SFA boardroom table with the governing bodyâ??s chief executive, his pal, Stewart Regan, is also consorting with a man who raises money to support IRA terrorists. That man is â?¦JOE Oâ??ROURKE! I have the evidence of Joe Oâ??Rourkeâ??s involvement in helping to stage a concert to raise funds for what he refers to as Republican prisoners. As far as I was aware it is not against the law in any part of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to be a republican. What is against the law is to be a low cowardly IRA terrorist whose bombs maim and kill innocent women and children. These are the people Joe Oâ??Rourke, who is granted privileged Parkhead access by Peter Lawwell, supports and works to raise money for. Surely, if Joe O'Rourke raises money for terrorists he is, by definition, helping to fund TERRORISM? But there is even worse news for Peter Lawwell and for his pal and fellow SFA director, the chief executive of the gameâ??s governing body, Stewart Regan. For others, who Joe Oâ??Rourke choses to call Republicans, are in reality in prison because they are DRUG DEALERS who turn the poorest and most vulnerable members of their community, into wretched addicts. While others who are financially supported by Joe Oâ??Rourke, are in prison for running protection rackets to rob hard working members of their community who run building firms or bars. These prisoners, those who are drug dealers and who run protection rackets, are no more thanâ?¦. GUTTERSNIPE GANGSTERS! But they are the people who are supported by the general secretary of the OFFICIAL Celtic Supporters Associations, Joe Oâ??Rourke, a man who Celtic chief executive, Peter Lawwell, continues to treat with, despite police warning him against using hate filled bigoted language which called for Protestants to be drowned. And it isnâ??t as though Oâ??Rourke has repented his sin against his fellow Christians. For when he boasted about his privileged Parkhead access, granted by Peter Lawwell, Joe Oâ??Rourke also wrote: â?? I had an exchange of online comments with someone who I donâ??t even know, this exchange was either misinterpreted or misunderstood, and that caused some people to feel offended, for that I sincerely apologise. I never have and do not wish any ill will upon people who are not of the same faith as me, or on the basis of their religious identity.â? So there, in a nutshell you have what Joe Oâ??Rourkeâ??s warped, twisted, evil and bigoted mind believes. Joe Oâ??Rourke believes that wishing that Protestants had been drowned does NOT constitute wishing ill will upon people who are not of the same faith as he is. He believes wishing Protestants drowned does not NOT constitute wishing ill upon people on the basis of their religious identity. I wonder what Joe Oâ??Rourkeâ??s spiritual advisor, his priest, for instance, thinks of all that? We know what Peter Lawwell thinks. Peter Lawwell thinks it is perfectly all right for the chief executive of Celtic, a board member of the Scottish Football Association, to welcome such a man into Parkhead. Peter Lawwell once made a comment about sporting integrity. Perhaps Peter Lawwell should now be more concerned with personal integrity. HIS OWN!

Alison Robbie ‏ @AlisonRobbie Reply RetweetedRetweet Delete FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details #rangers administrators say they'll put pressure on the Blue Knights, if can't agree Bill Miller's bid will be accepted on Mon. More on #ssb

Well,he is right about one thing,put up or shut up!. If TBK are serious then they need to come up with the cash required. Maybe Kennedy should join with TBK now?.

AMERICAN truck tycoon Bill Miller was last night gearing up to drive home his bid to grab control of Rangers. And the 65-year-old is also thought to be ready to throw down the gauntlet to rival bidders, believing they have been stalling too long. It is expected Miller will make his big push over the weekend and challenge the others to put up or shut up. The Tennessee trucking magnate, who has already held talks with manager Ally McCoist, believes the time for rhetoric is over and insists the fans need to know who is for real and who isn’t. Word of his desire to drag Rangers out of the mire came as the Ibrox administrators, Duff and Phelps, rejected Brian Kennedy’s revised bid, describing it as “not capable of acceptance.” The Sale Sharks owner had said he’d step forward to save Rangers if he felt they were about to pass into the wrong hands but, according to the administrators, his offer is well short of the other bids. It remains to be seen if Kennedy will become a genuine contender, or if Paul Murray, who has returned to the fray after saying last weekend he was stepping aside, will attempt to press home his own group’s bid. Emerged But as another day of discussions drew to a close it was Miller who had emerged from the slipstream of the others and was manoeuvring himself to the front of the queue. Miller, who is chairman of Miller Industries, said to be the world’s biggest makers of towing and recovery equipment, first emerged as part of Chicago-based group Club 9 Sports. But they had a plan to liquidate the business and Miller broke from them when it became clear Rangers fans would not back anyone who took their club down that route. Unlike Miller, Murray and his Blue Knights still want Ticketus on board even though the London firm, whose money was used by Craig Whyte to buy Rangers, appeared to have jumped ship and were also close to a deal with another bidder, Bill Ng in Singapore. But that relationship appears to have hit the rocks with Ng hinting he’s set to walk away. He’d been hoping to be named preferred bidder by today but his patience with Ticketus in particular is stretched to breaking point. The 52-year-old private equity dealer claims Ticketus have increased the amount they want out of any deal from £10million to £17m. Ng isn’t prepared to concede that much and said: “As a creditor, Ticketus has no right to hold investors round the neck as it is doing. It is increasing its demands each week. “It was £10m before, then £12m and now this. I’m running out of patience and time.” Now Ticketus, who are desperate to protect as much of their £27m investment in Rangers as possible, will have to go back to Murray and if he can persuade them to lower their expectations he could yet emerge as Rangers’ saviour. ticking But he has only a matter of days left and this time must convince the administrators he and Ticketus are locked into a deal which is better than Miller’s bid. Right now, though, the American is in the driving seat. While the others have been talking, the administrators have watched Miller ticking more of the correct boxes but he still has a bit to do before he’ll get preferred bidder status. In the US, he tried to buy an ice hockey franchise and move it to San Diego but hit stadium problems and then a bid to start a rival to NASCAR also hit the skids. Joint administrator David Whitehouse wouldn’t be drawn on the exact state of play but it is believed all of the offers have too many conditions attached. He said: “We have made it crystal clear that to announce a preferred bidder we need definitive, unconditional bids on the table.”

BRIAN KENNEDY is still firmly in the fight for Rangers — despite being told his revised verbal offer has NOT been accepted. A Duff & Phelps spokesman last night insisted: “We have been surprised by the coverage surrounding a revised bid by Brian Kennedy. We have not received a written revised offer and we have informed Mr Kennedy.” Kennedy, Paul Murray and his Blue Knights, US tycoon Bill Miller and the Singapore-based consortium led by Bill Ng, are all still in the running for Rangers. Kennedy and Murray had urged administrators to speed up the process of naming a preferred bidder. They had hoped to announce it by the close of play today, but there are now fears it could drag on over the weekend. The Blue Knights were in pole position until talks with Ticketus broke down last week. The London finance firm then entered negotiations with Ng’s five-man consortium from the Far East. But no deal with either bid has been struck. A spokesman for Ticketus, who have rights to £27million of season ticket revenue at Ibrox for the next three seasons, last night confirmed: “Despite some reports, we’ve been talking to Paul Murray on and off since Monday and are still talking about a possible joint bid. “We are also still in discussion with the Singaporean bidders.” Bean counter David Whitehouse confirmed constructive talks with all remaining parties had continued yesterday. But, worryingly for Gers fans, he hinted they were no closer to naming their preferred bidder. Whitehouse said: “We have had a series of constructive discussions with bidders. “We have made it crystal clear to them all that, to announce a preferred bidder, we need definitive, unconditional bids on the table. “It is also important to let fans know that, at this stage, there is a world of difference between people indicating their intentions, even though they are well meaning, and putting them in black and white. “We understand there are complex issues for bidders to deal with and we do not doubt that all parties want to attain control of the football club. “We understand also that those interested in buying the club are working hard to resolve all outstanding issues. “We are continuing to make representations to all stakeholder groups, including the football authorities, to give clarity on outstanding issues which will help existing bids move to unconditional status.” Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4268160/Brians-not-a-write-off.html#ixzz1sXcEDBZg

RANGERS Administrators last night kicked out another "unacceptable" offer from Scots businessman Brian Kennedy as American bidder Bill Miller told his take-over competitiors to put their money where there mouth is. The dramatic moves which will plunge the Ibrox club into continued crisis over the weekend came as Singaporean Bill Ng declared he was becoming increasingly frustrated with Ticketus and a lack of progress in the naming of a preferred bidder. Duff & Phelps admitted they had been " surprised " at the hysterical level of media coverage -- not by the Express or Star -- over the most recent offer from Kennedy which is believed to be far less than others already tabled. " We did receive a verbal offer but that was not followed up by a written one despite all that was written " said the spokesman." "Even the verbal one though is unacceptable and we have informed him of our position." It now looks likely that the sorry saga over who will be named preferred bidder will last until next week as another deadline passes and the Administrators wait for " unconditional offers " to be formally lodged. Even the verbal one though is unacceptable and we have informed him of our position Duff & Phelps Meanwhile Miller and Ng are losing patience with their approaches for the finanacially stricken club with the American insisting people should put up or shut up and insisting he is ready to protect Rangers via a CVA . Ng who has tabled a £20m offer to take control last night declared his frustration at the take-over process and with Ticketus's demands for a credit repayment scheme they handed over to disgraced owner Raig Whyte. And the 52-year-old private equity firm director, who looked like he and his five-man consortium who were the frontrunners this week hinted he now could be ready to pull the plug on the deal altogether. Ng claims Ticketus are now asking for a £17.5 million pay-off, from the original figure in negotiations which started at £5 million. And he isn't prepared to pay that. And sources in Singapore have already stated he's looking at alternative business ventures in Europe instead, including hotel ownership. Ng said: "Despite all the talk of us being the favourites, I'm very frustrated because of the way Ticketus is treating us.As a creditor, it has no right to hold investors around the neck as it is doing. "It is increasing its demands each week, and this is on top of our offer for the club.It was £10 million before, then £12 million, now this. I'm running out of patience and time." Ng had set aside a figure of £12 million to pay creditors with £8m more working capital for Rangers but is reaching the end of his tether. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/315507/Gers-deal-in-jeopardy-as-Ng-hits-out-at-Ticketus

Quite a statement!,you would almost think he was a Rangers fan!.

BRIAN KENNEDY is poised to re-enter the race for Rangers — just 48 hours before a preferred bidder is named. The Edinburgh-born businessman has mobilised his advisors after Paul Murray’s Blue Knights withdrawal from the running. Kennedy is thought to be deeply concerned at the lack of leadership at crisis-hit Rangers and is seeking fresh talks with administrators Duff & Phelps. The 51-year-old had his initial bid to take over Gers rejected three weeks ago but he always maintained he’d reluctantly return to the negotiating table if required. Kennedy wants to avoid the doomsday scenario of liquidation, but fears time is now running out for Gers. He said: “I do not want to distract the time-critical process of appointing preferred bidders. However, should this fall through with the effect of endangering the existence of Rangers Football Club, I would reconsider my position.” Singapore businessman Bill Ng is in the box seat to land Rangers after Murray and his Blue Knights stepped back from the process on Monday. Ng has yet to hold talks with Gers boss Ally McCoist and SunSport understands that is providing some cause for concern. Ng — who heads up the five-man Singapore consortium — has spoken with Craig Whyte, who, as we revealed yesterday, is ready to sit down with Ng to thrash out a deal. Former chairman Whyte has no plans to speak to US tycoon Bill Miller, the only other bidder left. Meanwhile, Ng has denied that he has struck a deal with Ticketus. The Blue Knights pulled out after admitting they couldn’t match the agreement Ticketus and Ng’s consortium had in place. But Ng claimed there was NO agreement and would not be drawn on claims his consortium had offered £14million and more immediate repayments to the firm who funded Whyte’s controversial takeover last May. He said: “We have not agreed on any terms with Ticketus.” As things stand, Ng is in a two-way fight for Gers with Miller. He added: “The apparent withdrawal from the bidding process by the Blue Knights means only that the chances of taking over increases for the two remaining bidders.” Ticketus say they are committed to finding the best possible solution for Gers and they are happy to work with whichever bid the administrators think is best for the club. Ng has contacted Ticketus because they are currently the biggest creditor, although HMRC could be owed more should the tax case go against Gers. US-based Miller insisted last week he had no plans to team up with Ng and last night the Far East businessman confirmed he wants no part of an alliance with Miller. Ng said: “The best interest for Rangers will be the best bid, we accept this as a matter of fact. “I do not have the facts of what Mr Bill Miller has proposed. “I only know what I can do and what my plans are for the club, if I prove to be successful.” Paul Clark, joint administrator, said: “We would like to inform all the Rangers supporters discussions have been held between members of the administration team and the two remaining bidders. “A number of issues have been examined and we have made it clear to all those involved in the bidding that it is of paramount interest to the club that a satisfactory deal be concluded without any further delay. “It is our intention to announce a preferred bidder this week.” That will please boss McCoist, who admitted the uncertainty over the club’s future was deeply concerning. He said: “Like all Rangers fans, I think the sooner the preferred bidder status is announced it would be a big, big step in the right direction. “The uncertainty and lack of clarity about the future is obviously really concerning and worrying for everyone. “We have pre-season games and tours to try to arrange and all these things and players coming and going helps make it concerning.” Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4263088/Kennedy-is-eyeing-up-a-Gers-return.html#ixzz1sLedIj4m

YOBS set off SMOKE BOMBS and ripped up seats during an Old Firm youth clash at Ibrox last night. 63 comments Flares were lit at the Celtic end of the stadium during the Under-17s Glasgow Cup final. One source said: “My brother and his five-year-old son left. Celtic fans were setting off flares.” Scare ... yobs set off flares at Ibrox during the youth cup final A Celtic spokesman said: “We will look into security arrangements.” Police said they are investigating the incident. Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/4261648/Flare-yobs-cup-shame.html#ixzz1sLe6Iuny