ian1964

WEST BROM last night slapped in a £2million bid for Rangers star Stevie Naismith. comment on this story 9 comments SunSport exclusively revealed yesterday that the Baggies want Naisy and his Gers team-mate Allan McGregor. They lodged an offer with Ibrox administrators Duff and Phelps before close of business. Scotland star Naisy, 25, is still recovering from the horror cruciate injury which wrecked his season. He faces a race against time to be fit for the start of the new campaign â?? but Albion want him now. Roy Hodgson reckons he can land the frontman on the cheap and wants to tie up a cut-price deal as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Brian Kennedy aimed a parting shot at the Ibrox administrators as he confirmed he WON'T be returning with an improved offer for Gers. And, on the day Duff and Phelps set an April 4 deadline for final bids for Gers, Kennedy told SunSport he won't be returning to the negotiating table. The Scots tycoon said: "I am definite in that I won't be returning with a new bid for the club. "We will have to wait and see what happens but I've made my position with the administrators clear. "My bid was a good bid, it was robust, it could be financed and it could have been done very quickly. "When you are determining what the best bid is, I think it's not just about the biggest number. "It is about how secure it is and it's also about its ability to deliver. "That's what the administrators have to determine and also what is the liquidity of the investment going forward in order to preserve the club. "It's not just about the money up front. It's about what you invest in afterwards and how capable you are of doing that." Kennedy has backed Paul Murray and his Blue Knights in their battle to seize control of the club. But he insists issues would have to be resolved before he joined up with the Blue Knights and is set against fan ownership. He added: "I don't believe in that, that would detract from it and I don't think it would raise enough capital, the kind you need in a fast-moving commercial world." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/4230753/Roys-bid-is-in-for-Naisy.html#ixzz1qgIGrgL9

Ronald De Boer says it would be "ridiculous" if former club Rangers were to be stripped of any silverware. The Scottish Premier League are currently investigating whether Rangers paid players through schemes that may have breached the league's rules. De Boer's sentiments echoed those of former Ibrox team-mate Lorenzo Amoruso . "Real Madrid have many millions of debt, and can you think if they were to be stripped of those Champions Leagues? No, of course not," said De Boer. Continue reading the main story â??I'm just very sad the times the club is having at the momentâ? Giovanni Van Bronckhorst "They were great players at that time, one of the best in the world. "At that time we deserved to win. And in the time of the nine-in-a-row they deserved to win." Speaking after taking part in an exhibition match between Rangers Legends and AC Milan Glorie, De Boer and fellow Dutchman Giovanni Van Bronckhorst said there were not paid through Employee Benefit Trusts when they were at Ibrox. Asked if he had been paid through such a scheme, Van Bronckhorst said: "Not me personally. I don't know about those payments. I'm just very sad the times the club is having at the moment." And De Boer added: "We did it just normal. I was just getting the money from Rangers and I'm not looking what they did with it. I get it in my account and we made an agreement and that's it." Rangers are currently in administration, with a deadline for best and final offers set for Wednesday . "You could never expect a club like Rangers - that big - could be in this situation," said De Boer. "But you have to face it and look forward, and hopefully they can get out of this bad situation as quickly as possible." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17570333

So!,what was the outcome?,the big scoop?

Fucking sick as a pig,sitting in glasgow waiting for the aa to tow me and my car home,will miss the game now and the other guys will have to get train home!

The club's administrators have settled a bill over monies from an SPL fixture earlier in March. Rangers have settled a bill for £19,000 worth of ticket money owed to Dundee United, STV understands. The amount, which fell due after a Scottish Premier League fixture on March 17, was subject to a complaint to the league on Thursday after an agreement to pay was not honoured by the club's administrators. United are already demanding £67,000 relating to ticket sales from the Scottish Cup match between the sides. A Scottish FA tribunal will rule on the issue in April. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/302035-rangers-pay-outstanding-dundee-united-ticket-money/

THE American frontrunners in the race to buy Rangers are prepared to pay £25 million for control of the Ibrox club â?? and their preferred option is to put the club into liquidation. The bid from Chicago-based Club 9 Sports is one of three which, if successful, may result in the new owners taking the highly unpopular option of winding up the club and reforming it as a new company (Newco), The Herald understands. The only offer on the table which is conditional on Rangers emerging from administration and paying off debts via a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) is the one from the Blue Knights, headed by former Ibrox director Paul Murray. The American bid is more than double that on offer from the Blue Knights or Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy, whose offer was rejected by administrators Duff & Phelps yesterday. But Club 9 Sports would have to address the £27m debt owed to Ticketus, who would not be creditors under the terms of the Blue Knights' bid. Until now little has been known about the substance of the Club 9 Sports bid or the company's intentions if it was successful in taking ownership from Craig Whyte. But the company has made it known that liquidating Rangers is in its plans, and it is understood two unidentified consortia â?? one based in the United Kingdom, the other in Singapore â?? are also open to the Newco route rather than trying to do a deal with creditors via a CVA. It is believed Club 9 feels that liquidation would remove the risk of currently unknown debts emerging in the future, and would take away the uncertainty of not being able to agree a CVA with creditors. But taking Rangers into liquidation would be deeply unpopular with fans and would have grave footballing consequences. A new club has to wait three years before it is eligible to play lucrative Champions or Europa League ties. It would also have to be voted into the Scottish Premier League or else apply to join the Scottish Football League in Division Three, and the registration of all its current players would pass to the SPL rather than being held by Rangers. The American firm emerged as frontrunner as Mr Kennedy was told by Duff & Phelps that his offer was not good enough. With current owner Whyte refusing to deal with Paul Murray's Blue Knights bid, Club 9 is in a strong position. The two unidentified consortia are thought to be unlikely to succeed. Club 9 Sports, formed in 2009, has described its approach as seeking to revive struggling businesses "through cost-cutting and aggressive sales and marketing". Its most recent sports venture was the purchase of Quad City Mallards, a minor league professional ice hockey club in Illinois. Attendances and revenue figures have increased since Club 9 Sports' takeover although investment has been modest. Club 9 Sports made attempts to buy Tranmere Rovers and take a controlling interest in Sheffield Wednesday but both moves were unsuccessful. The bids appeared to fail because in both cases the business plan involved short-term restructuring, and drawing consultancy fees, with a view to selling the clubs on. Meanwhile, Mr Kennedy said he was "disappointed but not surprised" after his bid was rejected. He added the Blue Knights bid was in the best interests of the club. A spokesman for Duff & Phelps last night declined to comment about any individual bid for Rangers. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/us-firm-in-25m-bid-for-rangers.17178029

Rangers could have a new owner-in-waiting as early as next week, according to a source close to negotiations at the crisis-hit club. Administrators have been running the Glasgow giants ever since they were forced to take court protection from insolvency six weeks ago. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17560233

Aye,it broke my heart today when I had to fuel up:smile:

Leaving 15:30 mate,I'm having to drive through:colbert:,Bob is not going,it's the only way we can get through to the game,catching the train would be too risky coming home.

Not sure about now but I read on FF this morning that 41,000 tickets have been sold!. Incredible.

Martin Williams ‏ @Martin1Williams #Rangers admins taking legal action to get back £9.5m they believe was lodged with #CraigWhyte’s solicitors through Ticketus deal

It could very well be the answer mate. Kennedy was well impressed with the Rangers fans on Sunday and seems like he genuinely wants to help the Rangers

I think the Taig accusations should be left for FF. It's easy to agree to disagree.

It's like the movie Braveheart,all Wallace wants to do is fight the English while all the nobles want to do is squabble for the scraps of Long shanks table. :grin:

I posted this in another thread,but thought I'd post it hear as well. Brian Kennedy hints at teaming up with Paul Murray's Blue Knights BRIAN KENNEDY last night threw his weight behind Paul Murray’s plan to rescue Rangers. And the Sale Sharks owner insisted he could team up with the Blue Knights if they need his cash to help oust Craig Whyte. Paul Murray large image Kennedy reluctantly took a step back from the race to save the club from Whyte’s clutches yesterday when he was told by administrators his bid was not one of the biggest offers on the table. Record Sport understands Murray’s group and a consortium from Chicago involving Club 9 Sports are considered by Duff and Phelps to be the two front runners now, although an unnamed British bidder and a party from Singapore are also still involved. But, in an exclusive interview, Kennedy made clear his belief the Blue Knights should be given the keys to Ibrox. And he did not rule out the prospect of adding some of his wealth to their bid. Kennedy said: “No, I would not rule myself out of getting involved with the Blue Knights if they need me to help save the club. If they need me, I’ll be there. If they don’t, I won’t. It’s all about saving the club. “For now I will let Paul get on with this as he seems to have his investors all sorted out. “The reason I don’t like consortiums is because it is so difficult to get all the parties around one table and to agree on things. “But Paul has managed to get everything in place and organised to the point that he is able to produce the funds required. Therefore there is no need at this stage to involve me.” Murray was quick to welcome Kennedy’s backing and also refused to rule out the prospect of teaming up. Murray told Record Sport: “I’ve been speaking regularly with Brian throughout this process and I am convinced he is a genuine guy who has the club’s best interests at heart. For that reason I am open to the idea of Brian joining our group. “We need all the help and the ideas we can get because there are huge challenges facing the club and a great deal of work to be done.” Kennedy also called for Whyte to back down on his threat to tip the club into liquidation rather than hand his shares over to Murray. After emergency talks with Whyte in London on Wednesday, Duff and Phelps remain confident the shamed owner will NOT block any sale. Kennedy, though, remains on a watching brief and says he will be willing to step in again should the club be plunged any further towards oblivion. But he is now convinced that Murray’s rescue package is the best deal for the club. He said: “Currently I am the lowest bid. From day one I have always said I am here as a back stop should everything else fail and that remains the case. I am here to ensure Rangers doesn’t go out of business. “The critical thing is that we need to move forward to ensure that we can put together a substantial team on the park in time for next season. Paul feels exactly the same way and we talk extensively every day about this. “As things stand, we have players who have inserted clauses into their contracts which enable them to get out at the end of the season at a reduced value. “They or their agents are probably going to be talking to other clubs because of all the uncertainty which surrounds Rangers. “These guys will want to know who is going to be the owner? What are his plans going to be for the squad? How stable is the club going to be financially? What is the strategy of the owner? “So the administrator needs to move quickly now to chose a best bidder. They need to chose the buyer and grant him a period of exclusivity in order to get this deal done. “I hope that will be done with Paul because he definitely has the right intentions for the club and understands what is needed. “So hopefully he can get in next week and start talking to the players and the manager and making all the plans that need to be made.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2012/03...6908-23806685/

We should use the fighting fund to get a top lawyer onto the SFA

CELTIC legend Charlie Nicholas last night declared the only person tainting the Hoops forthcoming Title glory is manager Neil Lennon. With the team boss now facing three SFA disciplinary charges Nicholas believes he has become an " embarrassment " to the club and taken deserved credit away from the players. Nicholas is adamant that the focus should all be on a side that has been very worthy of claiming the SPL Flag instead of becoming a managerial sideshow soured by frequent rows over refereeing decisions. "It should all be about the team and their achievements on the park but now it has become more about Neil Lennon, squabbling again with referees and how the officials helped to blow Celtic's treble. " he declared. "It has come from a point where they were 21 points ahead and nobody could argue if they walked away with the title by more than 20 points because the players have worked hard and chalked up an impressive run. ì But that now seems to have gone and now and the manager is taking centre stage î Charlie Nicholas "But that now seems to have gone and now and the manager is taking centre stage. Celtic are , of course, going to win the title but they should just go and do it the right way in my book instead of getting involved in more rows with officials. "Lennon now seems to have a one-man agenda of I want this and that and the football, which has been this season's success story, is quickly being forgotten about. " "He has built up all the goodness and now he is on the verge of throwing it all away again." "Celtic are the best club on the planet when it comes to using paranoia but we have to get away from that." http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/311400/Lennon-is-tainting-Celtic-s-title-glory-declares-Nicholas

Mar 30 2012 Exclusive by David McCarthy BRIAN KENNEDY last night admitted he was blown away by the intensity and passion of Sundayâ??s Old Firm clash. And the Cheshire-based millionaire businessman insisted the Rangersâ?? fans backing of their team has proved to him he was right to enter the bidding for the club. Kennedy watched Rangersâ?? 3-2 defeat of Celtic from the club deck, sitting alongside former Ibrox player-boss Graeme Souness whom it is believed he wanted as part of his set-up had he taken control. Kennedy is now out of the running to take over Rangers but insisted everything he witnessed on Sunday vindicated his decision to become involved. He said: â??I have been to many Old Firm games and I spent most of my teenage years in Glasgow. Iâ??ve always been a great admirer of Rangers, albeit Iâ??m a Hibs fan. â??That match on Sunday: I used to call it an institution â?? a religion. It is not a religion. It is not an institution. That match is a small country. â??The intensity was unbelievable. What I was so delighted about was the festivity and the spirit of the Rangers supporters. â??They have been through hell. They have been humiliated and goaded by their enemies. â??But they came out with festivity, joy, cheer and emotion. It was just a wonderful thing to witness. It was a release of all the pent-up frustration and anguish. â??It was just a tremendous force. The class of the club and its history, itâ??s absolutely second to none and the way the supporters conducted themselves on Sunday echoed that. â??It was not hostile or aggressive. There was not one sectarian song and anyone coming along could not criticise Rangers or Celtic fans. All they could do was stand back and admire the spirit of the crowd. â??I canâ??t speak for what might or might not have happened away from the stadium but inside the ground during the game, it was just a fantastic display of camaraderie, good spirit and festivity.â? http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2012/03/30/intensity-of-old-firm-clash-blew-me-away-admits-brian-kennedy-86908-23806824/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Brian Kennedy hints at teaming up with Paul Murray's Blue Knights BRIAN KENNEDY last night threw his weight behind Paul Murray’s plan to rescue Rangers. And the Sale Sharks owner insisted he could team up with the Blue Knights if they need his cash to help oust Craig Whyte. Paul Murray large image Kennedy reluctantly took a step back from the race to save the club from Whyte’s clutches yesterday when he was told by administrators his bid was not one of the biggest offers on the table. Record Sport understands Murray’s group and a consortium from Chicago involving Club 9 Sports are considered by Duff and Phelps to be the two front runners now, although an unnamed British bidder and a party from Singapore are also still involved. But, in an exclusive interview, Kennedy made clear his belief the Blue Knights should be given the keys to Ibrox. And he did not rule out the prospect of adding some of his wealth to their bid. Kennedy said: “No, I would not rule myself out of getting involved with the Blue Knights if they need me to help save the club. If they need me, I’ll be there. If they don’t, I won’t. It’s all about saving the club. “For now I will let Paul get on with this as he seems to have his investors all sorted out. “The reason I don’t like consortiums is because it is so difficult to get all the parties around one table and to agree on things. “But Paul has managed to get everything in place and organised to the point that he is able to produce the funds required. Therefore there is no need at this stage to involve me.” Murray was quick to welcome Kennedy’s backing and also refused to rule out the prospect of teaming up. Murray told Record Sport: “I’ve been speaking regularly with Brian throughout this process and I am convinced he is a genuine guy who has the club’s best interests at heart. For that reason I am open to the idea of Brian joining our group. “We need all the help and the ideas we can get because there are huge challenges facing the club and a great deal of work to be done.” Kennedy also called for Whyte to back down on his threat to tip the club into liquidation rather than hand his shares over to Murray. After emergency talks with Whyte in London on Wednesday, Duff and Phelps remain confident the shamed owner will NOT block any sale. Kennedy, though, remains on a watching brief and says he will be willing to step in again should the club be plunged any further towards oblivion. But he is now convinced that Murray’s rescue package is the best deal for the club. He said: “Currently I am the lowest bid. From day one I have always said I am here as a back stop should everything else fail and that remains the case. I am here to ensure Rangers doesn’t go out of business. “The critical thing is that we need to move forward to ensure that we can put together a substantial team on the park in time for next season. Paul feels exactly the same way and we talk extensively every day about this. “As things stand, we have players who have inserted clauses into their contracts which enable them to get out at the end of the season at a reduced value. “They or their agents are probably going to be talking to other clubs because of all the uncertainty which surrounds Rangers. “These guys will want to know who is going to be the owner? What are his plans going to be for the squad? How stable is the club going to be financially? What is the strategy of the owner? “So the administrator needs to move quickly now to chose a best bidder. They need to chose the buyer and grant him a period of exclusivity in order to get this deal done. “I hope that will be done with Paul because he definitely has the right intentions for the club and understands what is needed. “So hopefully he can get in next week and start talking to the players and the manager and making all the plans that need to be made.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2012/03/30/brian-kennedy-hints-at-teaming-up-with-paul-murray-s-blue-knights-in-bid-to-save-rangers-86908-23806685/

NEIL LENNON is a complete enigma. The Celtic boss is intelligent, articulate, entertaining and amusing. But all of this is AWAY from a football park. If anything, he is now more out of control at the side of the pitch than he ever was on it. When he was on the park he at least realised if he was sent off he'd be accountable to others. If he lost the place he was answerable to his team-mates at the end of the game and Martin O'Neill his then manager. When he played for Celtic there were restraints placed upon him. Now, as manager of Celtic, I can't help but feel there are no controls on him at all. Right now he is a loose cannon and the slightest thing seems to set him off. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell is not doing enough to stop this from happening. He should be meeting this head on and telling Lennon enough is enough. He should be pointing out to Lennon this is no way for the Celtic manager to behave. Lennon can't keep going in the same vein. But the danger is no one at Celtic seems prepared to pull him aside and tell him straight, this is not on. There is no doubt Lawwell should be doing more. Rangers and Celtic are the two most influential clubs in the country. And I know from watching my own son play football, this is true now more than ever before. Youngsters and coaches are watching and mimicking their every move. Ironically, Lennon was talking at the weekend about not being able to do his job. Really? Why then was he sticking his nose into ref Calum Murray's affairs? Murray, right, should have been allowed to do his job too. Given his side's first-half performance at Ibrox, Lennon should have been walking up the tunnel thinking about what he was going to say to his players. What does he want the ref to say: 'OK Neil on reflection considering what you have said, and with the language you have used, let's replay the first half'. That is not going to happen. Lennon should have been concentrating on galvanising his own players. Can you imagine the furore if Murray had approached Lennon in the tunnel at half-time and said: 'Hey, Neil, I want to have a word with you about your tactics and why Lee McCulloch is running amok against Charlie Mulgrew and Thomas Rogne'. Lennon would have been apoplectic — and rightly so. Everyone remembers what happened last season when referees decided enough was enough and withdrew their labour. The pressure on them at the time was remarkable, they were driven to that decision. For a while after the strike, coaches and managers recognised they had to be a bit more restrained with their comments. They recognised refs had a part to play in the game and that, just like the players, they will make mistakes. It seems to me we are now sliding back down the slippery slope. I don't think refs will go on strike again this season — purely because we've only got seven games to go. But I wouldn't be surprised if the events of the past two weeks are discussed at length by the officials in the summer. We simply can't have a repeat of the scenario where the referee is blamed for every defeat. When Celtic were on that great unbeaten run we heard very little, if any, criticism of referees. All of a sudden, after back-to-back domestic defeats, things are getting piled on refs again. Is Lennon being manipulative? Is he trying to take the heat off himself? Is he trying to create a siege mentality? Who knows. I suspect he simply explodes at the side of a park. I was at a dinner last week, before the Old Firm game was played. I was sat next to a couple of Celtic fans and I left with the distinct impression that Lennon has now become an embarrassment to the silent majority. They have had enough of his outbursts. Remember, these guys were saying all of this BEFORE last Sunday's match at Ibrox. Lennon keeps pushing it and pushing it and I've no doubt a dim view of his actions will be taken by those in power at Hampden. Quite simply, he can't be allowed to conduct himself in this manner every time a result goes against him. And that brings us to this Sunday and the clash with St Johnstone at Celtic Park. George Salmond is the man in the middle and I don't envy him at all. Under the circumstances it will be a difficult game to referee. But I'm sure he'll do what all officials would do in that situation. Shut out the outside influence and concentrate on taking charge of the match. That's all he can do — that's all any ref can do. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4228489/Lennys-now-a-loose-cannon-HES-the-one-who-needs-to-get-a-grip.html#ixzz1qaDEatA3

Ed Fraser ‏ @frasereC4 Reply RetweetedRetweet Delete FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details And its dynamite RT @alextomo: #c4news we aim to run a major investigation into Glasgow Rangers FC tomorrow night. Watch this space.

The Scottish Football Association's Stewart Regan explains the SFA's role in Craig Whyte's acquisition of Rangers and says it will look to stamp out behaviour that is not "acting with integrity". Video: http://www.channel4.com/news/we-run-football-were-not-the-police-sfa-boss

Me,Hastie & auld Jacky are going as well mate. I got Hastie to phone up for tickets, as his two nephews are also going,but I have no idea where we are sitting as Hastie can't remember where they are for!:tongue:,we'll just have to wait until we pick the tickets up from the TO:)

9 March 2012 Under 16 International Challenge Matches Italy v Scotland U16s Sesto San Giovanni, Italy 8-12 April 2012 Scotland U16 coach Dean Gorre has named his squad for the upcoming matches against Italy in April. These will be Dean's first games in charge of the team. Goalkeepers Ryan Fulton (Liverpool) Liam Kelly (Rangers) Defenders Mark Barrowman (Celtic) Jordan McGhee (Heart of Midlothian) Scott McMann (Hamilton Academical) Morgyn Neil (Motherwell) Ryan Sinnamon (Rangers) Calum Waters (Celtic) Midfielders George Byers (Watford) Liam Henderson (Celtic) Connor McManus (Celtic) Robbie Muirhead (Kilmarnock) Craig Storie (Aberdeen) Tom Walsh (Rangers) Forwards Kieran Doran (St Mirren) Scott Ferries (Aberdeen) Alex Jakubiak (Watford) Paul McMullan (Celtic) Daniel Stoney (Rangers)

Excellent news. http://www.rangerstv.tv/