ian1964

AN incident after the alleged slashing of a Celtic fan at the away end of Saturdayâ??s Scottish Cup tie with Caley Thistle had its sequel at Inverness Sheriff Court today. A fan, said in court to be a friend of the victim, became involved in a fight and was arrested as he went to the assistance of his fellow supporter. Michael Docherty (27) of Scalpay Street, Glasgow, admitted being involved in a fight which followed the incident. But he has denied prosecution evidence that he threw punches in the fracas. A proof has been fixed for February 23. Docherty pleaded guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner and engaging in the fight. But his solicitor Tony McGlennan said he denied Crown allegations that he threw four punches during the fight. The court heard there was a surge in the crowd after Celtic scored a goal and fans were doing a conga to celebrate. During the course of that celebration one of the Celtic supporters was apparently slashed and Mr McGlennan said Docherty came forward to help his friend who was the victim. "What he specifically denies is that he threw three to four punches. All he is saying is he threw a Caprisun (a soft drinks carton). His friend was slashed and he was encouraged to come to his aid." The solicitor said he understands that one of the police officers at the ground had a body camera which witnessed the incident. "My client is hoping it recorded the incident," Mr McGlennan added. Docherty was released on bail until the next court hearing but banned from entering any SPL football ground or the national stadium at Hampden Park by Sheriff David Sutherland. http://www.highland-news.co.uk/News/Celtic-fan-in-court-on-fight-charge-after-slashing-at-Inverness-cup-tie-06022012.htm

A CELTIC fan who spat on a security guard after being refused admission to Saturdayâ??s Scottish Cup tie at Caledonian Stadium in Inverness was fined £400 in court on Monday. Taxi driver Christopher Smith (35) of Crow Road, Glasgow, appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted assaulting Patrick McLennan, a security officer at the ground, by spitting in his face on February 4. Depute Fiscal Ian Smith told Sheriff David Sutherland security staff were on duty at the South Stand at 1pm and they refused to allow Smith to enter the ground because he was drunk. He was asked for his ticket which he handed over but Mr Smith said when he was informed it was policy for the ticket to be kept and he would not be getting it back Smith turned and spat in the face of Mr McLennan. Eilidh Macdonald, solicitor said Smith was a self-employed taxi driver who lived with his girlfriend. "He felt the guards were being over officious but accepts he should not have behaved in this way." Ms Macdonald said the conviction could have an impact on his taxi licence. Sheriff Sutherland fined him £400 and banned Smith from all Scottish Premier League football grounds for a period of six months. http://www.highland-news.co.uk/News/Celtic-fan-fined-and-banned-for-spitting-at-security-man-06022012.htm

Thread on FF saying CW met with fans group vanguardbears,anybody have any info?

BBC2 program on now about CW

I was agreeing with the fact that I believe there is a witch hunt against CW/Rangers,using the facts that are far more serious than what CW has done

Pity the mHedia don't investigate Dermot previous history with his business dealings?,or TLB on his dealings with known IRA members?,or even the sexual abuse that went on at C****c FC?, all well known facts as opposed to 'may have lied in court'?.

CRAIG WHYTE has responded to claims made tonight by the BBC. A spokesman for Craig Whyte said: "This is clearly a witch-hunt by the BBC. "These accusations, which are simply a variation on what the BBC already alleged in a documentary riddled with inaccuracies and falsehoods and broadcast last year, are defamatory and clearly form part of a concerted campaign by the BBC to embarrass Craig Whyte personally and to damage Rangers Football Club. "In specific terms, Mr Whyte totally refutes the scurrilous allegation that he may have committed perjury in a court of law in December last year. The responses he gave to questions relating to matters that took place some 17 years ago were given truthfully and to the best of his recollection. "In relation to Re-Tex, Mr Whyte repeats that he was not a director of this company and did not at any time have financial control over the company. His only relationship with the company was either as an investor or as a lender. "The further allegation that he was involved in share issue arrangements on behalf of Re-Tex is again both false and defamatory. "In the BBC's documentary last year, the accusation was made that Mr Whyte could have been guilty of criminal activity. Yet, neither before nor since the broadcast, has there been any criminal investigation into any aspect of Mr Whyte's business dealings. "This renewed attack by the BBC, as with matters that were aired by the BBC last year, are in the hands of Mr Whyte's lawyers and will be contested robustly." "There has been no offer by the BBC to provide any documentary proof in support of their accusations. "Mr Whyte is in no doubt that this latest attack is part of a concerted campaign to damage both him and Rangers FC and follows the decision by the club to withdraw co-operation with the corporation. This was as a result of the documentary broadcast last year which also made a series of false and defamatory claims." http://www.tv.rangers.co.uk/articles/20120206/craig-whyte-statement_2254024_2602149

BBC Scotland has uncovered evidence which suggests Rangers owner Craig Whyte may have lied in court. During a civil case last year, he told Glasgow Sheriff Court his seven-year ban from being a company director did not relate to treatment of creditors. But the judge who imposed the ban said company assets were "put out of the reach of the creditors". The Rangers owner accused the BBC of a "witch-hunt" and said the matter would be dealt with robustly by his lawyers. Details of Mr Whyte's seven-year disqualification, imposed in 2000, were revealed by a BBC Scotland investigation - Rangers: The Inside Story - which was broadcast in October. The programme heard allegations that Mr Whyte controlled a company called Re-Tex Plastic Technology despite his ban, an offence which could incur a two-year jail term. Re-tex Plastic Technology was later wound up in 2003. Following the documentary, Mr Whyte denied all the claims "in the strongest possible terms" and said he would be launching legal action against the BBC. The corporation has, as yet, not received a writ. He also stated publicly that the ban related to a "technicality". In a separate matter, the Rangers owner appeared in court in December to contest a case over an alleged unpaid £90,000 repair bill at his castle. Continue reading the main story â??Start Quote In specific terms, Mr Whyte totally refutes the scurrilous allegation that he may have committed perjury in a court of law in December last yearâ? Craig Whyte's spokesman Craig Whyte: Full statement The 40-year-old, who was listed as owner of Tixway UK Ltd, was said to have ordered supplies from One Stop Roofing to repair the roof at his property in Grantown on Spey. It was also claimed that Tixway failed to maintain a repayment plan agreed at the start of the 2010. Evidence has been heard in the case and a written judgement is expected at a later date. During evidence Mr Whyte was asked about his seven-year disqualification from being a company director. In court, he said: "This is going back to matters some time. I don't have any recollection of what it was about just now." He was then asked: "You can't remember why you were banned for seven years?" Mr Whyte replied: "Well, I'm not going to say in open court and get it wrong." The Rangers owner was then asked: "Was it anything to do with the treatment of creditors?" Craig Whyte, arriving at Glasgow Sheriff Court Craig Whyte, seen here arriving at court, gave evidence last year He replied: "No." The BBC has obtained a transcript of the judgement which imposed the seven-year director disqualification on Mr Whyte. The ban was handed down by registrar John Simmonds following a trial at the Royal Courts of Justice Companies Court in London on 13 June 2000. The case relates to Mr Whyte's former company Vital UK, which collapsed owing creditors about £400,000. Registrar Simmonds' ruling in the case appears to contradict the testimony Mr Whyte gave at Glasgow Sheriff Court in December 2011. Registrar Simmonds ruled that "the assets of the company (Vital UK) were put out of the reach of the creditors on a somewhat dubious delayed basis". The ruling continued: "Shortly after that Mr Whyte put the company into a members' liquidation disclosing promissory notes as an asset. "This seems to me to be a self-seeking action with regard to the company. If this is too harsh, then the degree of recklessness shows Mr Whyte to be thoroughly unfit to be a director." 'Heard mitigation' About a month before some of Vital UK's assets were shifted, another of Mr Whyte's companies, Pelcroft, allotted £600,000 worth of new shares - almost half of which went to an address in the Bahamas. Once a liquidator had wound up Vital UK, it pursued Pelcroft and recovered about half of the money owed to the creditors of Vital UK. Registrar Simmonds' ruling concluded: "I have heard mitigation from Mr Whyte's counsel that he is a young man and that some voluntary recompense has been made. "There is nothing that I have heard that the self-seeking behaviour and deliberately placing of assets beyond the liquidators that would not make this a middle bracket case and I consider seven years the correct order and I so order." 'Scurrilous allegation' BBC Scotland asked Mr Whyte for a response and pointed out that the charge for deliberately failing to tell the truth under oath was perjury. A spokesman for Mr Whyte said: "These accusations, which are simply a variation on what the BBC already alleged in a documentary riddled with inaccuracies and falsehoods and broadcast last year, are defamatory and clearly form part of a concerted campaign by the BBC to embarrass Craig Whyte personally and to damage Rangers Football Club. "In specific terms, Mr Whyte totally refutes the scurrilous allegation that he may have committed perjury in a court of law in December last year. The responses he gave to questions relating to matters that took place some 17 years ago were given truthfully and to the best of his recollection. "In the BBC's documentary last year, the accusation was made that Mr Whyte could have been guilty of criminal activity. Yet, neither before nor since the broadcast, has there been any criminal investigation into any aspect of Mr Whyte's business dealings." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-16912365

List of available players: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/suche/detailsuchespielervertragslos/suche.html

Should be a good atmosphere at this one

2-3 weeks is what Ally has said mate

I'm with you on the belief that we will win the title again this season,I also think we have enough quality to do so and maybe pick up a wee freebie that might come in and contribute to that,but the point of the thread is how badly wee handled the Jelavic departure and the fact is we are weaker without him.

It is however still quite shambolic to lose Jelavic so late in the transfer window without replacing him regardless of who wanted him out or why he left.

DAVID MURRAY may be at the crux of all Rangers current problems, but there are others who share responsibility. One of them is Dick Advocaat. Though the man from Holland is unlikely to ever admit to sharing any responsibility. The Dutch are like that. Now I am well aware there are many Rangers supporters who still revere Advocaat and who claim the team he built played the best football of any Ibrox side they have ever watched. Such a stance is only open to debate if it is taken by those who were not around to be thrilled, delighted and regally entertained by the sixties team put together by Scot Symon. The outfit orchestrated by Jim Baxter, which contained Ian McMillan, Willie Henderson, Millar, Brand and Wilson, plus John Greig. But there was another Rangers team which dazzled, if not quite to the standard of the Baxter team, then at least with as much glitter as anything wee Dicky Dutchy ever put together. That was the Walter Smith side during the nine-in-a-row era which included Gazza and Brian Laudrup, along with Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley and Stuart McCall. It was also, a team â?? or a series of teams â?? put together by Smith which dominated for a long, long time domestically and went within a whisker of reaching the final of the Champions League. When the golden age ended with Smithâ??s departure in the summer of 1998, Rangers were in financial clover, boasting a bank balance which was an astonishing £21M in the BLACK. Did I say astonishing? Nine in a row, all those Scottish and League Cups, plus the brink of a Champions League Final AND twenty one million quid in the bank. Astonishing and astounding. But that was pre Advocaat. He arrived in the summer of 1998 with the sort of reckless spend-spend-spend policy of a demented lottery winner who would soon end up broke. Only it wasnâ??t wee Dicky Dutchy who was left on his uppers. It was Rangers. In three years he had turned that £21Million in the black into Rangers being in hock to the bankâ?¦ almost £22Million in the RED! And what did Advocaat's Rangers achieve? A treble in Advocaatâ??s first season, similar to the one Smith hoisted, and a title and Scottish Cup Double, again the same as Smith managed Rangers to. His third season ended trophyless, as Smithâ??s last campaign had, and halfway through his fourth, with it increasingly obvious he could not cope with Martin Oâ??Neillâ??s Celtic, Advocaat ran up the white flag and surrendered control of the team to Alex McLeish. Students of Hollandâ??s history in the 20th Century were not surprised. Advocaat was behaving in national character. Of course, through all of wee Dicky Dutchyâ??s spend-spend-spend years, David Murray remained at the crux of creating the current crisis for Rangers by allowing the manager free access to the cheque book. Murray made the mistake of chosing the wrong man to chase his dream of making Rangers regular qualifiers for the knock out stages of the Champions League, with a view to the last eight being a realistic target. Advocaat however, despite all his drunken sailor style spending, never achieved that. It was left to Alex McLeish to become the first manager to take a Scottish team to the knock out stages of the Champions League. And he did it, comparatively, on three half crowns. Perhaps the danger signals about Advocaat should have started flashing within weeks of his arrival at Ibrox when he declared that he had inherited a mess and promptly cleared out Andy Goram, Ian Durrant, Stewart McCall and Ally McCoist. Yet Goram was far from finished as his subsequent spell at Motherwell showed. He was good for another couple of seasons. Durrant went to Kilmarnock, won plaudits and actually played more games for Scotland than he had as a Rangers player. McCall went on to play in the English Premiership, while McCoist showed enough at Kilmarnock to suggest he could still have made a contribution to Rangers, albeit as a bit-part player. Advocaatâ??s arrogance, a Dutch trait for which I can find little basis, would not allow him to do anything other than fill the Ibrox dressing room with his own players, gambling the clubâ??s long term future on success in Europe. But the success in Europe, which such as Artur Numan(£5M), Ronald de Boer(£4.5M), Gio Van Bronckhorst(£5M), Stephane Guivarcâ??h(£3.75M) and Bert Konterman(£4M) had been bought to achieve, remained as elusive as it had under Smith. There was also the strange case of the £4.2M Rangers spent on centre half Colin Hendry, at the time Scotlandâ??s skipper and a man who oozed the qualities Ibrox fans demand of a Rangers captain. Yet Advocaat insisted on making the erratic Lorenzo Amoruso his captain, while showing a marked reluctance to even play Hendry. This led to speculation that Hendry was Murrayâ??s man and that Advocaat had not sanctioned the deal, something denied by both chairman and manager. But it was and remains a curious episode. Especially when Advocaat had cause to regret his obstinacy when, in a rare admission of his wrong headedness, he stripped the captainâ??s armband from the irate Italian. Of course Advocaat signed some superb players. He could hardly fail to, given the fees and English Premiership style wages Rangers were stumping up. De Boer was outstanding. When fit. He did spend long spells out injured and probably had his best sustained spell in 2002-03, not under Advocaat, but when Alex McLeish conjured a Treble against the Celtic of Oâ??Neill, Larsson, Sutton, Hartson and Thompson, a long way from the Dr Jo Venglos Celtic, Advocaat won his Treble against. Numan was another who was skilful and silky, but all too often out for long spells with a succession of injuries. Against that there were those who stayed fit, but were far from the standard expected. Bert Konterman falls in that category. Not to mention the £12M desperation signing from Chelsea of Tore Andre Flo. Ouch! Advocaat could have got Sutton from the same club for half of that. Ouch again! And, going back to his first months in charge and putting them under the microscope, there was the strange case of Goram out and Lionel Charbonnier in. The Frenchman flattered to deceive and was soon replaced by possibly the only good German ever, in Advocaatâ??s eyes, Stefan Klos. Which leads us on nicely to Advocaatâ??s treatment of another son of the Fatherland, Jorge Albertz, a languid skill with a special left foot, a fansâ?? favourite and also a Smith signing. Perhaps it was that last aspect which caused Advocaat to have such a down on him. Then there was another Smith signing who Advocaat couldnâ??t wait to get out of the door. And we all know what Rino Gattuso went on to as a World Cup and Champions League winner. During all of this I often watched and listened as Advocaat laid flattery on with a trowel, lavishing praise on Murray. In fact, it was wee Dicky Dutchy who was behind the Rangers training complex being named Murray Park. No wonder Murray, a man with more than just a guid conceit of himself, a man with a towering ego, allowed Advocaat, another man whose ego soared, what amounted to his rubber stamped signature on the Rangers cheque book. All of Advocaatâ??s spending would have been fine had the players he bought taken Rangers on to a higher level. Had they ensured that Rangers became regulars in the last sixteen of the Champions League and even gatecrashed the quarter finals, then, the income generated would have more than offset such spending. But it didnâ??t. Advocaat â?? with five trophies and no Euro advancement in three and a half years, against McLeishâ??s seven trophies and the last sixteen of the Champions League in four and a half years â?? failed in his mission. He was responsible for an over £40MILLION DOWNTURN in Rangers fortunes in a short time. And the man who picked him, backed him and gave him carte blanche is even more culpable. David Murray was taken for a ride and Rangers were taken to the cleaners. The bill for the pairâ??s folly is the debt which Rangers are saddled with today. â?¦â?¦ANDâ?¦.. THERE are others whose actions and motives remain to be questioned in their dealings with Rangers. Are they guilty too? I will name names again. HERE! TOMORROW! http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/

The BHEASTS are bottle merchants,we will win the league

ALLY McCOIST last night told rival Neil Lennon to butt out of Rangers' affairs. Gers gaffer McCoist was stunned to hear of Lennon's explosive attack on the SPL champions. Not even the Celtic manager's sympathy for his Ibrox woes prevented McCoist from hitting back. McCoist went as far as to effectively accuse Lennon of being a hypocrite. That charge was sparked by recalling the outspoken Northern Irishman's attack on Walter Smith nearly two years ago. Then, Lennon, on the back of an Old Firm win, slaughtered Smith for having a go at Andreas Hinkel. He said: "It's not Walter's place. I don't comment on Rangers, I never have done, certainly not as a manager anyway." McCoist was mindful of those words when he chose to reply to Lennon's blast at Rangers for their financial crisis. He said: "I am a bit surprised if Neil has said that because I remember him telling Walter to mind his own business when he said something about Celtic. "I'm not certain and I'm not starting a war of words because it's the last thing the clubs need and it's the last thing the supporters want to hear. "But I'd find it surprising if he had said that. It isn't normal, especially when it's nothing to do with the other club. "I don't think our troubles are directly anything to do with anyone else. "There is nothing direct to do with Celtic, so I would find that surprising and a little bit disappointing." McCoist is desperately trying to keep Gers' title hopes alive as they prepare for tomorrow's Scottish Cup clash with Dundee United amid mounting cash worries. However he remains in fighting mood, anxious to ensure there's no negativity within his squad. A team meeting on Wednesday saw fired-up McCoist ram home the message that Celtic aren't unbeatable as he uses the off-field problems to create a siege mentality. He added: "No one has put us in the financial state we are in bar ourselves. Of that there is no doubt. Rangers must shoulder the responsibility. It's nobody else's problem. "But we believe we can maintain a challenge in the league and the Cup. "That's what we must do. And we must get our fans behind us. That squad of lunatics in the Copland Road have been nothing short of sensational. I mean that as a term of endearment. Our away support this season has been magical too. "We had a good squad meeting on Wednesday to say to everybody how positive we must be. Everybody is looking for a siege mentality." McCoist faced tough questions at Murray Park and tackled each of them without flinching. Even the one that posed the growing belief that cash-strapped Gers are now in the business of making bids they KNOW are going to be rejected â?? last summer's £300,000 offer for St Johnstone ace Murray Davidson and Tuesday's £1million bid for Norwich City hitman Grant Holt just a few examples. McCoist said: "I can totally appreciate a lot of people might think you are taking the mickey a bit. "All I know is we put bids in and sometimes they get accepted, sometimes they get knocked back. "Regarding Grant Holt, I phoned up Paul Lambert. I've known Paul a long time. He told me the player was not for sale and he was happy with his squad. "Wycombe Wanderers, Doncaster Rovers, they will get a budget and I guarantee the manager would want more. I'm no different. "I don't think my hands are tied behind my back, that's just the situation we are in." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4108285/Keep-your-nose-out-Neil.html#ixzz1lMv8fFyW

NEIL LENNON has taken an amazing swipe at Rangers by insisting the skint Ibrox club DESERVE to be in a cash crisis. Celtic boss Lennon let rip in an astonishing rant yesterday, admitting he has no sympathy for his Old Firm rivals. Gers face administration amidst a tax battle with HMRC which leaves their future uncertain. But Lennon hit out: "I have a certain sympathy with Ally McCoist because it's his first year in the job and I'm sure he didn't envisage the problems he has had. "But somebody must have seen it coming. Do I have sympathy in that respect for them? No. "Have they brought it upon themselves as a club? Yes. "We have cut our cloth accordingly for years and have had to bite the bullet a few times. "In my opinion, it would work that way if it was any club." Rangers spent much of the transfer window trying to sell their star man â?? with Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic eventually joining Everton on deadline day. But Lennon did all he could to add to his squad, just missing out on Newcastle United forward Leon Best. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4108495/Rangers-deserve-to-be-in-this-mess.html#ixzz1lMufLWGk

If you want to meet before the game on Sunday I'll duly oblige :grin:

What's the latest with this guy?,what position? http://willievass.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/030212-Rangers-training/G0000hoUAi7OzsRA/I0000hCXgwB0faHU

ALLY McCOIST has called on Rangers fans to continue their strong support of the club as he seeks to guide his team to more silverware. The Ibrox boss says unity and belief will be key factors in determining whether his team ends the season with trophies. McCoist admits he was disappointed to lose top scorer Nikica Jelavic, but reiterated his belief that he has a strong enough squad to challenge for the double. He said: "I feel I have to be very positive and that's what I will be. "The most important thing is that our players and our squad still believe that we can go on to retain the title and win the Scottish Cup. "We believe we can do that but we really need the continued support of our fans. "Our fans, especially that mad squad down in the Broomloan stand, are fantastic. Our away fans have been sensational too and we need their continued support. "That's vital for us to have any success on the park, which we still believe we can do." That bid for further success continues this Sunday when McCoist's pits his side against Dundee United in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. But despite a string of injuries still affecting his squad, McCoist insists he will not allow a negative mood to affect training or games. He added: "What we need now is unity, from the players, the fans and everyone around the club. "We don't need doom and gloom and everybody walking around the place with their faces tripping them. "We have to be positive and believe and get everyone together. We all have to head in the one direction and that is forward. "That's the way I see it and as manager of the club that is what I will be doing." McCoist will again be without the services of a number of first team stars with Steven Naismith, Kyle Lafferty, Kirk Broadfoot, Jamie Ness, Steven Whittaker and Kane Hemmings all still ruled out. However McCoist is hopeful that at least some of those will return in the near future. He said: "I'm loathed to put a timescale on it but I'd hope Lafferty and Whittaker would be two to three weeks away at the maximum."

Uefa charges Celtic over banner and fireworks against Udinese Uefa has charged Celtic with "the displaying of an offensive banner and setting off of fireworks by fans" during Thursday's match with Udinese. The incidents during the Europa League Group I match were included in the match delegate's report. Uefa's Control and Disciplinary Body will hear the case on 26 January. Celtic have already imposed a lifetime ban on the fan they say was responsible for the banner and assaulting a steward at the Stadio Friuli. Last week, Celtic decided not to appeal against the £12,700 Uefa fine for "illicit chanting" by some of their fans in the earlier Group I game against Rennes at Celtic Park. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16243145

By Mark Hateley WHEN I first met Ally McCoist he was a man under pressure. I should know, it was partly my fault. My arrival at Ibrox and subsequent partnership with Maurice Johnston meant, for the first time in his Rangers career, Alistair had become the odd man out. They speculated his time at the club was all but over - that McCoist's love affair with Rangers was coming to an unhappy end. Deep down in my heart of hearts I did feel sorry for him. I didn't admit it at the time because we're football guys and, as such, we can only concern ourselves with doing our own jobs for the team. I was playing, he wasn't. Tough. To be honest, Alistair wouldn't have wanted my sympathy either. He was a big boy who understood the ground rules. His problems were with Graeme Souness for not picking him - not with me for taking his place in the team. When I arrived from Monaco, Coisty was without question the top man at Ibrox and the hero of the support. Maurice and I were trying to take his crown away. I know how much that must have hurt him. But he never once let it show. And he never once thought about throwing in the towel. Instead, he sat it out for the best part of a season and studied where he could improve his game and make himself a better player. He got fitter, lost weight and reinvented himself. He came back to be the greatest striker the club has ever had. That's why last week, in these pages, when the rumour mill was going into overdrive, I said it was nonsense to suggest he might be about to quit his position as manager. Anyone who thought otherwise simply does not know who they are dealing with. I was there to see how he coped with the hardest season of his playing career, how he came out of the other side. That's why I back him today to do the same as a manager. Trust me, his first season in the job will end up being, without question, the toughest 12 months he ever experiences in the dugout. If he can come through this to win the title the achievement would have to go down as the greatest of any Rangers manager. Ever. That's quite a statement. But I believe it to be true. The last three titles were secured against all the odds by Ally's mentor, Walter Smith. Given the circumstances around the club, what Walter accomplished was nothing short of remarkable. Yet I'm sure even the old boss would have to concede McCoist will top all that if he brings it home again this year. Rangers are just one point behind Celtic at the top. But that's not even half the story. And the loss of Nikica Jelavic on deadline day could be seen as another body blow. But he's not down and out yet. And that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger. No one knows that better than Ally McCoist. He can now look upon the rest of this season as ideal preparation for the rest of his career. If he can work this puzzle out, then he can do just about anything. I'm not saying this is the way he would want things to be, as a relatively young manager in your first job at a massive club where the expectation levels are through the roof. So, once again, McCoist is a man under pressure. Just like he was all those years ago. And now, just as then, it is time for him to sit back, weigh things up and learn how to adapt to the situation facing him. I can't say I envy him - but I don't doubt him either. Alistair has to dig deep to come up with the answers. He will have to start by gathering his players round him and asking every one of them to give him a little bit more. They have done it before. Guys like Steven Whittaker, who pitched in with 14 goals a couple of seasons ago. That's what Rangers need now, players who are prepared to go the extra mile for their manager, for the shirt and for the fans. What he needs to do now is give these players the most inspirational pep talk of their lives. He's heard a few good ones before so he should know what needs to be said. In 1991, when they said he was finished as a Rangers player, Souness quit for Liverpool, Walter got the job and Ally was handed his lifeline. This was Walter's first taste of management too and there was a real danger we were going to blow the title on his watch. But he brought that dressing room together and got us ready for one final, winner-takes-all game against Aberdeen. I remember how impressed I was with the way Walter handled the situation. In the build-up we went out for one of our infamous team lunches and by the time Saturday came around we were ready to walk through walls to win it for the gaffer and for each other. Now it's Ally's turn to do something similar. If he can somehow find a way to keep the title at Ibrox this season then, for the rest of his days in management, everything else will be plain sailing. http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/markhateley/2012/02/ally-mccoist-needs-to-give-tea.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheDailyRecord%2FMarkHateley+%28The+Daily+Record+-+Mark+Hateley%29

The article states : The Light Blues were expected to have to pay £200,000 in compensation for the Swedish under-21 winger.

JORDAN McMILLAN'S love for Rangers ended the day he was axed for Kyle Bartley. Fed-up McMillan signed an 18-month deal with Dunfermline on transfer deadline day. He'd come from a family of Gers diehards — but knew it was time to quit when he was dropped after starring on his full debut against Motherwell. Now McMillan, 23, insists he'll never support his boyhood idols the way he used to as he strives to keep the Pars in the SPL. McMillan said: "I wanted to move on from Rangers and this is a good chance to play for a manager who's wanted me for a while. "More so this year I realised it wasn't happening for me at Rangers. We got a few injuries in the right-back position and they put Kyle Bartley in there. "That was fair enough because Kyle is a great player, but I just thought then it was the time to move on. "If I'm going to be third choice and they are going to put someone else in in front of me then it was time to go. "I had enjoyed my game against Motherwell and I'd have liked to have kicked on from there. "I won't go to Rangers games any more. I've got a lot of friends there and people I admire. But I'm here to play for Dunfermline and I will give my all for them. "I'll keep my eye on Rangers results, but I can't say I'm a big Rangers fan now. "I've done what I wanted — I made my debut at Ibrox against Chelsea which was a dream. I was a big fan, I've been brought up a Rangers fan and my family are all fans. "But when I asked every one of them about coming to Dunfermline they all said: 'Go, you've got to play'. "I thought it would be harder to leave Murray Park on that final day. "I could have taken another three-year deal at Rangers and maybe not played in the first team again. "But I'd have been 26 by the end of it and I want to be playing. A lot of people sit and take the money, but I'm not one of them. "In a sense I wish I'd done this earlier. When the move to Dunfermline was put in front of me I changed my mind three or four times, I'm not going to lie. "But I spoke to the gaffer here and the reason I'm here is purely down to what he had to say. "Jim McIntyre made it clear what he wanted and what he saw for Dunfermline and I just thought it was a good opportunity." McMillan — whose ex-Gers team-mate Kyle Hutton has signed on loan at the Pars until the end of the season — insists he's ready for a battle to beat the drop. He added: "I've got no qualms about being in a relegation battle. "I like to think of myself as a bit of a scrapper when the chips are down and we're up against it. That doesn't matter to me. "I could have moved to a few places. Some clubs down south showed interest, but this decision is purely down to football. "I could've stayed at Rangers and plugged away and not got a chance. That would've wasted my time to be honest. I'm here to play and hopefully help Dunfermline stay in the SPL." Ex-Gers defender Andy Dowie is another former Ibrox starlet now at the Pars. McMillan said: "Andy's a good example of life after Rangers. He's here and he's a good footballer. "I was only a boy when Andy was in and about the first team at Rangers. "He was really well thought of at Ibrox and was the next big thing, but it didn't work out, he moved on and he's here now. He's doing well at Dunfermline and I see that as a plus. "Loads of players have shown that there is life after Rangers. It's hard to leave the surroundings of Murray Parkbut it's purely down to football and wanting to play." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4105580/I-was-always-a-huge-Gers-fan-till-they-binned-me-for-Bartley.html#ixzz1lJmNrdfJ

Had the said fee already been agreed between the clubs?,if so then it would be wrong to not pay.