ian1964

Davis for me as well,McGregor has been excellent as well.

Whith such great expectations you're sure to be dissapointed,did you expect big signings Danny?,I never,but this time last year we would have lost Jelavic,Davis etc. Again we have a good enough team/squad to retain our title and have made a couple of decent signings as well as tying up our better players and these new signings are good enough to make an impact in the SPL.

I've never heard anything else tbh Craig. I don't know why anybody thought he didn't want to be here?.

Don't know if you listened to the interview,but it was fairly normal,but he is excited about getting here and looking to hit the ground running and mentioning the game against the BHEASTS being 2 weeks?,Ithink he said,after he arrives and wants to play a part in that. I also think he will prove to be a good signing,time will tell of course.

This what they were trying to push through,I'm glad somebody senseible has temporarily halted their agenda,and this is why the BHEASTS are so angry as they see it as a defeat.They keep exposing themselves for what they are and long may it continue.

RANGERS boss Ally McCoist is thrilled that key stars Nikica Jelavic and Steve Davis are remaining with Rangers and believes he has the squad to chase four in a row. Craig Whyte and the Rangers board had their resolve tested when big interest in the Croatian striker and the talismanic midfielder was expressed but they held firm. Nikica JelavicThe Light Blues rejected a bid from Leicester City for the striker on Tuesday and also rebuffed expressions of interest from agents and clubs for the Jelavic less than an hour before the transfer window closed last night. There was also interest from Aston Villa in Davis but again the club told the English Premiership side he was not for sale. McCoist, who has signed seven new players in the summer, says the squad is ready to challenge for honours and everyone can now focus on football following the closure of the window. He told rangers.co.uk: "I am delighted that Nikica and Steven are both staying. There was no pressure to sell either player but the Club received a serious offer for Nikica from Leicester. "The fact it was rejected sends out a clear message to all Rangers fans and I have no doubt the players we have are more than capable of defending the SPL title. "It has been a long transfer window with lots of speculation but we have added seven new players while the core of our double-winning side last season have been re-signed so I am more than happy with the squad we have. "Hopefully all the boys can return from international duty unscathed and the break will also give our injured players the chance to recover before our game against Dundee United next weekend." Rangers owner Craig Whyte has spent in excess of �£5 million on transfers and improved contracts for key players this summer with Lee Wallace, Dorin Goian, Carlos Bocanegra, Alejandro Bedoya, Kyle Bartley, Juan Manuel Ortiz and Matt McKay all boosting last season's title-winning squad. Allan McGregor, Steven Davis, Steven Whittaker and Gregg Wylde have also signed long-term contracts with the Champions. The Chairman commented: "We had a serious offer for Nikica Jelavic but it fell well short of the player's true valuation. Ally McCoist is building a good squad capable of competing for the domestic Treble and Jelavic and Steven Davis are key players for the team. "Ally has signed seven new players and re-signed seven more this summer which has been a significant investment in the squad. While all Rangers fans want to see as many star signings as possible there has to be realism as well. "Unfortunately we have not qualified for the Champions League or Europa League group stages and the Cub has to be run in the correct manner. "Ally and I discuss these matters constantly and he has told me he is happy with the squad he has at his disposal. We now look forward to the rest of the campaign and doing all we can to continue our success. "As always at Rangers, we are committed to working together to ensure a successful domestic campaign this season."

I've enjoyed the last three titles more than any other I think,you say shivering wrecks but I'd call it ecxitement and nerves. I'm not the shivering wreck type of guy,while we all want to win every game and every title it doesn't happen that way as we all know.I'll stick by what I said,we have a more than capable squad of retaining our title and believe we will.

I hope the Rangers rollercoaster stutters to four in a row

NIKICA JELAVIC’S Rangers future was secured when he pledged his allegiance to boss Ally McCoist during a long-distance heart-to-heart yesterday. Record Sport can reveal the Croatian striker, who is back in Zagreb on international duty, held a no-holds-barred conversation with rookie boss McCoist over the phone at around 3pm on a frantic final day of the transfer market. McCoist was concerned his talismanic hitman might have been seduced by the idea of a lucrative move OUT of Ibrox after learning the SPL champs had booted out a Ã?£6.5million bid from big spenders Leicester City on Tuesday. As McCoist braced himself for in increased offer from Foxes’ boss Sven-Goran Eriksson ahead of last night’s deadline, he picked up the phone to discover if Jelavic’s heart is still in it. And the answer he received helped him heave a huge sigh of relief, after also learning that Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish had decided not to follow up on an official approach for another key man, Steve Davis. McCoist confirmed: “Yes, I had a conversation with Nikica this afternoon and, while I won’t go into details about a private discussion, I don’t mind telling you that I heard everything I wanted to hear from him. “You do worry that players heads can be turned in situations such as this but there is no doubt in my mind that Nikica Jelavic wants to be a Rangers player. “Needless to say I’m delighted to still have him because he is vital to what we are trying to achieve.” McCoist, however, now heads into a title battle with rivals Celtic without securing permanent deals for any of the names on his summer list of priority targets. Despite his best efforts he was unable to put a dent in the "Ã?£15million warchest" which had been promised to him by the club’s new owner Craig Whyte. And yet it could have been much worse for the Gers boss had Davis and Jelavic – who was the subject of a late Ã?£9million bid from an unnamed club last night – been stolen from him at the eleventh hour. While Leicester boss Eriksson moved instead for Everton striker Jermaine Beckford, McLeish also backed off. The Villa gaffer snapped up ex-Rangers full-back Alan Hutton on a permanent deal and his Spurs team-mate Jermaine Jenas on loan from White Hart Lane. McLeish then confirmed to Record Sport he decided against angering his old club with a hostile last-ditch offer for star man Davis. He said: “It’s true we made an approach for Steven Davis. We were told the player was not for sale so I concentrated on going after other targets.” Meanwhile, Rangers yesterday ripped up James Beattie’s contract and allowed Northern Ireland international Andrew Little to go out on loan to Port Vale. And late last night Ibrox kids John Fleck and Kyle Hutton joined Sheffield United on six-month deals. Reports in Africa also claimed Rangers had a Ã?£100,000 offer for South Africa international Siphiwe Tshabalala rejected by Kaizer Chiefs. El Hadji Diouf – who was on loan at Gers last season – also won’t be heading to Ibrox. The striker was yesterday freed by Blackburn but McCoist does not intend to offer him a second stint at the club. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/09/01/rangers-star-nikica-jelavic-pledged-future-to-club-during-heart-to-heart-chat-reveals-boss-ally-mccoist-86908-23387664/

http://www.4bc.com.au/

However, Donald Findlay QC, former vice-chairman of Rangers, said: "If a Rangers fan and a Celtic fan have a fight in the street, what's that got to do with football or sectarianism? "It may have nothing at all. If it happens at a football match, that's to do with football, but what's it got to do with religion? Maybe nothing at all. "What concerns me is if you take a crime and put it in a context, then you taint it by the context, and I don't think that necessarily follows."

ABERDEEN have failed with a sensational late bid to secure Scotland superstar James McFadden on a short-term deal. SunSport can reveal that Dons boss Craig Brown sounded Faddy out last week over a possible move to Pittodrie. He was left disappointed when McFadden turned down his offer. The 28-year-old former Motherwell striker is out of contract at Birmingham City. He's back fit after a cruciate knee injury kept him sidelined for much of last season. Faddy is a free agent after three years at Brum. McFadden has just returned from two weeks' rehab in America and could still accept a new deal at St Andrew's, where he is training. The striker can sign for a new club despite the close of transfer window but wants to make sure he's 100 per cent fit before committing to a new contract. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3787476/Dons-fail-in-Faddy-move.html#ixzz1WgrZJswU

A JURY has provoked anger by clearing a football fan of assaulting Neil Lennon - despite the fact that he was captured live on television lunging at the Celtic manager. John Wilson was also acquitted of sectarianism even though a match steward told the court he heard him call Lennon a "Fenian b******". Wilson, who was convicted of breach of the peace, ran towards the away team dug-out at Tynecastle Stadium, in Edinburgh, on 11 May, shouting and swearing. Thousands of people inside the stadium, as well as television viewers, saw him attempt to lunge past stewards towards the manager. The incident came amid high tension in Scottish football after explosives were sent to Mr Lennon, his lawyer Paul McBride QC, and former MSP and Celtic fan Trish Godman. At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Wilson, 26, admitted striking the Celtic manager on the head, but the jury yesterday delivered a verdict of "not proven" to the assault charge. A senior lawyer said he was surprised by the verdict; Celtic Football Club said the acquittal was "difficult to comprehend bearing in mind our knowledge of the incident"; and Lennon's agent Martin Reilly said he was "shocked and stunned". Anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth voiced concern that the verdict would legitimise sectarian hatred and violence in the eyes of the general public. In a statement, Celtic said: "It is for the jury to decide on this case. However, we find the accused's acquittal of the charge of assault difficult to comprehend bearing in mind our knowledge of the incident. "One thing is clear - this was a disgraceful incident involving Neil Lennon, seen by the world - the sort of incident which should not have happened in any football stadium and one which embarrassed Scottish football." Brian McConnachie, a leading QC, said the prosecution should be embarrassed by the verdict. "It's pretty difficult to understand how you could fail to prove it," he said. "If you show the video to the jury - that's the guy running down there, that's him trying to hit Mr Lennon. "Plus the fact he admitted he lunged at Lennon - it's pretty difficult to lose that. • Analysis: Unusual but not unheard-of and juries must decide the facts "I would have been pretty disappointed to see the jury come back and acquit him." The jury had heard there was a "terrible" and "poisonous" atmosphere in the stadium leading up to the incident, with supporters singing sectarian songs and shouting at each other. Wilson denied taking part in the singing or using sectarian language when approaching Lennon, insisting that he actually said: "Lennon ya f****** w*****." The jury rejected the Crown allegation that it was a sectarian incident aggravated by religious prejudice. Wilson told the court: "I regret every moment of it. I've let so many people down." The labourer, who was unemployed at the time, said he had let his children down, as well as himself, adding it was "not my normal behaviour". Asked whether he understood how the Celtic manager must have felt during the incident, he replied: "It must have been awful for him. I can't say how sorry I am to Mr Lennon." Nil by Mouth said it had to respect the jury's decision, but was concerned about the message sent out. Spokesman Dave Scott said: "What we are concerned about is the punter on the street will see this and say it's okay to do this. "What he has reported to have said is an unacceptable term. "These words are offensive sectarian words." The decision has also sparked fury and disbelief among Celtic fans. One told the Celtic Quick News website: "Shocking verdict, but no surprise. We have to remember if not for Lenny's reaction and Thommo (coach Alan Thompson], the guy could have hurt him." Another fan, calling himself James Forrest, wrote: "You can assault our manager live on TV and not go to jail. Today, I am raging. I am raging at the country I live in. I am raging at the way we are being urinated on, and I am raging that we tolerate it." Another, called ibleedgreenandwhite, said: "Neil Lennon deserves justice … pity he won't get it in Scotland." The Scottish Government has said it is determined to stamp out sectarianism, particularly related to football, and plans new legislation. However, Donald Findlay QC, former vice-chairman of Rangers, said: "If a Rangers fan and a Celtic fan have a fight in the street, what's that got to do with football or sectarianism? "It may have nothing at all. If it happens at a football match, that's to do with football, but what's it got to do with religion? Maybe nothing at all. "What concerns me is if you take a crime and put it in a context, then you taint it by the context, and I don't think that necessarily follows." Scottish ministers said they remained determined to rid football of sectarianism. A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Our proposed legislation is aimed at sending out a clear message through tough new laws that there is no place for bigots in a modern-day Scotland. "We welcome the continued support of football clubs and others in tackling sectarianism. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/news/Anger-as-football-fan-is.6828812.jp?articlepage=1

Arsenal have signed Everton's Mikel Arteta for �£10m after the Spanish midfielder submitted a transfer request to force through the move. Arteta, 29, joined the Gunners on a four-year contract just before the transfer window closed. The deal had looked dead earlier after talks between the two clubs broke down but Arteta handed in the transfer request an hour before the deadline. Arsenal also signed Chelsea's Yossi Benayoun, 31, on a season-long loan. "Mikel indicated to me that he wished to join Arsenal if a bid came in," said Everton manager David Moyes. Click to play Benayoun's well-worked goal against Burnley "I am very disappointed to lose him but the prospect of Champions League football was something I wasn't able to offer him." According to BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan, there is anger behind the scenes at Goodison because Arteta left his announcement so late that there was no time to re-invest the money. Roan added: "Arsenal offered �£5m on Tuesday and offered �£10m on Wednesday afternoon - both bids were rejected. Any deal was dead until around 1900 BST, when Arteta told Moyes he wished to leave. "Moyes spoke to the chairman, Bill Kenwright, and said he did not want to keep a player who did not wish to play for Everton. "Arteta was Everton's highest-paid player ever on around �£75,000 a week and took a big pay cut to join Arsenal." Arteta joined Everton from Real Socieded for �£2m in 2005 and has scored 35 goals in 208 appearances. He started his career with Barcelona before spells with Paris Saint-Germain FC and Rangers. The Spaniard suffered a knee ligament injury in February 2009 and was sidelined for almost 12 months before signing a new five-year deal in August 2010. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown told BBC Sport that both Arteta and Benayoun were "solid signings". MARTIN KEOWN'S VIEW Continue reading the main story "Arsenal made eight signings during this transfer window, which is the biggest turnover of players Arsene Wenger has sanctioned since he came to the club back in 1998. He brought very well then, with a big group coming in - Petit, Overmars, Garde, Manninger, Wreh. Lots came in at once and we've not seen Wenger do that since. It hasn't really been his style of management. The amount of players he has brought in is a big call and only the results will tell as to whether or not he has got the right blend." Read more from Martin Keown But when asked if they would be adequate replacements for the departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, Keown added: "No they're not, it's very hard to replace those players. "I think back to the [Dennis] Bergkamp era, the impetus those players brought. Arteta is a great passer, Benayoun is not getting into Chelsea team. It's a mixed bag for Arsenal fans." Benayoun, the Israel captain, wrote on social networking site Twitter: "I sign with Arsenal, very happy and excited about it, but now my head is only in the game against grecce on Friday, thanks for the support." Both clubs later confirmed the move had gone through. Chelsea offered Liverpool �£8m plus Benayoun for Reds midfielder Raul Meireles on Tuesday, but that deal was rejected. He joined Blues from Liverpool for �£5m in July 2010 but was restricted to 10 appearances last season because of an Achilles injury and has seen only one minute of action this time round. It had been rumoured Benayoun would be included in an offer from Chelsea for Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric. Newcastle had also been linked with the Israeli. Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner completed a move away from Emirates Stadium just before the window closed, joining Sunderland on a season-long loan. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14739185.stm

LIVERPOOL failed in a shock deadline day swoop for Nikica Jelavic. SunSport can reveal Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish moved to land the Ibrox ace yesterday afternoon. Rangers dismissed the offer and insisted the hitman was going NOWHERE. King Kenny was looking for attacking options after losing David Ngog, Raul Meireles and Joe Cole. He signed up Craig Bellamy from Manchester City but Jelavic was on his radar. Dalglish chanced his arm with a cheeky bid to take the hitman on loan before he made a more realistic offer. Then Leicester, who had a �£6.5m offer turned down on Tuesday, topped Liverpool's bid as they came back in last night with an increased deal. That, too, was rejected.Rangers insiders also claimed there was a late �£9million bid tabled for Jelavic from an UNNAMED club just hours before the transfer window closed. Kyle Hutton and John Fleck missed out on a loan move to Sheffield United with the paperwork not done in time and James Beattie's had his contract ripped up. Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs branded Gers' �£100,000 offer for South Africa skipper Siphiwe Tshabalala an insult. Agent Jazzman Mahlakgane said: "They tried to get him on loan first and then they were offering �£100,000. It's an insult." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3787591/Gers-KO-Kop-bid-for-Jela.html#ixzz1WgkkRroE

Agreed. Maybe it's because of the last few seasons,but I was more worried about losing players.We have a good enough squad to win the title,IMO

Of course,IF IT'S TRUE?,and if Jelavic wants a big move to the EPL then all he has to do is keep banging the goals away and maybe in January he'll get his wish with my blessing,at the right price mind you

Jelavic doesn't have a say in it as far as I'm concerned,unless he has a clause in his contract.I said in the other thread I'd want �£20m for him right now

If true then good on CW. We need Jelavic to help retain OUR title and �£9m would not do us any good right now,and going by the stupid money being thrown around in the EPL I would want �£20m for him

Good. Now let's go and win this fecking title Rangers

If it was a long term injury then maybe,but I'm confident in our squad

We have a more than capable squad to retain our title this season with the players we have,as long as we don't lose Jelavic.

I agree that he got off with the charge of sectarian assult,It wasn't. If I was that guy I'd be pressing charges against TLB for assaulting/kicking him when he was on the ground,a typical tactic from a typical coward.

That's why I posted a couple of videos in the downloads section,better to kill some time feeling good!!

Aye,I know Craig,but I'd believe STV before most