Frankie

He has a crucifix attached to his whistle.... I agree his background shouldn't really be an issue so it will be interesting to see what is claimed about him if he happens to give any decisions perceived to be anti-Celtic during the game. After all, unlike McCurry the Celtic fans can't sing sectarian songs about him. The NotW won't be able to print exposes about him either! Or could Collum become the first ref in 10 years to award us a penalty at Parkhead and become the first Catholic Orange bastard referee since last season?!

The first Old Firm clash of the season is almost upon us! Both teams are level at the top of the table and a SPL record will be broken if one of the sides can win this coming Sunday lunch-time. Thus, even more importance on a fixture which excites every football fan and the pressure on everyone involved will be cranked up another notch. I certainly don't envy match referee Willie Collum who will take charge of his first Old Firm match after making his Champions League d�©but last month! As ever, his every move will be micro-analysed; particularly by the home support who love nothing more than a Masonic refereeing conspiracy. Given Collum's interesting background as a religious education teacher at a Roman Catholic school in Bellshill, perhaps the Celtic fans may be more trusting than usual. To that end, they shouldn't really have a lot to worry about in an officiating sense at Parkhead. Incredibly it has now been over ten years since Rangers were last awarded a penalty there (by Stuart Dougal in August 2000) despite a range of strong claims during that period. An interesting anomaly then - especially considering Celtic have been awarded four of their own. For comparison's sake both teams have been given three penalties each at Ibrox Stadium over the same ten year period. Damn that Establishment! I guess one should have some sympathy for the officials when examining the Old Firm phenomenon. The scrutiny placed upon them is intense, often unfair and they don't have the benefit of countless slo-mo replays. Add in the increased chance of being hit by a variety of objects by angry home fans at Parkhead (ask Hugh Dallas and Fernando Ricksen to name but two people) or accosted by same (ask Dida, El-Hadji Diouf or even Gordon Strachan), then one can't blame referees for worrying about their person (or indeed their house windows, cars or gardens) when looking to give a decision against Celtic. After all, the Celtic support are infamous for their paranoia accompanied by violence. Just last weekend, lighters, coins and chestnuts were thrown onto the pitch by the Celtic support while their manager also physically and verbally abused the officials for having the temerity to rightly disallow a Celtic penalty. I guess they should be thankful mobile phones and bananas weren't added to the object list given they've both been thrown whenever a non-Celtic minded individual gets too close to the side of the pitch. The only surprising thing at Tannadice on Sunday was that no away fans fell/jumped from the death-trap of the Main Stand to make their point to the clearly cheating referee. Of course Celtic have supposedly been reported to the SPL for this poor behaviour. Well, their support have anyway - their manager's aggressive actions towards the officials have been excused. Perhaps someone will belatedly report him to the SFA in 11 days time for his touch-line ban? Just don't expect the club to act quickly, after all the perpetrators of the various objects thrown at Fernando Ricksen five years ago still haven't been caught. The message is clear. Give a decision perceived to be against Celtic and you'll be the subject of acute media analysis for weeks on end (see any official; not just in games Rangers play against Celtic per se either). Give a decision perceived to be against Celtic and your own job will become under threat while private investigators are hired to determine your background (see Mike McCurry and Hugh Dallas). Give a decision perceived to be against Celtic and be verbally and physically abused (see Neil Lennon as a Celtic captain and manager). Give a decision perceived to be against Celtic and run the risk of having a variety of bizarre (but painful) items being thrown at your person while your back is turned. Thus, ten years since Billy Dodds scored that penalty at Parkhead (don't worry Celtic fans you were 4-1 up at the time and Barry Ferguson was later sent off to compensate) will Willie Collum be able to ignore that message and judge every incident on its own merits in front of 50000 home fans just waiting to be offended at Parkhead? Or will he join the nine different referees since that day and look the other way when fouls are committed in the Celtic box? Personal safety or professional pride - I guess that isn't an easy question to answer when examining the Parkhead penalty peculiarity.

No HMRC tax liability so not qualified in accounts. Tax tribunal to discuss the situation in coming weeks.

Chairman currently addressing meeting... His (and Bain's) statements should be available shortly.

Can't make it unfortunately mate... Just too busy at work to sneak away...

Cheers mate!

Rangers go back to the top of the SPL on goal difference ahead of crucial Old Firm derby. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=317:rangers-4-1-motherwell-player-ratings-and-mom-poll&catid=35:analysis&Itemid=67 I thought Sasa Papac had a great game but I'll give it to Naismith for his attacking contribution in the 2nd half. :sn:

Nope, you've just volunteered!

PM me your email address please mate...

I'm too busy partaking of the fine hospitality at the Wee Rangers Club to sell such wares!

Sasa Papac and Kyle Lafferty...

I think it will be a bit tighter. 2-1 to the teddies!

Available from all good-looking, intelligent, funny and extremely rich salesmen near you at Ibrox Stadium this coming Saturday... Featuring all the very best articles, the most accurate inside info and the funniest satire; say no to the Scottish media chancers and say hello hello to your fellow bears with the real inside track! No1 Fanzine - Issue 256

Not sure mate - he may choose not to given several players have commented on this.

Yeah, happy for this to have its own thread.

Don't think I'm going to be able to make Monday. Too busy at work just now and doubt I'd get through in time for 11am... If I were going, I'd be attempting to obtain answers on the ongoing tax 'query'; our financial planning for no European football next season; genuine supporters representation; ongoing media image issues and why the SFA seem less than impartial with regard to their disciplinary procedures.

Thanks for that plg. Good to see the Trust being active here.

I remember the official site giving the attendance as 41,000+ as well as that figure being announced at the game.

Never a penalty, never a red card and while Spain were the better team Scotland were unlucky not to get a point.... Levein walking out that interview was a joke. The question about a striker was extremely relevant and while I'm all for a strong stance against our ever-negative media, he'll just make the job harder for himself by acting like that.

He hardly touched Bednar mate but perhaps wasn't the wisest of challenges to make after the Maguire incident... Make no mistake, McGregor is now a marked man.

I watched some of this on Alba yesterday... The County won on pens!

Any Scottish football fan will be well aware of the usual conspiracy theories that abound from the East End of Glasgow (and beyond) whenever Rangers are successful. One only need examine the last two seasons where, time after time, every small incident was micro-analysed by such people to infer our team was given an unfair advantage by the referees, the linesmen, the SFA, the SPL, the media etc etc. Ergo, the Scottish Establishment are pro-Rangers is the oft-quoted conclusion. Our back-to-back title wins were hollow they say and we only won them via cheating from others. This is nothing new of course; remember Chris Sutton and Martin O'Neill in 2003 who suggested Dunfermline lay down to hand the title to us that season? Thus, despite only seven games being played so far this season, with Rangers performing well, the vultures are again circling to pick over every point we win. Let's go back one weekend and another splendid comeback (amid a generally fine performance) at Tynecastle was ignored in favour of discussing why the officials had had the temerity to add on five minutes of extra-time. Forget the fact both teams had this time to make the most of and forget the six+ minutes minimum that should actually have been given; once again the officials were acting in favour of the Light Blues. And don't mention the non-malicious, definitely not cynical, in no way dangerous and surely sporting attempt to win the ball off Jelavic by Ian Black. Now, anyone with a semblance of objectivity can see these criticisms for the deflection they are. Rangers are unbeaten this season and are improving with every game. Despite a small squad we look every inch the title contenders and I'm enjoying the worry this paranoia clearly reflects. However, such people are not easily dissuaded so it is no surprise to hear this morning that the SFA are now meeting to discipline Allan McGregor for a fly kick off the ball at Aberdeen's Chris Maguire almost two weeks ago. Apparently their new former cricket supremo was recently 'made aware' of this incident so retrospective action is now likely. To that end, McGregor can have no complaints. He gets involved in such flashpoints far too often and kicking out at players is unacceptable. As such a yellow card for his actions should suffice and I hope our club severely punish him as well (if they've not already done so). Only a yellow I hear you say? Well, if we examine other similar scenes from several matches this season, the lack of strong official action is obvious. Scott Brown kicking out at a Hearts player a few weeks ago (as he injured himself at the same time); Anthony Stokes disgraceful challenge at Rugby Park and Black's tackle on Jelavic are just three examples of leniently punished tackles elsewhere. Furthermore, in the same game at Pittodrie there were worse examples of misbehaviour that the referee Willie Collum deemed acceptable: Zander Diamond's two-handed shove on Vladimir Weiss; Chris Maguire's shocking studs-up high tackle on Kirk Broadfoot and Derek Young's two-footed stamp on Lee McCulloch are just three other cases-in-point of questionable refereeing. Of course, the lack of focus placed upon these other events can be extrapolated back to the media reporting at the time. Stokes was just 'naughty', Diamond's aggressive shove ignored in favour of asking if Weiss had dived, the McCulloch incident was 'accidental' while Black has apologised and we should feel sorry for his lack of pace. They certainly didn't have SkyTV, Andy Walker or BBC Scotland pulling them up after-the-fact while repeating them constantly on the highlight footage. Surely if the pro-Rangers authority theory was true, a plethora of red cards would have been given to benefit Rangers while the McGregor video panel reference wouldn't again show that Rangers players are more likely than any other to be retrospectively punished in this manner? Moreover, the SPL definitely wouldn't be making us play so many away games either side of important European matches - again! We could go even further and ask why Zander Diamond and Michael Paton have not been hauled up in front of the beaks for their sectarian comments of late. After all, that would have been an ideal opportunity for the masonic, hun, orange, Proddy barstewards to really show who runs the game in this country! So where is the Establishment then as it is clearly missing in (in)action? Or, as always, can the Rangers reign supreme without the help of others and in spite of unfair attention being placed upon our players?

Au contraire mate... Their fans are more concerned with beating Rangers more than anything else so they'll be unconcerned about the loyalties of their players - especially if they prove they hate us bears as much as them. And people wonder why Scottish football is struggling generally.

Apparently Newsnow received enough complaints to have the VB site removed... But Celtic sites obviously don't get the same attention from us despite worse examples of offensiveness.

I used to have pictures of that article somewhere.... He went on about huns etc as well.