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Scott Brown's future at Celtic is in doubt after he was reportedly told he did not figure in Tony Mowbray's plans. More...

BROADFOOT still in talks but hopes his future lies at Ibrox More...

Published on 13 Jan 2010 For 12 months, the picture has been painted of a club laid bare. A world-famous institution where every meagre pound has become a prisoner. Fed-up Rangers fans havenââ?¬â?¢t sniffed an A-list signing for a year and a half. And Ibrox manager Walter Smith has claimed the men in suits from Lloyds Banking Group have tightened their fingers round the purse strings in a bid to ease debts totalling Ã?£31million. The only light to pierce the gloom has been the form of Kris Boyd, whose goals have made him the hero of the Ibrox terracings ââ?¬â?? and helped Rangers open up a seven- point gap over Celtic in the SPL title race. But now even Boydââ?¬â?¢s Rangers future has been thrown back into the financial melting pot. For we can exclusively reveal today the Ã?£18,000-a-week deal Boyd is keen to sign has still to be agreed by the clubââ?¬â?¢s financial controllers. That means the bid to keep the SPLââ?¬â?¢s record goalscorer at his boyhood idols could yet be scuppered. Chief executive Martin Bain met Boydââ?¬â?¢s representative at the end of last week and extended an offer which would bring the 26-year-old into line with the top earners at Ibrox and out of the clutches of English raiders. Smith has urged Bain to do everything possible in his power to keep the player, who yesterday underwent a double hernia operation in Manchester, at the club. However, the terms on offer have not been given the green light by certain individuals on the board. And it now remains to be seen whether the offer will stand if, as expected, Boyd confirms he wants to put pen to paper on the deal. Business turnaround specialist Donald Muir, who was appointed in October with a remit to remedy the financial fortunes of the Scottish champions, has been handed the task of trying to reduce the clubââ?¬â?¢s debts. Cost-cutting measures have bitten so deep that, it is understood, even the number of groundstaff at Ibrox and Murray Park was looked at before Christmas. When this was raised as a possible area to save cash, the idea was met with swift resistance from the football operation who realise the groundstaffââ?¬â?¢s crucial role. This time last year, it emerged the club might be forced to sell a leading player to help ease the financial burden. Owner and majority shareholder Sir David Murray stepped down as chairman in August and was replaced by Alastair Johnston who has spent the last three months trying to find a new owner. The financial crisis that has engulfed Rangers came to a head shortly after Muirââ?¬â?¢s appointment to the board when Smith claimed after a home match against Hibs the bank were running the club. This was denied by the bank, much to Smithââ?¬â?¢s fury. Lloyds have consistently denied Muir is their man and insist he is a paid employee of the Murray Group, and was not placed on Rangers board at their behest. But, as we exclusively revealed in October two days after Smithââ?¬â?¢s startling statement, the bank threatened Rangers with administration if the club didnââ?¬â?¢t sign up for a business plan based upon swingeing cuts, many of which will only take full effect in the summer if a new buyer is not found. And it is the architects of this plan ââ?¬â?? the same plan that has frozen Rangersââ?¬â?¢ spending for three transfer windows ââ?¬â?? who hold the key to Boydââ?¬â?¢s Ibrox future. The pressure was only slightly lifted when the loan move for PSGââ?¬â?¢s Jerome Rothen was signed off. Rangers, however, are only picking up part of his wages and that deal will be torn up if the Frenchman can fix up another club for the rest of the season. But this is the first time the cash cuts could hold the key to whether a player is offered a new contract. Boyd is the first player to be offered a new deal since Muir was appointed to the board. Other players, such as Nacho Novo and Kirk Broadfoot, are nearing the end of their current deals, but the sums involved to keep them are not even close to the Boyd figures. Novo is believed to be on around Ã?£5000 a week, with Broadfoot on Ã?£3000 a week. Neither is likely to stay if their offers donââ?¬â?¢t show a decent increase, but itââ?¬â?¢s believed the current business plan does not have much flexibility. But Boyd, who will be in line for a Ã?£8,000-a-week increase, has sparked a major stand-off as the offer made to him could force the bank to honour a deal that they would prefer not to ââ?¬â?? or face the wrath of the clubââ?¬â?¢s support, sections of which have already threatened to boycott Lloyds Banking Group services. Questions that remain unanswered Comment by Thomas Jordan It used to be as straightforward as the manager inviting the player into his office, telling him what he would be earning and waving him on his way. That was the way new contracts and transfers were conducted in the past. Nowadays, agents and chief executives are involved. It is a far more complex business now than it was then. But even by present-day standards, the background to Kris Boydââ?¬â?¢s contract negotiations with Rangers could take things to a new level entirely. On the instruction of Rangers manager Walter Smith, the clubââ?¬â?¢s chief executive Martin Bain met with the strikerââ?¬â?¢s representative at the end of last week and tabled a new contract offer in a bid to retain the services of their leading goalscorer. Normally, that would have been the end of the matter. The player would either say he was taking them up on their offer or reject it in favour of an opportunity elsewhere. There would usually be some room for negotiation. But SportTimesââ?¬â?¢ revelation that the Lloyds Banking Group are yet to approve the new deal and will have the final say on whether it will go through or not brings a host of questions Rangers fans will want answered as the true extent of the bankââ?¬â?¢s role is revealed. * Once again, on a point that has never been satisfactorily answered, they want to know who really is calling the shots at Rangers? * Why have the bank said they are not running Rangers when they have approval on contracts? * The man appointed to the board by the Murray Group in October, Donald Muir, has said he has no influence on football matters. Does he still maintain that is the case? * When will the chairman Alastair Johnston tell everyone what is really happening within the constraints of a business plan that he himself has said is not good for the club? * What would the consequences have been had the Rangers board NOT agreed to the bankââ?¬â?¢s business plans? * And what exactly will happen in the summer when the full extent of the financial cuts are expected to be implemented if a new buyer is not found? These are questions the Rangers supporters would like answered. And it is probably the same for Walter Smith. How many managers would be willing to work for a club without any sort of contract in place? It would be unlikely many, if any at all, would agree to such a situation. But the Rangers manager appears to be on a mission to do everything within his power to save the club. When Smith came out and publicly announced the bank were running the club, it was immediately denied. He is now fighting tooth and nail, it would seem, to prevent his current squad of players from being ripped apart. By managing to win the SPL title last season, the Rangers manager secured some much- needed funds for the cash-strapped club. His team are now seven points clear in the title race again, despite the fact they squad is basically down to the bare bones. But at what point will he decide enough is enough? At what point will he decide he is fighting a losing battle against the moneymen? That, without doubt, is something that really would bring this situation to a head. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/moneymen-hold-the-key-to-kris-boyd-deal-and-they-haven-t-said-yes-1.998370

WALTER Smith has warned of dire consequences for Rangers if they do not resist selling any players during the current transfer window and also retain the bulk of their squad whose contracts are due to expire in the summer. The frustration Smith has experienced for the last 18 months as the Ibrox club grapple with their financial problems resurfaced yesterday as he responded to speculation linking Pedro Mendes with a move to Sporting Lisbon. Rangers, who have not been able to buy a new player since August 2008, remain under pressure from the Lloyds Banking Group to restructure their finances and reduce their �£31 million debt. But manager Smith is adamant Rangers cannot afford any further cuts to the first-team squad for the second half of a season which currently sees them seven points clear of Celtic at the top of the SPL and still involved in both domestic cup competitions. While top scorer Kris Boyd has now been offered a new contract, Smith is keen to see the future of other players tied up. Among those whose existing deals also run out at the end of the season are Kirk Broadfoot, Nacho Novo, DaMarcus Beasley and Stevie Smith. "If we don't start to offer some of them the opportunity to stay with the club, then we will cease to operate, never mind anything else," said Smith. "We have been in negotiations with a few others as well as Kris. We have started talking to Kirk Broadfoot and Nacho Novo. It is something that has to happen." With his resources further limited by injuries and unavailability, Smith was forced to fill out his substitutes' bench with four youngsters in Andrew Little, John Fleck, Gregg Wylde and Jamie Ness. He regards it as a clear indication of why Rangers should not be looking to offload senior players such as Mendes. "Who says we are going to get rid of Pedro?" added Smith. "I've not heard anything about getting rid of Pedro, apart from what I read in newspapers. Last week, we only had two senior professionals in Maurice Edu and Stevie Smith on the bench at Celtic Park. We will only have a couple available to us again this weekend. With suspensions set to kick in for the second half of the season, we will need all of our players between now and the end of the season." Smith is still waiting to learn if Boyd will accept the club's offer of a new three-year contract reported to be worth around �£18,000 a week. "His agent spoke with (chief executive) Martin Bain yesterday and he has gone off to think over the offer being made," said Smith. "We've still not heard anything back." One player Smith would be prepared to lose is French winger Jerome Rothen, 31, who has failed to make the desired impact during his season-long loan from Paris St Germain. He is no longer in the manager's first team plans and hopes to return home this month. Rangers begin their defence of the Active Nation Scottish Cup tomorrow and Smith is able to welcome Kenny Miller and Kevin Thomson back from suspension and injury respectively for the lunchtime kick-off against Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park. http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Walter-Smith--warns-.5968866.jp

Walter Smith returned to the Rangers hot seat three years ago this month with both a short-term plan and a vision for the future. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t envisage the club being run by the bank and being told not only would he be unable to buy new faces after a certain period, he could also be forced to cash in on star players to help ease the clubââ?¬â?¢s crippling debt. So the fact Rangers currently find themselves seven points clear at the top of the SPL, having won four trophies and reached a European final during his second tenure, simply highlights the fantastic job Smith has performed. Indeed, despite that success and the strong position the team find themselves in as they approach the second half of the season, the Ibrox gaffer says his side still arenââ?¬â?¢t at the level he would have expected them to be at after this amount of time back at the club. When he returned to the job to take over from Paul Le Guen, steadying the ship was his initial target, but he has managed to do that and a great deal more. However, after three eventful years, he is taking nothing for granted. He said: ââ?¬Å?Things still arenââ?¬â?¢t at the level Iââ?¬â?¢d expect them to be at after three years, but there are circumstances which dictate that to be the case. ââ?¬Å?It hasnââ?¬â?¢t been quite as straightforward in that respect as weââ?¬â?¢d like. For example, we havenââ?¬â?¢t bought a player now for 18 months. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ll not get one this month either so when the season finishes, that will be a period which will extend to two years in August. Thatââ?¬â?¢s unusual circumstances at Rangers. ââ?¬Å?When you consider that, a lot of credit should go to everyone whoââ?¬â?¢s been here. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve knuckled down and while weââ?¬â?¢ve had some disappointments, theyââ?¬â?¢ve overcome that. ââ?¬Å?Things didnââ?¬â?¢t go the way we wanted them to go in Europe this season and we didnââ?¬â?¢t handle ourselves nearly as well as we did the previous time when we were competing at that level. But domestically, we seem to be getting back on course against now.ââ?¬Â Smith, of course, would be the first to admit he couldnââ?¬â?¢t have managed to turn things around without the assistance of Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant. For McCoist, it has flown in. Speaking in the Rangers News, he said: ââ?¬Å?I canââ?¬â?¢t believe it has been three years, I really canââ?¬â?¢t. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s been a whirlwind but it has been fantastic too. ââ?¬Å?There have been some massive ups and downs, but thankfully at this moment in time there have been more ups I think. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve cherished every minute though.ââ?¬Â For McDowall, winning the title at Tannadice was the highlight. He added: ââ?¬Å?For me, clinching the title was unbelievable. In fact, I didnââ?¬â?¢t really believe it until I was in holiday in Florida. The pride I felt was impossible to describe.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/three-years-on-smith-vision-blocked-by-bank-s-handcuffs-1.996551

Do you think the with run that NN has been (Rightly) given in the team the new Scotland manager will think about him as a future Scottish International and do you think he will go for it.

FORMER Scotland manager Craig Brown believes Kris Boyd should not be given the opportunity to resurrect his international career under Craig Levein. Levein is set to take over as national team manager after agreeing a four-and-a-half year deal with the Scottish Football Association. His appointment could pave the way for a return to the national fold for Rangers striker Boyd, who refused to play under previous boss George Burley after complaining of a lack of opportunities under the manager. But Brown would not welcome the sight of Boyd in the dark blue jersey of Scotland again. "You are either committed to Scotland or you are not. It shouldn't depend on who the manager is," said Brown. However, he believes the potential return of Barry Ferguson is a completely different matter. Ferguson and goalkeeper Allan McGregor were banished from the national team following the infamous Boozegate affair but could also find themselves back in the fold under the new regime. Speaking of Ferguson, Brown added: "He was actually told, I understand, by the SFA that he was finished, as was Allan McGregor. That's a different issue. He did not say he didn't want to play. He was told he wasn't going to play. "So they would have to rescind that if they decided to bring back Barry Ferguson." Brown does not expect Levein's history of conflict with the SFA to cause problems between himself and chief executive Gordon Smith in his new role. He said: "I don't think there should be too many concerns. "Craig was brought before various committees for indiscretions or comments about referees. "The figurehead of the establishment is the chief executive and he represents authority and Craig was not happy with some of the decisions against him. Quite clearly there was conflict there but I don't think it was a personal thing. I may be wrong but I don't think it was person to person." He added: "You've got to be diplomatic but Craig is an intelligent guy and I think he is sensible enough not to put his foot in it. "I'm sure he will be diplomatic. He will also be very authoritative and completely forthright and these are good qualities." Meanwhile, First Minister Alex Salmond added his best wishes, saying: "I wish Craig Levein every success as Scotland manager. I know he will have the full support of the Tartan Army and everyone in Scotland. He has been a successful club manager, and will put his considerable skills and knowledge to good use for the national team. "His focus on grassroots and youth development is particularly important and will be widely welcomed. "We have narrowly missed out on qualifying for major championships in recent years, and I'm sure that Craig can lead Scotland to the European Championship in 2012. "I realise that there will be considerable disappointment at Tannadice, as they are losing a great manager who put a very competitive side together, and I wish the club well in the future." http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Craig-Brown-believes-there-should.5936820.jp

For previews can be found here for future reference: http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=home_SPL%20teams

MADJID BOUGHERRA collected the Algerian player of the year award last night ... then repeated his intention to see out the rest of the season at the Ibrox club, writes Thomas Jordan. The Rangers defender has been linked with a return to the Premiership during the January transfer window, but said he is ââ?¬Å?200 per centââ?¬Â committed to trying to help Rangers defend their SPL title this season. He said: ââ?¬Å?The Premier League is my objective. In terms of motivation and desire, I think I have the qualities to play there. ââ?¬Å?With which club, I donââ?¬â?¢t know. However, I feel I have the potential because I have already played there. ââ?¬Å?Now, if I leave Rangers, it would have to be to a club with ambitions. I have learned how to win trophies and titles and I want more. ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t think I could play for a club that has nothing to play for. It is clear that Iââ?¬â?¢ll finish the season. We will see what the future holds. But Iââ?¬â?¢m 200 per cent staying with Rangers for now.ââ?¬Â

Madjid Bougherra admits he is uncertain as to what the future will hold for him at Rangers. More...

The issue of contracts is one, among certainothers, that has dominated headlines coming from Ibrox in recent weeks. Now that the managerial teamââ?¬â?¢s situation has been clarified, until a new buyer arrives ââ?¬â?? whenever that may be ââ?¬â?? the focus of contractual matters has turned onto the players. Six Rangers stars are in the last six months of their deals; but only one occupies the thoughts of every Rangers fan. Kris Boyd, the great enigma, as he has so often been labelled. For me, there is no real enigma. He scores goals, plenty of them, and should be secured on a new deal as quickly as possible. If the most recent soundbites are accurate, there has been a relaxation of the financial noose placed around Ibrox by the banks. To such an extent that talks with the representatives of Boyd, Nacho Novo, Kirk Broadfoot, Davie Weir, Stevie Smith and DaMarcus Beasley will soon begin. Boydââ?¬â?¢s agent, Mark Donaghy, should be the first one in the door at Murray Park ââ?¬â?? as a matter or urgency. Firstly, his client is absolutely right to demand parity with those at the club who take home much more on a weekly basis than he does, yet contribute far less. Only Boyd, the club and Donaghy know the fine details of his wage, but if we are to believe some of the figures, he earns around Ã?£9000 a week. Those were the figures mentioned a year ago when Birmingham came in and tried to lure him south after Rangers accepted a bid in excess of Ã?£3million for his services, only for the wage packet on offer to fall short and scupper the deal. At the weekend, just before he blasted home another double to take his SPL goals tally to 153 ââ?¬â?? now just five behind Henrik Larssonââ?¬â?¢s record ââ?¬â?? Boyd was being linked with moves to Turkey, Spain, Germany and England. Given his goals haul, that is not surprising. But the real issue here is about Boyd and Rangers. A decision has to be made, and straight questions asked. Do you want to stay? How much are you offering? For me, itââ?¬â?¢s that simple. Here we have a dyed-in-the-wool Rangers fan who loves playing for the club and his goals, no matter the holes people want to pick in his record, are crucial. Take him out of the side, even with money to replace him, and where would Rangersââ?¬â?¢ title defence be? I think, if the money is right, Boydââ?¬â?¢s first option would be to stay. He is settled, as is his family, and he knows the beat he pounds every week. He still has time to move away in the future and be a success trying something else. All he has to do to see evidence of that is look at his pal Barry Ferguson thriving on a new lease of life at Birmingham. Rangers, then, ought to show Boyd the money. A decent contract, given that itââ?¬â?¢s the most important of his life so far, should be offered to a player who deserves huge praise for the way he has kept going, despite all the knocks to his confidence. darrell is spot on give boyd a 3 year deal worth 12 grand a week and everybody will be happy

http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=236&Itemid=26

HE'S the little Spaniard with the big heart. But Nacho Novo's heart will shatter into a thousand tiny pieces the day he's forced to walk out of Ibrox for the final time. Novo knows the clock's ticking on his Rangers career. Out of favour and out of contract in the summer, the fans' hero may have to look elsewhere for first-team football. It's a chilling thought which sends a shiver down his spine - a fear he hoped he'd never have to face. Speaking at the launch of his DVD yesterday, Novo admitted: "You always have it in the back of your mind to go back to Spain at some point. "I was born there and there will always be a connection as I have a lot of family there. "People talk very well about me in Spain and they know me because of the platform Rangers have given me. "The day will eventually come when I need to leave Rangers and that will be really hard. "It's hard to say if I will play in Spain before I finish my career although I'm 30 now and only have a few years left." Novo could yet be offered a new deal by Gers. The Spaniard is one of three players chief executive Martin Bain is keen to talk to in the coming weeks. But the 'supersub' tag hangs heavy around his neck. He knows he only has a few more years left at the top before the sun sets on a career that's taken him from his homeland to Kirkcaldy, Dundee and Glasgow. Novo insisted: "I don't know what will happen in the future. "I'm just happy to be here and doing something for the fans who have been behind me 100 per cent. "The club will deal with my agent, but I just want to focus on playing now. If it happens, it happens. "Everybody knows I love this club - it has been like a family to me. "I've enjoyed every training session and every game I've played since coming to Rangers. "It would be better if everything was sorted out, but there is still a long way to go." It's almost ten years since Novo landed on these shores. Signed by Raith Rovers in the summer of 2000 he has gone on to carve a great career at Ibrox. Advertisement He revealed: "I have a lot friends in this country and I've been here so long I now start to think in English rather than in Spanish. "I love Scotland and I have loved my time with Raith, Dundee and now Rangers. "There are some unpleasant aspects, but that can happen in football. You expect that. "I think the Scots are nice people. "The climate does not bother me either because I'm from Galicia in northern Spain and the weather is similar. "They say the toughest Spaniards always come from the north." If this is to be Novo's last season at Gers, he's determined to sign off with another SPL title. Europe has gone and Novo insists it's time for Walter Smith's men to regroup starting with the visit of St Johnstone today. He insisted: "We need to think about winning the SPL now. "This is an important month with a lot of hard games. "At the moment Kris Boyd is on fire and we are playing well. "We need to do the same things as last year if we want to win the title again. "We've so many tough games in December, but I honestly think we can win them all. "Everybody should be hungry to win the league again and I'm positive about our chances. "You need to have players who are all desperate to win in your team. "If you don't have that kind of mentality you won't succeed, but I'm confident we have that here. "We have a lot of good players and we have come back well after disappointing results in Europe." Meanwhile, Gers boss Smith has confirmed he will make no new signings in January. He said: "The only way we will be able to sign a player is if we sell one, otherwise we won't. "There is no leeway for that in the transfer window, that's quite categorical. "We don't need to sell a player in this transfer window - but neither will we be bringing anyone in. "The challenge now of winning the league is more straightforward when you lose out on European football. "Of course, it would be normal for a team to stagnate if they go through three transfer windows without bringing a new player in. "But this year is better than last in the sense we haven't been told we need to lose a player." http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2768916/I-fear-the-end.html

From David Edgar Hello folks, Here's the latest info as I have it; Ian Tudhope is effectively the Bain of MIH - he has quit. Despite the denials, it's strongly rumoured by people close to the situation that this is because of Muir. Essentially, Muir is running MIH now and, you can safely assume, is having the same impact that he is having at Rangers. http://www.heraldscotland.com/busine...mpire-1.988277 This is absolutely criticial and flies in the face of what Murray and the bank have been saying about his role as an 'advisor'. There will be more from Graham Duffy in the papers over the next few days which should answer questions on his credentials. However, he may or may not be involved as one of the main players in the most likely consortium. This consortium is made up of names you would know, and is very close to making its move. The exact model of fans representation has not been agreed as there will need to be feasability studies done etc. For example, would Duffy's plan be unworkable? Is there more desire for a membership scheme etc. Supporters representation is however a key component to all members of the prospective consortium. The plan is, as it always has been, to get the bank and the failed owner out of Ibrox officially and then instigate the major changes required, including fan ownership. I know it is frustrating, waiting around for things to happen, but things ARE moving and it WILL happen. If you can, get to the AGM, speak out against Lloyds and the previous regime and vote against Muir becoming a Director. The next few days are crucial to the future of our club. If it all goes to plan, we'll start this new decade in style.

Thought I'd start a nice wee negative thread Without any doubt, there are some players in our team who are currently somewhat below their abilities, guys who are so gigantically out of form that it's worth a bit of a sob. Whether the formation is wrong, the morale is on the floor, the finances in disarray...these professionals being paid at least 10K a week are not doing the business in the way we know they can. Who are they? Lafferty: The biggest offender this season so far. I had lunar hopes for this guy after his emergence particularly in the 2-2 draw against Hearts at Ibrox last season, when he enjoyed a rare foray in the striker position and simply ran riot. Held the ball up with ease, beat men like they weren't there, scored a clinical goal, and looked every inch a 3.5M striker. His injury at half time was tragic, and his absence a major reason we conceded 2 in the second half - because instead of him holding the ball up at the Hearts end, they started pressing our backline and we caved in. This match showed what he could do, as did his display this season for Norn Iron, ironically again forced off during half time with an injury. For us? Abysmal - a shell of his capacity. Whether it's being played mostly out of position on the sideline as a pseudo winger, or some psychological effect of the divegate ban I don't entirely know, but Lafferty is quite some way off the potential we saw in him fleetingly last year. Thomson: I didn't buy into the Kevin Thomson Future Captain and Demigod Hype like many supporters did, but I do know that his pre-injury displays far outway his current contributions by a 14 tonne weight. The fact his name is almost never mentioned in tv commentary, the fact that his only meaningful impact on games seems to be rash tackles and yellow cards and the fact he makes no creative spark tick on the pitch at all suggests his injury may just have permanently damaged him like Mols' did. This is not to say the 2 players are comparible, but pre-injury Thomson, while over-rated imo, was still substantially better than the anonymous makeweight masquerading under his name these days. Miller: Without an open play goal since the Dead Sea merely had a bad cold, Miller is really struggling for inspiration, form and composure. He was never the most classy of strikers, but seemed to have the backbone to take the big chances when they came. Look at Parkhead and Easter Road last season. He seemed the perfect man to fill the lone striker boots of Cousin in the CL - especially in light of his national displays in the same position. But that match for Scotland against Holland where he did everything but score seems to have been the catalyst for his latest bout of meagre form. He is quite an inconsistent chap Miller - when he's good he's really great, but when he's not on fire he struggles with his entire game. Wasn't able to get a goal in the CL, struggling in the SPL, and generally below what we know he can do. Davis: Nothing new here, is fantastic between July and November, average at best between November and March, then hits form after that till the end of the season. Same old Davis. Bougherra: What's become of the second half of last season's fantastic defender? This season he's poor at the back, getting caught out all the time, failing to cover gaps and generally looking thoroughly uninterested. He admits himself he was slow to start last year, admitting he didn't click till January, but after that till the summer he was, I concede, fantastic. This year, beginning with his appalling displays at the Emirates, he's been a shell of his old self, so much so Wilson must be gutted to have been dropped in favour of him. Weir: Understandable this one, and maybe a bit unfair on the part of yours truly, but Weir has been absolutely horrible this year. I considered him our best stopper last year, in light of a consistent overall season. But this year he's been completely dire - getting way to close to strikers half the time, letting them turn him easily, before fouling them. Yeah, he has a football brain, but I think the body gave up by about the end of last year. Sorry to use the excuse, but he's too old and shouldn't be playing anymore. Because he's not good enough now. Naismith: We were all delighted at his emergence in the summer, but since the season's got going in earnest I have to say what serious contribution has Naismith made? He's looked promising in glimpses, patchy periods of hope, but overall he's made next to no impact this season. He is absolutely not the boy wonder we hoped we'd see when he had a very good pre-season. There's potential there, but I'm not seeing much of it being realised at the moment. Rothen: Whatever happened to this guy!? After a virtuoso display in Germany where he looked every inch the left sided Beckham label he's been lumbered with, he has faded into nothing. And not even faded - he seemed to receive all the blame for our defeat in Unirea because he's the only guy who featured that night who hasn't featured for a single minute since then. Swine flu? He denies it - just a cold he says. Rothen has been bizarrely cast out from first team affairs, while we know he's capable of much more than he's been given the chance to show. You don't play 15 times for a strong French national side if you're not much cop. Comments/agreements/angry objections welcome

Neil Alexander believes his future lies away from Ibrox after failing to secure first-team football. More...

If any of you had told me I would head up a thread with the above title 6 months ago I would have thought you were barking. However, the brave decision taken by our CEO, (Now starting to talk and act like one since Murray left incidentally) to take a full allocation of tickets for such a powderkeg match after the problems in Bucharest has been totally vindicated. And the work put in by Kenny Scott during his two visits to Seville, as well as numerous discussions with them, also is worthy of high praise. This could so easily have backfired on them, leaving them looking silly and probably in untenable positions, but they had faith in the Rangers support originating from the belief that we are not what our gutter press would have you believe we are. The measures they put in place for ticket uplift was a sure-fire winner which I hope is repeated in future, and the co-operation received from the Spanish authorities who held up their side of the bargain was also commendable.

Gentlemen, one of the reason for me joining Gersnet forum was to inform you of any information I could gleam from my sources in the business community, about the supposed forthcoming real or imagined takeover of our dearly loved Rangers. As I imagined this has turned out to be an extremely difficult challenge, I new from previous business practises there are many tricks one employs to mislead the inquiring individual to stop them from learning too much. But I have been amazed by the number of deliberate misleading and misdirecting tactics, and non-information posted on various forums by unknown individuals. Something is brewing ââ?¬Ë?for sureââ?¬Ë?, I was convinced it was a takeover by an consortium lead by Graham Souness, unfortunately I allowed myself to fall into the very trap of misdirection I knew that was already being placed on these forums. I have heard lately (possible again misleading) ââ?¬Å?that the shit is about to hit the fan soonââ?¬Â what that sentence may be interpreted as is anybody guess. I can only dig more furiously to find out what the ââ?¬Ë?shitââ?¬â?¢ means and try my spoiling tatics, to stop any more bullshit from being passed to you, the uber-fans of our club. Indeed, Has there ever been a takeover in the offing? Or is the status quo to be the outcome of all this non-information. Or is it to be an supporters share scheme allied to our current benefactor going forwards handshake in handshake to a mutual prosperous future. Again at this moment in time who knows, watch this space. WATP

CELTIC want to transform the area around their stadium and link it with other venues that will be used during the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The clubââ?¬â?¢s long-term vision for the area around its stadium will be revealed this week. Officials have submitted a masterplan for ââ?¬Å?The Celtic Triangleââ?¬Â and it is expected to secure approval from city councillors on Friday. The plans include the creation of bars and restaurants around Celtic Park, a new club museum, walkways linking it with other 2014 venues, a plaza and the potential for a new hotel, casino or shops. It also has proposals for housing. No costs have been revealed and club officials insist the project will depend on its economic viability, but the deadline of summer 2014 ââ?¬â?? when Glasgow hosts the Games ââ?¬â?? will put pressure on the club to deliver some of the vision across the next 36 months. Celtic Park will host the opening ceremony of the Games and city councillors are concerned that the area around the stadium ââ?¬Å?does not provide an attractive settingââ?¬Â. They said ââ?¬Å?the current situation is not acceptable with regard to the councilââ?¬â?¢s ambitions to host a world-class event for the 2014 Gamesââ?¬Â. Celticââ?¬â?¢s plans will also tie in with a new four-lane carriageway that will cut through the East End linking the M74 and M8 via London Road. The East End Regeneration Route will cut through land used as a coach park, leading to an agreement between Celtic and Glasgow City Council over matchday access to the car park of the new National Indoor Sports Arena. The vision would initially see: * The refurbishment and extension of the Victorian London Road Primary School to incorporate a restaurant, cafe and bar, as well as a new club museum. * Landscaping of the immediate area around Celtic Park. * The creation of a plaza space. Phase two would see ââ?¬Å?a new landmark buildingââ?¬Â on the site where the East End Regeneration Route meets London Road ââ?¬Å?creating an iconic gateway to the stadium areaââ?¬Â, with early ideas including a hotel, more restaurants and bars, a casino and shops. A council report detailing the plan says: ââ?¬Å?It is recognised that the design of the new buildings at this location should be of the highest standard to reflect the importance of this corner of the triangle as a key gateway to the site, particularly on the approach from the East End Regeneration Route.ââ?¬Â A further phase, expected to be completed by 2014 and considered by the council ââ?¬Å?to be the most critical element of the public realm strategyââ?¬Â, would see walkways linking the stadium to the route and the Indoor Arena. The plan claims there is potential for a residential development to the west of the stadium and at the corner of Springfield Road and London Road, as well as ââ?¬Å?further small-scale commercial or light industrial developmentââ?¬Â to the north. The report, which is calling for council approval in principle this Friday, states: ââ?¬Å?It is recognised that market conditions may influence future land use proposals with regard to these more long-term ambitions for the site and these aspects of the masterplan will develop in discussion between the city council and Celtic FC.ââ?¬Â Strathclyde Police was consulted on crowd control issues and Celtic officials also had talks with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and the Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Course over safety matters. The police are said to have broadly welcomed the proposal because it will improve crowd management on matchdays, while Archi*tecture and Design Scot*land, which advises the Govern*ment on ways to get better quality in design and architecture in the public and private sectors, said the plan would address the poor setting of the stadium. A Celtic spokesman said: ââ?¬Å?Clearly, this proposal is very preliminary and has a long, long way to go. ââ?¬Å?We are working with Glasgow City Council and Clyde Gateway in a sensible and pragmatic manner but ultimately, the project will depend on a range of factors, including of course, economic viability.ââ?¬Â Councillor George Ryan, who is responsible for business and the economy, said: ââ?¬Å?We are interested in the details of this masterplan, which could contribute to the regeneration of the East End, and we are keen to see the first phases of the project delivered before the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks-ignore/celts-big-plan-for-paradise-1.990425

It seems every time I travel through to Ibrox this season, the weather is dreadful. Heavy rain, low cloud and an atmosphere of foreboding seem the norm no matter the time of year. Add in the less than positive mood of the Rangers support then we could change the club colours to grey, bring in John Major as manager and sell boiled rice at the kiosks and it would probably reflect the general feeling at the club well enough. Yet, conversely, the chat online has been a bit more interesting of late: potential new owners interviewed by in-the-know journalists; fan groups releasing statements about ownership schemes; strong arguments between bears who share the same goals and objectives; and general excitement about a new era sans Sir David Murray. Unfortunately all the (largely positive and interesting) debate surrounding the ownership of the club was turned on its head for the time being with yesterday's damp squib of an AGM. With new chairman Alistair Johnston in charge, the format was changed from recent years with an in-depth statement from him and Martin Bain (available in full from PLUS Markets) pre-empting much of the more difficult questions from the 3000 strong shareholder crowd. Amid farcical scenes early in the meeting, the token (but important) gesture of the majority present voting against the re-election of Donald Muir was as interesting as it got. Sure, the huge proxy shareholding of Sir David Murray meant any such vote was always going to be futile but Rangers, MIH and Lloyds bank (delete as applicable for Muir's real employer) will have taken on board the opinions of these active supporters. This shows even widespread media coverage surrounding Muir's appointment didn't sway the opinions of many bears giving an increased realisation that even David Murray can't spin as well as he could do in the past. Alistair Johnston's comments added to that rather bluntly at times. Moving onto the new chairman's speech, Johnston spoke rather well and held the attention of the crowd despite the 20mins he spoke for. An undoubtedly clever man, his awkward appearance in front of the media cameras a few months back was forgotten about here in this confident performance. Most interesting were his comments that he'd lead a Rangers Board that will become increasingly independent of the Murray Group - qualifying this by discontinuing all reimbursements to Murray Group for management services and refusing to take on four directors instead of two (Muir and McGill recently replacing SDM and Wilson) as representatives from MIH. It will be interesting to see how much further the board can go in this respect as SDM (or Lloyds depending on your opinion) still owns >91% of Rangers FC. The chairman also made regular references to a business plan that he had reluctantly agreed with Lloyds in recent months. Obviously, every Rangers fan is aware of the financial restrictions placed upon us, so the likelihood of no future transfers and the importance of winning the SPL was nothing new. The fact he did go until to express 'scepticism' and 'caution' for any new owner in terms of not only raising the initial capital to buy the club but, more importantly, being able to prove they can retain a working finance to maintain the business moving forward was a stark reminder to those who think buying then running Rangers is simple. I wouldn't go as far as some to say he has outright dismissed the aspect of supporter ownership (wholly or in part) but he quite rightly brought everyone back into the real world by way of showing the difficulties therein. In summary, Johnson concluded rather blandly that the club's commitment to the fans would remain a priority and touched on youth and scouting as two specific ways in which we could improve our operations. Martin Bain then took to the stage and was also given the same courtesy by the fans for his slightly shorter but more empirical speech. Concentrating on the individual issues that would inevitably have cropped up during open questions, Bain was clever to address these beforehand and also maintained an eloquent realism while again not really saying anything we didn't know. Despite the drop in season ticket sales it was comforting to know our percentage capacity in the UK remains something to be proud of. All the more reason then for he and his chairman not dismiss our opinions lightly in future months one would hope. By concentrating on the Dundee Utd ticket fiasco and JJB merchandising improvements Bain gave the impression the club did share our opinion on such matters though. Further comment on the importance of youth football and the mention of a new structure in domestic and European football were contributions we'd also heard before. No concrete plans were outlined on how were were addressing all the above which was somewhat disappointing. Nonetheless most major talking points were covered empirically before he opened up the meeting to the shareholders for questions. Pleasingly the time given for such questions was agreeable enough when compared to recent years. Perhaps it was the cold, cramped nature of the Bill Struth Stand or perhaps it was because the preceding speeches were delivered confidently but the quality of questions were by and large disappointing. The Jumbotron screens' condition, the discipline of players on international duty, and kick-off times dictated by TV monies didn't really add anything to the event and those that were a bit more interesting such as the contract status of players (including Boyd) and further media representation complaints were easily answered by Bain who was well briefed for these expected queries. Meanwhile Donald Muir again denied he was employed by the bank and/or that he was preparing the club for administration. Thus, two hours after it started, the always ill-at-ease and unimpressive John McLelland brought the meeting to a close. As everyone bustled their way to the exit (and the incessant rain) the media sat in wait to try and catch shareholders off-guard with their own questions. But the truth was nothing exciting really happened. Sure, the stadium re-naming rebuttal; the no-contract status of the management team; and the guarded nature of the discussion with regard to the ownership of the club kept people awake but all-in-all the debate isn't really all that further forward. Thus, the status-quo remains. We know the club is in financial difficulty. We know the current board appear to be in conflict with each other. We know Lloyds/MIH retain a key involvement in the running of the club. We know all the board lack the innovation required for obvious improvement. We know the ongoing financial underpinning of the club is dependent on our success. We know that club are wary of increased supporter involvement. We know the club is for sale. We know there are a few interested buyers. We know they lack the model or the backing to capture the imagination of the support at large. All the above was information we had at our disposal before yesterday's meeting - hence the title of this equally morose article on it. As such, I urge everyone involved to take a breather and stand back for the moment until such time where we do have more precise information on the club's ownership future. In the short-term the most important thing is that the team remain successful on the pitch so it is vital we continue to support them as vocally as we can. Winning the SPL is imperative no matter who owns the club. That is something we can all agree on. Let's build for the future on that positive note.

Truth and transparency at Rangers AGM. With tomorrows AGM approaching may I make a plea for the above prose to be the watchwords for the Directors of Rangers FC, to extend unconditionally those sentiments to our Share Holders and supporters attending tomorrows event. I myself cannot attend tomorrows meeting as I am not a shareholder, although having been a Bear for over forty years I always felt that as a fan my presence although welcome on the terracing, would never be appreciated within the corridors of authority at Ibrox. This is no reflection on Mr Murrayââ?¬â?¢s tenure of Rangers, but more of a statement of reflection on Todayââ?¬â?¢s Business practise. We the customer is to be tolerated rather than consulted on the future of our beloved club, I feel the mantra of the boardroom is ââ?¬Å?this would be a great job if it wasnââ?¬â?¢t for those bloody shareholdersââ?¬Â But why should we the fans tolerate such behaviour directed towards us, we are the true custodians of Rangers, and not however happens to possess control at any particular point of time in our clubs history. I am by nature a placid fellow, but if I where to see some ââ?¬Ë?Merchant Bankersââ?¬â?¢ tut tuting down his nose at Rangers debts tomorrow. I would inclined to ask him first what have they has done with Ã?£500 billion of our hard earned tax revenue, gifted to them because of their incompetence when runing their business. We all cherish Rangers and want only the best for Itââ?¬â?¢s future, how that will be achieved is proving to be more allusive than trying to find hobby-horses shite. Having no prior knowledge of any forthcoming dealings, I have endeavoured to uncover information to impart to you, which will ultimately soon become apparent. This again has been difficult to find as the proverbial needle in a haystack. Why should we the fan always be last branch in the tree of knowledge, that is Rangers future. Rumour, counter rumour and misdirection has been the norm in this challenge. I am truly amazed by the depth of knowledge of Rangers by the contributors on this forum, in one of my posts I called members here Anoraks, for which I must now apologises for. Anorak goes nowhere near describing you, the word(s) I would now use would be uber-fan. Gentlemen i wish you good luck and god speed tomorrow. WATP

http://home.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php/articles-mainmenu-2/1-club/1204-apologies-3-points-and-parties O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us. Especially me. Little did I think ... (I could stop there but it wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be much of an article) ... as I browsed through Companies House website last Sunday afternoon that weââ?¬â?¢d be where we are today. My decades-in-the-profession curiosity sufficiently aroused by the Grantly Group, if not alarm bells ringing then certainly faint peals in the distance, and the skeleton of an article gradually appearing. Firstly, an apology. The cheap jibes in that article detracted from the facts therein. They were but two, they were a tiny part of the whole, but they were unnecessary. If they have become at least part of the story since then, I am sorry. That STV picked up the story, and the Herald continued it today during their questioning of Graham Duffy, could not have been foreseen ââ?¬â?? no previous Rangers Media article had reached the dizzy heights of the national press. Indeed my immediately preceding and succeeding articles, on Rangersââ?¬â?¢ Accounts and SPL Rules respectively, were hopefully informative, but devoid of tabloidisms, and were largely shelved for future reference or never. The breaches referred to are important. I reckon that just three of the, ahem, elder beancounters across the boards have 75 years experience between us (Iââ?¬â?¢ll spare my two seniorsââ?¬â?¢ blushes). Each of us, and most others in the same or similar professions, were of one mind: these are issues about which the Rangers fans deserve to know. There was no ulterior motive. My second apology of the day. Rangers Media has no policy on Mr Duffy or on the RST. If my article gave the impression that I was stating an official policy then I apologise to Rangers Media and its admin team. The article was entirely my own view. If this week has shown anything it is that the Rangers support is diverse and remains, dare I use the ââ?¬Ë?fââ?¬â?¢ word, fragmented. Perhaps this is a product of our history; our cultural and (whisper it) presbyterian background; our inquisitive, nay, cantankerous nature; our respect for authority without undue deference; a sort of ââ?¬Å?I kent his faitherââ?¬Â mixed with an inability to ââ?¬Å?see ourselsââ?¬Â. Perhaps it will be ever thus? But we can still show genuine unity in some respects. Every single one of us desperately wants three points tomorrow. At 12.30pm there will be few things more important to us at that moment than getting off to a flyer and cheering the players on to another championship lead. As the final whistle sounds, many of us will be heading to our Christmas parties - the Rangers Media and RST dinners, on the same night, on the same street, at the same time. Letââ?¬â?¢s hope we have reason to celebrate and that we all have a ball. And if the olive branch should bend under the weight of the Sunday papers, let us remember it was at least good while it lasted.

Monday at Ibrox guarantees to be the most intense Rangers AGM in many years. The club is in crisis, seemingly unwanted on the open market, and is facing a highly uncertain future. For Rangers shareholders, the following are the 10 most pressing questions to be put to the club's board during the (sometimes farcical) open Q & A session . . . 1 Who is to blame for Rangersââ?¬â?¢ financial mess? On this one, it seems that everyone is running for cover. The banking crisis has left Rangers looking like a house built on sand, although discovering, via the media or anywhere else, who exactly is to blame has proved taxing. Is it Sir David Murray? Is it the banking system itself (though few other British clubs are floundering quite like Rangers)? The banks ââ?¬â? and Lloyds in particular ââ?¬â? appear to be held up for particular venom, while Murray, whom many supporters hold accountable, still warrants scarcely a negative mention in the popular press. It is not for vengeance that some Rangers fans want to know who brought their club to its knees, so much as having the knowledge for it never to happen again. 2 Who is running Rangers ââ?¬â? the clubââ?¬â?¢s board or the bank? The clubââ?¬â?¢s board say they are running Rangers. Walter Smith says it is the bank. Alastair Johnston, the chairman, says the board are very much in day-to-day control of the club, with the ââ?¬Å?supportââ?¬Â of Lloyds. This is a murky area for concerned Rangers shareholders and a straightforward ââ?¬â? and accurate ââ?¬â? response from the clubââ?¬â?¢s directors tomorrow would help. The feeling persists that, while Rangers are indeed in daily control of their own business, the clubââ?¬â?¢s ultimate fate will be determined by their bankers. 3 What remaining influence does Sir David Murray have over Rangers? Murray, who stepped down as Rangers chairman in September, wants a clean divorce from the club as soon as possible (there has been fat chance of that) but until it happens he is still a near-90% owner. Is Murray still involved in key club decisions? Would he still have a say ââ?¬â? as he always did in his heyday ââ?¬â? in any January comings and goings? The former Rangers chairman, who is left clutching a stricken bairn he doesnââ?¬â?¢t want, currently occupies a strange twilight world at Ibrox. 4 Will Murray ââ?¬â? or the Lloyds Group ââ?¬â? be the final arbiter on who buys Rangers? Murray, with his vast shareholding, has indicated in the past seven days that he will still decide to whom he sells his stake ââ?¬â? but will he? There is still a perception that Lloyds are ââ?¬Å?actively trying to find a buyerââ?¬Â for Rangers, as if Murray is now almost an irrelevant bystander. The question is, when Rangers are sold, who will determine the suitability of the buyer? Murray has persistently stated that he will only sell to someone who will ââ?¬Å?be good for Rangersââ?¬Â ââ?¬â? can this still be the case? 5 For how long does Walter Smith plan to be the Rangers manager? Smith has told one or two in the media in private of his plans, but this is still a grey area among many Rangers supporters. Does he want to stay or go? Johnston has previously said that he would want the current Rangers manager to sign a new, extended contract, though that very issue has gone quiet for almost two months now. Someone should stand up and ask Smith tomorrow, what itââ?¬â?¢s to be: does he plan to stay or go? 6 Can Rangers afford to keep their best playing assets in January? Barring a Roman Abramovich figure suddenly appearing on the scene, Rangers almost certainly face a period of financial downsizing over the next two years. During the past two transfer windows not a single player has been bought, and more sales might even be considered in January. Many supporters also want to know when a new signing will next be made. 7 Does the board think that a supportersââ?¬â?¢ buy-out of Rangers is feasible? There has been quite a lot on message-boards and in the newspapers ââ?¬â? much of it unconvincing hot air ââ?¬â? about fansââ?¬â?¢ buy-outs, membership schemes, etc. A relatively small but impassioned group of Rangers fans dream of owning the club, and, given their current state of limbo, the Rangers board should come clean on what they think of such a proposal. 8 Does Alastair Johnston know of any imminent, credible buyer of Rangers? David Murray was undoubtedly right ââ?¬â? Johnston has moved to Rangers with considerable knowledge of the north American scene, both in business and sport and, given his life-long support of Rangers, should be as well placed as anyone to know of potential buyers who have the wealth and knowledge to back up their interest. Now is the time for the Ibrox chairman to tell the assembled throng what he really knows. 9 Is Dave King really a potential owner of Rangers? Standing among the enduring murkiness of the current Rangers situation is the elusive Mr King. He is reputed to have already invested some Ã?£12m in Rangers, and is said by many to still be interested in buying Murray out. Well, whatââ?¬â?¢s it to be? Moreover, would Kingââ?¬â?¢s chaotic and controversial battles with the South African authorities over various financial allegations deter Rangers from wanting him as their new owner? 10 What is the future of Ally McCoist at the club? McCoist, a Rangers legend, is also at the centre of much uncertainty. Both Walter Smith and David Murray have previously stated that, in an ideal world, the former striker would be the next occupant of the managerââ?¬â?¢s chair, but much has changed since those statements were made six months ago. If Smith leaves the club at the end of the current season, is McCoist still seen as the man to pick up the baton? The first-team coach himself has admitted little about his own personal preferences, but some Rangers fans wish to know where McCoist stands in any imminent post-Smith era at Ibrox. Duffyââ?¬â?¢s pipe dream for the people Is there anyone out there who has generated more hot air over his proposed plan to ââ?¬Å?saveââ?¬Â Rangers than the Florida-based Graham Duffy? The more this guy wafts through the pages of a gullible press, the less likely I find his plan to succeed. So far Duffy has revealed the following. First, he has not carried out any due diligence. Two, he wonââ?¬â?¢t be investing himself. Three, despite wanting 45,000 Rangers fans to invest Ã?£1,000 each in a buy-out, he admits himself this is ââ?¬Å?unlikelyââ?¬Â. Four, he has no idea if a majority of supporters favour a fansââ?¬â?¢ co-operative. But apart from all that, claims Duffy, heââ?¬â?¢s at the get-go to save Rangers. Those who succeed in business do their talking in private, then strike when the deal is ready. Mr Duffy happily babbles in public, even while his plans look, at best, half-baked. Folks, donââ?¬â?¢t hold your breath for salvation for Rangers coming out of Florida.

Darrell King Published on 4 Dec 2009 LAST WEEK Graham Duffy, the Florida-based Glaswegian business*man, exclusively revealed in The Herald his plans for a supporter-led buyout of debt-laden Rangers. The 42-year-old Glaswegian wants to underwrite the Ibrox clubââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£31m debt and then implement a membership scheme, with 45,000 supporters taking a Ã?£1000 stake in the Scottish champions. Duffyââ?¬â?¢s proposals have been the subject of great debate since. In an exclusive interview with Darrell King from his home in Florida, Duffy responds to the issues every Rangers fan has been talking about since he went public last Saturday ââ?¬Â¦ What is your motivation behind the moves to lead a fans buy-out of Rangers? I have been a lifelong supporter; although I live abroad it does not dilute the affection for the club and its history. The reason I decided to get involved was one of necessity. Being a businessman and understanding certain events, I was concerned when Sir David Murray suddenly resigned as chairman. The speed in which matters unravelled caught everyone by surprise. These decisions are not taken lightly, but they are taken for a reason. I think that every Rangers fan would admit that they assumed all was well at the club. But to suddenly be informed that the club was at risk, whether it was or not, caught many by surprise. Subsequently, to sit on the sidelines and wait to see what direction the club was going in was unacceptable. I think it is time for Rangers to awake from the slumber and be what they are ââ?¬â?? a successful global player on a global stage. It is time for the club to tap into its own energy and expand beyond its current borders. Graham Duffy Will there be any monetary gain for you in this plan? No. This proposal has no monetary gain for any individual. The investment by the supporters shall not be invested in any other company other than Rangers. Why should fans invest hard cash when you donââ?¬â?¢t intend to? It appears your plan is to underwrite the clubââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£31m debt, but not actually invest? I have already invested a fair bit of money at this time, albeit it is not millions of pounds. There is a business plan proposal which would ring-fence the current financial situation, as there has been no due diligence carried out at this time. The plan is based upon three stages, short-term, medium-term and long-term. To allow the short-term plan to be implemented, the creditors of Rangers Football Club plc must be secure and amicably agreeable to the proposals to permit the transition ââ?¬â?? without this support this cannot proceed. Being realistic it is highly unlikely that 45,000 or even 15,000 supporters are going to invest the funds required to resolve the initial situation, therefore certain individuals must underwrite certain debts that come with the acquisition, which is a severe risk to these individuals. Individuals lending money or gifting money brings risk at the same time, so this has been avoided. These individuals will also be investing by becoming members just like every other supporter, I most certainly will be buying a good few memberships, but as a supporter. As for the fans investing money, they already do and have done for over 100 years. They are the single biggest investors in the club and to be honest they are not investing in a financial reward they are investing in winning trophies and being proud to be a Rangers Supporter. In summary every individual, be it supporter or a member of the initial consortium involved in this plan will be investing money, some more than others. Would you be prepared to invest hard cash, rather than guarantee the debt, into a takeover plan? Individually I have invested hard cash, but this is not a case of the club transferring from one individual ownership to another, we have to avoid a sticking plaster scenario and focus on the longer-term structure of the club. There is no need to invest hard cash in the short term. Certain mechanisms must be activated in the plan before there is any real hard cash, due diligence must be completed, problems must be solved, we have to tidy up and consolidate firstly. If another party introduced a different business plan and wanted your support would you provide it? Would you be prepared to invest cash to help other parties improve situation of club? I want what is best for Rangers and if that plan is in the best interests of Rangers then I would assist whoever wished assistance. I already have stated that there are a lot of complications to opening a chequebook. I am not aware of any multi-millionaires who keep Ã?£200m cash in the bank, they must reinvest their capital to earn from it. I donââ?¬â?¢t think a 0.5% return on money in the bank is enticing, they would be using their capital at this time as there are a lot of bargains available, so in essence they would have to enter the debt market to invest hard cash and again this brings us back to the current situation. Do I think that others I have been in discussions with would invest some capital ââ?¬â?? including myself? I would have to say yes, but with conditions. How many people have you spoken to regarding forming a consortium? I have been in discussions with a handful of individuals, some more than others, whose identities shall remain private. I wished for the discussions taking place and the individuals involved to be anonymous ââ?¬â?? including myself. When you contacted me a month ago, I stressed my desire to have the plan progressed further before going public. Unfortunately, someone who knows me personally breached a trust and gave my details to another member of the press, and I decided to go public last week. Did the others fully support your business plan? They also have the best interests of Rangers at heart and they wish to have this situation resolved as soon as possible. We have had minor disagreements on some issues, but it was more to do with eliminating any potential impact on the club. In general we have broad agreement on the way forward. Why have they chosen not to go public and will they soon? No one involved in this wished to go public, we would have preferred to have moved matters further on and completed matters at hand rather than dealing with the publicity, positive or negative. I am sure that, should the plan be adopted, then there will be no way anyone can remain anonymous as certain public documents have to be executed. You have said that the fans have to back the plan before it can be implemented. How are you going to gauge this? Do you plan a referendum of the support? This has been the biggest unknown. There is no guarantee that the Rangers supporters will stand up and invest in their club but being a supporter I know at this time they will do all they can to assist in resolving this matter. We respect the fact that not everyone has cash in the bank, especially in this current climate. This is something again that has to be considered and we have proposed offering a finance package that can be paid in instalments making it more affordable and available to as many supporters who sincerely wish to become an owner of the club. If they vote against it, would you walk away? And is a verbal pledge enough of a guarantee from the support? What if they didnââ?¬â?¢t back it up? If the supporters withdraw their support then the club is finished ââ?¬â?? the club only exists because of them. If this proposal is voted down then it will have to be revisited. Whether a revised plan could work would be down to circumstances. The figures have stated you want 45,000 over three years to invest Ã?£1000, raising Ã?£45m. In the current climate, is this realistic? It would irresponsible and unrealistic to assume that everyone would want to just open their chequebook at this time. Some supporters do have the finances available and want to invest immediately, some supporters donââ?¬â?¢t have the finance available at this time but really wish to invest, some supporters may wish to see some progress and would choose to invest when they were satisfied that it was in their interests. I have been told by people this week that 45,000 is too low, some say it is too high, but to complete the plan we had to take into consideration some facts and we had to assume some other uncertainties. I personally feel that Rangers have an unbelievable number of supporters globally, hundreds of thousands, and 45,000 is a very small percentage to rely upon. What would the contingency plan be if the fans only raised, say Ã?£20m? Who would meet the difference as clearly the business plan would be underfunded? The business plan is malleable, it is not carved in stone. Again I go back to certain assumptions being made. The business plan is a bit like a road map, it allows you to map out your journey from A to B. We would assume that the map is factual and we will not have any diversions. We never assume that there will be no road works or diversions, but we believe one thing, we will get to B. That is the same as the business plan, it will change and alter as required. The business plan and the proposals are not solely about the football side. Rangers are a huge untapped successful brand, this business plan has many different revenue steams that will come online in the future. What will the annual membership fee be? Again the membership is based upon assumptions. There is no definitive answer as it is down to what the response is and how many members come on board. This is not a quick capital injection, it has to be monitored and corrected as progress is made. It is also not just a case of grab as much money as possible, there are benefits to being a member, there will be discounts and rewards. But again we have to assume an acceptable level of support and an unacceptable level of support, so the figures being used are between Ã?£50 and Ã?£200. So fans have to pay Ã?£1000 as a one-off fee to become a member. Then an annual fee of Ã?£50-Ã?£200. And then a season ticket and all other costs? Is that feasible? As I have stated previously, between discounts and rewards the supporters should not be expending much more than they are at this time. It is difficult to complete this transition without some form of contribution and support. The supporters have voiced their wish to become an owner of the club. According to the last accounts Rangers had net assets of Ã?£113m, that is the stated assets; the supporters want ownership of the club and therefore the assets. To ask 45,000 members to contribute Ã?£1000 only raises Ã?£45m, not even half the value of the asset, this investment in turn is being used to eliminate any risk to that asset, which makes the asset even more secure, however this comes with a price and a commitment. What would your role at the club be should this plan go ahead? Would you like to be chairman, or would you sit on the board? The proposal consists of three new Special Purpose Vehicle companies being formed. There is a constitution for each of these companies, a competent board of directors, strategic planning process and a mission statement, all in place prior to trading. Once the proposal gets to the stage of acceptance and proceeds my role is over. At that time there would be no need for any further assistance from me ââ?¬â?? the job will have been done. Although it would be a privilege, I have no interest in being on the board of Rangers. I would be doing the position an injustice as I would not be able to fulfil the obligations due to my other business interests and commitments.

http://www.thebluenose.co.uk/news/assembly-news/club-financial-position---assembly-meeting-summary-november-2009-20091201304/ Interesting developments from the Assembly and given their professional and inclusive behaviour of late, I'm sure we'll all want to know more about what they offer. I don't know any fan who isn't interested in the concept of the fans playing a broader role in the running of the club and how this can be achieved. As ever, the devil is in the detail though, so hopefully the wider support will be consulted with given the Assembly's 'official' representative status.