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WALTER SMITH today admitted that it's not outwith the bounds of possibility for Kris Boyd to one day overtake Ally McCoist as Rangers greatest scorer. Boyd has a long way to go before he matches the achievements of Super Ally, the current assistant manager, who holds the Rangers record for both league and European goals and netted a staggering 355 goals in his 15 years as a player at Ibrox. However, 81 goals in 114 matches - including a hat-trick at the weekend, shows that Boyd has an impressie strike rate Smith said: "He's got a career to go through but the initial part would indicate that, if he carries on playing at Rangers as long as Ally did, then he has an opportunity to beat that statistically. "Ally had to break a few goalscoring records here to get himself up there and Kris will have to work like that. But that's a long way down the line." Boyd has often been criticised for his lack of work-rate in the past but Smith insists the striker deserves credit for trying to improve his overall game this season. He added: "I've said on many occasions that there are aspects of his game that he had to improve on but his goalscoring was something nobody could complain about. "He's a terrific finisher, one of the best I've been involved with. His overall level of play has improved as well. "He had bits of his game that he had to improve on and he's worked at that since the start of the season. "He's improved that aspect and it's not interfered with his level of goals. Long may that continue." Boyd's partnership with Kenny Miller proved productive against Inverness as Rangers riot with five goals in 45 minutes, with Boyd's three goals sandwiched between strikes from Nacho Novo and Miller. Smith now hopes his front pairing will lead the way after admitting to concerns about Rangers' lack of goals earlier in the campaign. "The partnership is starting to develop," said the Rangers boss. "In quite a number of the games this season we have had a lot of possession of the ball and never quite managed to get the goals at the end of it, so it was nice to do that on Saturday. "It's something we will have to continue to work at and emphasise that good possession of the ball isn't necessarily going to win you the game." Dundee United are the visitors on Tuesday night as Rangers attempt to make the most of their game in hand by moving level with Celtic at the summit of the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League. Smith said: "Dundee United were a wee bit like ourselves and had a slow start to the season but they've settled down in the last six or seven weeks and are back to the form they showed last season. "We always get a really difficult game from them, they are always well-organised and have a good attitude. "They're well-motivated and have some good players in their team so it will be a good game tomorrow night and one that we're all looking forward to."

RANGERS midfielder Pedro Mendes has hailed Kris Boyd the most lethal finisher he's played with. The Portugal international has supplied the ammunition for some of Europe's sharpest strikers during his time at Porto, Spurs and Portsmouth. But in the wake of Boyd's weekend hat-trick against Inverness at Ibrox, Mendes insists he is now playing with the best of the bunch. Mendes' former team-mates include the likes of Robbie Keane, Kanu, Benni McCarthy, Nuno Gomes, Jermain Defoe and Freddie Kanoute. But the player who has quickly become a favourite among the Ibrox support reckons only McCarthy, whom he played alongside in his homeland, comes anywhere near Boyd for ruthlessness in front of goal. Boyd, who last month called time on his Scotland career while George Burley remains in charge, destroyed Caley Thistle with a first-half treble that took his season's tally to 10 goals in nine starts. Mendes said: "I haven't really seen anybody as clinical as Kris. When I was at Porto, Benni McCarthy was similar and scored a lot of goals but Kris is fantastic at that." Kenny Miller and Nacho Novo also struck against Craig Brewster's men after an awesome first 45 minutes on Saturday. Miller bagged his first goal at Ibrox since his controversial summer return to move him on to five for the season while Novo put the disappointment over Scotland aside with the opener. Mendes said: "Rangers at the moment have a great balance of forwards. They have forwards that can run into the spaces like Nacho, Jean-Claude Darcheville and Kenny and top finishers like Kris. It is a case of balancing those qualities. "When all these things go together and you find the balance then it is easy and we can score more goals." The Rangers attackers can also look back with a great degree of confidence seeing the likes of Mendes, Barry Ferguson, Kevin Thomson, Steve Davis, Charlie Adam, Steven Whittaker, Lee McCulloch, Maurice Edu and DaMarcus Beasley all jostling for positions in the middle of the park. Ferguson's second-half return on Saturday would have hadWalter Smith and the supporters rubbing their hands with excitement but Mendes is a fan of the skipper too. Mendes has also rubbed shoulders with some of the best midfielders in Europe but reckons none of his previous managers had better options than his current boss. Deco, Luis Figo, Maniche, Costinha, Michael Carrick, Rui Costa and Nico Krancjar have shared the midfield over the years with Mendes and the player said: "I am proud to have played alongside some great midfielders. "At Porto and in England I have been lucky to have played with some top players. "But I was very pleased when I moved to Rangers and I discovered how many good midfielders we have here. It is a pleasure to play with so many good players again. "Throughout my career I have always been blessed to play with some of the best players so I'm very fortunate. "It is good to come to Rangers and play alongside Barry Ferguson, Kevin Thomson, Charlie Adam and the others who weren't even involved on Saturday." Mendes spent just over 30 minutes on the field with Ferguson on Saturday but insists he already knows how vital the captain is to Rangers. He said: "It is good to have him back. It is the first time I have played alongside him but I can see he is such an important player for the team. "He is such a great footballer so it is good to have him back. "I can see from his time in the training sessions that Barry is a fantastic player." Some people have suggested Mendes and Ferguson cannot play in the same midfield as they are too similar but the Portuguese insists such claims are way off the mark. The 29-year-old said: "Each player has his own style and plays in a different way. I think we can play in the same team. The amount of good players we have is better for the team. Every one of the players can play alongside each other." Mendes has certainly settled in well since his summer move from Pompey and his �£3million price tag already looks a bargain. He said: "When you move to a different club, a different country and of course a different environment, it is difficult. But if you start performing well quickly that helps you to settle. "I am happy with how things are going here and I want to keep that going and help the team to win even more games. "Every player has their highs and lows but I am happy now." He is in good company at Ibrox because every one of the players appeared to be enjoying their football as they swept the Highlanders aside with ease. Mendes said: "After the game you can say it was an easy afternoon's work. But you have to look at the game and the performance we put in. "The way we played and moved the ball around, particularly in the first half, we made things easy for ourselves. "We started in the best possible way by scoring the goals with the chances we created and we seemed to take them all." Right now Boyd certainly doesn't look like he is going to squander any chances Mendes creates.

Walter Smith’s recent outburst decrying Rangers fans for spouting bile on websites has come as a huge slap in the face for decent majority of Rangers fans who use modern technology to discuss the club they support and allow them the freedom to express opinions and facts to fellow supporters. His words seem clichÃ?©d from other sources, such as those that have a perpetual agenda against Rangers fans, and the press who fuel this as it is easy to sensationalise twisted, negative interpretations of Rangers fans actions to sell newspapers with highly provocative headlines. It seems obvious to some he has been press-ganged into making this statement to give an impression that Rangers are actively fighting what to some self interested quarters is perceived as a great social issue. However, it is also obvious that he is very ignorant of the facts and has not personally experienced any of the forums that he is quick to demonise. He is jumping on a bandwagon he knows nothing about and allowing himself to be influenced by what is clearly a propaganda exercise. The anti-web slant could also be influenced by the fact that the freedom of exchange of knowledge and opinions, had allowed many supporters to be far more informed about the running of the club as well as clearing up many misconceptions. This has subsequently led to a melt-down of his employer’s popularity among the general support, making life for Sir David Murray much more difficult and less enjoyable. The recent pressure on the chairman to answer difficult questions at the AGM is an example, showing a complete contrast to the stage managed, party convention-esque affairs of the past, that used to massage his ego. It’s no wonder the once greatly admired figurehead would like to eradicate his dissidents, and demonising them and their communications medium is a first step. I'm sure there are plenty of bigots on around the forums for all clubs but I'm even more sure from experience, that by far the majority are very decent. To hit out at fans and slander the majority for simply communicating with other is ludicrous and only serves to alienate a huge number of good fans who feel totally insulted. Not only that Walter’s comments also seem to be lacking in any understanding of the medium and what the fans are actually saying, chanting or singing. He should learn this before making ill informed comments and when he does comment, he should word it carefully to be targeted instead of tarring so many with the same brush. He needs to be clear who and what he is talking about and give proper and valid examples. There are countless Celtic fans who seem to take offence at pretty much EVERYTHING Rangers fans do or say, and actively look for ways to interpret everything in an offensive light, and then report them to whatever authorities they can get to listen to them. This is then taken up by the media and blown out of all proportion. What no-one does is stop to think what the words of chants and songs, actually mean - what is the intention and what they are aimed at? No-one even thinks to actually ask Rangers fans these kind of questions: as demonstrated on a BBC news article about what is being labelled the “Famine Song,” where a highly offended leader a Celtic supporters group was interviewed, but no Rangers supporter who actually sang the song was questioned. The reporters were happy to tell the public what the song was about without any inside knowledge of the semantics which, when looked at objectively, are too sparse and ambiguous to interpret without proper understanding of the context. But as they say, “Why let the truth get in the way of a good story.” Unfortunately, it seems that it is this style of reporting that Rangers officials are acquiring all their knowledge of the subject from. The powers at be at Ibrox subsequently seem to have no finger on the pulse and come across as not only a bit dim at times, but totally out of touch as well as lacking any interest or sensitivity to where the fans are coming from. Comments like Walter’s really need to be fully informed and highly qualified, instead of woolly demonising using clichÃ?©d buzz words, presented to him with prejudiced views either designed to harm the reputation of Rangers fans, or to sell sensationalised news stories. I always believe that you cannot criticise anyone unless you have some understanding of what they are actually doing and what their motivations really are. For those who are interested, the Famine song is a satirical reference to the strange way that Scottish Celtic supporters with British passports rebrand themselves as Irish, and falsely claim to be descendents of immigrants that came from Ireland due to the famine. This is despite the fact that immigration from Ireland was very low during that terrible and very sad disaster. Their songs contain irrelevant references to the famine and many other songs attack the United Kingdom as a country. The Famine song reminds them that although they hate the UK, they no-longer need to live here if they don’t want to, as their reason for leaving their beloved homeland no longer applies. Basically the song takes the Mick out of “Plastic Paddies” who claim to hate their own country. How that can be interpreted as sectarian or racist is beyond me - even if “Plastic Paddy” was a bona fide religion or race, effectively saying, “It’s ok now, you can go home,” is about the most gentle of rebukes you will encounter in a football stadium. For those that pick up on the word "famine", and tell us that Rangers fans are sick for mentioning it, are only displaying the same kind of over-sensitivity that had people decrying "Baa Baa Black Sheep" as racist. I used to think WS was a wise and intelligent man, but now he appears like an old sheep or out of touch senior citizen, who believes whatever propaganda is put in front of him. The club should definitely be fighting against real sectarianism, but patronising lip service is never going to work and only going to wind up the decent fans and even have a negative effect on the less enlightened minority who verge on casual 90 minute bigotry. You will never get anyone to change for the better by chastising them when they know they have done nothing wrong. You will only succeed in insulting their intelligence. Proper dialogue is necessary between the club and fans on these issues, as well as an extensive, open-minded, national debate that clarifies the real demarcation between sectarianism and what is just club rivalry.

Quiet lads, everyone off to the game already? What does everyone think today's result will be then. We always seem to struggle at Ibrox v Calet, dropping points or odd goal victories. But Caley are on a 4 game losing streak and with the possible return of Fergie (even if he doesn't start the other CM's might be frigthened into upping their game) I'm going for a 3-0. That's assuming Smith doesn't do something stupid and drop Boyd who I expect to grab a goal if he starts.

WALTER SMITH has urged the Rangers paymasters to give Kirk Broadfoot the new improved deal he deserves. Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s Ibrox contract runs out at the end of next season. But Smith wants the full-back, left, tied up NOW to keep predators away. Birmingham City are keeping tabs on his situation and SunSport revealed this week they are preparing a Ã?£2million swoop. But Smith admits the former St Mirren skipper has earned a pay rise. The gaffer said: ââ?¬Å?An improved deal? In all probability that will come. ââ?¬Å?Kirk had a really good season last year and has cemented that this year. ââ?¬Å?In the past he was inconsistent, but heââ?¬â?¢s settled down now.ââ?¬Â SunSport also revealed this week that Stevie Smith feared his Ibrox career was over. The left-back thought he wasnââ?¬â?¢t wanted, but Smith insisted: ââ?¬Å?I spoke to Stevie and he might have misunderstood what I said to him. ââ?¬Å?He is playing reserve games and thatââ?¬â?¢s doing him no good whatsoever. ââ?¬Å?I spoke to him about going out on loan and getting games under his belt ââ?¬â? then weââ?¬â?¢ll all have a better chance to judge where he is and whether he can return to the team. ââ?¬Å?In my 20-odd months here heââ?¬â?¢s managed just two games and he wasnââ?¬â?¢t match-fit for them. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve never seen the best of the lad, so the idea was to get him on loan and let him play.ââ?¬Â Smith also insisted he does NOT want to sell midfielder Kevin Thompson in January, with West Brom boss Tony Mowbray keen on his old Hibs star. Smith added: ââ?¬Å?We have two months before the transfer window opens up ââ?¬â? I donââ?¬â?¢t have a thought yet about what will happen. ââ?¬Å?I want our good players here and we need them for the future when the number of games will hopefully increase. ââ?¬Å?A few players may leave, but it wonââ?¬â?¢t be the ones I see as being capable of taking us forward.ââ?¬Â Rangers face Caley at Ibrox today, with skipper Barry Ferguson set for a top-team return. Smith canââ?¬â?¢t wait to team him with Pedro Mendes in a dream midfield. He said: ââ?¬Å?Barry is in our thoughts. Heââ?¬â?¢s ready after a reserve game. Itââ?¬â?¢s just up to me now to decide how best he should be introduced. ââ?¬Å?We have five games in the space of a couple of weeks and we want everyone involved. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ll be able to get Barry back to full match fitness quite quickly. ââ?¬Å?The midfield is an area where I want players who are all good at keeping the ball. I am looking forward to seeing how they all gel. ââ?¬Å?Barry and Pedro are good midfielders and both have the capability of being attacking players or they can drop deeper. ââ?¬Å?I have no fears about them complementing each other. ââ?¬Å?I always feel that Kevin ââ?¬â? although he doesnââ?¬â?¢t get the write-ups ââ?¬â? also does very well for us in there.ââ?¬Â Kyle Lafferty, meanwhile, has been urged to remain patient. The young Northern Ireland star was signed as a striker, but has been forced to play in midfield. Smith added: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s been a sticky start for Kyle in the sense that injuries have upset his rhythm. ââ?¬Å?I hope he settles down now and weââ?¬â?¢ll see a lot more of him in the future. ââ?¬Å?Although he has played most of his football wide on the left for us and Burnley, I still see him as a central striker in the longer term. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢d like to see him get more experience there.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/article1880563.ece

KRIS Boyd today revealed how embracing the futuristic fitness regime at Rangers has helped him get in the shape - and form - of his life. Boyd has often been criticised for his lack of mobility and his dubious workrate during his two-and-a-half often fantastic, but frequently frustrating, seasons at Ibrox. Yet, his critics - and there are still a fair few despite his hugely impressive strike rate - have been unable to level that accusation at him in recent weeks. For the 25-year-old has contributed far, far more to the Glasgow club's cause than just goals during the 2008/09 campaign. Indeed, after his double in the 3-1 win over Hamilton at New Douglas Park in the SPL last weekend, Rangers manager Walter Smith declared Kris was in the best physical condition he has ever been in. And the enigmatic player has told how working with Adam Owen, the Head of Sports Science at Murray Park, has been responsible for turning him into a far more complete all-round footballer. Former Welsh professional Owen has introduced a wide range of modern training methods since arriving at Rangers from Sheffield Wednesday shortly after Smith returned last year. Boyd said: "With Adam here at Rangers, every aspect of our fitness and diet is closely monitored and I, along with all of the boys at the club, have definitely benefited from that. "They can put whatever training programmes and fitness regimes in front of you they like, but, at the end of the day, it isn't going to be any use to you if you if you don't want to do it. "In the last three or four months I have really got my head down and probably worked as hard as I have ever done in training. Now I am starting to reap the rewards of that in the matches I am playing. "You get out of the game what you put into it and that has definitely been the case with me in recent weeks. Hopefully, I will continue to do well and score goals in the weeks and months ahead. "With the players we have in the team here we are always going to create chances. It is my responsibility to put them away and so far I have been doing that. "It was a good to get back into the team against Hamilton after a pretty long lay-off and it has been great to score in my last two games. With any luck, that is me up and running now. "There are so many good strikers here at the club that I know that if I stop producing the goods then there will be somebody there on the sidelines waiting to take my place in the team." That fate will not happen any time soon if the former Kilmarnock hit man manages to maintain the purple patch of form he is currently enjoying. He scored the opening goal in his side's straightforward Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final win over Hamilton at Ibrox on Tuesday night to take his tally for the season to seven. And he is almost certain to start against Inverness Caley Thistle tomorrow in what will be his team's first league match at home since they played Motherwell over five weeks ago on September 21. Who plays up front alongside Kris, though, is more of a dilemma for Gers manager Smith now with a clutch of top players all vying for a place in the starting line-up. Boyd played in tandem with Jean-Claude Darcheville in midweek and partnered both Kenny Miller and substitute Nacho Novo to good effect last weekend. In addition, Kyle Lafferty who scored a great header against Accies, has once again stated his desire to move from the left of midfield and play up front in the future. However, Kris, who grew up in Ayrshire supporting Rangers, is totally unconcerned who he is in the team with - just as long as he gets a game. He stressed: "I am happy to play with whoever the manager wants to play me with. The most important thing as far as I am concerned is just playing." Many Rangers fans would like to see Boyd given a prolonged run in the team alongside Miller as they feel the pair have different strengths and would complement each other. He said: "Every time I have played up front with Kenny I have felt we have done well together. I certainly enjoy playing with him. I think that, as a partnership, we have done well. "Hopefully, we can stay injury free and get the chance to play together soon to build on our understanding. I think we can definitely play well together." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2464739.0.0.php

By Andrew Dickson BARRY FERGUSON could start against Inverness tomorrow - but Walter Smith has warned he won't necessarily stay in his Rangers side. The skipper is poised to return to the first team after four months on the sidelines with an ankle injury. But while he might lead the side against the Highlanders, Gers are keen not to push him too much as they tackle a heavy schedule of matches. As well as Caley Thistle, the Light Blues will play Dundee United, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and St Mirren in the next fortnight. Smith knows that having been without his captain for so long, asking him to be able to play in each fixture over that period could be expecting too much. He said: "We're certainly thinking about starting Barry tomorrow. He played in the reserve game on Wednesday so we'll look at that between now and tomorrow morning. "He is ready to come back but we have five games in the next couple of weeks so there are plenty of opportunities to get him involved. "Barry is a really good footballer and the more of them that we have in our team, the better. "At the same time, when someone is coming back from injury after a long time, asking them to play on Saturday, Tuesday then Saturday is not a good thing. "Barry needs to get back to match fitness and it is a matter of how we best go about doing that. "With five matches in a fortnight, after the spell he has had out, he'll not be able to play in them all. "But we would hope to get him the number of games in that period that get him back to full fitness." Brahim Hemdani and Steven Naismith are the only injured players at the club now and Christian Dailly is suspended this weekend. Young full-back Steven Smith won't be risked either as he lacks match sharpness after the best part of two years out. While it seems he will be sent out on loan in January, there are other players waiting in the wings to come back into the team. Amongst them are Lee McCulloch, Steven Whittaker and Chris Burke and Smith says they will all get opportunities at some point. He added: "Some of our players are needing more matches to get up to the proper level of fitness. "Just like Barry, there are plenty of chances for the likes of Whittaker and McCulloch to come in again."

Rangers manager Walter Smith says he will be able to field his strongest midfield when Barry Ferguson makes his comeback. More...

Whatever you think of Smith's second tenure here, he has made us near unbeatable at hom (kiss of death on that one now). I alluded (sp) to this before, probably last time I did a match preview, but we have not failed to win a home game since Hibs left Ibrox with 3 points in October last year. Quite a record Let's keep it going this week v ICT.

RANGERS Football Club will pay tribute to the brave Scottish servicemen and women who have just returned from active duty in Afghanistan at Saturday's SPL game with Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Ibrox. Over 50 members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalion, 5th Royal Regiment of Scotland will be introduced to a packed crowd at half-time this weekend. Rangers legend Ally McCoist and defender Steven Whittaker joined members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalion at Murray Park today to promote this weekend's activity, which will also include a can collection in aid of Poppyscotland. Poppyscotland support Scottish veterans in many ways - including help in dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the physical effects of serious battle wounds and also help families who have lost loved ones on active duty. McCoist said: "We are delighted to welcome the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalion to Ibrox on Saturday and are fully behind Poppyscotland's 2008 appeal. "Footballers are often regarded as heroes but the people who serve and fight on the front line for their country are the real heroes and it will be an honour for us to have them at Ibrox." Rangers legend Harold Davis has also sent the Club a message of support. He served with the King's Own Scottish Borderers during the Korean War - and recovered from serious shrapnel wounds to play for Rangers. He was delighted to learn the club has invited the returning servicemen and women to the game this weekend. Harold, who represented the Light Blues with distinction between 1956 and 1964 and is now settled in Inverness, said: "Unfortunately I am unable to attend Saturday's match on medical advice. "But I am thrilled Rangers are honouring the returning heroes who have put their lives on the line in Afghanistan. This is a wonderful gesture by the club and I am sure they will receive a well-deserved standing ovation by the crowd at Ibrox." Rangers will also wear a specially embroidered poppy on their strip when Walter Smith's side visit Rugby Park to play Kilmarnock on Sunday, 9 November and the club will make a donation to Poppyscotland in support of their 2008 appeal. Rangers Chief Executive Martin Bain added: "Honouring these brave individuals is not something we pay lip service to. "Our recognition of these men and women, who are the true heroes in life, is a constant by all those who support or work for Rangers Football Club. "I know the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalion were delighted to accept our invitation to attend Saturday's game. "But the pleasure is all ours and our supporters will give them a wonderful and deserved reception this weekend." Sgt Major David Robertson, from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battalion, 5th Royal Regiment of Scotland, said: "We are all really looking forward to visiting Ibrox on Saturday. "Sometimes when you are stuck in a place like Helmand Province you wonder how people back home feel about what we are doing. "Gestures like this make us feel appreciated and I thank Rangers for the kind invitation. I am also delighted to hear the Club is hosting a can collection for Poppyscotland on Saturday. "Charities like this are a massive help and secure better futures for our people and their families. This fundraising is imperative and really helps soldiers who have been seriously wounded or traumatised through their experiences."

STEVIE WHITTAKER is desperate to get back ino the Rangers line-up after effecitvely missing the first three months of the season. The former Hibs star has not featured since the first SPL game of the campaign at Falkirk, largely due to a troublesome knee problem, However, he is fully fit and raring to go now. He said: "I'm ready to return. I came through my first reserve game during the week and I've trained with the boys for a couple of weeks now. "I'm just looking to get some match practice and return to the team. Hopefully, I will travel with the team on Saturday. It's always nice to be involved in some sort of form. "If I can make the bench then I'll be delighted to pull on a strip and hopefully get back involved. "I didn't have an operation but I had three injections in my knee to help the pain go away. It's still with me a little bit but it's not stopping me from doing anything. "I'm getting through training and games fine and I'm just looking to return." Whittaker believes the current Rangers squad is even stronger than the one who won two domestic trophies and reached the UEFA Cup final last year and he is well aware of just how tough a task it will be to force his way back into Walter Smith's plans. "At a club like Rangers, you are always going to have competition for your position, no matter where you play on the field," Whittaker said. "There is lots of competition and whoever is playing well will keep their place in the team. The boys have done well and the performances have been good so it's difficult for anyone to get back into the team. "It just comes from hard work and trying to impress in training and reserve games. Hopefully, I get a chance and perform well and take it. "We've got a lot of talent throughout the team. There are a lot of players who can play in the first team and it's just about fighting for a place in the first XI. "The bigger squad was needed last year. We're not in Europe this year, which is the disappointing thing - everyone would have been needed if we were in Europe. "A lot of players might have time on the sidelines now, and it's never easy for a player not to be playing. But, with the right attitude and hard work, hopefully we will all get a chance." Ferguson has been out of action for five months but has vowed to be back better than ever following successful ankle surgery in the summer. Whittaker believes Rangers have missed their captain despite a decent start to the campaign. He said: "It's good to have him back and see him doing what he does best. He came through the reserve game well and he's just like me now, looking to get some matches under his belt and get some match fitness and try to return to the squad. "He's a massive influence. He has been captain of the club for several years and he is a top player to have in your team. "At a club like Rangers, you need your best players playing well. It's important he gets match fit as quickly as possible." And, like every Rangers fan, Whittaker is relishing the prospect of seeing Ferguson and Pedro Mendes play in the same midfield for the first time. He added: "Barry has shown over the years that he can score goals and create from the midfield. And we have seen what Pedro can do since he has been at the club. "So it's exciting to have them both in there and I'm sure we won't be short of goalscoring chances."

by Lindsay Herron THE WORLD of football paid tribute to Ian McColl today when his funeral took place following his sad passing on October 24 at the age of 81 Team-mates and rivals joined together with family and friends at St Paul's Church in Milngavie to remember the Iron Curtain defender, who played 526 games for Rangers. He was one of the last remaining links to a golden era for Rangers in the aftermath of the Second World War when football boomed. The period was dominated by Rangers and Hibs. From 1946 until 1953 they had a stranglehold on the title; Rangers winning in 1947, 1949, 1950 and 1953 and Hibs triumphant in 1948, 1951 and 1952. Other than in 1949 when Dundee were runners-up, Hibs were second when Rangers won and vice versa. Hibs boasted the Famous Five forward line of Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Willie Ormond and Eddie Turnbull while Rangers featured the Iron Curtain defence of Bobby Brown, George Young, Jock Shaw, Ian McColl, Willie Woodburn and Sammy Cox. It was a fascinating and fearsome match-up, but it does not imply that Rangers were toothless up front at that time - far from it. Willie Waddell, Torry Gillick, Willie Thornton and Jimmy Duncanson were among the top class Rangers forwards of the time. "Rangers against Hibs? Now you're talking," said Bobby Brown. "We had fantastic games against them in that 1940s and 1950s period and Ian played a huge part in these matches. "They had the Famous Five forward line and we had the Iron Curtain defence. Many said they would have loved to have seen the two combined in the Scotland team but it never quite happened that all of us played at once. "Of course, we had brilliant forward players then too, like Waddell, Thornton and Duncanson as well as Jimmy Caskie. "But there was something special about the Iron Curtain defence. We all seemed to click perfectly and we got on well together. It seemed natural to us. "We used to go to Easter Road and play in front of crowds in excess of 50,000 and that could be doubled when they came to Ibrox." In a 10-year period Rangers averaged less than a goal against per game which is indicative of just how strong the defensive line was. In these days the formation as 2-3-5 - two full backs, three half backs and five forwards (two wingers, two inside forwards and a centre forward). McColl was right half and a first rate defender beside the mighty Woodburn and in front of the colossus that was Young. However, he could play the game too and that is not lost on goalkeeper Brown, who, coincidentally, also became Scotland manager in his later years. Brown told me: "I remember Ian was very strong in defence but he was also good on the ball and was adept at turning defence into attack. "My great memory of him was his fastidiousness at improving his passing. In these days training was basic and all we had was the running track around the pitch. "Ian used to play one-twos against the wall and did other things to try to improve his game. He was very dedicated in that regard. "We had many fine moments in the League and in Cups but my abiding memory is a bleak November day when we went to Methil to play East Fife, who were a powerful team at that time and regularly finished in the top five. "The game had a 2pm kick-off to help the local miners in terms of their shifts. They would be down the pits at five that morning so they could see the game in the afternoon - a game that had been sold out for weeks. "Ian was superb that day. I think he cleared two off the line, but he was wonderful in defence and we won the match 2-1. "There is no doubt he was a great servant to Rangers and it was with great sadness that I learned about Ian. "He didn't have the greatest quality of life in his latter years and that saddened me too."

BIRMINGHAM are weighing up a shock Ã?£2million swoop for Rangers star Kirk Broadfoot. Former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish is ready to pounce for Scotland defender Broadfoot when the transfer window opens in January. He has now established himself with Gers since quitting St Mirren two years ago. But the 24-year-old is understood to be unhappy about his current deal which sees him take home Ã?£3,500-a-week basic. That has alerted Blues boss McLeish who is ready to lure versatile Broadfoot south with a bumper Ã?£10,000-a-week package when the window opens. Big Eck is desperate for a centre half and believes Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s ability and physique make him perfect for the demands of the Championship. Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s contract expires in the summer and Gers boss Walter Smith is desperate to keep hold of the defender ââ?¬â? who is enjoying his best form for the club. Despite arriving at Ibrox as a squad player, he has filled the void left by Alan Huttonââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£9m move to Spurs ââ?¬â? but there have been no moves by Gers to offer him a new deal. After winning his first two caps for Scotland against Iceland and Norway, the defender believes he should be brought into line with other top-earners at Ibrox. But now McLeish is ready to lure Broadfoot ââ?¬â? who would prefer to stay at Gers ââ?¬â? with a massive wage hike. Meanwhile, former Ibrox favourite Peter Lovenkrands has pleaded with Rangers to put an end to his Schalke hell. The Danish hitman sees no future for himself in Germany after being frozen out by new coach Fred Rutten. The 28-year-old said: ââ?¬Å?There is no future for me at Schalke. Hopefully something will happen in January. ââ?¬Å?There was a lot of talk about me returning to Rangers last summer. ââ?¬Å?It didnââ?¬â?¢t happen, but I would love to go back there. ââ?¬Å?Of course, if the opportunity arose again I would be delighted.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article1867756.ece

BARRY Ferguson completed his first 90 minutes since May as a 10 man Rangers reserve side was held at home by Dundee United. Despite losing Christian Dailly to a red card after just 45 seconds, Tommy Wilson's side were on top for the majority of the game as Ferguson continued his return from an ankle injury. Dailly was dismissed in the first minute after tangling with Danny Swanson just inside the penalty area leaving the home side without a recognised central defender in their ranks. Swanson stepped up to take the resulting penalty but blazed the ball high over Neil Alexander's goal. Boosted by the missed spot kick Gers adjusted their backline and recovered to take an early lead. Aaron's trickery on the left earned him the space to deliver the perfect cross, setting up Rory Loy for his 8th goal in 8 reserve games. Loy then almost turned provider for the returning skipper a minute later when his ball from the left just eluded the on rushing Ferguson. But it was United who found the net soon after when Swanson' through ball picked out Prince Buaben in the box and he slotted an equaliser past Alexander. The visitors almost took the lead on the stroke of half time when Danny Grainger crossed for David Goodwillie, who headed just wide of the post. Wary of the threat, the home side introduced Jordan McMillan at the start of the second half with Andrius Velicka making way and Loy switching to the lone striking role. McMillan picked up a yellow card midway through the half as United searched for a second against the new look Gers defence. With the effort of covering for an extra man taking its toll, Tommy Wilson introduced more fresh legs as Georgios Efrem replaced Chris Burke and Andrew Shinnie took Aaron's midfield spot. Those changes meant Ferguson would complete the 90 minutes, and he almost capped his first full match back with a goal when Charlie Adam hit the touchline on the left and cut the ball back for his captain, but Ferguson's effort was wide of the target. Gers were almost made to pay late in the game when United sub Ryan Dow, a replacement for Greg Cameron, rifled a shot against Alexander's bar, but they held on to pick up a hard earned point against a strong Utd side. Rangers: Alexander; Whittaker, McCulloch, Dailly, Smith; Burke (Efrem 63), Ferguson, Adam, Aaron (Shinnie 77); Velicka (McMillan 46), Loy. Subs: Viaculis, Kinniburgh, McLachlan, Little. Booked: McMillan, Efrem Sent off: Dailly Dundee Utd: McGovern; Kovacevic, Kenneth, Pope, Grainger; Buaben, McCord (Andreoni 46), Cameron (Dow 85), Swanson; Shala, Goodwillie. Subs: Grant, Milligan, Smith. Booked: Pope Referee: Ross Haswell See the POPE was playing

According to The Scottish Sun anyway which means it's probably bullshit.

THE FAMILY of Ian McColl have asked for a minute's applause ahead of the cup tie with Hamilton to celebrate his Rangers career. McColl, who passed away on Friday aged 81, played 526 matches for Rangers in 15 years from 1946 to 1960. His funeral will take place at St Paul's Church in Milngavie, outside Glasgow on Thursday at mid-day. Boss Walter Smith certainly appreciated the impact he made at Ibrox. He said: "Ian was a fantastic stalwart for Rangers as part of the Iron Curtain defence. "He is someone I can remember coming to watch playing for the club when I was a boy and he later went on to have a successful career in management as well. "Anyone who goes and plays over 500 games for Rangers has made a significant contribution to the club and Ian was no different."

By Andrew Dickson MO EDU says he is ready to make his mark at Rangers after taking time to adapt to the Scottish game. The American midfielder is in line to play against Hamilton in the League Cup tomorrow night and could replace Kevin Thomson as he is struggling with an ankle knock. More than two months have passed since Edu signed for the club on the five-year deal from MLS outfit Toronto FC. So far he has made just one 65-minute appearance against Kilmarnock and he has been a more regular feature of Tommy Wilson's reserve team. But having finally got to grips with the game in this country, the 22-year-old feels capable of stepping back into the first XI again and making a positive impact. Edu said: "I hope I can play against Hamilton. Every week I prepare myself for the event that my name is called and it has been no different this week. "I'm just working hard in training. Every footballer wants to play but I knew I was joining a winning team when I came here. "There's a lot of talent in there already and with the summer signings that were made, that has increased further. "I knew it would be difficult to get on the field so I have been training hard and I've stayed patient. "The SPL is definitely a step up from the MLS and it's a hard, physical game. I've done well as I've adjusted so far and I'm more comfortable than I was when I got here at first. "I knew it would take time to adapt. Any time you increase the standard, there's a little period where you try to change and settle in. "I think I've had a chance to be here for a while now, train with the guys, see a few games and play in one and I've been getting positive feedback from the staff. "I feel a part of things now and as time goes on, I'll hopefully get some more matches under my belt and I'll continue to develop." Rangers will come up against Hamilton for the second time in four days in the quarter-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup following their SPL meeting on Saturday. Walter Smith's men won that one 3-1 but Edu knows that means nothing ahead of their re-match at Ibrox. He added: "I think it'll be difficult and playing any team twice within the space of a few days is hard. "After playing them at their place, they'll have a bit of a chip on their shoulder when they come to play at our home. "Any team that comes here wants to do well because it's a great club to play at and it's a huge event for them. "Hamilton will come here really motivated and it's difficult to beat the same team twice in a row so we'll have our work cut out."

Most Rangers fans face a bit of a quandary when it comes to our defensive line up. Whilst Weir currently forms our strongest available centre back partnership with summer signing Madjid Bougherra. However it is suggested that playing the veteran Scot leads to some of our troubles against better quality opposition. Due to Weir's advancing years, whatever pace he once had is beginning to dessert him. Weir was never an exceptionally fast player. But with his reading of the game he was not often exposed for a lack of pace. Weir has performed admirably for the club since Walter Smith brought him back upto Scotland and can be proud of his performances for the club. He formed a water-tight back line with Cuellar and has struck up an excellent understanding with Bougherra already. However many fans have questioned whether his lack of pace causes a back line to sit too deep and invite pressure onto our defence. However Saturday's game at Hamilton exposed another potential issue for our defenders. Hamilton forward Offiong gave both Weir and Bougherra a torrid time with his strength. Every high ball played upto Offiong stuck. Any ball chest or head height was won by Offiong and played off to a team mate. Fortunately Hamilton didn't have the squad to take advantage. Unusually for Weir, who normally relishes the physical battle, and Bougherra who looks like a big strong centre back, they just could not match him for strength. I was actually relieved and a little confused when billy Reid decided to withdraw him when he'd had so much success in the first half. It reminded me a lot of a game in the past few seasons when we played Hearts and the centre backs, I believe they were Weir and Cuellar, again just could not compete in the physical battle. He ran amok and it's not the only such incident. Kenny Deuchar won a move to MLS football off the back of a a bustling centre forward performance against us were he bruised our defence all game and managed to get on the score sheet. Whilst many are worried about David Weir, his lack of pace and who his successor is I think we also need to look at why our back line struggles so much against big bruising centre forwards? With the game in Scotland being very much a physical battle you have to match the work rate and commitment of the opposition before your superior tecchnical and tactical ability can win through. It is also worrying when you look at the forward options available to Celtic, the only other contenders for the league title. Samaras, Hesselink and even Killen are all big guys. And whilst none of them should unduly worry us, if Strachan identifies this potential weakness in our team and lines his team up appropriately we may find ourselves struggling in the OF games.

Home Comforts After not playing at Ibrox for nearly 5 weeks we are now faced with 3 crucial home games in the space of a week. Firstly we entertain Hamilton Accies in the League Cup, then ICT and Dundee United come calling on SPL duty. The fixture list often throws up back-to-back games and after defeating Hamilton (and the inclement conditions) on Saturday, Hamilton have a swift chance to revenge the SPL defeat and knock us out of the League Cup. Following the midweek league cup tie, we have two must win SPL games at Ibrox. We deserved to win on Saturday but the conditions almost rendered the game unplayable. Hopefully the weather will have improved significantly by tomorrow evening so we can demonstrate our footballing ability and express ourselves on the expansive Ibrox surface. Walter Smith may use tomorrow evening to ensure that some fringe players get ââ?¬Ë?game timeââ?¬â?¢. This should mean a glimpse of players like Edu, Aaron, Lafferty and possibly even young Rory Loy who has impressed in the reserves / U19ââ?¬â?¢s this season. However, Iââ?¬â?¢d expect Walter will give this ââ?¬Ë?game timeââ?¬â?¢ to the tried and tested squad players like Daily, McCulloch, Adam, JCD et al. Personally, Iââ?¬â?¢d play a 4-4-2 along these lines : Alexander, SW, Broadfoot, MB, Papac, Aaron, Edu, Mendes, Beasley, Lafferty and a.n.other. League Cup Memories And A Scottish Cup Nightmare As we entertain Hamilton in the League Cup, I thought that Iââ?¬â?¢d detail some of my favourite league cup memories but will start this article with a gentle reminder not to take the threat from Hamilton lightly. No Rangers fan of a certain age will ever (or should ever) forget the 31/01/1987. This was halfway through Graeme Sounessââ?¬â?¢ initial season as Rangers player manager and after a rocky start, Rangers had started to play some decent football and had already secured the league cup, defeating Celtc 2-1 at Hampden (Durrant and Cooper the scorers). When the draw for the third round for the Scottish Cup paired us with Hamilton, we all thought that we would have a safe passage into the 4th round. Well, anyone who was at the game will remember that we had anything but, and ended u[ out on our arses with egg all over our faces. Chris Woods went into the game seeking a world record (12 games) for not conceding a goal and he actually secured this record during the game. Everything was going to plan, Rangers were pressing, a goal for Rangers was ââ?¬Ë?inevitableââ?¬â?¢, or so well all thought. Up stepped Adrian Sprott and out went Rangers. It is fair to say that during Sounessââ?¬â?¢ reign, the Scottish Cup was never kind to Rangers. The following season would see Dunfermline knock us out at the same stage of the competition and I believe we only made one SCF under Souness where we were cheated out of a treble by Celtc and another one of those Masonic referees. Trailing 1-0 to a goal scored by a throw-in taken by Celtc that was actually ours, we scored a perfectly good goal that was chopped off after Paddy Bonner tried to collect a corner, bumped into Roy Aitken, dropped the ball and it was rammed home for what should have been a Rangers equaliser. The Scottish cup is the only domestic competition we have won less than Celtc. We have dominated the league cup since its conception and we have featured in some of the most memorable League Cup Finals ever to be played. My favourites are listed below, no doubt youââ?¬â?¢ll all have your own favourites, so enjoy : Rangers 3 v 2 Celtc ââ?¬â?? McCoist hatrick 1983-1984 Rangers 3 v 3 Aberdeen ââ?¬â?? 1987-1988 Rangers 3 v 3 Aberdeen ââ?¬â?? 1988-1989 Cammy F

By Andrew Dickson WALTER SMITH is hopeful Barry Ferguson will return to the Rangers line-up for this weekend's SPL clash with Inverness at Ibrox. The Light Blues skipper returned to action in the reserves last Tuesday against St Mirren after four months out with ankle injury. Ferguson is working with the group of players who have been selected in the squad for tomorrow night's home League Cup quarter-final with Hamilton. But he is highly unlikely to feature in the game and will instead play in Wednesday's second-string fixture against Dundee United. Should the 30-year-old come through that match unscathed, he will then come into contention for the meeting with Caley Jags. Smith said: "Barry will get another game on Wednesday and I'm hopeful that if he gets through that match without any problems, he'll come back in at the weekend. "I don't mean that in terms of his injury because that's okay now. If the after-effects of playing in midweek aren't too severe, we would look at him coming in on Ssaturday. "It is natural people are anxious now to get him back. I'll involve Barry in the pool of players for the Hamilton game but that game might be a bit early for him. "He will play against United's reserves and after that, I'd hope he'll become more gradually involved with the full side. "Barry played at St Mirren and did all of his training last week then had a recovery day yesterday so we'll see how he is at training today. "He is itching to get back playing again but he has an awareness of his injury now, as we do. When he makes his comeback, he'll be ready for it."

WALTER SMITH will not give in to temptation and recall Barry Ferguson for tomorrow's SPL trip to Hamilton. The Rangers skipper made his comeback after four months out injured on Tuesday when he played 62 minutes of the 3-0 reserve win at St Mirren. Ferguson looked comfortable at Love Street and has continued to be heavily involved in training in the latter part of the week. But given the amount of time he has spent on the sidelines, Smith is adamant he has no intention of using the 30-year-old at New Douglas Park. The manager said: "Barry played in the reserve game the other day but he has been out for four months now and it'll take him a while to get ready. "We've got another reserve game next week and hopefully we can fit in a bounce match as well. "I'm sure after he gets two - maybe three - games under his belt, we can start looking at getting him back into the first team. "It's important for us to get all of our best players back and he has been a big factor in our team so we look forward to him returning. "But we have a squad of players there and it is not necessary to rush him back. We'll make sure he is right this time. "With that, I mean fitness-wise. His injury has totally cleared up and there's no problem with it now. It's just a matter of getting his fitness ready." While Ferguson won't be involved, Lee McCulloch is pushing for a return after scoring in his latest second-string appearance in midweek. Chris Burke is another who is hoping to be in contention after a fine goal and an impressive performance against the Buddies. Steven Whittaker and Steven Smith are also back in full training but are unlikely to make the trip to Lanarkshire. Smith added: "We've got a selection headache now as we've got a large group of players available and it's down to me to select the right ones to win games. "There is good competition and that's a great thing. We've got quite a number of players coming back into the squad now. "Lee is fit again, Barry's on his way and Steven Whittaker and Steven Smith returned into the group this week. I've got a lot to choose from."

I think he makes some valid points here, Manu could on any given day certainly have the capability to beat most teams in Europe by the same scoreline. Financially, again we cant even compete with newly promoted teams to the EPL. The top 4 are certainly a class apart, I'd love to see a statement from Ince if the next time they play Manu and they get beat 3-0. Would it still be men against boys?

Hi all. Thought I'd better start a thread as that nagging notice is not going to go away otherwise. There's been a lot of talk about this subject lately and a lot of people are a p****d off at being labelled a faceless bigot because they use the Internet. Personally I haven't felt insulted, as I felt Smith and Murray were talking of a minority, but there's no doubt they could have handled things better. It got me thinking. If they are so worried about it, is it not possible for the club to become pro-active and go after some of these people if the are damaging the reputation of the club? From my knowledge of the technicalities of how the Internet works (and I did invent it ) most people are not as anonymous as they might think and it might make some think twice about what they are doing in the name of Rangers FC. Not sure if it would be productive or not.

Only cowards insult people who don’t have an opportunity to defend themselves. The papers have turned this into a fine art –offended on behalf of imaginary people; offended at imaginary people. Every politician, newspaper hack, football club owner with their own little renegade-denouncer-of-great-evil fantasy has jumped on a bandwagon of their own creation to stand up for the Sectarianly Oppressed against the Sectarian Oppressors – getting to be the Goodie in a sea of Baddies. Politicians and newspaper hacks earn a living off this – it’s the very controversy that pays the bills. For Murray it’s a convenient way of sooking up to the liberal snobberies of broadsheets and hence deflecting any possible criticism of himself from there. But, Walter Smith? Now he’s standing up against this magical, mystical, barely tangible sectarianism as it vaguely exists in flux out on the internet? I’m not sure what the fuck is going on, but I’ve spent more time than I should on Rangers fansites and there isn’t bigotry tolerated anywhere. The battle is imaginary, and the only victims are the people who don’t have mass-media at their disposal to defend themselves. This racist, sectarian, oppression that everyone’s standing up against simply doesn’t exist. I know a fair bit of Catholic history – it’s had its ups and downs, but there is an undoubted recurrent theme of genuine martyrdom. Their founder, Jesus Christ, history attests, willingly died for what he believed. There’s disagreement about what he believed, of course, but that he died for it is argued only by a lunatic fringe of scholars. The first Catholics happily walked into the actual jaws of actual lions for what they believed. Through the lives of the Saints you see the recurrent themes of persecution, and an almost supernatural humility. Catholics have dished out their fare share of oppression, certainly, but they’ve also endured it. To dare to be an actual Catholic in the modern world, serving others and trying to live unselfishly and in the persual of goodness in a world of money and hate, I think, is a noble sort of persecution. In Glasgow, they have been historically persecuted, and as disagreeable as separate schooling may be to some, there is a genuine argument for it being a battle to retain a tradition people still find important, despite it not being the popular one. Catholics feel the burden of secular oppression today, and Catholics, as a group of people through history, have, at various points, suffered massive oppression. But modern day Catholics in Scotland are not part of this group. Those complaining are rebels in love with their self created persecution. They have a job; the right to practice their faith freely; an Xbox and massive representation in parliament – the truth is that they're just not oppressed. People being eaten by lions is oppression – enduring the word ‘******’, or being told to fuck off back to Ireland if you love it so much, in a football ground, where you’re shouting and swearing yourself, and flying Irish flags, is NOT oppression. When was the last time, in Scotland, as a Catholic, or as a person of Irish descent, lost a job for their faith or nationality? When was the last time they were publically flogged, or forced to sit at the back of a bus? When was the last time they were spat on, or stuck in a gas chamber? Walter Smith, and the rest of you petty-rent-a-cause-reactionaries honestly think that you’re doing anything other than raping every memory of Actual Opression purely for the purposes of selling papers, appealing to the electorate or deflecting criticism, then you are deluded. Anyone who takes you seriously are their own punishment. I’m quite sure there are a minority of morons of the internet spouting immature pish – this is true of all clubs, and I’m not sure why it is that Rangers feel it necessary to give an account for the goings-on of the internet – a medium that gives the most certifiable of nutters freedom of speech. Are Rangers to be the first regulators of the internet? Are they to succeed in eradicating pretend evil on the internet that the police battling real evil, with their massive anti-paedophelia budget, have failed? I, for one, am fucking sick of being part of the faceless masses consistently brandished as a bigot simply for enjoying talking about my team online. The club are going to have to consider really what these constant, cowardly, jibes are doing to people who dedicate a large portion of their lives and energy to supporting the club. These same ‘bigots’, ‘spouting evil on the internet’ are undoubtedly the same people who buy the DVDs, the new strip every season, get the letters printed on the back for their children. The establishment are quite happy to call these people evil every time the media comes knocking at their door for an interview that will confirm the prejudices of their readership and ensures their profits the next day. The same large, weighty, moral conscience disappears as soon as these same people go and buy a substandard pie from the catering. So, Walter, and the rest of you – let’s stop tarnishing everyone with the same ill-informed brush, shall we? We are these masses of racial oppressors? I haven’t seen them; I don’t talk to them. You’re fighting for an imaginary cause but insulting real, tangible, people. Fuck off and stick to the football please.

As there is no Rangers related football to discuss as the Dundee UTD game was (rightly) called off due to the sad death of their Chairman Eddie Thompson I was going to, surprisingly perhaps, direct my weekly rants exclusively at Walter Smith. Firstly for his cowardly and ill informed comments regarding internet bigots, but bmck and Calscot not only beat me to it, but penned far more eloquent articles that I could ever muster : http://www.gersnetonline.net/vb/showthread.php?t=8519 http://www.gersnetonline.net/vb/showthread.php?t=8511 However, Uncle Walter doesn’t escape my attentions thanks to those excellent articles, I have a tantalising question to set you regarding Walter : If We Had A Theo Walcott, Would We Witness Is Wonder? Over the course of this season, nobody who has witnessed the mercurial skills of Theo Walcott could fail to marvel at the guile and genius of this young and raw talent. Walcott has not only starred for Arsenal, but has burst onto the international stage and set England on their way to automatic World Cup qualification thanks to brilliant displays and fantastic goals. I watching in wonder last night as a youthful Arsenal put Fenerbache to the sword in their own back yard and Walcott was at the centre of everything that was good about Arsenal. It is easy to forget just how young this lad is and his tender age can be used as an excuse (if any are needed) for when his form, inevitably falls a few percentage. So, this question that I’d like to pose is, if Rangers had a ‘Theo Walcott’, would Walter Smith play him in the starting 11 – not just in the mediocre SPL, but in European games? Now, I understand that Wlacott is a ‘one off’, the best talent to come out of England since Wayne Rooney, and don’t think for a minute that we have anyone on our books with the talent that Walcott processes. However, we might have, as when was the last time a ‘youth’ player was given an extended run in our team? I’d guess at Alan Hutton who as soon as he showed any sign of ability, was swiftly dispatched to White Hart Lane. The only young players currently that are being ‘talked up’ at Ibrox are / were John Fleck, Dean Furman and Aaron. Furman has gone on lone and the remaining pair are semi-permanent fixtures on our substitute bench. From the admittedly little that I have seen of the above trio, Fleck is without a doubt the most gifted and hopefully likely to cement a place in the Rangers team in the near future. Fleck was introduced into the dieing embers of last years Scottish Cup Final and along with the return of Beasley, Flecks fleeting appearance was the highlight of that day. Simply put, he didn’t look out of place. I don’t think I was the only Rangers fan who left Hampden that day convinced that I would see a lot more of Fleck this season. Sadly, me and a few others have been left disappointed. Given Walters record at Rangers, he doesn’t appear to be the type of manager to bring youth players into the team and give them an extended run. During the 9-in-a-row years, we saw glimpses of players like Sandy Robertson, Gary McSwegen, Stephen Pressley, Neil Murray et al who contributed to some fantastic Rangers performances both domestically and in Europe, but none were given extended runs in the team. So people, I am convinced that we have or own ‘Theo Walcott’ (in context) sitting at Murray Park but remain unconvinced that we’ll see him get an extend run in the first 11 – much to his, and our detriment. Green With Envy Yip, I’ll admit to being green with envy as I sat down last night to be entertained by Europe’s finest in the Champions League, and I’ll be just as envious as I settle down in front of the TV tonight. I’ll also admit that I am envious of our green foes participation in the CL, and yes, even given their drubbing last night, I am still a little envious of them. In fact, I’m even a tad envious of their 1 point from 50+ available away from home – Christ that’s what you call consistency (ok, ok, ok, that was a big tongue in cheek)…… There is nothing better than an European night, especially at Ibrox, or when you enjoy a fantastic trip to a foreign land. I think we’ve all got stories to tell of our expeditions and of the friends that we’ve made on our travels, both within the travelling Rangers support and friendly locals. For long-term GersNet readers this next statement will come as no surprise, but to newer readers and ‘younger’ Bears it might. Whilst I have no ‘love’ of Manchester United, I do not hold any hatred for them either. I, for a while, took delivery of Man United fanzines (some of the best zines around). I applauded and continue to applaud the Man United fans fight for their club (something we could learn from). I met a fair few Man United fans when I was down for our CL game, and every last one of them were fantastic company and the one thing that I noticed was their burning love for their club – in that respect, they reminded me of US, the Rangers support. For them, its Man U first and Man U last – they have no time for ‘2nd teams’ and no time for ‘love-ins’. Lastly, I believe that we have much in common with Manchester United. Both our clubs are deemed the most successful in our respective countries (although Liverpool would have something to say on that matter), both clubs have overcome terrible disaster and tragedy in their long and illustrious history. Both clubs are ‘hated’ in their own country due to their dominance and both clubs draw fantastic support from out-with the city and country that they belong to. So, its fair to say that I have no qualms regarding Manchester United or their fans. Some Rangers fans will point to the supposed love-in between Man United and Celtc – lets get this straight, this is a one-way street. If you read any Man United fanzines or books written by fans (or their casuals) you’ll understand that they don’t like Timmy at all. Why would they? Timmy sing a Liverpool anthem and sing songs about a terrorist group who targeted Manchester killing citizens and destroying the city. Also, it is worth noting that Manchester United pull a large section of their fanbase from the loyalist and unionist communities of Northern Ireland. Anyway, apologies for digressing, back to the point in hand. At this stage next season, I don’t want to be a mere spectator when the business end of the Champions League comes around. I want Rangers in their and fighting for the right to progress to the knock-out stages of this prestigious tournament. However, after watching some of the awesome performances last night, we have a vast amount of improving to ensure that we can compete annually at this level. To make CL qualification assured we must win the SPL title this year and that is not a formality or a foregone conclusion. Oh, I’ve added a clip from the infamous ‘you-tube’ site (you know, the one UEFA and the media use to try us) of what can only be described as an altercation outside Old Trafford last night – not much love on show here : [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bo3C4FoJ0Mk[/ame] Know Your Enemy At the moment, being a Rangers fan, especially one who uses the internet to discuss his team and on occasions, history, politics and religion, it isn’t hard knowing who your enemy is. However, until recently, you wouldn’t have put the manager of your team into the enemy camp. Some of us understand that the Chairman and his lap-dog Bain are well entrenched in the enemy camp and like nothing more than feeding the frenzied media with ‘own goals’ and attacks on Rangers fans. Walter Smith has decided to pitch in with SDM and Bain and thus, must accept the ire that will be directed at him. Now he has opened himself up for criticism relating to topics out-with squad selection, signings and tactics. He has entered the big, bad bigoted Rangers fans debate and hang his colours to the ‘establishments’ mast. I can take the agenda driven media having a go at me (as I don’t except anything else, it goes with territory). I can take agenda driven politicians having a go at me (as I don’t except anything else, it goes with territory). I can take agenda driven organisations like NMB having a go at me (as I don’t except anything else, it goes with territory). It may hurt me to the core, it might drive me to despair, but I can take SDM and Bain having a go at me (as I don’t except anything else, it goes with territory). But I’m sorry Walter, I expected better from you. Cammy F -