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Published on Sunday 23 October 2011 00:12 In the wake of the BBCâ??s documentary about him, and his extraordinary response in yesterdayâ??s The Scotsman, what have we learned about the Rangers chairman? IMAGINE for a second if Sir David Murray had listened when Alastair â??No Surrenderâ? Johnston had asked him to put the brakes on the deal to sell Rangers to Craig Whyte. Imagine if Murray withdrew from the negotiations and kept hold of the club himself, allowing Whyte to walk away and resume the life of privacy he so obviously desires. What then? Johnston wanted the Whyte deal blown out of the water. And yet, if he is to be believed, the kiboshing of the deal would have meant that Lloyds Banking Group would have instantly withdrawn Rangersâ?? line of credit, thereby tightening ever further the financial strait-jacket the club had been wearing for two years. The other night, in the BBC documentary, Rangers: The Inside Story, Johnston spoke about a phone call he received from a representative of Lloyds who, Johnston alleges but Lloyds denies, threatened a withdrawal of the credit line if the chairman and his fellow members on the Rangers independent board committee were seen to block the takeover process with Whyte. Regardless, Johnston and chums did all they could to block the sale to Whyte, but failed. They were doomed to failure, but imagine if they had succeeded. If Johnstonâ??s recollection of the phone call from Lloyds is accurate, Rangers might have been dynamited there and then. No credit line, no funds to buy players, no funds to offer players new contracts, a possible exodus of the best players with all the proceeds going to their bank to whom they would have still owed £18 million. The sale of Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker, Steven Davis, Steven Naismith and Nikica Jelavic might have broken the back of it. Maybe. Of course, there still wouldnâ??t be a shilling to give to the tax man, be it for the smaller bill, in the region of £4m, or the howitzer relating to the Employment Benefit Trusts which, depending on the outcome of the case, could come in at a cataclysmic £49m. That is a possible â?? you might say probable â?? repercussion of Whyte being told that he was far too enigmatic for the independent boardâ??s liking. Murray did the deal because heâ??d no time for Johnstonâ??s vague protestations and his astounding willingness to halt the negotiations so that the board could give due consideration to a counter proposal from fellow director, Paul Murray, the detail of which would not have filled the back of a box of matches. Murray torched the idea of a delay and did the deal with Whyte because he had to. Heâ??d had enough. He didnâ??t have the money to invest any more. And he could see this possible calamity with HMRC coming at him like a runaway train. He didnâ??t want to be the one to put Rangers into administration â?? or worse. Somebody else could do it, if they had to. He didnâ??t want that on his legacy. Of course it will, if it happens. All the successes, all the good times, all the hubris will look altogether different if Whyte feels that he has no other option but to place Rangers into administration in the wake of a mammoth tax bill. Itâ??s by no means certain that the HMRC case will go against the club but theyâ??re certainly mobilising the troops in readiness for it. Murrayâ??s legacy would be dirt at that point. He off-loaded the club for a quid to a guy he knew little about, a guy whose first, second and third instincts in business are to reveal as little as possible about where he came from, where heâ??s been, whatâ??s he done and what he plans to do next. The air of mystery has resulted in speculation and investigation. Thatâ??s only natural. Whyte has brought some of this on himself â?? all the gossip online, all the doubtful words about his wealth, or lack of, all the allegations that heâ??s a chancer with ulterior motives. By revealing nothing, he opened up a vacuum that was always going to be filled, either by truth or by fiction or a combination of the two. In yesterdayâ??s Scotsman, Whyte was quizzed about all manner of things. The response to that interview has been instructive. Those who already believed in him now believe in him even more and those who never believed seem to have had their prejudices confirmed. In Whyte, people are seeing what they want to see. On one hand, he is a crusader against a biased BBC, a defender of Rangersâ?? reputation. On the other, heâ??s paranoid and attempting to intimidate the organisation with threats of legal action. When he refuses to name even one other company that he is involved in â?? he says he doesnâ??t want the publicity â?? his supporters say, â??Good, give â??em nothingâ? and his detractors say â??Ah, whatâ??s he got to hide this time?â? There is no doubting that the allegations in the BBC programme â?? that for a period of seven years he was disqualified from being a company director â?? are damaging, but the connection the BBC then made to alleged criminality was far from nailed down. It is on that basis that Whyte has engaged the heavyweight legal firm, Carter Ruck, to represent him in a legal suit against the broadcaster. Given all that he has said about his outrage at the BBC and his promises to take them all the way to the courts, Whyte cannot back down and hope to save face. From talking to him at length on Friday, he sounded like a man who was sure of his ground. Only the courts can satisfactorily decide on Whyte versus the BBC. Somebodyâ??s reputation is going to be set ablaze, though. A ban here and a law suit there, Whyte is, by his own admission, bloody-minded and stubborn. Many will say he is a lot more than that, naive and daft to be picking some of the fights he has picked and dense to buy Rangers in the first place, but there is no doubting his focus, no doubting his ruthlessness either. From day one, administration was an option in his mind in the event of the tax bill coming in at an eye-watering level. He denied it was way back when and he says he regrets not laying his cards on the table a bit earlier. Heâ??s open to flak on that front. To hear him talk, not quite matter-of-factly about administration but certainly without any emotion of what it might mean to the fabric and history of the club, was fascinating. It would be a horrendous episode in the clubâ??s story, a mortifying chapter, a stick they would be beaten with for years to come by those across the city of Glasgow. Whyte says that, should the case go against the club, heâ??d rather not go into administration, but he wouldnâ??t shed any tears if he thought that was the best thing to do. â??Other than a regrettable event in our history I donâ??t think it would be as bad as people think it might be,â? he said in The Scotsman. Itâ??s a dispassionate way of looking at it. Take the emotion and the sentiment out and apply some hard business savvy to the situation. In fairness to Whyte, any bill due to HMRC was not accumulated on his watch. This is a Murray legacy, a hangover from the previous regime. Whyte is there to sort it out, not apologise for it. All the financial challenges are ones he inherited. He knew all about them and says he has a plan to deal with them and woe betide anybody who gets in his way. The truth is that for all the conclusions that have been drawn about him â?? good and bad â?? itâ??s still too early to make any hard and fast calls on Whyteâ??s controversial regime. How events at Ibrox unfolded: 26 Aug 2009: Alistair Johnston is named as Rangers chairman after David Murray announces he is to step down. 6 Mar 2010: Murray confirms that he is considering his shareholding in the club after speculation regarding a possible takeover. 8 Mar: Rangers confirm that Murray is in talks with interested buyers. Nov: Whyte tells the Stock Exchange that he is considering making an offer for Murrayâ??s share of the club. Whyte holds initial talks with Murray International Holdings and registers an interest with the Takeover Panel, suggesting that his takeover would be complete by January 2011. Dec: A deal is agreed in principle between Whyte and Murray International Holdings for an 85 per cent stake in the club. 31 Mar 2011: Whyte meets the Rangers board to discuss his plans for the club. 19 Apr: Johnston claims that the board are yet to see any proof of Whyteâ??s proposed £25 million investment in the club over the next five years. 6 May: Details of an offer from Whyte for 85 per cent of Rangersâ?? shares is received by the Takeover Panel. The deal is accepted. 24 May: Chairman Johnston and director Paul Murray leave the club. 24 June: Suspended chief exectutive Martin Bain resigns from the club. 17 Oct: Club legend John Greig and former chairman John McClelland resign as non-executive directors and claim that they had been â??excluded from participating in corporate governance at the clubâ? since Whyteâ??s takeover. 18 Oct: Ahead of a documentary on the takeover saga, Rangers â??withdraw all co-operationâ? with the BBC after â??repeated difficultiesâ? with the broadcaster. Former director Donald McIntyre wins a plea to have £300,000 of the clubâ??s assets frozen as part of his case against the club. 20 Oct: BBC Scotland Investigates: Rangers â?? The Inside Story is aired, detailing Whyteâ??s previous business history. It is received with anger by Whyte who says he will take legal action against the broadcaster. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/tom_english_craig_whyte_in_focus_1_1925881

Rangers 'offered financial incentivesâ?? in case against Martin Bain http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/275656-rangers-offered-financial-incentives-in-case-against-martin-bain/

The ownership of Rangers by Craig Whyte is entering a crucial phase as the tax tribunal approaches The key passage in the story of Craig Whyte and Rangers will happen in the not too distant future. That much is certain, after yet another week in which the Ibrox club found themselves courting front as well as back pages of newspapers. The occasionally warped situation where football fans have more of an interest in directors and balance sheets than full-backs and strikers has one positive offshoot. That is, scrutiny of those purchasing clubs should limit the potential for ruinous scenarios. Notwithstanding the fact boardroom change is inevitable following most company buyouts â?? let alone hostile ones such as this â?? the departures from Rangers directorships of John Greig and John McClelland were notable. Both made it clear they felt hampered and frustrated by Whyte's management. Greig is the former player perhaps most symbolic of the club. McClelland remains a respected figure in Scottish business circles. Both were part of an old regime at Rangers that expressed concern about Whyte's takeover in May; now, the old guard has been all but eliminated. Two of that group, Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre, have between them successfully frozen £780,000 of Rangers' assets as they pursue breach-of-contract cases. These are increasingly bitter battles, with Whyte firing spoken bullets towards the duo who, the owner believes, were complicit in Rangers' previous financial mess. In riposte, former Rangers board members will point to a £40m borrowing at the end of June 2009. By the time Whyte purchased Rangers two years later, he did so by buying out a bank debt of £18m. In that 24-month spell, Rangers won four out of six domestic trophies. Bain was the chief executive and McIntyre the finance director who collaborated with the Lloyds Banking Group on a business plan. The potentially significant impact of Employee Benefit Trust payments came to light during this period, but there has never been any doubt about the origin of these schemes in relation to Rangers: via the Murray International firm, effectively the football club's parent company, several years earlier. The former Rangers management team would also dispute the widely held notion that Whyte's due diligence uncovered a separate tax liability the club continue to dispute. That came about, it is instead argued, because of a precedent ruling that allowed Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to "revisit" Rangers. A day after the exits of Greig and McClelland, Whyte reopened his war with the BBC by withdrawing all club co-operation with the broadcaster. Central to this move was a documentary about the Rangers owner's business history, screened on Thursday evening, which has since triggered legal action by Whyte. For all the arguments about the public-relations merits of such a stance, one thing is clear: a sizeable chunk of the Rangers support has no problem with Whyte taking on the BBC. They regard this as a fightback against perceived reporting injustices. The blunt reality is that a vocal element of fans care little about the past of directors; they want to know their club is safe and that their team will win games. The entrenched attitude here is similar to that towards Bain and McIntyre. Whyte used another broadcast outlet, Scottish Television, to insist that his Rangers legacy will be a positive one. Which is, external and media wars aside, the most meaningful issue here. After all, that relates to Rangers' very future. The message from Whyte about the onset of administration if Rangers lose their upcoming tax tribunal is now more consistent. The consequence of that turn of events has seemed obvious for months, with the club patently unable to cope with a bill that could reach £49m in the event of defeat to HMRC. Whyte, as the secured creditor, would then inherit a business with only his chosen overheads. A key question that has to be asked to Whyte is: "Who will be the primary beneficiary based on the structure in place if Rangers enter administration?" Without threats from a bank or taxman, Whyte could then be in a position to sell Rangers on for a profit on an investment that was initially £18m and has since increased. Yet the penalties and brutal realities attached to administration go beyond those that would hamper Rangers' SPL title bid; few financial analysts see any sense in this being a chosen course of action for Whyte when he took Rangers on. The man himself insists everything possible will be done to keep Rangers from administration, an entirely understandable public stance. Still, the most bemusing aspect of Whyte's Rangers takeover â?? as has been the case from day one â?? relates to why he completed the deal with such a massive tax liability possibly forthcoming. The other recurring theme around Ibrox is what will happen if Rangers successfully challenge the tax authorities. If that occurs, Whyte will control a business without two of the main creditors that have cast such a long shadow over the club in recent times. Rangers would, in such circumstances, be more attractive to potential investors. Would Whyte, at that stage, seek a short-term profit by selling the club on, or prove that his talk of long-term investment is meaningful? Before he took over, those in the Ibrox boardroom were convinced Whyte did not intend playing a long game at Rangers. It may be no coincidence that Dave King, who has been linked with buying Rangers regularly in the past, has not severed his ties by resigning as a nonexecutive director since Whyte took over. Whyte's hint that Rangers would not challenge any loss of the tax tribunal highlights at least one thing. That is, he wants Rangers' circumstances clarified as soon as possible. In the meantime, a lack of European football in any form leaves an obvious hole in their income stream. The club have been embattled for some time, but how Whyte handles forthcoming events will be more worthy of scrutiny than what has come before. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/oct/21/craig-whyte-rangers?CMP=twt_gu

Rangers manager Ally McCoist insists he is content with his working relationship with Craig Whyte. Club owner Whyte has said he will take legal action over a BBC Scotland documentary which carried allegations of criminality in his past dealings. And McCoist said: "He's been great, absolutely smashing. I spoke to him this morning as I always do. "We are both in total agreement that the most important thing that we have to focus on is Sunday's game." Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers visit Hearts with a seven-point advantage over second-placed Motherwell. Continue reading the main story Our players to a man have remained wonderfully focused and they are still focused Ally McCoist The documentary heard from a government agency that Whyte controlled a company despite being banned as a director. Prior to the programme's broadcast on Thursday evening, Rangers withdrew all co-operation with the BBC. Meanwhile, the BBC strongly rejects claims of bias against the Ibrox club and insists the content of Rangers: The Inside Story was accurate and in the public interest. But McCoist refused to discuss the matter and is sure his players will not be affected by any off-field issues, with Rangers also involved in two separate disputes with HM Revenue and Customs, as well as a legal battle with former directors Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre. "I will not comment on any television programmes," he added. "You can only influence things that you can influence and we can't have an influence on other things. "The boys have been doing particularly well in the league and it's pleasing. Hopefully that will continue. "My players are really focused and everybody should know that. "Over the last four or five years there has been ups and downs as there are at any club. "Our players to a man have remained wonderfully focused and they are still focused. "We will continue to be a solid team with a great spirit." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15407927.stm

RANGERS may face another legal fight if they try to boot the BBC out of Ibrox. The footy giants â?? already mired in legal battles with ex-directors and the taxman â?? could be sued by the Beeb if club supremo Craig Whyte carries out his vow to banish the broadcaster. We told yesterday how the Gers owner snapped over a documentary â?? due to be screened tonight â?? he insists is "muckraking". But the corporation's deal with the SPL means the BBC must have access to every ground in the SPL as well as key interviews. And last night Beeb insiders say the broadcaster WILL take legal action if the club fails to meet the terms of its TV and radio obligations. One source said: "Rangers must like going to court because I can't see the BBC having any other option if they insist on this ban. "It's written on a contract that the BBC has the right to report on games." Earlier this week, former finance chief Donald McIntyre followed ex-director Martin Bain into court in a bid to ring-fence part of the club's assets. Rangers were last night unavailable for comment but a BBC spokesman said: "We hope it can be resolved." Meanwhile, Whyte, 40, hit out at critics, saying: "I'm only here to save Rangers." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3882642/Beeb-v-Bears-could-end-up-in-court.html#ixzz1bIsNyrHI

I guess we all knew, but reading this brings a tear to the eye. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-15041278 A judge who froze £480,000 of Rangers assets has said the club's new owner recognises it could go under if it loses a disputed £49m tax claim. The detail emerged in a published opinion from judge Lord Hodge, who is hearing former chief executive Martin Bain's case for unfair dismissal. The judge said the takeover deal for Rangers had been structured to protect the new owner if the tax case was lost. He said this was "an appreciation...of a risk of insolvency". Mr Bain is pursuing a £1.3m damages claim against Rangers at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. He raised the claim alleging breach of contract following the takeover at Rangers FC by venture capitalist Craig Whyte from former owner Sir David Murray. 'Not persuaded' On 13 September, Lord Hodge granted a warrant to ring-fence £480,000 of the Ibrox club's assets, pending the outcome of Mr Bain's case, after deciding there was "real and substantial risk of insolvency". Martin Bain is suing Rangers for unfair dismissal This centred on the, as yet undecided, outcome of a disputed tax claim from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, which totals £49m in tax and penalties. In his written opinion, Lord Hodge stated: "I am not persuaded on the material placed before me that Rangers is presently insolvent on either of the tests of practical insolvency or absolute insolvency." The judge, however, said he did believe there was a genuine threat to the club from the tax case and believed the new owner fully recognised this threat. Lord Hodge referred to a circular sent to shareholders of Rangers on 3 June 2011. He stated that this document "disclosed that The Rangers FC Group Limited (formerly Wavetower Limited) had purchased 85.3% of the shares of Rangers for the cash sum of £1 and had given certain undertakings". Continue reading the main story â?? Start Quote I would have expected the chief executive of a public company to be aware whether or not his employment contract had the needed shareholder approvalâ? End Quote Lord Hodge Judge Lord Hodge said The Rangers FC Group Limited had taken over Rangers' £18m indebtedness to the Lloyds Banking Group, "and obtained an assignation of the bank's securities over Rangers' assets". According to the circular, this debt would be waived if Rangers had "not suffered an insolvency event within 90 days of the club's appeal in relation to the tax claim". The judge noted that until the case was settled, and the debt was waived, all investment in Rangers by The Rangers FC Group Limited would be treated as increasing the club's debt to it. Lord Hodge concluded that "this carefully structured deal" through which The Rangers FC Group Limited has secured a charge over Rangers assets and made the waiving of the club's debt conditional on a positive outcome to the tax case, "shows an appreciation by The Rangers FC Group of a risk of insolvency resulting from that claim". The judge added: "When I asked Mr Napier (Rangers QC) if he could clarify Rangers' position in relation to the HMRC claim for £49m...he was not able to assist as he had no instructions in relation to that matter. "I must therefore treat Mr Bain's assertions as to the extent of HMRC's claim as uncontradicted, although I acknowledge that the claim itself is the subject of an appeal by Rangers." Elsewhere in the opinion, Lord Hodge noted that Rangers pointed out that Mr Bain had a 39-month contract agreed with the club in September 2009. The club's QC said that a long-term service contract of this length was prohibited under the Companies Act 2006 unless it had been approved by a resolution of the members of the company. Mr Bain's QC said his client did not know whether the members of Rangers had approved the contract. Lord Hodge added: "I found that surprising as I would have expected the chief executive of a public company to be aware whether or not his employment contract had the needed shareholder approval."

Bosses at Rangers face further financial turmoil after it emerged one of Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s top law firms is suing the football club over unpaid legal bills. Initial court proceedings have already taken place between the Ibrox club and Glasgow-based Levy & McRae over a bill understood to be around Ã?£35,000 and dating from earlier this year. The bill was for advice given to Rangers on how to handle the Uefa investigation into sectarian singing at Europa Cup games against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. Rangers were fined Ã?£35,652 by Uefa in March and its fans banned from the next away European game over sectarian singing in the match in Holland with PSV. The club also received a suspended ban on its fans for a second away game, for a probationary period of three years. The latest financial woes to hit the Scottish champions emerged as former owner Sir David Murray made clear that Craig Whyte, the businessman to whom he sold Rangers, was ââ?¬Å?fully awareââ?¬Â of an outstanding tax liability of Ã?£2.8million before buying the club. Last Friday, on the same day a preliminary hearing in the Levy and McRae case was heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Rangers had Ã?£2.8m seized after an arrest order was issued to the clubââ?¬â?¢s bank over an unpaid tax bill. The order was delivered on Thursday following an application by Her Majestyââ?¬â?¢s Revenue and Customs. The clubââ?¬â?¢s bank then acted by putting the money into a holding account Levy & McRae also represents ex-Rangers chief executive Martin Bain in his breach of contract case against the club. Sources close to both parties have claimed the legal action is a clear indication that relations between the club and its previous lawyers had broken down irrevocably, with one claiming: ââ?¬Å?Rangers were furious when Levy & McRae took on Martinââ?¬â?¢s case.ââ?¬Â Although the bill dates from the Murray era, Rangers under Mr Whyte, who bought the club for a nominal Ã?£1 in May, are still liable for the money, the law firm has claimed. Peter Watson, of Levy & McRae, said: ââ?¬Å?We donââ?¬â?¢t wish to comment while the case is progressing through the courts.ââ?¬Â A spokesman for Rangers also refused to comment. Meanwhile, Sir David has insisted that the new owners knew of the outstanding tax bill before Mayââ?¬â?¢s takeover. A spokesman for the Murray Group said: ââ?¬Å?Craig Whyte and his advisers were fully aware of the Ã?£2.8m tax liability before buying the club. The liability was included in our accounts for the six months ending on December 31, 2010. ââ?¬Å?Assurances were given by Mr Whyte that funds were in place to enable him to pay that.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks/rangers-sued-by-law-firm-over-unpaid-bill-1.1122032

FORMER Rangers chief executive Martin Bain is being sued by the Ibrox club over claims he drew an "excessive" amount if cash from them. Bain is taking the SPL giant to court over his departure following venture capitalist Craig Whyte's takeover. But during a preliminary hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh yesterday Rangers' lawyer Gavin MacColl said the club wanted to lodge a counterclaim. Mr MacColl said the club felt Mr Bain "breached" the terms of his duties and that "manifested itself in Mr Bain drawing excessive monies from the company". He added: "The counterclaim will be to seek recovery of these excessive monies." Mr Bain's counsel Charles Cowie said his client was "very keen" to make progress in the action. Lord Menzies allowed the counterclaim from Rangers. The case is not expected to return to court until October. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3746128/Martin-Bain-faces-court-bid-over-cash-grab-claim.html#ixzz1UgYRImMw

There can be no doubt that the Rangers fans have been greatly affected by the government severe austerity measures. To their credit,in spite of hardship, the fans have shown fantastic support to the club and team during the season just gone and ticket sales are up on last year in anticipation of the new management regime / team restructure. What a pity two individuals, motivated by utter greed have thrown our loyalty back in our faces. Martin Bain is currently on suspension partly due to awarding himself a pay rise of 35% or well in excess of Ã?£130k. This is a disgusting scenario, particularly in view of the past restraints on player spending. We hoped for better times under Craig Whyte and he has made a fantastic contract offer to Whitty. The idiot turns the club down. This was bad enough but then he and his agent start to criticise Rangers for not recognising his true worth. IMO we are better off without people like this. NO BRAIN - NO DECENCY ââ?¬â?? NO LOYALTY ââ?¬â?? NO GREAT LOSS.

So they are saying, don't know if true or not. Liam McLeod BBC Sport on Twitter.

ALI RUSSELL took the fast track to success under F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone at QPR. Now Russell wants to put the REAL Rangers in pole position for global expansion. New Gers owner Craig Whyte has made the ex-Hearts whizzkid his Chief Operating Officer at Ibrox. He'll chase off-field success while Ally McCoist goes for glory on the park. Russell, 39, says the lessons learned under billionaire Bernie will be crucial in moving the SPL champions into top gear. The man who will replace outgoing chief executive Martin Bain said: "I very much learned the Formula 1 model on football, working with people like Bernie Ecclestone, Flavio Briatore and the Mittals. "That's been very useful for me to see a parallel commercial environment being used in football and I think they had a huge amount of success in those sort of areas. "I've had a fair degree of involvement with football. "I've been part of two new management teams that have come into football and been very, very successful. "This is a fantastic club and it has got a fantastic fan base. "What we want to do is to take this club forward and today is the start of that. I'm looking forward to helping develop the brand of this club, not just in Scotland but internationally. "I think we've got some huge opportunities. "The club has been under some challenging financial circumstances over the last couple of years. I think, moving forward, we've got to challenge ourselves. "How do we generate more interest in Scottish football? "How do we become central to that? "It's very early days but we're looking at how we move Rangers forward considerably and I'm thrilled to be part of this new management team." Russell has a wide-ranging remit in the new regime. He plans to take Gers to every corner of the globe on a massive marketing drive. Celtic have already targeted the Asian and American markets and Russell sees no reason why Gers can't do the same. For too long, he argues, Rangers have been a selling club. Now he hopes to sell Rangers to the world. Russell stressed: "It's about looking at all avenues. "It's about looking at the real estate here. "How do we maximise that? Is it just a football ground used for football or does it have more uses? "Obviously, football is the core focus, but can we use the rooms on non-match days more effectively? "What do we do to grow the brand, where do we play as a football team? "How do we integrate international players so that we're building the brand? "Where do we go with our own broadcast rights? "There are numerous areas we are looking to investigate. "What are the core markets that we're going to be focusing on - and really focus and be strategic about that, so that we reinforce it every time we do a tour? "So we don't just go where the biggest cheque is - we look at growing a fan base in different areas of the world which strategically fit back very well into the club itself." Russell knows Rangers and Scottish football must rebuild its image after the shame of last season. He said: "There's a sense that Scottish football's reputation bottomed out last season. "I think if you look at the Championship, that hit rock bottom some time ago. "I think the league reconstruction that they had there had a lot of innovation at the time. "There's a huge amount of interest in that play-off game at the end of the season. "We've met with Neil Doncaster and I think the SPL are looking at a lot of innovative aspects to move Scottish football forward and we want to be part of that." Russell will now look to maximise income at every opportunity. He's determined to prove the Champions League gravy train is not the only one Rangers can hop aboard and he's hinted at a cross-border cup competition which Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are thought to be keen on. Russell revealed: "There's been a lot of talk about cross-border cup competitions. "Also the Old Firm game is a fantastic game. It's about making it the biggest rivalry in world football. "How do we ensure that without some of the negativity that maybe came to the surface last season? "Looking at a cross-border cup I think the League Cup over the last couple of years is one that's had some issues in terms of teams like Arsenal and Manchester United playing their first teams in the early stages of that competition. "A cross-border aspect to that tournament would most certainly generate a lot more interest. "It's not something that's necessarily been discussed at this point in time but should we be involved in those sort of discussions? Absolutely." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3653319/The-Ali-shuffle.html#ixzz1Q40HqBds

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/05/24/rangers-suspend-chief-executive-martin-bain-and-executive-director-donald-mcintyre-over-irregularities-86908-23153310/ RANGERS chief executive Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre, who holds the positions of finance director, secretary and executive director, were suspended yesterday after what was described as "irregularities" were discovered at the club. An Ibrox insider confirmed some of the alleged irregularities were financial, but said this was not the main or sole thrust of an inquiry that is now under way at the Glasgow club. On Bain - understood currently to be in the United States - and McIntyre, he added: "They remain on the board for now as they are only suspended." The club, he explained, had to act immediately to satisfy stock market rules: "As soon as the irregularities were uncovered, they were duty bound to make the suspensions." Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray were removed as directors of Rangers late yesterday with the news being announced to the Stock Exchange this morning. An Ibrox insider said: "Johnston was in America and spoken to by conference call from a board meeting in Ibrox. He was offered the chance to resign but refused, so he has been removed." It was not clear what lies ahead for other high-profile directors. Dave King was not in the meeting and was not contacted during the conference call. The Ibrox source said: "Like John Greig, he remains on the board as well as John McClelland." Former player and manager Greig is a non-exective director, while McClelland is the board's executive vice-chairman. I think it's safe to say Martian Bains time is over

Branding the tax case website crap is nice to see. Also saying the right things for me currently.

STRICKEN Aberdeen keeper Jamie Langfield last night got the news he desperately wanted - that he CAN resume his career. But it will be October at the earliest before he'll pull on a first-team jersey again. And that means boss Craig Brown faces a pre-season search for TWO keepers. Langfield suffered a brain seizure a fortnight ago and was rushed to a Glasgow hospital. The 31-year-old - who signed a one-year contract extension at the end of last season - was released after a few days. But amid fears his career could be over Langfield travelled south for the crucial check-up to determine his fate. To his great relief he heard the words he wanted, that he WILL play again. And the popular keeper can report with the rest of the Dons squad for pre-season training next Thursday. But boss Craig Brown - like the rest of the club 100-per cent supportive - stressed to SunSport it will be a gradual road back. He said: "I've spoken to Jamie and he's been given the all-clear to do light training. But he'll be closely supervised by our physios. Jamie's been told he's to report back to the specialist in a month and that it'll be September before he can expect to return to full training. It'll also be October before he can look to play again. "Jamie will come back in with the rest of the squad next week, but clearly it's out of the question just now for him to do the same level of work. "Everyone's right behind Jamie.I've no doubts he'll be back playing for us. As far as I'm concerned he's still our No1 for next season." Brown was already looking for a back-up keeper with Mark Howard released. Now, with the SPL campaign kicking off on July 23 and kid Scott Bain sent to Alloa on loan, he'll have to find a temporary stand-in for Langfield too. Meanwhile, Brown and Archie Knox have dropped their legal battle with Motherwell. They quit Fir Park for the Dons back in December but argued they were due �£25,000 after Well booked a place in last season's League Cup semi-finals. Well Chief Executive Leeann Dempster said: "Having strongly defended our club's interests over two separate tribunal hearings, we welcome the news that the claims have been withdrawn and a line can now be drawn under that short chapter." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3640465/Jamies-got-the-all-clear.html#ixzz1PQZWekYD

After some much needed R&R in the Lake District (minimal mobile reception and no wireless internet was bliss after a season like no other before), I was hoping to come back from holiday to good news. Yet, instead of answers to the simple questions we asked of our new owner last month, instead the club's ongoing situation appears more like an episode of 'Lost' than the beginning of a bright, transparent future. First, I find out of the few remaining board directors we do have, two have been suspended - Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre for alleged 'irregularities'. Next, we're told two others have been 'removed' despite one of them suggesting he'd be stepping down anyway. Finally, The Rangers FC Group Limited (formerly Wavetower) have announced a delay in a legally required shareholder 'circular' which we should have received a couple of weeks back. Add in a raft of other club changes - new corporate advisers among them, then if you weren't puzzled pre-takeover, you will be now! It is the afore-mentioned circular (due our next Monday) that should alleviate some of the pressure on the new owner. He should take this opportunity to reveal what his plans for the club are and how he intends to finance them. As it stands he seems to be the only executive director on the board of the club (Bain and McIntyre currently don't count for obvious reasons) so who else will be joining his team? After all - it won't be long until the new season starts; 3IAR or not, we can ill-afford to delay investment into the team given we only have 18 senior players (including Ness, Hutton and Wylde)! Indeed, until Whyte removes the mystery and uncertainty from his take-over, the negative rumours we all have heard of late will persist. Transfer policy confusion, managerial uncertainty and fiscal challenges are among them so it's disappointing that these have prevailed from pre to post-sale. What key players will be kept, what is our buying budget, is McCoist happy and how are we planning for tax outcomes? Perhaps another surprising aspect of the above is that no-one seems to be asking these valid questions on our behalf. Former chairman Alistair Johnston has rightly been criticised for his contribution to the confusion and hearsay of the last few months but we surely ignore his request of 'vigilance' at our peril? Yes, it's a pity he wasn't very vigilant during his spell as a director but I doubt sour grapes is his reason for his continued cynicism. What say our fan groups? The Assembly etc do seem very quiet - have they even met with Whyte yet? If not, why not? Unfortunately, as ever, there are more questions than answers for us ordinary supporters. It is extremely frustrating that we know little of our new owner's intentions for our club. Nevertheless, I think the support have been positive and accommodating while he makes himself comfortable in the custodian's chair. It's now beyond time for Mr Whyte to reciprocate this welcome by making us comfortable also. Our patience isn't limitless. No more waffle - definitive answers and clear strategy please. Seven days and counting.

CRAIG WHYTE, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ new majority shareholder, has responded bullishly to the demands made by deposed chairman Alastair Johnston that he must ââ?¬Å?walk the walk and not just ââ?¬Å?talk the talkââ?¬Â by reiterating his financial commitment to the club. Johnston, axed on Monday night along with director Paul Murray after the pair refused to resign, had called on supporters to ââ?¬Å?remain vigilant and continue to exert pressure on Mr Whyte to support the club financially as he has publically committed to doââ?¬Â. In a statement yesterday on the clubââ?¬â?¢s website, however, Whyte confirmed that Rangersââ?¬â?¢ debt to Lloyds Banking Group had been cleared, and insisted he remained committed to backing new manager Ally McCoist financially with a view to improving the squad. ââ?¬Å?It is a huge privilege and honour to have become the majority shareholder at Rangers Football Club,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?My commitment to take the club forward is unwavering and, like all Rangers supporters, I want to build on the tremendous success achieved by the team in recent years. ââ?¬Å?I believe most Rangers supporters understand that, as a result of the takeover, the clubââ?¬â?¢s debt to the Lloyds Banking Group has been cleared and I have repeatedly stated to the board my intentions to invest in the team. ââ?¬Å?I have had discussions with Ally McCoist regarding his ambition to secure players already playing for the club and also to bring new faces to the squad. These discussions will resume when Ally returns to Ibrox this week. ââ?¬Å?These are exciting times for Rangers and the clubââ?¬â?¢s supporters. This past seasonââ?¬â?¢s achievements were truly great and I am determined to continue that success for Rangers and our supporters around the world.ââ?¬Â As well as removing Johnston and Murray from their positions, Whyte has also suspended Martin Bain, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ chief executive, and Donald McIntyre, the finance director, pending an internal investigation. Whyte, who assumed ownership of the club on May 6, would not expand on the reasons behind their suspension, but tried to assuage supporters that changes were always inevitable following upheaval on this scale. Fears that Bainââ?¬â?¢s removal from office, and Whyteââ?¬â?¢s inexperience in running a football club, would leave Rangers rudderless with the transfer window set to reopen shortly, were dismissed by a source close to the new owner. ââ?¬Å?It is business as usual,ââ?¬Â said the source. ââ?¬Å?He has a team around him who are more than capable of dealing with contracts, financial matters and any other immediate business.ââ?¬Â Whyte will send a document to all 26,000 club shareholders before a deadline of June 6 explaining the background to his takeover, the financial commitments and other crucial details. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/whyte-reiterates-his-unwavering-commitment-to-invest-in-rangers-1.1103530

With Martin Bain now suspended and highly likely to be departing as our CEO we have to wonder who will take charge of player contract renewals and our dealings in the transfer market. Given that it's a suspension can we assume that these matters are now indefinitely on hold until the CEO's position is resolved?

BITTER acrimony broke out at Rangers yesterday as the new regime dismantled the old board with the removal of the chairman and a director, and the suspension of the chief executive and another director. Alastair Johnston, who has openly questioned new owner Craig Whyte's plans for the club, was ousted after delaying his departure, and last night he responded by warning Whyte he will watch the venture capitalist's every step from now on, and challenged the new owner to "walk the walk and not just talk the talk". On a day of major ructions at Ibrox, it has emerged that chief executive Martin Bain and finance director Donald McIntyre have been suspended from their posts, pending an internal inquiry. The nature of the inquiry is not yet known. Another director, Paul Murray, was unsurprisingly removed just weeks after launching a counter-bid for Rangers at a late stage in the takeover. Johnston had been asked to tender his resignation by Whyte during a board meeting on Monday. When Johnston refused he was removed. "It was anticipated that I would be stepping down, in fact I thought I would be stepping down earlier but the board felt I should stay on until the takeover process had settled down," he said last night. "I was asked to resign but I said no as a matter of principle. I can't walk away from an assignment which I was asked to undertake." Johnston has clearly been riled by photographs of Whyte holding the Scottish Premier League trophy, won by the club just nine days into the new owner's reign. The deposed chairman said: "I'm not going to make any comment with respect to the current circumstances at the current time, except that I will say - as a lifelong Rangers fan and a real one - that the 26,000 other shareholders in Rangers, as well as the hundreds of thousands of other supporters need to remain vigilant and continue to exert pressure on Mr Whyte to support the club financially as he has publicly committed to do. "As far as I'm concerned, the next time we see a photograph of him holding up the SPL trophy, let us all hope - especially me - that he has earned the right to do it." Johnston had expressed doubts about Whyte during the protracted takeover of Sir David Murray's majority shareholding and put his name to a statement from the independent board committee, publicly revealing a shared scepticism over the new owner's ability to fund his pledges for Rangers. Johnston had indicated previously that he would step down at the end of the season. This was later delayed with the agreement of Whyte, pending the disclosure of more details about the buy-out to shareholders. This information is due on or before 6 June but Whyte has nevertheless acted to sever Johnston's ties to the club prior to the submittal of this circular. "I think the biggest force for change at Rangers is for Mr Whyte to appreciate that there are thousands of fans who are going to police his activities," added Johnston. "Not what he says, but what he does." Some fans will not shed a tear over the new board's actions in regard to Bain, whose relationship with the Ibrox support has often been strained. His suspension, pending an internal inquiry, could bring to an end the Ibrox career of one of the club's most high-profile officials of recent years. Both Bain and McIntyre were told to stay away from Ibrox during a board meeting on Monday. They remain on the board at this stage but have been suspended on full pay. Bain is currently in the United States on a charity white-water rafting expedition with Walter Smith and Ally McCoist, between whom the managerial reins have recently passed. Reports published online yesterday speculated on the reasons behind Bain's sudden suspension, but lawyers acting on the chief executive's behalf contacted newsdesks in the afternoon to alert them that the claims were being treated as "grossly defamatory". Yesterday's events will heighten speculation linking Ali Russell to the club. The former deputy managing director of Queens Park Rangers, who was commercial director at Hearts and head of marketing at the Scottish Rugby Union, was present in the Ibrox directors' box for Whyte's first game in charge, against Hearts, and is said to be close to the new owner. Whyte has already made one new appointment at the club, immediately bringing on board his business partner Phil Betts when the takeover was completed. Further appointments to strengthen the board are expected to be made in the next two to three weeks. Directors John Greig, John McClelland and Dave King will remain on the board for the time being. Club legend Greig and former chairman McClelland, the vice-chairman of the influential European Club Association, were present in the room to hear Johnston and Murray being instructed to resign via a conference call. The news of Johnston and Murray's departure was confirmed in a statement to the stock exchange yesterday morning. "The board announces that on 23 May 2011 Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray were removed as directors of the Rangers Football Club PLC," read the statement. "The directors of the Rangers Football Club PLC accept responsibility for this announcement." Rangers also announced yesterday that Cairn Financial Advisers LLP PLUS has been appointed as corporate adviser to the company with immediate effect. Asked to expand on the reasons for the departures and suspensions, a source close to Whyte said: "Craig Whyte has no comment to make on what is an internal matter." http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Ructions-at-Rangers-as-old.6773931.jp?articlepage=2

New Rangers owner Craig Whyte is set to take a major hands-on role in the running of the Ibrox club ââ?¬â?? by succeeding Alastair Johnston as chairman. Johnston is set to stand down this week after successfully overseeing what has been a turbulent period in the Glasgow clubââ?¬â?¢s history. And, in a significant development for the Scottish champions, it appears Whyte is poised to assume his responsibilities. The multi-millionaire businessman kept a low profile during his take-over of his boyhood heroes and had been widely expected to take a back seat in the day-to-day running of Rangers. However, it seems that the Motherwell-born venture capitalist is keen to play an active part in ensuring the continued success of the club on and off the park. To be appointed chairman, he will have to show he is a ââ?¬Ë?fit and proper personââ?¬â?¢ and prove that in the last five years he has not been debarred as a director of a company. Johnston said: ââ?¬Å?As it stands, I am still chairman, but thatââ?¬â?¢s merely procedural and because of paperwork being worked upon with Craig Whyte. ââ?¬Å?My two-year stint is ending and Iââ?¬â?¢ll simply go back to being a fan. I was in the Far East on business last week, but managed to get back to the game at Kilmarnock before attending the SPL title party. ââ?¬Å?It was a great way for Walter to sign off as manager. He has very much been a cornerstone for the club over the past few years and has shown great leadership.ââ?¬Â Johnston, a senior executive with IMG, was delighted to leave the club after Smith, whom he persuaded to stay on for a final year, had led the club to the Co-operative Insurance Cup and Clydesdale Bank Premier League. And he expressed confidence that Ally McCoist, who has now taken over from his mentor as manager, will prove a success He said: ââ?¬Å?Martin Bain had been working hard on Walter during that period to try to keep him because we all knew how important that could be. ââ?¬Å?I then came into it with my own input and I would very much like to think I had some influence.ââ?¬Â Johnston added: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t think Rangers can replace him as a figurehead and a leader, but I do think Ally McCoist can be successful as manager. ââ?¬Å?He is strong-minded, but will need to be. Heââ?¬â?¢s had an apprenticeship with one of the best and hopefully that will be prove significant.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/craig-whyte-set-for-role-as-rangers-chairman-1.1102414?90022

From STV New Rangers owner Craig Whyte has promised to build on the success of departing manager Walter Smith. Whyte, who completed his protracted takeover of the Scottish champions last week, said: "It is a great privilege to be part of Rangers and while we celebrate this title and our success in the League Cup our thoughts will turn quickly to building on this success." Whyte paid tribute to Smith and assistant Ally McCoist, who will take over from his mentor next season. "Today's title win is a truly great achievement by a club whose hallmark has been success throughout its proud history," he said. "I would like to congratulate Walter Smith, Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall for their brilliant leadership. "I also pay the highest possible tribute to the players who have shown great skill and determination in turning their desire for success into the club's 54th league title - the highest number attained by any club. "The supporters want to see success and they deserve that success for the way in which they have stuck with the team." Rangers chief executive Martin Bain, who presided over the takeover after a three-year spell in which the club have struggled financially, praised the work of Smith and also backed the fans as "the lifeblood of the club". He said: "Like all Rangers fans, I know how much this win means to every member of the Rangers family. "The achievement of Walter, Ally, Kenny and the players over recent seasons has been nothing short of miraculous, given the challenges the club has had to meet. "They responded in the true Rangers way by standing up to be counted when the odds were stacked against them. "I would also pay tribute to the staff at the club who have supported the team in every possible way, always believing the success of the club is the most important thing. "Finally, I would also like to thank our fans who have backed the club through thick and thin in recent years. "They are the lifeblood of the club and their tremendous commitment to Rangers and Scottish football deserves to be recognised."

Statement by the Independent Board of Rangers Football Club plc More...

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain has again expressed concerns about the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) organisation, accusing the group of being influenced by those intent on damaging the club. Bain spoke out after the Scottish champions were fined a total of 80,000 euros (�£71,200) and their fans were banned from the club's next away match in Europe. The UEFA charges related to discriminatory behaviour by Rangers supporters during both legs of the Europa League tie against PSV Eindhoven last month. Rangers were fined an equal amount for both offences and handed a suspended ban on fans attending a second away game, plus the knowledge they will play a home match behind closed doors if fans repeat the offence within three years. Bain said in a statement: "In terms of the UEFA case brought against us, we have had serious concerns about the integrity of the evidence compiled by the FARE organisation and that remains the case. "We are also of the opinion that FARE has been influenced by people who make it their business to damage our club in any way they can. "We are committed to the eradication of sectarianism and believe it would have been more constructive for FARE to work with our club rather than against it. "Instead, they submitted evidence to UEFA with a clear objective in mind and have shown a complete lack of transparency or accountability when asked for clarification on various aspects of that evidence." However, FARE denied any bias against Rangers and accused Bain of stoking a feeling of victimisation among the club's supporters. In a statement released to Press Association Sport, Howard Holmes, chair of the FARE board, said: "We note the comments made by Martin Bain, Rangers CEO, after the hearing in Nyon today. "It is disappointing to see a major European club continue to question the motivation of a body such as FARE in submitting legitimate observer reports at two European games. "The FARE network has a long track record in the area of tackling discrimination and developing initiatives to encourage social inclusion. "Our expertise is widely acknowledged by European institutions in the football, governmental and social sectors. We are proud to have been a social responsibility partner of UEFA since August 2001. "We once again categorically refute any suggestion of bias against, or hidden agenda to damage, Rangers FC. "Mr Bain's comments will inevitably continue to feed a sense of a miscarriage of justice and external blame amongst Rangers fans, rather than accepting the extent and nature of the problem that exists. "Sectarianism is a very serious issue that has tarnished the name of Scottish football. "We look forward to renewed and serious action to tackle the problem across the game in the coming seasons." Bain also reiterated Rangers' commitment to tackling the problem of sectarianism among the club`s support. He added: "To be clear, we condemn sectarianism and there is no doubt the mindless behaviour of an element of our support has exposed the club to a very serious situation. "The people who engage in this type of behaviour are damaging the club they claim to support. "It is abundantly clear from this decision that if there is any sectarian singing at future matches the suspended bans will take effect. Those fans who engage in such activity need to take that message on board. "The majority of our fans understand the situation and would much rather focus on football. They show that clearly at Ibrox and the tremendous atmosphere they created at last weekend's Old Firm match was a case in point." http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/202747,rangers-we-have-serious-concerns-about-organisation.aspx

Published Date: 28 April 2011 By Stephen Halliday RANGERS are bracing themselves for the verdict of Uefa's Control and Disciplinary Body today when it rules on two charges of "discriminatory behaviour" by supporters of the Scottish champions. The Ibrox club were reported to Uefa by independent organisation Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) for alleged sectarian chanting by fans at both legs of their Europa League round of 16 tie against PSV Eindhoven in March. Rangers are vigorously defending the charges, although they are not entitled to appear at the hearing, which will take place at Uefa headquarters in Nyon. Chief executive Martin Bain has compiled a written submission, which will be considered. Rangers have pointed out that Uefa's own match delegates, Iceland's Geir Thorsteinsson and William Campbell of Northern Ireland, who attended the fixtures, in Eindhoven on 10 March and at Ibrox seven days later, respectively, did not call for any charges to be brought. If found guilty, Rangers could face a sanction ranging from a substantial fine to the closure of Ibrox for a number of their European games next season or even a suspension from European competition. Previous Uefa charges brought over the behaviour of Rangers supporters in recent years have increased the club's fears of a more severe punishment on this occasion. In 2006, the Ibrox club were fined �£13,300 for discriminatory chanting by fans in a Champions League round of 16 tie against Villarreal and a further �£9,000 for an attack on the Spanish team's bus. A year later, they were fined �£8,280 because of crowd disorder at a Uefa Cup tie against Osasuna in Spain. Then in 2009, they received an �£18,000 fine for crowd trouble during a Champions League match against Unirea Urziceni in Bucharest. The nine men of Uefa's Control and Disciplinary Body will decide Rangers' fate, which they expect to learn late this afternoon. The committee is chaired by Dr Thomas Partl of the Austrian FA. There are three vice-chairman in Danish FA chief executive Jim Stjerne Hansen, Jacques Anternen of Switzerland and Hungary's Sandor Berzi. The remaining members are Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney, Dr Rainer Koch of the German FA, Romania's Ioan Angelo Lupesco, Joel Wolff of Luxembourg and Spain's Emilio Garcia Silvero. http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Rangers-braced-for-Uefa-verdict.6759011.jp

From The Scottish Sun (I know, I know). If he signs this 6 year deal it'll be to get us top dollar for him. I reckon there could be a gentlemans agreement between the player and the club. Sign this contract and if we get more than �£x million we'll sell you.

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon is at the centre of a police investigation following a gesture he made towards Rangers supporters after yesterday's Old Firm derby. The complaint came after the Celtic boss cupped his ears in a mocking gesture to Rangers fans who were allegedly taunting him with provocative chants after yesterday's 0-0 draw at Ibrox Stadium. Strathclyde Police put an extra 1,000 officers on the streets in a move to prevent any disorder surrounding the Old Firm clash. The decision to boost police numbers followed concerns about rising sectarian tensions after parcel bombs were sent to the Celtic manager and high-profile fans Paul McBride, QC, and former MSP Trish Godman last week. However, despite fears of a surge in violence, there were just nine people arrested after the game, with six arrests made in the grounds and another three immediately outside. A police spokesperson said all arrests were for "minor offences", such as being drunk inside the stadium and breach of the peace. They added: "We can confirm that we have received a complaint about Neil Lennon at the end of the Rangers Celtic match. "Strathclyde Police officers were in attendance at the time and would have taken action at that time had they deemed it appropriate." Immediately after the match, Lennon responded to questions about his gesture. He said: "Don't ask me about that, It's called humour, all right? "Don't distract away from my team's performance. Don't even write about it. You have the photographs, I'm sure, but it's just a bit of fun. I don't want to distract from my team's performance today. They were men. Real men. Stood up to everything that Rangers threw at them and came back for more." When asked if some fans might not see his gesture as humour, he added: "That's their problem. It's only a bit of fun. Don't ask me about it again." Les Gray, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation who said in February that the only solution to the drunken violence sparked by every clash between Rangers and Celtic was to ban the games, added yesterday that he thought Lennon would regret his actions. "He has been under a lot of pressure recently, but I think he will find that over the next few days he will be disappointed in himself and wish he hadn't done it," he said. However, Mr Gray added that, with just nine arrests, he thought the fans had behaved well. � Opinion is predictably split on Neil Lennon � Neil Lennon can't resist gesture, but it's no laughing matter Celtic's chief executive, Peter Lawwell, defended his manager. he said: "It is laughable that such a ludicrous complaint has been made, given the abuse Neil Lennon received throughout the match. It says more about those making the complaint than it does about Neil Lennon." Mr Lawwell praised the behaviour of fans, adding: "On behalf of the club, I would like to applaud the manager and players for their magnificent efforts today. It's also very important that we thank our supporters, too, for the positive backing which they gave to the team. "Clearly, it's been a difficult week for Neil and he deserves enormous praise for the way he has handled this very tough period. I know Neil has been very humbled by the support given to him by our fans during this time, and they were magnificent in the way they backed him and the team this afternoon. "They were a credit to the Club, and their backing will be vital over the final few weeks of the season." Martin Bain, chief executive of Rangers did not mention the Lennongesture, but said in a statement: "We are very grateful to our supporters for the way they got behind the team in a week that has been dominated by the issue of sectarianism. "The club is hugely encouraged by the response we got from our fans and in particular by the atmosphere they generated around kick-off. "We have been informed by the police that there were no sectarian arrests at the stadium and both the police and the SPL were happy with the crowd's behaviour at today's game." However, some Rangers fans were less than impressed. One supporter said: "It was disgusting; he didn't need to do that. A spokesperson for anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth said: "Millions of people around the world will have been captivated by an enthralling sporting occasion, and both sets of fans should be commended for expressing their vocal support in the right manner. "Nevertheless, responsible behaviour has to be demonstrated at all times, whether it be in a football stadium, the street, pub or at home." Following a briefing after the match from Strathclyde Police, and representatives of Rangers and Celtic, First Minister Alex Salmond said overall the feedback had been positive. But he added: "Now we have embarked on a process, there will be no let-up - we will continue until we have driven all traces of sectarianism from our beautiful game of football and from Scottish society as a whole." http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/news/Neil-Lennon-gesture-sparks-police.6757382.jp?articlepage=2