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  1. I make no apologies for posting Edgars view on events, you can make up your own mind as to the validity or otherwise of that view. My own take is that it is very very worrying that this person and his cohorts continue to attempt to ingratiate themselves with main players, in my view he has no concept of the reality of the past or present situation, the comment about the man who owns the club said it all for me and you are well aware of my views on Minty. Unless people and in particular those who presume to represent start from a factual basis, we the supporters that is, shall remain adrift in a sea of misinformation and divided factions. davidrst Establishment PR Man Join Date: 29-07-2006 Location: SFA Offices assigning officials Posts: 660 Murray, Ellis and the Trust -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In response to a run of texts and PMs, here's what we know and my personal tuppenceworth: Ellis - spoke to him through the early weeks of the takeover. We did some digging and couldn't see where his money was coming from. Kept polite in the media in case we were wrong - it has happened before, after all - but remained sceptical. A few well-kent posters on here tried to calm the hysteria but were accused of anti-Ellis scaremongering. C'est la vie. Ellis seemed a nice bloke but never had the cash. I posted a while ago that a deal would be agreed or not agreed that weekend. it was, and he was given a deadline to find the cash. As I'm sure you have gathered, it passed. Murray - I don't think he has any grand plan. That's giving him too much credit. This situation has never had any long-term plan. It has been month-to-month and sometimes week-to-week. Murray was completely out of the picture at Christmas. Rangers increasing success led to a softening of attitudes at Lloyds, a diminishing influence for Muir and a superb performance from Johnston and Bain. They decided a month ago on a course of action and are now following it. Murray's intentions? You'd need to ask him. His situation with Lloyds is better and he has a bit more room for manoeuvre. Trust - Came very close to a deal for backing for a fans buy-out. It didn't happen. We haven't stopped working on it and never will. Is it close? No. Future - This is it for the foreseeable. No point getting angry about it. It just is. If you wake up in the morning with a toothache, you can spend all day moaning about it, but it won't change the fact you have toothache. You be the judge, Edgar claims a deal was done, the LSE announcement says different, how this rewriting of events is clarifying anything is lost on me, smacks more of waffle to me. http://forum.followfollow.com/showthread.php?t=663453
  2. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NezGumiJRXg]YouTube- Goin' Nowhere (1994)[/ame] Don't think I've ever quoted 'Status Quo' or searched for them online before but given the news of last night; this song, the words and the band name were just perfect for the way I was feeling about our club and the protracted ownership saga of recent times. It was only less than two months ago that Rangers won the title and yet already the effect of that has worn off. Sure, the management team committing to another year and the club highlighting some of the financial pressure from the bank was easing helped keep the close season boredom at bay for a while longer but last night's news that any takeover attempt was over has brought on that familiar summer depression. A poor World Cup so far hasn't helped so, yes, my head is aching! The status quo it is then. Andrew Ellis and his mysterious backers won't be buying Rangers. Sir David Murray remains as majority shareholder. Lloyds Bank continue to have important influence in the running of the club. We have little room for manoeuvre in a financial sense. The futures of key players are unclear. Martin Bain asks for patience in terms of new signings. 40,000 Rangers fans renew their season tickets regardless and show renewed loyalty to the club. Have things ever been different? Where are we goin' then? Improving relations with the bank and �£5million budgets notwithstanding, what is the future for Rangers under Sir David Murray? Is it more of the same uncertainty and short-termism we've seen in the last ten years or so? Can we really expect more success with this strategy or is continued inconsistency the biggest challenge facing us? What part can the fans play in the future - after all we remain the single largest annual investors into the club? These are all fair questions and the same ones (and more) have been being asked now for several years. I don't think it is unreasonable to have strong expectations of the club administration and challenge them to improve their contribution. Therefore, at what point will the club recognise the supports' ongoing and undiminished commitment by involving us more closely than they do now? Let us play our part and we may be more appreciative of just how difficult it is to run a football club. We need improved representation and opportunities exist financially in that respect as well. One of the biggest frustrations of the last year or so has been the amount of leaks and rumour-mongering coming from within the club. If it isn't one director leaking information to his favourite journalist, it's another meeting with supporters he obviously considers more important than you or I. I'd understand that if it was the same message being conveyed but often it is the polar opposite which is completely unhelpful. A division on the board of Rangers Football Club seems apparent and that is then reflected throughout the fan-base. Is that a reflection on the leadership of the new chairman or the AWOL status of our continued owner? Someone must take responsibility. Of course, the fan-base itself isn't exempt from criticism. Petty online community rivalries persist; supporters groups lack transparency and innovation; while we lack the kind of leadership to put forward our concerns in a credible fashion able to change the way the club deal with us. At what point do we realise we need to organise ourselves more effectively and work together (past differences or not) to find common ground? After all, a cursory look across the fan community shows opinions are not as split as some would have you think and surely we all want the best for the club? Thus, in the frustration of no change in ownership represents a new opportunity for all the key players. First and foremost we need an owner who can take us away from the 7-10 day long term planning his appointed chairman talked about at the club AGM late last year. If Sir David Murray is genuine in his intentions for the club and if the club really isn't for sale any longer, he must lead from the front. Not via distanced spin and rhetoric which the support have grown wise to but via stepping in and showing us the kind of ambition we seen in the 1990s. Money may well be tight but that doesn't mean changes can't be made for the better. What shouldn't be forgotten amongst the inevitable negativity above is that we've won the league titles for two seasons on the trot. To do that under the challenges we've faced is something to be positive about so we do have the chance to build upon this success from a position of relative strength. Do we treat this juncture as an obstacle or as a catalyst for change? To conclude, we may not be re-building under new ownership but the old guard can show us they're just as capable despite the mistakes of recent times. To that end, I'll try and finish in a progressive fashion with another lyric from the song in the article title. Is Sir David Murray and Rangers Football Club up to the challenge?
  3. With the season well and truly wrapped up, is now not the time for us to examine the role of Alistair Johnston, Martin Bain and Donald Muir (the enemy within) on the Rangers board? Clearly, there have been many who have been adament that he could not be trusted and as every single transfer window has approached, warnings of Muir-backed firesales have been stated as virtual fact only to fail to come into fruition time and time again, seemingly due to the heroics of Bain and AJ Looking back retrospectively, and baring in mind I held up a banner in protest at Muir 5 rows behind him, I think it would be a worthwhile idea discussing Muir in particular, but obviously appraising the board as a whole is something we should be doing too. More importantly, discussing what their objectives were, how succesful they were and also, how they've managed to marry his fiscal responsibilities as a business fixer with continued success on the park. The positives: Back to back SPL titles all be it he was only on board for the most recent one, wagebill cut to 10-15 year low, virtually no 'wastes of a wage' left in the squad. The negatives: The squad is wafer thin, the amenities within the stadium have been shambolic (big screens, catering, condiments etc, paintwork of the kiosks) potential loss of several out of contract players due to the length of time taken to amend bank business plan, takeover yet to be complete. Interested in input from all-comers here. Is it possible to praise Bain and AJ yet slam Muir at the same time? Obvious King and McGill are in there as well so all is up for discussion.
  4. from RM reiterating what we always knew here. Serious question....what exactly was Smith up to and why, was he spittin the dummy because Muir was advising against giving him to much money to waste, or was he firing bullets for another takeover faction, whatever it was Smith owes Donald Muir an apology at the very least and the supporters an insight into his allegations. It's the evening of Saturday the 13th of February 2010. Placards are being readied; banners are being kept under lock and key, their contents a matter of whisper. Flurries of internet activity, text messages and phone calls being exchanged on an hourly basis, the preparations are nearing completion. A section of the Rangers support was ready to protest. The night before the day when lovers the world over are preparing to reach their arms around their significant others and remind themselves of the affection and love they have in their shared bond. In the world of Rangers, it was the eve of one of the most important games in the 2009/10 season. The midweek before, we had endured a stuffy draw with Motherwell leaving the supporters frustrated at not being able to capitalise on the hapless and deteriorating performances of Tony Mowbray's Celtic. Come Saturday however, Celtic drew with Aberdeen in an epic eight goal encounter leaving Rangers with the impetus to beat Hibs on Sunday and surge the club to a ten point lead over our greatest rivals and potentially onward toward a second successive league title. Purely on the football pitch, Valentine's Day was to be a pivotal moment in the season; however, this was also being echoed off the pitch amongst supporters and the tone was certainly not of free love blowing through the Govan air. Ever since the turn of the year there had been speculation brewing from many different quarters about the financial circumstance that Rangers was perceived to be in - swimming against a tide of debt, facing a future stripped to a skeleton. Forty days to find a buyer or face an existence on par with St Mirren was the whisper that became the 'news'. Troublesome noises were reverberating from a Scottish media with a taste of blood in their mouths; threads and articles were being scrawled with haste from commercially run forums acting as judge, jury and executioner, cynically you could say to profit from advertising hits; 'fan chiefs' were popping up on the radio to offer their views on the turmoil yet, the default position adopted by almost all Rangers fans was one of bewilderment and a genuine thirst to just be told the truth. Rangers were being portrayed by both friend and foe as a pauper on the street corner, crippled by financial pressures being ramped up by Lloyds Bank, waiting for its remaining possessions to be stripped almost personally by the devil incarnate; the so called "enemy within", Donald Muir. Donald Muir was appointed to the Rangers board without much fanfare in October 2009 and introduced as having "more than 25 years' experience of strategy implementation and business transformation activity internationally in a variety of industry sectors". He has a bulletproof reputation in the city as a turnaround specialist and therefore he undoubtedly had the confidence of the bank to make a positive impact on the club. He was brought in by Sir David Murray who at the time was subject to mounting rumours of a badly recession-hit MIH; however we were told publicly that he was not appointed by the bank and does not get paid by them. But of course that doesn't stop conjecture and speculation - after all, never let the facts get in the way of a good story. I digress; let's get back to the narrative. So there we stood in the few days running towards the weekend of Valentines day; staring into the void of uncertainty and muddied waters - with rumour of financial meltdown aided and abetted Lloyds with Muir cast as the treacherous puppet master. Pressures were being ramped up by media sources across the country through a number of mediums. Some of the Rangers support decided to get proactive. Tired of waiting for answers, a group of fans decided to get out there and make things happen for themselves and by proxy, for everyone else. A protest was hastily arranged. Despite reported investment, public relations at Rangers has been poor for a long time, there's no doubt about it. In many respects, the Rangers' Board deserved the Protest that was hashed together first over the internet and then by a thrown together steering committee with bears from different walks. Had there been a bit more involvement of the support, a bit more openness, a bit more clarity from the club, there would have been no need for the support to seek answers through these pound the street means, as these, to me at least, have always whiffed of the unwashed. The spreading wings of the protest could have been clipped with ease however, nipped at the bud. Our incumbent Chairman could have done the type of televised interview that our former Chairman was sometimes so adept at when it came to the crunch and he decided to pull his head above the parapet. But that didn't come. Johnston is the strong silent type and is almost always straight down the middle. Even a dampening official press release would have put some minds at rest. But that didn't come either. So the supporters decided that they had no other option but to take to the streets. However, somewhere along the line the plans for the protest became distorted, a machine gun style quest for answers from everyone, someone, became more focussed and Muir became the target once again for many. One of the Rangers forums going as far as to invoke a filter making the phrase "enemy within" automatically appear whenever his name was typed - their eggs were placed firmly in their basket on this issue. Message boards were awash with arguments about the motivation of the protest. Some arguments carried old baggage, yet most inquisitive minds just wanted clarity about what exactly the protest was aimed at, never mind what was going on at the club. Petty swiping became prevalent; with different 'camps' emerging with people who were for a protest and some that felt it was unnecessary. One the eve of the protest these camps were at a standstill, the protest was to carry on regardless, as was their prerogative and the people who thought it unnecessary got on with preparing to head to Ibrox to support the team as they did week in week out. However, it was at this precise juncture that two articles appeared on this website. One entitled "Rangers Protests ââ?¬â?? Donald Muir, the Saviour Within?" and another given the title "State of the Rangers - This is the truth, the whole truth, & nothing but the truth". In all honesty, the protest went largely un-noticed, all the bluster soon was yesterdays news; a damp squib with some predictable and pointless banners alongside some genuine and impassioned requests for clarity. One thing that did happen was that the authors of both of the aforementioned articles were immediately given treatment by fellow Rangers supporters that Muir had became accustomed to ââ?¬â?? their characters being sniped at from faceless internet assassins whose identities, allegiances and motivations were easily unmasked from behind their monikers. The "State of the Rangers" article contained the assertions of one of the staff members of this site and the information obtained was completely contradictory to the narrative that had been pushed by the media and by some factions of the dissenting Rangers support. In summary, this article pointed to the following bullet points of information: ââ?¬Â¢ Rangers will not be downsized next season and the bank doesn't run Rangers. There is a business plan agreed and the bank will be serviced with a repayment of Ã?£1 million per year towards reducing the debt ââ?¬Â¢ The budget for player's salaries will be the same next season as it is this season. ââ?¬Â¢ Contract offers have been made to Boyd, Novo & Broadfoot and, if they wanted to, they could sign them tomorrow. ââ?¬Â¢ If Rangers win the league and therefore qualify for the Champions League there will be a budget for the manager to strengthen the squad, but at the moment he cannot buy players until he sells to keep in line with the business plan. If we take a cursory look at the statements made in the press recently by Alastair Johnston, Martin Bain and Walter Smith since the end of this season - every one of these four key assertions has came to fruition. In fact, it reads much like a summary of the news that has came from the club in recent weeks. The million pound repayment was not news to some at the writing of the article as it had been outlined in the end of year accounts a matter of months before. The bank were, and still are, satisfied with this agreement; the doubts that this was not the case and that the bank were going to call in all the debt at once was only ever a rumour - hearsay designed to cause mischief and to worry our support when the facts of the matter were there for everyone to see. What of the budget for next season? Well an exact figure has not been outlined, presumably as there is no such thing as a fixed budget for Smith to work from. It's all relative - spend more on wages and new contracts, have less for transfer fee's and visa versa - common sense really. But in terms of a ballpark figure, Ã?£5 million seems to be the universally agreed banding that Bain and Johnston confirmed which is based on a percentage of the guaranteed Champions League monies. As predicted. For clarity; "We have agreed with Lloyds that we can spend some of the Champions League income and we also hope to maintain wage levels as they currently stand and reinvest any transfer proceeds that we might have." Martin Bain (26/05/10)
  5. DAVIE wants to remain a Ger in Walter Smith's final season More...
  6. MARTIN BAIN speaks to rangerstv.tv about NARSA and planning for next season More...
  7. Can you believe this in the Daily Express from Stephen Thomson, chairman of Dundee Utd? I think the best response I've see was over on VB, where someone posted........ "We're not here to be liked, just envied" RANGERS chief executive Martin Bain insists he will not stoop to Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson’s level by being dragged into another public war of words. The duo became involved in a verbal spat last term when United refused to allow Light Blues fans free entry to a rearranged SPL game at Tannadice that had originally been abandoned because of bad weather. And they are on a collision course again after Thompson claimed Rangers were disliked by their SPL rivals. The Arabs supremo has accused the Ibrox side of trying to poach the best young talent from clubs across the country rather than rearing their own stars. And he claims the attitude of Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston and his fellow board members has made the Glasgow club hugely unpopular throughout the game. When contacted, Bain said: “I have no comment to make as I would not lower myself to that level.” Thompson insists that Rangers are trying to buy an entire squad of youth stars by dangling hard cash in front of smaller clubs and their young players. Bain, however, refused to respond to the accusation, although Rangers insiders claim Thompson is wrong. Thompson said: “Rangers have no money in the first team, but at youth level they have a lot of money to spend. They are putting in offers for 16 to 18 kids under 16 and the compensation levels are Ã?£40,000-50,000 a go. That’s the route that they have decided to go down, so they are trying to pick up a crop of everyone else’s development programmes. “And they wonder why other teams in Scotland don’t like them – and I’m talking at chairman and board level.” Bain and Thompson first went head-to-head in December and it’s unlikely that this is the last we will have heard about this particular issue. Back then, United opted to charge Rangers fans half-price for entry to a rescheduled league match after the original game had been abandoned at half-time due to torrential rain. Bain told the Ibrox AGM that United’s stance had made him “disgusted and angry”. Thompson replied: “I think that Martin Bain’s behaviour has been disgraceful.”
  8. Rangers chief Martin Bain has confirmed that the SPL champions will have funds to strengthen their squad. More...
  9. Though we will no be spending millions , neither will we be forced to reduce our current wage bill , which can only be a good thing and hopefully now that some players have left will give Walter some leeway to resign the important ones whilst getting reinforcements in. On the subject of the club's debt, Bain explained: "We have been engaged in direct and constructive discussions with the bank about how the club can operate in the foreseeable future, given the improved financial position since last season. "We will, of course, continue to look for new investment in Rangers but, in the interim, there is a plan in place for the club to operate on a stable basis. "The club recognises that Lloyds Banking Group is looking for structured debt reduction at the club. Equally, the bank recognises that the club needs to be managed at a level where it is in a position to deliver success on the field and meet supporters' expectations. "In broad terms, we will invest some Champions League revenue and general profit from this year in the playing squad. "We will be able to maintain our wage levels as they are and, if any players decide to leave, we will be re-investing proceeds back in the squad."
  10. When is someone going to call time on these fukers.
  11. Cast your mind back 12 months. We'd just won the league, had a promising core group of players to build around, had the Emirates glamour cup to look forward to, a CL group campaign to anticipate, and while we didn't expect a great deal of activity in the transfer market, we felt reasonably confident with the players and manager we had that we could win the SPL and perhaps scrape through to the last 16 of the CL as long as we got the likes of Sevilla and Stuttgart. There was a wee bit of optimism around the place - yes, we were heavily in debt, and yes, SDM's backseat stance as chairman was a bit irritating given his pro active approach in years gone by, but there was a bit of hope nonetheless. None of us expected the world, but we had things to look forward to. 3 events later that year dramatically shifted the landscape - first of all SDM quitting completely as chairman in Auguest and effectively having nothing more to do with the club outwith majority shareholding - end of an era and one actually welcomed by many, including yours truly, but as it transpired, we had been given a chairman closer to John McLelland in his distanced approach, with it becoming apparent that Martin Bain truly ran the club. Second was the ritual humiliations we suffered in the CL. We knew we did not have a world class squad, but there had been the hope that we could emulate our brilliant foray into Europe in 2007/2008 with maybe a giant killing act here or there and the gathering of a few crucial points away from home. On the contrary, we struggled to pick up 2 points on the road, and were clinically dispatched at Ibrox by all who visited us. Third was Walter announcing the bank owned the club, and that we were basically in a black hole. An abyss, and we badly needed a new owner. Despite all these seismic shifts in the landscape, Walter's threadbare squad managed to own the SPL regardless, and there's not a bear who isn't delighted at that - an astonishing achievement given the limitations. But here we are, 10 months after SDM gave up with the club and left it in the hands of Bain, 8 months after Walter illustrated the dire straits we were in, and 6 months after we lost our last CL game to Sevilla in Spain; and we are STILL waiting for certainty. Don't get me wrong, I am glad we're not a Gretna or a Portsmouth, but for any team to go almost 2 years without a single purchased signing, in any league in the world, is absolutely unheard of. The longer nothing happens, the edgier we all get. We get drip fed teases by the likes of Ellis who tells us he hopes to take over the club within 3 weeks, but not only do we hear nothing since then, but he manages to disclose certain intentions which were unknown to the management staff. This is not how we do things, nor should it be. Then there's Dave King who's been linked to us for years it seems, been portrayed as a knight in shining armour, a born and bred bluenose - he's had ample chance to put his money where his mouth is but again, nothing tangible happens. Half of me hopes, naively, that we will finally have new owners this summer and can stop worrying about where our future lies, how our debt will be cleared. But why does a bigger half of me think it's all a great big pile of stinking piss, full of empty promises and complete fabrication. All the while our valuable playing assets don't know if they're coming or going, our management staff have no idea what's round the corner, and certain individuals clearly get tired of the stalemate and decide to move on. Rangers need to get sorted. The more this stuff stays in the rumour mill, the more nothing happens. I fear for us in the CL next season in a much harder group if we go in with the squad we currently have minus some individuals, because if you thought last year was tragic, this one would be an atrocity. Someone bloody buy us, now!
  12. This has been posted by sccgers on FF , he has posted a high percentage of stuff that hass later proved correct , make of it what you will. Park and Co. finally set to move ? Andrew Ellis / Boyd / Adam / Danny wilson .Latest. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Managed to catch up with my source within the last hour or two and he had quite a bit to share with me - I can't expand on it any further and what I am about to post is the exact extent of my knowledge I can't say it's 100% but he has a very good track record, I am merely passing it on 1 - Douglas Park and co. - several meetings with lawyers this week and he has struck an agreement for a deal they believe can mark a takeover attempt. They have intimated to the club that they will make a formal approach early next week and a meeting with AJ has been set up between most parties 2 - Andrew Ellis - remains firmly in the driving seat, in constant dialogue with Murray and is negotiating the final points before making a formal offer. These points are minor and he has intimated to the club firmly he will be making an offer and he intends to buy the club (This was done last week - most likely causing Walters frustration this week) Now Murray favours completely Andrew Ellis and even with Park and co's move, it appears extremely likely that Ellis will still be the man who takes over the club. For Murray though this whole scenario is exactly as he wanted. The bank are happy as they will be getting there debt and Murray will get the �£6m + (hopefully more from his point of view) he is looking for. Murray also has a big favour for Ellis due to his plans for redevelopment and Murray has been promised a slice of that pie. On time limits he says next week will be massive for apparent revelations either way. On backers for Ellis and Park names have been mentioned, nothing shocking and at this stage nothing confirmed either. Ellis does apparently have the cash to back this takeover, something which in recent week or so, I have encountered that no one seems to believe So next up - Danny Wilson - Will travel south as early as Monday to tie up a �£2.6m move. Additional clauses have been agreed and the club have been left with no other choice but to accept this after Wilson made it crystal clear he would not sign the new deal and the club could not alter or increase it further. Expect to see Liverpool play Rangers at some point in a friendly Charlie Adam - A little bonus it seems, on top of the 20% sell on fee negotiated by monseur Bain, Gers also have a Promotion bonus which requires Blackpool to stump uo �£600k further for Adam should they gain promotion. Something no body thought would happen Kris Boyd - It is common knowledge apparently that Boyd has signed an agreement with Eck and Birmingham should he leave Rangers. Not a Bosman but should he leave the Gers then Birmingham is where he will end up. He will not sign the current deal offered at the moment either. So we could still do a deal with him but it is extremely unlikely Novo, broadfoot and contract others - NONE look to be staying. Smith and Beasley has been told they won't be getting new deals. Novo has been offered a 1 year deal with an option which he also has refused, there is no wiggle room on this. Broadfoot is angling for more money and has also refused his new deal. (Should also add that Preston seem a likely direction for Smith) Only SDOW has been told Rangers want to keep him on a reduced wage, though he will be offered a new deal at same terms should the takeover finally be completed either way. At the moment Smith will have around �£2m plus room for some cheap bosmans, maximum 2-3 in with it already looking like 6 are guaranteed to leave. Should Bougherra and others go he may get a small percentage of that cash. Hardly awe expiring news that Again, this is as much as discussed today - as I have said passing on what was said and it can be taken or left Cheers
  13. CLUB OWNERSHIP Andrew Ellis has held talks with Donald Muir (the enemy within) (the enemy within) and with Sir David Murray and has provided proof of funds. However, the Chairman indicated that the Board has, as yet, received no firm details of the Ellis proposals or indeed had any discussion with him. Any proposed buyer has to negotiate a purchase price with the seller and, if a bid is made, it will be reviewed by the Independent Panel (made up of five of the current Directors) who will assess the bid against a set of parameters and criteria then make a recommendation to shareholders. The panel cannot block a bid as such and with Sir David Murray being the majority shareholder, he effectively holds the call on any bid. Whilst there has been speculation about other interested parties, there has been no formal approaches other than Andrew Ellis. CURRENT FINANCES A meeting was held today (Monday) with the Bank to agree the budget parameters for next season. Donald Muir (the enemy within) (the enemy within) feels the Club are going into that meeting in a better position than last year and he is optimistic that the outcome will enable the Club to be able to strengthen the playing squad albeit not significantly. There is no money specifically ring-fenced by the Bank to help clear debt - there is a credit facility the Club cannot exceed and there are plans being presented to the Bank that will enable the Club to operate within that limit. There is no requirement to sell players for financial reasons. A key enabler for the business plan is season ticket income and it is vitally important that continues. We pressed strongly for the Champions League income to be assigned Walter Smith as a reward for his record of achievement. The baseline financial plan assumes Europa League participation so there will be additional unplanned income and we said we hoped that could be used to strengthen the squad. MANAGEMENT AND PLAYER CONTRACTS Walter Smith is in a similar position to the fans. He requires clarity and information to help decide his future. Hopefully, following the outcome of the meeting with the Bank today, he will be able to decide his future - we stressed our desire for him to stay, his leadership role at this difficult time and the positive impact of him deciding to stay on and being able to strengthen the squad. Some of the out of contract players have been made offers that equal or better their current deals. As yet, none have decided to accept a new contract. Martin Bain said they are all playing their cards close to their chests. He did say that any money there is to spend has to be balanced between freshening up the squad and/or improving the current contracts. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE We stressed that the admission package for the home matches must be realistic and fair and we must learn from last season. Martin Bain agreed and indicated that the current budgeted prices will be less than last season. We questioned whether that was irrespective of the draw and he stated that he hoped that it would be as fans had dug deep and they had to be fair in the current economic climate. PRE-SEASON It is likely that there will be a pre-season visit to Australia comprising of three matches in Sydney and there is planning underway for home (Newcastle Utd) and away (Stoke City) friendlies - they are not confirmed as yet but hopefully details will be available soon. MEDIA Following the meeting, I was interviewed by Sky Sports News, Radio Scotland and Radio Clyde. I gave a factual account of the discussions and stressed the message that fans should buy season tickets and ensure that we maintain our support. I said we were all desperate for Walter to stay and that he would have some funds to strengthen the playing squad. I reiterated that the ongoing uncertainty was a big worry for fans and, the longer that continued, the more restless fans would become. ANDY KERR Interesting reading. I guess it all boils down to whether you think Murray/Muir is telling the truth or not.
  14. Who were the group who met with AJ and Bain yesterday, isn't it their duty to inform ALL Rangers supporters of the meetings outcome, or are we lowly foot soldiers excluded from such information. Exclusive by Thomas Jordan Share 0 comments 10 May 2010 Sasa Papac today urged the Rangers powerbrokers not to break up Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s double-winning side. The future of the Ibrox manager has been cast in doubt amid fears funds wonââ?¬â?¢t be made available for him to strengthen the squad during the summer despite winning the SPL and the Co-operative Insurance Cup. And there are also six players out of contract with leading scorer Kris Boyd, captain Davie Weir, Nacho Novo, Kirk Broadfoot, Stevie Smith and DaMarcus Beasley waiting to discover if they will be offered new deals. Major steps will be made in determining what happens next at Rangers later today when chairman Alastair Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain and manager Walter Smith meet with Lloyds Bank in Edinburgh. Johnston and Bain met with a delegation of fans before yesterdayââ?¬â?¢s final SPL game ââ?¬â?? a 3-3 home draw with Motherwell ââ?¬â?? and told them they expected to thrash out plans for spending next season that would hand the manager a kitty of around Ã?£5million. That figure would be to re-sign the out-of-contract players, and also for fees and wages for new players. Given that Smithââ?¬â?¢s preference is to maintain a first-team squad of 24 players, that sum doesnââ?¬â?¢t leave the manager much room to manoeuvre and he is expected to ask for more. The reply he is given will go a long to determine what the summer holds for Rangers. On the matter of the Andrew Ellis takeover, the fansââ?¬â?¢ delegation were told that proof of funding had still to be shown, and left the meeting with the impression that deal was going nowhere fast. But Papac, however, is hoping Smith will still be at the helm next season. He said: ââ?¬Å?Everyone wants the manager to stay. He is the most important person at the football club because he has the respect of everyone and he has just managed to lead us to a second successive league championship. ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know what decision he will make. However, all the players and also the fans want him to stay on. I know there are other things happening off the field and I just hope it all works out well for the club. ââ?¬Å?We also have a lot of players who are coming out of contract and hopefully they can be offered new deals and stay. When you win the title, and also the League Cup, you want to keep a successful team and build on it. ââ?¬Å?So Iââ?¬â?¢m keeping my fingers crossed that turns out to be the case and we can come back bigger and stronger.ââ?¬Â Papac reckons Rangersââ?¬â?¢ fabulous run in December was the turning point in their season and believes their form since then more than proves they are deserving champions. He said: ââ?¬Å?We really put a good run of results together at that time and we remained consistent from then on. For us, that was an extremely important period in the season as we opened up a good lead over Celtic. ââ?¬Å?After that, it was simply a case of making sure our form remained the same and it did for most of the run-in until we won the league against Hibs at Easter Road. It is never easy to win a championship ââ?¬â?? it is a difficult thing to achieve. ââ?¬Å?But we have all worked so hard and remained focused, even when we were having a difficult time in the Champions League. We just kept going out and gaining results and that is why we have won the league. ââ?¬Å?You can see how much the title means to the supporters and also to the players.ââ?¬Â
  15. There should be a moratorium on the amount of bullshit papers can make up and print, all of it rehashed crap.
  16. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/walter-smith-needs-assurances-if-success-is-to-continue-1.1026091 Analysis by Darrell King Share 0 comments 7 May 2010 Walter Smith will receive the silverware this Sunday, but will he get the answers? The weekend ahead promises to be one of the most crucial in Rangersââ?¬â?¢ history, as a behind-the-scenes search for clarity on the future goes on, against the backdrop of the clubââ?¬â?¢s first home SPL trophy presentation day in seven years. Smith is becoming an increasingly frustrated figure, and justifiably so. None of us, try and probe as we might, are likely to find out the full extent of the fires heââ?¬â?¢s been fighting in the past year or so. But the clock is now ticking on the most important issue at any football club ââ?¬â?? just who is the manager going to be? Unless Smith is given guarantees in the next few days that there will be funding to repair a squad that has been hacked at and systematically downsized over recent transfer windows, then he is almost certain to walk. And who could blame him? He has been happy to operate without a contract from the end of January until now, just in case a new owner arrived and didnââ?¬â?¢t fancy him, thus removing any compensation bill to bring in a new man. But isnââ?¬â?¢t Smith entitled to now put himself first over club politics? After everything heââ?¬â?¢s given to Rangers, over many years and not just this second spell, he has earned the right to be treated in a far better way than this. He knows the problems and the issues. In fact, he is the man who has brought many of them into the public domain. More than that, Smith has continued to drive the message in bold red warning letters to the heart of the supporters ââ?¬â?? many of whom still appear to be in denial ââ?¬â?? much to the annoyance of faceless men who have barked orders behind the scenes that he should be silenced. He was one man they could not control, and they dared not push him too far given the chaos that would have ensued had Smith departed during Rangersââ?¬â?¢ title defence. But his patience is now being tested. And if he does go as a result of more financial restrictions being imposed ââ?¬â?? and as of yet budgets have still to be agreed between Rangers and Lloyds ââ?¬â?? then there could be an almighty backlash from a support which holds him in as high esteem as they have done at any time in his two tenures. For instance, last Friday ââ?¬â?? after a week in which the club was again rocked by in-fighting in the wake of revelations that a tax investigation was being conducted with regard to payments made into playersââ?¬â?¢ off-shore accounts ââ?¬â?? Smith met the press to reiterate the need for investment and a plan to take Rangers forward. Almost as he was speaking, Sir David Murray was announcing to the BBC there would be a ââ?¬Ë?limitedââ?¬â?¢ budget for players, which was in stark contradiction to his successor Alastair Johnstonââ?¬â?¢s revelations days before that they still had to meet Lloyds to discover what the business plan would be, a process that will begin next week. With those kind of mixed messages, what chance does Smith have? He has pencilled in 16 players for next term, including the injured Andrius Velicka, two goalkeepers, and two kids in Danny Wilson and John Fleck. He knows that will simply not do. The business plan must identify what will happen to the Ã?£55,000 per week that would be freed up from the possible exits of six out-of-contract players ââ?¬â?? Davie Weir, Kirk Broadfoot, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, Stevie Smith and DaMarcus Beasley. Smith knows he needs at least six new players. Does he get that money? Does he get hard cash for transfer fees? And how much? What level of player is he pitching at? These are the issues he must have resolved before any call can be made on what he does next. In the midst of all this, Smith also had to cope with the revelations attributed to would-be buyer Andrew Ellis, who was forced to break cover when the content of his chance meeting and blether with a Sky TV presenter ended up becoming public knowledge. Smith would be offered a new three-year deal, Ellis said in a hurried public declaration, adding that he would offer a life presidency title to Sir David should he gain control ââ?¬â?? which he hoped would happen in three to four weeks. Clearly irked, Smithââ?¬â?¢s response to this was that ââ?¬Å?maybe the chap concerned should speak to me first before speaking about meââ?¬Â. Given the men have never shared a conversation, just what was Ellis thinking about? That episode has only added to Smithââ?¬â?¢s frustration. But there are two key situations at Rangers right now. Firstly, the immediate future of the manager and the budget for next season with, as we have revealed, senior figures inside the club still fearful of what conditions the bank will try to impose when Johnston meets them face-to-face at the start of next week. Secondly, the ownership issue, which is no further forward. As we stated last week, there are many inside Ibrox who simply do not believe Ellis will follow his interest through, unless there is some hidden business going on behind his proposed takeover that has yet to be unearthed. Time will tell on that, but he has no plans to meet Johnston in the immediate future according to his people, which does appear strange. As does his lack of urgency in calling Smith. Ellis, in fact, is close to being bracketed in the ââ?¬Å?put up or shut upââ?¬Â category that was outlined by Murray in reference to other interested parties last week. But will any of them? The ownership issue, however, is of less immediate concern to Smith. Assuming the budgetary issue is resolved to his liking, then the matter of finding a new owner would be no more than a sideshow, a bearable distraction. It would have no material effect on his day-to-day running of the team, as long as he has the appropriate financial plan laid out, guaranteed, and is allowed to manage without interference. Smith simply wants to know what Rangers 2010 will look like ââ?¬â?? then he can make a decision. While he wants to see the clubââ?¬â?¢s long-term future resolved as much as anyone, itââ?¬â?¢s what he will have to play with in terms of his team for next season that holds the key right now. Undoubtedly, people like Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain and the supporters want to see Smith given the resources to rebuild and strengthen a team that has won six trophies in three years. Unfortunately, they donââ?¬â?¢t hold the key to that. The bank do. And given their actions over the past 18 months, will they sanction what Smith needs? If they donââ?¬â?¢t, things may be about to get a lot messier ââ?¬â?? and the most important man of all could be lost in the fall-out.
  17. ..erm, in the ET: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/fans-deserve-home-truths-1.1024057
  18. RANGERS fear losing Danny Wilson for next to nothing after contract talks collapsed. SunSport can reveal Gers have been told the 18-year-old won't pen a new deal. Liverpool target Wilson, a frontrunner to be Young Player of the Year, is out of contract next summer. We revealed three months ago that the centre half had turned down an extension on improved terms. We also revealed last month that Liverpool had moved ahead of Aston Villa, Spurs and Manchester City in the race to land Wilson. Contract talks between Wilson's agent David Manasseh and Gers chief executive Martin Bain restarted recently. And boss Walter Smith outlined his desire for the home-grown stopper to re-sign. But Ibrox chiefs have now given up hope of keeping Wilson beyond his present contract. Gers have already held talks with Liverpool over a possible summer deal for the defender. But if Wilson stays until the end of his contract, Gers would only receive a nominal sum for developing him. A source close to Wilson last night admitted that two planned meetings between Manasseh and Bain had NOT taken place. He said the youngster could still sign an extension but SunSport understands Ibrox bosses have already resigned themselves to losing out on the kid. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2950420/Rangers-fear-top-prospect-Danny-Wilson-will-let-his-contract-run-down.html#ixzz0mNDKTj6m
  19. First of all, congratulations on helping deliver a 53rd title to our club. To do so - albeit aided by an impressive manager, committed players and loyal support - amongst difficult financial circumstances is worthy of praise; no matter the problems of the past. I'm also delighted to see a more robust defence of our club on a range of recent issues - long before time. However, the hard work is just started and laurel resting is not the order of the day! If we're to build on this season's title success and improve further I sincerely hope work is ongoing in that respect. Please forgive the empirical analysis below but every fan will expect action as we renew our season tickets before next week's deadline. First of all - the manager must be secured on a new contract immediately - with the promise that our out-of-contract players will be offered genuine deals in line with their value to the club. With the CL Group Stage income secured for next season, there is no excuse and no reason why this cannot be done. It may prove difficult to persuade one or two to stay but if they are unaffordable or we can't promise them regular first team football, say so now and act quickly to replace them. There are more than enough players available elsewhere who are out of contract and who will be affordable and persuaded to sign for a club again competing at the highest level. Similarly, if further finance is required to improve the team and if key players don't want to be part of our future - sell them now and organise their replacements effectively. Madjid Bougherra has been a fine player in his time here but this season has shown he is not indispensable. His intentions must be known by now - waiting until August to move him (and/or others in the same position) on and fund his replacement is risky. The quicker we turnover the squad, the quicker they gel and the less chance of problems. Ask Tony Mowbray. As well as these essential operations with regard to our on-the-field activities, the ongoing ownership saga and bank involvement is one that worries many fans. Despite your comments at December's AGM and quotes on similar issues since, doubt and cynicism remains. What is the financial agreement with the bank? How difficult is our relationship with MIH? Who are the preferred bidders and what do you think of their plans? Be honest with us and you'll find our loyalty will not waver but increase. To that end, fan/club relations must improve. We love the club and you thank us for our commitment. If that praise is genuine, bring us into the fold, use our opinions wisely and foster the skills we can bring to the table. The Rangers family is a vital component of the challenges ahead - instead of estrangement, let's get together more and bring back the kind of trust and respect that will make our relationship more fruitful than ever. Obviously, no-one is suggesting the above is simple and can be done over a couple of weeks. However, the issues mentioned have been clear for a number of months now and the same concerns remain. In that respect, we shouldn't be hoping you're acting competently on our behalf but expecting it. Therefore, in the same way we want to see any potential owner outline their plans for the club, it is also time for you to apply yours and show our investment for next season will not be a wasteful one. Can you deliver?
  20. Bain says title win silences the critics More...
  21. According to Keek Jackson: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2010/04/21/rangers-eye-summer-transfer-swoop-for-david-goodwillie-and-james-mcarthur-86908-22200562/ I'd have thought both players would cost more than the figures quoted and I see no reason for us going for McCarthur unless one of our existing central midfielders is moving on. We're also linked with Craig Conway in the Daily Mail. Can't say any of the above players enthuse me all that much...
  22. Last week the club sent out the season ticket renewal letters for season 2010/2011 - both by traditional post and by email. With a 53rd SPL title within reach and prices frozen for next year, surely everyone will be sending their payment back asap to ensure their seat at Ibrox! After all, the following promise in the letter will allay any fears we may have... Positive words then and I certainly appreciate the thanks for the supports' ever loyal financial and emotional investment each year. Some may find it patronising but I feel the gratitude is genuine enough - certainly retaining over 40,000 season ticket holders will be a big challenge for the club over the coming months. I know I can't be the only bear weighing up his options due to personal circumstances. And that is where the second part of the quoted statement comes in. Outwith the difficulty of finding the �£400+ to pay for the actual ticket, how can we be 'certain' our support will be 'rewarded'? To be clear, I don't expect success every year - that is unrealistic even if Rangers are capable of winning the SPL title at any given time. Similarly, I realise reaching a European final is a once in a generation event and even managing to qualify for (never mind from) a Champions' League Group may soon prove extremely challenging. As such, when I pay my �£400+; I don't do it because I expect success and silverware but simply to retain a close, emotional involvement with the club I love and supply one small investment towards achieving said success. On the other hand, what I do expect is the same commitment, emotion and investment from those connected with the club. Fortunately, for the most part, we do get that in return - even if it could be argued there remains a large gap between the support and those who run the institution. However, just what are the club doing to ensure we remain competitive? This season has seen many exciting aspects - from being on he brink of winning the title, to being unbeaten against Celtic, to winning the League Cup with only nine men - all with an admirable record in terms of statistics and value for money for those of us who renewed this time last year. Indeed if we do secure the title, it will be one of the most satisfying (and important) I've ever experienced. Nevertheless, there are many worries for the Rangers support which may accompany any title-winning hangover. First of all the club's ownership remains in doubt and, despite the manager's words in the season ticket renewal letter, he has been extremely vocal on this issue. Ergo, can we genuinely expect to keep our key playing assets as well as the moderate number of players whose contracts run out next month? Certainly it seems far from clear who will and who will not be here next year. Astoundingly even the management team are not guaranteed to be in charge. Just what influence do Lloyds Bank have on our great club and where does MIH sit - other than being a heavy burden on our immediate future? Furthermore, despite our good performance domestically, in Europe we have been poor now for two seasons on the trot and with an ever-weakening squad, there is little to be excited about in terms of improving on that record next season and beyond. Given the impact European football has on our finances, how does the manager and those who run the club expect to address that crucial challenge over the coming years? To conclude, I don't doubt the vast majority of fans will renew their season ticket - myself among them. And those that are unable to do so (for whatever reason) will likely be replaced by new fans that can. However, just how sincere are the words from the Chief Executive quoted above? Just where is our money going and how will it be spent? To maintain the 'spirit and unity' you mention in the letter, we need to know exactly what you are doing to reward our continued investment and loyalty. Actions speak louder than words. Why not start by making it completely clear just what the future holds for every Rangers fan.
  23. SMITH says Wilson has right temperament despite Liverpool link More...
  24. As Alistair Darling prepares to delight us all with more stealth taxes and minimal financial comfort for British citizens, Gersnet thought it would be good fun to find out how Rangers could go about such an initiative. With the debt we have and the various spending cuts we've seen during the last decade, the country's situation does mirror that of Rangers to a degree. As such, some medium term planning to secure our club's recovery and invest in its future would not go amiss and as the season ticket 'tax' payers, how would we like to benefit as a result? In addition to the club's offerings, there are various people linked with buying the club, so as proven committed investors, what kind of changes/initiatives would you like to see for you to 'vote' for your 'party' of choice this summer during the Rangers General Election? Where do supporters organisations fit in - what should be in their manifesto? So, could Martin Bain deliver 'a budget to secure the recovery, tackle borrowing and invest in our club's future'. At its heart could there be 'a growth package' to help individual areas of the club, 'promote innovation, invest in infrastructure and key skills'. And could this package be partially paid for by going to the supporters and invite them to become real members of the club? I look forward to your replies!
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