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taken from FF I wrote to HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, extending to him an invitaion to the RSEA Dinner and informing him of the magnificent work done by the Rangers Fans for Erskine, the Charity for Ex Service Personnel of which he is Patron I notice he doesnt decline the dinner invite in the letter, so fingers crossed - lol this letter is a thank-you to every single Bear who has helped Erskine via the RSEA or otherwise anyone who has ever bought a badge, walked the walk, sponored someone else, danced, zip-slided, abseiled, cycled, treked, quizzed, golfed, kicked a baw, booled a bool, entered a raffle, bid a bid, bought a polo, calendar, hat, scarf, keyring, tie, tee shirt, book or attended a dinner, modelled, donated a prize or cash, downloaded a song, rattled a can or bucket and to those who put Xmas parcels together. It goes beyond FF and extends across VB, RM, DTB, CRO, TRS, (and others I may not even be aware of) facebook, loyal orders, RSC's, Pubs and various masonic Lodges and many people within Rangers Football Club the dinner will see us through £500,000 Please accept my sincere thanks WATP users of other forums please pass on my gratitude in a similar manner to your members

Posted by Roy Greenslade It will be interesting to see if any newspaper covers the fact that members of Britain's armed forces appeared to join in with Scottish football fans as they sang sectarian songs at a match yesterday. Initial reports suggest not. Some 400 uniformed soldiers, seamen and air force personnel attended an armed forces day at Ibrox, the Rangers ground. After a formal march and band music, a group of soldiers (they were in khaki) were filmed dancing, clapping and singing along with the crowd. Although it is difficult to make out the exact words on the video posted on YouTube, people have identified sectarian songs and chants celebrating the death of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. Rival Celtic fans were quick to point to songs that are supposed to be banned from all Scottish football grounds under a new law passed by the Scottish parliament. One commenter to the YouTube site wrote of it being a "disgusting vile and tawdry spectacle". Another wrote: "Shocking stuff. I hope this vid is forwarded to the footballing and army authorities." Two media reports about the events that have been published - one here on the STV site and another here on the Daily Record site - make no reference to the soldiers' antics. The STV report mentioned that an army band "entertained fans" and quoted Major General Nick Eeles, general officer commanding Scotland, as saying it was hoped to make it into an annual event. The Record did write that "the match-day experience began in dramatic circumstances" but only because two marines "abseiled down the Govan stand ahead of kick-off, before delivering the match ball to the referee." How odd that both outlets missed the story? Or do their reporters think soldiers chanting jingoistic sectarian songs in unison with football fans is unworthy of comment? Incidentally, Saturday was not the official armed forces celebration day in Britain (that falls in the close season). The club, with the full approval of the military, decided to stage its own separate event. http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade

No-one likes a thorough examination. It could be a test for English, it could be a check-up at the dentist. God forbid, it could even be the prostate exam from an overweight medico with fingers like fairtrade bananas. This week saw the appointment of that bogeyman figure for many Rangers fans, Peter Lawwell, to the Professional Game Board of the SFA. Leaving aside the hilarious irony of anything connected with the game in our country having the sheer balls to call itself 'professional' - the name of the new league was, for me, the highlight of the summer, an act of self-mockery and criticism not seen since the Red Guards were touring the Chinese countryside in the 1960's - you'd think the raising of another Celtic employee to another administrative role ought to have aroused some examination. As things stand now with the SFL gone, the SPFL Board consists of Steven Thompson of Dundee Utd, Eric Riley of Celtic, Aberdeen’s Duncan Fraser, Les Gray from Hamilton, Mike Mulraney of Cowdenbeath and Bill Darroch of Stenhousemuir plus CEO Neil Doncaster. Even Celtic fans must realise Mssrs Riley and Lawwell's various roles raise some interesting questions. Is it good for the game, or their club? Is it good for them, personally? Can they avoid conflicts of interest, and can they operate best with a work-load of this nature? What does it say about the structures which oversee the much vaunted reconstruction of the game in Scotland? Gersnet poster Brahim Hemdani sums up the bemusement may feel when he said "Quite why the other clubs think that having two represetatives from one club in the top echelons of power is appropriate is beyond my comprehension but that is the state of play that we have to live with." I ask these questions because they will affect us, like every other club, and because the overall coverage of the move has been muted to the point of fearful censorship. Tom English has taken refuge in slating OF fans for being loonballs rather than look at the appointment itself, while no-one else seems to have mentioned it at all. Maybe no-one is a little concerned that one club looms quite so large over the landscape (you may recall Kenny Shiels swift demotion by the ever sensitive Pacific Quay from colourful entertainer to highly suspicious proto-bigot when he touched on this subject), or, more likely, maybe they're worn out by all these saga and don't care anymore. Dangerous attitude, if true. We need to care. My own view is that no-one from either Rangers or celtc should be on any governing body, nor anyone with a connection to them. Rules out a hell of a lot of people, doesn't it? But look at the history! Since the mid-1980's, the Old Firm have more or less run the game. First them then us have been, during that time, complete basket cases. Prior to that, with faceless, anonymous men who enjoyed the benefits, yes, but were primarily upholders of the game as a concept - that is, as a sport - Scotland actually did not too badly, certainly by comparison with its later, hideous self. Of the two potential scenarios - well meaning if possibly bumbling amateurs, or corporate OF types - one would have to be a follower of either side to support the elevation of the latter to the running of the game. If that maybe sounds like accusations of bias toward the media, maybe it is - given the outrage we saw over such issues as contentious capitalist contract practices and internal SFA inquiries, surely they would feel the make up of game boards also need a revolution? No? Happy to carry on as we have for thirty years, are you? Thirty years of continual decline and failure? Quite content to see the setup which has brought the game to the laughable stance of not even having a sponsor - bear in mind, this is a league which reaches both Rangers and celtc fans every week, that's market penetration many a company would give their right arm for; you are looking at well over 2,000,000 potential customers on a more than weekly basis being exposed to your product - and think this is a suitable plan for the future? Well, fair enough. Everyone's entitled to an opinion. But you can hardly be surprised when people raise a quizzical eyebrow, and wonder quite what the reason is for your optimism. celtc's current dominance is the reason put forward, I guess. That ignores their two decades of shambolic behaviour since the early 1980's; no doubt our period of insanity will be as quickly forgotten. It also forgets the wasteland that the rest of the game is; perhaps a momentary lapse in memory by our writers, or again, perhaps they just don't care. The game desperately needs diversity, in terms of cup winners and media coverage. We're unlikely to see the latter, since the media is as self interested as the next man. I can't see how having the people from the top club running the leagues will help create that diversity; the logical outcome will be a set up which favours that leading club. Cravenly avoiding the fairly obvious self interest inherent in this move, and whining about how Old Firm fans are loonies while you pretty much cowardly refuse to actually examine the move, won't impress anyone. Maybe, when this blows up in the face of Scottish football (as OF people running the game always will, in my opinion), those who have airily seen it through on the nod will have the guts to examine their own role in it. I won't be holding my breath, though. As the dire Neil Doncaster happily points out "“The relationship between the SPFL and the SFA is a good one and I think a much better one since the reconstruction’s completion on the 27th June.” This is unsurprising when the same people, two of whom are from the same outfit, sit upon these boards. If blissful happiness and an end to dissent is the aim, I can see the point. If running the game in a progressive and accountable way is the aim, it becomes rather more questionable. But questions are good, in a healthy democracy. We need our media writers to question, to examine. Their current craven obedience will be just something else we will all come to regret.

john Terry was booed at Petrov’s Charity Match, He was one of the first people to message Petrov after his illness. Very low. — John (@TheChelseaTalk) September 8, 2013 The Celtic fans are booing Cuellar and John Terry. They are an unbelievably classless bunch. Given the occasion. They’re pathetic. — The Twelfth Man (@_The12thMan) September 8, 2013 Petrov on John Terry, Too much respect #CFC pic.twitter.com/iIUsoYxPwu — Jack Mull (@J4CKMULL) September 8, 2013 Even a former Rangers player Carlos Cuellar getting booed less than John Terry. #19 — ʙεαｨɴɩҡ ɞʀɩαɴ (@BeatnikBrian) September 8, 2013 Celtic fans boo Terry for cheating on his wife when a lot of them would kill a guy based on his religious beliefs. — John (@TheChelseaTalk) September 8, 2013 Cuellar & Terry getting booed in a charity game for a bloke who’s suffered through cancer, Celtic fans showing their class again #Celtic — Nick Moore (@NickMoore1211) September 8, 2013 Cuellar donated £11,000 at the charity auction last night… And these Celtic fans are booing him. — The Twelfth Man (@_The12thMan) September 8, 2013 Booing Carlos Cuellar as well as JT? Bloody hell. Really good bunch this Celtic lot… — CLBrosnan93 (@CLBrosnan93) September 8, 2013

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor was the subject of death threats and shocking abuse from One Direction fans after injuring band member Louis Tomlinson. The pair were playing in Stiliyan Petrov's game for charity at Celtic Park when the 26-year-old forward tackled the singer. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/gabriel-agbonlahor-tackles-louis-tomlinson-2260599

Gordon Waddell in the Sunday Mail compares Hearts and us. WITH the right kind of leadership and governance, Rangers could have been golden by now. Miles back down the road. Instead their fans have had to watch a seemingly endless line of charlatans, con-artists, chancers and liars pass through their club. It’s been like some kind of anti-Disney parade, as they looked to see what they could make from it, not what they could make of it. Which is why they should be looking on with interest at where Hearts are headed this morning. See what they COULD have had. Day one of the draw-down on the direct debits of their membership scheme. The cornerstone of their recovery. More than 7000 people signed up and counting. Yes, the Foundation of Hearts are still only preferred bidders for their stricken club. Yes, they’ll be hostages to fate as long as uncertainty surrounds the insolvency of UBIG 1700 miles east of them. But it’s what they’re trying to create that’s so important. They’re not the first – but they’ll be the biggest fan-owned club yet. And if it works for them? They could be the template for everyone. Fan-owned and controlled, sustainable wage bill, sensible leadership with a presentable public face, people with some corporate smarts and business acumen behind the scenes. They’re all eminently achievable for a club of Hearts’ size. People say fan ownership can’t be trusted – but why not? In a crowd of 10,000 you’ll have everyone from brain surgeons to brickies, from lords to layabouts. If you can discern between them. They’ll all be as diehard as each other so why not amalgamate the expertise in your stands to help make it work? Look at the way Ian Murray has steered the Foundation of Hearts so far. He hasn’t put a foot wrong. He’s a compelling speaker, who talks the same language as the fans – in a literal non-Lithuanian sense as well as figuratively. He’s that rare breed who’s an MP and yet still has some moral fibre. It’s all there for Hearts if they can just get through administration. They’d have the stadium and have already done the hard work getting their wage bill down from the ludicrous excesses of their bampot despot. They are also shaking off the shackles as well – last weekend their PR staff brought in players for all arms of the media in the wake of their win over Aberdeen, something they hadn’t been allowed to do in five years. They already have one of the best family-oriented community trusts in the country in Big Hearts, an independent charity arm with a fine record of engagement. And if they can get 10,000 people paying a membership of £100 a year, that’s a million quid right there as your bank of last resort. The foundations are there. After that, you just need to make sure what goes out never exceeds what comes in. To be honest, they’ve already got a decent model to follow when it comes to the transition from an egomaniacal, overspending benefactor into fan ownership. It’s exactly 18 months since I wrote about the Well Society. The membership collective charged with proving they had what it took to inherit John Boyle’s 73 per cent stake in Motherwell and make it work for the community as a whole. They were given targets, milestones they had to meet in a five-year plan to prove themselves viable – and so far so good. They met their first funding target to get half the shares, two members were co-opted onto the club board – although to be fair, every current director at the club is also a member of the Society. Now they’re a third of the way down the road to meeting their next target of raising £1.5m. They have 1250 members around a third of their core support so it’s a work in progress. But if and when they get there, they will inherit a club that’s already a model of good governance with no bank debt and no facility for it either. Which is the way it should be for everyone. The club makes a profit, their PR is peerless, they have a sharp chief exec and directors whose CVs wouldn’t look out of place in any big business boardroom. All from one of the smallest fan bases in the top division. Now multiply that by three or four for Hearts and tell me it’s not sustainable. Then multiply THAT by another four or five for Rangers and tell me they don’t have the money, the manpower and the motive to make a similar scheme work? Of course they do. But has their chance gone? Clubs like Hearts, Dunfermline and Motherwell saw an opportunity for a fresh start, a new baseline borne from their crises. The problem with Rangers, sadly, is that they WERE the opportunity. And look around their boardroom at what it got them.

Folks I have noticed today a lot of online and Twitter chat / rumours about the sale of Rangers aassets of Ibrox, Murray Park and Albion Car Park with leaseback options to raise immediate revenue for the club. Has anyone heard anything about this, potentially worrying, development? Some figures being posted about which makes me think its all another baseless internet rumour but a few folk have linked it with a quote from Charles Green about being able to 'bring £10M into the club in a moments notice'?? Might just be another rumour though...

If Paul Murray was to get on the board following the EGM and Mather, Stockbridge etc were removed. Who would be a suitable Chief Exec? After what we have had to endure for the past 2 years would you accept Martin Bain back? He had his faults and didn't publicly back the fans over some issues but, he certainly acted in the professional manner that one would expect from a Rangers chief exec. P.S. its just a question so try and stay calm with the responses!!

War veterans have condemned Fifa for refusing to allow England to display a poppy on their shirts for the team's friendly against Spain on Saturday. Fifa rules prevent any changes being made to the home kit. George Batt, general secretary of the Normandy Veterans' Association, has described the decision as "disgraceful". He said: "I'm lost for words. I can't see any harm in wearing a poppy. It's so sad. "You surely don't need rules and regulations in Fifa like this? What is Armistice Day? Continue reading the main story Peter Crouch displays a poppy on his England tracksuit in 2009 Armistice Day is on 11 November every year It commemorates the peace agreement that ended World War I in 1918 In America, it is known as "Veterans' Day", while many other countries call it "Remembrance Day" In Britain, Remembrance Day is commemorated on the closest Sunday to 11 November "I would think about 90% of the population wear them [poppies]. "I think it's a bit childish because, after all is said and done, if it wasn't for us blokes, Fifa wouldn't be here." The players will instead wear poppies on their training kit at Wembley before auctioning it off for charity. An Football Association spokesman said: "The FA are proud supporters of our armed forces and we are only too pleased to recognise those that have sacrificed their lives for the nation. "The England senior team will proudly wear poppies on their training kit and all our staff and representative teams will stop to observe the Armistice Day silence." A spokesman for Fifa said: "Fifa fully acknowledges the significance of the Poppy Appeal and the ways in which it helps commemorate Remembrance Day on 11 November each year. "As a multinational organisation comprising over 50 different nationalities, the significance of this date will also be observed by many of its employees, who will remember family members too. "Fifa's regulations regarding players' equipment are that they should not carry any political, religious or commercial messages. "Fifa has 208 Member Associations and the same regulations are applied globally, and uniformly, in the event of similar requests by other nations to commemorate historical events." The governing body added that a minute's silence would be held prior to kick-off on Saturday.

CELTIC Charity Fund, the charitable arm of Celtic Football Club today presented a donation of £10,000 to the work of Poppy Scotland. The Clubâ??s donation will be used to support ex-Servicemen and women across Scotland in a variety of ways, including treatment and rehabilitation for those injured while serving. As we look ahead to Remembrance Sunday, Poppy Scotland will this week launch the 2011 Scottish Poppy Appeal. Celtic is pleased to kick-off this fundraising activity with this substantial donation. Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: "As we approach Remembrance Sunday next month, we remember the victims on all sides of all conflicts. Many people from all walks of life have entered the Services, and indeed, we all remember the contribution which so many Celtic players made during both World Wars. "We are pleased to make this donation which will hopefully assist many people in Scotland dealing with devastating injuries. "We understand fully the tragedy of conflict and the wider effects which this brings, which is why we are also pleased to support War Child, the global charity which cares for the child victims of war in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq and across Africa." Ian McGregor, Chief Executive of Poppy Scotland said: "We are extremely grateful to Celtic Football Club for their continued support of the Scottish Poppy Appeal. This generous donation will enable us to continue to deliver our life-changing work for Scotlandâ??s Armed Forces community. "As well as continuing to fund therapy, housing and retraining for veterans, we are also hoping to introduce short breaks for the families of Service personnel who are away on active duty. "As we indicated last year we feel that after three very successful years of the poppy shirt initiative with the SPL, we wanted to work with each club individually to develop a range of new activities. Today is just one example of how the clubs are getting behind the Appeal this year and we look forward to building further on the excellent relationship we have with Celtic, and the other 11 clubs, in the coming weeks."

Rangers owner Craig Whyte has instructed his lawyers to begin legal proceedings against the BBC over allegations made against him in a documentary aired on Thursday night. The programme, BBC Scotland Investigates: Rangers The Inside Story, explored Whyte's business dealings before he bought the Scottish champions. The Scots tycoon took over Sir David Murray's shareholding in the club in May. A spokesman for Whyte said on Thursday night: "Craig Whyte strenuously refutes these unfounded and defamatory allegations and has instructed his lawyers, Carter Ruck, to commence immediate legal proceedings against the BBC. "Any repetition of these false accusations will also be met with legal action." Responding to the statement, a BBC Scotland spokesman said: "We stand by the investigation which was produced according to our rigorous editorial standards on fairness, accuracy and impartiality. "As the programme BBC Scotland Investigates: Rangers The Inside Story makes clear, Craig Whyte took the opportunity to respond to questions which were put to him during the course of the production." Earlier this week, Rangers withdrew co-operation with the BBC, with the Clydesdale Bank Premier League club describing the programme as "little more than a prejudiced muckraking exercise". However, the BBC strongly rejected claims of bias against the club and insisted the content of the programme was accurate and in the public interest. Speaking in an interview with STV earlier this evening, before the BBC documentary aired, Whyte defended his business record. He said: "I'm sure the programme that's been made will no doubt make various allegations and it's maybe not going to be flattering about me but I've got nothing to be ashamed of. "Ultimately, my track record speaks for itself. "I'm here, I'm the owner of Rangers, I'm the chairman of Rangers and I've done a lot more successful deals than deals that haven't worked out. I think that ultimately speaks for itself." Meanwhile, Whyte insists he is doing everything in his power to prevent the club from going into administration. Rangers are involved in two separate disputes with HM Revenue and Customs, relating to payments before Whyte's takeover. The larger of those cases could leave Rangers facing an estimated tax bill of £49million. Whyte has always maintained he is confident of winning the case but did address the issue of administration in the interview with STV. He said: "It's certainly not something we want to see happen and we are actively doing all we can to avoid it. "There is no chance of Rangers going out of business, no chance whatsoever." If Rangers do succeed with the dispute, Whyte has vowed to write off the club's £18million debt, which is currently on the books of his holding company. He said: "It's not going to be converted to equity which would dilute the other shareholders of Rangers. "We've got 26,000 shareholders who are very important to us, they are all fans of the club, and I want to make sure they are not diluted in any way. "The debt is effectively going to be written off. "I own a fantastic asset and a business that, once it has been restructured, I think is going to be very valuable so it's certainly not an act of charity. I see it as a sound business decision." Asked about plans to appeal if Rangers lose the tax case, Whyte said: "That's a decision that we can make at the time. "What I will say is that I think it would be impossible for any business to operate with that level of scrutiny, with that tax debt hanging over it and tribunals going on for potentially months and years to come. "I think it's better for everybody, better for Rangers and everybody involved at Rangers, that a conclusion is reached as quickly as possible." Whyte acknowledges that the Ibrox club face a difficult chapter but is adamant he is the right man to steer Rangers through tough times. He said: "There were many times when I could have walked away from it but I decided to persevere. "Somebody had to do this, somebody had to take up the challenge and I think I can do that. "There are days when there are challenges and it's tough but it's a privilege to be in this position, a privilege to own Rangers and be chairman of Rangers. "There is a big job to do here and somebody has to sort it out and I'm the guy to do that."

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

Matt Dickinson Chief Sports Correspondent 17 minutes ago It was the game of zero tolerance against sectarianism, when police snatch squads would target troublemakers at Ibrox in the aftermath of the bomb sent to Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager. A day when Rangers and Celtic would stand united against any form of bigotry or intolerance and instruct their supporters to focus on the football. Enough was, finally, enough. So what did Rangers do? They allowed a small Union Jack flag to be placed in every seat of a home supporter. There were 40,000 of these flags, supplied by the Rangers Supporters Assembly, and every one approved by the club hierarchy. I rang Rangers yesterday to ask why, exactly? The Union Jack is not an official symbol of Rangers FC. It is not part of the club badge, not on the shirt. It is not to be found on any page of the Rangers website. A shirty spokesman, dismissing the inquiry as a nonsense, said that it was the flag of his country and the British Isles. But there are dozens of British clubs and none of the others ever hand out Union Jacks. If Rangers wanted to give the team a show of support, why not simply hand out regular club flags and scarves? Why endorse a provocative symbol of tribalism, on the very day when both clubs were meant to be going out of their way to calm their fans? The spokesman could not wait to get off the phone, although, before he did so, he pointed out that Rangers had no intention of complaining about the tricolours flown by the Celtic supporters. As if that made everything all right. Apologists will say that the Union Jack is only a flag, a common one, and not an incitement to send parcel bombs to football managers. But it has nothing whatsoever to do with football. In the context of the Old Firm, it has been hijacked as a sign of lasting enmity, of division, entrenching the idea that one club, for now and evermore, will represent the Protestant sector of Glasgow and the other the Catholic. One club handing out Union Jacks cannot possibly take us any closer to the day, however far away it may be, when Rangers against Celtic becomes a ââ?¬Å?normalââ?¬Â sporting rivalry, defined by geography, not historical or religious baggage. A day when the Old Firm becomes like Red against Blue, City against United, Milan against Inter, rather than the poisonous stirring of an ancient religious divide. The bomb intended for Lennon has focused attention on the murderous imbeciles, but there will always be extremists. The battle is surely more importantly won over the centre ground, the reasonable majority. This is the job of driving sense into the ââ?¬Å?90-minute bigotsââ?¬Â as they were described in 2005 by Lawrence Macintyre, the head of safety for Rangers at the time, when he talked of fans with Catholic friends and workmates who became filled with hatred on a Saturday afternoon at Ibrox. ââ?¬Å?If we can get the person that doesnââ?¬â?¢t mean it then weââ?¬â?¢ll isolate the real racists and real bigots in numbers that are manageable to deal with,ââ?¬Â he said. Does anyone seriously believe that the best means of education is for Rangers to hand out Union Jacks? To make such a point to the club yesterday was to be brushed off like an idiot. But then I met the same dismissiveness when I went to my only Old Firm derby at Ibrox a few years ago and expressed amazement that a giant Union Jack was being waved in the centre circle before kick-off. It seemed bizarre then and, given the tensions around Lennon, the ritual seemed even more extraordinary on Sunday. There seems to be an acceptance that these two clubs will always represent a sectarian divide, and the best that can be done is to contain the worst violence and the worst chanting rather than to eradicate the problem altogether. But it has to be asked whether such an approach will ever make sufficient progress. Many well-intentioned campaigns and initiatives have been launched in recent years, only to founder. The charity Nil by Mouth was established after the 1995 murder of a young Celtic fan, Sense Over Sectarianism, a joint-initiative, was launched in 2001, and Jack McConnell, then the First Minister, brought together a summit in 2005 that led to tougher legislation. Alex Salmond, the First Minister says the anti-sectarian laws will be toughened further in the coming months. We can add the Pride over Prejudice campaign launched by Rangers, Bhoys against Bigotry by Celtic and Bigger than Bigotry. No doubt there are others. The treatment of Lennon, the victim of a street attack in Glasgow in the past as well as having the threat made on his life, suggests that this problem is no closer to being resolved and that the clubs have to take a stronger lead. Condemning bombers is the easy part. Rangers will insist that they do plenty, but that has not been the impression given in the past 48 hours, on or off the record. They should pay more attention to their manager, the wise Walter Smith, who talked last week of how the sectarian problem had been tolerated for too long, and his relief that he was retiring. ââ?¬Å?To be quite honest with you, Iââ?¬â?¢m quite glad to be getting out of it,ââ?¬Â Smith said, which was a terribly sad admission from a man steeped in Rangers since he was a lad. So that is one manager driven away and another who might have been killed. And a stupid club who think there is nothing odd, amid all this trouble, in handing out 40,000 Union Jacks.

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

It has been claimed that FARE. which is headed up by Piara Powar, are the organisation which reported the Rangers support to UEFA. Piara Powar was previously at Kick It Out, and I thought that it may be interesting to look at a couple of issues that occurred when he was at KIO. June 2007 - their newsletter has the following - "It has taken 25 years for a professional Jewish Football League player to break through - so meet Joe Jacobson, proof that this community does not stop at owning clubs and trading players." It seems that Piara Powar has no problem with stereotyping Jewish people as club owners and agents. I would have thought that an anti-racism charity would have issues with stereotyping based on religion, but perhaps it's OK. October 2008 - Rangers introduce a programme to educate girls in India. A worthy cause and quite correctly reported by KIO, but unfortuately they could not resist a dig at the Rangers support, turning a positive into a negative. "Rangers FC might have a following that is not afraid of singing offensive songs in Scotland, but in India the club are working with UNICEF to help educate girls in poverty." Every football club's fans sing offensive songs but Rangers were obviously singled out by him, although he did not clarify which songs that were being referred to when questioned on this. It is quite sick to use a children's charity issue to have a dig at a particular support, but Piara didn't seem to have an issue with it as it wasn't "incorrect".

Hi, I am wondering (if it is possible or likely) where I would be able to enquire about getting corporate sponsorship for a charity event I am taking part in to raise funds for the Rangers Charity Foundation and UNICEF? My thought was maybe the guys that are in the Rangers Matchday programme that have sponsored a player, or players, for the course of a season. I guess it's safe to assume that these guys have an interest in the club. I have raised just shy of �£150 (so far) and wondered if a corporate sponsor may put down �£20/30/40/50 if the donation was made against their name. Is there anyone who you think would be willing to do this sort of thing? I might be showing naivety here - however, i'm just trying to think of other ways to raise money. What do you guys reckon? Cheers, Picco

Hi guys, I've created an eBay auction for the Rangers Charity Foundation (more information in the eBay link below) - would anyone be willing to drop a bid in to get the bids going? Charity eBay Auction for Rangers Photo Frame I'm not expecting much for this, but every penny counts Many thanks, Picco