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As a keen rangers supporter I look forward to securing it's future as a leading force in Scottish and european football! Rangers are a great club with a great future, It has the best supporters in the world and I will do everything possible to protect and enhance the clubs standing going forward!!! Taken from a play, pause,rewind via sky+ and sky sports news and jim white

This idea was taken from another forum. Which member of Gersnet do you employ as...... Chairman - Chief Exec - Manager - Ass Man - Gribz Captain - General dogs body -

RANGERS chairman Alistair Johnston has given the Craig Whyte deal his approval. It's understood Johnston - who has flown to China on personal business - will not block the �£35million sale going through. He has also agreed to resign his post once Whyte gets his hands on the Ibrox club. SunSport can reveal that there are just TWO board members holding up the sale. A source said: "This is a big step forward. The bank, Whyte and Murray are all happy. "There are just a couple of others but everyone is hopeful that this can be overcome. "Whyte simply wants to take control of the club with everyone on side - as does Sir David. "A new chapter for Rangers could and should now be on the horizon." Johnston's backing suggests agreement is now imminent. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3563766/Johnston-on-board.html#ixzz1LQjtazNy

STEVE Davis last night revealed he wants to extend his stay at Rangers. The Northern Ireland international is out of contract at the end of next season but is keen to get tied up on a new long-term deal. Davis knows a contract extension could depend on Craig Whyte's proposed takeover being completed and insists that is more important than his contract talks. The 26-year-old midfielder is one of Rangers most prized assets, along with goalkeeper Allan McGregor and Madjid Bougherra, and would attract interest from the Premier League if the Ibrox outfit were forced to cash in during the summer. Davis has been a key member of Walter Smith's second stint at Rangers, having been signed initially on loan from Fulham in January 2008 before joining in a �£3 million move at the end of that campaign. Davis admits he is happy at Rangers and not interested in moving on as he wants to stay at the club. Hopefully after that, the boys who are coming towards the end of their deals can look at sorting something out Davis said: "It's just a matter of seeing what happens with the takeover first and everyone is concentrating on that just now. "Hopefully after that, the boys who are coming towards the end of their deals can look at sorting something out. "There are a couple of us in the same situation and I would like to stay on because there is no better club to be playing at in the world from my point of view. "If you ask any of the boys, they will tell you this is a great place to come in and work at every day. "Even with the tough times we've had, we're settled as a group and a lot of that can be put down to the manager and his backroom staff. "They have kept us away from a lot of the stuff behind the scenes and made sure this is an enjoyable place for us to be at. "We've had a good amount of success over the last couple of seasons. I'm happy here and hopefully I can extend my stay." Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/244827Steve-Davis-tells-Rangers-he-wants-to-stay-longer#ixzz1LTDY8il1

Quote from this mornings media: Meanwhile, Gers chairman Alastair Johnston last night denied Whyte's bid was about to be booted into touch. He said: "As chairman of the club I must remain objective and judicious. What I can say is the board have not, at this point in time, rejected Craig Whyte's proposal. A Whyte source said: "Paul Murray is an irrelevance, a sideshow. He does not have a deal on the table and he does not even have proof of funding. He has been asking for honesty for the supporters but why then will he not say which businessman is going to fund any deal? "Also, where was Paul Murray and where were these unnamed people when the club was in trouble? Alastair Johnston is, IMO totally out of order. How are we fans expected to believe that this board of ours indeed have the interests of the club at heart. For the first and I must say, the only time an acceptable offer is on the table to take our club out of the mire. The board have constantly failed to provide anything constructive over the last few years other than meaningless ("well done lads you are doing a great job, but Miller has to be sold and we cant agree contracts with most of our star players") pat's on the back for Walter and Ally. His approach treats Walter practically with contempt. Paul Murray has offered little but words at this stage. His jam today offer would still leave the club with a bank overdraft of �£20m plus interest. Plan B as it is calls is not backed by the bank, or indeed Sir David Murray. On the other hand we have a �£55m offer that will clear our bank debt and provide funding for the next five years. Sir David Murray backs the deal and that should be good enough for us. If Johnston and his colleagues blow this deal, then IMO thay should resign on block. As for Paul Murray either put up or shut up!

ALLY McCOIST is preparing a summer swoop for Macedonia striker Ivan Trickovski. The 24-year-old hitman stars for APOEL in the Cypriot league. Rangers hope to lure him to Ibrox in a �£1.5million move. The deal could hinge on Craig Whyte's long-awaited Gers takeover being completed. Trickovski is one of the key men McCoist wants if he's handed a �£10m transfer war chest The Gers boss in waiting has a long list of potential targets depending on how much cashhe From Back Page has at his disposal and he has been given glowing scouting reports on the goalscorer. He now hopes to sign him up to play alongside Nikica Jelavic next season. Trickovski has earned rave reviews for his performances for APOEL. He scored 11 goals in 25 appearances to win the championship. Trickovski has also been a huge hit for the Macedonia national side - scoring three times in just ten appearances. Belgian club Lokeren made a �£1m bid for him in January but APOEL refused to do business as they were still battling for the title. However, it now looks unlikely that they will be able to keep hold of the highly-rated attacker. Trickovski has also played for Red Star Belgrade after leaving first club FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia. He could be tempted to move to the UK - with McCoist keen to swoop. Meanwhile, Gers chairman Alastair Johnston last night denied Whyte's bid was about to be booted into touch. He said: "As chairman of the club I must remain objective and judicious. What I can say is the board have not, at this point in time, rejected Craig Whyte's proposal. "We are working through an over- whelmingly complicated series of due diligence, much more complicated than meets the eye. There is a lot going on behind the scenes." Rival bidder Paul Murray was last night branded an 'irrelevance' by the Whyte camp. Ibrox director Murray hit out at Whyte's bid - and urged Sir David Murray to knock back the �£35m deal. A Whyte source said: "Paul Murray is an irrelevance, a sideshow. "He does not have a deal on the table and he does not even have proof of funding. "He has been asking for honesty for the supporters but why then will he not say which businessman is going to fund any deal? "Also, where was Paul Murray and where were these unnamed people when the club was in trouble?" Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3562016/Hell-do-the-Trick-for-Gers.html#ixzz1LKodhc80

A Murray Park sales pitch in the wake of Sundayââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm game has taken Craig Whyte to within touching distance of completing his Rangers takeover. Whyte met with board members at the clubââ?¬â?¢s training ground immediately after the 0-0 draw at Ibrox ââ?¬â? the prospective owner using the summit to again lay out his plans for the reigning SPL champions. And he appears to have won over the doubters who blocked his hopes of finalising the buy-out of Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s huge controlling interest early last week ââ?¬â? including, crucially, chairman Alastair Johnston. Last night Johnston, who had previously questioned Whyteââ?¬â?¢s ability to finance the clubââ?¬â?¢s future, told BBC Scotland: ââ?¬Ë?The (vetting) committee are now much closer to viewing Craig Whyteââ?¬â?¢s bid as the right one for Rangers.ââ?¬â?¢ Sir David himself has been doing the diplomatic rounds urging directors to ââ?¬Ë?Back the Bidââ?¬â?¢, having dismissed the alternative consortium proposal floated by Dave King and Paul Murray. Sportsmail understands that at least two members of the vetting committee set up to oversee the takeover ââ?¬â? former chairman John McClelland and club legend John Greig ââ?¬â? were immediately won over. Asked about Johnston coming onside, a source close to the Whyte camp said: ââ?¬Ë?If this is true, then obviously itââ?¬â?¢s very good news. With a bit of luck, the deal can now proceed to completion.ââ?¬â?¢ Sir David can sell his shareholding without board approval, but does not want his last official act to be an acrimonious sale forced through against the wishes of the directors. He spent much of the weekend trying to convince directors that Whyte is the clubââ?¬â?¢s best bet. Lloyds Banking Group, who will recoup their Ã?£20million once Whyte takes control and pays off the club debt, have also been putting pressure on the board to rubber stamp the deal. One of the new manââ?¬â?¢s first tasks could be to finalise a six-year contract offer to star asset Allan McGregor ââ?¬â? keeping him at Ibrox until he is 35. The Scotland keeper has told the club he would be keen to stay in Glasgow if the deal is right but Sportsmail understands the new contract offers McGregor a small increase on his basic weekly wage of around Ã?£12,000. A number of English and foreign clubs are keeping a close eye on the outstanding Ibrox No 1 and former Scotland keeper Alan Rough told Sportsmail yesterday that Premiership clubs should be queuing up with inquiries. The 29-year-old has two years left on his current deal and any summer sale would probably be at no more than Ã?£5m. The future of a number of the current Rangers squad remains uncertain and striker Nikica Jelavic has told his team-mates they must stick together in the summer to help Ally McCoist bring silverware to Ibrox. Skipper David Weir and left-back Sasa Papac look bound for exits at the end of their contracts. Madjid Bougherra has again publicly declared he would prefer a summer transfer while McGregorââ?¬â?¢s future may well depend on how he reacts to the contract offer while Steven Davis and Steven Whittaker also have only 12 months left. ââ?¬Ë?If we can stay together and remain focused then I am convinced we can win a lot of trophies together,ââ?¬â?¢ said Jelavic. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1380574/Sales-pitch-seals-deal-Whyte-convinces-Ibrox-board-man-Gers-takeover.html#ixzz1KaJ49uL6

HE'S looked at the figures and done all the sums. Ally McCoist doesn't think Rangers will be in trouble if the Craig Whyte takeover falls through. He KNOWS it. The Ibrox boss-in-waiting has had a long hard look at the club's financial mess. And he's had to draft up TWO lists of potential signing targets. One has star quality players he would love to sign if a new owner takes charge. The other is bargain basement Bosmans other big clubs have tossed aside. It's a scary situation facing a rookie boss - but McCoist insists it's the reality that can't be ignored. He said: "It's correct to say it's difficult. I have one list here on my left and another on my right - and one is cheaper than the other. "I can't move on either list right now and might miss out on players on both lists. "That's the way it is - it's not an ideal situation but we know that and have to deal with it. "If the wage bill has to get cut again I have another list. "If things stay the same I will have to cut quite severely and that's horrendous. "I'm attempting to say to the fans 'We're in trouble, BIG trouble'. "If these cuts have to be made then you just have to look at the squad we'll be left with and work out how difficult it will be. "We will always, always, always strive to be competitive - that's just the nature of our club. "But it will be very difficult. "I hate to say that because it might sound as if I'm making excuses before I'm in the job." McCoist can only hope that the loyal Rangers fans who buy season tickets every year don't opt to keep their money in their pockets - or the situation might get even worse. But he can understand if they are reluctant to part with their hard-earned cash. McCoist added: "The fans want to know the product first. "It's like buying tickets for a concert without knowing who you're going to watch - you just wouldn't do that, would you? "I'm totally with the fans on where they are coming from on this. I've no doubt they will come out again, but I understand completely why they would like to know the manager's plans and where the club is going first. "Of course I'd always encourage Rangers fans to support the club and season ticket holders are so important to us it's unbelievable. "But I would urge them to stay with us. "I don't think they do realise the extent of things. "I don't want to sit here and scare them with this and that going to happen, I just want their continued support." McCoist still hopes Whyte's long-running takeover will be completed by next week - by which time he'll be able to look at Plan A. That includes new contract offers to Steven Davis, Madjid Bougherra and Allan McGregor. Ibrox No 1 McGregor in particular has been outstanding with Gers offering him a SIX-YEAR extension to his current deal. And McCoist is desperate for him to stay, adding: "Allan can be anything he wants to be. It is entirely up to him. "He can achieve all his footballing dreams here because there is no better place to be successful. "There might be one or two bigger places, if you are talking Manchester United or clubs like that, but in terms of a place to be when things are going well, there is no better club in the world than here. "What I am saying is 'Stay here and enjoy your football'. "We've had top goalies like Chris Woods and Andy Goram. Those two boys were fantastic goalkeepers, but Allan is a fantastic goalkeeper as well, no doubt about it. "That's the one thing I'd have to say, Rangers have been pretty lucky in the past 20-30 years with some really, really top goalkeepers. It's arguably one of the most important positions in the team. We have been lucky and certainly in my opinion Allan is up there with any we have had. "He has great focus which is important for any goalkeeper, but especially at a top club. "I think the one thing about Allan is that he is fantastically dedicated to his job when he goes out on that park and when he trains. "He is a beast when it comes to training. "He is one of these boys, a wee bit like Gascoigne, who I think is at home on the training ground and the football park." As SunSport also revealed this week Vladimir Weiss is desperate to sign a new loan deal from Manchester City. And McCoist admits: "Vlad is an obvious one because he enjoyed his time here. "He did well, probably could have played a bit more. "We are not in a position to spend money but we are in a position where if you have an advantage of having someone who has been here before, you know them and they know you, it would certainly be a plus." Whatever happens off the park, McCoist plans to hold talks with skipper Davie Weir. He added: "I haven't spoken to Davie yet but we'll definitely sit down and have a chat. "I don't know what he'll do, but the most important person in all of this is Davie himself. "He has to decide what he wants to do. "The one thing is that Davie has earned his stripes and deserves a couple of weeks away to think about it. "He might want to stay on, he might want to do coaching after sitting his UEFA badges. No one can grudge him his choice." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3554139/Gers-fans-just-dont-know-how-big-a-mess-we-are-in.html#ixzz1KtkeTqNR

With most media sources now suggesting the takeover of Rangers is likely to be announced to the Stock Exchange later this week, it seems the question is no longer if this deal will happen but when. On the surface the price and stipulations agreed by Whyte look to be a good for the club and supporters alike. The vast majority of the long term bank loan will be eradicated and other existing debt removed while 'new' money made available to invest into the club - around �£30million over 5 years if the 'sources' are to be believed. Given our existing owner (and his directors) have struggled to provide anything similar without selling players or relying on Champions League money it will be fascinating to see how Whyte et al intend supplying their investment. Will we be exchanging old debt for new debt and one nosey bank for another? After all, surely Whyte won't be putting in �£30million of his own money - if indeed he does have the net-worth as to afford such a sum? It is obvious then that at this stage we have more questions than answers. So much so, that we're reliant on Sir David Murray, Lloyds Bank and the 'independent bid oversight sub-committee' to conduct due-diligence on the buyer on our behalf. We can only hope they do so without prejudice given all these parties will have their own self-interest to look after. Will Rangers FC and its loyal support really be high on their list of priorities though? The very fact we're basing our concerns on hope rather than expectation is perhaps as damning as any in-depth post-mortem on the Murray era. Much better then to look to the future and while our questions to Craig Whyte may occur after the fact they're still worth asking. It is probable that he'll be eager to meet with the Rangers Assembly quickly after buying so I'm sure they'll be ready to represent us all in asking the difficult questions that need to be answered. A bland interview with a salivating Chic Young just won't do. As a shareholder and season-ticket holder (though not yet renewed) I'll be expecting the Assembly to concentrate on the following few key areas - though I'm sure we'll all have our own equally important questions and concerns as well. - Who is Craig Whyte? Simplistic Google searches notwithstanding the lack of information on Whyte really is quite incredible. Other than a few failed UK businesses and questions about just how long his visas in Monaco lasted, we know next to nothing about this 'successful businessman'. Obviously he must have some sort of proof of what he offers - both strategically and financially. We need to know more about his past, his future and who his partners are. This should be the easiest question for him to answer. - Where is the investment coming from? �£5million of 'new' money for 5 seasons irrespective of player sales and European participation is a fair sum given the club struggles to make a profit otherwise in the stagnant SPL market. To that end, where is this money coming from, who is providing it and what guarantees are placed on the club as a result? This question is less easy to answer and the new regime may not want to reveal vital tactical information but given the club's current situation our concerns are valid so need to be addressed. - Where do you see the club in 5 years time? It may seem daft to ask questions about 2016 before the guy has sat behind his new desk in 2011 but despite the initial successes of the Murray era, Rangers have struggled with anything other than short-term fixes in the last 10 years especially. Furthermore Whyte is promising investment for 5 years but what happens after that? Do he and/or his backers pull out? Will the club be for sale again? What position will it be in? A long-term vision is something we all need and want to buy into. That may be literal if rumours are to be believed about share issues. Of course we could go on all day with a variety of specific questions. I'm sure transfer policy, supporters representation, board make-up, media/PR work, asset protection and youth systems are equally important dependent on our own personal bug-bears. But without answers to the big questions above, any promises on the individual elements have no foundation. To that end, we must concentrate on the wider issues initially. Now, common sense tells us we may not obtain all the answers we want and, of those we do get, we may not like them all. That's fair enough but, at the very least, any welcome for Craig Whyte and his backers should also mean putting him through the wringer as soon as we shake his hand. With �£20million of season ticket money still in reserve he should be equally as keen to answer. Will the grip match the smile?

CRAIG WHYTE will race against the clock today to finally buy Rangers. The tycoon wants the �£33 million deal finalised before the country shuts for the Royal Wedding. London's stock market closes at 4pm today and is then closed on Friday for Kate and Wills' big day and also Monday due to a bank holiday. And a source said: "Everyone is working around the clock to get the deal finalised. "He wants it done before the wedding and the stock market closes. "He knows if it is not completed today it will rumble on until next week. "Everything is almost in place. The deal is almost done." Whyte, 39, is on the brink of taking over the Ibrox club. The takeover has sped up after the Rangers board officially gave him the thumbs up. Gers chairman Alistair Johnston is in America but that should not hold up the transaction. Whyte convinced the board of his buy-out after talks following the Old Firm clash on Sunday. He has vowed to give new boss Ally McCoist a �£10 million close-season transfer war chest. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3551733/Lets-do-the-deal.html#ixzz1KlpDMLJG

From the BBC gossip column so probably a big pile of steaming monkey crap.

Rangers are in danger of losing up to 20,000 season ticket holders if the takeover situation is not concluded soon, according to president of the Rangers Supporters Assembly, Andy Kerr. The Ibrox club and its fans are in limbo after chairman Alastair Johnston revealed his intention to explore a shock plan B after casting doubt on the merits of Scottish businessman Craig Whyte's takeover bid, which has been in the pipeline for six months. Kerr said: There is a minority (of fans) who feel the board have lost the plot. But it leaves us needing a decision sooner rather than later, especially with regards season tickets which the club has relied on in a big way since the days of Graeme Souness in the late 1980s." USA-based Johnston revealed that an unnamed Ibrox director had proposed a "fresh issue of new capital" so that �£25million could be invested directly into the debt-hit club. Whyte's deal was expected to be completed on Monday and he is understood to be angry after agreeing a deal with majority shareholder Sir David Murray and main creditor Lloyds Banking Group. A source close to Whyte claimed that his offer was worth �£52.5million, with around half of that figure believed to have been earmarked for investment in the playing squad over five years. While questions remain unanswered about how the alternative bid will be funded, and which director is behind it, Kerr admits fans will continue to question whether investing in a season ticket is the right idea. He added: "They will see this takeover as tiresome and as a net result we could be down by as many as 20,000 season tickets. That will be a huge capital investment missing from the club. I think there are around 38,000 season ticket holders at the moment. "So getting the situation sorted is pivotal to keeping people on board."

Apr 20 2011 Exclusive by Keith Jackson DIRECTOR Paul Murray last night emerged as the mastermind behind a new bid to take over Rangers ââ?¬â?? but he faces a battle to persuade Lloyds Bank to accept his proposal. The shock new bid is the reason Craig Whyteââ?¬â?¢s planned buy-out has been delayed but it does not yet have the backing of Lloyds. Murrayââ?¬â?¢s camp claim their takeover would provide new boss Ally McCoist with an instant Ã?£25million war chest. But Whyteââ?¬â?¢s people hit back last night, claiming their bid is worth Ã?£52.5m. And a source close to Whyte also suggested if he is forced to further delay his attempt while Rangers directors scrutinise Murrayââ?¬â?¢s plan it might be too late. The source said last night: ââ?¬Å?He will not wait much longer.ââ?¬Â Record Sport understands Murray has assembled a consortium of wealthy Rangers fans who are willing to pledge a small fortune to get the club back on its feet. Financial expert Murray wants new shares to be released and has told the Rangers board his group have the cash in place to underwrite the scheme to the tune of Ã?£25m ââ?¬â?? all of which would then be pumped into McCoistââ?¬â?¢s first-team coffers. But the plan hinges on Lloyds keeping the current credit facility in place and allowing the Ibrox debt to be repaid in instalments. The bank still favour Whyteââ?¬â?¢s bid because it guarantees them their money and Murray still has to persuade them to back his offer. Murray made his move after holding crisis talks with current owner Sir David Murray last week. It is understood Murray, who was at Tannadice last night to watch his team take on Dundee United, now plans talks with Sir David and Lloyds in a bid to thrash out a deal. But the word last night was that Murray ââ?¬â?? who teamed up with exiled Rangers director Dave King in a failed Ã?£18m bid for Murray Internationalââ?¬â?¢s shareholding in 2009 ââ?¬â?? wants to do business quickly. Murray, 46, has almost two decades of experience in the private equity industry, working for companies including 3i plc and Deutsche Bank in executive positions. We understands his shock ââ?¬Å?plan Bââ?¬Â proposals have already gained support at boardroom level and also with the current management. A source close to Murrayââ?¬â?¢s group told us: ââ?¬Å?Paul felt it was time to act with a matter of urgency. ââ?¬Å?He has now acted and is looking to get everything finalised as quickly as possible. There is no reason why this canââ?¬â?¢t be concluded in a four to six-week timescale. ââ?¬Å?This is a credible and real solution to the situation which is crippling Rangers. ââ?¬Å?Paul expressed an interest a while ago, as was reported at the time. It came to nothing but things have deteriorated a lot since then. When Craig Whyte arrived on the scene Paul was open-minded. He was prepared to try to help the guy. ââ?¬Å?But itââ?¬â?¢s been dragging on for six months, meanwhile the situation at the club has been getting worse. ââ?¬Å?That is why Paul acted last week. He felt things had reached the point of no return. ââ?¬Å?He loves the club and he could not stand back and allow this crisis to continue. The situation inside the club is critical. ââ?¬Å?He would not put his name to this if he wasnââ?¬â?¢t confident of getting it done.ââ?¬Â Murrayââ?¬â?¢s move came to the fore yesterday in a statement from club chairman Alastair Johnston which was also made to explain to supporters why his board have moved to block Whyteââ?¬â?¢s takeover until the end of the season. Whyte had hoped to conclude the deal on Monday afternoon but the independent five-man board set up to run the rule over any bids refused to pass his offer. They donââ?¬â?¢t have power of veto but business etiquette and boardroom politics means they can delay the process further ââ?¬â?? to allow Murray time to make his move. The independent board will have to examine and question Murrayââ?¬â?¢s plan just as they have tried to do with Whyteââ?¬â?¢s package. And Johnston, in a statement last night, hinted the documents detailing Whyteââ?¬â?¢s offer did not add up. Whyteââ?¬â?¢s team then claimed that any suggestions he didnââ?¬â?¢t have the money or funding he said he could provide were not only untrue but defamatory. Whyte was said to be furious about the further delay but the independent board ââ?¬â?? Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain, finance director Donald McIntyre and non-executive directors John McClelland and John Greig ââ?¬â?? insist they have only recently been able to look at the detailed agreements which David Murray, Lloyds and Whyte have been working on. And it is fair to say they are far from happy or convinced. Johnston said: ââ?¬Å?Based on the documents we have only been able to review within the last week, we are disappointed they did not reflect the investment in the club that we were led to believe for the last few months would be a commitment in the purchase agreement. ââ?¬Å?Given the requirement to repay the bank in full under the proposed transaction, there appears to be only a relatively modest amount of money available that would positively impact the clubââ?¬â?¢s operations, especially as it relates to an urgent requirement to replenish and upgrade the playing squad.ââ?¬Â http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/04/20/rangers-director-paul-murray-reveals-rival-bid-to-buy-club-as-craig-whyte-bid-falters-86908-23073941/

RANGERS chairman Alastair Johnston has sparked a high-stakes game of poker - with the club's future in the pot. Late on Monday night, with would-be Gers buyer Craig Whyte desperate to finally seal his �£25million takeover, Johnston REFUSED to be railroaded into rubber-stamping the deal. Instead he listened to another Gers director - understood to be chartered accountant Paul Murray - who promised he could broker a rival �£25m bid to underwrite a new shares issue in the club. SunSport believes that proposal is backed by the financial muscle of South African multi-millionaire Dave King and Lanarkshire motoring tycoon Douglas Park. As manager-in-waiting Ally McCoist sweats over what funds he will have, though, the nightmare news for Gers fans is that process could take 10 WEEKS. Forget all the financial posturing and alleged stalling tactics, the reality is that new boss McCoist could be marooned on July 1 with NO IDEA what his transfer budget is, with the SPL season due to start on July 23. Johnston, though, insisted he had grave doubts whether the transfer budget Whyte promised would materialise. And he said: "Based on the documents we have only been able to review within the last week, we are disappointed that they ultimately did not reflect the investment in the club that we were led to believe for the last few months would be a commitment in the purchase agreement. "Given the requirement to repay the bank in full under the proposed transaction, there appears to be only a relatively modest amount of money available that would positively impact the club's operations, especially as it relates to an urgent requirement to replenish and upgrade the playing squad. "Whilst the proposed transaction has addressed the interests of Lloyds Bank, the Murray Group and Craig Whyte, our perspective is solely directed towards the future of Rangers Football Club." Whyte had pledged McCoist would get at least �£5m per season towards improving the champions' threadbare squad. Johnston, though, is prepared to gamble on examining the shares issue option. He said: "The board has had an approach from one of its directors who wishes us to consider an alternative funding option. This would involve a fresh issue of new capital to raise �£25m to be invested directly into the club. The board believes it has a responsibility to examine this proposal whilst continuing its review of the Craig Whyte transaction. "After six months of limited engagement in the process, the board believes it is not in the best interests of its stake-holders for it to be pressed into an unrealistic timescale." The Independent Sub-Committee of the Rangers board has taken a huge risk. Johnston's soundbites claim he is desperate to make sure the best interests of the 26,400 minority shareholders are served. When the fan in the street picks through the legal language and peers through the smokescreens, though, this looks like one thing. A stalling tactic. Majority shareholder Sir David Murray, Lloyds Bank and Whyte himself are desperate to get the deal over the line. The bankers are CONVINCED the funding is there. Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain, finance director Donald McIntyre, non-executive directors John McClelland and John Greig CAN'T veto the Whyte deal but can shunt it into the sidings at a critical time. Meanwhile, the fans suffer once more. Johnston, though, said: "We have only very recently had the opportunity to meet Craig Whyte and his team. "Moreover, it is only in the last few days we have started to receive the draft agreements outlining the transaction. "We are still awaiting a detailed working capital statement demonstrating there is sufficient funding in place to meet the club's pressing needs. "On Monday, I had a lengthy conversation with Craig Whyte explaining the dilemma the board faces. It was a constructive dialogue, and whilst he expressed his frustration, he understood our position." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3536471/We-wont-be-railroaded-into-selling-Gers-Craig.html#ixzz1K0whqlEN

Alastair Johnston clarifies Board's position More...

In the most important week of the season so far on the field, it's no coincidence that off-the-field a variety of matters are also coming to a head. Be it our HMRC tax tribunal in Edinburgh resuming for the next fortnight or the takeover saga taking its daily twist, we're not spoilt for discussion. Yesterday this website revealed that today was the day with respect to the club announcing to PLUS that the takeover was complete. Unfortunately this doesn't look like coming to pass with a late 'snag' halting the deal in its tracks. According to the media the independent bid oversight committee (comprising of Alistair Johnston, Martin Bain, John McLelland, Donald McIntyre and John Greig) want to delay any takeover until the end of the season. The question on everyone's lips is why? Throughout this ownership saga doubts have been cast on Craig Whyte's ability to fund his bid - not with regard to the purchase price (that was agreed over a month ago and those funds are in place) but in respect of the provision of ongoing financial investment (i.e. the �£25million/5 year budget rumoured in the media). It appeared that over the weekend such doubts had been allayed and the deal was set to complete. Not so! Thus, what has changed then? Have Whyte's financial backers changed their mind on which horse to back? Or have the oversight committee picked up on a controversial aspect of his plans that they want examined? Moreover, how much credence can we place in renewed speculation that there may be a management buy out in the pipeline? Unfortunately, despite the conjecture we read in the media and across the forums, answers to these questions are difficult to find. After all, surely if a management buy out was viable, these directors would be in breach of their independent responsibilities to the bid panel? What other reason can be given for a delay given Whyte is apparently ready to buy immediately? Recent weeks have been most interesting in the takeover debate. As this site uncovered Lloyds Banking Group have said they will not interfere while Alastair Johnston also inferred he was happy with the Whyte presentation. Unfortunately, delayed interim financial results and two different tax cases will have contributed to further legal wrangles. Meanwhile, two separate UEFA charges could also indicate fiscal problems for any new owner. The current Rangers board will be busy people! We were told at last year's AGM that their responsibilities were always to the club and fans. To that end, it is interesting that despite all the latest gossip, they've chosen not to comment to the shareholders/support. This is even more surprising given the support are about to invest another �£20million of our money into the club for next season. Surely, it is beyond time for this committee to either approve or reject the Whyte bid? Of course even then it's not as simple as the bid then being dead. MIH still have the majority shareholding required to sell irrespective of any committee recommendation. However, it's been rumoured that Craig Whyte doesn't fancy this route due to the time-scales involved in thereafter removing what would be a 'hostile' board. On the other hand, if Whyte does say enough is enough where would that leave us then? Would other interested parties step into the breach and 'save' the club from a bank still keen on clawing back its debts? And if they did, how could we as a support trust these people given their mistakes over the last decade? Moreover, why are they waiting so long to make their move? Unfortunately, there are obviously still far more questions than answers. None of us know if Whyte has the wherewithal (financial and strategic) to run Rangers in a better fashion that we've seen of late. As such, we have no option to defer to the oversight committee to act on our behalf - despite their poor performance as directors previously. As ever the support stand confused and alone. A RFC Management buy out may well be out of self-interest or an unavoidable financial necessity but until they share with us their concerns they're guilty of making the same mistakes again by treating our worries with disdain. In our season ticket renewal letters, manager-in-waiting Ally McCoist said our huge financial commitment is 'not one we (the club) take for granted'. Unless the club sorts out the takeover shambles soon then that is not just a patronisation but an outright lie.

A must signing for me he is worth about 15 points per season.

17 Apr 2011 THE question you have to ask Rangers fans who sing sectarian songs is this: do they really care about the club? Because if you do, it has got to stop and it has got to stop now. You canââ?¬â?¢t just say it is a tiny minority that do it, or alternatively that it is all of the fans, but a good percentage of Rangers supporters are still singing these songs. It is something Rangers have been fighting against for years, and I donââ?¬â?¢t know if they will ever be able to change it, but they canââ?¬â?¢t ever give up trying. Just when you hoped it might have gone away, suddenly it has raised its ugly head again over the last season or so. I was very young when I went down to Chelsea to start my football career but my dad brought me up in Ayrshire as a Rangers fan. I went to the Scottish Cup final with him in 1976, when they beat Hearts 3-1 and Derek Johnstone scored a couple. We were in the Hearts end because there were so many Rangers fans there. But I never went to many games and I swear I never had a clue about the songs. I remember once I arrived at Rangers as a player, the fans would try to get me to play the flute and rubbish like that, but I didnââ?¬â?¢t play along at all. I didnââ?¬â?¢t know the songs, I didnââ?¬â?¢t know the words, and I didnââ?¬â?¢t want to know. Things are changing now and the fans have got to realise that some things are no longer acceptable. It is like racism, which has moved on hugely since the Mark Walters situation arose with the banana throwing. Times are moving on and fans have got to do the same with sectarianism. I know these fansââ?¬â?¢ mindset. Some of them will never change. It is defiance. Now they are humming these songs at games, so they are determined to get their message across whatever. But if they are not going to change for themselves, they should change for the sake of the club. The Rangers fans that are doing it are doing the club harm. They should be trying to help, but instead they are making it worse. The last thing the club needs is to be tarred with this. Pictures of games being played behind closed doors will affect the image of the club in the eyes of the world and the potential Ã?£2 million loss is the last thing the club needs financially with the way things are, and in the throes of a takeover which may or may not go through. The Craig Whyte deal is already taking so long, and this kind of thing could drag it on even further. I never played in a game which had to be played behind closed doors due to crowd misbehaviour but the closest I got was that famous game in Tallinn when I won my first full cap for my country. The Scotland fans were all there but it was eerie. Donââ?¬â?¢t get me wrong: I think Uefa are making an example of Rangers, I really do. They are using Rangers as an example to stop sectarianism across Europe, because there are other clubs out there that do it. I understand what Martin Bain is trying to say about it and he has to defend the clubââ?¬â?¢s interests. But that is not the same as saying Uefa are somehow in the wrong on this. They made their point about the PSV game away, and now they are making their point about the PSV game at home. You canââ?¬â?¢t say Rangers are unlucky or being picked on or that it is just a witch hunt. The phrase ââ?¬Ë?witch huntââ?¬â?¢ suggests people are looking for things that arenââ?¬â?¢t there. This problem is there for all to see. I donââ?¬â?¢t think if you are a Rangers director you could say otherwise. I want to speak about football, not political stuff. But the main talking points in Scottish football havenââ?¬â?¢t been about the football: there have been refsââ?¬â?¢ strikes, Celtic versus the SFA, now Paul McBride versus the SFA and Rangers and sectarianism. There needs to be a change in mentality given the way that Scottish football is going and the sooner we change it the better. You wonder how are we going to get the TV deals and sponsorship we need to make Scottish football better again. We start a campaign in this country then we forget all about it. Then suddenly it gathers pace again and we bring it back out. Once a month we should have an anti-sectarianism mission just like the Show Racism the Red Card campaign. Letââ?¬â?¢s keep it in peopleââ?¬â?¢s minds. I grew up knowing about sectarianism but not knowing about it, if you see what I mean. But my wee boy is into football now and he doesnââ?¬â?¢t have a clue about it. It would be great if we could keep it that way. I HAD a pop at Aberdeen in last weekââ?¬â?¢s column and they seemed to be fired up against Rangers in midweek. I expected that and I am sure they will be up for the game against Celtic this afternoon. I would never doubt their professionalism or how much they want to win but I just donââ?¬â?¢t think they are good enough and I expect Celtic to go through. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-fans-must-face-the-music-billy-dodds-1.1096666

The following is from this weeks edition of Private Eye, published tomorrow: BUSINESS NEWS SECTION PLANET FOOTBALL RANGERS The article begins with an explanation of the the reasons for Rangers tax problems which they estimate at Ã?£50 million including interest and penalties should Rangers lose the case. the article continues: Craig Whyte, who is 40 and lives in a Scottish castle, is a man of mystery for someone to whom others seems keen to confer billionaire status. He is a director of Pritchard Stockbrokers and a shareholder in the AIM-listed Merchant House corporate finance group. They are authorised by the FSA. Whyte is not. He was a director of LM Logistics Group, which was controlled by Merchant Corporate Recovery, where he is still a director, and Merchant House group is an investor. Warehousing group LM collapsed into administration in August last year. Whyte had resigned in March. The deficiency for creditors was Ã?£3.4m, threatening to wipe out Merchant Corporate Recoveryââ?¬â?¢s investment and, more importantly, a Ã?£661,000 loan. As a result of LMââ?¬â?¢s problems the January 2010 accounts for Merchant Corporate Recovery ââ?¬â?? filed late on 31 March this year ââ?¬â?? were qualified by the auditors Hazlewoods. The auditors disagreed about the accounting treatment of the companies in which it had invested, such as LM. Whyte said to include them would be misleading; Hazlewoods said that was required by both the Companies Act and accounting standards. Hazelwoods stated: ââ?¬Å?In our opinion due solely to the non-inclusion of the controlled investee companies... the financial statements do not give a true and fair view of the state of the companyââ?¬â?¢s affairs... have not been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006ââ?¬Â. Hazlewoods also raised an ââ?¬Å?emphasis of matterââ?¬Â issue over the ââ?¬Å?going concernââ?¬Â basis upon which the 2009 accounts, filed only last February, for another investment, coach company Countryliner Group, had been prepared. Since the balance sheet date, one subsidiary had done a creditorsââ?¬â?¢ voluntary arrangement and another had collapsed into liquidation. The accounts for Tixway UK are overdue from last October and it faces a proposal to be struck off, as do two other Whyte companies; Merchant Interactive and Semfill, from which he resigned last year. Otherwise, Whyte seems an ideal saviour for Rangers whom Sir David Murray, HMRC and the fans can clearly rely.

Award-winning sports writer Tom English will host an online debate today from 1pm about Craig Whyte's Rangers takeover bid. http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Webchat-Discuss-the-Rangers-takeover.6751068.jp

Every day as the wife goes into the kitchen to put the spuds on the gas I take the chance to lie long out on the couch and zap the telly on to Deal or no Deal. The fact that it is the only time of the day that I get the chance to hold the remote control is totally irrelevant to this story. As I lay on the couch watching the end of countdown and that beautiful bird that hangs up the numbers or letters I must have suckled into a light sleep. I then heard Noel Edmunds welcoming the east wing and then the west wing. I couldnââ?¬â?¢t believe it when I saw. Ally McCoist Walter Smith Martin Bain and all of the coaching staff on the west wing. On the east wing were eleven first team Rangers players. Then Noel thanked all the pilgrims for coming. Unbelievable that all the pilgrims had red white and blue scarfs on. Tonightââ?¬â?¢s game will be played by Craig. Craig Whyte! ââ?¬Å?I am so looking forward to this gameââ?¬Â says Noel. ââ?¬Å?Craig what are your Photoââ?¬â?¢s?ââ?¬Â ââ?¬Å?This is Ibrox stadiumââ?¬Â says Craig. Unfortunately it is slowly becoming run down. I remember going there as a boy and it really hurts me to see it in decline. Craig has a tear running down his cheek. Your next photo is of the Rangers team. Yes, while everything looks okay in the photo, the truth is that the team suffers from Murraytitus. That is a disease that explodes short term but burns out in the long term leaving serious illness and possible death. I hope to win some money tonight so that I can turn the health of the club around. ââ?¬Å?Ladies and Gentlemen this is Craigââ?¬â?¢s gameââ?¬Â Craig opens 5 boxes and then gets a call from the banker. Noel Edmunds imitates the bankers voice. Why does it sound like David Murray? 33 million is your offer Craig, deal or no deal. It is a great offer Mr Banker but remember that tax problem you left us with so it has to be ââ?¬Å?No dealââ?¬Â Nobody ever deals at the first offer and Craig certainly wasnââ?¬â?¢t going to be the first. As the game continues Craig seems to be hitting all the red numbers. The Banker is making it more and more difficult for Craig to do a deal. Then getting down to the eight box Craig has just hit an all blue round and the tax issues have been swallowed up by the banker. Craig your offer is 24 million but unfortunately another little tax issue has suddenly appeared making the total offer 27 million pounds. Deal or no deal. Sorry Mr banker it is a great offer but that tax issue is Mr Murray's problem so it has to be ââ?¬Å?No dealââ?¬Â The Pilgrims groan in disbelief. Another three boxes are opened and Craigââ?¬â?¢s game reaches the five box. Craig thinks he has got an advantage over the banker. He is disappointed as the banker points out there are problems not only with the tax but also with the Albion car park. Craig your offer stays at 24 million pounds but you now have two problems to sort out, is it deal or no deal. "Sorry Mr Banker but you are forcing me to go to the end and open my own box" As the game reaches its climax there are only two boxes left. The 1 penny box and the Jackpot. Will Craig win his fight to give Rangers the life-changing money they so need or will Rangers become a member of the 1 penny club. Noel Edmunds Pulls the seal from Craig Whyteââ?¬â?¢s box. He delays opening the box to build up the suspense. "Craig, all the pilgrims are praying that this will give you your life changing money that Rangers football club so badly need." As the lid of the box slowly opens. I hear ââ?¬Å?Dad your dinnerââ?¬â?¢s on the tableââ?¬Â and I wake up just in time to see wee Sammy from Shettleston win 250 quid and a steaming plate of mince and tatties on the table. I may never know what happened to Craig Whyte.

Don't know what to think seeing as it's the Record afterall but I thought I'd post it anyway. Is it just something to take away from the takeover or do you think there may be some truth in it? http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/04/07/rangers-to-be-hit-with-three-match-european-ban-over-sectarian-chanting-86908-23043583/

I am getting tired of this BS!

Perhaps this has been posted already, tho' I don't see it. http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8734_6856123,00.html SOUNESS TRIBUTE TO HOLMES BACKING Posted 06/04/11 17:53EmailPrintSave Hamilton v Rangers. Click here to bet. Graeme Souness has hailed former Rangers chief executive David Holmes for his courage and bravery in making him Ibrox manager 25 years ago. The arrival of the Scotland captain from Sampdoria transformed the fortunes of a club who had not won the Scottish title for eight consecutive seasons. Souness, who replaced Jock Wallace, soon brought in England internationals Terry Butcher and Chris Woods before leading the club to the championship in his first season, and then began the nine-in-a-row years by regaining the trophy in 1989. Rangers stand on the brink of major change with Craig Whyte closing in on a takeover of the club and Souness believes Holmes deserves credit for implementing seismic change a quarter of a century ago. Speaking to the Rangers News on the eve of the anniversary of his appointment, Souness said: "To say David Holmes put his neck on the line was an understatement. "I was 33 and had no experience. He gave me the chance to be the manager of Rangers and that must have been a worry to him. "It should never be forgotten what David Holmes did. The club was in turmoil and it was fragmented." Souness immediately brought Walter Smith from Dundee United as his assistant having worked with him on the international scene. And current Rangers boss Smith also believes the chief executive deserves huge praise. "The vision of David Holmes was fantastic," Smith said. "People can make the decisions - like the one he did - but the hard part is seeing the plan through. "I don't think people realise how difficult it was but David had the willingness and the perseverance to make it happen." Souness was sent off in his first match after kicking Hibernian striker George McCluskey and continued to provoke hostility and controversy, not least when he signed former Celtic striker Maurice Johnston from under the noses of the Parkhead club. But he insists his intention was never to upset people for the sake of it. "My experience from Liverpool and also being a foreigner in Italy was that other teams treated it as their cup final when they played against you so I was prepared for what lay in store," said Souness, who quit for Liverpool in 1991. "However, it was far more intense in Scotland. I was regarded as some big-head coming back to Scotland to show how it was done, but that was never my intention. "All I wanted to do was put Rangers back to the place that they should always be. "That aspect did not really bother me because I had had it throughout my career and I had really strong characters around me in the dressing room."

4 games in 8 days isn�t fair on Celtic By ROBERT GRIEVE Published: Today Add a comment (2) DAVIE WEIR insists it's WRONG for the SPL to force Celtic to play four games in eight days. Neil Lennon's table-toppers are facing end of season fixture chaos. League chiefs could make them play St Mirren at home on Saturday, then face St Johnstone and Caley Thistle next midweek before their Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen next Sunday. It's similar to the crazy schedule Gers had in the title run-in when they lost the league in 2008. Ibrox skipper Weir said: "Time will tell if Celtic handle it. It is very difficult and in my opinion it shouldn't happen. "I don't see how we have a season that lasts nine or ten months and yet they have to cram four games into a week. "I don't see how they can ever get to that situation. "There has to be something wrong with the set-up to get to that situation. "It's not an ideal scenario. We did it in 2008 and we didn't enjoy it. "The league told us we had to do it, so we did it. "I still don't think it is right. "They said to us the precedent had been set because Celtic had had to do it in a previous year." Gers are still hopeful the Craig Whyte takeover will be completed this week. Weir insists, however, the off the field situation is not affecting the players. He insists a solution MUST be found to Gers' cash crisis. Weir added: "We've been successful under these circumstances, but you wonder how far Rangers can be allowed to run down by the people who are in charge of it before you are taken out of the ball park. "As a player you don't think about next season. "I'm sure that the manager and the club hierarchy do, but as a group of players our only concern is trying to win the league." Meanwhile, Weir has also revealed he is not certain to quit Ibrox in May. He said: "There is a chance that I could stay on. "I will never say never. This is what I do and what I have done for the last 20 years. "I'd love to play for another five, ten years but it doesn't work like that. "I just do my best. I turn up, get myself in the best condition I can and do my best on the park. If somebody is daft enough to keep picking me, I'll keep turning up."