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ALLY McCoist has asked Rangers fans to continue with their exceptional support this weekend as the Light Blues take on the Blue Brazil. The manager asked the Light Blues faithful to get behind the team to try and lift them to a crucial league win over Cowdenbeath. Rangers meet Jimmy Nichol’s men tomorrow, who have lost four out of their last five league games. The last time Cowden came to Ibrox was back in 1991, in the Scottish Cup, with Gers winning 5-0 – a result fans would welcome again. McCoist thinks those fans support has been unrivalled and wants them to continue to get behind the team at an important time of the season. McCoist said: “I ask the fans for a continued support for the team, that’s all we can ask for. “The club has gone through a very difficult period in the last three or four years and their support has been invaluable and fantastic. All I would ask is that they look at the bigger picture and the bigger picture is that the team definitely needs their continued support. “I can assure the supporters I will be doing my level best to turn Wednesday’s performance around and get back into winning habits and get three points against Cowdenbeath. “There has been a lot of discontent and unhappiness particularly with Wednesday’s result. I totally understand and respect that but you always get a reaction, particularly from poorer results. “It’s up to ourselves to get the balance right, we got a good result on Sunday beating Kilmarnock 3-0, and we can’t get carried away. “We’re extremely disappointed and shocked at the last 20 minutes on Wednesday. But we have to find a middle ground on both results and not lose the focus.” The manager has demanded focus from his men and despite a poor result against Alloa on Wednesday night he insists he won’t make wholesale changes to his starting up. He will stick with a similar team to the one that beat top flight Kilmarnock only five days ago. Injuries to Lewis Macleod and Lee Wallace mean they will be missing for the Championship clash. Speaking of his team McCoist said: “I wouldn’t have thought I’ll make big changes to my team tomorrow - there will be no knee jerk reactions to a really disappointing result. “We’ll train today and see how people perform in training and see how the lads have come through training tomorrow and they make a decision on the team. “We’ve got a job to do, the job is to get the team back to the topflight and back to where we think we belong. “That hasn’t altered at all and nor has my focus, we’re always aware that it would certainly be a bumpy ride with a lot of hiccups along the way – that would still be the case. “We can’t allow ourselves to get away from the focus of getting back to the top flight." http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/8213-back-the-team
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LEAGUE bosses could rake in over £1million if Rangers finish in the Championship play-off zone, it has emerged. Ally McCoist's side are nine points adrift of league leaders Hearts and, while they still have their sights set on the title and guaranteed promotion, the Light Blues may have to settle for a second shot at securing a step-up. But under a controversial SPFL rule, half of the gate money from play-off ties is retained by the league body. And that could prove very lucrative for the Hampden hierarchy if Rangers fans flock to see their team's bid to win a top-flight place. Should the Gers finish in second spot in the Championship, they'd have to play home-and-away ties against the winner of the match-up between the third and fourth-placed teams. If successful, they would face another two-legged tie against the side that finishes second-bottom in the Premiership. That would mean half of the proceeds from what could be two 50,000 crowds going to the SPFL, rather than the home teams keeping the full amount. Potentially, that would give a £1m boost to the Hampden coffers rather than those of cash-strapped Rangers. And should McCoist's men finish in third or fourth place, another tranche of money would require to be handed over from the first round of play-off games, which could take the total to over £1.5m. Queen of the South, Falkirk, Hamilton and Hibernian were victims of the rule last season but the biggest gate was the 18,031 crowd at Easter Road when Accies relegated the Edinburgh side. The other five games in the play-offs attracted an average of just over 4100 fans. A source at one of the clubs said: "We tried to raise issues surrounding this rule last season but nobody was interested. "It will be interesting to see what the reaction will be if the funds involved become far more substantial." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/spfl-could-get-1m-boost-if-rangers-are-in-play-offs-190976n.26017800
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Alloa were missing 9 senior players due to illness and injuries, some of their players were late in turning up due to work and traffic. Leading by two goals (despite how poorly we had played) with 25 minutes left and we go on to lose the game to a bunch of part timers. Add the fact that Macleod pulled out of the warm up but McCoist elected to play him just rubs salt into the wound (McCoist should be made to explain this decision).... all in all it all adds up to the most humiliating game in our history IMO. I'd love to wrap up the post by offering a soundbite that "at least it can't get any worse" but I'd be fibbing.
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Our club is on a trip to extinction under this moron,when does our waring fan groups unite,and demand his firing? he is killing us,and this is an actual fact.
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Ok, so it's silly season again! Post the latest transfer rumours in here please! OUT: Emilson Cribari - Out of contract. Andy Little - Out of contract. Signed for English League One side Preston North End. Chris Hegarty - Contract terminated by mutual consent - signed immediately for Linfield. Charlie Telfer - Contract extension rejected - signed immediately for Dundee Utd. Ross Perry - Contract terminated by mutual consent. Scott Gallacher - Contract terminated by mutual consent - signed for Hearts. IN: Kenny Miller - signed 1 year deal (with optional 1 year extension) on 4 June 2014. Darren McGregor - signed 1 year deal (with optional 1 year extension) on 11 June 2014. Kris Boyd - signed 1 year deal on 27 June 2014. Marius Zaliukas - signed 2 year deal on 11 July 2014 Lee Robinson - signed 1 year deal on 25 August 2014
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I think we all know the answer to that.
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all done with the test............
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Chris Graham will be on STV Scotland Tonight discussing the retail boycott etc.
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THE fans group has hit out after details of the retail deal appeared to show the bulk of money generated would not go to the club but to Ashley's Sports Direct. RANGERS fans have taken a look at the annual accounts and ridiculed claims Mike Ashley is an Ibrox saviour. The Union of Fans have rounded on the board for trumpeting a 375 per cent rise in retail revenues from £1.6million to £7.6m. They told supporters not to be fooled as only around £1.5m will go directly to the club with the bulk of the cash heading to Sports Direct. And they even claim the club have been forced to buy more than £410,000 of club kit at recommended retail prices because they did not hit Sports Direct sales targets. The Rangers board admitted they’ll be forced to seek a fresh share issue after announcing an operating loss of £8.3m for the year to June 30. They’ll need a further bail-out as soon as January and have announced plans for a share issue aimed at raising £8m to keep the club operational in the medium term. Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte released on bail after appearing in court over his purchase of Ibrox club Union of Fans spokesman Chris Graham said: “The statement around retail revenues is disingenuous, to say the least. “The true picture is £7.6m was the total sum of money made from all merchandise sales through Rangers Retail. However, inventory costs are listed at more than £4m – effectively, the cost to Sports Direct of supply and distribution. “Under the terms of the deal between Sports Direct and Rangers Retail, the club receives only 50 per cent of profits, so that leaves only around £1.5m. This is approximately a third of the sum the club were making under the JJB deal. “A section of the accounts, provision of liabilities, even lists £411,000 payable by Rangers Retail to purchase stock at a higher cost than its resale value. “It appears Rangers had to purchase the stock at retail prices and sell it cheaper, presumably because they didn’t hit targets. Rangers are losing money from the sale of the shirts, yet Sports Direct are still being paid the full retail price. “The whole commercial deal with Ashley appears a shambles. Many fans will see the headline figure and conclude the commercial deal with Ashley isn’t bad at all. “Ashley’s plan is to make money for himself and he’s clearly a very successful businessman. However, he is no saviour of Rangers.” Auditors Deloitte again signed off on the accounts with the conclusion there is “material uncertainty” over the club as a going concern and “key assumptions” are being made by the board on future finance streams. Season ticket sales are down 15,000 and attendances are on the wane but chairman David Somers insists everyone is working together for the club’s long-term future. Graham added: “It’s complete rubbish to suggest this board have moved closer to the fan base. “The distance has grown even wider since last year’s agm. “They have appointed a completely pointless fan board. “Their relationship with supporters should be judged on the numbers turning their back on this regime and no longer going through the turnstiles. “Auditors Deloitte have again confirmed they cannot verify what directors are saying is accurate and the future of the club even in the short-term is bleak. “The accounts are only to the end of June, so the drop in attendances and season ticket sales has not yet fully hit the balance sheet.” Graham remains astonished the board turned down Dave King’s £16m investment offer for a £2m Ashley loan, upped by another £1m. He added: “The £8m sought is simply to keep the lights on for the next few months. It’s incredible to think they’re looking for £8m when they were offered twice that amount only a month ago by King.” Rangers declined to comment. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-union-fans-ridicule-claims-4716246 -
...for Rangers chairman David Somers. IBROX board have just three weeks to sort the mess ahead of another explosive agm. THREE weeks today the directors of Rangers International Football Club PLC will shuffle out on to a purpose built stage in the main stand at Ibrox and attempt to justify their existence to the club’s shareholders. It promises to be quite something. They’ll be instantly recognisable of course, not just by the colour of their brogues but also by the red necks which have become every bit as standard issue for those who make it their business to step through this boardroom’s relentlessly whirling revolving doors. If executive chairman David Somers and his cohorts – Derek Llambias, James Easdale and Norman Crighton – needed any reminding of the consequences of the current situation then they needed only to look up from the posh seats yesterday and take in the sights and echoey sounds of an eerily-deserted stadium. If they did, the first thing they’d have noticed was that Sports Direct has a sale on. Not just any sale either, a ‘Cyber Weekend Event’ offering 20 per cent off everything until midnight tonight. Yes, at a time when Rangers are crippled with uncertainty, one thing is absolutely sure – come hell or high water, Mike Ashley will get his money’s worth from these drip-feed loans which are just about covering the costs of keeping this ailing club on life support. Ashley may have relinquished the naming rights for Ibrox but this barrage of LCD screen advertising for his high street store shows it’s now the Sports Direct Arena in all but name in any case. But all that aside, behind those garish hoardings, the day’s real message could be found in the shape of thousands upon thousands of empty blue seats. Almost 38,000 of them in total. If Somers and his gang have any sense of common decency then they ought to have felt thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing such a vast disconnect to occur on their watch. Yes, there is Christmas shopping to be done, the game was beamed out live on Sky TV and Scottish Cup ties are not included on season books but even though there are some mitigating factors behind yesterday’s stayaways, the truth is huge sections of the support have had just about all they can stomach of their own club. And, in all honesty, who can really blame them? If they are not turning on their TV to see familiar faces from their recent past being frogmarched from court buildings they are picking up newspapers to read about the present state of the club’s accounts, which with losses north of £8million do not paint a pretty picture either. For many of these fans the football has become almost irrelevant although it should be noted there will also have been some who stayed at home yesterday because, on the park, Rangers haven’t been much to look at either. It was with a heavy sense of irony then that Ally McCoist’s players chose to turn in the kind of performance of which they ought to be capable of on a far more regular basis. McCoist badly needed yesterday’s result but it was the way in which Rangers went about their business in this 3-0 win which will have bought him the most respite. The same cannot be said of the directors who’ll be shoved out to face the music on December 22 and who will find themselves with some serious explaining to do after publishing their latest set of numbers. One year ago chairman Somers stood on that same platform and promised better times ahead for this club after seeing off an attempted boardroom coup. Graham Wallace, who had only just been appointed to the role of chief executive, also attempted to placate shareholders and reassure them the club was no longer in any imminent danger. Yet two weeks later he was scrimping around looking for emergency loans which were needed just to meet February’s payroll. Wallace also spoke disapprovingly of the grotesque bonus culture which had been allowed to thrive inside Ibrox before his arrival. He won’t be available to answer questions this time though, having recently departed from his office complete with a bulging £160,000 bonus and an equally impressive £100,000 pay-off which secured his silence. Last week’s accounts showed just less than £1.5m was paid out to directors in the past year which just goes to show that the more this mess changes, the more it stays the same. The difference, one year on, is that Rangers fans are now disengaging in substantial numbers. And yet there won’t be a spare seat in the house when the directors are rolled back out onto centre stage because there are a great many questions which will require answering, not least how exactly they plan to fill the £8m hole in next year’s accounts. With crowds dropping and Ashley in control of retail and trackside advertising, it’s difficult to see any reason for this board’s eternal optimism. Somers may well be sticking to his ‘it will all work out for the best’ mantra but auditors Delloite are so far from convinced that they marked off the latest accounts with yet another flashing red light over the club’s ability to continue trading as a going concern. A personal guarantee from Ashley would have gone a long way to soothing their concerns but there is no indication he has any intention of throwing any more of his millions into the Ibrox blackhole. And no suggestion he would be willing to underwrite the next share issue which will be scrambled into action as early as possible in the New Year. They need to raise £8m this time around having only just failed to hit a target of half that amount about 10 minutes ago – while turning down the offer of a £16m funding package from Dave King’s consortium and also blocking Brian Kennedy from lending them £3m in favour of £2m from Ashley, which quickly became £3m when the first handout was spent. On top of all this, the club’s financially troubled nominated adviser, brokers Daniel Stewart (brought to the club by Charles Green), announced last week that from December 12 they’ll no longer be licensed to operate, which means another Nomad will have to be engaged ahead of this month’s AGM. And all of this played out against a backdrop of criminal proceedings and fraud charges? This board has only three weeks to get a handle on it all and then to try to convince their own shareholders they are in control of it. It promises to be quite something all right. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/keith-jackson-empty-bank-account-4725548
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Bitterly disappointed by the crowd though. 14.412 in a Cup game at Ibrox is - no matter of boycots and poor perfomances - appaling.
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From main site... OUR first batch of supporters club bricks have now been placed on the wall at our training centre and we are confident you will agree they look great! Overlooking the youth pitches these bricks are placed on an exclusive panel dedicated to our loyal supporters clubs. Designed with a larger inscription allowance than our original stadium bricks, you will get 3 lines of 15 characters enabling you to have your clubs name along with an optional additional message. To make these bricks truly unique to each RSC we can now give you the opportunity to have your own club crest engraved in fine detail on to your brick. The training centre bricks are priced at £150 each, only a very limited number of these bricks will be available and as an added bonus each supporters club who orders a one will also receive a limited edition signed Ally McCoist print. So mark your Rangers Supporters Clubs name in history with one of our training centre wall bricks by calling us on 0141 427 4914 to order yours today. Certificates will be posted out within 5 working days of placing the order and bricks will take roughly 8 - 10 weeks to be engraved and placed. For those who are not involved in a supporters club but would still like the opportunity of a training centre brick you can order one for our 'Fans Panel' from http://www.rangerslotto.co.uk Remember all of the profits from our stadium bricks go directly towards the Rangers youth teams. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/club-news/item/8153-supporters-club-bricks-installed?
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It is utterly ridiculous that Rangers have not yet announced the full results of the RFB Office Bearers Election. This is not private or confidential information; it should have been made public at the first opportunity. In most any other election the results would have be announced immediately after the count. Failing to declare the results immediately can only lead to unnecessary suspicion and speculation. Rangers could and should have posted the full results around 7.00pm last Wednesday or at the very latest first thing on Thursday morning. The Election preceded the Meeting, so whilst the results might be included in the Minutes for completeness, strictly speaking they are not part of the Minutes of the Meeting; so there should be no need to wait for the Minutes to be published to announce the results. The Board members have been gagged and those I have spoken to are rightly concerned that if they spill the beans the same fate might befall them as befell me. Fortunately, however, I have other sources. So in addition to Gary Gillan being elected unopposed (by me or anyone else) as Secretary; I can now reveal that Tom Clements comfortably defeated Alan Fraser for Chair and Christine Murdoch won the 3-horse race for Vice Chair by a short head from Zia Islam and William Gillan. -
...in yet another dramatic day for the club. Sports Direct owner seems certain to strengthen his grip on Rangers as club lurch from one crisis to another...on and off the field. By Roddy Forsyth If an hour passes without some new development in the Rangers story — the most lurid saga to emerge from any British football club, ever — it counts as a quiet day. Scarcely had Telegraph Sport spread the overnight news that disgraced former owner, Craig Whyte, had been detained after being on the run in Mexico than we revealed that Uefa will not permit Rangers and Newcastle United to play together in Europe next season or for as long as Mike Ashley is in a position of power in both boardrooms. Of Ashley’s position and ambitions, more later. Neither the Champions League nor Europa League is foremost in Rangers fans’ minds. Last weekend’s 2-0 defeat by Hearts not only saw Ally McCoist’s players trail by nine points in the chase for automatic promotion to the Scottish Premiership, but it also emphasised the contrast in form with their main divisional rivals. Hearts’ total of 38 points from their opening 14 games is their best start to a league campaign. Hibs, meanwhile, have run up five successive away league victories for the first time since September 1980. To say McCoist is under pressure is to say what? Unless he walks away — that loaded phrase in the context of Ibrox — there is not sufficient cash to pay him off. As matters stand, the club will have to rely on another bailout from Ashley just to keep them going beyond New Year. There is increasing talk around the Scottish game that Rangers are heading into administration again. Some discount the notion on the grounds that the consequent automatic points deduction would condemn Rangers to a fourth successive season of lower league football which, they believe, would run contrary to Ashley’s aim of increasing club merchandise sales though his Sports Direct retail chain. Related Articles A more arcane theory has it that Ashley would accept administration as a short-term hit because it would shake out other contracts and allow him, as a major creditor, to bid for the club on the cheap. There is a third, more plausible option. Ashley’s lawyers are engaged in a low-key, but crucial positional battle with the Scottish Football Association. Ashley’s people want to find a way for him to increase his shareholding at Ibrox and Telegraph readers will remember that the idea of him taking his stake up to almost 27 per cent was floated in September. The SFA signed a binding agreement with Ashley, anchored in their Articles of Association, designed to keep him at 10 per cent or below. However, as money repeatedly runs out at Ibrox, Ashley either gets to increase his grip through security on the assets, with the SFA watching impotently, or he holds back, knowing that Scottish football’s governing body could be put in the invidious position of taking the blame for another insolvency event. And all of this is played out against a background of dawn swoops by police in southern England, as they arrest the former Rangers company secretary and three managing directors of Duff & Phelps, the company that oversaw Rangers’ administration in 2012. How tempting it is to conjure the fantasy that a posse of gun-toting Federales bore down on Whyte at the Mexican airport, to be greeted with a demand to show their ID, only for them to yell the immortal misquote from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre: “We don’t need no’ stinking badges!” Remember Ashley’s condition for advancing the soft loan that was rebuffed by the Rangers plc board in September? The club crest and trademark? Somebody does need the badges – and it looks unlikely that anybody can or will stop him now. Meanwhile, Rangers have confirmed Telegraph Sport's disclosure last month that the club would post losses of over £8 million in the accounts for the year to June 30, 2014. The figure given when the accounts were posted on the club’s website was £8.3 million. David Somers, the Rangers chairman, commented "…challenges still remain and despite additional financing having been secured over the year, further funding is necessary to ensure the club's ability to move forward successfully to achieve the goals we all seek and expect of Rangers Football Club. "To this end the board will be seeking shareholder approval at the forthcoming AGM to issue additional shares to ensure maximum flexibility for the company to raise equity finance and provide the financial capability required to develop the club in the longer term.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11259511/Mike-Ashleys-Rangers-swoop-overshadows-Craig-Whyte-dawn-raids-in-yet-another-dramatic-day-for-the-club.html
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Union Bears As you will know, the group took the very difficult decision back in May not to renew our season tickets due to the selfish, malicious and borderline illegal actions of our club’s current and previous incumbents. This was a decision echoed by nearly 15000 season ticket holders and the crowds at Ibrox so far this season have reflected the feeling of many Rangers supporters. We watched with hope and expectation as Dave King submitted his £16 million offer of funding in exchange for a majority stake in the club. We then watched with resignation but not shock as Mike Ashley and his friends within the Board room blocked this move and instead pushed through Ashley’s £2 million emergency loan secured against Rangers assets and on the premise of complete Board control. Like all other supporters, we wanted a clean break from people like Charles Green and his murky investors, but it is clear this isn't going to happen. It therefore brings us to a crossroads, as a group and as individuals. Mike Ashley has his grip firmly on the throat of our beloved club and nothing and nobody will make him remove it, as has been demonstrated in his time in charge of Newcastle Utd. It has thrown up a pertinent question which must be answered by not only us but every Rangers fan. Do we maintain our boycott for potentially years in the hope that someone saves us? Or do we elect to support the team on the park and explore other ways of enforcing change at Rangers? After much discussion we have elected to follow the latter path. As of 03/01/2015 we will be returning to the stands on a permanent basis. This is not a gesture of support for those now in charge of our club, nor is it an admission of defeat. It is simply a change of tactic. As a passionate group of supporters whose best attributes lie in what we achieve in and around the stadium on a matchday, we feel hamstrung by our absence and therefore the group needs to go back to being present within Ibrox. We have tried to boycott, to fall in line with other fan groups who have done their level best to encourage change within the club. But in reality all that has taken place over these past few months is a strengthening of Mike Ashley, Sandy and James Easdale, David Somers and many others’ positions within Rangers. It’s the sorry truth. We would like to make it clear that we will not be attending the League Cup semi final as a group, and feel it would be wrong to take tickets ahead of fans who have been attending games on a weekly basis. As we won't be attending as a group, it will make it impossible for us to pull off a display. We would therefore ask all Rangers fans to do their bit by making our end as colourful as possible, with flags, banners, streamers and anything else they can. We will however be planning more displays between now and the end of the season, and look forward to bringing some noise and colour back to Ibrox. Although we return to Ibrox on a permanent basis we won’t be doing so as supporters of the regime. Yes our money will be going towards their bonuses and onerous contracts in the short term, but the Union Bears will throw our weight behind another path towards long term change and that is fan ownership, and more specifically Rangers First. Rangers First is a Community Interest Company which was established at the beginning of this year with very simple goals; to gather together the financial clout of the Rangers support, purchase shares in the club and ultimately put it back in the hands of those who matter. Rangers First already owns over 500’000 shares in RIFC (roughly 0.6%) without any real offline publicising. As a group we hope to support them in the ways that we do best as they move forward towards greater awareness and support for fan representation and ownership. Of course we urge all those who stood with us in BF1 over the years to ask themselves the same question we did and decide what the future holds for you with regards to match attendance. But we will not try and influence your decision in any way. It’s an individual’s choice to make. What we do urge every singly Rangers supporter to do is visit http://www.rangersfirst.org, learn about the initiative and sign up. Put the money you used to spend on Rangers merchandise and funding Ashley's empire of zero hour contracts into something worthwhile. The strength of our support should not be measured or remembered by how many of us turn up at Ibrox or elect to stay away in protest, but rather by the lengths we will go to right the wrongs of those before us and stand shoulder to shoulder with one common goal; delivering the Rangers we all deserve. We owe it our children and grandchildren. If you would like to join the group in BF1 for the second half of the season then please send the following details to transfers@unionbears.co.uk or as a message to the Union Bears Facebook page: Full Name: Address: Date Of Birth: Contact Number (Mobile & Landline): Rangers Number: Do you have a season ticket already? (Yes/No): Union Bears
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Note that in two or more countries Whyte "had no fondness for the people". Must have failed to reach his loft ethical standards, eh? Note also France...Chateau Green perchance? or Chateau Murray.... ------------ FRAUD suspect Craig Whyte spent time in the Balkans this year as prosecutors built a case against him. Whyte has moved from country to country since his involvement with Rangers ended in disaster. We can reveal the list of countries where he spent time since then ranges from Europe to the Far East and central America. Whyte was arrested after arriving in the UK on Friday from Mexico where he had been detained. He had flown into the central American country from Japan en route to Costa Rica where he formerly lived and where one of his three children was born. We can also reveal his Swedish girlfriend – with whom Whyte is reported to have had a relationship since splitting from wife Kim – has not seen or heard from him for almost two years. A source told the Sunday Mail: “In the last couple of years Craig Whyte is believed to have been in Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, France and Japan. “There may be others. He has connections with central America going back over a decade when he stayed there after getting married in Florida. “He didn’t really like it in Costa Rica. There were connections with Panama and Mexico as well. But he just didn’t like that part of the world and had no fondness for the people. “He’s not been in Monaco since his dealings with Rangers made the headlines. The authorities in Monte Carlo don’t care for negative publicity. “This year alone he has been in Albania, Croatia and Montenegro, moving from country to country, and has also popped up in France.” Whyte was detained by Mexican authorities on Thursday after flying in from Japan where a passport check flagged up the warrant out against him. It’s believed Whyte travelled alone for much of the past two years after Swede Izabella Andersson confirmed that their relationship had ended. Izabella, who has links with Monaco and London, told us last week: “I haven’t seen or heard from Craig Whyte since January 2013.” Whyte bought Castle Grant, near Grantown-on-Spey, for £800,000 in 2006 with a 110 per cent mortgage but it was repossessed in April after he failed to pay the £7000-a-month fees. He took control of Rangers in May 2011 but they went into administration the following February. He was released on bail after a court appearance on Friday over his allegedly fraudulent takeover of the Ibrox club. Whyte, 43, was granted bail by Glasgow Sheriff Andrew Normand after a 45-minute hearing held in private. He is due in court again next week. He is accused of funding his Ibrox takeover by selling off season tickets and pretending to then owner Sir David Murray the cash was his own. He’s also accused of failing to pay VAT and National Insurance which led to Rangers going into administration. Four other men have already appeared in court charged with fraudulent activity following the investigation into the sale of Rangers. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/albania-panama-reveal-travels-craig-4721957 A second arrest warrant was issued for Whyte earlier this month after he failed to attend a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London in a separate case.
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... from trolls on social media, says Ally McCoist. Ally McCoist has taken criticism throughout his career and says his five sons help him forget about the flak coming his way and protect him from online trolls. By day, Ally McCoist has to deal with a Rangers squad under fire. At night, he has his very own five-a-side team to look after in the shape of his sons, Alexander, Argyll, Mitchell, Arran and Harris. In the wake of fierce criticism, the Ibrox boss finds solitude at home. Sure, McCoist will still mull over decisions he has made or his team’s poor results – like last week’s 2-0 defeat to Hearts – but he admits time spent with his boys is the best way to escape any flak that might come his way. He refuses point-blank to engage with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter – and doesn’t pay any attention to radio phone-ins. But he’s well aware of how difficult it might be for those closest to him to ignore it. In fact, McCoist joked that his kids are now shielding HIM from the critics, rather than the other way around. The Gers gaffer knows he’s under pressure but insists he’s used to it and is convinced that even his children have adopted the kind of thick skin he has needed at times during his 22-year association with the club. After the damaging Championship loss at Tynecastle , his side now face Kilmarnock today in the Scottish Cup where another negative result will prompt another barrage of criticism. McCoist said: “How do I cope? I’m fine, it’s just the disappointment, more than anything. The disappointment of losing a game is worse than the criticism after it because you know that’s coming. It’s part and parcel of the job here, I accept it. “Defeats are harder to take. I’ve been involved at this club for well over 20 years and I know as well as anybody that when things go well you get a pat on the back. “When they don’t, you get criticised. It’s just about getting the balance right and trying to treat the two the same. “I’m very lucky having five boys and, particularly the younger ones, they tend to have other things on their mind apart from dad’s football. “That’s a fantastic bonus. Of course, I’ll be sitting watching TV and things will flash through my mind about free-kicks or I’ll think, ‘How did we lose that?’ “I’m no different to any other coach or manager in that respect. “But I’m fortunate to have five boys because they keep my feet on the ground and make me realise that while work is absolutely important and I do my best at it, there are other things as well. “Do I have to shield the boys? The younger ones are fine. With the older ones, it’s harder – they’re big boys and there’s all the social media stuff. “I try but it doesn’t work! They used to tell me when something bad was said about me – but they’ve gone the other way. I think they protect me now! “I do worry about the older kids because they have feelings too but they’re big enough and sensible enough so I’m lucky. And yes, they have a thick skin. That’s a McCoist trait and it will be on all our epitaphs.” Rangers are nine points behind Hearts in the Championship table and some of their performances this season simply haven’t been good enough. McCoist’s players were slated last week by ex-Ibrox hero John Brown but, having gone through tough spells as a Gers player, the gaffer expects them to be man enough to handle it. He said: “They have to brush it off. There is one thing guaranteed at Rangers – you’ll get criticised. “So they have to handle it, they have to have broad shoulders. The proof of the pudding is that we went through the whole of last season undefeated in the league – and still got criticism. “So you’re guaranteed to get it after a 2-0 defeat to Hearts. Nobody likes it but it’s part of football. “There has been a lot of flak flying about but if you can’t deal with it, you’re in the wrong profession. “When I got it as a player, it was the best thing to happen to me, in terms of being able to deal with stick. No matter what happens, I don’t think I’ll get it as bad as that. “I’ve grown up to understand that it goes with the territory at Rangers. It’s still not pleasant – but it’s not about me. “It’s about the team getting back to the top, that’s the bigger picture. If the players and me have to take a little criticism, or even a big bit, along the way so be it. We can’t take our eyes off the task of getting the club back to where it belongs.” To do that they will have to hope that Hearts drop points in the Championship and Rangers go on a long winning run. McCoist believes his team can do it but confessed that, post-administration, the Tynecastle club are in better shape off the pitch than the Ibrox outfit. He said: “With Hearts, they seem to have come out of admin, had Ann Budge buy it and – bang – the whole thing has moved on. That hasn’t been the case with us. I don’t know where that leaves us. “But I wouldn’t make comparisons between us and Hearts, that would be unfair. They went into administration and dropped a division. We suffered that and liquidation, went all the way down and lost all our players. “So there are big differences. I do accept that Hearts seem to be in a very good place at this moment in time and good luck to them.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kids-keep-sane-protect-trolls-4722012
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A few of our members and subscribers over the last year or so will remember that an English production company were aiming to put together a feature-length documentary into the experiences of the fans over the last few years coupled with help from various supporters, players and RSCs. I'm pleased to say that after around nine month's work, these efforts are about to be published by way of a 90minute cinema film (and DVD release) over the next month or so. SDMC Productions kindly gave me an opportunity to put together a short review of an early edit of the documentary ahead of the final release which now follows. At the outset I think it's important to note that the budget for this film was partially crowd-funded and, thus, quite small so I certainly didn't expect a Hollywood standard production. As such, if the viewer can tune their expectations to that level then they'll get more out of the experience. With that in mind, it's fair to say I enjoyed some aspects of the film whilst being slightly disappointed in others. Basically, the documentary follows and interviews a number of fans in their Rangers supporting rituals and experiences - some related to events since 2011/12, some of a more general nature. While it can be said that a few of the interviews are perhaps somewhat repetitive and occasionally bland, the viewer can't fail to feel the love these fans have for their club. As much as every Rangers fan supports/views the club in a different way, I could definitely feel an affinity in which the passion these guys follow follow. That passion is certainly aided by some of the (apparently expensive) archive footage contained in the video. Whether it's the goals from our Cup Winners' Cup win in Barcelona '72 or Lee McCulloch grabbing another winner against lower league opposition, I'll never tire of cheering them in. That glimpse of our continuing history should evoke pride in all of us. In addition to the footage, interviews with Dave Smith and Dave McPherson show just what the club means to former players as well. My edit didn't have the interviews with Gordon Smith and Alex Rae but I'm sure the final version will emphasise that player/fan relationship. Unfortunately, where the producers missed a trick was perhaps not concentrating a little bit more on not only where the club is now but why. In that sense, some of the fan interviews only very lightly touched on the events of 2-3 years ago and I feel a more in-depth examination of Rangers troubles may have been appreciated. However, on our forum, the film director did say they weren't overly interested in an exposé of what happened but I do believe more should have been made of why we are where we are now. Similarly, while the untimely death of Sandy Jardine and the Ibrox Disaster of 1971 are understandably juxtaposed later in the film, this felt rather clumsy. Taking these comments on board, while I certainly enjoyed parts of the documentary, for some, the content may be seen as superficial or overly sentimental. However, that's not necessarily a major criticism as supporting Rangers nowadays - be it the daily financial or legal analysis - can be a complicated and stressful process so perhaps a more simple study will provide a welcome antidote to the constant headache many bears have nowadays. All things considered SDMC have clearly worked hard to independently produce something our fans will appreciate and I thank them and all involved for their efforts. You can judge for yourselves when the DVD is released and you can pre-order this below on Amazon. Furthermore, we'll have an opportunity on this site to win a copy of the full-length release next month. Glasgow Rangers FC - The Blue Bear Rises (SDMC Productions) £14 - Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Glasgow-Rangers-FC-Blue-Rises/dp/B00O7QL29G
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RIFC plc accounts to June 30 released. AGM December 22 at Ibrox http://www.rangers.co.uk/images/staticcontent/documents/164581RangersAnnualReport.pdf -
FUGITIVE Craig Whyte has been arrested in Mexico, prosecutors said last night. The former Rangers owner was held when scores of police swooped to execute an arrest warrant. Whyte, 43, is understood to have been living in the central American country for a number of months. A Crown Office spokesman said they would now take the necessary steps to secure his appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court. A police warrant was issued two weeks ago in connection with Whyte’s purchase of the Ibrox club for £1 from Sir David Murray in 2011. A second warrant was issued by a High Court judge last week when Motherwell-born Whyte failed to appear for a trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Walter Smith and David Murray lead star witnesses called to give evidence at Rangers fraud case Crown Office officials will now examine the UK’s extradition treaty with Mexico. But it is possible the shamed entrepreneur could waive his right to challenge the proceedings and agree to the extradition. In recent days, Whyte said he would return voluntarily to assist police with their probe into the takeover. He said: “I will return to Britain at the beginning of December and hand myself in for questioning.” The SFA are also determined to see Whyte brought to justice over more than £200,000 in unpaid fines, although privately they admit they do not expect he will be in a position to pay. Three men who worked for Rangers’ administrators Duff & Phelps – Paul Clark, David Whitehouse and David Greer – appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week along with solicitor Gary Withey, who worked for Whyte’s law firm. They made no plea or declaration. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/fugitive-craig-whyte-arrested-major-4703408
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http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/colin-duncan-fares-not-fair-4697316 "THE widespread condemnation which followed Wigan chairman Dave Whelan’s alleged racist and anti-Semitic outburst last week was understandable. His Alf Garnett-esque comments in the wake of appointing Malky Mackay manager added to the outrage . Mackay is subject to an FA probe, investigating texts and emails of a racist, sexist and homophobic nature. The anti-discriminatory bodies didn’t miss Whelan who could now find himself in the dock alongside his manager. Football Against Racism in Europe were among the many campaign groups who, quite rightly, took the pair to task. Yet where was the outcry from bodies such as FARE when this month Aleksandar Tonev was hit with a seven-game ban by the SFA for racist conduct? The Celtic midfielder was found guilty by an independent tribunal of abusing Aberdeen’s Shay Logan, reportedly calling him a “f*****g black c***.’ What happened to showing racism the red card? There was not so much as a yellow from their executive director Piara Powar who is also on FIFA’s anti-racism task force. Surely if you are the head of an organisation which vows to fight all forms of racism you cannot pick and choose which abhorrent acts to condemn. And while not for one minute playing down the severity of Mackay and Whelan referring to Chinese people as “Chinks” surely, on a sliding scale, calling a fellow professional a “black c***” is far more offensive? When John Terry and Luis Suarez were found guilty of similar racist offences Powar and his colleagues couldn’t have been any more critical. Yet not a word when Tonev was found guilty of “excessive misconduct by the use of offensive, insulting and abusive language of a racist nature”. Regardless of the fact no hard evidence was presented – it was one Aberdeen’s word against Celtic’s – the case against Tonev was proved. Last year former Rangers chief executive Charles Green was fined by the SFA for “offensive and racist comments” in an interview that referred to former Ibrox commercial director Imran Ahmad. Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths also has a racism charge hanging over his head after being caught on camera singing inappropriate songs along with fellow Hibs supporters. Again this seems unworthy of FARE’s intervention. Powar’s name may be familiar to Rangers fans as his organisation was forced to deny claims of a “deliberate and targeted campaign” against the Ibrox club three years ago. Rangers were disciplined, and correctly so, by UEFA after it emerged supporters sang sectarian songs during the home and away Europa League clashes with PSV Eindhoven. On both occasions they were reported on the basis of submissions from FARE, rather than the UEFA match delegate. At the time Powar said: “There are explicit suggestions emanating from Rangers FC of ‘a deliberate and targeted campaign against the club’. “The FARE network is focused only on our core mission of tackling discrimination in football and encouraging social inclusion through the game. We have no axe to grind with any club.” In 1999 Rangers defender Lorenzo Amoruso racially abused Nigerian striker Victor Ipkeba during a European clash with Borussia Dortmund. Again the incident was not included in the UEFA delegate’s report but Powar, then with anti-racism group Kick it Out, demanded it be investigated. Fast forward to 2013 and former Celtic player Paul Elliot had to resign from his positions within the FA and Kick it Out after he branded ex-Charlton defender Richard Rufus a “n****r” in a text conversation. Powar was quick to Elliot’s defence insisting: “I can understand the concern over the use of the n-word, whoever uses it, in whichever context. “However, I cannot accept it is racist to use it between two friends and business colleagues in a private text. “Racism and other forms of discrimination are not simply about words. It may be difficult for some to accept the difference between those words used with discriminatory intent and those that are not.” But when the League Managers Association misguidedly dismissed Mackay’s comments, which were also sent by text and email, as friendly banter Powar’s private text argument suddenly didn’t hold water. He tweeted: “Wow! The LMA defending the indefensible. Why would you put out something so utterly ridiculous? Because you haven’t a clue.” Now this is not about Rangers and Celtic but about what is fair and what isn’t. And when it comes to removing the ugly stain of racism it would seem FARE is not always FAIR"
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http://www.rangers.co.uk/images/FansBoard/Minutes/RFB_Minutes_061014.pdf
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Newcastle and Rangers will not be able to play in Europe together next season because Uefa have confirmed Newcastle United and Rangers will not be allowed to play in Europe together, even if they qualify for different competitions, because of Mike Ashley’s involvement in the running of both clubs. Ashley’s seizure of power at Ibrox means Newcastle may never play in Europe again while he remains the club’s owner, a depressing prospect for supporters who believe the team should be challenging for European qualification every year. Although Ashley responded to a story by Telegraph Sport back in September, that revealed he wanted to take control of Rangers, with a statement denying he intended to sell Newcastle, the billionaire has got himself into a tricky situation by expanding his football interests north of the border. Ashley insisted he will not sell Newcastle for “any price” until the end of next season, which is also, unless they win the Scottish Cup this season, the earliest Rangers can qualify for Europe again. Given Ashley has repeatedly failed to find a buyer for Newcastle, though, it is far from certain he will be able to sever ties at St James’ Park. It is understood Ashley misjudged Uefa’s strict rules ensuring the integrity of their competitions. Although he only holds around nine per cent of Rangers shares, he has appointed his own people, including former Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias, to the Rangers board in return for financial assistance. Uefa have told Telegraph Sport that means Ashley has enough power in the Rangers boardroom to ensure they cannot be allowed to play in Europe at the same time as Newcastle. Should one team qualify for the Champions League, the other would be prevented from playing in the Europa League as they could meet in the knockout phase of the competition. If both teams qualify for the same competition, the one with the higher Uefa co-efficient ranking would be allowed to enter at the expense of the other. As things stand, Newcastle are ranked 65 and Rangers are down at 101. In the short term, it is Rangers who will suffer as they have the lower ranking. In the long term, Rangers have a far greater chance of playing in the Champions League than Newcastle, which would mean the Magpies would not be allowed to compete in the Europa League, even if they won a domestic cup competition or finished fifth or sixth in the Premier League. Newcastle are currently fifth in the Premier League following six successive victories by Alan Pardew’s side and a top-six finish would secure them a place in the Europa League for next season. It could be the last time they play in Europe until Ashley finds a buyer. Given Ashley’s interest in Rangers was largely sparked by the possibility he could, with a relatively small investment, gain access to the Champions League and increase the European exposure for his Sports Direct Retail chain, it means Newcastle face an uncertain future. The billionaire has already been widely accused of paralysing Newcastle with his lack of ambition. Most supporters believe he is only interested in keeping the club in the Premier League in order to access the television money it brings, rather than challenge for silverware. The idea that Newcastle will also be denied access to European competitions once Rangers have regained their former status in Scotland will incense many on Tyneside. Both Rangers and Newcastle responded with a “no comment” when asked by Telegraph Sport for a reaction to Uefa’s stance. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...ke-Ashley.html -
STEVEN NAISMITH reckons Rangers fans have been treated 'appallingly' as they have been put through the wringer in recent years. The Light Blue legions have had to contend with a mixture of emotions as their club has fallen from grace, but they have backed Ally McCoist's side in huge numbers throughout their recovery from financial meltdown. Naismith joined the likes of Steven Whittaker, Allan McGregor and Kyle Lafferty in quitting Ibrox two years ago. He has never been forgiven by many supporters for his controversial Ibrox departure. But the Scotland star still has sympathy with the plight of his former club as they look to complete the last stage of their journey back to Scotland's top tier this term. Naismith said: "Looking back, I would definitely have done some things differently. None of us wanted to leave that way. It wasn't nice at all. We did all we could. "It wasn't deferred wages (we had). It was wage cuts, in the hope that we came out of administration and could move on. It didn't happen. "It got to the point where there was not much else the players could do. "People would have liked us to have stayed and transferred over, but it wasn't just as easy as doing that. "In years to come people will understand it a bit more and understand it from the players' point of view a bit more. "The fans always have their opinion and they are right to because they pay good money to come and watch. They are the backbone, especially of a club like Rangers. "Over the last two or three years they have been treated appallingly. "For everyone's sake, hopefully it gets better and they can get back in the division they deserve to be in challenging for trophies." It is almost three years since financial problems hit home at Ibrox during Craig Whyte's disastrous reign, but Rangers remain in the money mire. Cash problems continue to hold the club back and 10 members of staff were last week made redundant as huge losses look to be stemmed once again. Fans are still furious at the state the Light Blues are in and have launched a series of attacks against the under-fire board as attendances have plummeted this term. And Naismith is upset at the devastating series of events at his boyhood heroes. He said: "It is disappointing and sad because it is the club I grew up supporting. I had some of my best memories in football there, but a situation arose that was out of everybody's hands. "I think the fans and the good people at the club are still suffering. I hope they will come out of this situation they are in soon. "It was a horrible decision for everyone involved to make. The biggest thing for us, as players, was that no-one was made redundant and we did that part of it. Over time, I am sure the truth will come out." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/naismith-rangers-fans-have-been-treated-appallingly-189852n.25960234
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Only too true, sadly enough: Express IMHO, overall Miller's done okay thus far.
