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......and says it's not easy playing on 's**** pitches'. FRENCH defender Sebastian Faure last night lashed out at Rangers' critics and accused Ibrox fans of being too harsh on the club. Sebastien Faure last night blasted back at Rangers’ critics and insisted the team’s achievements have been “staggering”. Despite romping to the League One title without suffering a defeat, Ally McCoist’s men have copped stick for their performances. And fans raged at the players when they suffered a shock defeat to Raith Rovers in the Ramsdens Cup Final. But French defender Faure returned fire as he insisted: ? Fans expect Gers to play like Barcelona and Bayern Munich. ? Any other club in Scotland aside from Celtic would have lost three or four games in League One by now. ? Gers have been forced to play on “s*****” pitches. ? It’s impossible to take more than two touches in the lower leagues. Faure, who moved to Ibrox from Lyon in 2012, said: “The fans have seen the club in the top division for 140 years and because our name is Rangers they think we are still a Premier League team. “They expect us to win every game 6-0 and play like Barcelona or Bayern Munich. But that is not possible. “We have to play on some s***** pitches and that is not easy. Put any team from the Premiership, except maybe Celtic, into League One and they'd have lost three or four games by now. “Our opponents want to beat us at all costs. The fans think we should just take one or two touches on the ball but that is not possible. “What we have achieved is staggering. So it’s fair to say the fans are a bit harsh with us. But that is the way they have always been so we are used to it.” Faure, though, relishes running out to a packed Ibrox and can’t wait to take on Celtic in an Old Firm game once Rangers get back to the big time. The 23-year-old said: “At Ibrox you feel you’re playing an English Premier League fixture with the huge crowd. If a top French club fell so far down the league ladder they wouldn’t get so many fans. “I’m looking forward to playing against Celtic. It would p*** me off to leave without playing an Old Firm game. “We hope to meet them in a cup tie next season. It is a game like no other. “For the players who will have helped the club win three promotions it will be a historic achievement. It is a huge adventure to be part of the comeback. It will leave an indelible memory. “The club may have gone down but its aura remains intact.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-defender-sebastian-faure-hit-3434882

FORMER Rangers manager the late Jock Wallace was one of Scottish football's best known and successful coaches but after leaving Rangers he endured a challenging relationship with his old club. SNS Group Former manager Jock Wallace gets a rousing reception from the Ibrox crowd.JOCK WALLACE won 10 trophies and two Trebles in his two spells as manager of Rangers. It was a haul that made him a hero in the eyes of the Ibrox support long after his second stint ended in 1986. Wallace never spoke about his reasons for leaving Ibrox weeks after delivering the Treble in 1978. Nor did he publicly voice his dismay at being sacked in 1986 before short spells at Sevilla and Colchester brought his grand career to an end. But there was one incident – on Saturday, April 2 1988 – that cut big Jock to the core – the day he was escorted out of Ibrox by stewards. Rangers had lost 2-1 to Hearts and Wallace was standing outside the Blue Room looking for chief executive David Holmes. He was approached by a red-faced commissionaire, who said: “Excuse me, but I have been instructed to escort you off the premises.” Wallace asked the security man to repeat what he had just said and he did, word for word. Wallace replied with the question which under normal circumstances is the preserve of those of an egotistical nature – but on this occasion it was fully justified. He said: “Do you know who I am?” The commissionaire replied: “Yes, Mr Wallace, I do.” Wallace asked who had given him his instructions, and he replied “Mr Hood” – referring to Rangers’ operations executive Alastair Hood although he was conspicuous by his absence at that moment. A furious Wallace marched up to the members’ lounge and told his wife Daphne they were leaving. The irony was assistant manager Walter Smith had left complimentary tickets for Wallace and his wife. When the match finished he was making his way to the top of the marble staircase to head home when he was stopped by a steward and asked to look in to the members’ lounge. There he met the comedian Mr Abie, former player Billy Semple and a host of other long-standing friends. He stood chatting for 10 minutes, while Daphne did the same with a group of old friends. Wallace decided then to seek out Ally McCoist, who hadn’t played due to injury, and made his way to the Players’ Lounge. He met Terry Butcher, who told him Coisty was still in the dressing room. Big Jock then met the club’s vice chairman Jack Gillespie who took him by the arm and led him to one of the executive suites. Everything was relaxed and friendly and Gillespie took him down to the foyer where he asked if McCoist was around. Wallace stood chatting to Sandy Clark, Davie McPherson, Davie Cooper and McCoist. After a few minutes, he went back up the marble stairs, intending to return to the Members’ Lounge. But bumped into Willie Waddell and his wife, and a few other familiar old faces. Again he enjoyed renewing old acquaintances. He checked to seeif his wife was okay then went back out into the foyer to see if he could find Holmes. It was at that moment that he was approached by the commissionaire and thrown out of his beloved Ibrox. The only thing on his mind was getting the hell out of there. He shouted on Daphne and told her they were leaving. She knew that something was amiss and asked why the rush. Daily Record Jock Wallace in the Rangers trophy room Wallace said: “I’ve just been told to leave the premises and that’s what we’re doing.” Wallace was then reportedly forced to endure the humiliation of walking through the Members’ Lounge in front of so many people he knew, under escort, on his way out the door. Later, he said: “I have never been so angry or disgusted with anything in my life. “I was flaming mad and felt so sorry for my wife, who had been such a help to me in my days at Ibrox. She didn’t deserve this. She was shattered when I told her why we were leaving.” Wallace drove straight home and took his phone off the hook. He was in no mood to talk. He said: “I knew more than anyone there are no-go areas inside Ibrox but I had been invited into one of these areas by the vice-chairman. “I thought it had all been an awful mistake – a blunder if you like.” Ironically, a few days later, Wallace was given complimentary tickets for a Celtic match by his old adversary Billy McNeill and enjoyed the banter with the Hoops fans. The teasing was relentless but good natured. Wallace replied “I’ve been flung out of better places than this” – referring to his exit from Ibrox – and the Celtic supporters loved it. Wallace always steadfastly refused to criticise Rangers, even when he was sacked in 1986. But this was different and he was in no mood to protect the club after such a humiliating experience. More than a month had passed when Wallace decided to speak out. Perhaps he hoped that an apology would have been forthcoming. When it wasn’t, he said: “Until now I’ve kept my mouth shut, but my anger will not go away and I don’t think it ever will. “I will never again ask Rangers for a ticket for a match. I’ve supported the club since I was a kid. “I was a founder member of the Tranent Rangers Supporters’ Club in 1952. “I’ve visited supporters’ clubs all over the world and have honorary memberships in places like Melbourne and Toronto. “I have never criticised Rangers but I cannot ignore the dreadful treatment of Daph. “They may have thrown me out of Ibrox but they won’t stop me watching Rangers. “I took Daph, my daughter and her fiance and his parents to a match with Aberdeen at Ibrox and paid £30 at the turnstiles. “The guy at the gate said: “Mr Wallace, you should never pay to see Glasgow Rangers.” Never a truer word was spoken. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jock-wallace-rangers-legend-left-3434821?

WITH boardroom civil war on the horizon at Hampden, MailSport unearths secret hijack plot and asks 'Has the SPFL gone power crazy?'. The SPFL’s blindside run at the SFA’s powerbase is about two things – control and cash. But the clubs’ push for power could end up costing the game MILLIONS in grassroots sponsorships. The professional clubs would take complete control of the development budget for football in Scotland if they won the day with their resolution. They believe the money could be better spent under their own umbrella and have also made a play to take control of the main board of the SFA. However, big-money backers of the game – like Tesco Bank, McDonald’s, sportscotland and the government-backed Cashback for Communities scheme – base their contributions on the fact that they are all-inclusive and not aimed at the elite end. MailSport believes all of these relationships – plus others with local authorities – would be in jeopardy if the pro clubs took control and ran the game to their own ends. The two boards will meet on Tuesday, brought to the table for the first time in a year to discuss the proposals – and the pressure will be on to avert a civil war in Scottish football. Revealed: The secret copies of four explosive resolutions the SPFL have proposed for the SFA's AGM. Here’s everything you need to know about the resolutions: Q/ So what do the SPFL want? The resolutions in a nutshell: 1. The Professional Game Board (PGB) provides one representative – Celtic’s Peter Lawwell – to the seven-man main board of the SFA but the SPFL want this increased to two. 2. Currently the president and vice president of the SFA must have served a minimum of a year on the PGB or Non-PGB, as well as four years on the SFA Council and have attended a minimum of eight Council meetings in five years to qualify for a nomination. The SPFL want to do away completely with these criteria. 3. The SFA main board control the budget for football development, from Mark Wotte’s performance department to the grassroots programme for kids and coaches run by Jim Fleeting and Andy Gould in Scotland. The SPFL feel the professional game should control this entire pot and want the PGB – in other words, the senior clubs – to take control. 4. The main board currently control the ability to elect any club for full membership. The SPFL want that right to be passed to the clubs to approve or veto new members. Q/ What’s the grand plan behind them, then? Individually, the four resolutions wouldn’t be as threatening but it’s their cumulative effect that could have grave consequences. The end game? The clubs will have two from the PGB on the SFA board plus control of a hand-picked president and vice president – thereby controlling the seven-man board with a majority of four, thus controlling the SFA. The clubs would also have access to the money currently used to fund the development of the game. They would also control future votes by being able to stifle any additional membership requests which would jeopardise their power of veto if they vote as a group. Q/ Why shouldn’t the pro game be better represented rather than the juniors and amateurs having a disproportionate say? They probably should – but if there are no checks and balances of their powers, is it good for the game as a whole to have pro clubs with vested interests running the entire game from the national team down to the grassroots? If push comes to shove with money and power, who will they seek to serve other than themselves? Q/Okay, but the current system still allows long-term blazers gaining power on the back of nothing but good attendance. Also true, and the SFA main board IS weak – the system does need looked at to allow more appropriate talent to rise to the top. Q/So this resolution is a good thing? Yes – and no! If there’s no need for office bearers to be time-served, you could end up with flavour-of-the-month fly-by-nights parachuted in by the clubs without any examination of their bona fides or their intentions. It’s possible that we could see some real talent and acumen appointed – but you’re relying solely on the judgment of the clubs to find it. Q/ What do they need to pass the resolutions? Each vote requires 75 per cent approval from the 94 members. Q/ Will they get what they need? They’re not speaking for all 42 clubs because a cursory call round indicates they haven’t actually consulted the rank and file. It’s unlikely they would get universal membership approval for all of it – the perception will be that the top 12 clubs will stand to benefit the most. Q/ Hang on, it’s Mike Mulraney of Alloa proposing all of the resolutions, though? He was one of three lower-league chairmen elected to the SPFL board last summer along with Les Gray (Hamilton) and Bill Darroch (Stenhousemuir). The weight of the Premiership members – Stephen Thomson (Dundee United), Duncan Fraser (Aberdeen) and Eric Riley (Celtic) – will be behind this but having Alloa, Stenny and Accies involved lends it an ‘everyman’ look ... not just being driven by the big clubs for their own gain. Q/ What about the cash, then – how much is at stake? Hard to put an exact figure on it but so much of it is ring-fenced for specific grassroots and community use, it’s not nearly as much as they think. The irony is the biggest chunk of the performance strand of it – around £2m – is used for Club Academy Scotland. So the clubs already benefit. Just not to the extent they think they should. Q/Why do the clubs feel the need to control it then? A couple of reasons. They don’t like the way Wotte is running things, they don’t think the performance strategy is worth what it costs, they don’t like the lack of control and input they have over performance schools and, simply, they see money they don’t have and they want it. They still don’t have a sponsor and a lack of cash will see them struggle to fulfil their promise of jam for all down through the divisions. It’s ironic considering the SFA has underwritten the only decent thing they’ve achieved as a body – the Premiership play-offs – to the tune of £1.5m. Q/ Are they right about the performance strategy, though? It’s still early but there is evidence the strategy is having an effect. Scotland won the Victory Shield at Under-16 level for the first time in 15 years. The U-17s have made the UEFA Finals in Malta, winning all three games in their elite round. The U-19s are in the elite round in England next months. The women’s team are well on their way to the World Cup in Canada with a 100 per cent record from six qualifiers, a feat that could earn the SFA close to seven figures. Throw in the fact the national team are back up to No.22 in the world rankings and they have a decent claim to their strategy working. Q/ But what about the rest of the game outwith the clubs? That’s the big worry. The SFA has overarching responsibility for the game as a whole and its development from the ground up. At last count, there are 130,768 registered players in Scotland from the youths to the amateurs to welfare to the women’s game. Meanwhile, the SPFL’s development branch – Club Academy Scotland, for pro youths from 11 up – sits at 3,185. Throw in the first teams and the clubs account for around three per cent of the football players in Scotland. Q/ Surely they should be the SPFL’s focus? They are. A working group set up between the organisations is looking at streamlining Club Academy Scotland and clearing out the jersey fillers and creating more ‘best v best’ football at the elite level. However, the clubs don’t like the performance schools and that they have no say in their operation. What some of them do like, though, is the idea of regional academies like the Forth Valley experiment involving Falkirk, Stenhousemuir and East Stirling. Q/ What benefit is there in the clubs taking on responsibility for the rest of it? Very little, if any. All they see is a top-line figure and pound signs. The problem, however, comes with the fact that much of the money is simply used to leverage other funding. For example, £476,000 is budgeted for a community programme that helps fund 70 coaches across the country – however most of their salaries are paid by local authorities through partnerships with the SFA. These partnerships would disappear if councils thought they were simply funding the professional game rather than its community branch. Q/ What about the other backers of grassroots football? Their visions all involve inclusivity and community benefit. McDonald’s work with all the home associations and have invested more than £1m every four years over more than a decade committed to growing the game. Likewise Tesco Bank, with £1.2m over the past four years. The government’s Cashback scheme has pumped in £2.2m over three years. On Wednesday, Regan and Fleeting were in the Isle of Lewis to unveil a new facility at Back that has received nearly £500,000 from Cashback, sportscotland and the Big Lottery. These resolutions would leave the pro clubs responsible for this kind of commitment to remote communities. Would they be interested? The Movers and Shakers The looming SFA AGM is shaping up to be one of the stormiest in the organisation’s 141-year history. Delegates will consider the four resolutions that would effectively hand control of the SFA main board to the clubs. Alloa chairman and successful businessman Mike Mulraney (right) is the name on the resolutions. He wants clubs to elect an extra member to the board – in addition to Celtic’s Peter Lawwell (left). SFA chief executive Stewart Regan (far right) has a fight on his hands. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scottish-football-looks-set-civil-3434596

IN ROBERT Bolt’s play and film, A Man For All Seasons, Sir Thomas More assembles his numerous domestic staff to break the bad news that he has fallen on irredeemably hard times. “I am no longer a great man,” he begins. “And since I am no more a great man, I no longer need a great household. Nor can I afford one. You will have to go.” Here was a practical demonstration of the kind of acute insight and quick wits that gave rise to the former Lord Chancellor’s reputation as one of 16th-century England’s most formidable intellects. Of course, More would also have been quick to acknowledge that even the humblest peasant farmer, faced with financial catastrophe – a failed crop, say – would have been similarly aware instantly of the necessity of a protracted period of austerity, or even abandonment of his smallholding and relocation as an employee on a steady, if modest, income. It is a grasp of elementary economics that seems somehow to have eluded anyone charged with executive duties at Rangers throughout the years since the instigator of the old club’s decline, David Murray, began the large-scale, reckless extravagance that led to calamity. Since then, despite the onset of administration and liquidation and passing through the hands of a succession of regimes to the present board of directors, the Glasgow institution has existed in a constant state of financial vulnerability, with no-one among the numerous sets of “saviours” apparently willing to identify certain damaging truths and take appropriate remedial action. This speaks of a culture problem at Ibrox, one that became entrenched during the 140 years that preceded liquidation in 2012 and has generally not even been acknowledged, far less addressed, despite the overwhelming evidence of the need to abandon principles that have been rendered wasteful by monetary imperatives. Chief among these actions is to emulate Thomas More and concede that Rangers are no longer a great club. That is, “great” in the sense of magnitude, as opposed to their historic high achievement and the resultant command of the affections and allegiances of many thousands of followers. An organisation whose annual turnover once was close to £60 million has now, according to the latest returns, shrunk to £19m – and even that amount is likely to be reduced again at the end of the current financial year. Yet, in the wake of liquidation of the old club and the birth of the new, the directors saw fit to sanction a yearly wage bill of around £7m for players charged with winning the fourth- and third-division championships. Salaries of non-playing personnel make the total around £9m, while the general costs of running the operation drain the kitty of £1.4m per month. These ludicrously high outgoings having to be met entirely from the club’s working capital, since their history of leaving behind creditors owed millions when entering administration means they no longer have access to credit lines at the banks. Despite the obviously perilous condition of their finances (a recent emergency loan of £1.5m from private individuals required simply to remain solvent until the end of the season), numerous supporters are immovable in their conviction that Rangers remain a “massive” club whose rightful place is at the head of Scottish football’s Premiership and competing creditably in the Champions League. There is, of course, nothing intrinsically flawed about aiming for the stars, but the problem with too many Rangers followers is that they want it to happen yesterday. Their ideal is the instant cure of a wealthy benefactor taking control and providing an unconditional minimum £50m of funding with which the team could be transformed from lower-league capabilities to national champions in the blink of an eye. And yet, curiously, there appears to be a substantial number of fans willing to rally to the banner of Dave King, the South Africa-based entrepreneur who, astonishingly, has publicly declared his unwillingness to invest in the club. So far, he has offered only words, primarily to blacken the names of the current directors. King has also shown himself to be as inconsistent as many who have become involved in the propaganda war at Ibrox, at first encouraging supporters not to renew their season tickets, then changing tack by saying that the chief executive, Graham Wallace, should be allowed to complete his 120-day review of the business, before returning this week with another fusillade in the direction of the board. King, convicted on more than 40 counts of tax evasion in South Africa, accused the opposition of a lack of integrity and honesty. But, among the array of head-turning schemes associated with disenchanted fans and the directors, the most preposterous is surely the demand by the former to be handed security over Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park as part of their renewing season tickets. This is like insisting that M&S give customers security over their flagship Oxford Street store in exchange for a pledge to buy more merchandise. The entire season-ticket phenomenon, in fact, has been warped into a grotesque caricature of its traditional place in the game and led to the utterly meaningless and misleading question: “What happened to the fans’ money?” This clearly ignores the fact that, when a ticket is bought, the money becomes the seller’s while the buyer gets the ticket. It’s not complicated. At the core of the Ibrox morass, however, there ought to be a warning that the fans should be careful what they wish for. Institutional investors collectively make up a large majority of shareholders, but each has actually spent a comparatively tiny amount on acquiring their equity. If they continue to be harassed, they could consider the venture not to be worth the bother, sell off the assets and close down the business. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/glenn-gibbons-rangers-fans-playing-dangerous-game-1-3381635

Graham Wallace will be finding little time for respite. A draft version of his 120-day business review is thought to be ready for senior figures within Ibrox, the rate of season ticket renewal uptake will be evident to the ticket office staff and supporters have raised questions about executive bonuses. He understood that he would not face conventional challenges when he took on the chief executive role at Rangers in November, but he will never have felt under greater scrutiny than now. Wallace brought with him an impressive CV and a strong reputation. Within English football circles, particularly at the highest level, Wallace remains an admired figure. Former colleagues at Manchester City, where he was chief finance officer then chief operating officer, still talk enthusiastically about his personal and professional qualities. Often, staff in other departments would turn to Wallace for advice on how to deal with difficult situations, even though they were not specifically his remit. Those qualities, and the experience gained during three years at IMG and five at MTV Networks, do not suddenly dissipate. Wallace understood the situation he was walking into when he accepted the job offer and believed that he could - as an independent figure - find a solution to the state of conflict around the club. The result of December's annual meeting of Rangers International Football Club shareholders was an endorsement of his credentials and he might not have anticipated such a protracted state of upheaval. Rangers fans have made vocal and visual protests about the way the club has been run It is questions that he has been assailed with. Former director Dave King, pointedly, asked if the board was seeking financing last December while Wallace was publicly declaring that there was enough cash to sustain the business to April. The Union of Fans asked about his bonus arrangements and specifically if he is entitled to 100% of his salary, the same contractual arrangement as one of his predecessors, Charles Green, and the former finance director, Brian Stockbridge. It was Wallace who removed Stockbridge from his post in January before bringing in the former Liverpool financial director Philip Nash in an advisory role. Both men have solid reputations, but neither is likely to have encountered such a difficult situation as the business of rebuilding Rangers. Wallace inherited a mess, with the money raised by the launch of RIFC on the alternative investment market having been spent and the revenue being smaller than the club's outgoings. Rangers were also tied into most of the commercial contracts agreed by Green, although Wallace has struck a sponsorship deal with the online casino, 32Red, which is for three years. There is, though, a fundamental challenge. Rangers need recapitalisation - something Wallace has always acknowledged - as well as the rebalancing of costs that the chief executive has been pursuing. At the AGM, he announced a 120-day review of every aspect of the business. This was a required initiative - the interim results to 31 December 2013 showed a £3.5m loss - but the timescale was ill-judged. Football clubs are simple businesses, with mostly fixed costs and income, but very difficult to run because of the impact of sporting performance on the finances. It seemed to supporters as though Wallace was buying time. There was also a credibility issue when it was announced in February that £1.5m was being borrowed from two shareholders, Sandy Easdale and George Letham, with the money secured against Edmiston House and the Albion Car Park, given Wallace's previous assertion about the cash in the bank. The 120-day deadline passed on Thursday 17 April and an update on the review will be released on Friday 25 April. It will need to declare how Rangers will raise the funds to match the investment requirements. Manager Ally McCoist's football department needs an overhaul The football department needs an overhaul, with a scouting network required, but also more strategic decision-making when it comes to the first-team budget. Costs are imbalanced and manager Ally McCoist agreed to accept a pay cut, but a long-term, sustainable approach needs to be implemented to return Rangers to the top flight in a competitive state. Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park also need maintenance work, but bringing the business back to an even keel by cutting costs and increasing revenue streams will not provide the level of additional funding that Rangers need in the short to medium-term. With the board having ruled out borrowing against their major property assets, the options are limited. A fresh share issue, which King is keen to underwrite, would dilute the holdings of any current shareholders who do not reinvest. This would alter the shareholder dynamic and the power base that supported the current directors at the AGM. It is this problem that Wallace has to solve. If he presents a review to the board that steers the business towards recapitalisation, will all of the directors agree? There is also the more pressing issue of season ticket sales. The renewal process is underway and the deadline is the week following the business review update. Many supporters have grown weary and cynical of the machinations, on all sides, of the saga. Yet renewals are critical, since the interim accounts published in March revealed that going-concern status for the next 12 months was only granted on the basis of an increase in season ticket prices and sales. If the renewal numbers are in decline, there is a legitimate question about how Rangers will be funded until the end of next season. Wallace is experienced and capable but also at the mercy of the situation he took on - although earning the trust of the entire Rangers fan base was always unlikely given the tensions that exist between different groups. There are some decisions he might, on reflection, have made differently, but it is the ones he makes now that will be critical, to his future and the club's. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/27081026?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Thought I would put some more into what I have posted, I have nothing to gain or lose I suppose by posting on this board and dont want to hassle people, if the admin of the forum would like me to stop posting then they can private mail me and let me know. What I am saying is that I know 100% Dave will make a move in the next 7 days which will be to try and seize control of the club, you as fans will ultimately vote with your feet so to speak but Dave had to and has given this current regime all the time and met all their request made to him and to us as fans. I know this because I know this, you can believe this or you can ignore this, either way, I thought it would do no harm by posting the fact that Dave will be making substantial moves next week in order to be in a place to be the new majority owner come the summer. No ego, no nothing. its all about Rangers and where we should be, either follow or dont.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist takes a young supporter onto the training park (Willie Vass) Copyright: 2014 Willie Vass More...

THE former Southend defender wouldn't swap a day at Ochilview for a game at Old Trafford and says that team-mate Lee Wallace is good enough to play for Arsenal. BILEL MOHSNI insists even an offer from the English Premier League couldn’t lure him away from helping Rangers back to the top. The French defender claims he has found a new family at Ibrox since arriving from Southend last summer. Mohsni has made 32 appearances this term to help Gers run away with the League One title. He scored his 10th goal of the season in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Forfar and the 26-year-old admitted he has been blown away by the passion of the Light Blues’ support – even though a fans’ signing session left him on the brink of collapse. Paris-born Mohsni also insisted team-mate Lee Wallace is good enough to play for Arsenal. The centre-back said: “It’s impossible to realise just how touching and pleasing it is to be surrounded by so many Rangers fans. “My dream is to take the club back up to the top and into Europe where it belongs. “I’d prefer to be at Ibrox 100 times more than playing for a club in the lower half of the English Premier League. That is despite the fact I would earn more money down south. “The levels of support for Rangers are unbelievable. “People have so much love for this club and I can only imagine what it is like in the Scottish Premiership and for European games. “Madjid Bougherra has told me it is something he misses and would like to experience once more some day. The club asked me to do a midweek signing session in the megastore. “It was meant to last two hours and given that I am not a big name like Lee McCulloch I didn’t think many people would come along. “But I was wrong. The queue stretched for dozens of yards and I spent hours signing shirts, calendars and footballs non-stop as well as posing for photos. I heard fans who had waited for hours saying, ‘There’s still people behind us – I’ll buy an extra shirt and get Bilel to sign it for my uncle.’ I was shocked. “As for Lee Wallace, he is good enough to play for any Premier League team, even Arsenal. “Kieran Gibbs or Wallace? Waldo would fit into their side no problem.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/rangers-defender-bilel-mohsni-id-3426558

.......if Ibrox chief Graham Wallace is in line for a whopping £300,000 bonus. UNION of Fans believe directors at their cash-strapped club are still entitled to 100 per cent top ups to their salary similar to the windfall received by Charles Green. RANGERS fans have demanded to know if the club’s chief executive Graham Wallace is in line for a whopping £300,000 bonus. The move was launched by the supporters’ coalition group, the Union of Fans. They issued a statement late last night expressing “shareholder concern” about the culture of huge cash rewards in the boardroom which saw shamed duo Charles Green and Brian Stockbridge double their annual salaries during their time at the club. Now they want to know if Wallace has negotiated a similar package – a deal they say could take his yearly earnings to in excess of £600,000. The statement said: “We would therefore urge Graham Wallace to disclose publicly whether or not he has ended the bonus culture within the club or whether it has continued with new appointments. “We do not feel that, under circumstances in which the club is losing large amounts of money on a monthly basis, shareholders should have to wait until the audited accounts are published to find this out. "These accounts will not be available until near the end of the year. “Can Mr Wallace, for instance, earn an annual 100 per cent bonus on his salary, which it has been said is in excess of £300,000 a year? “In the past we have seen Charles Green double his salary with a 100 per cent bonus, while ex-financial director Brian Stockbridge was also awarded a £200,000 bonus to double his salary. “Will Graham Wallace also be able to double his salary to more than £600,000 a year or has he ended that type of bonus culture within the Ibrox boardroom? “If he wants to build trust then he should be happy to rule out that this type of culture is still ongoing.” The Union of Fans also expressed dismay that the current regime has not answered questions raised last week by Dave King. He asked, among other things, if Wallace knew the club was about to run out of cash when he addressed shareholders and fans at the agm in December. The statement added: “We also still await answers to the questions posed by Dave King and in particular the question regarding Mr Wallace’s agm pronouncements about the cash position of the club, which we do not believe to have been true. “Mr Wallace cannot continue to ignore these extremely serious questions if he expects to build any sort of trust with the fans and shareholders.” Rangers last night refused to disclose Wallace’s salary details. A spokesman said: “Rangers Football Club does not comment on the details of any employee’s compensation. “Mr Wallace, as a director of Rangers plc, will have his remuneration fully disclosed in the annual accounts in the normal manner. “The club will update fans and shareholders on its business review next Friday as previously announced.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-fans-demand-know-ibrox-3426039

Thursday, 17 April 2014 12:30 A Chance To Make History Written by Andrew Dickson NICKY LAW says the chance to be part of the first unbeaten Rangers team in a league campaign for 115 years is driving him on in the last few fixtures of the season. With four matches left in the 36-game campaign, Gers have still only dropped four points in two draws at Ibrox with Stranraer and Stenhousemuir. That means they could break the 100 points barrier before the month is out and they’re also now just four away from a century of goals as well after Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Forfar. The chance to emulate the invincible Light Blues side of 1898/99 is something which also appeals to Law. Back then, the team won each and every one of its league matches under William Wilton as it won the title by 10 points from Hearts. With only two points available for a win back then and just 18 games per team in the competition, that was a massive winning margin. Law said: “You’d have to say Rangers have made good progress this season and hopefully we can stay unbeaten in the league now. “You would like to think that might make up for our cup losses a little and it would be a disappointment now to lose a league game. “Having gone 32 matches unbeaten so far, it’s good we’ve still got that target to aim for with four games to go. “Your season can sometimes die out but we’ve got that carrot and it would be fantastic to do that. “I read the last time team went unbeaten in the league was in 1899 but that was over 18 games and to do it over 36 would be a little bit of history for the boys to enjoy. “In five or six years, people would maybe look back and say we weren’t as bad as they thought.” PFA Scotland League Player of the Year prize nominee Law, meanwhile, admits he’d love to see manager Ally McCoist bring in new faces during the summer break. The Gers boss is keen to freshen up his squad and his English midfielder believes that would be good for everyone if he did that. Law added: “Of course we’d like to see them, yeah. I think at a club like this, you expect that players are going to be coming in and competing for your position. “I know the manager has spoken of his desire to do that. Whether he is able to or not, nobody knows at the minute. “I think for us as a squad, to get people in to help us next year is the most important thing. It will be healthy for us to have competition.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6789-a-chance-to-make-history

It is depressing to note that the Club's share price has fallen from 31.5p to 26.5p (Bid 26.0p, offer 27.0p) since the end of March, albeit on very limited trading volumes. I doubt that this has anything to do with our depressing on field performances and can only assume that the market is taking a view based on the interim accounts and the notes thereto and the ongoing threat of fans withholding ST monies. Markets tend to anticipate rather than react to events and this may well indicate the market view of the rights issue price.

..................it's tough being constantly told how s*** you are!. THE Cheque Centre PFA League One Player of the Year award nominee has told fans he's looking forward to a holiday - and that hopes that he doesn't bump into any of them on his travels!. NICKY LAW needs a break – to get away from being constantly told Rangers are s***! The former Motherwell midfielder has hardly missed a game in his first season for the Ibrox side. But he admits the criticism has taken more of a toll on him than the workload over the last six months. Law was yesterday named as one of four candidates for the Cheque Centre PFA League One Player of the Year award. Team-mates Jon Daly and Lee Wallace were nominated alongside him after going through the league campaign unbeaten so far. But even that impressive run hasn’t stopped the flak from flying this season – and Gers took more stick after losing the Ramsdens Cup Final to Raith Rovers then crashing out of the Scottish Cup to Dundee United. That’s why Law is counting down the days to his summer holiday as he learns about the demands of being a Rangers player. Gers suffered more criticism for their performance against Forfar on Tuesday – despite a 3-0 win – and Law said: “It’s tough constantly being told you’re s*** for six months! “I’ve missed about two games this season so I could do with a break physically and I’m looking forward to getting away from it mentally. “Nobody would want to go to work and be told how s*** you are so the thought of six weeks off is nice. “I’m going to Egypt for 10 nights and Italy for two weeks with my family. I hope there are no Rangers fans there to tell me we’re s***!” Englishman Law admitted it has been an eye opener at Ibrox and said: “It takes getting used to playing for Rangers. With the Press and the scrutiny over where Rangers are there’s even more spotlight on the club and it has been difficult. “Being told how rubbish you are for six months despite not losing a league game is strange. We know that how we’ve played since Christmas hasn’t been good enough. “We’ve huffed and puffed and got over the line in games despite not playing well which is different from the early part of the campaign when we were on it and scoring freely. “We’ve dropped and when we needed it for the cup games it was hard to get that performance back. This is the most scrutiny I’ve been under, completely different to anything before. “I played for Sheffield United in the Premier League but I was a teenager so you just go out without a care in the world. Then at Rotherham, Bradford and Motherwell the focus isn’t as intense as it is at Rangers where someone has an opinion on every move you make. “It’s such a massive club but you need to get used to it. People say it can take a year or two to adapt to a club like that and it has been a strange season. It will be nice to get some time off.” Law knows it’s only going to get tougher next season in the Championship as Gers bid to return to the top flight. The 26-year-old said: “We’ve won the last two league campaigns fairly comfortably and a lot of people probably think it will be the same again. “We’re under no illusions how close it will be because the sides we’ve faced this season have been good and I haven’t seen a massive difference from the teams I played against with Motherwell. “Falkirk had good young players and we scored two late on in a cup tie that could have gone either way. Raith beat us and they were organised. “It will be an exciting league and we’ll need to improve considerably. Four or five teams will fancy their chances. People want to see a tight league and it will be interesting if another team from the top flight comes down. “But with the players we have, and hopefully the manager can add to that, we’ll be back up there again. Even if the manager didn’t add we feel like we can compete at the top end and the aim will be to win the league. “Hearts will be in it and you’d fancy them to challenge. If any of the other Premiership clubs dropped down then they would make it even more competitive.” Gers will go an entire league campaign unbeaten if they avoid defeat in their last four games. But Law admits they need to start playing better. He said: “When we drew with Stranraer on Boxing Day it was like ‘We’ve drawn, we can’t win every league game.’ Since that game we’ve been flat. “It’s hard to put your finger on it but when you’re 20, 30 points clear and you know you’ve wrapped up the league it’s hard to go out every week and do the business. “The manager has needed to get us going at times. A big part of his job has been keeping us motivated. He won’t let us slack. “Even before the Forfar game on Tuesday he said if we dropped an inch we would be coming off. “We don’t want to go out and play poorly. We want to score five and six but it’s not possible. People say you’re playing postmen and butchers but Rangers being in these leagues has highlighted how many good players are at this level.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-star-nicky-law-need-3422506

Chaps, I'm not looking to troll or create tension here, but for the life of me I can't work out why any bear can trust or support the current board. I've seen nothing from the board that can help balance up my own feelings and each passing week sees more shit rolled at supporters. So, in the spirit of good debate, what are the good points of the board which gets them support, albeit a small minority, but support all the same from fellow Bears. What are the positives from board.

Linfield will face "severe punitive sanctions" if its fans sing the song known as 'the Billy Boys' at matches. The Irish FA has warned the Windsor Park club that the singing of all variations of the song could lead to games being played behind closed doors. Linfield said punishment for fans singing the song includes being referred to the PSNI for prosecution. The club added that this applied to "any other song or chant that is undeniably sectarian or offensive". The move comes after Linfield and Cliftonville successfully appealed punishments dealt out out by the Irish FA over sectarian chanting at the County Antrim Shield semi-final at Windsor Park last October. Continue reading the main story “Sectarianism and bigotry are societal problems in Northern Ireland that go way beyond the limited confines of local football” Linfield Football Club The appeals were successful because the IFA's Disciplinary Committee had breached its own procedures. The IFA Appeals Committee also ruled that the evidence against Cliftonville had not been strong enough. In Linfield's case, the Board reported that there was sufficient evidence that supporters had involved themselves in breaches of the Disciplinary Code and that 'only procedural deficiencies had resulted in the Appeals Board's findings in favour of Linfield in this case'. In a statement released on Wednesday, Linfield gave advice to supporters. "All variations of the song popularly known as 'the Billy Boys' and sung to the tune of 'Marching Through Georgia' are now deemed unacceptable and, if aired at Linfield matches, will lead to severe punitive sanctions against the club," they said. "Any supporter found to be singing this song in any of its forms will be subject to serious sanction including ejection from the ground, a lifetime ban from Linfield matches; and being referred to the Police Service of Northern Ireland for prosecution. "This will include other songs sung to the same tune, any use of the tune itself, and will also include those versions using words that may not be seen to be inherently sectarian in their nature." Linfield have described the IFA disciplinary process as "not fit for purpose in what we are constantly being told is a "post-conflict society". "Sectarianism and bigotry are societal problems in Northern Ireland that go way beyond the limited confines of local football," they added "Local football requires political and state guidance that provides us with the legal support framework to remove this problem from our game." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27054281

GRAHAM WALLACE insists Rangers are making 'substantial progress off the field' as they gear up for next season's SPFL Championship campaign. The Light Blues this week clinched a shirt sponsorship deal with online casino giants 32Red, who will replace Blackthorn in the summer and become the Gers' partners for the next three seasons. Ally McCoist's side are just one season away from their return to the Scottish top flight and chief executive Wallace said: "We are delighted to announce this deal. It shows we are making substantial progress off the field. "This is a good long-term partnership for Rangers. "We can leverage the strength of the 32Red brand and this deal can help reinvigorate the Rangers brand domestically and internationally. "We are working very hard to re-energise and reposition the club on the international stage. That goes hand in hand with our progression up the leagues and we are planning for next season in the Championship with one eye very firmly on the seasons beyond that. "Having a strong commercial partnership portfolio is very important to the club. "Attracting blue chip brands to be partners allows us to grow our commercial revenue which in turn allows us to reinvest right across the business. We are very pleased with this deal and it is the first, tangible step in our new commercial strategy. "The Championship will be a very competitive division and we are doing all our preparation to make sure that, in the true traditions of Rangers Football Club, we expect to be competitive and we expect to be successful." Wallace is due to complete his 120-day overview of the books at Ibrox on Friday but the club confirmed this week that they will only publish an 'update' on April 25. Wallace said: "We will shortly be publishing the results of the club's business review, as we committed to do, following an in-depth review of all areas of club operations. "This will give fans an insight into understanding the current status of club operations and how we are working to put in place what is needed to build for future success." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/wallace-happy-with-off-field-progress-at-rangers-159803n.23978036

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has contacted the Lithuanian ambassador to the United Kingdom in a bid to help Hearts complete their exit from administration. Salmond, a Hearts supporter, remains hopeful that the deal can be completed, although last night both club administrator Bryan Jackson of BDO and a spokesperson for the Foundation of Hearts said there had been no further developments. Jackson is still awaiting an invitation to return to Lithuania to resume talks with his counterparts at Ukio Bankas. Those talks stalled last week, on the same day that creditors of Ubig, another company formerly controlled by Vladimir Romanov, approved the sale of their 50 per cent share in the Tynecastle club. Ukio have a smaller shareholding of just under 30 per cent, but hold a security over Tynecastle. If they agree to sell both shares and security, Hearts will be able to proceed with the Company Voluntary Arrangement they have made with the Foundation, the supporters’ umbrella body which aims to buy control for £2.5million. Jackson warned last week that the club was fast running out of money, and that a deal had to be finalised by around the end of this month. Foundation chairman Ian Murray, the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South, has also said that his organisation needs to complete the takeover soon in order to allow planning for next season to begin. Murray and Lord Foulkes, a former chairman of Hearts, have had several meetings with ambassador Asta Skaisgiryte-Liauskiene in recent months in the hope of speeding up the process. It remains uncertain how much direct influence any politician can have on the arcane workings of the Baltic republic’s legal system, but Salmond believes that he too should be seen to be doing everything he can. “At the request of the Hearts administrators I phoned the Lithuanian ambassador to try and facilitate the important moves that are being made,” the First Minister said yesterday. “I should say I’m a Hearts supporter, obviously, I declare an interest, but I’ve made the same approaches when necessary with other football clubs in Scotland who’ve been similarly struggling. “And of course I would always do that as First Minister, because it’s part of the First Ministerial role to help Scottish football, to help Scottish clubs when you can. And I’m sure that everyone in Scottish football, whatever team they support, wants to see Hearts back fighting fit, and part of the firmament of our national game.” Salmond declined to give details of his talks other than to suggest they had been positive. “They were helpful conversations and of course progress has been made,” he continued. “But the people behind the eight ball here are the administrators, and like every other Hearts fan in the country, I’m anxious to see more progress made. However, we know progress has been made and we’re hoping that things will reach a successful conclusion.” Unless Ukio’s creditors come to an agreement with BDO soon, Jackson would appear to have little option but to start planning for the liquidation of the football club. Hearts should be able to fulfil their fixtures for the rest of the season – they have five league games left, starting with a home match on Saturday against Ross County – but as things stand they will have no money to continue on into next season. Last night Labour peer Lord Foulkes welcomed the First Minister’s intervention, while pointing out that similar activity had been going on behind the scenes for some time. “It is good he is supporting Ian Murray and me who are in regular contact with Lithuanian ambassador & UK ambassador in Lithuania,” he said on Twitter. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/i-need-to-do-all-i-can-for-hearts-alex-salmond-1-3377777

The Rangers boardroom battle has been a wee bit like watching an old war movie of late. Dave King is charging around the seas like a crazed Admiral, dropping depth charges and firing all guns blazing at HMS Rangers, the elusive submarine. Admiral King never seems to land a blow as the crew of HMS Rangers are always several steps ahead. Every now and then HMS Rangers launches a quiet torpedo that blows yet another hole in King’s rebel ship. Perhaps the killer blow came yesterday with a short statement from the club that, as planned all along, the 120 day review will be published and give skeptical fans an idea of where RFC is right now and what it has to do to get where it wants and needs to go. Fans expecting a document that will magic away all problems Rangers faces and others expecting a breakdown of how many paper clips each department at Ibrox plans to use over the next twelve months will be disappointed. These reviews are meant to give broad strokes, not minute details – at least the versions that will be on public display. Rangers being a plc means that the board is obligated to withhold certain information that may be price-sensitive in terms of share value. There should, however, be enough in the review for the average fan to get a decent picture of what could be improved upon and how this new board will go about it. If the board delivers this review on the 25th then it would only be reasonable to expect an apology from Dave King, who has raised anxiety levels unnecessarily recently by his pronouncements that the review would not come prior to the season ticket renewal deadline of May 6th. Particularly when King himself made it a contest between his own integrity and the board’s. Readers of my blog yesterday will be aware of the real integrity issue that fans have to mull over. Cynics may be forgiven for thinking that Dave King is actually the board’s secret weapon. His interference in the boardroom saga has galvanised thousands of Gers fans into buying season tickets and taking a more aggressively anti-rebel stance. Some in the rebel camp are clearly squirming every time King makes a pronouncement these days. Dave King is either the board’s secret weapon or he has kicked so many tyres it has damaged his brain. As a businessman he is only too aware of how preposterous the idea is that a responsible plc board would sign over its assets to customers – assets owned by the shareholders. It is arguable that AIM would block such lunacy if the board was daft enough to succumb to the proposal. And the very people proposing it accuse the board of emotional blackmail! There will be a hardcore of rebels and other gullibles who will give the South Africans their season ticket. But I suspect that many who are threatening to will crumble and join the masses who will renew. King will huff and puff and eventually head for home in his crippled ship while HMS Rangers will continue on its path back to glory. Full speed ahead for the mighty ship Rangers.

More or less just an excercise and food for thought: Rangers Top Signing Targets for the Championship Written by - Jonny McFarlane After the disappointment of defeat in the Scottish Cup semi-final, it’s inevitable that with little left to play for on the pitch the focus of the fans and the media will return to Rangers corporate governance. That will be covered in great detail elsewhere, but with the football department having been arguably as poorly run as the business it’s also important to reflect on where the playing squad currently stands and whether it is strong enough to win the Championship. After a sober assessment of the team, most will feel that with a rejuvenated Hearts, signings will have to be made to guarantee safe passage into the Premiership. Assuming that Rangers will be operating on a smaller budget next year and working with what’s made available by the departure of the likes of Andy Little, Kyle Hutton and Emilson Cribari when their contracts expire, I have limited my suggestions to players currently based in the SPL and out of contract. I don’t think it is realistic to expect Rangers in their current predicament to pay any kind of transfer fee and free agents from the English game are also likely to be financially untenable given their high wages. I have identified three areas of improvement in Rangers current squad: 1. Goal scoring threat 2. Strengthening the Centre of Defence/defensive midfield 3. Creation of Chances Goal scoring threat Kris Boyd (30, Kilmarnock) Surely, Rangers number one target. A club legend and a goal machine. It’s so easy and obvious it feels daft to argue for it. I wasn’t Boyd’s biggest fan in his previous stint but this is a very different time and place. His talents are ideally suited to the current predicament and his very presence will be a big boost to the beleaguered support. His game has improved in his nomadic years abroad. Still as predatory as ever, he is better in the air and in his link up play outside the box. It seems like the penny has finally dropped that to be a great striker you have to do some hard work as well as bang in the goals. Boyd be as good as a guarantee of 25 goals in the championship. Strengthening the Centre of Defence/defensive midfield Jim Goodwin (32, St. Mirren) A natural leader on the pitch Goodwin is the St. Mirren captain. A tough tackler that opposition fans love to hate, he is equally adept in central defence or midfield. At 32 he’s no spring chicken but would add a bit of steel to Rangers weak central defensive area where Ian Black has underperformed. Gary Miller (26, St. Johnstone) Versatile and extremely pacey, St. Johnstone’s Miller knows the Championship well from his time at Ross County. A Rangers fan, the 26 year old could offer significant options having played at right back, central defence and midfield in his career. A steady-Eddie who gives consistently solid performances, Miller would provide squad depth across a few positions and would add that rare commodity, serious pace at the back. Kevin Thomson (29, Hibs) Leaving Rangers in 2010 after a successful spell in the engine room, Thomson’s career has dramatically stalled. Three years of injury and poor form have curtailed the development of a player that five or six years ago many predicted to be better than his good friend Scott Brown. Unwanted by Terry Butcher due to his introduction of a more direct style, Thomson would be a superb addition to the Gers midfield especially if he could be secured on a pay if you play deal to cushion the burden from injury problems. Jamie Hamill (27, Hearts) Hearts best player this season and their midfield general, Hamill has shown a rare combination of steel and ability. A deadball expert that guarantees goals from free kicks and penalties Hamill works his backside off from the first whistle to the last. Taking on the responsibility of being the most senior player in the Tyncastle dressing room, anyone watching Hearts can see that it is Hamill, not captain Danny Wilson that bosses his team. Gavin Gunning (23, Dundee United) One of the Premiership’s best central defenders, Gunning has been a lynchpin for Dundee United’s successful season. Still young at 23, he has plenty of room for further improvement and could be a real asset for Rangers in the years to come. Physical and good in the air, he is also a threat in the opponents box and can chip in with the odd goal. His organisational abilities have helped bring out the best in his 17-year-old defensive partner John Souter and has shown maturity beyond his years at the heart of an inexperienced but exciting team. Creation of Chances Alexei Eremenko (31, Kilmarnock) A player of immense talent, Emerenko lit up the SPL in his first spell and was nominated for Player of the year. Quick feet and an even quicker brain he is a terrific passer who can thread the ball through tight defences. Another whose career has stalled, Emerenko would represent a gamble, and Rangers would have to play around his inability to defend but he would add a potent attacking weapon to the teams armoury. A fit, mentally attuned Emerenko has the talent to be playing in a major European league, at only 31 surely the challenge to get him back there wouldn’t be beyond Rangers coaching team. James McFadden (31, Motherwell) A player who has seen his career fail to take flight in recent years, McFadden’s return to Scottish Football has been a disappointment with only fleeting glimpses of his old self. A maverick in the Ted McMinn mould, a move to a massive club like Rangers could just be what the doctor ordered for this big game performer. Able to play on the left or through the middle McFadden gives attacking options to any manager that coaches him. A player sure to excite the fans with his wonderful natural ability, McFadden would be a big gamble but one that could pay off as a creator and scorer of goals. Paul McGowan (26, St Mirren) With the tumult of a recent court case behind him, McGowan can now concentrate on the footballing career that has seen him hailed as one of the most naturally gifted attacking midfielders Scotland has produced in recent years. Comfortable in central or attacking midfield, McGowan is an accomplished chance creator with an eye for goal and a blistering shot. Rangers Report

Just back from this meeting at the Louden tonight , it lasted just over 3 hours and had approx 40 in attendance ,before I start , this was the first meeting of the group I had been to so I had no preconceived ideas as to what to expect . The meeting opened and Richard Atkinson ran through the entire history and aims and objectives of rangersfirst , why a CIC , what the positives were , how it worked etc etc , the entire first part of the meeting , infact the vast majority was being filmed and I believe it will be used when they make presentations to supporters clubs etc.It was very impressive and very professional , now in the past I have written about what I perceived was the apathy of the Rangers support , tonight totally changed my mind , I have never felt so optimistic as I did leaving the Louden in a long time .There was a section on how members should behave with regards to online arguments/debate which given the recent outbreaks on twitter and on certain sites brought everything perspective , this is 100% about Rangers , what peoples views are on , race , religion ,politics, gender , sexuality etc etc is their own business ,none of that matters all everyone was focusing on was Rangers , and to be honest it was a breath of fresh air. There is still a long long way to go , but with over 1000 members after a very soft launch on social media , which includes over 100 taking the club 1872 £500 life memberships already signed up , I think in this present time when there is so much uncertainty , the problems we are facing both on and off the field , the 120 day review , the DK situation where fans are obviously waiting to see how it all transpires , over 1000 members is pretty good going , there will be a full launch via the msm soon , however the club announcing the 120 day review has thrown a spanner in the works regards that , there is also a slight issue with certain people who support rangersfirst not wanting to be seen rocking the boat with regards the club , but I am sure when the launch happens the rangers family will be delighted with what they see and hear. Various supporters clubs have taken out the club1872 life membership and I was wondering if there is an appetite for this small free thinking forum to band together and take one out in the gersnet name , it could be held in one of the admins names .As I have already said I have taken a club1872 life membership out myself but would be more than happy to donate £25 to get it started , if there is a desire it might be something that we could continue even by donating a £1 or £2 each month into an account which goes into rangersfirst ,like I said its only an idea . Finally massive thanks to WATP_Greg and his dad and all the staff at the Louden for their hospitality tonight , much appreciated.

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6761-season-still-a-success Don't see this posted. Where do you start with this nonsense. Suppose its been a success for Ally though.

Monday, 14 April 2014 20:00 Business Review Update Written by Rangers Football Club "THE Board of Rangers Football Club notes the concern of supporters around the timing of release of an update from the Club’s business review ahead of the renewal deadline for season tickets. The Board confirms, in accordance with its previous announcements, that the business review will be completed as planned and an update will be issued to shareholders and supporters on 25th April, ahead of the season ticket renewal deadline as previously indicated." http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6763-business-review-update

APRIL 14, 2014 [h=1]UOF STATEMENT 14/04/2014[/h] by Garry Evans “Following discussions on the release of season ticket renewals, the Union of Fans would like to confirm that, in line with Dave King’s statements over the weekend, we will now be pushing forward with plans to collect season ticket money. We are delighted that Nine-in-a-Row captain, Richard Gough, and Dave King have both agreed to support this plan. We hope that other iconic Rangers figures will join them in publicly supporting this move in the near future. The money placed into the account will be released to the club, in full, as soon as they agree to give season ticket holders a security over Ibrox Stadium and Auchenhowie. There will be no drip feeding of funds and we do not consider that the board has any legitimate reason to reject this proposal. For the past two weeks we have, through a third party, put forward a plan to Graham Wallace which would have seen a security over Ibrox and Auchenhowie granted to trustees in favour of ALL season ticket holders. The security would have diminished as games were played and would have been discharged at the end of next season. We felt this would provide the board with an opportunity to build trust with fans over a reasonable period of time. We have received no response from the board to this proposal, or to the offer of a meeting to discuss things amicably. This board’s public pronouncements about engagement and trust are a sham. To be clear, had the board complied, it would have meant that we would not have needed to collect season ticket money in a separate account. It would have allowed the fans and the club to carry on with renewals as normal and would have removed any element of confrontation from the process. Despite repeated acceptance from Mr Wallace that the board do not have the trust of fans, and repeated claims that they are seeking to engage with them, this board have made no serious attempt to improve things. Their haste to release renewals before the completion of the 120 day business review, has now forced our hand. Legal advisers have been engaged and are working on the legal framework and bank account required to collect money. We would ask in the meantime that fans do not renew prior to evaluating this board’s ‘120 day’ review to take the club forward. We would also ask them to be vigilant and ensure they are not signed up for auto renewal, which they would need to cancel in writing to the ticket office before the 28th April. The vast majority of season ticket holders on the 4 month payment option from last year will fall into this category. We do not consider that there is any prospect of this action forcing the club into administration. It would be a gross dereliction of directors’ duties for this board to allow that to happen when substantial investment is on offer to them and when they can ensure they receive all season ticket money by securing Ibrox and Auchenhowie in favour of season ticket holders. We also have concerns that, even with all the season ticket money available to them, they will not be able to complete the season without further investment. Furthermore we reject suggestions this will push the board into securing Ibrox in return for further loans. Again, this would be in breach of their directorial duties when they would first have to reject a more favourable offer from the fans. We will be extremely interested to hear the board’s answers to the four questions posed by Dave King in his latest statement. Particularly the question relating to Graham Wallace’s undertaking to shareholders at the AGM that there was “sufficient cash in the business to fund the ongoing needs of the club in the near term”. We do not believe this statement to have been true. Our fans have an opportunity to safeguard Ibrox – we sincerely hope they do not succumb to emotional blackmail from people who know nothing about what our club means to us and that they use the only power they hold for the good of Rangers.” http://www.unionoffans.org/statements/2014/4/14/uof-statement-14042014

..................but Rangers still manage to buck the trend. WITH the majority of clubs in Scotland look like they are beginning to flourish once again, KEITH says Rangers seem unable to move on from the never-ending war for control that continues to rage on in the boardroom. SO now that the football’s finished for another season, where next for Rangers? Well it won’t be Celtic Park in May anyway. Dundee United made sure of that on Saturday when, even without hitting top form, they coasted safely into this season’s Scottish Cup Final on the back of a 3-1 win, secured at “neutral” Ibrox. Jackie McNamara’s wide-eyed bunch will now bound on towards Glasgow’s east end where they will be hotly tipped to finish the job against St Johnstone – despite the Perth side’s heroics in slapping down Aberdeen yesterday. By stopping the rise of the Reds dead in its tracks, Saints have already secured their own piece of history. A first Scottish Cup Final appearance now awaits them and they thoroughly deserve this moment, even if the rest of us were gearing up for what might have been an even more mouth-watering coming together of the New Firm. In many ways, the game up here was crying out for a United v Aberdeen final but even though they have been kept apart, the ongoing resurgence of these two old foes is perhaps a telltale sign that Scottish football might be getting its act together at long last. Despite the financial earthquake which reduced Rangers to rubble two years ago and the predictions of a devastating tsunami to follow, football in this country has survived its Armageddon. Yes, Hearts remain in a critical condition but it was downfall of Romanov rather than Rangers which visited this misery upon them. Crowds may have fallen at Celtic but any downturn in interest has been more than offset by the tapping into UEFA’s Champions League millions on an exclusive basis. Aberdeen, while licking yesterday’s wounds, can at least cling on to the League Cup for consolation. Motherwell are flying high again in the league, United and St Johnstone will now end the season as success stories one way or the other. It could even be reasonably argued that our national team and manager Gordon Strachan are feeling the benefit of the administration and then liquidation which led to Steven Whittaker, Allan McGregor and Steven Naismith setting off towards the top end of English football. Naismith, in particular, is beginning to look like a genuine star at Everton and could well be Strachan’s first-choice striker for some considerable time to come. All of which is good news. Green shoots are everywhere. Everywhere, that is, except at Ibrox. Because while all around them others are beginning to emerge from this long, nuclear winter and are even starting to flourish, Rangers continue to blow themselves to pieces. This club has reached a point where it now seems unable to move on, locked into a cycle of self-abuse. While this may be the source of endless amusement for some, maybe even most, those less blinded by their own prejudices can’t have failed to notice on Saturday what the Scottish game has been missing over these last two seasons. What most certainly has not been missed are the most offensive ditties from this support’s historic song sheet and those Rangers fans who indulged in them on Saturday continue to harm their own club. They ought to be focusing on a better future rather than returning to the bad old days of F***** this and F***** that. But, for the most part, the atmosphere created by both sets of supporters was utterly compelling. In fact, there was a pulse about Ibrox the likes of which has not been felt for some time. Even though some wish fervently for this club to be officially declared dead, the more rational must surely realise that a strong Rangers is good for business. United’s fans revelled in the occasion and in the opportunity to slap a long-term adversary back down. The atmosphere generated by these old rivalries made the match even more engrossing. In fact, this 90 minutes offered a tantalising glimpse of how things might be again one day. If ever, that is, Rangers are fit for purpose as a football club. Their problems on the pitch are obvious enough. Much remedial work is required to make this team a serious contender again but none of its problems are insurmountable. No, the real issues threatening the recovery of Rangers remain off the field where this never-ending war for control still rages on. Last night Dave King launched his latest thermonuclear statement at the current board, once again calling into question the integrity and honesty of those in charge. The very idea that this regime might be covering up the depth of the club’s current financial plight should appal a support which has been misled so ruinously by the likes of Charles Green and Craig Whyte before him. I asked in this column two weeks ago: “Can he (chief executive Graham Wallace) explain why he stood up at the club’s agm on December 18 and insisted robustly that all was well when, with the benefit of hindsight, the whole world can now see that plainly it was not?” Now King appears to be asking the very same question of the board and its CEO. With the situation deteriorating rapidly – and the sideshow distraction of the football all but over – it is time for these Rangers fans to decide in whom they would rather place their trust. If they do back the board, they must be prepared to do so blindly given that they have only three weeks left to renew their season tickets and still have not seen Wallace’s 120-day business review. Which would seem extremely foolish. On the other hand, if they back King then they must be prepared, in theory at least, to starve the club of the very money it needs to survive. Which would appear extremely high risk. The adoption of such a militant stance will raise the spectre of Administration II and bring many of these supporters out in a cold sweat. But the truth is this money will only be kept away from the club if the current regime remains intransigent and unwilling to secure it against Ibrox and Murray Park. There seems no logical basis for the board NOT to bend on this one. In other words, if the worse case scenario unfolded and Rangers were forced back under, the collapse will not have been caused by rebellious supporters but by a board that may need to be broken down completely for this club to be properly rebuilt.

Steven Simonsen ‏@SteveSimmoGK 1h Ive taken the unfortunate decision that as of 5pm tomorrow this account will be deleted,I won't accept mindless abuse of my family & son.1/2 I understand this spoils things for the thousands of genuine fans & followers out there, but I will not accept the idiots who resort, To abusing someone's family & particularly children, thankyou to everyone I've interacted with over the years!!! Met some wonderful people! My Son comes on twitter to follow his heroes including his dad, & ends up having idiots abusing him. He's 11 years old.. His first ever Trip to ibrox to watch his dad ends up with him receiving abuse because I included him in a tweet, I'm sorry but I'm not tolerating it!

DAVE KING tonight fired another attack on the Rangers board. The South African businessman has declared war on the current Ibrox regime and has issued a strongly-worded statement again urging Rangers fans not to renew season tickets. The statement reads: I must respond to the Rangers board’s criticism of my appeal to withhold season ticket advances. This board continues its habit of evading issues by attacking the integrity of any individual or group that speaks out against them. I am happy to engage the board on our comparative integrity. Unlike this board, I do not regard integrity as a character attribute that comes with an ON/OFF switch. When I met with the board the Chairman requested that, other than the two public statements that we made, the balance of our discussions would remain private. I agreed to that and, despite requests from fan groups to disclose the full details of my discussions, I steadfastly honoured my undertaking. This board did not do likewise. In an ill-judged attempt to discredit me, they have now disclosed my comment to them that I preferred not to put money into Rangers if it could be found from other sources. In this instance they demonstrated their lack of integrity for no advantage as I had already, as part of my frank discussions with the fan groups, advised them that I had no prime ambition to invest further in the club but will do so if no other investors come forward. I would be delighted if the club could thrive without any investment from me. This attempt at a “juicy” leak by the board merely proves that it is impossible to engage this board on a basis of confidentiality and integrity. The board has now stated that it was always its intention to only provide the business review after season ticket advances had largely been paid. It has denied that it agreed that the business review would be made available prior to fans committing to season ticket advances even though I referred to this agreement in my public statement immediately after our meeting. At the time the board allowed my public statement, in toto, to go unchallenged. Presumably it had no concern with what I stated. Again, we have an integrity issue but fortunately have common sense as a referee. We know that the board did not challenge my public statement of last month. It is also common cause that the vital issue for the fans is to be told what ambition the owners have for the club and how this is going to be funded. It must be obvious that the fans need this information prior to investing - not after. The board’s new version lacks integrity even if it was believable. Given that the board is quick to raise integrity and trust as key issues I would like to pose simple questions that are easy to reply to with a simple yes or no. a) Does the board agree it is unfair to ask fans to buy season tickets before they consider the business review? b) Does the board agree that, given the present financial position of the club, it is appropriate to provide Ibrox Park and Murray Park as security against season ticket advances? c) Does the board agree that in the latter half of December 2013 it was in discussions to obtain finance that would be needed prior to the end of the current season? d) Does the board agree that in the latter half of December 2013 it provided public assurances to the fans that the club had sufficient cash to last until the end of the current season? Without satisfactory answers to these questions fans should not be expected to invest in season tickets.