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On the plus side we might get rid of Beasley.

WALTER SMITH has bluntly warned Rangers fans not to expect any new signings to replace Barry Ferguson. The 31-year-old completed his �£1m move to Premiership new boys Birmingham City on Friday, freeing up some �£25,000 a week in wages, but Smith confirmed last night that the Ibrox club are still in no position to bring in a replacement. "We'll not be bringing anybody in as it stands at the present moment," Smith said. "The transfer doesn't allow us anything like that. The chairman has spoken about the financial aspect. It's just something we have to adjust to. We've said we'd have to sell players before we can buy so we have to wait until a situation arises before we can make any judgment on bringing anyone in." One such eventuality which could free up funds for the Rangers manager would be a sizeable bid from either Bordeaux or Wigan Athletic for Madjid Bougherra, but despite fevered speculation in certain newspapers, Smith has heard nothing. "No-one has been in touch with us about Bougherra," Smith said. "I've seen a denial from their president, and I've seen another paper quoting him as being interested, so even he doesn't seem to know. But no-one has talked to us, which would normally be the first port of call." Ferguson's return to the Premiership four years after he left Blackburn for Govan is as neat a resolution as possible to the conundrum caused by the "boozegate" row and the final 12 months of the player's contract. Smith admitted last night his departure was the "best thing" for everybody, and tipped the player to be a success south of the border. "I think it is the best thing for both parties, taking into consideration everything that happened last season plus the fact he's coming into the last season of his contract anyway," Smith said. "He's a good player though, of course he'll do well. He's had the experience already although the last time he went to Blackburn he was hampered by a serious injury. But that shouldn't hide the fact he did well down there, anyone who saw him play at that time will tell you that. It's not another world of football. He's a good player and he can go and play in it." Who knows, maybe new signings are overrated in any case. With Celtic having already spent �£3.8m on Marc-Antoine Fortune, Smith would no doubt prefer to have a massive transfer kitty at his disposal this summer, but the Rangers manager still managed to speak convincingly of his hopes that the sense of continuity and new-found confidence around the younger members of his squad after last season's SPL title win can help them hit the ground running. Wheeling and dealing did Rangers few favours last season as they crashed out of Europe to Kaunas. "We have a younger group - Steven Whittaker and Kevin Thomson are typical of them - who are starting to meet the demands of playing," Smith said. "They are starting now to gain the necessary experience to impose themselves in games and I am hoping that can happen with a number of the younger ones like Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith. They have won a championship there and we have not lost a lot of players who played in that group last year. I would hope with the better level of experience that will help them greatly." The same sense of evolution rather than revolution applies to the even younger elements of the team, namely John Fleck, who Smith feels has made further progress since last season. "I would hope that John Fleck would step a little bit further forward," he said. "We are still talking about a young lad, but he got a bit of experience last season and like the rest of them I am hoping he can gain a bit of confidence from that. So although we might not have new players at the start of the season I think we have certainly got a group who will look forward to starting the season and hope that quite a number of them are coming into what I would look upon as the best spells of their careers." Having said all this, whoever picked Rangers' first home opponents of the pre-season clearly does a wicked line in black humour. Manchester City will arrive at Ibrox in early August having lavished �£85m of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan's money on a combination of Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry and Emmanuel Adebayor, with millions more on the table for Joleon Lescott or even John Terry. "They may have two or three other signings by the time we play," Smith says, only half-joking. While the collapse of the Setanta deal, and stillbirth of the Old Firm TV plan didn't do Rangers' finances much good, Manchester City's wealth is above and beyond such mundane matters. "This goes beyond TV money in England," Smith said. "This is about wealthy individuals putting money in and the Premiership giving them the profile they want. They're obviously buying an awful lot of players and having a push at breaking into England's top four clubs. It'll be interesting to see how that goes. If you look at the clubs at that level just now, they're all solid enough clubs, there's a steadiness about them. "Mark Hughes did exceptionally well at Blackburn but people need to have the patience to allow a team to settle in," he added. "It's okay to buy a number of players, as he will do between now and the end of August, but they have to have time to gel and become a team. I think we will see them pushing to get into the top four - whether they get there or not is another thing. I think we might end up with five teams at the top. It's not quite as easy as saying We'll spend a lot of money and get there' but football has shown that if teams are well run and spend a lot of money, then they'll get a level of success." While Manchester City are collecting players, Rangers can't get rid of them quickly enough. Ferguson's departure, coupled with those of Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly may have freed up a total of �£50,000 a week, but with Charlie Adam prevaricating over a proposed move to Blackpool, the club are still three or four players heavy to reach the chairman's stated target of a slimline 20-strong first team pool plus youngsters. Having benefited from their depth of squad at the tail end of the previous campaign, Smith hopes that he won't be left too light when the injuries and suspensions kick in. So will the squad be big enough? "It depends how many leave," Smith says. For the moment at least, the player movement at Rangers will remain one-way traffic. http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootball/display.var.2520783.0.0.php

A summer of discontent: As I whiled away the close season this weekend watching a rather uneventful stage 9 of the Tour de France, my brother exclaimed “I bloody hate the BBC, they never have any news about Rangers” whilst perusing their website. It is a complaint familiar to any Rangers fan reading through the numerous popular bluenose forums available to choose from in cyberspace. Almost as soon as Nacho’s stunning Cup Final goal secured the double, the achievements have been forgotten and Rangers have hardly graced the back pages since. The Scottish sports pages have been dominated firstly by Celtic’s embarrassing manager chase as we were told they secured their first choice man, after openly courting several other targets, and secondly by Mowbray’s attempts to rebuild a failing side. The lack of activity at Murray Park, at least as reported in the press, has many bears worried that we will not press home any advantage gained by last season’s double winning exploits and automatic Champions League qualification. One bear at least is not worried, at least not yet. The greater professionalism in not conducting all our business in public that Smith appears to have returned to the club, whilst perhaps frustrating to fans suffering through a quiet close season and eager for rumours, is reminiscent of the experienced manager’s first dominant stint in Govan. It is also worth noting that the need to strengthen the squad is not as pressing as it was last season, nor indeed as pressing as it is for Celtic. The Kaunas debacle and the refusal to splash the cash until it was too late have no doubt led to the current state of concern pervading through the support. For reasons never fully elucidated, we did not stump up the money for Davis nor other summer signings in time for the Champions' League qualifiers and the repercussions of that miscalculation will be felt for seasonss to come, on the bank balance, on the field and in European rankings. Thus, it is understandable that some fans are anxious over an apparent lack of activity in the transfer market. This concern is only heightened by the fact that Celtic have already brought in former Dundee United goalkeeper Zaluska and striker Fortune from Nancy. However, as previously alluded to, Celtic’s need is greater. They have the Champions League qualifiers to navigate - more perilous than ever under the current format - where they could get past the likes of Arsenal or Lyon to join us at Europe’s top table. Their qualifying campaign begins on the 28th of July and they will be eager to avoid the same fate we succumbed to last season. By contrast, our season does not begin until the 15th of August. We can afford to take our time in the transfer market. We do not need to rush into transfers. The transfer door only opened at the start of this month and there is still a long way to go before the competitive action begins for Smith's squad. Of course our reluctance to dive into the transfer market as of yet will also have been dictated by a meagre transfer budget and a need to get rid of the dead wood. Players we would like to see leave or who are out of favour with the manager will need to be moved on before we can bring anyone in. Ferguson, McCulloch and Adam are on decent wages and could bring in vital transfer funds. However Smith needs to trim the squad and the wage bill to keep our finances at a manageable level and so no one will likely come in before transfers out are secured. We are in need of a left midfielder who can cement a first team spot and a centre back to challenge Weir and Bougherra. We should not, however, be panicking and agonising over our lack of transfer dealing merely because our nearest challengers have already made moves to strengthen their team. Do not misunderstand that statement. I am not advocating any kind of downsizing by the hierarchy, or imagining we can afford to stand still. I am merely attempting to remind those frustrated by a lack of Rangers news in the gutter press that League success and automatic Champions League entry has given us a bit of breathing room this summer. We do not have to dive into transfers that may or may not prove shrewd business at the start of the transfer window. We have bought ourselves time and can afford to be patient in our business dealings. The excessive press coverage from the East End demonstrates the state of affairs over at Parkhead. The fawning on the BBC website of a routine victory over a poor Australian side was particularly embarrassing. The vanquished foes, Brisbane Roar, also fell to defeat against a Japanese Youth team earlier in their pre-season. Don’t let the summer heat aggravate you, nor the media’s reluctance to report on the Scottish Champions. Sit back with a nice cold drink and enjoy the upheaval over at Parkhead whilst Rangers again go about their business quietly. Look through the official site and the photos of the players returning for pre-season training and the fantastic shape in which the likes of Novo, Whittaker and Adam have returned to the club. Trust in Walter in spite of the silence emanating from the club. Remember the quiet, self-assured way the club conducted business prior to securing the SPL title at Tannadice and in his previous tenure at the club, whilst Celtic continue their public grandstanding much as they did prior to bottling the title fight this season. Thank the Lord Martin Bain isn't making crazy claims that Allan McGregor is the 'best goalkeeper in Europe'. Peter Lawwell certainly has had his share of XXXX this week! To conclude, there is still a lot to be decided this summer in the transfer market and the time to worry over the state of the squad for next season has not yet arrived. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=807&Itemid=1

WALTER SMITH today hinted he will be starting the new season with the same faces - despite the fact the Ibrox exodus has begun in earnest. Barry Ferguson is expected to travel to Birmingham today for talks with former boss Alex McLeish. The midfielder will embark on a second stint in the Premiership in a deal that will earn Rangers �£1m, with that fee rising with various add-ons, and free up his �£25,000-a-week wages. Andy Webster is also on the move, with the injury-plagued defender set for a season-long loan at Tannadice. The defender has made just one appearance for Rangers since signing from Wigan, but Dundee United manager Craig Levein believes he can give the 27-year-old a new lease of life. United will take of part of the responsibility of Webster's wages and it is an opportunity for the player to rebuild a career that has been derailed because of repeated injuries. Brahim Hemdani, Christian Dailly and Graeme Smith have also all moved on, clearing over �£30,000 a week from the pay-roll. But in an admission of just how tight the finances are the club, Smith revealed today that he doesn't expect to be bringing any new faces on board for the start of the season. Instead, the onus will be placed on youth as Rangers tighten their belts. Smith told the Rangers News: "Basically our squad will be the same as last season, and hopefully the younger ones can add to that as well. "John Fleck came through last season and we think players like Danny Wilson and Jamie Ness are ready to follow him." Meanwhile, despite reports that Madjid Bougherra is attracting interest from Wigan and Bordeaux, Rangers say they have had no approaches, nor do they want any. But, in the current climate, everyone has their price and a mega-offer for the Algerian would be hard to turn down. The French club, however, have distanced themselves from any approach. "Someone called me," said Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud. "I don't know if it was the agent of the player, the agent of the agent or someone else. "We have had no contact with Rangers. Maybe Laurent Blanc is interested but he hasn't told me."

I was thinking of doing an article along these lines last week but never got round to it. Honest! I had already started. It was to be called David Murray what should we expect from you. Och well i have to agree with the guy what is the use of having a multimillionaire chairman if he isn't going to help us out. As the reporter says anyone with a bit of business knowledge could do what Murray is doing.

Into July then and the new season is now upon us. The transfer window is open, pre-season training will begin next Thursday and preparations will be under way to ensure we retain our SPL crown. With key club figures at pains to say our squad size must be reduced and with the year-end finances expected to be somewhere around �£30million in the red, once again Walter Smith will have to be imaginative with his squad. Versatility has been his buzz-word since he returned in 2007. Players like Whittaker, Broadfoot, Dailly, McCulloch, Miller, Naismith, Novo and Lafferty have all been utilised in a wide range of positions as Rangers compete on all fronts over the last 2 seasons. For the most part, they've done OK but there's no doubt our lack of consistency on the park can be explained by a lack of consistency in selection compounded with players out of position. To add to that, we've already we've had several players move on - young and old - and we'll need more to go if we're to create finance for incoming players. Barry Ferguson remains our highest earner and if we can attain a decent fee for him and Charlie Adam, to name but two fringe players, we may have some flexibility in the transfer market. Players like Beasley, Gow, Graeme Smith and Webster should also be on the move. Even so, any new players will be minimal despite the expected ~�£5-10million bounty of the CL group stage. Key areas for strengthening remain a centre-back to complement 'Madjestic' Bougherra and perhaps allow Davie Weir an easier path to retirement. Meanwhile the wide areas of our midfield remain a problem - especially the left side - as the use of up to 10 different players there last season showed us. Therefore, a left-sided midfielder in the vein of Chris Brunt may indeed be our priority if we do manage to move on the surplus high-earners. Of course the �£3million fee over his head places doubt on our ability to not only sign him but entice him to Glasgow ahead of richer EPL clubs in terms of wages. Thus, with the doubt over who leaves and our budget, how can the manager be flexible with a necessary reduction in squad size and minimal funds to find new players? To add to that dilemma, the fans will expect a better standard of football, more consistency and less defensive play when we do play in Europe. As usual, the pressure on the manager will be high. As such, the answer may ironically lie in another head-ache that will come his way once two of our main midfielders are fit. Both Kevin Thomson and Maurice Edu are injured after being important components of our side last season. While neither player can be considered as tough as a Souness or an Ian Ferguson; their controlled aggression, strength in the tackle and mobility were imperative to allow the creative players such as Mendes and Davis to do their stuff. Therefore, the quicker they both return the better - though Thomson looks the more likely to make the season opener at Ibrox against Falkirk. However, what happens when Edu also retains fitness? Can we really afford to keep such an exciting young talent on the bench for another season? After all, it's doubtful that a central-midfield pairing of he and Thomson would be creative enough in the absence of genuine wingers in the squad? This is where the 4-3-3 formation comes in and I'll contend that makes sense for several reasons: - Playing Edu and Thomson in deeper 'holding' roles means we have a more solid unit for the tougher games without compromising on our need to retain attacking players. - Davis could move inside from the right to play in a free role behind the attack. His creative play is his strongest suit and he is all too often isolated on the right. With Mendes sitting behind him alongside Edu/Thomson we also have a player capable of picking him out when he does find space. - Our current lack of wide players means we don't have to play a Naismith, Miller, Novo or Lafferty in unfamiliar roles they're not as effective in. Instead they get to concentrate on their preferred attacking positions and compete for the two slots up front (or one if Boyd continues to score goals). - We also get the best out of John Fleck. The lad is a prodigious talent so we shouldn't be minimising that by shunting him out to left midfield. Let him compete with the senior players for the free role and we'll see the best of him. - The midfield positions are easily interchanged or rotated to ensure freshness and strategic flexibility when required depending on opposition. 4-5-1 can still be utilised if the situation really demands it. - We free up space for our full-backs to get forward. Steven Whittaker is a player that is at his best roaming forward with space in front of him. No winger allows both him (and to a lesser extent Papac) to support in space with players around them to help them keep possession (not their strongest suits) more effectively. - The strategy above means we may not need to sign a left-midfielder or even another defender given the added protection for the defence. Any money could be kept back for January when new players are often needed more desperately. 4-3-3: The answer to our problems - or a way for the board to hide decreasing squad quality and the manager to go overly defensive again in Europe? You decide!

A dirty mink you mean!!!

This is the final article of the STS project. It is perhaps fitting that we have an independent academic view which lends credibility to supporter opinion and shows that we are worth listening to despite the attempts by some to dismiss us. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Atton for his STS contribution and invite critics of online communities to heed his wise words. 'Why Fanzines Matter' Written by Professor Chris Atton - Napier University http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=795&Itemid=1 It is easy, perhaps too easy, to dismiss fanzines. Some consider them as the inconsequent ramblings of obsessive’s with too much time on their hands. Others feel that they are vehicles for wannabe journalists who cannot make it in the professional media. With so many fanzines available on the web, some believe that the level of discussion that takes place on fanzine sites rarely rises above that of the gutter. As an academic I have been researching fanzines for over fifteen years. My work shows fanzines in a very different light. I have read thousands of these amateur publications; I have talked with their editors, their contributors and their readers. And I have learned that fanzines play an extremely important role in the cultural life of a nation. The fanzine deals with popular culture, such as football, music, films, television and genre fiction. By its very nature, popular culture is enjoyed by ordinary people – its audiences do not need any special qualifications to appreciate it. In this respect football fans (for example) are no different from sports journalists. Simon Frith, Professor of Music at Edinburgh University, argues that ‘critics of popular forms need know nothing about such forms except as consumers; their skill is to be able to write about ordinary experience’. In other words, the ‘amateur’ fan has the potential to write about their experiences of football just as expertly and just as knowledgeably as the football commentator. The football fan is just as likely to offer a detailed analysis of a game, of a team or of an individual footballer as is the professional journalist. That fan is likely to draw on a wealth of accumulated knowledge, comparing games that have taken place that same day, comparing games and players historically, examining the local game as well as the European competition. These analyses do not take place in a vacuum, however. Simon Frith goes on to say that music fanzines provide a space where a ‘democratic conversation [takes place] between music lovers, a social celebration of a particular kind of musical attention and commitment’. The same is true of the football fanzine. I would add that the conversation in fanzines is ‘democratic’ because the knowledge and authority on which it is based come not from formal education or professional training but primarily from untutored, amateur enthusiasm. The development of online fanzines makes this conversation even more intense: no longer to contributors have to wait till the next issue to have their opinions read, nor wait till the issue after that to read the reaction of others. The online fanzine is valuable not only to local fans. It enables fans scattered across the country – even the world – to participate freely in this conversation. There are negative aspects to this freedom, of course. Much attention has been paid to the display of sectarianism on some football fan sites, and with good reason: hate speech must not be tolerated. But we must remember that the majority of fans do not engage in this shameful activity. More importantly, perhaps, all the football fanzine editors I have spoken with over the years have expressed their strong antipathy to such speech: they do everything they can to prevent it and nothing to encourage it. Sectarian behaviour comes from a misguided sense of loyalty to a club. That loyalty, however, is more often put to much better use, to create a community. Fanzines are produced by amateurs, by non-professionals. They offer great potential for democratic participation. Rather than media production being the province of elite, centralised organisations and institutions, fanzines offer the possibilities for individuals and groups to create their own media ‘from the periphery’, so to speak. But this is not to think of fanzines merely as cultural aberrations or marginal activities: the football fanzine can be central to an especially powerful form of community. The loyalty of fans to a club does not end when the full-time whistle blows. Their loyalty extends to an interest in how the club is run, the facilities it offers and how it manages its finances, even to the price of the match programme. Football fanzines are often places where the corporatism of the big clubs is critiqued, not out of a sense of disloyalty or disruption, but because fans care passionately about the game. For them money should not be the primary concern (though all will concede its importance). Pinned above my desk I have a clipping from the Celtic fanzine Not the View that captures this attitude perfectly: “The problem with having the club run by financial investors is that when they look at Celtic they see only a bunch of assets which make money. When we as fans see Celtic, however, we see something unique and magical.” Replace ‘Celtic’ with the name of your favourite club and you would probably agree. Views such as this can make for uncomfortable reading in the boardroom. Fans, though, have invested heavily in their chosen club, financially (season tickets do not come cheap) and emotionally (this is their passion after all). They might not be actual shareholders, but they have a very significant stake in what they consider to be ‘their’ club. The fanzine is able to bring together this community of fans who care, the better to give them a collective voice. Whether it gives a voice to individual opinion or to collective commitment, the football fanzine offers fans the opportunity to engage with – and perhaps improve - aspects of popular culture that are central to their lives. (Who was it who said that football’s not a matter of life and death, it’s important than that?) In a world where so many of our experiences seem to be mediated by professional critics, where we seem to be constantly told what to like and how to like it, the fanzine is where ordinary people can engage with popular culture on their own terms, finding their own pleasures for themselves and engaging socially in the cultural life of their country. That is why fanzines matter. About Prof. Chris Atton Chris Atton is Professor of Media and Culture in the School of Arts and Creative Industries at Edinburgh Napier University. His research specialises in alternative media, and he is the author of four books, including Alternative Media (Sage, 2002) and Alternative Journalism (Sage, 2008), as well as over fifty articles and book chapters. He has made special studies of fanzines, popular music journalism and the media of new social movements.

Whilst i'm in the mood for asking questions about finances etc, Anyone have any reliable estimations of season ticket sales so far for us and them? Keep hearing they are in troube and need a big name appointment to turn around disappointing sales. How are ours though? Are we on track or ahead of schedule compared to recent years and projections for the coming season?

WALTER Smith last night revealed a domestic double and �£15million Champions League bounty won't save Rangers from a summer of first-team cutbacks. Smith could be forced into selling some of the key men behind his side's SPL and Scottish Cup successes. As he paraded both trophies at Ibrox yesterday, the Rangers boss warned fans that not even automatic entry into UEFA's most lucrative tournament will allow him to keep his squad together. Already Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly have left the club under freedom of contract and Smith expects to lose another four or five senior players from his pool before the next campaign begins. Record Sport revealed last week Smith hopes to partly finance a �£3m move for West Brom winger Chris Brunt by sending ex-skipper Barry Ferguson the other way as a �£1m makeweight. And yesterday he conceded more big names could follow Ferguson out of the door. Smith, who first flagged up the urgent nature of Rangers' finances back in January when he accepted a s4m offer from Birmingham for striker Kris Boyd, said: "We have that whole financial situation to face again this summer. "It never affected Rangers in the latter stages of this season because we didn't lose any players in January as Kris did not move on. But we still have that situation to address. The Champions League money makes a difference in that we have more power in deciding who stays and goes but the situation is still there. "We will have to adjust in a number of ways and cut the squad back. Christian and Brahim have left and we will lose a few others. There are three or four positions that could be doing with enhancing but if we can't do it, that's the way it is." Smith wants captain Davie Weir to return to Ibrox for one more season - despite the fact he will turn 40 in May. The manager will hand Weir the armband once more but will also identify a new vice-captain who will be groomed to take over, with Kevin Thomson the top candidate. Smith said: "Davie is keen to continue and at his age that is the first question. From what I've seen he can carry on. He was brilliant for us all season and never missed a day's training. We give him more rest than others but he has never missed a day through a knock, tiredness or anything. "At times you look at players and as long as their assets outweigh their faults they are good to go on and Davie's assets still outweigh any faults. I hope he will stay as captain but we will have more games next season and that is something we will consider as we go." But while Weir will be handed a new one-year deal Smith is unsure if the likes of Boyd and Nacho Novo, who have one more season left to run on their contracts, will be offered extensions. He said: "The global recession is a problem we are not immune to so it is hard to make decisions on anyone. "The problem kicks in now. It means the decision process is not as straightforward as when I arrived and I could say, 'I want him, him and him'. It will not be an easy close season for anybody." Smith is himself entering into the final few months of his contract but insists he will stay in charge for at least next season's title defence. And he has ruled out the prospect of moving upstairs to a new position in order to free up the job for right-hand man and protege Ally McCoist. Smith said: "I want to make one thing clear: I am not going to do that. I don't want to be a director of football and sit here in judgment of another manager. If I leave Rangers I will leave and that is it. If they welcome me back I will come to watch a game or two but not as director of football." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2009/06/02/walter-smith-admits-he-fears-losing-top-stars-despite-rangers-champions-league-cash-boost-86908-21408298/

i'm astounded to see how many people would be happy to let mendes go. some of the reactions are knee jerk. the guy's played half a season for us; he's been inconsistent, but not even RDB was that consistent when he arrived. do people not get 6 months to settle in? he had hardly kicked a ball the first half of the season. it's same with the players coming back from injury - they're not brilliant for a bit and its decided their surplus. i think the idea is that if you could get someone better. but then they need to time to settle. i think you need to persevere with some level of inconsistency - from young players and older ones - to ever get to consistency. some people would've punted steve davis, kyle lafferty if even a decent offer came in. hutton and broadfoot and a million other examples show that people tend to get better at what they're asked to do after a while - after a period of inconsistency you get better, and can then start turning to style. i think with mendes if you get rid of him (and players like him) too quickly - or are too keen to get rid of them, it just shows a sort of impatience or anxiety. i think is happening not because of the players but a sort of general feeling that the future's not quite right. but in footballing terms i think it's wise to assume retaining - where a silly money offer doesn't come in - anyone who could walk into most comparible first teams. even if they dont perform to their capabilities instantly, its wiser to give them time than to chop and change. challengers need impetus and renewal - that's all the things celtic will be cultivating this year - but we need resolve, thoroughness and to establish a team who know each other as winners and all that sort of stuff. i don't know who we should keep, but big chopping and changing i think would set us back. obviously the finances dictate, but i think the "if we get decent money we could get someone better" line will only set us back - by the time there's agents fees, and the costs of transfer, and the little bit to the debt, we lose momentum at too high a cost.

http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/jimtraynor/2009/05/mister-rangers.html Cal certainly will welcome such a peice. :spl:

WALTER SMITH insists he's staying at Rangers and so are ALL his title-winning stars. Gers gaffer Smith has vowed to front the SPL championship defence and Euro charge next term. He'll keep all the big names who looked to be heading out of Ibrox last January. The �£15million Champions League jackpot will allow Gers to hold on to Kris Boyd, Madjid Bougherra and Allan McGregor. And Smith admits Sunday's glorious SPL triumph has whetted his appetite for more glory. He said: "I don't have any real doubts in my mind about carrying on doing the job. "It's not in my thoughts not to start the season." Smith will hold summit talks this week with chairman Sir David Murray to plot for next term. But the championship win guarantees Gers won't have to flog key players to balance the books. Smith said: "The finances are something I have to speak to the chairman about, which will be done over the next few days. "The title win might not have alleviated the whole problem. "But it certainly helps alleviate a good bit of it and takes away a short-term problem we had in January which forced us to have to put players up for sale. "We feel the benefit of that part of the title win right away. "I've been here two and a half years and this was always going to be a close-season where we changed a lot of players. "There were always going to be changes but getting into the Champions League maybe means we can make the changes we want rather than making enforced changes. "That Champions League money will allow us to make the decision on who goes rather than the size of a fee." Smith WON'T get a bumper kitty to spend for the title defence as Gers remain �£25million in debt. He admitted: "That is not going to happen. "It is not possible for that to happen after what was happening in January and things like that." But changes could see several fringe players head out of Ibrox. Cardiff City are keen on Stevie Smith, Blackpool want Charlie Adam and Alan Gow also has suitors south of the border. Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly are out of contract, while Graeme Smith, Andy Webster and DaMarcus Beasley could move on. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2448153.ece

Please say it is so (SDM and Wattie... ignore the offers we will no doubt receive !!!)...... from sportinglife Madjid Bougherra claims he is 100% certain he will still be a Rangers player next season after helping them clinch the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title. The centre-half has enjoyed an excellent debut campaign at Ibrox, prompting speculation he could be set for a move in the summer. He was linked with both Marseille and Newcastle but, with a league winner's medal and Champions League football to look forward to, insists he is going nowhere. He said: "For a player like me, I had never won anything and this is a dream for me. "I will say it again, 100% I will stay next season. When you see the fans behind you and know they like you, you can't move. It's impossible." Rangers chiefs admitted in January they could be forced to offload one of their key players in a bid to balance the books. But, now that a �£10million Champions League jackpot is secure thanks to their status as Scottish champions, Bougherra is optimistic not only of holding onto their best players but adding even more quality. He said: "I think with these finances, we can keep our players and bring new players. It's fantastic for the club to prepare for next season." Goals from Kyle Lafferty, Pedro Mendes and Kris Boyd secured the win over Dundee United which allowed Rangers to win the championship and end Celtic's quest for a fourth successive title. Bougherra knows Rangers were all but written off at the turn of the year when they fell seven points behind following defeat in December's Old Firm derby. But the defender claims he never gave up hope of bringing the trophy back to Ibrox. He said: "We have come far because we were seven points behind. But we didn't speak, we carried on working and now we are champions. "You can read all my interviews here, where I said the championship was very long and I knew the quality of my team. We are delighted to win." Meanwhile, Rangers skipper David Weir branded comments made by Georgios Samaras ahead of the weekend action as "stupidity". The Celtic striker claimed the Parkhead side were the better team and that Rangers would be unworthy champions. But Weir said: "The comments are irrelevant. I think anybody with any sense would realise it's just stupidity. "I'm sure the other team's players will be disappointed with that because it puts them on the back foot straight away. "I think we went about our business in the proper manner and did our talking on the pitch. That's always the best place to do it." At the age of 39, Weir could remain at Ibrox for a further year, admitting: "It's not for me to decide but I hope so."

According to the Mail, he's been told they'll listen to any reasonable offers for him, but its the usual story while being a non-story with no direct quotes. I know he's had his critics, but he can't be faulted for his work-rate, enthusiasm, fitness etc and has been one of those who does put in extra work on the training pitch. I also think he has improved a lot since he's been here, but I can't see him becoming a permanent fixture in the first team, so would he want to hang around if he's only going to be used as a backup player? I'm sure its not all about finances and we could work a deal out if we really wanted him to stay. Maybe he'll move elsewhere and find his level while getting a regular game at centre half. Whatever happens, I'd wish him all the best as quite a few of our players could learn a bit form his attitude if nothing else.

It is with increasing comedic value that I read the weeksââ?¬â?¢ papers and websites. Media sensationalism bordering on satire indeed! Unfortunately one finds it difficult to laugh when the stuff that has hit the fan is affecting my club as much as any ââ?¬â?? if not more. Firstly, I think it is important to point out that the behaviour of several Scotland players (senior and junior) this week is nowhere near as bad as has been painted. A group ââ?¬Ë?bonding sessionââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬â?? sanctioned by the manager ââ?¬â?? which runs over-time and concludes in a few songs and harsh words is nothing new in football ââ?¬â?? never mind the Scotland international scene. Nonetheless, such public (or rather publicised) displays of excess and indiscipline isnââ?¬â?¢t really appreciated as both my international team and club side struggle to find success or quality in recent times. Of course, it would be rather hypocritical of me to complain as Iââ?¬â?¢ve certainly found solace in a beer or two after being part of such disappointments. None of us are perfect and occasionally we all make bad decisions. Unfortunately, the events of the last week do point to a more serious and ongoing problem in our wee country: that being the inexplicable addiction to and need for negativity. The continual negativity in our national sport is affecting our performance. Despite the various positives that can be examined, the preference for mischief-making and controversy is too strong for some. And at every level ââ?¬â?? not just from the omnipresent media hacks! Irrespective of what players were involved in the Cameron House Sunday soirÃ?©e, who was most drunk, who sang what songs and who told which American businessman to mind oneââ?¬â?¢s own business; the ensuing coverage will only result in further grief for our game. And we should all be embarrassed here. From senior football players who prefer alcohol and playground behaviour to self-respect and discipline; to managers with no idea how to handle such egos; to Chief Executives continually on the run from bad publicity; to Presidents more interested in their own profile than the game declining at all levels; to media figures sensationalising and saturating any issue to safe-guard their own finances amid the perpetual negativity; to supporters delighting in pointing the finger to avoid their own clubââ?¬â?¢s problems. Where and when the line be drawn? Indeed, is there even a line anymore as it seems anything goes? I just await Alex Salmond and his political hypocrites in their Edinburgh thinking pods boarding the offended bus so they can take another opportunity to deflect from their obvious failings as our countryââ?¬â?¢s banks go bust and crime rises all the while. Iââ?¬â?¢m sure Iââ?¬â?¢m not the only person who has noted the irony in a country that proclaims independence but doesnââ?¬â?¢t even have the maturity to look after itself at any level ââ?¬â?? highlighted by the Scotland captain drinking like a fish and our First Ministerââ?¬â?¢s bloated figure bumbling into any and every debate. What great examples for the next generation. And Iââ?¬â?¢m offended too. Iââ?¬â?¢m offended that out of all those people none appear to see beyond their own self-interest to repair our countryââ?¬â?¢s real problems. How about they do their jobs instead of deflecting the blame onto others? From football to politics the country isnââ?¬â?¢t something to be proud of right now. Thatââ?¬â?¢s the truth of all this coverage. Thatââ?¬â?¢s the ultimate conclusion. Where have the true leaders of men gone? I see only cowards.

By Lorna Smith and Mark Howarth, 14/03/2009 A CRACK team of debt-busting bankers has been put together to claw back millions from crisis club Rangers. The Ibrox giantââ?¬â?¢s finances have suffered like all businesses in the credit crunch ââ?¬â? causing some of the loans bolstering the club to be put under the microscope. Now cash-strapped Bank of Scotland bosses have hand-picked a posse of ââ?¬Ë?asset houndsââ?¬â?¢ to examine how the club can pay back much of its debt. Experts believe the bank could demand repayments of Ã?£20MILLION over the next few years ââ?¬â? taking the Rangers debt down to around Ã?£5million. Light Blues chairman Sir David Murray has already slashed 12 stadium jobs and ordered manager Walter Smith to axe eight stars in the summer. But last night there were warnings that more cuts could see Rangers facing a DECADE living in Celticââ?¬â?¢s shadow. A Bank of Scotland insider revealed: ââ?¬Å?The debt has been deemed too big and it was felt the time had come to start clawing back some of the cash. ââ?¬Å?The credit crunch means thereââ?¬â?¢s no such thing as easy money any more ââ?¬â? we cannot keep loaning companies big money against assets that leave us exposed. ââ?¬Å?We donââ?¬â?¢t want Rangers to suffer on or off the pitch so weââ?¬â?¢ve pulled together some of our best brains to make sure that the club comes down as gently as possible. ââ?¬Å?But the current situation cannot possibly continue. Ultimately, this is big business and, Iââ?¬â?¢m afraid, sometimes it hurts.ââ?¬Â As Rangers face Celtic at Hampden today in the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final, Stephen Morrow, Professor of Sports Studies at Stirling University, warned fans that the bankââ?¬â?¢s crackdown could see their club ââ?¬Å?in the wildernessââ?¬Â for the next ten years. He said: ââ?¬Å?This will make it even more challenging for a club like Rangers to compete. In some ways, Celticââ?¬â?¢s financial basis is different ââ?¬â? theyââ?¬â?¢ve been run in a different way which has left them less exposed. ââ?¬Å?If Rangers have to pay back, say, Ã?£15-Ã?£20million over the next few years, thereââ?¬â?¢s a risk of a big gap opening up between them and Celtic.ââ?¬Â It is believed the specialist lending team of bankers will study the clubââ?¬â?¢s estimated Ã?£25million debt before making a string of recommendations to claw back some of the clubââ?¬â?¢s loans. The options would include selling off assets ââ?¬â? such as players ââ?¬â? trimming overheads, selling other assets or attracting more investment. Professor Morrow added: ââ?¬Å?What youââ?¬â?¢ve got with a mature business like Rangers is that the business has developed ââ?¬â? thereââ?¬â?¢s only a fixed number of games they can play, theyââ?¬â?¢re playing those games to capacity crowds and thereââ?¬â?¢s a TV deal which is not going to get any better. ââ?¬Å?Once youââ?¬â?¢ve brought playersââ?¬â?¢ wages under control then thatââ?¬â?¢s it, there arenââ?¬â?¢t many more ways to lever huge sums of money into the club. ââ?¬Å?Unless someone comes along and gives you the cash, the only other way is to sell some of your assets and that means players.ââ?¬Â Rangersââ?¬â?¢ finances are tied into chairman Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s complex web of companies, Murray International Holdings ââ?¬â? of which the bank owns around 10 per cent. UNDER THREAT: Kris Boyd Sir David gained control of the Ibrox club in 1988 after buying the majority of its shares for Ã?£6million. As chairman, the businessman ploughed cash into the club, building a third tier on the main stand and raising the groundââ?¬â?¢s capacity by 7,300. Murrayââ?¬â?¢s costly European ambitions for the side, under Dick Advocaatââ?¬â?¢s management, saw them spend millions. But the clubââ?¬â?¢s debts spiralled as TV revenues failed to make a dent on mammoth transfer fees and playersââ?¬â?¢ salaries. By 2001, mounting debts threatened the clubââ?¬â?¢s future and Murray admitted mistakes were made. He said at the time: ââ?¬Å?We got it wrong. We obviously spent far too much money. We canââ?¬â?¢t let it happen again because that would be total mismanagement.ââ?¬Â In July 2002, Murray stood down as chairman but returned two years later in a bid to reduce the Rangers debt mountain. He organised the sale of a new batch of shares which raised Ã?£50million to start paying off the bank and, by 2006, the total owed had dropped from nearly Ã?£74million to only Ã?£5.8million. Since then, the debt has started to rise again at an alarming rate ââ?¬â? despite Rangersââ?¬â?¢ run to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. Last year it stood at Ã?£21.6million but is believed to have reached around Ã?£30million before the bank stepped in. Half-yearly figures released in January show the clubââ?¬â?¢s turnover is 50 per cent lower than 2006. And they are facing a 71 per cent jump in interest payments to nearly Ã?£8,000 a DAY. The credit crunch has hit the club hard as Murray International Holdingsââ?¬â?¢ huge commercial property assets have plummeted in value. Last night insolvency expert John Shields said: ââ?¬Å?Murray International Holdings is built on steel, property and football. ââ?¬Å?The bottom has fallen out of the market for steel and property, so the football cannot carry on being a loss-making luxury. The Bank of Scotland has specialist lending teams whose job it is to protect the bankââ?¬â?¢s money. Those men in grey suits will be looking very closely at the Rangers balance sheet and may suggest pruning the Ibrox staff. UNDER THREAT: Barry Ferguson ââ?¬Å?The team will probably be three-strong and theyââ?¬â?¢ll spend up to six months poring over Rangersââ?¬â?¢ accounts and working with the club to identify where the savings are. ââ?¬Å?They should have a strategy in place for when the transfer window opens at the end of the season and then guide the club through until it closes at the end of August. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re in a recession so season ticket revenue could fall, corporate hospitality has been cut, the Murray Park Academy hasnââ?¬â?¢t delivered enough young players. The only way to raise revenue short-term is to sell players. ââ?¬Å?Usually, the fact that the club has a wealthy parent company would be enough to satisfy the banks. ââ?¬Å?But Murray International Holdings has taken a hit as well so Rangers is more exposed than it would normally be. ââ?¬Å?David Murray is a realist ââ?¬â? he is trying to bring a sound business structure to the club which is essential for it to survive but if the bank is now restructuring the debt then there may be even deeper cuts on the way. ââ?¬Å?I think the fans need to rally round the chairman at this time, not barrack him for putting his neck on the line.ââ?¬Â Sir David recently admitted Rangers had lurched deeper into the red, losing nearly Ã?£4million between June and December 2008, with Ã?£1.4million paying off interest alone. An early exit from European football at the hands of Lithuanian minnows Kaunas in the second qualifying stage of the Champions League this season cost the club around Ã?£13million in potential revenue. During Januaryââ?¬â?¢s transfer window, Murray sanctioned the sale of star striker Kris Boyd for Ã?£3.8million in a bid to rake in cash. UNDER THREAT: Allan McGregor Boyd, 25, was on the verge of a move to Birmingham City but a row over his Ã?£20,000- a-week wages saw the deal fall through. Goalie Allan McGregor and captain Barry Ferguson, on salaries of Ã?£25,000 and Ã?£30,000 a week, were linked to a lucrative Newcastle United move which also fell through. Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s squad is to be trimmed to only 20 in the summer after failing to offload Boyd in January. But Murray has insisted that long-term loans were keeping the club stable, saying: ââ?¬Å?What Iââ?¬â?¢m doing is not panicking. We have a financial facility with the bank and we must work within that framework.ââ?¬Â Now that strategy has been thrown into uncertainty and earlier this month, Rangers admitted a dozen backroom staff would lose their jobs. John Macmillan, general secretary of the Rangers Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Association said: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s a pretty bleak picture ââ?¬â? the fans wonââ?¬â?¢t take kindly to this. ââ?¬Å?Most really donââ?¬â?¢t care about who owes what to whom, so we may see a split between the club and the fans over the next few years. ââ?¬Å?But the club must recognise that itââ?¬â?¢s not the fansââ?¬â?¢ fault that Rangers are in such a mess ââ?¬â? thereââ?¬â?¢s been mismanagement and unwise signing policies which continue to this day. ââ?¬Å?The way through this crisis is to put bums on seats, not to penalise the fans. The club should look at lowering prices and even letting in kids for free.ââ?¬Â Bank of Scotland has recently been bought out by Lloyds Banking Group after racking up losses of Ã?£10.8billion as part of HBOS. Both the bank and the club refused to comment. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_news/218758/Rangers-pound20m-debt-squeeze-David-Murray.html

AROUND 20 Rangers staff were last night facing the sack ââ?¬â? as the club cuts costs to beat the credit crunch. Bosses at the debt-ridden club have asked all 200 non-football employees to consider redundancy. The move comes weeks after the Ibrox side FAILED to flog any of its big names during the January transfer window. And only a week after its Ã?£3.9million loss for the second half of last year was blamed on the teamââ?¬â?¢s FAILURE to reach the Champions League. Last month chairman Sir David Murray warned: ââ?¬Å?We have to bring down costs. This financial downturn is a reality check for everyone.ââ?¬Â And last night a club source revealed: ââ?¬Å?There are rumours flying all over the place. ââ?¬Å?No one really knows what state the finances are in. ââ?¬Å?The bosses are said to be looking to shed about 20 jobs, which is a sizeable chunk of the workforce. There isnââ?¬â?¢t much sympathy for the clubââ?¬â?¢s players. ââ?¬Å?David Murray said they may have to take pay cuts. ââ?¬Å?But whatââ?¬â?¢s that when the axe is hovering over the jobs of day-to-day workers who have mortgages to pay?ââ?¬Â The voluntary redundancy offer applies to backroom staff at Ibrox and the clubââ?¬â?¢s Murray Park training ground. Decision In January, Rangers were on the verge of securing a much-needed Ã?£3.8m boost when they accepted Birmingham Cityââ?¬â?¢s offer for top scorer Kris Boyd. Explaining the decision at the time, Mr Murray said: ââ?¬Å?People are asking how bad is it at Rangers? If we did not take this action, it COULD have been bad.ââ?¬Â But the move fell through when Boyd, 25, could not agree personal terms. In the same month, The Scottish Sun told how the club was also considering the sale of captain Barry Ferguson, keeper Allan McGregor or defender Madjid Bougherra to fill the hole in its finances ââ?¬â? but all three stayed at Ibrox. Last week Rangers declared a loss of almost Ã?£4m for the last six months of 2008 ââ?¬â? and blamed the teamââ?¬â?¢s Champions League qualifier loss to lowly Lithuanian minnows Kaunas. M Murray has warned EIGHT first-team stars will be let go this June. Yet last summer he spent Ã?£17m on new players. They included Bougherra (Ã?£2.5m), Pedro Mendes (Ã?£3m), Steven Davis (Ã?£3m), Maurice Edu (Ã?£2.6m), Kyle Lafferty (Ã?£3m), Kenny Milller (Ã?£2m) and Andrius Velicka (Ã?£1m). But last night an Ibrox source insisted the redundancy move was NOT as a result of the clubââ?¬â?¢s failure to flog stars. The insider said: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s nothing to do with selling players. The club would be looking at their costs anyway.ââ?¬Â A Rangers spokeswoman said: ââ?¬Å?The club is looking at its costs. As part of this review, it is giving staff the option of voluntary redundancy. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article2302836.ece

Hamilton Accies insolvent, declares judge Todays article in the Herald that reveals the state of the finances at new boys Hamilton. http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2494024.0.Hamilton_Accies_insolvent_declares_judge.php PS Apologies for the spelling error in the header!

by Thomas Jordan AFTER waiting four months for their opportunity to return to the top of the table, Rangers latest reign as league leaders lasted all of 11 days. Hardly the hallmark of a team with the durability required to succeed as champions. The 1-0 defeat at the hands of Caley Thistle this week has prompted questions over the Ibrox club's title credentials. The obvious one, of course, will be do they have the bottle to come out on top in such a fiercely contested title battle? A two-week shutdown from the league, as they take on Hamilton Accies in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup before facing Celtic in the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final at Hampden Park, will put Rangers' title challenge on the back burner. advertisement That, however, will do little to dilute concerns among the Light Blue legions that their defeat to the Highlanders is a signal that this squad doesn't have what it takes to stop Celtic making it four-in-a-row. The implications if Rangers don't win the league are huge. From a financial perspective, it is imperative the riches that go hand in hand with entry to the Champions League are secured next season after failure to reach that stage this season left a �£10million black hole in the club's finances. Winning the championship this season will once again offer the SPL winners direct entry to the group stage of the competition. The runners-up, like this season, would face two qualifying games, but the standard of opposition standing in their path will dramatically increase under Uefa's qualification criteria revamp. On March 21 against Hearts, Walter Smith will turn his full attention back of the title race with Celtic now out in front, albeit only marginally with a three-point advantage. He will have 10 matches which will not only shape their season, but possibly the foreseeable future of the club. Does the Rangers manager have the players at his disposal to come out in top against a Celtic side that has already shown, not just last season but in previous campaigns, that they are good enough to prosper under the white heat of a title run-in? Indeed, captain Barry Ferguson is the only member of Walter Smith's squad who has truly influenced and delivered title success. Nacho Novo, who is currently out injured, has also played his part in the past as Alex McLeish delivered two championship trophies in 2005. But he has been no more than a bit-part player at Rangers in recent seasons. Here, SportTimes takes a look at the men who will be required to stand up and be counted in 10 league games of monumental importance to the Ibrox club. IN GOOD HANDS Allan McGregor has returned to the sort of form that brought speculation of a �£9m move to the Premiership last season. After a difficult start to the campaign, as he tried to find his feet following a long injury lay-off, the Ibrox goalkeeper is once again turning in some vital performances. McGregor's goal has been breached only four times in 13 matches. So this isn't a position that would cause Smith much concern. FULL-BACK FAILINGS Smith's first task as they prepare to welcome a rejuvenated Hearts side to Ibrox will be to find a replacement for the suspended Davie Weir. The stopper's red card, following a rare mistake which gifted Caley the three points on Wednesday, will mean he'll have to sit out against his former club. On previous occasions, Kirk Broadfoot has been moved inside from his usual right-back beat and Steven Whittaker has come out of cold storage to play as a full-back. That, you'd imagine, would tempt most opposing managers to try and expose Gers backline. Madjid Bougherra has been their most consistent defender throughout this season. Indeed, Smith probably doesn't like to dwell on what his defence would be like without him at its heart As for Weir, his displays, in fairness, have been pretty consistent. It's the full-back areas that let Rangers down. The way they play, both see plenty of the ball and are encouraged to push forward. While Broadfoot is always willing to do so, too often his final ball simply isn't good enough. At least, however, he is willing to get involved in the game. Papac, no doubt to the constant frustration of the Rangers management, is far more reluctant to join in on attacks. So is it a defence you could bank on to hold firm? Well, their recent form has been impressive, but cracks could appear the more pressure is put on them. WIDE-BOYS REQUIRED Pedro Mendes's influence has been badly missing in Rangers recent two matches. The Portuguese playmaker provides an extra dimension to their attacking play in particular. His passes are crisp, he spots things early and, unlike many of his colleagues, he isn't too predictable at times. Next to him will be the captain Ferguson. Having been over the course many times before, he knows what it takes to deliver a championship. And, as skipper, he knows there are more eyes on him than any other member of the Rangers squad. Maybe Rangers' biggest problem is that they don't boast natural wide players. For all Steven Davis has enjoyed an excellent campaign, he isn't an out-and-out winger. Neither is Kyle Lafferty, Lee McCulloch, Steven Naismith nor the various players deployed on the left of midfield this season. Perhaps the most comfortable in such a position is young John Fleck. But he is still cutting his teeth at this level. It would be unfair, for all his natural ability and enthusiasm, to expect him to carry older and more experienced team-mates between now and the end of the season. Overall, Rangers have a midfield that works well enough together but there have been several occasions this season when they could have played all night and not carved out a chance for any of the striker. BOYD BACK-UP Who scores the goals if Kris Boyd isn't bagging them? Kenny Miller pops up now and again with one, sometimes two, but can he do it when it matters most? Can he keep a cool head inside the penalty area when that one of only chance of the game comes his way? History would suggest not. Lafferty is struggling to provide clues as to how he is going to become a key player at Rangers and while Novo is always a threat coming off the bench, his injury problems could prevent him from being at his best for some time. This department, probably more than any other, will be the one that Smith will be concerned about the most. When everything is going well, they are most certainly capable of finding the back of the net. In the comings weeks, however, there will be more than one occasion when Smith is on the sidelines hoping to one of his frontman to snatch a goal that transformers what is appearing to be one point into three. Time, of course, will tell. Only a fool would predict the outcome of the current championship. But Rangers aren't only playing for the title - the financial baggage it carries means the future of the club is at stake. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493863.0.0.php

by Matthew Lindsay RANGERS must land the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title if they want to avoid experiencing serious money problems in the future. That was the warning from financial expert David Glen today after the Ibrox club announced it has made a �£4million loss in its interim results. Glen, a senior partner in Pricewaterhouse Coopers, was unsurprised the Light Blues had performed so poorly. Walter Smith's team failed to make it to the Champions League group stage when they lost to Lithuanian minnows FBK Kaunas in the second qualifying round in August. advertisement As a result of that major disappointment, the Gers turnover was down dramatically to �£20m for the six months to December 31, 2008, from �£33m the year before. Those figures are in stark contrast to their Old Firm rivals Celtic who made a six- month profit of �£8m in the corresponding period. And Glen, who estimates the Gers debt is now around the �£25m mark, believes being crowned champions this season is vital to stave off the effects of the credit crunch. He said: "The results are pretty much as expected. Basically, this is what happens when a club doesn't have European football. That makes such an enormous difference to clubs financially. "In the last five seasons, Celtic have been pretty much ever-presents in Europe and that is a large part of the reason why they are in such a healthy position financially. "Rangers, despite reaching the Uefa Cup final in Manchester last season, have not been so successful. Hence the reason their debt is, at an educated guess, around about the �£25m mark." Glen added: "The trouble is that in the past when Rangers were in this situation they would work on the basis that they would get back into Europe the following year, or even the year after that. "They would work on the basis that things would come right. Often, they would turn to the bank to lend them more money. With the banking situation the way it is now, though, they can't gamble like that as much as they have done in the past. "They are on a knife-edge. Going another season without Champions League qualification is going to hurt them. "The crucial thing is they win the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. If they do, they qualify automatically for the Champions League group stage. If they don't, they need to get through two qualifying rounds. "They will be up against a better standard of opposition in the 2009/10 season, too. They will come up against good teams from Russia and the like. It will be a tough task to make it. "If they get into the group stage, their income is far more predictable. They will pick up �£10m - possibly �£12.5m if the second-placed team doesn't qualify for the group stage - and will be in a far healthier situation." However, Glen, an authority in the field of football finances, feels Rangers may attempt to trim their squad of first-team players in the summer even if they pip the Hoops to the SPL trophy and get into the Champions League group stage. Sir David Murray provoked outrage among the Gers support when he agreed to sell top scorer Kris Boyd to Coca-Cola Championship club Birmingham City for a �£3.8m fee in the January transfer window. Boyd, a lifelong Rangers supporter, dug his heels in and refused to join up with former Gers boss Alex McLeish at the St Andrew's Stadium - despite the promise of a hefty pay rise. But there were serious fears that several first-team players, including keeper Allan McGregor, defender Madjid Bougherra and midfielders Barry Ferguson and Pedro Mendes, would be offloaded in an attempt to balance the books. Glen continued: "As Sir David Murray said over the weekend, this (the club's interim results showing a �£4m loss) is what happens when a club has European overheads without European income. "The second half of the season is, in comparison with last year when they reached the Uefa Cup Final, are also going to show a huge decrease in income. There will be another significant drop-off. "Rangers just can't risk living with such a big squad any more. They have 28 first- team players at the moment and have said themselves they would like to trim that by about eight players. "I would expect the club to be net sellers in the summer - even if they win the league and get back into the Champions League." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493042.0.0.php

SIR DAVID MURRAY knows no one can escape the brutal impact of the global credit crunch. Not the High Street chains who have crumbled in the face of multi-million pound debts. Not the highly-paid bankers who are now shouldering the blame for much of this desperate crisis. Not even the superstar footballers whose sky-high salaries are about to hit a downward spiral. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ newly-published club accounts paint a gloomy picture of the finances. But the chairman insists the big spending stops now as Gers seek to cope with these unprecedented times. No fewer than EIGHT first-team stars will be cut adrift this summer. David Weir, Christian Dailly and high-earner Brahim Hemdani are out of contract at the end of the season. The likes of Charlie Adam, Steven Smith and DaMarcus Beasley are likely to be moved on. Andrius Velicka and Graeme Smith are also expected to be casualties of the cash cutbacks. Murray has warned the stars who stay the days of bumper wages may be gone FOREVER. He said: ââ?¬Å?We had far too many players, too big a squad and no safety net in Europe this season. ââ?¬Å?The absence of European competition, together with the economic downturn, has confirmed the size of the squad was neither sustainable from a financial nor football point of view. ââ?¬Å?It is our aim to rationalise the squad to a more manageable level going forward, and integrate the young talent now emerging from Murray Park. ââ?¬Å?Next season our wage bill will be down by between Ã?£4-5million. ââ?¬Å?I would say that within a couple of years it will be a rare commodity in Scotland to have a player on wages beginning with a two. ââ?¬Å?And the vast majority might not even be beginning with a one.ââ?¬Â That is an ominous warning to Ibrox mainstays like Kris Boyd and skipper Barry Ferguson. Both are closing on the final year of their contracts and will soon be due to open negotiations with chief executive Martin Bain. Boyd is unlikely to receive an offer to match the Ã?£17,000-a-week he rejected from Birmingham. Ferguson can expect to be asked to take a mammoth cut on his Ã?£25,000-a-week-plus contract. Murray wants the first-team squad slashed from 28 to 20. The big names will be supplemented by home-grown kids like John Fleck, Jamie Ness and Danny Wilson. After the crushing blow of Kaunas, the chairman has vowed to never again rely so heavily on Euro cash. He added: ââ?¬Å?The situation is unfortunate but we knew this was coming. ââ?¬Å?We have to bring down costs and this financial downturn is a reality check for everyone. ââ?¬Å?If we stick with the business model I talked about in January, which we will, then we will be fine.ââ?¬Â Advertisement Click here Gersââ?¬â?¢ increasing debt levels are in stark contrast to the upbeat financial figures unveiled by Celtic last week. The crucial income stream from the Champions League has been vital to the Hoops. So as the Old Firm again battle for the SPL title, the price of success and the cost of failure has never been higher. The golden ticket of direct entry to next seasonââ?¬â?¢s Champions League is worth up to Ã?£15m. He said: ââ?¬Å?We are competing well again in both domestic cups, we are in the final of the Co-op Cup and the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup. ââ?¬Å?Savings in operating costs through efficiencies and reduced European expenditure have been partly offset by higher player wage costs and other charges due to last summerââ?¬â?¢s signings. ââ?¬Å?Incorporating the effect of these additions to the squad, less the gain on sale of players, results in an overall decrease of Ã?£5.8m in profit before interest and tax to a net loss of Ã?£2.7m. ââ?¬Å?Due to the increase in the average debt, the interest charge of Ã?£1.4m was Ã?£0.6m higher than the same period last year, resulting in a retained loss after tax of Ã?£3.9m compared to a retained profit of Ã?£2.3m last year.ââ?¬Â The figures, while hardly unexpected, make worrying reading for Gers fans. Itââ?¬â?¢s not quite a case of win-or-bust for Gers in the SPL title chase. But the clock is ticking on some very high-profile stars. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2280715.ece

Graham Spiers Rangers are believed to be about to reveal a slight downturn in their financial fortunes for the first six months of the current season when the Ibrox club releases its half-year accounts this afternoon in Glasgow. Having reached the Uefa Cup final and very nearly won the Clydesdale Bank Premier League last season, Rangers' fortunes suffered a setback when they failed to qualify for the group stage of the 2008-09 Champions League, a factor that has impacted on the club's turnover figure for the first half of the season. Rangers' turnover to December 31 should still be in the region of Ã?£30million, though the club is expected to have taken a hit due to its non-participation in Uefa's premier club tournament. The Champions League - even with Celtic sharing Scotland's pot of money - would have netted Rangers an extra Ã?£8million to Ã?£9million in ticket sales and other retail spin-offs in the run up to Christmas last year. Against that, the sale of Carlos CuÃ?©llar to Aston Villa for Ã?£8million in August will have softened the blow of missing out on a Champions League windfall. Without the CuÃ?©llar sale, Rangers' six-month figures would have been much tougher. This time last year the club recorded encouraging half-year figures, with turnover up by Ã?£10million to over Ã?£33million, though that was mainly due to their 2007 Champions League adventure. Today's figures are expected to show a dip by comparison. Sir David Murray, the Rangers chairman, will preside over today's interim accounts, and is also expected to clarify the current debt situation at Rangers, which is estimated to be in the region of Ã?£23million. Murray has repeatedly stated the importance of playing in the Champions League as the key to Rangers' financial performance in recent years. ââ?¬Å?For the Old Firm, who do not have access to the riches of some of the other big leagues of Europe, the importance of Champions League participation cannot be over-estimated,ââ?¬Â one football analyst told The Times yesterday. ââ?¬Å?It is tough if they miss out on the group stage or beyond, because of the obvious earning power of the tournament. So the defeat to Kaunas back in August [in a Champions League qualifier] will have hit Rangers hard.ââ?¬Â The current debt of Rangers is intriguing, given Celtic's revelation last week that they are just Ã?£900,000 in the red. There has been a distinct divergence in fiscal policy between the Old Firm in recent years, with Celtic feverishly trying to eradicate their debt, while Rangers have allowed theirs to climb steadily upwards again. Between 2003 and 2007, Rangers successfully arrested their bank borrowings from a frightening high of Ã?£80million to around Ã?£5million, though in the last 18 months the figure has risen sharply again. Murray and Rangers took some flak recently for revealing that they hoped to sell one of their main playing assets - either Kris Boyd or Barry Ferguson - to ease the financial pressure at the club. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5810535.ece

Fraser Wishart, chief executive of the PFA in Scotland, has issued a grim warning over the possibility that at least one in three professional footballers could be released by clubs this summer. The former Rangers defender believes up to 400 players could be looking for new clubs because The SPL is scrapping the reserve league amid the effects of the recession. "We expect 300 to 400 players will be released this summer," Wishart told the Sunday Mail. "That's about a third of the work-force and many of them will be lost to the game for good. "I'm expecting a huge number of frees because of the way clubs are restructuring their finances. "Clubs are now allowing players' contracts to run down and once they've expired it's a case of offering them less money to re-sign or letting them go. "With the reserve league about to be disbanded at the end of the season as well that means there will be even more players looking for fewer jobs and it doesn't take a genius to work out there will be a large number of casualties." http://www.setanta.com//uk/Articles/Football/2009/02/08/SPL-Wishart-on-players/gnid-39227/

English footballâ��s television rights bonanza was in full swing last night as Sky paid more than �£1 billion to secure its grip as the main Premier League broadcaster. The company has kept its hold on the majority of live games, 92 out of the 138 matches available, by retaining its four existing packages. With the Premier League going to a second round on the other two outstanding packages, an auction thought to involve Sky, Setanta and ESPN, the 20 clubs will be hoping to exceed the �£1.7 billion from the 2007-10 deal and set a record. The bids arrived yesterday at the Leagueâ��s legal offices and Sky, the satellite broadcaster that is 39.1 per cent owned by News Corporation, parent company of The Times, ensured that it would not lose its dominant position by keeping the premium slots, including the Sunday 4pm kick-off. Although the Premier League declined to comment, sources disclosed that Sky had kept its four packages. No figures are known, but it is believed that the company will have paid close to the present �£1.314 billion. Related Links * Clubs bank on boom as world goes bust * Setanta to broadcast Premier League * Sale pitch, then Setanta calls off the game Only once in the Leagueâ��s history have domestic live rights failed to rise, in 2004, when they dipped from �£1.1 billion to �£1.024 billion, and there was a huge leap three years later. The clubs certainly set about the January transfer window as though confident that the revenues would not drop away. Barclays Premier League clubs spent a record �£160 million, defying the credit crunch that has afflicted so many businesses. While Arab wealth at Manchester City accounted for some of that spending, it is the television income that underpins the Leagueâ��s finances. Under European Union regulations, Sky is entitled to own five out of the six packages, and with ESPN, the Disney-owned broadcasting giant, joining the bidding â�� and Setanta desperate to keep the two packages it bought for �£392 million last time â�� there will be a further round of bids. The process is kept so secretive that none of the companies knows who it is bidding against, or how many rivals are involved. Sky was always expected to step up to the plate for the 2010-13 rights. Half-year results announced last week showed operating profits up 31 per cent to �£385 million. Broadcasters remain confident in the strength of the Premier League to attract subscribers. Money from the television companies has attracted some of the worldâ��s leading stars and two English clubs, Manchester United and Chelsea, contested the Champions League final last May. It is the most popular league in the world and, having recently missed out on the rights for German football, ESPN is known to have set about securing a significant presence in Europe by winning Premier League rights. Club chairmen will receive an update when they gather in London tomorrow. They will be relieved to know that the majority of the money has already been banked. On top of Skyâ��s input, the league has also sealed a deal with BBC for the 2010-13 highlights package for �£173 million, slightly above the existing cost. Setanta will be the most anxious of the bidders, having established itself in the market through its Premier League rights. More than �£5 billion has been ploughed into the English game by the television companies since the formation of the Premier League and Skyâ��s initial �£304 million investment. From the strength of the bidding yesterday, it seems as mutually beneficial a relationship as the day it started. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article5655101.ece