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http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/the-recovery-will-start-at-hearts-says-rangers-captain-mcculloch-188835n.25885771? McCulloch and his Gers team-mates were booed off the pitch by their own fans at Ibrox on Saturday after failing to beat the part-time Wasps. It was a terrible result ahead of the massive top-of-the-table showdown with the Jambos at Tynecastle this weekend It allowed Hearts, who beat Falkirk 2-1 away later that day, to pull six points clear at the top of the second-tier table. But skipper McCulloch, who thought he had snatched victory against Alloa with a second-half goal, is confident his side can beat the capital club. He was pleased with the way the League One champions responded to their 3-1 defeat at home at Hibs back in September. And the centre-half reckons Ally McCoist's side can get back to winning against Robbie Neilson's team despite Hearts being unbeaten in the Championship. McCulloch said: "We know the importance of the match. We were disappointed on Saturday and that has made it more important than it already was. "We are going to have to be ready. Tynecastle is always a hard place to go. But we are looking forward to it. "There is going to be a good atmosphere and we will be playing against a good Hearts team. They are very organised. "It is a chance to put right what we did wrong against Alloa on Saturday and I am sure we will be prepared. "We certainly responded to the defeat at home against Hibs in September. We managed to go on an eight-game winning run in all competitions. Hopefully we can do it again." McCulloch was at a loss to explain why Rangers failed for the second time in the campaign to beat Alloa, who equalised with a Liam Buchanan strike. "I honestly don't know what happened," he said. "We were scoring goals freely and keeping clean sheets at the back going into it. "We passed the ball all right at times and created some chances. But we didn't take them, simple as that. "We had a moment of madness after we scored our goal and we couldn't get back in the game."

I speculated that this was worth a thread on its own. Apologies if not, admin....merge it with Whyte Arrest warrant. However, it is a different revelation (though it may be connected, of course): "In a further development, The Daily Telegraph understands that while Wallace and Nash were still in their posts, documents related to the 2012 share issue were passed to the Serious Fraud Office for investigation. The SFO had no comment to make." It is tagged on here; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11231964/Former-Rangers-owner-Craig-Whyte-issued-with-arrest-warrant-as-four-others-are-detained-by-police.html

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest/site-info/293-competition-win-a-savile-rogue-rangers-scarf Savile Rogue, purveyors of the world’s finest football scarves, have teamed up with Gersnet to give your the chance to win a cashmere scarf in Rangers colours. If you’re not familiar with them, Savile Rogue scarves give a nod to football terraces of yesteryear, shunning in-your-face logos and cheap nylon in favour of a traditional bar design and the comfort, quality and warmth of top quality cashmere. To get your hands on one, simply tell us what Rangers player was called up to the Scotland squad for the upcoming matches against Ireland and England? Please email your answer to info@gersnet.co.uk - competition closes on Friday 14th November at noon and the site administrator's decision is final! Please note, unfortunately this competition is only open to residents of the United Kingdom. You can follow Savile Rogue on Twitter or Facebook.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ibrox-hate-figure-brian-stockbridge-4625845 Rears his head.. Sorry, on mobile... Hence lack of copy and paste

Calling all bluenoses and football memorabilia collectors... For the remainder of this month the Sportsman Bar Singapore will be hosting a charity auction to raise money for the cancer treatment of a dear friend. The Sportsman Bar Singapore has been the home of expat Rangers supporters for a number of years but shall be auctioning off much of its collection. Please have a look and bid for the items on the Facebook page at the address below. Happy shopping and thanks for your time.... https://www.facebook.com/events/717580138327725

Calling all bluenoses and football memorabilia collectors... For the remainder of this month the Sportsman Bar Singapore will be hosting a charity auction to raise money for the cancer treatment of a dear friend. The Sportsman Bar Singapore has been the home of expat Rangers supporters for a number of years but shall be auctioning off much of its collection. Please have a look and bid for the items on the Facebook page at the address below. Happy shopping and thanks for your time.... https://www.facebook.com/events/717580138327725

Have we really spent more than £20M on players wages over these three seasons? And for what, two minor league titles? Our manager is a disgrace, will leave it at that.

THE Crown Office will today issue a warrant for the arrest of disgraced former Rangers owner Craig Whyte, the Daily Record can exclusively reveal. Whyte is wanted in connection with alleged fraud over his purchase of the Ibrox club in 2011. The sensational news comes after it was revealed that police forces in England, acting on warrants from Police Scotland, made dawn arrests today in connection with a long-running inquiry into Rangers. Four men were arrested at addresses in Thames Valley, Surrey and Cheshire. The first of the four is Paul Clark, London managing director of former Rangers adminstrators Duff & Phelps. The other three are former Duff & Phelps north of England managing director David Whitehouse, David Greer, a former partner in the business, and Gary Withey, a solicitor who worked with Whyte’s law firm Collyer Bristow. The arrests came at 6am today. Whyte, who has a flat in Monaco, is believed to be out of the country. It is thought the allegations over which the men have been detained centre on claims that Grier and Whyte were known to each other before Duff & Phelps were appointed as Whyte’s choice of administrators for Rangers in 2012. HMRC had at first opposed Whyte’s choice of administrators. Whyte bought the club from Sir David Murray in 2011 for £1 promising to wipe Rangers’ £18 million debt to Lloyds Banking Group. It later emerged he had sold future season ticket sales to London firm Ticketus to finance the deal. In 2013 financial industry regulators cleared Duff & Phelps of wrongdoing over the Rangers’ administration, though they said the company had left itself open to criticism. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/sc...-crown-4628861

More soon apparently...

I was “invited” to attend a meeting at Ibrox today with Rangers’ Director of Communications, Irene Munro and Jim Hannah, Supporters’ Liaison Officer. I had to ask three times by email about the nature of the meeting and eventually was told only that it was “to discuss complaints raised against you by other fans board members”. I asked to be supplied with the details of the complaints before the meeting but this was denied. At the meeting I was told that as a result of two complaints by colleagues on the Fans Board and one complaint from a member of the public, I was being removed from the Fans Board. The complaint from the member of the public was in connection with or as a result of information that I posted about the Rangers Fans Fighting Fund. I was not told the nature of the complaints by members of the Fans Board. These are the relevant sections of the Constitution: 17.Conduct of members of the RFB 17.1 The Elected Representatives shall, in exercising his/her functions as a member of RFB, act in the interests of the Club and RFB; and, in particular, must (a) seek, in good faith, to ensure that RFB acts in a manner which is in accordance with its objects (as set out in clause 3 this constitution); (b) act with the care and diligence which it is reasonable to expect of a person who is managing the affairs of another person; and © in circumstances giving rise to the possibility of a conflict of interest between RFB or the Club and any other party (i) put the interests of the RFB and the Club before that of the other party, in taking decisions as a member of the RFB; or (ii) where any other duty prevents him/her from doing so, disclose the conflicting interest to the RFB and the Club and refrain from participating in any discussions or decisions involving the other Elected Representatives with regard to the matter in question. (d) If, in the opinion of the Club, any Elected Representative is in breach of paragraphs (a), (b) and © above, or in the opinion of the Club, brings the Club into disrepute, the Club shall have the power to terminate that individuals Membership and remove them as an Elected Representative with immediate effect and without notice. There is no right of Appeal. The Fans Board had agreed an interim Code of Conduct which includes up to three warnings but this was not applied because it provides for complaints to be referred to the Office Bearers and there are no Office Bearers in place at this time. I was told that in the opinion of the Club I have not been acting in the interests of the Fans Board and that my position was not tenable, so I was being removed. I was given the opportunity to resign, which I declined. I was then told that Rangers would issue a statement saying that I had “left the Fans Board” but I asked that if they were removing me they issue a statement accordingly.

Aberdeen have agreed an investment deal that will wipe out the club's debts. As the Dons released their annual accounts, it was revealed their net debt of £14.49m will be cleared if the restructuring plans are approved. Willie Donald and his wife Elaine, who own the Stonehaven-based engineering company WM Donald, will become shareholders in the club. The Pittodrie outfit hope to see the plans given the go-ahead at next month's AGM. Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne told BBC Scotland earlier this year that he remained optimistic that the club could soon be in a "debt-free position," as they target new training facilities and a new stadium. In the annual club accounts, Aberdeen revealed turnover rose from £7.85m to £11.158m last season with wages increasing from £5.256m to £6.084m. The club say the wages increase is a result of higher bonus payments. Milne told the club website: "The period covered in this report has seen a significant change in the fortunes at Aberdeen given the team's success in lifting the League Cup." It was also confirmed that if restructuring plans are approved, Aberdeen FC Community Trust will also receive a "sizeable shareholding". On the restructuring plans, Milne said: "The negotiations have been ongoing for a number of months now and these arrangements will, I believe, be transformational for the club. "The club are indebted to Willie and Elaine for the role they have played in this. If the final steps are approved at the AGM we will have a strong balance sheet and the debt servicing burden will be removed, allowing us to drive forward on training facilities and the plans for the new stadium with much greater confidence in our ability to raise the additional investment needed." Willie Donald said: "Our family recognises that we have been fortunate to have grown our business in a city and region that has benefitted from the impact of the energy sector over the last 37 years. "We decided some time ago that we wished to give something back to the community, we see the football club as a vital and central part of the community, and indeed the whole North East of Scotland and see this investment as an excellent opportunity to deliver our objective." As part of the restructuring plan, the net debt of the club will reduce by £14.49m and its share capital and reserves will rise by the same amount. Debt of £4.42m owed to the Stewart Milne Group will be converted to equity. SMG shareholding in the club will rise to around 43% but only up to 29.9% of this would be voting rights. Aberdeen Asset Management will convert their remaining debt to equity and Willie and Elaine Donald will end up with a shareholding of around 20%. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30016970

RANGERS are set to make a January move for Inverness Caley Thistle defender Graeme Shinnie. Ally McCoist hopes to tie up the full-back on a pre-contract deal that will let him make the switch from the Caledonian Stadium to Ibrox next summer. The Rangers manager is a long-time admirer of Shinnie, and knows he would be an ideal replacement for Lee Wallace if the former Jambo is sacrificed for financial reasons or, alternatively, is tempted down south. The 23-year-old has been a big part of Caley Thistle’s success story, but this week he turned down the offer of a new deal at the Highlands club. Clive Hart, the player’s agent, confirmed: “I have told Inverness that Graeme will be leaving the club. We have turned a new contract offer down.” However, the Light Blues aren’t the only admirers of Shinnie, with Aberdeen credited with an interest last summer that was brushed aside by Caley Thistle. But the Dons could go back in for the defender and may even offer Inverness hard cash – something Rangers are unlikely to be able to do in January – to get him on board quickly and ahead of the summer, when he can move for nothing when his contract expires. http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/535307/EXCLUSIVE-Rangers-want-Caley-Jags-defender

Found this on twitter this morning - apparently this can be purchased from Burtons. https://twitter.com/theZhangx/status/533173253448417280/photo/1

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/12147393.html

I don't always agree with the UoF but this statement is well worth sharing.

Dear Sir, I refer to your mail concerning the granting of alleged State aid to the Celtic Glasgow Football Club. You allege that the Celtic Glasgow Football Club has benefitted from unlawful State aid, mainly in the form of advantageous land transfers. The Commission has raised the issue with the UK authorities. Based on the observations received from them, the services of the Commission have not been able to identify any issue regarding unlawful State aid. In light of that assessment the Commission services do not envisage to pursue the matter further. Best Regards,

According to the Herald: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/rangers-fans-up-in-arms-as-ashley-loans-club-1m-more.25855834 That's me sold..

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/charlies-sake-hope-rangers-cash-4610915#rlabs=1 JACKIE McNAMARA is desperate for Dundee United’s cash row with Rangers over Charlie Telfer to end. The clubs are locked in a stalemate over the Scotland youth star’s summer switch from Murray Park to Tannadice. Telfer has made four appearances for United – scoring in the 3-0 win over St Mirren earlier this month – while he made his one and only top-team appearance for Rangers as a sub in April. Under SPFL rules clubs can receive compensation for developing and training players under 23 who move as free agents. Rangers argue they are entitled to six years’ cash for the player between the age of 12 to 18. United, meanwhile, believe the Championship side should only receive money to cover two years since liquidation in 2012. Tannadice chairman Stephen Thompson was even claimed to have said “you’ve only got two years of history”. With both clubs unable to decide on a fee for the player the dispute will now be heard by an independent panel. And McNamara said: “For everybody it would be good if it was sorted, especially for young Charlie. He came in last week against St Mirren and he was excellent. “He was a bit unfortunate not to start the game at Motherwell on Friday but for all of us it would be good if we can get that resolved so we can move on. “There are all sorts of things come in to it, I’m not an expert on that. That will be up for the people in charge of the tribunal to decide.”

keith jackson ‏@tedermeatballs 5m5 minutes ago Oh Roy! What have you done? They must be feeling the pressure... Gardai called to Ireland football team hotel Gardai were called to an incident at the Republic of Ireland football team hotel tonight. An ambulance is also believed to have been called to the scene at the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links in north County Dublin. Garda sources say they are aware of an incident at hotel tonight. The exact nature of the incident remains unclear. Repeated efforts by Independent.ie to contact the FAI Communications team were unsuccessful. The international team, managed by Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane, are based at the hotel ahead of the crunch Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland on Friday night. The team are due to fly out to Glasgow tomorrow. http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/gardai-called-to-ireland-football-team-hotel-30740600.html

...as he reveals his part in Brian Kennedy's failed 11th hour Ibrox bid. THE former Ibrox boss vented his anger at chief executive Charles Green in a scathing attack on the Rangers boardroom chaos. GRAEME SOUNESS last night revealed he was part of Brian Kennedy’s failed 11th hour bid to stop Mike Ashley seizing control of Rangers. And the former Light Blues manager branded former chief executive Charles Green a “pr**k” during a scathing assessment of the never-ending boardroom chaos at Ibrox. Souness has told for the first time how he teamed up with old pal Kennedy last month when the Sales Shark owner launched a £3million rescue package after being approached by former chief executive Graham Wallace – only for the rest of the current regime to rubber-stamp take a £2m funding deal from Ashley instead. That setback came two-and-a-half years after Souness and Kennedy’s Blue Knights thought they had managed to get through the Ibrox front-door, only for disgraced Yorkshireman Green to grab control. Souness is angry about what has happened at his former club and concerned over Rangers’ future. But he reckons that would not have been the case had he and Kennedy got their way. When asked if he was also involved in the latest move, Souness said: “Yes. I had a week with Brian in Majorca three weeks ago. But if it’s not to be it’s not to be. ”It never got beyond a bid. And they never wanted Brian’s money this time either. “When we met a couple of weeks ago, we never went into detail because, the last time, we believed we had it. Brian believed he had it only to be let down and deeply disappointed. We even came up to watch a Rangers and Celtic game because we believed we had it. “I think this time around he was always thinking the worst. “Given the structure the way it is now I would think that’s it finished now. ”I’m angry about it and saddened by it in equal amounts because a lot has been allowed to happen. “I don’t want to get into being involved in a libel case. “All I would say is that if we had got it the people there would have had the club for the right reasons.” Souness believes the club has missed out by turning Kennedy down and added: “They certainly did the first time around. “It would have the right people running it for the right reasons. “That would have been Walter [smith] and I and the right person as the owner. All of us there for the right reasons. ”I don’t know how Brian feels right now but I think his attitude to it has changed now the other folk are involved.” Souness launched a scathing attack on Green as he revealed the Yorkshireman’s attempts to get him on board days before he completed his £5.5m buyout of the club’s assets back in the summer of 2012. He explained: “What is it? Two years since that prick had it? “The guy who knocked on my door one night asking me if I would get involved in it, with him. Charles Green. “Late one night about 11 o’clock, my answer was no. “I got a phonecall about an hour before that saying he was coming to see me. I had been asked to see him and I had refused. “I got a call an hour before to say he was on his way to see me. We went for a cup of tea at a hotel around the corner. “You’ve got me angry now… “Who knows what would have happened if we had got in? But I’ll tell you, the stadium would still be full.” Souness has no idea what the future holds now for Rangers under Ashley but said he had done a tremendous job with Newcastle. He said: “I don’t want to end up in court. “I wouldn’t be critical of Mike Ashley. He is a fantastic businessman who saw an opportunity at Newcastle and it’s very hard to be critical, having worked there myself. “I think he has done the right thing there. “What I worked there the largest shareholder was under enormous pressure to make changes too quickly. “He lived in the city. Mike Ashley doesn’t live in the city and has not listened to any fans forums or phone-ins. “He has stuck with his manager and it looks like he is getting the rewards of that. “That’s what it needed. It needs a strong owner and that’s what he is. Someone who has been supremely successful in anything he has touched. “I think in terms of Newcastle supporters they should be counting their blessings rather than being critical.” Souness also aimed a blast at those who celebrated Rangers’ demise when he said: “ All I would say is that all the people who enjoyed their demise, if they had their time again, would they have voted the same way? “Celtic getting gates of less than 20,000? I think it has damaged football, hopefully not beyond repair. “Football goes in cycles. Over a 10-year period, they say if you lose a support, it’s very hard to get that back. “I don’t know if it will get back. “Rangers will get back to the SPL, the Old Firm games will be enormous affairs again and the passion will remain the same. “But will it ever get back to where it was six or seven years ago? I very much doubt it.” Meanwhile, Rangers fans have written to stock market bosses urging them to investigate Ashley’s Ibrox power grab. The Rangers Supporters Trust has also raised a number of concerns about the current board’s handling of the League One champions, accusing them of a operating with a “reckless and irresponsible attitude to going concern status”. Newcastle United owner Ashley holds just under nine per cent of the cash-strapped Glasgow giants but has been effectively pulling the strings since the club was forced to accept his offer of a £2million loan. The terms of that crisis credit line allows the Sports Direct billionaire to name two directors to the Ibrox board. Former Magpies managing director Derek Llambias was Ashley’s first pick with the second yet to be revealed. Ashley also runs Rangers’ retail division – a deal which hands him 49 per cent of the club’s shirt sale profits – and owns the naming rights to the stadium following an agreement he struck with former chief executive Charles Green for just £1. Hampden bosses have already written to both Rangers and Ashley seeking “clarification” on the 50-year-old Londoner’s involvement. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/graeme-souness-vents-anger-gers-4611416

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/rangers-investors-sandy-james-easdale-4597710

woooooooooooooo

CELTIC manager Ronny Deila has expressed his disappointment after some fans disrupted a Remembrance Sunday silence ahead of their 2-1 victory over Aberdeen. The minute of reflection, which remembers British servicemen and women who have died in conflicts since the First World War began 100 years ago, was quickly interrupted by some fans shouting and singing from the visiting section at Aberdeen’s Pittodrie Stadium. Some Celtic supporters tried to shout the protesters down and noise was evident throughout the 60 seconds, just before the Scottish Premiership game kicked off. Norwegian manager Deila said: “That was disappointing. “But again 99 per cent was good. Sometimes some people are not respectful. “It’s very, very important for Celtic to be respectful.” Celtic FC Foundation, the club’s charity organisation, this week donated £10,000 to Poppyscotland and carried a story on their website detailing the Celtic players who died during the First World War. The issue has proved controversial in the past, with a group of Celtic fans staging a banner protest against the “blood-stained poppy on our hoops” when the club strip carried the symbol for a game four years ago. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/ronny-deila-hits-out-at-fans-who-disrupted-silence-1-3599363

http://www.therst.co.uk/rst-letter-to-aim/

ALLY McCoist has been heavily criticised and, at times, even derided for having Rangers games postponed during the last year or so. Fans of all football clubs like to go and see their side in action at three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon - at home especially. So when a match is switched to a midweek slot, for whatever reason, it tends to annoy supporters. The logic behind McCoist asking for fixtures to be called off - that three or more of his players are away on international duty - has not been widely accepted. When the Gers manager last invoked SPFL rule G7 and had last month's scheduled Petrofac Training Cup quarter-final against East Fife put back it upset many. Centre-backs Bilel Mohsni and Marius Zaliukas were called up by Tunisia and Lithuania respectively. Northern Ireland, meanwhile, placed Dean Shiels on stand-by. All three men had featured in the first team in the 2014/15 campaign. But not all of them were likely to kick off the last eight tie at New Bayview. In fact, it was not inconceivable that none of them would play. Surely, a lot of disgruntled fans asked, the Ibrox club has a strong enough squad to be able to cope with a meeting with part-time opposition from the bottom division without Mohsni, Shiels and Zaliukas? For followers of other clubs, meanwhile, it was nothing short of laughable that the once-mighty Glasgow giants appeared to be running scared of minnows from Methil. McCoist will argue that it is his responsibility as manager to put out his strongest possible side on the park irrespective of how lowly the opposition team are. He will also point to the fact his side has won all four of the games he has had postponed - against Dunfermline, Forfar, Cowdenbeath and East Fife - this season and last. Yet, whether you approve of his stance in these situations or not is neither here nor there in the case of the Championship match with Alloa at Ibrox this Saturday. For the club board to decree the match goes ahead without consulting with their manager on the matter is alarming and suggests all is not well in the relationship between the two parties. Yes, the future of the troubled League One champions remains, despite Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley agreeing to loan them £2million last month, shrouded in uncertainty. And, yes, playing the game against Alloa this weekend as scheduled will certainly ensure that much-needed revenue comes in to the stricken club as normal. It should also prevent Championship leaders Hearts pulling further ahead of Rangers at the top of the second tier table ahead of a massive meeting between the two sides at Tynecastle seven days later. But the decision on the Alloa match going ahead was a football one and should have been taken by Ally McCoist and Ally McCoist alone. That it was not was a disturbing development and has set a worrying precedent. What's next? Derek Llambias ruling that Jon Daly deserves a start up front ahead of Kris Boyd? David Somers insisting the side should set up in a 4-5-1 formation instead of a 4-4-2? The absence of Mohsni and Arnold Peralta will not impact on Rangers as neither man has featured for the first team in weeks. The loss of Lewis Macleod, however, most certainly will. It is no surprise McCoist is considering asking Scotland boss Gordon Strachan to release the midfielder for the game if he is not set to be involved in the Euro 2016 qualifier with the Republic of Ireland on Friday night. Macleod scored one goal - his eighth of the campaign -and set up Kenny Miller for another in an emphatic 4-0 triumph over Falkirk in a league game at Ibrox at the weekend. He was also the deserved recipient of the man of the match award. The 20-year-old, then, will be conspicuous by his absence if he is not in the Rangers team against Alloa. He certainly has been whenever he has been sidelined previously this term. It was no coincidence the Light Blues drew 1-1 with Alloa away and lost 3-1 to Hibs at home when the talented youngster was injured. Five of the eight points they have dropped in the league this season have been leaked without him. Stevie Smith will probably get the nod to stand in for Macleod and will no doubt acquit himself with all of his usual professionalism. But he is a specialist left- back and is not a like-for-like replacement. Having said all that, if McCoist's men, who have now kept six consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, continue to play as well as they have done in recent weeks against Barry Smith's charges they should collect all three points. Their performance against a decent Falkirk side was assured. A Nicky Law strike early on gave them the lead and subsequent efforts from Macleod, Miller and Nicky Clark secured another victory. The backline of Richard Foster, Darren McGregor, Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace was once again rock solid. Steve Simonsen in goals was rarely troubled by the visitors. Hearts edged out Raith Rovers - a side that Rangers had thrashed 6-1 a few weeks ago - by 1-0 through in the capital on Saturday and maintained their four-point advantage at the top of the table. But the fact that Rangers have won eight games on the spin, letting in just one goal in the process, is rightly giving them confidence they can catch and overtake their main rivals for promotion back to the top flight. You would think Ally McCoist, the man responsible for orchestrating that run of form and for overseeing Rangers rise through the bottom two divisions, would be deferred to on football matters. You would be wrong. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/ally-must-action-cap-call-offs-at-rangers-187907n.25814885