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Apparently voting is now open for your favoured candidate in each section's short leet. I'm not a member myself but I'm sure someone can post the full list here if possible. http://fansboard.rangers.co.uk/

Raith Looking forward to this game, crucial this early in the season. hate the international break as all true footy fans do, this'll be a good test considering our failure to beat them in 'their' cup final:confused:. Predictions to follow later in the week.

When we went into administration I almost instantly (within the first month) had some major concerns because I quickly came to thinking that I didn't trust the administrators, didn't think they would get us out of it via a CVA and didn't think they seemed to be doing their jobs properly because if they had been, then they would have tried to rescue the company as a going concern. To do that, they would have needed to quickly address the cost base and stop the monthly loss-making, but they just went for a short-term fix/bandage to see out the season instead of properly cutting costs to address the going concern like administrators do in most football club administrations. After the shambles of their bidding process and finally bringing in Green & co (like they seem to have planned well in advance!), when D&P did their first presser with Green a feeling of dread & despair came over me because I could tell immediately that he was a bullshitting patter merchant and didn't trust him right from that point. It was a case of 'who the f**k is this clown?' and a distinct feeling of disappointment. Then we had to endure the failed CVA, being wrongfully stripped of our SPL share and kicked out of our league, left with no league at all for a period and questions hanging over our SFA license as well. When we finally got it sorted out and started the season in the 4th tier there was a sort of positive buzz that I never really understood, because I never felt as if it was right that we should be down there in the 3rd Division. I could obviously understand the positive buzz in the sense that we were still here with our history and titles despite the best efforts of our enemies and those who wanted (and tried) to kill us off, but didn't understand the positivity from numerous other perspectives, like the unprecedented treatment of our Club and the worries from footballing and financial/business perspectives. Not only did many of our fans think that it was just a simple case of 3 seasons of a journey back up through the lower leagues to the top flight, but many actually believed that it was an 'opportunity' to rebuild not only the business, but some kind of fabled & mystical footballing 'philosophy'. There was talk amongst fans of not only winning every single game in the 4th & 3rd tiers, but battering the opposition 8-0, 9-0 or 10-0 every week. I didn't buy into any of that because I thought it was always going to be more difficult than many of our fans thought it would be. Yes, we would dish out some hammerings along the way, but it was always going to be a battle too, both on and off the park no matter how many SPL-standard players we signed and no matter how many crazy moonbeams Green & co served us up. What we need to do now though, is completely forget about any mythical 'opportunities' or lost chances to create new 'footballing philosophies' and face the stark reality of where we currently are. I'm not saying forgive or forget (far from it!), but we urgently need to get up to speed and deal in the here & now. Depending on how things go off the park this month, we might be heading for another insolvency/administration event, but we don't know for sure either way because nothing is certain on that front, just as nothing is certain on the pitch either. We might drop points or lose a match, but no matter what happens, I think we all know that the 'journey' is getting tougher and tougher and that's something which was always on the cards both on & off the pitch, so it certainly shouldn't come as a surprise. The idea of an easy journey back up over 3 or 4 years while creating golden seeds for the future amidst new philosophies for the Club was a total and utter pipe dream. Even if we had been taken over by good guys instead of chancers and liars like Green & co, we were still realistically facing trouble along the way and potentially a period of 5 years or more before getting properly back on our feet and challenging in the top flight again. We might not be in a good position right now, but essentially, nothing has changed and we're still on the same path albeit a slightly more windy & rocky one than many of our fans seemed to think it would be. Our progress back to where we belong might still be set back even further by current and/or future financial issues, but we don't know for sure yet. What we do know for sure is that the people running the show need to collectively get their acts together, steer the Club in the right direction and ease the worries of the supporters, not through more moonbeams and lies like were served up in the past, but by addressing the immediate future as openly and honestly as they can without damaging the value of their precious shares.

you really cant make the fiasco that were in up. 70 million pissed up a wall in 18 months. Money being shipped out the club at all angles. Inflated salaries on and off the park with gross mismanagement being being the order of the day. We now find ourselves living on the edge of oblivion once again. Our current board are way out of their depth. Backed by shareholders who bought into the charles green revolution, only to find out that in the grand scheme of things that hes taken everyone for a ride. We are being run by a board who are guilty of stupidity, niavety and downright arrogance. These guys get to see the books. They knew about mike ashley and the incredible deals he struck with Green. The ones with no benefit to the club whatsoever. They lie to the the fans promising things that they cant produce when the chips are down but still expect the fans to come through the gates to finance their incompetence. Now we are living on a week to week basis with the club being run by the seat of its pants. There is only one way the club can go from now on and that is down. No amount of share buying from supporters groups or anyone else is going to save the club. it will only prolong the agony. Administration looms again and its not if, its when. and it will be back to the drawing board again.

"A turbulent week at Ibrox has put the club's future once again at risk. RANGERS face an instant SPFL disciplinary investigation if they fail to pay their players and coaching staff at the end of the month, it was revealed last night. Former director Imran Ahmad’s court victory on Friday, freezing £620,000 of the club’s dwindling £1.2million cash reserves, leaves the beleaguered Gers board struggling to make payroll. Now, if they default, rules introduced two years ago on the back of Hearts’ problems leave them no wriggle room. The potential punishments only apply to the club defaulting on its football wages, not an administrative salaries they have. However with their staff due their cash in the bank on September 25, the last Thursday of the month, sources believe they could be cutting it neat with a monthly burden of around £700,000 to meet. Regulations E17 and E19, introduced by the old SPL and carried into the new SPFL rulebook, cover any breaches of remuneration to players, coaches and management. Any default will be hit by an instant registration embargo. They will also then be subject to disciplinary procedures, which allow the governing body sanctions ranging from a slap on the wrist to docked points to exclusion from the league. The Ibrox club’s hopes of avoiding that scenario now rest with the success of their forthcoming £4m share offer, although from that figure, they’ll have to deduct a six-figure sum for costs plus £1m to cover the loan given to them by businessman George Letham. Director Sandy Easdale claimed in our sister paper the Daily Record in midweek that he wouldn’t be calling in the £500,000 he had lent. However Mailsport understands Letham, who has already given the club one extension on the terms he agreed, which saw his loan fall due from season ticket money, is adamant he’ll now take what he is due because he would rather have his cash back than be left with the car park his money is secured against. Rangers also no longer have any regular retail income following their decision to outsource that branch of their business to Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, a move revealed earlier this week when 51 staff from their stores were TUPE’d acros to the the billionaire’s company payroll. It’s believed that although SFA rules prevent the Newcastle United owner extending his shareholding in the club, he could yet bail them out with loan payments to tide them through the coming months. The potential cost of those, both financially and to the club’s powerbase, is still unclear." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/revealed-rangers-face-immediate-spfl-4177789? Comment: I realize it may be scaremongering and "the Mailsport understands" sounds almost like "We hope...". It is all so familiar, sadly, this kind of communique

THE MAN THE BHEASTS CAN'T TAME N.O.R.W.I.C.H A saucy acronym that lovers write on valentines day just like S.W.A.L.K But it could also be used to describe the special relationship between Celtic and Norwich. I was watching the transfer deadline day or as its known in Scotland these days as MONDAY. Whilst I was childishly tittering at what appeared to be a purple marital aid being thrust into the face of a Sky sports presenter outside Everton’s Training complex. My mind was cast back to transfer deadline day a couple of years back. That night I sat down to watch that Excellent Transfer deadline day hosted by the equally excellent Sky sports Jim White, as a neutral spectator. Since my club couldn’t buy any players because of an illegal transfer embargo as ruled by a real law court, the court of sessions. A sanction, the club were blackmailed in accepting so that they could be allowed to play football in the bottom rung of the Scottish football establishment. T’was a bit of a damp squib. With only David Beckham’s move to PSG and Peter Odemwingie’s chaotic embarrassing saga grabbing the headlines. But there was one that grabbed my attention. As I have said before that pantomime season is all but over but there was still one set to unfold. Gary Hooper attempted “transfer” from Celtic and Norwich City. More: http://themanthebheastscanttame.wordpress.com/2014/09/06/knickers-of-and-ready-for-when-i-come-home/

Do you remember when we knew what Celtic players looked like? Do you remember how we would listen in nervously when they played, hoping that they'd falter? The football landscape has changed so much in Glasgow that the city is no longer an Old Firm goldfish bowl. Instead, the two sides function in separate atmospheres. With no Old Firm interaction, each has become a stranger to the other. The current Celtic team could walk past me in the street and I probably wouldn't know who they were. For Celtic fans, due to Rangers being run as a retirement home for elderly footballers, they have no difficulty in recognising Rangers' established guys, but many of our players are unfamiliar faces to them too. There was a time when fans of each side knew the other lot almost as well. They didn't need to learn the enemy team, they just knew it. Not so long ago, a Rangers-supporting friend of mine used to chat fairly regularly to a fellow dog walker. It turned out that he was talking to a leading Celtic player, and yet he had no idea. This surely couldn't have happened in the past. We knew them and they knew us. Now, Celtic's profile has dipped as a consequence of Rangers being in the football wilderness. Ours has dipped too, of course, although Rangers is such a dysfunctional entity that it retains a profile of sorts by providing a daily source of amusement to the nation. Apart from the obsessed element in the Celtic support though, which keeps Rangers under intense scrutiny at all times, there is a realisation within the Celtic fraternity that the game is up for Rangers. The laughter has abated and they even feel a degree of sympathy for us. They are looking at a future now that might not be seriously challenged by Rangers, and as they come to terms with it, there is a grudging realisation that they are poorer for it. Now that the big two has been reduced to the big one, the intensity has disappeared, the temperature has cooled and the colour has faded. Celtic fans are living in a monochrome world where the competition is either walkover material or too good for them. It is a bore. It's not boring being a Rangers fan, though. The football may be rotten but when was clinging to a life raft ever boring? Rangers fans are living out an outrageous soap opera where each twist is more absurd than the last one. This Rangers saga could not have been made up or engineered even by a bitter and hateful enemy. It is a tale of woe beyond imagination and comprehension, and with every day that passes, the realisation dawns that bouncing back is hard to do when the ball is burst. The leading figures at Rangers have become cartoon characters. There is nothing that they do which shocks or surprises. Talk of the stadium being sponsored for the grand total of £1 is eminently believable. This is the calibre of people Rangers FC is run by in the 21st century. Every statement, announcement or comment from the club is greeted with ridicule and dismissed as being symptomatic of a failed and toxic regime. Rangers has ceased to be a credible entity. It is crumbling and falling apart. We are often reminded when we complain about politicians that we get the governments we deserve. If the same can be said of the governance of football clubs, the Rangers support must have been guilty of something dreadful, or maybe we're just not that bright. Either way, Rangers fans have an allegiance to a club that is an asylum for the clueless, the calamitous, the absurd and the avaricious, and it is conspicuously rotten from the front gates of Auchenhowie to the top of the Ibrox Stadium flagpole. I have long believed that Rangers had a sell-by date. I always suspected that it was going to become an unwelcome institution in a changing world. I was concerned too that it would fail under 'private' ownership. The only solution was to become a fan-owned club that embraced a new enlightenment, but our failure in this area has been as embarrassing as it is shameful. As we remind ourselves, almost hourly, what a mess it is at the top of the house, we really have to take account of our own inability to properly attempt some kind of rescue. We may have been turned over, but we have been passive, mostly inactive and even apathetic during this crisis. As per usual, we wait on a saviour, and if there isn't one, we just keep waiting anyway. When the lights go out at Ibrox, or when they become so dim that they can barely be observed, ask yourself - how will Scotland remember Rangers? Fifty years after Rangers' passing, how will our children and grandchildren remember the football club that is so much part of our lives? I suggest that Rangers will be remembered with the same kind of affection that BBC Radio Scotland and Radio Clyde currently have for our club. We will not be fondly remembered or missed. The country will be glad to see the back of Rangers and it will speak of us in a highly derogatory tone when enough time has elapsed to make us a distant memory. Bearing in mind our current predicament - and we are all aware that another collapse could be close - not only would we lose a club that is dear to us, as people, we would be marked down by history for having an association with a club that will almost certainly be remembered as a monument to bigotry. And with this double whammy in mind, what do we do? We wait, and wait, and then wait some more. History won't be kind to us for this either.

I see a 'well known' poster on FF has brought MVL into the equation, Can someone explain what it means and is it likely?

September 6, 2014 / billmcmurdo The Ibrox boardroom wars are still rumbling on, with the board doing more damage to themselves than the rebels can inflict. I am dubious of the so-called latest revelations – that Sports Direct magnate Mike Ashley was sold the naming tights to Ibrox for the price of 8 AAA Sony batteries. My feeling is this is an attempt to get the directors to release the real figure but if it turns out to be true, it is a massive hit against the beleaguered board. If the deal was made based on projections of Sports Direct selling boatloads of RFC merchandise, then it was still a poor one. The ball is now in the board’s court to reveal the true price of re-branding Ibrox. I have always backed the present regime but it is increasingly hard to muster confidence in their ability to steer the club through this difficult year. It doesn’t help that the board is hopelessly split, with CEO Graham Wallace having been “Matherised” i.e. converted to the rebel cause. Truth be told, Wallace has failed to provide the leadership and bring stability to matters behind the red brick facade on Edmiston Drive. The grand plan of the Fans Board has not galvanised the fan base but has been a monumental waste of time, effort, money and energy. Wallace’s alignment with those who have choked the sale of season tickets so necessary for the club to progress is a cave-in of epic scale. That said, the board’s feeble response to this has not helped engender confidence. I championed another contender for the post of CEO but was more than happy to support Graham Wallace when he took the reins. Now it is all a cod and the vultures are circling, ready to swoop in for the kill. It looks like the next phase of the Ibrox Civil War will be a head-to-head between Mike Ashley and Dave King. Question marks arise over the ability of either to invest substantially – both may be curtailed by football rules and in King’s case, he could be blocked by regulation here and in South Africa. Ashley will no doubt be turned into the antichrist by a Rangers-hating media here in Scotland. There is a consortium of people who are desperate to get hold of Rangers and if they cannot get control of the club on their terms, then they would rather see the club go under. King is their champion and this means he is their weakness. You get the feeling that when and if he is ever asked to actually pony up the money, he will not produce. Should the consortium prevail, with or without Daddy King’s involvement, Rangers will probably never be as dominant as they were at the peak of the SDM years but they will challenge Celtic for the Premiership. Success in Europe will be a pipe dream. Ashley and others are Rangers’ best bet of going to a higher level. Their vision and collective financial clout exceeds by far the grasp of the consortium. It is all about a clash of ideologies and visions. The problem for this board and investors like Mike Ashley is that they are trying to fight a battle based on AIM regulations against people who are not bound by these. The battle for Rangers is a street fight, a rammy, not a game of bridge in a gentlemens’ club. It’s time the board at Ibrox realised this. “Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is deadly ground.” SUN TZU

.......to save Ibrox as new cash crisis rocks Gers. RANGERS fan groups fear the club will not be able to pay next month's wage bill after court ruling while legend Andy Goram feels it may be too late to save Ibrox. FORMER Rangers director Imran Ahmad has succeeded in his bid to have £620,000 frozen in the club’s bank account. Lawyers for Ahmad claim he is owed a £500,000 bonus for the time he spent working as commercial director at Ibrox. They went to the Court of Session because they fear Gers are about to become insolvent. Ahmad is set to take his former employers to court later this year and is concerned that if he were to win his action, Rangers would be too poor to pay him. His legal team had failed on two previous occasions to obtain the order. But yesterday, after hearing claims that Rangers were becoming the “envy of English Premiership sides” for their financial position, Lord Stewart ruled there was still a “risk” of insolvency. He said: “I have formed the view that there is a risk of Rangers becoming insolvent. “That is not to say there is an actuality or a certainty insolvency is something that will happen. At this stage, it is only a risk.” Fans groups now fear Gers won’t be able to pay wages this month. Rangers have £1.2million in their account but the wage bill for playing and non-playing staff is thought to be close to £1m a month. Salaries are normally paid on the last Thursday of every month so they will be due on September 25. The club’s recently announced share issue takes place a week earlier and the beleaguered board are hoping to claw enough cash together from that to limp on. However, Chris Graham of the Union of Fans said: “This puts the club in a really difficult position. “With just £1.2m in the bank at the moment this will make it difficult to pay the next wage bill.” Graham also hit out at director Sandy Easdale and said: “Many fans will be wondering what on earth Sandy Easdale was doing speaking to the media just days before this case and outlining how dire the funding position at the club is. “Surely he should have realised that his comments were going to weaken our chances of getting a positive outcome from this case.” Another fan, Craig Smith, tweeted his 16-month old daughter “could have run Rangers’ finances better”. But the club last night claimed they were confident they would still be able to “operate as normal”. Rangers have sought leave to appeal and the court will deal with that request on Tuesday. A club statement said: “We agree with Judge Lord Stewart when he told the court: ‘This does not mean to say that insolvency is an actuality or is going to happen.’ “We remain confident that the club will be able to continue to operate as normal.” That came after Alan Summers QC told the court Rangers’ financial situation was improving. He said: “When we were last here, we heard how the share issue would only keep the lights on at Ibrox. “I can tell you the floodlights are back on at Ibrox and are in no danger of being switched off. “Talks are at an advanced stage with two potential investors. The club has not been in rude health for some time. But the situation is improving. The club is trading its way out of difficulties. Its current position is the envy of many English Premiership clubs.” However, Ahmad’s advocate Kenny McBrearty told the court there was no proof the share issue could keep the club solvent and insisted there was no guarantee investors would come forward. He said: “A pattern of diminishing working capital is evident. There is nothing concrete that there is a saviour for Rangers.” Many fans view Dave King as that potential saviour after the South Africa-based businessman promised to pump £30m into Rangers if the board were removed from office. He also set up a trust fund with fans’ groups so punters could commit their money to the club without handing it over to those in charge at Ibrox. But Rangers legend Andy Goram believes time is running out for King to stop the club from tumbling into administration again. The former keeper said: “I would like to see King doing what he has been promising to do for a while. “King threw a grenade in at the start of the season and stepped back. The longer he leaves it, the worse it’s going to get. “The fans had three choices this summer. You either paid season ticket money, went game to game or gave your money to King. “Now it needs something pretty quick. I see Jim McColl has saved the shipyard on the Clyde. “People like that, Rangers fans like that, I think the club is still important to them. “We don’t want to see it go down the tubes again. Administration again would be ridiculous. “If King’s timing is not right, if people don’t get the timing right with the investment, it could be too late. It’s getting pretty close.” Yesterday’s court ruling came after Record Sport revealed Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct firm had acquired the naming rights to Ibrox for just £1 – a move which has sparked fury among the fans. The Newcastle supremo is one of the biggest individual shareholders at Rangers and has also taken full control of the club’s retail stores. Those deals were struck during Charles Green’s time at Ibrox and Goram believes it would have been better for Rangers if someone like Fergus McCann had taken over after the first financial crisis. The canny Canadian helped rebuild rivals Celtic two decades ago by watching every penny. And Goram said: “Rangers needed someone like McCann to sort it out from the beginning. “The deals Ashley has done all happened when Charles Green was in charge.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/rangers-brink-new-cash-crisis-4173651

Hugely irrational hatred. A huge chunk of our support still hate them despite everything they have been saying coming to fruition. What is this hatred based on? I'm not trying to instigate anything here (not that this is the place such a thing would happen), I just do not understand it.

Market News alert Rangers Int. Football Club PLC Read the London Stock Exchange announcement...

Incompetence or deliberate intent?

Mike Ashley to up his stake in Rangers to 9.9% through the current share issue. Source SSN” Sources close to Mike Ashley say there are no immediate plans to invoke the naming rights at Ibrox stadium #Rangers @charlesp_sky: It's understood Ashley views his interests in Rangers as purely strong commercial ones which he intends to protect

I log in here every day (Mon-Fri) to catch up on the latest going's on with our club, most days I don't even post or join in with the chatter. But of late, and especially these past few weeks, I click on my favourite with a fear ........ "what now" I think as my browser loads. It is absolutely gut wrenching to see these thieves/liars/sharks/snakes still involved with our club, and others (Ahmed etc) STILL trying to cream some extra blue pounds from us. I long for the day the club is ours again, or at least in safe hands with a safe custodian. As right now, the club we see before us isn't ours, same club but the soul is missing.

After some of the news coming from Ibrox today in some of the newspapers would you the fans like to see the club owned outright by the sports direct owner Mike Ashley or would you rather we bumbled along with the present set up .

Regarding Mike Ashley, the question of dual club ownership and the rumoured '10% rule', for anyone interested in reading the exact rules in the current 2014/15 SFA Handbook (Articles of Association/rules & regulations) just have a quick read of Article number 13. titled "Dual interests in clubs" which starts on page 90 of the Handbook PDF document. http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/resources/documents/SFAPublications/ScottishFAPublications2014-15/Handbook%202014-15..pdf

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/272-rangers-being-held-hostage-stockholm-syndrome It’s been a stressful week for those interested in the well-being of Rangers Football Club. Not only does the club admit to the Stock Exchange that if the latest share offer is under-subscribed it will be unable to pay its creditors; we have key board members who represent the interests of the vast bulk of existing shareholders conceding that his and our CEO’s intentions are different, confirming a split at board level. Meanwhile the negative detail of each onerous contract placed upon the club are drip-fed to concerned fans on a week-to-week basis: from retail deals where the money is yet to be released to our struggling accounts to stadium naming rights which appear to be the result of self-interest rather than good value. Never has it been more obvious that our club is being held hostage to the whim of chancers. Yet, bizarrely, almost in a comedic fashion, we have some fans absolving these people of blame. Wikipedia describes Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, as ‘a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them.’ The syndrome itself is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken in Stockholm, Sweden, in which several bank employees were held hostage in a bank vault from August 23 to 28, 1973, while their captors negotiated with police. During this standoff, the victims became emotionally attached to their captors, rejected assistance from government officials at one point, and even defended their captors after they were freed from their six-day ordeal. Ok, I’ll admit at the outset the analogy is a bit strong but if we examine the last few years – from the excesses of Sir David Murray to the actions of Craig Whyte right through to the present day incumbents, there are examples of the above. These include the eyes-wide-shut worship of Murray onto the lauding of Whyte’s supposed net-worth despite all the evidence to the contrary at the very outset to some fans insisting the ‘current’ board are not to blame for the club’s position now. Indeed, not only do we have bloggers continue to suggest Charles Green remains interested in the well-being of the club but we have various fans eager to hold their own as culpable in Rangers’ problems. Apparently it’s Dave King, the Union of Fans or Sons of Struth’s fault that the club cannot pay its bills. Similarly, possible investors such as Dave King who has proven his good intentions to the tune of £20million previously are mocked and pushed away. Conversely, some supporters are eager to extoll the virtue of Mike Ashley’s ongoing involvement despite many Newcastle fans being desperate to rid their club of him. He’s a billionaire they cry – without acknowledging the reason for his success is the kind of questionable retail and naming deals he strikes with clubs such as ours. Let’s be clear: the future of the football club is again in serious question and the danger should not be under-estimated. There has been a shortfall of at least 12,000 season tickets and it’s this lack of working capital that is directly impacting upon the club’s ability to trade. Thus, those that suggest the fans are to ‘blame’ for the financial problems are at least partly correct but the reasons are worth examining as well as the club’s inability to address this serious problem. Never has it been clearer that our money runs the club year on year – not Sir David Murray’s, not Craig Whyte’s and certainly not the anonymous investors currently in control of it. Therefore, engaging with the support should be a priority for any regime looking to make a success of the club. For all his faults, Murray realised this and while he was by the dominant partner in that relationship, we did have a nominal seat at the table and aside from a few small issues (comparatively speaking anyway!) crowds were always high and only his cowardice led to the Whyte debacle. Yet even in the dark days of that era attendances didn’t drop and after administration we had capacity crowd after capacity crowd. The same can be said after we fell to Division Three – our support did not dissipate and our loyalty should never be questioned. Not by anyone – least of all our own. Unfortunately the last year or so has seen attitudes change: not due to fans becoming lazy or greedy but because of a combination of factors. Firstly it become clear that much of the substantial monies raised in backing the Charles Green ownership were wasted and his associates less than ideal custodians of the club. In the face of this criticism, board changes were made and supposedly extensive reviews into the business carried out but the paucity of these contributions didn’t provide much solace. A poor quality (or at best inconsistent) product on the park wasn’t helping but promised changes highlighted in the review to address this have not been forthcoming. Thus, reluctantly, and by way of protest, many fans chose to withhold their investment and, if we’re brutally honest, that’s understandable. Generally, the last year has seen fans become ever more frustrated with their club and increasingly obvious evidence that the incumbent board – or more accurately the decision-making investment groups – cannot turn things around. Not just in terms of the £30million investment talked of in their empirical reviews but the kind of credible and transparent leadership required to rebuild trust in the boardroom and entice fans back to Ibrox. With almost 250 staff members and overheads of aging stadiums, training grounds and dilapidated white elephant buildings, is it any wonder a new administration event looms large on the horizon? Consequently, where does that leave us? Well, I’d suggest we have two distinct pathways ahead. One: if as seems likely, the share offer is subscribed enough to defer our problems to another day; we’ll have the fait accompli of 75% share-holding levels for approval of AGM/EGM resolutions related to the sale and/or leaseback of club assets ¬– such as the Auchenhowie training ground which has consistently been ignored by club representatives when talking about such revenue sources. Or, two: investment groups are able by way of this issue to consolidate their holdings enough to enable a sale to other interested parties. Now, I won’t try to predict the outcome but I’m certain both the existing ownership and the likes of Dave King and/or Mike Ashley will have planned for these eventualities over the last year. The events of the last week won’t be a surprise to them. What is easier to predict is that without one of these outcomes an insolvency event is inevitable as things stand. However, misguided suggestions that this may be an agreeable solution make me uneasy. For example, will onerous contracts be removed by this process, would ownership be guaranteed to change after it and what of the club’s league position after the fact? We don’t know so, simply put, no-one should look at administration with anything other than horror. On the other hand, neither should fans be emotionally blackmailed into providing what appears to be an ever-more toxic board and ownership with a mandate to stumble on in charge. The time for making excuses for these people has long gone. There is no defence of Charles Green and, whether he’s still involved now or not, his associates on the ‘current’ board are equally tainted by their deficiencies. With that in mind, what options are available to fans? Not many is the desperate answer. Yes we have worthy share initiatives like Buy Rangers and Rangers First but with further financial uncertainty abound, can we really expect fans to invest in shares after the events of 2012? Even so, we absolutely must consider such projects with an open mind but with the greatest will in the world, they’re arguably not a short term solution. Nevertheless, possibly buyers engaging with these groups going forward would go a long way to cementing the fans’ contribution in a better future. Indeed, it’s only through that kind of undertaking that we may finally achieve the kind of bond between supporters and ownership that has been missing for so long. Unfortunately, such a positive conclusion seems difficult to attain. The coming weeks and months will define the future and it may well be beyond the fans abilities to impact upon this. Nevertheless, neither should we be held to ransom by people who will never understand the love we have for our football club. We have a choice and while I’d never begin to tell my fellow fans what to do, at some point we have to stop identifying with people who don’t share our love for our club. In that sense Stockholm syndrome is not a workable survival strategy – it just prolongs our inability to escape from the status quo and it’s that kind of clarity every fan needs for our battles ahead. Either that or be held prisoner forever.

I dont know the exact figures on this , but on the rangersfirst page there is a rolling screen of whos recently joined , and I have been watching it quite closely over the last few days , its been amazing to see the number of fellow fans that have been joining not just at the fan level, £5 a month, but at the supporter £10 and founder £18.72, levels , plus amazingly the life members and an amazing number of donations , where you dont need to sign up for any set monthly amounts but can donate one off amounts. Add in all the retail partners they have signed up , it is actually very impressive , anyone not checked out the rangersfirst retail section really should do so , any purchases made through the links , rangersfirst get a % back .

DR publishing interview with Sandy Easdale tomorrow.....and also running a headline that the naming rights of Ibrox being sold for £1!! Rumours are that the naming rights are given for £1 plus underwriting the share issue. Not 100% sure though. Looks like more grim news on the way bears....buckle up!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29050877 Former Rangers commercial director Imran Ahmad has returned to court for a third time in a bid to have £620,000 of club assets frozen. Lawyers acting for Mr Ahmad claim he is owed a £500,000 bonus for the time he spent working at the Ibrox club. The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard Mr Ahmad is worried about the potential prospect of Rangers becoming insolvent. Lord Stewart continued the case to Friday when lawyers for Rangers will address the court. Mr Ahmad, who has twice lost court bids to have Rangers' assets ring-fenced, claims he is owed £500,000 for negotiating deals and wants another £120,000 to cover legal expenses. Advocate Kenny McBrearty QC told Lord Stewart that Mr Ahmad is concerned about the current state of the club's finances and fears Rangers would not be in a position to pay up if the court eventually rules in his favour. He told the court Rangers have sold 23,000 season tickets this season, down 15,000 on last season. Mr McBrearty said the Rangers board's latest plans for a share issue may only raise £3.6m and cover part of the club's obligations. He added: "There is a significant hole in the club's finances for the forthcoming season."

What can this board do to pacify the fans? Is there anyway the directors can turn both the finances and the trust of the supporters around? With the club unable to repay George Lethams loan and the stark warnings from London that the investors may not support the short sighted share issue to the level required (75% uptake or the issue will not proceed). The fact that the club couldn't convince or provide 2 potential investors to underwrite the share issue let alone see any of the controlling investors (BPH Marg and Laxey) put their hand up to do so, then what is next should the share offer fail? Mr Letham has gracefully given the club a short time to re pay his loan and I can't see this being done if as it looks, the share issue doesn't provide enough capital. Does the immediate future of our club rely on this short sighted offering? If it fails will the directors be in the unenviable position of declaring insolvency? It certainly looks like it. One thing has been missed by many board apologists since Fridays announcement, why with the finances in such a state did it take so long for the board to even attempt to seek this small investment via share sales? With the amount of accountants at our club surely one of them must have been able to see this coming sooner and not left it till the last possible minute to panic. Did they maybe want the season ticket sales to finish before setting the alarm bells as I see no reason that fans have been able to predict even with 100% st renewals that the club would not get through this calendar year without investment. I spoke to Mr Wallace as far back as February and asked him what the club would do should the season ticket sales not reach the required level and I also asked him at the same meeting why not do a share issue now if one was available. Mr Wallace at this time suggested waiting as the price would be higher later in the year. I raised an eyebrow at this claim as I would have thought the less cash in the bank would surely not increase the share price but Mr Wallace has vastly more experience than me and I wrongly took his word on this. Maybe he didn't gauge the reaction to ST renewal notices that were working their way to postboxes at this time I have no doubt that the board apologists will say " aye it's because of the low season ticket sales they need the money and it's the fans fault they can't raise the dough" REALLY? The season ticket deadline was back in April and the board have had almost four months to react to the results, my goodness that's around 120 days which seems to be the normal reaction time round our boardroom to do anything these days. My prediction and that shared by many others is, if the share option fails to reach the 75% buy in, the fans will be blamed for not buying enough ST and putting the directors in this position, then the shareholders will be blamed for not bailing them out and the outcome will be "we needed to do a deal on the training ground/ cheap deal on naming rights to get us out of trouble, we are a good shiny new board" I actually feel sympathy for a director or two at this time because not only are they struggling to keep the lights on, they have to contend with in fighting and power struggles in the boardroom which will no doubt be also hampering their efforts to do the right thing I haven't even touched the "where's the promised investment?" question which has been promised now by both sides of the boardroom split. All this drama going on while a potential investor has declared the willingness to invest £30m but can't even be giving financial information when he's been asked to underwrite a share issue. The mind boggles. Sort out your boardroom differences, cut the crap and spin and pick up the phone. It's good to talk and you did claim you're "ready to listen". Craig https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfStruth

LIKE so many Rangers supporters of his generation, Lewis Macleod grew up idolising both Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller. So to find himself in the same side as the strike duo at Ibrox this season has been nothing short of a surreal experience for the youngster. "I watched Kris and Kenny when I was a boy so to be playing alongside them now is pretty weird," he said. "But it is brilliant as well. I am loving every minute of it." It has been obvious from his performances so far this term that Macleod has relished taking to the field alongside the two high-profile acquisitions. It was anticipated that the 20-year-old midfielder would take some time to rediscover his best form this season. He was, after all, sidelined for the second half of the last campaign with a debilitating virus that at one stage started to affect the muscles around his heart. Even Ally McCoist, a huge admirer of the skilful playmaker, felt he would have to be eased gently back into competitive action after he got the all-clear from medical staff to resume training. Yet Macleod has picked up where he left off last year and has been arguably the most consistent and effective Rangers player in their first seven competitive outings. He's also netted four goals in all competitions - a brace against Clyde and one apiece against Hibs and Falkirk. It was no surprise when he was linked with a move to English Championship club Wigan earlier this week. The speed with which the Scotland Under-21 internationalist has adapted to the demands of first-team football has surprised even him. However, he feels that the new arrivals to the Glasgow club have helped him to settle back into the side effortlessly. McCoist added five players to his squad before the transfer window shut on Monday night: Boyd, Miller, Darren McGregor, Marius Zaliukas and keeper Lee Robinson. The veteran strikers plus central defenders McGregor and Zaliukas slotted straight into the side and, after a shaky start, are performing well. "The new boys have fitted in perfectly," said Macleod. "In the first few games Boydy didn't really get going. But he is certainly off the mark now. "He got a hat-trick against Clyde and two against Queen's Park. He is also playing well for the team and is creating chances for others. "Kenny was injured for a few games but came back last Saturday and scored against Queen of the South at Ibrox." THE Ibrox starlet admitted: "It is strange to be playing with Boydy and Kenny and Lee McCulloch, too, as I grew up watching them. "I just put that to the back of my mind and concentrate on doing as well as I can. "It is fantastic to be alongside them in the Rangers starting XI as they are great players and can hopefully help us push on to more success. "It has been enjoyable to play with them. Hopefully they can keep doing as well as they've been doing so far and we can enjoy a good season." Winning the SPFL Championship and completing "The Journey" from the bottom tier back to the top flight is the first priority for Macleod and his Rangers team-mates in the months ahead. Their next task in that league quest will be a tricky trip to Kirkcaldy to face Raith Rovers a week on Friday. But with so many experienced players in the squad at Ibrox, their other objective will be to do well in the cup competitions - Petrofac Training Cup, League Cup and Scottish Cup. Macleod's call-up to the national Under-21s squad was a contributing factor in the postponement of the Petrofac Training Cup quarter-final tie against East Fife that was originally scheduled for Bayview this Saturday. Last week he helped the Gers beat Queen's Park to book a tantalising League Cup second round match against Premiership leaders Inverness Caledonian Thistle. It will be fascinating to see how the League One champs fare against their undefeated top-flight opponents at Ibrox on Tuesday, September 16. Macleod is confident his side can overcome the Highlanders, who beat them 3-0 at Ibrox in the same tournament two seasons ago. He feels that would show this Rangers side is capable of holding its own in the Premiership. "Inverness are an in-form side," he said, "but we are all looking forward to the match. "Hopefully we can beat Raith in our next league game and continue our good run of form into that cup tie. "We obviously want to beat Inverness. It would be brilliant and would prove a point. We did not play well the last time we met Inverness. It was even in the first half but they got the better of us after the break and won the game. "We will be looking for a different scoreline on September 16. The young boys who played that night, myself included, are more experienced now. "We all have over two seasons of senior football under our belts. "Plus, we've brought in some new players who have added a lot of quality. "A lot of things have changed here since we played Inverness the last time around. I hope we can see the difference when we play again." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/rangers-star-lewis-its-fan-tastic-to-play-with-my-heroes-178818n.25218452

CELTIC could not push through the transfer of the one player who arrived at Parkhead on the final day of the transfer window - but managed to sign another player who failed to turn up. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell started the day in bitterly disappointed mood after Serbia forward Stefan Scepovic pulled out of a move. Lawwell then targeted Manchester City striker John Guidetti, who arrived at Celtic Park for talks. Guidetti, who scored 20 goals in 23 appearances for Feyenoord on loan in 2011-12 before injury derailed his career, remained at Parkhead in the evening but a loan deal for the 22-year-old Swede was not completed before the deadline. And now the Hoops are set to got to UEFA and claim extenuating circumstances prevented them from lodging the paperwork in time. One scenario is that the Swedish striker could negotiate his release from Manchester City, which would make him a free agent and thus able to sign for Celtic outwith the transfer window. Guidetti has spent five years with City, but is yet to make a first-team appearance. Scepovic U-turn Scepovic revived his interest in a move to Celtic and signed the contract that had been prepared for him after he passed a medical and secured a work permit in Paris at the weekend as the clock ticked down towards the end of the window. The 24-year-old, who joined in a £2 million-plus deal from Sporting Gijon, had seen an alternative move to Getafe fall through because of Spanish financial fair play rules. Celtic did release four strikers with Amido Balde joining Beveren on loan for the season and Teemu Pukki and Holmbert Fridjonsson both moving to Danish side Brondby in similar deals. Bahrudin Atajic, who made four first-team appearances, was released. Celtic held on to Virgil van Dijk on the day the defender earned his first Holland call-up for a friendly against Italy and a European Championship qualifier against the Czech Republic. But another player leaving Celtic was Dylan McGeouch, who moved to Hibernian on loan until the end of the season but the Easter Road side failed in a bid for Leigh Griffiths. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/celtic-to-appeal-to-uefa-over-john-guidetti-loan-1-3528085

NICKY CLARK today warned fit-again Kenny Miller he has a fight on his hands to win back his place in the Rangers first team. Miller returned from a spell out injured in the SPFL Championship match against Queen of the South at Ibrox on Saturday. And the 69-times capped Scotland internationalist came off the bench and netted a well- taken goal in a thrilling 4-2 victory. The experienced star will now be looking to renew his partnership with Kris Boyd when Rangers play Raith Rovers at Stark's Park on Friday week. But Clark, who was picked to play up front when Miller was out injured, is hoping he will be able to retain his berth in the starting line-up. "I have definitely got some confidence in how I am playing at the moment," he said. "It is always good for a striker to get off the mark early in the season and I have done that. "I am sure Kenny will be keen to get into the side now that he is fit once more, but my job is to make it as difficult as possible for him. "I want to give the manager a headache and I will work as hard as I can in training and in the matches I am picked for to do that. "I have no doubt that Kenny will be doing exactly the same as me. There is a lot of competition for places at the club just now and that is healthy. "I am sure that Big Jon (Daly) will be back soon and it will be even more difficult to get a game in the team in one of the forward positions. "But that is the way it should be at a massive club like Rangers. I am enjoying my football and am hoping to play my part in the rest of the season." Many Rangers supporters predicted Clark would struggle to get a game when Boyd and Miller arrived on free transfers during the summer. However, he has been nothing short of a revelation for Ally McCoist's men in his appearances during the 2014/15 campaign. The former Aberdeen and Queen of the South player has netted two goals against Falkirk and Dumbarton in five competitive outings. He has, though, contributed much more than just goals for the Glasgow giants in the league and in the cup competitions this term. Clark has shown an impressive work rate and has laboured tirelessly to carve out scoring opportunities for his team- mates. He failed to hit the target as Rangers came from behind to triumph against his former club at the weekend - but was still named as Man of the Match. Slowly but surely, the man who was the leading goalscorer in senior football in Britain two seasons ago is starting to prove his doubters wrong. The forward only hit the target for the Light Blues on eight occasions last season and often failed to impress supporters. McCoist feels the arrival of proven goalscorers Boyd and Miller has actually helped Clark and the striker concurs with his manager. HE said: "Playing with guys like Boydy and Kenny and Jon Daly as well can only help to progress my career. They have got a wealth of experience. "They talk to me in training and they talk to me in games. To be honest, I'm absolutely loving playing with all three of them." Clark knows how difficult it can be for a new player to adapt to life at Rangers after failing to produce his top form last season. So he has been greatly impressed with how former Cowdenbeath and St Mirren defender Darren McGregor has acquited himself in the past month. The centre-half has played in all seven of his new club's matches this season and has been utilised out of position at right back while Richard Foster has been sidelined. Clark said: "Darren has done really well for us. He would prefer to play at centre-half, but you will play anywhere for Rangers when you are asked. "But he has taken it all in his stride and is playing some good football. He is defending well and getting up the field as well. I am delighted for him." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/clark-ill-make-it-hard-as-possible-for-kenny-to-get-in-rangers-178668n.25212530