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http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-rangers-chairman-malcolm-murray-3886142 MALCOLM Murray last night broke his silence on the current Rangers board and accused them of failing the club’s fans by not granting them security over Ibrox. The former chairman hasn’t spoken out since the AGM in December when he and his fellow requisitioners, Paul Murray, Alex Wilson and Scott Murdoch failed to oust the under-fire regime. But Murray is now fully behind fans’ group Sons of Struth who marched to Ibrox in protest yesterday at the board’s refusal to give legally-binding assurances that Ibrox will not be sold or leased. Murray believes Gers chief executive Graham Wallace is powerless due to a split at the top of the marble staircase. After the 3000-strong rally yesterday, Murray told MailSport in a statement endorsed by Wilson: “It is now seven months since the AGM. “We have maintained a dignified silence to give Wallace a chance but he is being hamstrung by a board that is neither culturally or corporately equipped for the challenge at Gers. “Fans have been treated with a level of disrespect that would be unprecedented in any other consumer industry. “Why will the board not give legally-binding assurances over Murray Park and Ibrox? “We support the SoS march. We are also fearful over potentially distressing sale and leasebacks of both the stadium and the training ground. “New investment is required urgently. The incumbent board said they had new investors waiting pre-AGM but it hasn’t materialised. “The so-called corporate governance has seen the club lurch from one disaster to the next – and it appears unprecedented that such poor performance would not result in resignations. “This regime appear to be be backed by the original Charles Green and Imran Ahmad investors, desite claiming that they are new. “The fans clearly don’t want them as illustrated by the march and numerous red card protests in recent months. “I’m convinced that the blue chip institutions will not ‘reload’ without a new board in place.” Sons of Struth chief Craig Houston was delighted with the turnout of fans for the protest march between Kinning Park and Ibrox. He’s convinced there are now serious cracks within the Rangers board – and claimed they will never win the battle with the disgruntled fans. He said: “We had around 3000 people on the march which was terrific considering the severe weather. It was also the Fair Friday holiday so it was fantastic support. “John Brown joined us at the start and Nacho Novo met us at the end, a real boost for supporters. It’s great to see ex-players, legends at the club, supporting the fans’ efforts. “The board have said there have been 17,000 season-ticket renewals but having spoken to many of those people I’ve found it difficult to find any of them who trust this board. “So buying a season-ticket isn’t an endorsement of this board. “There is still a huge chunk of supporters who feel disengaged and want security given over Ibrox. We’re asking for legal assurances.”

According to the Sun website: Club bow to fan pressure over stadium RANGERS fans are set to record a victory in the battle to safeguard Ibrox. Sunsport understands that the under-fire club board are set to give fans’ groups assurances that the club’s home won’t be sold off. The agreement will only be a short-term fix — but the board are hopeful it will spur fans on to buying season tickets for the Championship. Only 17,000 have been sold as fans attempt to put cash pressure on the club. Around 3000 fans marched to Ibrox yesterday to voice their concerns about the running of the club. Ex-stars John Brown and Nacho Novo lent their support and Novo told the crowd: “This club means everything to me and you mean everything to me. “Thank you all for coming out and staying united as we try to safeguard the club we all love. “I’m from Spain but this is where my heart is and we have to stay together to make sure this place we love stays part of Rangers. “This is about every supporter who wants to see the club prosper. This is a special club and Ibrox is a special place.”

JIM HENRY has been thrilled with the strides made by each Rangers player as they continue to improve their fitness levels in North America ahead of the 2014/15 season. The club’s Head of Sports Science has been working hard with Ally McCoist’s squad in Ventura and now here in Sacramento and that will continue up until the club’s first competitive game against Hibs on August 5. The roasting hot conditions in the United States have helped push the players to the limit and Henry believes the trip across the Atlantic will prove crucial as the Light Blues look to build on their recent success in the Scottish Third Division and League One. Jim said: “I think the tour has been really good and the boys are training really hard. We are getting all the football sessions in and the strength sessions that were planned at the very start of pre-season. “So we are slowly getting there. It’s going to take time and a number of weeks before we are up to speed but we are going in the right direction. “The players are stimulated by the heat. They probably get a little bit higher intensity sometimes with that weather but we also have to be careful they are drinking enough fluids and they are taking enough salt. We have some sodium tablets that they take and they drink Gatorade which has a little higher quantity of sodium. “So although they enjoy training in the sun we are always a bit more careful about how much fluid they are losing so we give them more drinks in between the sessions to hydrate them better.” Fans who have been following the club’s tour of North America on the Rangers website and on RangersTV.tv will have seen the GPS systems the players wear on vests which give Henry and the coaching staff the opportunity to accurately track the work put in by each player, helping to maximise performance and reduce injuries. This summer Rangers have increased the number of systems they have taken on tour which means Henry can now assess every player after every session. He explains: “For the first time Rangers have the 25 players covered, before we only had 10 players. That gives us consistency because having 12 or 13 players missing from those sessions was a problem for us. “To be fair to Rangers we have all that on board now, they have funded that this year and it’s a three-year deal for us. It’s an upgraded system that allows us to look at every player and the volume of their training. “We look at the intensity of the training, the speed that each individual has within the sessions and the metres per minute within small-sided games or large-sided games. It’s crucial and it’s modern football, that’s the way it is going now.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7258-players-putting-in-great-work

.............all over again to earn long-term deal at Ibrox. THE striker, who returned to Ibrox on a one-year contract, insists he must do the business to pave the way for an additional agreement beyond his 12 months. KRIS BOYD admitted last night that he needs to prove himself all over again to earn a long-term deal at Rangers. The 30-year-old returned to Ibrox in the summer on a one-year contract. Boyd appears open to the idea of extending his stay but is adamant he must do the business to pave the way for an additional agreement beyond his 12 months. The striker said: “For me it wasn’t about how long I signed for. It was just about getting myself back in the door at this club and scoring goals. “I have been given the chance to do that and now it’s up to me to put on performances that could mean I might deserve a long contract. “Over the years I’ve said I have maybe slipped into a comfort zone when I have been on a longer contract. “So for me right now it’s more beneficial to be working on a year-to-year basis. It gives me a challenge to prove I can still do it. “Last year at Kilmarnock I wanted to get back playing games and scoring goals. “I’m not back at Rangers to muck about. I want to get myself back scoring goals at the rate I was in my first spell at this club and hopefully I can do it for years to come.” Despite being 20th on the all-time list of Rangers’ leading scorers with 128 and also the record SPL marksman, Boyd knows nothing is set in stone as regards a long-term future at Ibrox. He added: “That’s out of my hands. The main thing for me is to score goals. “I’m not saying I’m going to score 35 to 40 next season and they better give me a five-year contract. That’s how football is nowadays. “The most important thing is getting this club back to where it belongs. And if I play my part in that then I will have a strong case to stay longer. “You can’t take anything for granted. That’s been my philosophy since I left here. “But I’m happy, I’m settled, I’m back home and I want to concentrate on my football again.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-star-kris-boyd-admits-3882651

Gersnet Fantasy League: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ Join Code = 860227-207412 Gersnet Premiership Prediction League http://premierleague.predictthefootball.com/ Join Code = 318528

Friday, 18 July 2014 A total of 18 teams with the best disciplinary records across the Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Highland Football League and Scottish Lowland Football League will be rewarded with Scottish FA Fair Play Award payments ahead of the new season. Following the compilation of the 2013/14 Review of Player Misconduct, the teams that finished first, second and third in the disciplinary table for each league will receive payments of £5,000, £3,750 and £1,250 respectively. Scottish FA President, Campbell Ogilvie, said: “It’s important to encourage fair play across the game, and we believe that offering incentives to clubs, and recognising their efforts, helps to foster and encourage fair play. “We are delighted to issue Scottish FA Fair Play Award payments to 18 teams across the six senior leagues ahead of the new season.” Scottish FA Fair Play Awards Following compilation of the 2013/14 Review of Player Misconduct (based on first team League and Cup appearances), the following payments will be made to clubs: SPFL Premiership 1. Celtic FC (£5,000) 2. Motherwell FC (£3,750) 3. Aberdeen FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL Premiership Review of Player Misconduct here… SPFL Championship 1. Dumbarton FC (£5,000) 2. Cowdenbeath FC (£3,750) 3. Dundee FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL Championship Review of Player Misconduct here… SPFL League One 1. Rangers FC (£5,000) 2. Stranraer FC (£3,750) 3. Dunfermline Athletic FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL League One Review of Player Misconduct here… SPFL League Two 1. Clyde FC (£5,000) 2. Albion Rovers FC (£3,750) 3. Annan Athletic FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL League Two Review of Player Misconduct here… Scottish Highland Football League 1. Keith FC (£5,000) 2. Brora Rangers FC (£3,750) 3. Inverurie Loco Works FC (£1,250) See the full SHFL Review of Player Misconduct here… Scottish Lowland Football League 1. Gala Fairydean Rovers FC (£5,000) 2. Dalbeattie Star FC (£3,750) 3. Spartans FC (£1,250) See the full SLFL Review of Player Misconduct here… http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=2566&newsCategoryID=1&newsID=13515

MICHAEL MOLS reckons the calls for an apology to Rangers for their treatment in recent years are futile - because the major damage to Scottish football has already been done. The Union of Fans last week hit out at a number of key figures in our game following HMRC's failure to overturn the court verdict in the 'Big Tax Case'. Boss Ally McCoist insisted the club and fans will never forget some of the comments and jibes aimed in their direction during the Gers' troubles, which saw them drop down to the Third Division and threatened with the loss of league and cup titles won during Sir David Murray's Ibrox reign. Fans are furious at the treatment their club has received in recent years and Mols, who won six winners medals during his time in Scotland, reckons the time for sympathy has long since gone. He told SportTimes: "It is difficult for me to keep track of everything that is going on but I understand that Rangers can't be blamed for anything. "They did everything properly and well. You can ask for an apology but it is too late for that. The damage is already done. "What has gone on has not only damaged Rangers, but it has damaged the whole of Scottish football and that is very serious. "Not having Rangers in the top league has devalued the league. Not having Rangers, or Celtic, there devalues it. Even if the management had done something wrong, which they did not, it was not wrong on the pitch. "On the pitch, we won those medals fair and square and were the best team. "For me, if they wanted to strip the titles that I won at Rangers, personally, I couldn't care less. "In my heart, I know I won it and we deserved it. Nobody could have and won't ever take that away from me." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/u/mols-rangers-tax-case-damaged-scots-football.1405583275

Now revealed...

5000 tickets already purchased by Rangers fans for the game against Derby, can we sell out the stadium before the season starts? #dcfc

As most of our members know, two Admin representatives met with the full Rangers and Rangers International Board recently. Following that meeting, we e-mailed the questions our members felt the most pressing and most important to David Somers for him to circulate and respond. Mr Somers replied very speedily, although, after discussion between Admin, we felt there could have been more substance to the Board's response, as much of what was sent to us was general and in the public domain already. We sent back those responses with our criticisms and comments and asked for more detailed, more meaningful answers. Mr Somers has responded and sadly, we are not satisfied with what has been said. Here are the questions, the answers and the VB return of serve:http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/vb-and-the-board.html

Wednesday, 16 July 2014 16:15 Rangers To Honour Sandy Jardine Written by Rangers Football Club RANGERS Football Club will pay a lasting tribute to the late, great Sandy Jardine by re-naming the Govan Stand in his honour. The Light Blues legend sadly lost his battle with cancer in April but is forever in our thoughts and the Club will mark his phenomenal 50-year contribution to Rangers by changing the name of the Govan Stand to the Sandy Jardine Stand. Sandy was based in the offices at the Govan Stand for many years when he returned to the Club he served with such distinction as a player so it is fitting this particular stand will carry his name. This dedication will be in place for the opening league game of the season against Sandy's former side Hearts at Ibrox on Sunday 10 August. His family will also be guests of the Club on the day and Sandy’s widow Shona says the honour is something he was immensely proud of. She commented: "My husband considered it a great honour and privilege to represent Rangers Football Club and I know he was extremely proud to receive this lasting tribute from the Club he loved.” Rangers Chief Executive Graham Wallace commented: "Sandy Jardine epitomised everything that is good about Rangers Football Club. He was a man of principle and class and his contribution throughout his career both on and off the pitch was truly incredible. "His achievements are unlikely to be seen again in the modern game and this is a truly fitting way to honour Sandy's memory. The re-naming of the Govan Stand will be a permanent tribute to a man who gave everything for Rangers. "He was a credit to Rangers for decades and his dignity, class and love for the Club shone through. We have lost a true gentleman but he will never be forgotten and everyone at the Club is immensely proud to re-name the stand in his honour.” Rangers Manager Ally McCoist commented: "There have been many great names associated with Rangers Football Club but I can think of no-one more deserving of this tribute than Sandy Jardine. "A Rangers legend in every sense of the word, he will always be in our hearts and I am delighted he will be remembered forever with this permanent tribute at Ibrox Stadium. “Sandy's achievements both on and off the pitch were second to none. He gave everything for this great club and we are all looking forward to paying tribute to him at the Hearts game next month." Sandy, a truly world class fullback, was twice Player of the Year in Scotland and a key man in the Club's Treble-winning teams of 1976 and 1978. He also featured in two World Cups, winning 38 caps for Scotland and made almost 800 appearances for Rangers scoring 77 goals in the process. He won three League Championships, five Scottish Cups, five League Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 with the Light Blues and is rightly regarded as one of the greatest Rangers players of the post-war era. His contribution to Rangers since his return in the late 90s was just as significant as he epitomised the dignity, class, history, standards and traditions that are the hallmarks of this 142 year old institution. Sandy lost his battle with cancer on 24 April 2014. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7227-rangers-to-honour-sandy-jardine

1300 words on a situation that is becoming more worrying and difficult to justify with every day that passes... http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/260-ally-mccoist-and-rangers-time-for-some-home-truths

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert ready to offer Darren Bent and Alan Hutton lifelines Exiled high earners told to return to training with the first-team squad returns in July Paul Lambert is ready to take the drastic step of bringing Darren Bent and Alan Hutton in from the cold at Aston Villa. Lambert will offer the two exiled high earners a chance to revive their careers with Villa after talks with chairman Randy Lerner, in a move which will surprise the club’s supporters. Bent, Villa’s £24 million record signing, and Scotland international Hutton have both been told to report for training with the first-team when the squad returns for pre-season in July. Lerner is understood to have been influential in the move as he is keen for the manager to utilise players already on the wage bill and potentially avoid the need to spend money on new signings. Lambert said: “Everybody’s even now, everybody’s level. It’s public what’s happened [in the past] and now everyone is on the same level playing field. “Everybody knows the club is up for sale and it’s going to need everybody to pull in the same direction. The next few weeks and months are going to be testing, that’s for sure. “The only uncertainty we’ve got is how long before the club is sold.” Bent, who earns around £65,000 a week, has endured a turbulent time since Lambert’s appointment in June 2012. He was first made captain, then stripped of the armband and later consigned to the substitutes’ bench for most of last season. Last summer he was made to train with a select group of unwanted players, infamously branded the ‘Bomb Squad’, and made to change in a separate dressing room to the first team. He was then loaned out to Fulham for the season and scored only six goals. The former England international, 30, could attract interest from Turkey and the MLS this summer but will be given the opportunity to stake a claim with Villa if he remains with the club. Hutton, 29, has suffered even greater frustration, having never made a single appearance since Lambert’s arrival. Lambert admitted the former Tottenham Hotspur right-back has been ostracised due to his high wages of around £40,000 a week but he will now have a shot at redemption. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10845383/Aston-Villa-manager-Paul-Lambert-ready-to-offer-Darren-Bent-and-Alan-Hutton-lifelines.html

McCoist in tomorrow's Scottish Daily Mail: ‘The sad thing is that, in our country, our vindication will stick in some people’s throats.' McCoist in tomorrow's Scottish Daily Mail: I will never forget some of the things which have been said and done to our club.' #Rangers

CARLOS BOCANEGRA admits he would happily have spent all of the nine years he had playing in Europe at Rangers. The former USA international captain signed for the Light Blues in August 2011 but left on loan 12 months later for Spanish side Racing Santander after financial difficulties at Ibrox. Bocanegra then had his contract ended early by mutual consent last summer with his salary higher than Gers could afford. But the short time he did have in Glasgow made a significant impression on the Californian and hindsight tells him he’d have loved to sign for the club much earlier than he did. Now at MLS side Chivas USA, Bocanegra spent his day off yesterday travelling up the coast from Los Angeles to meet the touring Rangers squad at their pre-season base in Ventura. It brought memories of his stay with the 54-time Scottish champions flooding back as he spoke with manager Ally McCoist and some of his former team-mates. Popular defender Bocanegra experienced top-level football in England and France with Fulham, Rennes and St Etienne prior to his switch to Gers. But no other club got under his skin the way the Light Blues did and he said: “In football, you move so many times but when we arrived in Glasgow it felt like home. “We really embraced the city, the people were very friendly and it became about more than just on-field stuff. That was amazing. “Playing in front of 50,000 fans at Ibrox every second weekend and experiencing the support we got around the country otherwise was fantastic. “But my family and I loved the club, the city and the culture too. Everything came together in a really nice mix so when I had to leave it was a very difficult decision. “I would have liked to stay but there was the issue with my wages and I was trying to keep my national team dream alive ahead of the World Cup but we had dropped down the leagues. “The timing of things didn’t quite work out when I came to the club but I loved my time there. I really enjoyed it and I would have loved to retire there. “I’d have loved being there sooner. In all honesty, I’d have loved to go straight from Chicago Fire in 2004 to Rangers and played my career there. “Playing in the Champions League, winning titles and cups would have been great. The atmosphere there is amazing and I loved everything about being part of that club. “I guess the only regret I have is I didn’t get the chance to go there earlier but during my time at Rangers, we had a great team. “The level was high and I got to play in the derby matches. The short time I had there was special and I really cherish it because I know how lucky I was to experience it. “You always wish you can have everything perfect in life but being able to be part of Rangers for just a short amount of time was awesome.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7209-playing-for-gers-was-awesome?

Rangers midfielder Nicky Law promises his form won't dip this season now he is over his Ibrox learning curve. LAW admits it has taken him a year to understand what it takes to play for the Light Blues but he is now fully primed to shine for the entire campaign. PHYSICALLY tired. Mentally shot. Nicky Law admits he failed to hack a whole season’s pace at Rangers last term. But the midfielder is back refreshed and ready to go the distance this time around now he fully understands the strains of being a Light Blues player. Law confesses the second-half of last season was the biggest learning curve of his career. Superb for the first five months of the campaign, he was subdued and struggling for the next five as he lost the sparkle that had lit up his initial spell. Ibrox boss Ally McCoist had warned Law when he signed from Motherwell last summer it can take a full year to come to terms with the demands placed upon a Rangers player. Yet only when he experienced for himself the intense pressures could he fully understand. The Mancunian needed the summer to recharge. But he’s back and ready to see it through in the Ibrox side’s bid for the Premiership. Law said: “We played Dunfermline in the final game of last season on the Saturday and I was away on the Monday. “I had 10 days just to relax and do nothing. I needed it. The season dragged on with the league being won so early and everyone needed a break. “There was a lot going on, which has died down, and it was a strange season. “Everyone seemed to fire at the start. We showed what a good side we were scoring goals freely and not conceding. We were 15 or 16 points clear at Christmas. “In the two years I was at Motherwell, every single week was competitive and that brings the best from you. “I had my two best seasons as a player there form-wise and took it into the season at Rangers until Christmas. “I dropped off. I didn’t want to, I just didn’t hit the heights. I knew it myself but I just couldn’t get it back. “People expect the best and when we did dip, the fans are not stupid and they see it. “They think: ‘What’s happened to him from the first half of the season to the second half?’ You have 45,000 people on your back because they expect better and rightly so. “It is difficult, of course, and we laboured in games when we should have done a lot better. “The manager said to all of the new boys it can take a year to get used to everything. “That went for a lot of us with nine or 10 new boys not just in the squad but starting the matches. We were learning together when usually, it would just be one or two. “Did I learn more in six months than I have in the rest of my career? Definitely. “Rangers is a massive club. I told Stephen Craigan we’d more fans in Holland and Germany than we’d take with Motherwell down the road to St Mirren.” Law was in sprightly form during Rangers’ Highland Tour and is champing at the bit for tonight’s North American opener against Ventura County Fusion. The midfielder believes the entire squad is energised not just by the summer holidays but by the signings of the manager. Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd are back and Law reckons the injection of class and experience has lifted the troops. He said: “I felt back to my old self in the two matches and with the new lads coming in it’s given everyone a lift. “Linking up with Boydy and Kenny is great and you could tell straight away they know the game so well. “You can tell the standards set by the experienced ones who have been here before. “Even in the game at Brora, we were 1-0 down and it could have been more but Boydy and Kenny are onto you telling you it is unacceptable form, even in a pre-season game. “Ian Durrant says it before every match. There are no friendlies at Rangers. Even in the couple of weeks we’ve been back, you can see the change those two have brought. “Everyone is fresh and bang on it for an exciting league that will be much closer than last season.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-midfielder-nicky-law-promises-3862329

.......after Hampden chiefs bump up cost of Euro 2016 briefs. FURIOUS fans insist their loyalty is being exploited to maximise revenue and that many supporters will now be priced out of backing the national side. THE Tartan Army last night accused the SFA of a season ticket rip-off. Fans reacted with fury as the SFA announced the cheapest ticket for all five home Euro qualifiers and a friendly against England next year will be £190. That compares to just £115 for five World Cup qualifiers last year. And fans claim they are being priced out of supporting their country. West of Scotland Tartan Army spokesman Hamish Husband said they felt their loyalty was being exploited. He said: “I got a call from a fellow Tartan Army footsoldier who has not missed a Scotland game at home and abroad for 30 years and his message melted my phone.” Last year’s World Cup qualifier season tickets averaged £23 a match. The £190 minimum price for next year is an average of almost £32 – and there is also a £45 fee to join the Scotland supporters’ club. The most expensive Scotland ticket package costs £250, an average of almost £42 a match. Opponents for the Euro qualifiers include newly-crowned world champions Germany. Husband reckons fans are being fleeced once again. He said: “There are many Scotland fans who are convinced that they are being ripped off because of their loyalty. “The crowds in the last qualifying games were amazing considering the performances. “We know we are playing the world champions Germany but we also have Gibraltar in our Euro 2016 qualifying group. “The cheapest ticket for the Germany fixture in Dortmund is 25 euros, which is about £20. “It also seems apparent that the purpose of the England game – which is a friendly match – is just to fleece the fans and make money out of them.” The SFA defended the ticket prices and said that the fans were getting value for money by buying all six games in their package. An SFA spokesman said: “The Irish season ticket price is 250 euros and does not include the Germany game and is only a season ticket up until the end of season 2014-15. “There are three qualifiers and three friendly matches in that package. The SFA’s season ticket is for the entire campaign. What do people think is a fair price? “Fans always throw up the argument that ticket prices in Germany are cheaper. “That is because Germany has 10 times the TV revenue and a vibrant domestic league that sells out which Scotland don’t have. “The same thing happened the last time and the Scotland season ticket ended up selling out.” Social media sites were flooded with Scots fans complaining they could not afford to watch the France 2016 qualifying campaign. Chris Donnelly tweeted: “I cannot believe the prices of those tickets. What planet are you all on? Get them reduced now!” Sandy McKie wrote: “Your prices are a disgrace. Stop the silly season tickets now.” Daniel Shields tweeted: “£295 for tickets + membership, without train, pints etc. When did supporting Scotland become extortionate?” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/tartan-army-accuse-sfa-season-ticket-3861869

RANGERS are pleased to announce match ticket pricing for home games in the new SPFL Championship season. There are two categories of games for the 18 league matches played at Ibrox next season. Category A games are league matches against Hearts and Hibs, while games featuring the other seven teams in the division are in the Category B classification. Match ticket pricing for Category B games range from £17 to £29 for adults, £12 to £20 for concessions and £5 to £6 for juniors. Category A prices range from £21 to £33 for adults, £15 to £23 for concessions and £5 to £8 for juniors. Tickets for the first two games of the season – the Petrofac Training Cup tie with Hibs on Tuesday August 5 and the first league game of the season at home to Hearts on Sunday August 10, will go on sale online and via the Ticket Hotline from Friday July 18 with the Rangers Ticket Centre beginning to sell from Monday July 21. Matchday ticket prices are between 5 and 8% higher than the price of the equivalent Season Tickets for Ibrox next season. Rangers Chief Executive Graham Wallace said: “The new match ticket pricing structure provides excellent value for money in what promises to be the most competitive league in Scottish football next season. “Our policy is to keep tickets as affordable as possible – especially for junior supporters – while reflecting the increased standard of football our fans can expect with visits from both Edinburgh clubs the highlights of the fixture calendar.” “The excitement is building for the new campaign and everybody here is raring to go.” The Club is making special access arrangements to allow supporters to use the Ticket Centre while Ibrox is being prepared for, and then de-rigs after, the Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens. The Ticket Centre will be closed for the two days of the rugby competition on Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27. Tickets can still be purchased on those days via the Club website or Ticket Hotline. The Club has produced a ‘Questions and Answers’ document that will provide supporters with most of the information they require about buying tickets. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE Q&A DOCUMENT http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7180-rangers-announce-ticket-pricing

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/258-book-review-born-under-a-union-flag-rangers-the-union-scottish-independence

teams: Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Klose, Muller, Lahm ©, Kroos, Boateng Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Perez, Higuain, Messi ©, Mascherano, Demichelis, Rojo, Lavezzi Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy) 2-0 Germany for me. Klose and Muller. point on referees, I think they have generally been good and let play flow, except the European referees who I thought have been very picky. PS I'm watching BBC coverage as I cannot stand Adrain Chiles

The poll resulted in a narrow win for 27/09/2014 v Hibernian, with the obvious caveat of moving to Sunday if required. As was proven last time, even if an early kick-off is unpalatable to some from a football point of view it gave us a nice comfortable afternoon/ early evening to eat and drink; so in some ways I'd be hopeful of an early kick off again. In the first instance I'm only going to put up two options: going back to Malaga Tapas http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186534-d1087980-Reviews-Malaga_Tapas-Glasgow_Scotland.html or "somewhere else". In order not to appear biased, I will say only that I have confirmed that Cristobal would be happy to have us back; but it is entirely up to you guys if you want to go back or somewhere else. If you wish to go somewhere else then please post a suggestion and I will do a second poll. Unless there is a landslide one way or the other, I'll keep the poll open till the end of the month, so that everyone who is on holiday gets a chance to vote.

Christian Nerlinger has delivered a blow to Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace by rejecting the chance to become the club’s new football operations officer. The German, who played for Rangers between 2001 and 2004, held talks with Wallace about returning to Ibrox and filling a role similar to the one he previously held at Bayern Munich. The pair met twice in recent weeks but Sportsmail understands that, after careful consideration, 41-year-old Nerlinger has decided to decline. The appointment of a new football figurehead was one of the key recommendations of Wallace’s 120-day business review of the club. Had Nerlinger accepted, he would have been responsible for player identification and recruitment. Rangers boss Ally McCoist would have welcomed assistance in that department but any new appointee would essentially have assumed some of the manager’s duties. Ultimately, McCoist is understood to favour the establishment of a new scouting system, an area that has been neglected during the attempts to recover from financial meltdown. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2690180/Christian-Nerlinger-turns-chance-Rangers-football-operations-officer.html

....and beat Celtic to one last Premiership title before I go. Kenny Miller has revealed his wish to retire as a Rangers player, ideally with the parting gift of one last top-flight winners’ medal as he plans to plunder more prizes before hanging up his shooting boots. The 34-year-old is back with the club for a third spell this summer and would like to make his return signing the 10th and final move of his nomadic career. Miller flew out to Los Angeles on Saturday as Ally McCoist’s squad embarked on a four-game North American tour that will take the striker back to Canada, where he starred for Vancouver Whitecaps in a previous pit-stop. For Miller, though, there is no place like the football home that he regards as Ibrox. Yet this is no comfort zone for the former Scotland international, who stresses his ambitions stretch further than helping hoist Rangers into the Premiership next May. He would love to finish his playing days with his current employers and, feeling fresh into a new pre-season, has no interest in setting a time limit on that. So he still has a top-flight title challenge within his career compass and a desire to add to the three Scottish Premier League medals he won for Rangers back in stint two under Walter Smith. Miller’s motivation on the first step towards that goal is to contribute sufficiently to a successful promotion campaign against former club Hibernian and Hearts so that he earns the optional year on his new Rangers contract. He’ll then take aim at bigger prizes. ‘You never know because if they kick me out of the door at Rangers after a year, I’d imagine I’ll still want to play on,’ said Miller. ‘But it would be my intention to finish up here. I’ve got a year with a year option, depending on games. So it’s pretty much on me. ‘As long as I’m fit, playing and performing then, hopefully, it will turn into another year. It’s going to take a good season this year for us to get there and then obviously some serious competition next year to get back challenging. ‘But that’s the aim for me anyway — to be back at the top of Scottish football where we belong. To top things off would be to win the league back in the Premiership. ‘Rangers shouldn’t go in to any competition thinking of accepting second best, so that’s what we’ll be aiming for next year if we get there. ‘I hope to be around for that. I want to play as long as I can. I feel strong and fit right now. Of course, only time will tell if the performances follow but, if I do that, then there’s no reason why I can’t be around for a bit longer.’ The highlights of Miller’s 67 goals in 147 appearances so far for Rangers were in SPL and Champions League competition. The second tier of the Scottish game, though, is nothing new to him. As an Easter Road teenager, he played seven games either side of a loan spell at Stenhousemuir as Hibs bounced back at the first time of asking in 1998/99. Franck Sauzee, Russell Latapy, Paul Hartley and Mixu Paatelainen were among the heroes of Alex McLeish’s team that year as crowds flocked back to Leith to see a team canter to the First Division title. Not since that campaign has there been such a buzz about the division now known as the Championship. As Miller recalls the year that one of the traditional top-flight teams had to claw their way back up, he admits he can’t wait to sample the curiosities of a season like no other as three giants of the game collide in an unfamiliar environment. ‘I made my debut the season Hibs got relegated and made a few appearances while the team was promoted,’ he said. ‘It was a big season for me. They brought Latapy and Sauzee — that pair must have sold 5,000 tickets alone each week, given the standard of players they were. ‘Hibs had a fantastic season. To draw those players to the club was phenomenal and what they went on to do was amazing. ‘A winning team on the pitch can create a fantastic atmosphere within the club and the crowds were up. I can see big crowds and huge games in this division. It’s going to be a fantastic season and one I’m really looking forward to. ‘To come back to Rangers not in the top division is incredible in itself but for Hearts and Hibs to be there also is phenomenal. I never thought I’d be back playing against them in the Championship. ‘It will be a competitive league and a big challenge for us. But it’s a challenge I feel this squad probably needs after the last couple of years. ‘No disrespect to the opposition Rangers have been facing but I feel the challenges coming our way this year will really raise the standards of the players we’ve got.’ Miller and strike partner Kris Boyd were reunited last weekend as both players got off the mark on a two-game Highland tour. The next phase of pre-season will involve the long-haul journeys to which he was accustomed as a Vancouver Whitecap. After games on the west coast of the United States against Ventura County Fusion and Sacramento Republic FC, Miller returns to British Columbia for a game against Victoria Highlanders a week tomorrow, before the final game with Ottawa Fury on July 23. He called Vancouver home for two years after joining the Major League Soccer side from Cardiff City midway through their 2012 season. Under the Scottish coaching team of Martin Rennie and ex-Scotland international defender Paul Ritchie, Miller helped guide Whitecaps to a first-ever appearance in the MLS Cup play-offs that year. However, he admits there were facets of professional life in Canada that he found difficult to embrace. ‘If you are a guy like myself who if he doesn’t win the weekend is ruined, then that side is not there so much,’ explained Miller. ‘You see others who don’t have that. It’s not that they don’t care — far from it — but just not as much as I did. ‘In Scotland, you lose and you don’t want to go out. It’s straight home on a Saturday, a Chinese and the X Factor. Here we live, breathe and eat football. Across there, it’s not quite as life or death as it is for us. I found that mentality towards it a bit hard to get used to. ‘This is not any slight on anyone I played with. It’s just the way they are brought up. This has been my life since I was four. Ever since I could walk, I had a ball at my feet. ‘I’d argue till the cows come home that it doesn’t mean as much to them, whereas it’s a way of life for us. That’s what I’ve come back to at Rangers. ‘Vancouver is a beautiful place and there are amazing cities to live in or visit for players going to MLS. ‘There’s a more relaxed lifestyle, so I can understand why people want to do it. I’d just say it’s a very different attitude to football. ‘I was grateful for the opportunity as it was something I’d always talked about trying. I enjoyed some aspects but not others. I was fortunate that there were British guys as coaches, we had good people in charge. ‘Being so far from home and away from friends and family is always tough, though. ‘Towards the end, I had an eye on moving home somewhere — and Rangers was always that No 1 option.’ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2690178/Kenny-Miller-exclusive-I-want-finish-career-Rangers-win-one-Premiership-title-I-go.html

http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/12/north-korea-media-tells-country-that-its-team-has-reached-world-cup-final-4796033/

Dont know if this has been covered or not , but who exactly is paying for this tour , we are taking a playing squad of 25 plus management and backroom teams , there must be the bulk of 40 plus in the party , yet we are playing basically junior teams by Scottish standards , so given we are struggling financially , the question is who's footing the bill for this little extravaganza