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Hearts: Goalkeeper Neil Alexander signs player-coach deal Hearts have agreed a deal to sign former Scotland and Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander, when his Crystal Palace contract expires on 1 July. The 36-year-old will become a player-coach for the Championship outfit. "As a boyhood Hearts fan, I am delighted to join a club I have supported for many years," Alexander to told the Tynecastle side's website. "With the coaching side of it as well, this is a fantastic opportunity for me. I'm excited at the challenge ahead." Hearts, who were relegated from the top flight last term, kick off their Championship campaign against Rangers at Ibrox on 9 August. "With the fixtures now out, it really gives you an incentive to be involved in the first game," added the former Ipswich Town, Cardiff City and Livingston goalkeeper. "It's a really exciting start for us and I definitely want to be involved on 9 August. "This club has fantastic supporters and their backing has been phenomenal. Hopefully we can give them something to cheer about after what has been a very difficult 12 months for everyone at the club." Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson has also signed up midfielder Morgaro Gomis, striker James Keatings from Hamilton and former Sparta Rotterdam forward Soufian El Hassnaoui, subject to international clearance. The Tynecastle club have also tied up teenage winger Sam Nicholson on a new three-year contract after his deal expired. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27977321
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millers back and it looks like boyds coming back anybody else you would welcome back I know I would like Henderson and Wilson on the wings ,this type of signing is not the way forward
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Here is my plan complete with gaping holes for a velvet rangers revolution. I believe currently the rangers support is too fragmented to be effective in achieving fan ownership in 2014, and efforts should be turned to season 2015-2016 by the end of the year if 'angel investors' have failed to remove the current board. Goal - To create a consensus within the rangers support and eliminate economic uncertainty. To buy the club for fan ownership. To rebuild Rangers as a global player Method - Conference to create united body Use fans' season ticket money to buy shares This is Plan Z - it assumes that any investor angels with normal sized hands predictably as usual have failed to walk the walk, and the support are totally on their own with no outside assistance. I think fan ownership could be achieved by dangling this carrot in front of the 17,000 - from 2015 to 2016, a season ticket will entitle the purchaser to a full share in Rangers, and run for 3 years. I would expect around 100,000 tickets at £500= £50 million. I would invite the permanently disappointing millionaires to invest, up to £50 million, and offer a seat on the board for such investment, (and most importantly for their contacts and business acumen) but weight supporter owned shares 2:1 over investor shares. So to recap £100,000,000 investment inwards in 3 years, but with season ticket revenue being used to buy out ****s, and with supporters owning 66.66% of club. If the ****s won't sell, then they must be made aware that any plans they have for Ibrox RE sale leaseback, will not be acceptable. They must be made aware that rangers are willing to move to Hampden and possibly rebuild it with the SFA, if the conditions for Ibrox are not right. If this happens and the ****s sell Ibrox to property developers, they must be made aware that there will be continual harassment and civil disobedience on the site of Ibrox with the sole purpose of reducing the value and profit of the site. Any investors who refuse to sell at fair market value must be made aware that there will be a price to pay for this, and offices in London etc will be no protection from picketing supporters and economic pressure exerted form any avenue possible. There should be however, no ned behaviour like the hounding of BBC reporters, smashing windows at Pacific Quay for example. This needs perfect PR. And no neds. Pre conference 1- Decide on chairman and decide on speakers. You'll need a couple of keynote speakers speaking for half an hour each, and say, 20 speakers speaking for 2 minutes each. The speakers must be representative of the support and include representatives for season ticket holders, supporters clubs and busses, international supporter clubs, websites (of which Gersnet must be one), and board members of the club, if they want to put their point of view across. 2- Decide on format - At start, conference should recap how rangers came to be an omnishambles, and why it is an omnishambles. After this, a keynote address laying out the options for the supporters, and how the conference will progress through the day. Then move onto numerous quick addresses from supporters' representatives, outlining the views of the support. 3- Lunch, then voting. Conference 1- Hire the SECC or EICC. 2- Book a full AV package including projectors, screen, and digital voting system 3- Have prepared motions for conference. These will include: a) Do you agree that today we create one organisation who's authority to speak for all supporters will be granted on achieving 50%+ majority, and the results of any majority votes will be respected and adhered to by the minority? YES/NO b) Do you agree the supporters are the club, and we should own the club? YES/NO c) Do you agree to offer to buy the shares of the current incumbents at fair market value? YES/NO d) If they do not sell out their shares, do you agree to take a course of action which will potentially liquidate the 'company'? YES/NO e) Are you prepared to start again in Division 2 if necessary? YES/NO Vote on all of these and your own crafted (no pun intended) questions. Appoint a permanent 'manager' for your new organisation. he must be of outstanding flawless character, liquid, and without any legal impediments. Appoint a PR person untainted by Scottish nonsense. Try England for a robust PR professional. An attractive woman would be my sexist standpoint here, not some fat guy from Dennistoun. I don't know how to finance PR people, permanent positions, hiring SECC etc - maybe DK could help. Give your angel investors until November1st to provide a viable roadmap to fan ownership. After this it is closed to them and they must come through the fan's organisation in the future. Book SECC/EICC for Jan 31st. 2015. The results must be made available via a press release, and the current shareholder left in NO DOUBT, the consequences of their (in)actions. Note - fair market value should be just above the asset value. The current board will try to manipulate the share price to gain a better position. -
By Richard Wilson BBC Scotland Former Scotland coach Craig Brown still believes he was right not to pick Richard Gough for the national team. Brown, who was in charge between 1993 and 2001, will never disclose the reason behind his decision, insisting he will take it to his grave. Gough had quit international duty under Brown's predecessor Andy Roxburgh. Former Scotland defender Richard Gough Richard Gough played for Scotland at Euro 92, but fell out with Andy Roxburgh the following year Brown, though, resisted persistent media pressure to select him, and insists the decision was in the best interests of "team spirit". Gough never added to his 61 caps following the fall out with Roxburgh after Scotland were defeated 5-0 in Portugal in 1993. Brown was assistant manager at the time, but took charge of the team three months later when Roxburgh was sacked. Having worked closely with Roxburgh, and observed Gough at first-hand on several occasions on international duty, Brown decided not to select the defender, despite impressive form with his club Rangers, where he was captain. Brown has never revealed why he took that decision, even when there was clamour from the media and fans to recall the centre-back. He maintains, though, that he was justified in his reasoning. "Sometimes as the number two you learn more, or you hear more, and players confide in you because you're not the manager," Brown told BBC Radio Scotland's Managing Scotland series. "I watched and listened to what happened with Richard Gough, who I've got to say was an outstanding player. I didn't pick him because of what I saw happening, what I heard, and I thought, '[leaving Gough out] is going to be good for the team spirit'. "I've never disclosed the issue, and I've written three autobiographies. Everyone asks me. In fact, one of the big papers in Scotland said, 'If you tell us the Gough story, we'll give you a bigger serialisation fee'. "I'm not going into it. Richard knows, and Walter Smith, the [Rangers] manager [at the time], and so does David Murray [the Rangers chairman at the time], because he asked me and I had a lunch with him. "Yes [it will go to the grave], unless Richard wants [to explain it]… it's not anybody's business. I may have been wrong, and I'm not saying I'm always right. "At the beginning, it was [the biggest dilemma I faced], but I didn't bat an eyelid. I said, 'I'm going to do this job the way that I want to do it. If it doesn't include Richard Gough, we lose a few games and the press say he should be in, then that's it. I would rather do what I thought was right rather than pander to the media or to the club'." And Brown added: "The significant thing is that never once did the Rangers manager or chairman complain about me not picking Richard Gough. "If my argument had been weak, they would have slaughtered me because he was captain of Glasgow Rangers and you don't leave out the captain of Glasgow Rangers unless you've got good cause to do so. “They look for anything they can make a story [with]. There was so much inaccurate stuff, nonsense, and I was dismissive of it because I knew it wasn't true” "When I've seen Richard - and I've met him I don't know how many times since - there is never any aggro between us, we respect each other." Brown, now 73, is the longest-serving Scotland manager, and guided the national team to Euro 96 in England and the France 98 World Cup finals. However, he was branded a bigot and a love cheat by one Sunday newspaper during the course of his managerial reign, two accusations he vehemently denies. "They look for anything they can make a story [with]," he said. "There was so much inaccurate stuff, nonsense, and I was dismissive of it because I knew it wasn't true. "I don't know where [the bigot story] came from, the accusation was that I was favouring Rangers players over Celtic players. I got great support from Celtic and I always have had. "Kenny Dalglish was the manager there and he invited me over, and Peter Grant called and said 'I'm a witness for you', Billy McNeill wrote, 'If Brown's a bigot, I'm a ballerina', in The Sun. "[i am] not a love cheat either, that's not true, honestly. I just think it's horrendous that people should believe that is the case. "I used to get a highlighter out… there was one front page they wrote about me and there were 11 factual inaccuracies in it." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27948434
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Preston North End: Ex-Rangers Striker Andy Little signs deal Northern Ireland striker Andy Little has signed a two-year deal with League One club Preston North End following his release by Rangers in May. Little, 25, has scored more than 30 goals for Rangers over the past two seasons and can also play full-back. Preston manager Simon Grayson said that Little would bring "good qualities" to his squad. "I am delighted that he has chosen us over quite a few other teams," added the Preston manager. "Andy has a fantastic goal record in Scotland and he can handle playing for a big club, as he has shown with Rangers. "He will bring real pace to the striking department and that is something we have been looking to add." Enniskillen man Little has won eight Northern Ireland caps. He scored 25 goals in the 2012-13 campaign but struggled with injury during when Rangers won the League One title last season. The forward joined Rangers' youth ranks in 2006 and made his first-team debut in 2009. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27955885
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The members of the Scottish FA today agreed that any clubs seeking full membership are required to satisfy at least entry level Club Licensing criteria. In addition, from the start of season 2016/17, all existing members are required to maintain their Club License in order to retain their full membership of the Scottish FA. This reflects the work that the Scottish FA has undertaken in recent years through the Club Licensing system to improve standards across the game. National Club Licensing operates a Gold, Silver, Bronze and Entry level system. Clubs are granted an overall award reflecting the lowest level that the club achieves in the four sections of criteria (Ground, First Team Football, Youth Team Football, Legal, Admin, Finance and Codes of Practice). Among the other significant resolutions at today's 2014 Scottish FA General Meetings, the Professional Game Board will be offered a second seat on the Scottish FA Executive Board, reflecting the impact which the professional game has in generating revenues for Scottish football. A resolution designed to reduce the length of service required in official Scottish FA positions for potential candidates as office bearers was not approved. A resolution to require all participants in the Scottish Cup to have a full license was not approved. Members spoke of the fairy tale nature of the cup competition, and the importance of participation in th Cup for both fans and the sustainability of clubs across the country. A further 35 resolutions were passed by the 87 members present at the General Meetings at Heriot Watt University, which will be the site of the new National Performance Centre for Sport, due to open in summer 2016. Scottish FA Chief Executive, Stewart Regan, said: "It's significant that Scottish FA members have recognised the importance of Club Licensing criteria, and the need to grow and subsequently maintain standards, which will benefit all stakeholders in the game, including supporters, broadcasters and sponsors. "We recognise the role that the professional game plays in generating revenue for Scottish football and it is understandable that more influence is sought on the Scottish FA Executive Board. We look forward to welcoming a new board director at the start of next season. "We were delighted to host this year’s meetings at Heriot Watt University, which will be the site of the new National Performance Centre for Sport, and give members an update on the progress of the Centre." The National Performance Centre for Sport, which will host all Scotland National Teams, the Scottish FA Performance Department and incorporate multi-sport involvement including rugby, volleyball, athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, fencing, handball, hockey, netball, shinty and squash. It will feature a replica of the Hampden pitch, a 500-seater indoor football stadium, two rugby pitches, three tennis courts and a nine-court sports hall on top of sports science and medical facilities. The £30 million NPC will be jointly funded by the Scottish Government, Edinburgh City Council and Heriot Watt University, and is is due to open in summer 2016. http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=2986&newsID=13442&newsCategoryID=1 -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27934760
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Don't know if its age, but I don't get joy in seeing England lose as much as I used to. In the 90s there was odd occasion Id want them to win, and in certain sports I still do want them to win. When Beckham and Owen was in the team 10 years ago it was always nice to see them go out but I quite like this young attacking team. But they have got it wrong from top to bottom. The FA (and Premier League) is ran by fat cats for business profits. Would the likes of Greg Dyke get a job as a coach somewhere? So why are they allowed to run the game if they are not footballing men? Because where the money goes and comes from (sponsors, TV, fan income and owners) football is a win win regardless of the result so as long as the income runs in they are doing a good job. The FA and SFA should be ran or at least have footballing people running the game, and I don't mean ex players all the time, I mean football minded people. Roy Hodgson would be perfect fit at the top of the game running the FA with people like Bryan Robson, Trevor Brooking, Alan Curbishley. But as a manager he wasn't great at Liverpool and did ok with Fulham and West Brom but got the job as he wouldn't be a problem to those running it. Redknapp at the time took Spurs to the Champions league but is outspoken and likes his opinion so much like Brian Clough - he didn't get the job. Hodgson made some poor tactical decisions, when you are chasing a goal to stay in a competition you sacrifice a midfielder or defender for a striker but he went like for like twice until they went behind 2-1 again. The defence was poor bar Gary Cahill who was immense, the rest were awful. Even Joe Hart looked uncomfortable. As for players and selected squad overall: Id have taken Ashley Cole all day long, begged John Terry to come, taken Gareth Barry on form over an injured Jack Wilshire and taken a striker like Defoe who could get any type of goal. Really not sure what Jordan Henderson brings to the team and why he is picked when the class of Lampard is on the bench or the energy of Milner. I thought Lampard was excellent at Anfield in Chelsea's 2-0 win and hasn't played too many games so would fit nicely into that team. Milner is not a world beater but far more effective and gets back to help defend. In saying that the future is bright. They have the bases of a good squad. Going into Euro 16 with Shaw, Flanagan, Stones, Gibbs, Jones (if fit), Cahill, Wilshire (if fit), Barkley, Ox-Chamberlain, Sterling, Lallana, Sturridge, Walcott, Rodriguez....gives them a young squad with good attacking options, yet they need a decent coach to mould them together. For me England should have a look at getting Redknapp again. He would have taken Brendan Rodgers last time around but given his Liverpool role now he probably wouldn't take it, but someone like Paul Scholes should be brought in as assistant.
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As title, did anyone on here attend a focus group meeting? Fan Focus Groups Help Shape Engagement Strategy Rangers continued their Ready To Listen fan engagement initiative this month with a series of focus groups made up of a cross-section of supporters at Ibrox Stadium. Four, 90 minute sessions – involving 8-10 fans at a time - took place in the Blue Room on the 10th and 11th of June and discussions were frank, constructive and encouraging on a variety of topics. Fans in attendance once again outlined the passion, commitment and intensity that goes hand in hand with supporting this great Club and they highlighted a number of areas for improvement and how fans themselves can play a significant role in this. Discussions centred on enhancing fan engagement with specific focus on the creation of a Fan Board – which was identified in the Ready to Listen phase 1 and 2 surveys earlier this year. Improved communication with the wider fanbase was viewed as critical given events of the past few seasons and they are seeking communication that is frequent, honest, open and clear on subjects direct from the Club rather than via external media outlets. A number of ideas were put forward by fans – including regular emails and video messages direct to supporters – and this feedback will be taken on board. Supporters also provided great insight into their ideas and input regarding the formation of a new official Fan Board and their comments and feedback will be developed further over the coming weeks. Further details and announcements on Ready To Listen fan engagement and the Fan Board in particular will be issued in the coming weeks. Rangers Football Club Rangers.co.uk To unsubscribe, please follow this link: Unsubscribe The Rangers Football Club Ltd, registered in Scotland with number SC425159 registered office Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD
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http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/250-dave-king-the-grand-old-duke-of-york
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Yesterday, BBC Radio Scotland sport was broadcasting whilst thinking aloud. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, the struggle for comfort was obvious and ease of mind did not arrive until Newsdrive, after 4 O'clock. The sport headline on the hour, every hour was the release of next season's fixture list, the strap line being, 'the most attractive opening day fixture'. The morning was all about ra Sellik; well, they are Scottish champions and they deserve their due. The green'n'grey hooped horrors were opening at Perth on a Wednesday night. At lunchtime, we received an explanation that Sellik should open against the Harry Wraggs, but remedial Commonwealth Games work has postponed the match. One O'clock bulletin continued the refrain and informed the listenership that Rangers were opening against Hearts. Afternoon saw Aberdeen's opener against Dundee United as the most attractive opening fixture, 3 O'clock announced Rangers/Hearts was "ARGUABLY" the most attractive opening day fixture, and Newsdrive delivered the unequivocally verdict, no mention of us at all and Aberdeen/Dundee United was THE most attractive opening day fixture. I know news is a dynamic, but it seemed to me the politics between BBC Scotland and our club became the overriding factor. Ra Sellik were out of the equation and the commentary team must go somewhere, the hill of dung is that venue. You see, they cannot talk up Rangers/Hearts because they would then have to explain why they won't cover it by commentary. What a pickle? Other than the usual last two season's two minute match report by one of BBC Radio Scotland's usual suspects, do you think BBC Scotland want to cover Rangers matches? Cosgrove banged on for a decade that the Scottish First Division(now the championship) was the most attractive, most difficult, and most competitive league in the country, do you think he will continue this line between oral consumption of Anusol? I suspect they might wait to see how we start the season. Yesterday was a microcosm of the season long problem BBC Radio Scotland will have dealing with the football matters of our club.
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We know that season ticket sales are slow/low, and this is for a variety of reason. One of them being Dave King's "trust". Does anyone know what sort of numbers are involved with the trust now??? Is it a significant number, or has it turned out to be a bit of a damp squib???
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MADJID BOUGHERRA, the former Rangers defender, is targeting a move to the Barclays Premier League after this summer's World Cup. The Algeria captain, whose side kicked off their tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Belgium last night, is reportedly attracting interest from a host of English top-flight sides including Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/bougherra-i-want-to-play-in-england.24519947
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HULL City supporters Mark Gretton and Kate Ogram urged Rangers fans not to give up their crusade to gain security over prized assets Ibrox and Murray Park. HULL CITY fans took on their club’s hierarchy and won. Now the people who successfully challenged Tigers owner Assem Allam have backed Rangers supporters to prevail in their battle against the Ibrox board. With just 17,000 season tickets snapped up for the new season Gers’ Union of Fans are continuing their fight with the powerbrokers. The majority of Ibrox punters are fed up with chairman David Somers, chief executive Graham Wallace and directors who they believe have made poor decisions at the club. But despite significant protests against the regime Wallace and Co refuse to give Gers supporters what they want – security over prized assets Ibrox and Murray Park. Hull City supporters Mark Gretton and Kate Ogram – who were in Scotland this week at the annual Supporters Direct Conference – have urged Rangers fans not to give up their crusade. Last August they took on the might of Allam after he changed the club’s name to Hull Tigers against their wishes. Gretton, Ogram and thousands of fellow Hull fans were treated with disdain by Allam who said: “I can’t afford to run the club by fans’ feelings. Hull City is irrelevant, my dislike of the word City is because it’s common. City is a lousy identity.” That sparked fury among the Hull faithful and after a peaceful yet powerful “No To Hull Tigers” campaign the supporters emerged victorious in April as the English FA kicked out the owner’s bid to tamper with their history. They didn’t just get clubs around the UK behind them, Gretton and Co mustered support from all over Europe as Allam quickly realised fan power shouldn’t be underestimated. The Hull City diehards now hope to see Rangers supporters stick to their guns and eventually oust the under-fire Ibrox board. Gretton told Record Sport: “The key thing for Rangers fans is knowing exactly what they want to achieve. We had some simple aims that we stuck to until the end. You have to believe in your strategy. “If the supporters feel they’re fighting a losing battle at times with the board my advice would be to keep at it. “If it means enough to them, don’t give up. Just make sure you have a plan on how to get there and you’ll achieve it. At the start it was quite intimidating for us. Allam is a powerful man, a very successful business figure. We were being told all the time – not just by the club but other fans too – it was men against boys. “We looked on him as a James Bond villain, he’d cleverly manipulate all the situations. It was tricky for us because, whatever happens at Hull City, we’ll always be grateful to Allam for putting money into the club when it was on its uppers. “We didn’t know if we’d make headway but eventually you realise you’re not fighting a super-villain. It’s just a person or people. “And people make mistakes. They didn’t take us seriously and that’s why it was vital we were organised from the start. “As a fans’ group we had to be professional. That was the only way we’d be successful. It was crucial that, apart from the official supporters club, we had every other fans’ group on board with us so people could see we were legit. “We had a unified face and that’s what the Rangers fans need.” Gretton’s sidekick Ogram co-ordinated the campaign against Allam and she sees similarities between their predicament and the one Rangers fans face now. She said: “We can completely sympathise with the Rangers fans right now. We’ve heard the board have refused to engage with the supporters group and they’re making decisions against fans’ wishes. “It’s staggering a club of Rangers’ size, with their importance and history, appear to be brushing fans away. “We’re a relatively small club compared to Rangers but it’s a similar situation. They’ve shown a lot of spirit and their campaign to make their voices heard should be easier because they’ll have more power than us, as long as they have the organisation and unity behind it.” Gretton has revealed that the “City Till We Die” group were discouraged from taking on Allam, who was completely dismissive of them from the outset. And he’s adamant Rangers fans will need the same resilience if they want to dislodge the likes of Somers, Wallace and James and Sandy Easdale from the boardroom. He said: “Some of our group were certain we’d beat them. But I’m a natural pessimist and always felt we’d lose. I was part of the campaign because I just felt it was the right thing to do. “You always think the machine wins, don’t you? The rich and powerful normally get their way. We were kicking against that and Allam had a reputation of not losing. “He kept telling us, ‘Look at my CV, I’m the businessman and I’ll do what I want.’ “The support we received from around the UK and abroad was incredible. We did media interviews with 12 European countries, we had a TV crew from Norway over in Hull covering the campaign. “When football fans anywhere appreciate that you’re doing the right thing for the game and your club they back you. I’m sure Rangers supporters would be the same.” Ogram hopes the Yorkshire club’s supporters have proved it’s worth standing up for what you believe in when decisions are made without fans’ approval. She said: “It feels we’ve led the way for clubs like Rangers to overcome the people in charge. “We’ve had terrific feedback and loads of messages from club supporters saying, ‘Thanks, this will make it easier for us now.’ We’re really proud of that.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hull-city-fans-who-successfully-3713453
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Last post today around lunchtime? Has the goings on sickened us that much we're no longer talking?
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This is one for the support. I don't see him as a winner.
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Vince Lunny, who was the first compliance officer to be appointed by the Scottish Football Association - to ensure greater focus and legal enforceability of the disciplinary rules, has quit his position. Lunny has been in the job for less than three years but the former war crimes prosecutor plans to return to regular legal work. It is not the first time a high-profile employee has quit the governing body - commercial chief Kenny McLeod, head of finance Jim Hynes and fans’ liaison Alison Jack also recently resigned. (The Sun) http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/rumour-mill-hibs-ross-county-vince-lunny-1-3446338
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http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-investor-sandy-easdale-reported-3705160#.U58hYzngjDE.twitter[/A LEADING Rangers fan has reported Ibrox investor Sandy Easdale to the financial authorities over alleged insider dealing. Mark Dingwall, former spokesperson of the Rangers Supporters Trust, claims Easdale made a paper profit from buying shares on the back of knowledge in a statement to the BBC to which he should not have been privy. Dingwall, moderator of the followfollow fan website, has written to the Stock Exchange, Financial Conduct Authority and Rangers NOMAD Daniel Stewart asking them to investigate. In his correspondence, which has been seen by Record Sport. Dingwall also claims Easdale, who has a conviction for a £1.5 million VAT fraud, is effectively acting as a shadow director of Rangers International FC plc, the parent company of the football club. His brother James Easdale is a director of Rangers International, but Sandy is chairman only of the Rangers football board. Dingwall was prompted to act after Sandy described the club’s finances in a BBC interview on April 24 as “fragile” ahead of the release of the club’s eagerly-awaited 120 day business review. Dingwall has written: “I wish you to investigate the possibility that Mr Alexander James Easdale is acting as a shadow director of Rangers International Football Club Plc and has used knowledge derived from such a position to enrich himself via the buying of shares in the company. “Mr Easdale is a director of the wholly-owned subsidiary company, The Rangers Football Club Ltd, but with apparent access to RIFC Plc financial information. “He made a public statement on April 24 this year - prior to the 120-day business review issued the next day by RIFC - stating the financial position of the club was ‘fragile’. “Mr Easdale appears to have attended an RIFC Board meeting (and his brother is a member of the RIFC Plc Board) that day and certainly appears to have knowledge of the content of the commercially sensitive 120 Day Review prepared by the company. “On April 24 the share price was 26p. That day after he made his statement it fell to 22p. “Mr Easdale bought 57,043 shares at 23p on May 1. By May the 8 the price had recovered to 27p. “It is also noteworthy that Mr Easdale holds the voting rights to, but does not own, shares representing a further 22.10% of RIFC Plc. “I believe that, if he does have privileged financial information, those shareholders he holds proxies for may also have access to it or otherwise benefit from that knowledge.” At 23p, Easdale’s share purchase cost him £13,119.89 - £1,700 less than it would have on April 24. Had he chosen to sell the shares on May 1, when the price reached 27p, he would have made a profit of almost £2,300. Rangers and Sandy Easdale declined to comment.
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The BBC has learned former Rangers chief executive Charles Green is seeking financial support to launch a new bid for control of the Ibrox club. Green led a consortium which bought Rangers' assets in May 2012 and then raised £22m from a share issue, but resigned from his post last year. He returned for a short-lived spell as a consultant before selling his shareholding in the club. However, he has spent the last week in talks with potential investors. Rangers plan to launch a new share issue in a bid to raise in the region of £8m and if Green is to be successful he would need to convince existing shareholders to sell to a new consortium. Green, who held the same position at Sheffield United, stood down from the chief executive's position citing the "negative publicity" surrounding an independent investigation, commissioned by the club's board, into allegations of undeclared dealings with former owner Craig Whyte. That investigation consequently found no evidence of Whyte's claims that he was involved in the Green-led acquisition of Rangers two years ago. On selling his shares to Sandy Easdale, chairman of Rangers' football board, Green said: "I want to make it clear that this means I will have no ongoing influence or financial interest at the club but I remain a fan and fervently hope that Rangers will soon be back at the top where they belong."
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Rangers' beleaguered directors face the possibility that the club auditor, Deloitte, could sever its connection with the club over the next few weeks, following a collapse in the number of season tickets sold. The Daily Telegraph understands that the international corporate finance and accountancy specialists are unhappy about the latest figures emerging from Ibrox, which show that season ticket sales for Rangers’ Scottish Championship campaign are running at half the level of last year’s take-up for their SPFL League One schedule. In a statement on the Rangers website on Friday, the board confirmed that only 17,000 season tickets have been sold. On March 27, when Deloitte signed off the half year accounts up to the end of 2013 – which showed a £3.5 million loss – the auditors added that “key assumptions” made by the directors included a reckoning of future season ticket sales. Deloitte noted that this indicated the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Despite assurances at the annual general meeting in December from the chief executive, Graham Wallace, that the club could meet its costs until the end of the season, the board subsequently borrowed £1.5 million from shareholder George Letham on the assurance that the sum would be repaid when season ticket sales had yielded the equivalent amount. *However, there has been no notification to the Stock Exchange of any repayment. Instead, leaked reports from a spin doctor formerly employed by the club, confirmed that the board would attempt to raise £8 million through a rights issue later this year. In a statement on the club website on Friday, the Rangers directors said of the latest season ticket sales total – and the likelihood of a share issue – that “The Board believes that whilst this level of support reduces the potential requirement for short-term financing the Board also notes the strategic objectives that it identified in the Business Review Summary published on 25 April 2014 and the related funding requirements. “The Board continues to evaluate its plans in this regard and will update the market in due course.” However, should Deloitte dissociate themselves from Rangers, investor confidence is likely to diminish. Deloitte last night would not comment on any speculation, citing client confidentiality. In response to the club statement, the supporters’ umbrella group, the Union of Fans, condemned the directors’ stewardship. The UoF statement read: “We note the announcement of the Rangers board regarding the season ticket renewal levels for the club this year. It is now obvious that a clear majority of fans have rejected Graham Wallace, Norman Crighton, David Somers, James and Sandy Easdale and their running of the club. “In any normal business, a board which had been rejected by over 50 per cent of its customers in the space of a few months would be removed. Whilst we do not expect this to happen due to the continued support of anonymous shareholders, who could not care less about Rangers, we would highlight that they have utterly failed to gain crucial trust from fans. “We do not believe this trust will ever be built without fundamental change at the club. The problem for this board is very simple. The vast majority of fans, even many of those who have renewed, simply do not trust them and likely never will. “The corporate governance at the club also continues to be a cause for grave concern. We would repeat that it is unacceptable for Jack Irvine of Mediahouse to have access to confidential, price sensitive board information through the Easdales and to then leak that information to the press as he did this week.” J
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So long as it keeps him from re-signing for us....
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After a successful meeting with Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland today it would appear that subject to a few little details our application for a procession to Ibrox on the 19th July will be passed as acceptable. We will require the following volunteers from within the support to fulfil some council requirements. - Experianced marshals - Volunteer marshals - First aiders - Expectant numbers. I would love to hear from pipe or accordion band with a repertoire of Rangers songs In their play book. If you can help with any of the above or will be in attendance can you please let me know on this post or via PM Thanks Craig SoS https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfStrut...al_comments=14 L
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Friday, 13 June 2014 15:00 Hutton Extends Ibrox Stay Written by Rangers Football Club http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7061-hutton-extends-ibrox-stay RANGERS midfielder Kyle Hutton has agreed a one-year deal with the club. The 23-year-old was out of contract in the summer but has now extended his stay at Ibrox having signed a new deal this afternoon. Hutton, a product of the Murray Park youth academy, has fully recovered from the injuries that reduced his playing time last term and will return to the training ground with the rest of the squad later this month to prepare for the 2014/15 Championship campaign. He said: “I am absolutely delighted to sign a new deal with Rangers. You never want to leave a club like this so I am over the moon to agree a new contract. “There are a lot of good midfield players at Rangers but I am confident in my ability and I will work hard to try and get a place in the team. “It was frustrating to miss so much of last season through injury but I am fully fit and ready to play a part in our rise back to the top. “I had a great pre-season in German last year and was feeling sharp but then I picked up an injury in training and that set me back. I have worked hard during the summer on my fitness though and I feel great so I can’t wait to get started again. “Next season is going to be an exciting one with Hearts and Hibs in the same division and they will be good games for the fans to look forward to. “I have played in some great games for Rangers in my career, the highlight was against Manchester Utd in the Champions League, and I want to help the club get back to the highest levels of the game once again.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7061-hutton-extends-ibrox-stay
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August 2nd - 1 pm ko http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7060-rangers-confirm-derby-friendly
