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A year is a long time in football, as all connected with Rangers will testify. Last January, the Ibrox club were coping with the turbulence of Paul le Guen's shock departure, amid clashes with Barry Ferguson. A French revolution was in the air, but the former Lyon boss failed to take flight in Scotland, much to the surprise of many observers. The Glasgow club were disjointed, low in confidence and lacking purpose when Le Guen left, and chairman Sir David Murray - not a man to hesitate in a crisis - sent for his old friend, Walter Smith. Having enjoyed a successful spell with Scotland, Smith clearly saw the attraction of coming to Rangers rescue. And he appeared immune to any risks, as the man who made his reputation in leading the Light Blues to a golden nine-in-a-row era previously. From inheriting a mess at international level from Berti Vogts, the task facing him at Ibrox was of a similar magnitude. It was a move generally welcomed, for Smith's knowledge of the club, from his first spell in charge between 1991-1998, in addition to an upbringing steeped in Rangers' traditions, ensured that a sense of stability would become his priority. The new boss, and assistant, legendary striker Ally McCoist, returned to the top of the Ibrox marble staircase on 10 January. And the Scot swung into action with decisive effect, as results improved immediately, Dundee United the first to be accounted for in a 5-0 hammering. Celtic had cast a 17 point Scottish Premier League shadow over their old rivals and, with Rangers in danger of missing out on second place they eventually, however, took the runners-up spot with some ease. Major surgery has taken place in all areas, and the capture of players such as Jean-Claude Darcheville, DaMarcus Beasley and Daniel Cousin were imaginative. But Smith's number one priority was to reshape the defence, which was particularly brittle under Le Guen, who had been accused of underestimating the physical nature of Scottish football. Julien Rodriguez and Karl Svensson left, and the acquisition of the experienced David Weir proved to be a masterstroke. Since his arrival from Everton, the Scotland international has enjoyed an Indian summer, bringing some organisation to the rearguard. Weir's partnership with Spaniard Carlos Cuellar has a composed look to it overall, despite their exposure by the Lyon attack in the disappointing 3-0 home defeat which killed off the Light Blues' Champions League ambitions in December. Indeed, Smith's experience of the blue riband competition ended in disillusionment, the limp exit to the French outfit the most notable failure of his twelve months in charge. It was all the more disappointing, given that Rangers were in pole position to qualify for the last-16. Furthermore, the presence of Celtic when the Champions League resumes will have done little to douse the frustration of Rangers supporters, and an upcoming Uefa Cup tie against Panathinaikos will be a hollow consolation. That said, the capture of the Scottish Premier League title remains the key objective for Smith this season. And Rangers started 2008 in good form, beating Dundee United at Ibrox. Intriguingly, the first goal, supplied by the rejuvenated Chris Burke - who has relished his top team recall - and executed by Steven Naismith, hints at a bright new era, with the two young Scots rewarding Smith's faith in their ability. So far, the manager's reshaping of Rangers has cost �£10m, with Smith himself admitting his surprise at being able to spend so much in a relative era of downsizing at Ibrox. Rangers fans have witnessed more cosmopolitan squads over the years, but since taking over, the manager has placed his trust on a mainly Scottish core. The veteran Weir is the exception to a crop of young talent, with Naismith, Burke, Kevin Thomson, Alan Hutton, Steven Smith, Lee McCulloch, Steven Whittaker and Kris Boyd augmenting the vital presence of captain Ferguson. While there appears to be question marks regarding the prolific Boyd's long term future, Smith was undoubtedly boosted by Hutton's decision to reject a lucrative move to Tottenham Hotspur. Although the �£9m on offer could have helped fund a January transfer spree, the Scotland full-back's loyalty to his club's title chase is to be admired. Smith has yet to taste defeat against the green and white half of Glasgow, and there is no doubt that record will be put to the test when Rangers visit Celtic Park on 23 January. For his second coming to be considered a success, this most shrewd of operators must deliver the SPL title - which would be the first trophy in the Ibrox cabinet since 2005. With a watershed 60th birthday approaching and his reputation under scrutiny, Smith must ensure Rangers' new year elevation to the top of the table will be the shape of things to come. Walter's Way Scottish Premier League: P34 W24 D5 L5 CIS Cup: P2 W2 In Europe: P14 W6 D3 L5 Total: P50 W31 D8 L10

Rangers face a fixture backlog after last night's rescheduled Clydesdale Bank Premier League match against St Mirren was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch at Love Street. The latest delay exacerbated a pile-up that already includes outstanding away games against Gretna and Celtic. Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, bemoaned the latest incon-venience as officials at the SPL scoured the calendar to find a suitable alternative date. Ian Blair, the SPL's director of administration, will attempt to address the deepening problem first thing this morning. Finding a new date for the St Mirren game will be the priority since the original match, scheduled for November 10 last year, was cancelled to allow Scotland longer preparation time for their ill-fated Euro 2008 qualification decider against Italy. "Rangers have a lot of midweek games and are also involved in the UEFA Cup," said Blair. "Hopefully, they will be involved in more midweek European games, but it poses a problem for us domestically. advertisement "It is already proving difficult to fit in the outstanding games and this is an added complication for us. We are still trying to find a date for the Old Firm game but we will make the latest cancellation a priority." Rangers will play Gretna - a match postponed from Sunday, December 9 to aid the Ibrox club's Champions League pre-parations against Olympique Lyonnais - at Fir Park next Wednesday and may be permitted to play St Mirren the following midweek, but only if both sides negotiate their Scottish Cup ties without the need for a replay. Tuesday January 22 and Wednesday January 23 are designated as cup replay dates, but the SPL may seek special dispensation to play the match then, provided both clubs are free. Another possibility is to play the St Mirren game on the first midweek of March and delay the league split by playing the outstanding Old Firm fixture, cancelled on January 2 as a mark of respect after the death of Phil O'Donnell, on April 8. Smith will leave it to the administrators to alleviate the increasing burden but admitted that it was an unwanted complication. "There is a difficulty fitting in this game now and we've had enough trouble trying to fit in the Celtic game," said Smith. "We will need to sit down and discuss things again and will just have to fit the two games in somehow." Smith and his St Mirren counterpart, Gus MacPherson, agreed that the referee, Stuart Dougal, was right to postpone last night's game after torrential rain. Dougal made his first inspection at 6.15pm and with no sign of the weather abating decided to call off the match 20 minutes later. "The referee's decision was correct," said Smith. "It was not just a problem with the pitch but driving conditions for the fans on the roads. It is the proper decision." The cancellation has cost St Mirren around �£30,000 in lost television revenue, with Setanta Sports set to screen the match live, but Dougal was more concerned with player safety. "It was a bit of a lottery, or even worse," said Dougal. "It was just about playable after my first inspection but it was clear it was only going to get worse. "I had to take into account player and fan safety. In an ideal world, I would have liked another 15 minutes to make up my mind and but in my heart of hearts I knew it would not have made a difference. "I spoke to both sets of players and they came to the same conclusion." Alan Hutton's future, meanwhile, remains at Ibrox for the foreseeable future after the full- back rejected the latest offer from Tottenham Hotspur. The player and his agent were informed of the improved personal terms of the proposed �£9m transfer but the 23-year-old reiterated his intention to stay in Scotland.

After another not so glorious defeat in Europe under Walter what does the near future hold for the club? Some fantastic early performances have meant we exceeded most of our expectations in the toughest CL group but unfortunately we couldnââ?¬â?¢t go that extra two feet to snatch a draw and qualify ââ?¬â?? the whole campaign falling apart with JCDââ?¬â?¢s horror miss near the end last night. Down and out then ââ?¬â?? but still all to play for! Firstly, can I first say I obviously share everyoneââ?¬â?¢s disappointment at last nightââ?¬â?¢s result. First half we just werenââ?¬â?¢t good enough and while we managed to have plenty possession in the second, as has been the case for a few years now, we lacked the genuine creativity and width to cause Lyon problems. The two late goals made the result look worse than it actually was but one may accurately contend cancelling the game against Gretna resulted in a team who took 30mins to get into their stride while our inconsistency in selection must be addressed to avoid our constant ââ?¬Ë?Jekyll and Hydeââ?¬â?¢ displays during the actual game. On the other hand, itââ?¬â?¢s been just over a year since we were being turned over at home to St Johnstone so progress has been decent and we shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be overly critical in our analysis of the team. There is a lot to be proud of and the potential is certainly there for further improvement with a renewed challenge for the SPL. As such, we must all immediately lift the heads and move onto the next game which as we know is a tough home game against Hearts. How vital this game is cannot be stressed enough ââ?¬â?? Celtic being 5 points head but with us having two games in hand means in real terms weââ?¬â?¢re top of the table. Therefore, we must ensure we get the chance to develop that potential one-point advantage instead of stumbling right away as we have done too often this season. Unfortunately this will have to result in more changes in personnel. This means the invisible man himself Sir David Murray must again back the club with Her Majestyââ?¬â?¢s currency. Lurking at the back of the Directorââ?¬â?¢s Box last night and lurking in the shadows out with Ibrox on a day-to-day basis, itââ?¬â?¢s time Murray delivered on the grand promises of old. Around Ã?£12million was spent in the summer and thatââ?¬â?¢s a fair amount in todayââ?¬â?¢s climate but we need more. To help facilitate that Walter Smith needs to make a few tough squad decisions. Although all the following players have their positives and we could all make a case for them staying, they donââ?¬â?¢t play enough and unless the manager intends playing them, they have to be moved on to create funds for at least another two first choice players. Ehiogu, Webster, Hemdani, Burke, Buffel, Boyd and Cousin are just 7 players who appear surplus to to requirements, either via injury proneness, general attitude problems or simply not fitting into Smithââ?¬â?¢s way of thinking. We cannot afford passengers to if theyââ?¬â?¢re not going to be played ââ?¬â?? they must go in order to bring in the missing links that will affect our future. These are: 1. A creative attacking midfielder. Last showed that Barry Ferguson cannot play this role effectively enough. The skipper is a fine player but he plays better dictating things from deeper positions and thatââ?¬â?¢s where he must play alongside the ever improving Kevin Thomson. Having an attacking, creative player to feed off the recycling skills of Ferguson and the combative nature of Thomson is something the team has been missing for a long time. Is Thomas Buffel the answer? I doubt it and because of that we must find someone who can play that role consistently with the quality required to unlock defences home and away. 2. Another centre-half. As I wrote last week, we have a dilemma regarding Davie Weir. His effect on the team has been admirable but last night his limitations were exposed. As such, if Webster cannot prove his fitness (or legal position) we must find another experienced ââ?¬â?? quick, physical and aerially competent ââ?¬â?? to compliment Carlos Cuellar. Short-term pain for Weir; long-term gain for the team. 3. A left back. Not as crucial as the first two priorities but if Steven Smith cannot resume playing quickly; another left back would give more balance to the side. Sasa Papac has done well for periods this season but his limitations affect the team and too much important is placed on our right flank. Alan Hutton cannot be expected to deliver our only wide threat indefinitely. 4. A winger. With DaMarcus Beasley out for the rest of the season and Chris Burke almost as anonymous as our chairman, we have an obvious requirement for width. For all his physical positives, Lee McCulloch does not provide that and that results in all too predictable long ball tactics. Letââ?¬â?¢s utilise McCullochââ?¬â?¢s threat properly by having him win headers in the 6 yeard box, not 30 yards from goal out wide. A new winger (right or left sided) would help facilitate that. Unfortunately, buying 2-4 players of the quality required would cost a fair amount of money. Having already spent Ã?£12million, the chairman may not share our eagerness to build the team further. His medium-long term future is questionable and we have direct experience of his lack of genuine vision and ambition. However, we also know of Murrayââ?¬â?¢s ego and the great business skills he does retain. I have personal experience of the chairman scoffing at suggestions heââ?¬â?¢s not a real Rangers fan and how he supports the team as much (if not more) that any other bear. Is that emotional support compatible with more financial support? Well, we need both. At the same time, while these requested changes to the squad may well be imperative, we must also keep changes to a minimum. Weââ?¬â?¢ve already brought in several new players and our general inconsistency is testament to how the manager is taking time to find his best players. His initial target was to make us hard to beat and that target has been achieved. Now itââ?¬â?¢s time to move to the next stage ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢re hard to beat defensively but we need to make teams worry about our attacking threat again. Bringing in a new creative player (all suggestions to E. Chester, Murray Park please) is imperative to this development. The potential of players like Whittaker, Thomson and Naismith is exciting and all three will play an important part in every game between now and next summer. But they need help. For all their positives every one of them lack the experience to affect games in a creative sense so we must take that pressure off them and bring in an experienced player who can. Despite all the above I cannot stress enough itââ?¬â?¢s not all negativity at the club. Improvement has been obvious and just need to build on that. Our fans have been incredibly loyal in recent years without any success. Season ticket sales are still at record levels and no-one can question the financial backing or emotional support we give. Itââ?¬â?¢s time to repay that faith. Starting from the chairman right down to the dressing room we need to build on the relative advancement weââ?¬â?¢ve seen since January. Letââ?¬â?¢s move in the dead wood quickly and effectively. Letââ?¬â?¢s take the game to all our opponents. Letââ?¬â?¢s bring the title home. Time to get the battle fever on!

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=549&Itemid=1 After a couple of weeks of supporting Scotland it's back to club business for us all this weekend and for the forseeable future. Not only do we have some important league games on the horizon, our fate in this year's Champions' League shall also be decided. Moreover, in January the excitement, hyperbole and disappointment of the transfer window means the rumour mill will soon be going into over-drive once more. Why not let Gersnet keep you abreast of the latest transfer gossip surrounding Rangers? Even better - why not get involved? * OUT First up we have the ever impressive Alan Hutton. Obviously his progress has alerted many clubs in recent months - not least in the last few days with his excellent display for Scotland at Hampden. Man Utd, Lazio, Newcastle and Spurs have all been linked with the right back but Gersnet have learned Bayern Munich have leapt to the front of the queue. With Willy Sagnol constantly being linked with a move out of the German league leaders, it seems Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Ottmar Hitzfeld have ear-marked Hutton as their first choice replacement if the Frenchman does leave. Other players on their way out of Rangers may be Thomas Buffel, Andy Webster, Alan Gow and even the popular Nacho Novo who may all be moved on to free up space and finance for new players as Rangers hope to maintain their domestic and European challenges. * IN Next we have the ongoing saga of Kenny Miller. Although not many Rangers fans would welcome the return of the Scottish striker from Derby the former Celtic man has once again told Billy Davies he favours a return to Scotland to be with his family. Continual trips north have left Davies concerned about Miller's attitude and as such he wouldn't be difficult to deal with. Rangers have been contacted regarding the situation and rumours are rife that Kris Boyd could be the make-weight in any proposed deal. As well as a likely negative fans reaction to such a transfer, Miller's �£30K per week wages may also be rather large stumbling block. One to keep a close eye on over the next few weeks. Bizarre and disagreeable as it sounds there is an element of truth in this story. Another player being linked to Rangers is Laryea Kingston of Hearts. Although the Ghanian midfielder only joined the Edinburgh club last January, his fine creative form (and an alleged miniumum fee release clause in his contract) means several clubs are interested in his services. Any Rangers' new incoming players may be dependent on existing players leaving and the chatter is that a cash plus player deal involving Chris Burke may tempt Hearts into losing one of their prize assets. Ugo Ehiogu is another surprise (though less likely) link to the Tynecastle men in a seperate deal. Keep an eye on this column for the latest news! Even better - why not get involved? Submit your comments/rumours to us and we'll include them in our next transfer bulletin!

Graham Spiers When you have held three of the great offices of State in Britain, people tend to listen carefully to your thoughts. So when John Reid, the former Home Secretary and recently-installed chairman of Celtic, claimed last night that Gordon Strachan had the potential to stand alongside Jock Stein in the clubââ?¬â?¢s history, his words had an arresting effect. Reid, who was in Italy on Tuesday to watch Celticââ?¬â?¢s advance to the last 16 of the Champions League despite their 1-0 defeat to AC Milan, chose yesterday as the moment to lavish praise on the Celtic manager. ââ?¬Å?Gordon Strachan has the opportunity to make himself a true legend at Celtic Park because, when you create records and potential records as he is currently doing, thatââ?¬â?¢s the best answer to all the critics,ââ?¬Â Reid said. ââ?¬Å?With all the constraints that we know are placed on teams playing in the Scottish league ââ?¬â?? such as not having the resources that others do ââ?¬â?? then for a manager to have qualified among the cream of Europe in the Champions League two years running is tremendous. At the same time, to have won the league twice and now be in the running for a third [successive] title ââ?¬â?? weââ?¬â?¢ve only done that twice in our history before, once under Jock Stein and once at the turn of the century. So it speaks volumes for the contribution Gordon has made.ââ?¬Â Strachan continues to have his critics but Reid forcibly argued that Celticââ?¬â?¢s qualification from group D was a minor triumph for the club. ââ?¬Å?To come above teams with a reputation like Benfica, or someone of the expenditure of Shakhtar [Donetsk], and just behind the team that are the European champions and within a couple of weeks might be the world champions [Milan], is no mean feat,ââ?¬Â the Celtic chairman said. Related Links * Celtic know they must cure away day blues * Strachan can emulate Hiddink at PSV ââ?¬Å?There has been a lot of talk of luck, but the fact is, you make your own luck in this game. Weââ?¬â?¢ve got nine points because Gordon and the boys most probably have the best home record in Europe. So Iââ?¬â?¢m delighted for Gordon, for the squad, but most especially for the fans. We are now among the cream of Europe, and thatââ?¬â?¢s basi-cally the cream of world soccer.ââ?¬Â Asked how much money the Celtic board might release for Strachan to bolster his squad in January, Reid offered optimism rather than stiff promises. ââ?¬Å?Everyone will now start asking about January,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?All Iââ?¬â?¢ll say is weââ?¬â?¢ve tried, within the limitations placed upon us, to help the manager in the past. Weââ?¬â?¢ll try to do that in the future but just now itââ?¬â?¢s sufficient to take a degree of satisfaction that weââ?¬â?¢ve reached another stage. And we have to be realistic about the future. ââ?¬Å?It obviously helps us reaching this stage, especially when youââ?¬â?¢re making about Ã?£2 million if you do well in the SPL, rather than the Ã?£35 million for being bottom in the English Premier League. All I can say is that weââ?¬â?¢ll try to do what we can financially.ââ?¬Â Celtic can relax for now, knowing they could face Manchester United, Chelsea, Inter Milan or Barcelona in the knockout draw on December 21.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=158&Itemid=1 After another weekend where other clubs have shown they still appear to have the kind of problems only Rangers and their fans are criticised/disciplined for; the Trust feel we have to make public our frustration with several different footballing and governmental authorities. Over the last few months, the Trust has tried in vain to secure dialogue with various different authorities. The SFA, SPL, UEFA, the Scottish Executive, Nil by Mouth, Kick out Bigotry and Strathclyde Police have all been contacted in order to organise positive meetings with the Trust to discuss a wide range of issues. None have replied other than UEFA who feel the SPL/SFA should be doing more to work with us. In recent years the Rangers support has been magnificent in the way it has addressed the challenges it faces. With minimal constructive, financial or logistical help from any of the above publicly-funded organisations it has worked with Rangers FC to self-police and modernise for the future. The results have been admirable. The Rangers Supporters Trust has been at the forefront of this action and via several other initiatives (such as our recent innovative 'GersPride’ event) strives to examine our club and fans' attitudes as we move forwards. Our ever-increasing membership is testament to our progressive outlook so we were surprised and disappointed to find out no Scottish authority wants to engage with us to ensure our good work continues in the months and years ahead. Is the anti-sectarianism industry only limited to expensive stadium launches and media sound-bites or do the organisations involved really want to make a difference by working with the very people who have shown they can actually fix the problem?

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=156&Itemid=1 Once again the Trust has another interesting competition for our members. We have two copies of two different books up for grabs. First up is: * SILVER SMITH: THE BIOGRAPHY OF WALTER SMITH BY NEIL DRYSDALE Walter Smith is one of the most successful and respected managers in the history of Scottish football. At Rangers he helped them to nine successive league titles, a domestic treble in the 1992-93 season and both the Scottish Cup and League Cup three times. At international level he restored pride and faith in a faltering national team, being named Scot of the year in the 2006 Glenfiddich ââ?¬Ë?Spirit of Scotlandââ?¬â?¢ awards. But half-way through the qualifying rounds for Euro 2008, he controversially resigned to return to Rangers. From the Ibrox Disaster, to his days as a professional player and on to a dramatic future, this is the story of a man driven by a passion for perfection and success. Hardback Ã?£16.99 ISBN 978 1 84158 629 8 Next we have: * RANGERS: 100 HEROES OF THE MODERN GAME BY DEAN HAYES From Willie Waddell to Barry Ferguson, Rangers: 100 Heroes of the Modern Game is a fascinating compendium of facts and figures and a superb tribute to the men who have brought skills, thrills and glory to Rangers Football Club in the modern era. All the great players since 1946 are here, including Ally McCoist, Jim Baxter, Graeme Souness, Paul Gascoigne, Andy Goram, Brian Laudrup and many, many more. Each player is profiled with detailed statistics given on every aspect of their careers. Meticulous research, perceptive analysis and vivid storytelling make this a must-have for any Rangers fan. Hardback, Ã?£12.99 ISBN 978 1 84183 125 1 Both books available from http://www.birlinn.co.uk, free p&p in the UK - for overseas please add 30%. To enter, simply tell us who Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s assistant manager was during his first spell at the club. Simply contact us with your answer, your membership number and postal address. All entries must be received by Wednesday 5th December. Good luck! :cheers:

Scotland At The World Cup Draw Stars Get Zilch For Euro Campaign SCOTLAND players did not take a penny for their failed bid to reach Euro 2008. SFA chief executive Gordon Smith has praised Barry Ferguson and Co for not attempting to cash in - now he hopes to broker a similar deal for the World Cup in 2010. Hampden bosses were denied a cash windfall of around �£5million when Alex McLeish's side narrowly missed out on a place in Austria and Switzerland next summer. The players struck a deal with the SFA that saw them waive win bonuses and appearance fees in favour of a squad pot of around �£1.25m, payable only on qualification. Italy's 2-1 win at Hampden put paid to that but Smith, speaking here in South Africa ahead of tomorrow's World Cup draw, insists the SFA will happily fork out for success in future. He said: "The Scotland players took no money whatsoever from the SFA in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. "They were on a qualifying only bonus and I must commend them for that. The current squad made it pretty clear to me they are content to play for Scotland for nothing. "They amassed 24 points in a very tough group but received no reward for that in terms of individual bonuses. "If Scotland qualify for a major tournament the SFA benefit from millions of pounds in extra revenue and it's only fair the players share in that. "I hope a similar arrangement will be in place come the start of World Cup qualifying. Obviously we'll have to speak to the players first but their commitment to the squad is already very obvious." Smith will try to finalise a deal for a new-look home international tournament while in South Africa. Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Republic of Ireland want a Celtic Cup competition on the international dates in February, March and May and still hope to tempt England into joining them. Nor thern Ireland FA President Jim Boyce said: "There is a possibility of Scotland playing Northern Ireland in February. The Republic of Ireland can't play then because I understand they have a friendly with Brazil. "I want to see a British Championship reformed but England have to make up their minds. For many years I have been campaigning to bring back the championships but it always appeared that England did not want to participate. "If they say no I want a Celtic Cup with Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland." England already have a friendly against Switzerland pencilled in for February 6 - the proposed date for the new tournament to begin

Just been reading that the SFA are looking to redevelop Hampden to have a 70,000 capacity. Its 8 years to late as they should have done this in the first place to save on future costs. But im just wondering what they are going to do as they need to keep the space between the pitch and stands for the athletics at the common wealth games. The only thing they can do is add a tier to the North? Stand across from the cameras / dugouts, to make it the same as the opposite stand, that would bring it up to around 67,000. They should make the stands behind the goals steeper and higher and make a design similar to St James park then keep the tier going all the way round.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=519&Itemid=1 Co-written with D'Artagnan One cannot go one week in Scotland without some faux moral objector highlighting problems within the Rangers support with regard to their traditions and background. Letââ?¬â?¢s be straight ââ?¬â?? Rangers are a club with a Protestant identity. Whilst such associations may well be decreasing and whilst their overall affect on the club is indeed debatable, this is something we neither need to be ashamed of or deny in the fact of constant attack on our club. Those pioneering young rowers who came down from the Gare Loch did not start a football club with a religious focus ââ?¬â?? letââ?¬â?¢s be in no doubt about that. But from the 1890ââ?¬â?¢s onwards, events in Glasgow caused the Protestant population to search for a football club which reflected their religion, their culture and perhaps even their political persuasion. Even so the choosing of Rangers as the vehicle of that expression had more to do with geography and existing transport links than anything else from our humble origins. Of course it was not just the supporters who shaped that identity - men like John Ure Primrose who, as well as being Rangers chairman, was Lord Provost of Glasgow (and who incidentally shared a platform with Lord Edward Carson who organised the opposition to the Home Rule Bill in Ireland) certainly helped mould Rangersââ?¬â?¢ Protestant identity. Through the years other admirable men such as Bill Struth and Willie Waddell carried on those traditions and Protestantism (and Unionism) have always played a part in the way our club has been run. Some may say that wasnââ?¬â?¢t always a good thing and they may well have been right. Alleged unofficial signing policies and less tolerant attitudes of the last century may not have been restricted to our club but to deny there may well have been such negative aspects of our past would be churlish and certainly unrepresentative of true debate. Of course, itââ?¬â?¢s certainly easy to criticise our past but itââ?¬â?¢s much more positive and constructive to look to the future. Rangers are an inclusive club these days ââ?¬â?? from the support, to the team, to all aspects of the club. However a significant number of people still see Rangers as the expression of that Protestant identity in Scotland. That does not mean that Protestant Rangers fans are part of a ââ?¬Ë?higher orderââ?¬â?¢ of fan or see others as lesser than themselves. Nor is it necessary to be a practising Protestant to celebrate Rangers Protestant identity; in fact itââ?¬â?¢s not necessary to have any prior Protestant connections whatsoever. All creeds and colours are welcome - as it should be! Nonetheless we need not shy away from our Protestant identity or its expressions. It can be argued that it was our Protestant identity which, along with other factors, shaped our club into one of the most successful in the world. It could also be said that our conduct as a club, often at times reflecting that identity, has helped us maintain our dignity in the face of ridicule and criticism. Perhaps even to our detriment considering our reluctance to get involved in the debate. Itââ?¬â?¢s with this in mind that Iââ?¬â?¢m delighted to read about the Rangers Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Trust finally managing to organise their inaugural ââ?¬Ë?GersPrideââ?¬â?¢ conference at Ibrox Stadium this Saturday (more info below - 1). Itââ?¬â?¢s not before time that our fans (helped by a varied choice of neutrals) have the platform to debate our history and background while finding some common ground for the future. Itââ?¬â?¢s vital that as many fans take part as possible because, if we donââ?¬â?¢t, we can't then argue about being marginalised or not having the chance to debate serious issues and change certain attitudes for the better. What can be said there is that there is no doubt in recent years our club and support have modernised and improved their outlook. Removing unacceptable add-ons and discriminatory terms from our songs so quickly is something to be proud of and gives us the kind of sound foundation to move forward into our next 135 years (and more!). However, while this is agreeable, there is no reason why we have to abandon other parts of our heritage just because others may not completely agree with it. For example, Celtic are a proud Catholic club with their history based on religion right from the start. They rightly celebrate such associations and no-one challenges them - why should they? Similarly, our national team and ââ?¬Ë?Tartan Armyââ?¬â?¢ often base their attitudes and spirit on battles of old and should never be told otherwise. The same should go for us. Songs like ââ?¬Ë?The Sashââ?¬â?¢. ââ?¬Ë?Derryââ?¬â?¢s Wallsââ?¬â?¢, 'Rule Britannia' and 'God Save the Queen' may not mean the same to everyone. Their words and other slogans our support utilise may take different meanings for different people but we should never need to question their suitability when they are a huge part of our history. That shouldnââ?¬â?¢t offend anyone and if it does, well theyââ?¬â?¢re only showing the kind of intolerance and bigotry that we get pilloried for. 1 - http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=1

Alan Hutton worth on his current form? there have been some big clubs being banded about of late and they all have one thing in common, loads of cash. It wouldnt suprise me if someone came in at xmas with a 10 mill plus offer. the questions that follow are 1. will he want to leave Rangers? 2. will walter and co want to sell him? I think the answer would be no on both counts but the person that would be the deciding factor in the whole equasion is be David Murray. weve had our fair share of bad debts and by all accounts were not out of the woods yet. Could we afford to knock back a multimillion pound offer? It will show the true level of our ambition when the question is put to the Rangers board, and it will come. If we can hold on to players of Huttons calibre over the long term it will show the fans that Murray does indeed mean business. In fact if we are to have any sort of future at all we have to.

It's possible that he'll become the next Rangers manager when WS steps down. What's your opinions on him, playing career aside? Has he got the tactical knowledge to be a successful manager? Personally, the jury is still out for me. There's no doubting he brings character to the dressing room but is that enough to bring success to a team? He's got the ideal mentor to learn off. WS is a very successful manager and which can only benefit McCoist in the long-term but would it be better if McCoist goes it alone at another club as manager before he steps into the Rangers hot seat? Opinions please.

Rangers visit to Fir park to meet the steelmen turned out to be a heavy metal affair. Motherwell had a Golden first half and Rangers looked like they had lead in their boots. Motherwell opened the scoring with a goal from Chris Porter but it looked like Rangers were carrying so much excess baggage, that it was us that needed a porter. In the second half we got back on level terms but we couldnâ��t grind down the steelmens armour. In the back ground Jean-Michel Aulas the Lyon Chairman sayâ��s heâ��s going to feed fergie a bottle of whisky before the Lyon game mocking our drinking culture. Funny coming from a frog as they drink wine instead of water. I guess he was jaked up on a chateaux d�©conner(bullshit). He should get a job as a stand up comic in an old folks home. He wonâ��t make people laugh but theyâ��ll still wet themselves Dundee United visited Parkhead and were sickened by McDonald. Well most of times I have been to Mcdonalds I came back with the schitters. Wee Gordie said after the game he played with the players brains. So now he is a miracle worker. What Celtic player has a brain? If he takes a pool of eighteen players he might have enough to make a babies rattle to play with. It was suggested over the last few weeks that the Celtic defense was weak. So they bring in the ex-minister of defense as chairman. If they had said there was a hole in their defense they would have brought in a bunch of Irish navies to fill it in. When asked if Nakamura would be fit for Wednesday Gordie said I donâ��t know he was eating a sandwich and he didnâ��t have an interpreter . Gordie if you speak slow and articulate we maybe understand you without an interpreter. Up at Aberdeen the Sheep were beating the marriage men but seemingly they only could think of Europe. Jimmy Calderwood said the Aberdeen team of euro winners is haunting them. It looks like every team in the SPL except Gretna is haunting them. It is so long ago since Aberdeen were in Europe that Jimmy tried to hire the Hindenburg Zeppelin for the journey. Hearts beat St Mirrren but were blamed for diving. Nah no chance, there were no Lithuanians in the team. Ohh were not allowed to mention Lithuanians and diving as Gordon Smith found out. He has been reported to UEFA . I suppose we will need to say, using the laws of gravity in the future. Funny thing is it was a St Mirren player booked for diving on Sunday. What a difference a few weeks and a new manager are making for Inverness. They beat falkirk 4-2 to leave Gretna stranded at the bottom of the league. Before the game John Hughes said he needed 4 new players. On Saturday he would have had enough with one. DENNIS WYNESS. The SFA have stopped a pet food manufacturer sponsoring Gretna. A spokesman said we couldnâ��t have Gretna players playing with Winalot on their shirts. Taxi!!!

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=507&Itemid=1 In the last year Rangers fans have reacted magnificently to eradicate problematic chants and add-ons within sections of our support. Not satisfied; good old, neutral BBC Scotland ensure the sectarianism debate continues unabated by now claiming other songs are now also unacceptable. If you feel like a laugh, the debate is ten minutes into the following clip: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/player/?item=4449133 The excuse for this incredibly poor analytical piece is the release of a forthcoming new book. For some reason, the BBC seem to happy to advertise this new book in order to discuss the usual tedious stuff about whether or not 'The Sash' and 'Derry's Walls' are sectarian. Laughably, in the interests of balance, the only offensive Celtic song the BBC can find to equate to the supposedly sectarian Rangers songs is 'You are my Larsson'...!!! Yes, in a week where the Celtic supporters were again caught singing about the IRA and huns, this is the only song the BBC care to mention. Graham Walker is supposed to a respected author and academic while Newsnight is supposed to be a respected analytical current affairs programme. That piece last night was embarrassing for all concerned. If the book contains a similar standard of 'debate', then its chances of success are even worse than first thought. Can we now assume the 'offensive by context' argument means national anthems such as 'Flower of Scotland' are now also to face challenge? Why is is that only one side of the sectarian/bigotry/tribalism (call it what you will) debate is held to account for their actions? Every set of fans in Scotland display such traits yet it only ever appears that Rangers (and their fans) are held accountable. Any decent Rangers fan welcomes debate and discussion about the challenges we face. Indeed, by doing so we have responded extremely positively to such debate and are moving into the future while others still remain free from question. Can anyone answer why we remain the only club under scrutiny?

WALTER SMITH paid tribute to Kris Boyd after the striker notched his 50th and 51st Rangers goals in the 4-0 CIS Insurance Cup win over East Fife this evening. Boyd reached his half-century with a tap-in from close range and then added No 51 from the penalty spot after Thomas Buffel was fouled in the box. The striker, who moved to Ibrox from Kilmarnock in January 2006, has often had to settle for a place on the substitutes bench this season as Smith runs an eye over new strikers Jean-Claude Darcheville and Daniel Cousin. But the manager revealed that the Ayrshire goal machine remains a very big part of his future plans. Smith said: "It's terrific going from Kris. He's worked hard this season in terms of his fitness. "He has done really well for us and I think he's improving as a player. He has got his own psyche where he sees himself as a goal scorer first and foremost. "But since I've come back to the club he's also worked very hard for the team as well. We have no complaints about him at all. "We know what Kris can do. Fifty goals in two and a half years in a Rangers team that has not been that superior to the opposition is a terrific testimony to him." 51 goals in what, just under 2 years? And what age is he, 23? By that ratio, he'll get 100 every 2 years, meaning by the time he's 33 he'll have hit what, 500 goals? I've had a couple of beers after work tonight so my calculation could be, and probably is, miles off. Now obviously that ratio won't continue, surely, but it's still a top-notch strike rate. I, like most, don't rate Boyd all that highly due to his all-round game being a tad lackluster, but you can't argue with goals, and if he keeps grabbing them at the rate he has done since arriving, more power to him. So yeah, just thought I'd post this to congratulate Kris on reaching the half century tonight.

Center for Advanced Anti- Goalkeeping Studies From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ââ?¬Â¢ Learn more about using Wikipedia for research ââ?¬Â¢ Jump to: navigation, search Philadelphia Portal o Dropsie College The institution now known as CCAC (couldnââ?¬â?¢t catch a cold) was founded in 1907 as the Dropsie College of droppingthe ball and making general blunders and finally as Dropsie University. It was named after its benefactor, Moses Aaron Dropsie (1821ââ?¬â??1905), a wealthy half-Jewish religious convert who willed his entire fortune to "the promotion of and instruction in the skills of not catching a ball." Dropsie granted more than 200 Ph.D.s between its inception and its closing as a degree-granting institution in 1986. Dropsie was also the publisher of the Blunder Journal which was at the time the most respected journal on the subject. Dropsie College students ââ?¬Â¢ Philip Birnbaum, author and translator, best known for his translation of the the keeper ââ?¬Â¢ Cyrus H. Gordon, Near East scholar - did not graduate ââ?¬Â¢ Meredith G. Kline, theologian and Keeper-trainer scholar - Ph.D. in Goalkeeping errors and Egyptology ââ?¬Â¢ Samuel Noah Kramer, Assyriologist and Sumeriologist - did not graduate; transferred to Penn ââ?¬Â¢ Dr. Bernard Revel, future head of RIETS yeshiva and founder/President of Yeshiva College of football blunders. 1911 doctoral thesis on Goalkeeping mistake studies ââ?¬Â¢ Artur Boruc , Assholeogist graduated with honours: transferred to Celtic

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=1 The RST are delighted to announce a major breakthrough in their innovative Share Save Scheme. Malcolm McNiven, the RST Chairman, has successfully negotiated a price of 59.5p per share with Sir David Murray. When the scheme was launched, it was envisaged that the shares would be bought at �£1.00 each, so this great news means that GerSave members will get almost twice as many shares for their investment. The price of the shares is approximately the same as the current share offer price of 60p. GerSave is a scheme where supporters can invest a minimum of �£10 per month, or lump sums if they wish, and this money will be invested directly into the club on a periodic basis. With the share price being in line with the market price, and there being no broker fees involved, it represents an ideal opportunity for fans to invest in the club that they love. The first investment into the club of �£50,000 will be made in the very near future. You will find more information on GerSave, including an application form if you wish to join by visiting our site. Specific enquiries may be made to this email address: gersave@rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk

Back Down To Earth With A Bump Maybe itââ?¬â?¢s just the eternal pessimist in me, but wasnââ?¬â?¢t there something rather predictable and inventible about the 4-2 defeat to Hearts? Not just the result, but in the manner of the performance, team selection and a return to form from this seasons laughing stock / whipping boys that are Heart of Midlothian? Not too many of our players covered themselves in glory at Tynecastle with our normally reliable defence looking at sixes and sevens. McGregor and Hutton were awful and CC and Weir werenââ?¬â?¢t much better. Weir in particular has looked a tired and jaded defender of the last few weeks and maybe its time to rest his aging limbs. Without BF in midfield, we appear a rudderless ship. I know many Rangers fans believe that we are a better team without Ferguson, but in my humble opinion that theory was blown out of the water today. With no BF we have no fight, no guile and donââ?¬â?¢t appear as solid. Hard to blame the forwards today as they received very little service but I have to say that WS MUST pick his preferred front two and stick with them. This chopping and changing isnââ?¬â?¢t doing anyone any good so pick 2 and stick with them for 10 (or so games). Personally, I would plump for Cousin and Darchville. However, overall, we have had a decent start to the season and it will be interesting to see how the players bounce back from this set-back (lets hope thatââ?¬â?¢s all it is) against Stuttgart in our opening Champions League fixture. It will also be interesting to see how WS and his staff play this game. Will we go all out for a victory or will they play it cagey? For me, the next 2 games (Stuttgart, Abergreen) are MUST wins so Iââ?¬â?¢d like to see WS picking our strongest 11 and going for back to back impressive victories in the coming days. Rollercoaster One thing that is for sure, the result against Hearts wonââ?¬â?¢t be our only ââ?¬Ë?downââ?¬â?¢ of the season and as fans, all we can hope for is that we have more ââ?¬Ë?upsââ?¬â?¢ than we have ââ?¬Ë?downsââ?¬â?¢. Itââ?¬â?¢s safe to say that most of us would have been pleased with only one defeat and progression into the Champions League group stages if offered it at the start of the season. Lets not forget that we are bedding in a whole new team and unfortunately, weââ?¬â?¢ll have days like today at Tynecastle ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s the nature of the beast and comes with the territory. As long as the players and management learn from these mistakes and as long as these knock-backs make us stronger and wiser we should ensure more highs than lows. We have a huge month coming up and at the end of that period we will have a much better idea of our best team / formation and a clearer picture of how our season is going to pan out. The reaction to the Hearts defeat has been predictable and as we know, life at Rangers is black or white ââ?¬â?? there is no middle ground. Last week we were flying, unstoppable, certain SPL winners and had a chance in our CL group. One defeat later, we are also-rans, garbage, and likely to get zero points in the CL. As usual, the reality will lie somewhere in the ââ?¬Ë?middle-groundââ?¬â?¢. Some of our new signings have shown enough to suggest that they will be decent purchases for us. Others still have some work to do to convince the majority that they have something to offer. However, as we are as a fanbase very hard to please, some of them will be written off no matter what they achieve at Rangers (just look at Peter Lovenkrands as an example). So folks, get yourself belted in and get ready to ride the rollercoaster that is Rangers FC. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu Just returned from Madrid were we visited the magnificent Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and have to say that the tour of the stadium is a must for all football fans. It was a privilege to have visited the home of Real Madrid and would highly recommend the tour. It cost E15 and unlike most stadium tours I have made, this is self paced and doesnââ?¬â?¢t include a tour guide. The only negative is that their isnââ?¬â?¢t anyone to ask question as most of the ââ?¬Ë?officialsââ?¬â?¢ situated around the tour area donââ?¬â?¢t speak English. However, you are given a brilliant tour ââ?¬Ë?bookletââ?¬â?¢ that is yours to keep. Tours run from 10:30AM to 7:00PM Monday to Saturday (until 6:30PM Sundays and bank holidays) ââ?¬â?? only closed Xmas and New Years Day. The tour starts with a lift up to the top tier for a panoramic view of the stadium (and surrounding area if you are interested) and you really appreciated the scale of the stadium when you are ââ?¬Ë?up in the Godsââ?¬â?¢. Then it is off to the ââ?¬Ë?Trophy Exhibitionââ?¬â?¢ which houses European Cups, UEFA Cups, League Trophies etc along with photos of famous matches, players etc. Next itââ?¬â?¢s a tour of the ââ?¬Ë?standsââ?¬â?¢ that includes the Presidential Box, Dug-Outs and a walk pitch-side and then to the dressing rooms via the tunnel. You only get to visit the away dressing room as the ââ?¬Ë?galactiosââ?¬â?¢ require their ââ?¬Ë?privacyââ?¬â?¢. From there you are directed into the press-room then the tour finishes in the club shop. One major factor in this tour is the Club Museum which hosts the ââ?¬Ë?Trophy Exhibitionââ?¬â?¢ and highlights why we really require something similar at Ibrox. The museum tracks the history of the club from its conception in 1902 up until the present day and houses all their trophies as well as shirts from players from every era of the club (not just at football but athletics, boxing, basketball etc). Another very interesting piece in the museum is a board that shows all players who have played for Real as well as their nationalities. There is one Scotsman by the name of Watson to have pulled on the famous white jersey. So all in all, the tour is well worth the E15 and it took us well over 2 hours to complete. There is no restrictions on camera or video equipment so you are free to capture all this history on film for future reference. Cammy F ââ?¬â?? We Are The Peopleââ?¬Â¦.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=494&Itemid=1 Ever since Alan Hutton was given his debut at Partick Thistle in December 2002, Rangers fans have been divided over his contribution. Is he good enough? Can he develop? Is he international class? With every passing game, the lad is answering every one of those questions with aplomb! Ever since around last November - not just since PLG left - Hutton has simply been outstanding. Consistent, strong, athletic, disciplined, good on the ball, aerially competent, decent distribution and generally developing into a top-class player. I hear off the park he has changed his lifestyle and attitude completely. Once again the lad was superb last night. Despite being isolated at times, he again dealt with Malouda very well (as he done against Chelsea) and for the most part (in the second half especially) forged a decent understanding with Brown. In only his 2nd competitive cap he already looks as if he'll be an international mainstay for years to come. Despite strong criticism over the last couple of years, when Hutton first became a regular first team player towards the end of the the 2004/05 season and the beginning of the next season Hutton looked like a player capable of doing what he's doing now. After he broke his leg he obviously lost his place, his confidence, his fitness and the backing of much of the support. Since then he has fought back well (from the injury, poor dispays and fan barracking) to find the kind of form (and more) when he first broke into the team. His reaction to us signing Phil Bardsley really appears to have focussed his mind. To his credit he's came through those challenges a better player and I think that experience will help his career even more than if it hadn't happened. To that end, there is nothing stopping the lad going to the very top if he continues his form of the last year or so. In addition to Hutton, it's great to see so many other young Scottish players eager to grasp the opportunity of not only playing for their club but the national side as well. To be a success (even in Scotland) you must have the self-belief and extra social discipline to led your life and career as constructively as possible. In the last year or so I think the likes of McGregor, Hutton, Smith and Boyd at Rangers have really shown what can be done by being professional and consistent in your performance. Guys like Naismith, Burke, Adam, Gow, Broadfoot and the younger fellas such as Fleck et al can only take heart from this kind of attitude and I'm really excited for the future of the club. Not only will we have a Scottish foundation for years to come but the foreigners we do sign to compliment them will see what genuine Scottish graft and spirit can do for their game. With the excellent Craig Gordon, Darren Fletcher, James McFadden, Scott Brown and Stephen McManus (who had one of the best games I've seen him play last night), it's not only Rangers but Scottish football generally who will profit from this new breed of exciting Scottish talent. What will the negative Scottish hacks write about now?

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=492&Itemid=2 Since its international week (good luck Scotland!) and Rangers news seems thin on the ground, I think now is as good a time as any to discuss the ongoing relationship between our club and the Scotland team. Itââ?¬â?¢s fair to say in recent years the Rangers contribution to the national team has not been as valuable as in the past. The Dick Advocaat era, as well as the cheap, foreign Bosman import meant not as many Scottish lads were coming through of a quality to make the Rangers first team. As such, the numbers in the international squad also dwindled. From the days of having Richard Goughs, Ian Fergusons, Ally McCoists and Andy Gorams, we went to fewer and fewer players being involved. Indeed, only Barry Ferguson could be considered a genuine regular in the first XI this century. Is it no coincidence that our qualification for the big international tournaments has also become pretty much non-existent? Obviously, in more recent years our club have struggled from financial problems. While this has resulted in 6 years of sporadic domestic success and a few years of downright underachievement; one good thing that may come out of this bad spell is the re-emergence of Scottish players at our club. It certainly appears obvious that Walter Smith is building his team around a home-grown spine and not only is this helping Rangers currently, Alex McLeish will also be delighted. If we start in defence, well no-one can doubt the quality in the current Rangers team. Craig Gordon is certainly a fine goalkeeper and it was not much of a surprise when Sunderland paid Ã?£9million for him. However, in the last year, Allan McGregor has certainly come of age. Consistency is his best quality and while he may not be the best at dealing with crosses, his overall game is very good and he is now a very capable goalkeeper. Certainly, the most obvious deputy to Gordon available. At full back Rangers also have 2 fine young players. Alan Hutton was excellent for the majority of last season and has taken this form into the new campaign. Athletic, strong and excellent going forward, he has all the hall-marks of being the Scotland right back for years to come. On the other side, Steven Smith has also done well in the Rangers first team. Unfortunately, his progress has been held back with a bad pelvic problem but when he retains fitness, heââ?¬â?¢ll be another player capable of staking a claim for the national left-back position. In the centre, one of the main features of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ return to form has been the experienced figure of David Weir. Now 37 years young, the big centre-half has shown age is no handicap to quality. While he has never been the fastest of players and his distribution not his strongest point, his sheer presence and composure has already helped Carlos Cuellar no end. Andy Webster should also benefit from this experience and go onto to regain his place in the Scotland central defence if, as expected, his loan deal at Rangers becomes permanent. Midfield is more hotly contested in the Scotland squad right now. Darren Fletcher and Shaun Maloney are both fine players and while not out and out regulars in their respective EPL teams, their quality cannot be denied. Similarly, Scott Brown has made a decent start at Celtic and although there may well be an element of hyperbole about his early contribution, thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt he should be part of any Scottish international team. His Celtic team-mate Paul Hartley hasnââ?¬â?¢t had as good a time at club level in recent times but has done reasonably well for Scotland so will also always be looking to feature. As such, the Rangers contingent in the Scottish squad frame has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, Steven Whittaker, Barry Ferguson, Kevin Thomson and Lee McCulloch have all done well so far this season. A more solid midfield is difficult to name and all four will become important parts of future national squads. The forward line is another area that will provoke further debate. James McFadden, Kenny Miller and Garry Oââ?¬â?¢Connor have all scored important goals of late and all 3 can lay claim to a first team berth. Again though, we have two Rangers players more than capable of challenging them. A better goal-scorer than Kris Boyd we do not have and while his overall contribution may detract from his international chances, already heââ?¬â?¢s shown if we need goals, heââ?¬â?¢ll get them - at any level. Steven Naismith is a more rounded player and his SPL form of recent years suggests when he does make the step up to the ââ?¬Ë?Aââ?¬â?¢ Squad, heââ?¬â?¢ll be difficult to ignore. If we put this altogether, then the following international side is not out of the question if injuries and suspension affect the national team: ________________________McGregor_________________________ Hutton___________Weir__________________Webster________Smith Whittaker_______Ferguson_______________Thomson____McCulloch __________Naismith___________________Boyd_________________ Obviously, as much as this team looks attractive and extremely solid, itââ?¬â?¢s also unlikely to happen. David Weir is too near his international retirement and a few of these guys too far from consistent national selection to see a complete Rangers/Scotland merge in the near future. However, what is clear is that the Rangers contribution to our national game is increasing. Add that to Walter Smith turning around our fortunes in such a short period and Alex McLeish following on rather nicely, the Rangers/Scotland connection is rapidly coming back to the days of old. Letââ?¬â?¢s hope this starts with qualification for Euro 2008. This should then give these players exactly the kind of experience required to substantially increase our chances of a Scotland appearance in South Africa in 3 years time. Thatââ?¬â?¢s good for Scotland, good for Rangers and good for our game as a whole.

We've gotten a thread on our current best 11 - now one that focuses on our best 11 going forward for the next 3-5 seasons ; McGregor Hutton Webster CC Smith Whitty Thommo Fergie McCulloch SN Cousin Okay, we'll make some new signings and have players like Boyd, Broadfoot, Gow, Adam et al who hopefully will develop into first team regulars. It appears that not only building a team for 'now' WS, AMc and KMc are also building a team for the future. There are not many changes from the current strongest 11 to the players that can take us forward over the next 3/5 years (and it has a strong Scottish representation) Cammy F

Allen ends brief Leicester reign Looks like Mandaric and Allen fell out over Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Mandaric had negotiated with him to sign permanently, whereas Allen wanted him on trial. I have a certain amount of sympathy for Allen, surely medelling chairmen like Mandaric (and Romanov etc) must drive managers nuts!

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=487&Itemid=2 One of the most interesting items to come out of last weekââ?¬â?¢s club AGM was Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s concession with regard to finally having a ââ?¬Ë?democratically electedââ?¬â?¢ Rangers fan on the executive board of the club (1). So what does this mean for the support? To being with, I feel we should concentrate on the key phrases ââ?¬â?? ââ?¬Ë?democratically electedââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?executive boardââ?¬â?¢. This is important as to give a proper idea of what kind of candidate we can expect to see nominated as well as the organisations responsible for these nominations. As it stands, via the Rangers Supporters Assembly (2), we have an ââ?¬Ë?officialââ?¬â?¢ organisation while via the Rangers Supporters Trust (3); we have an ââ?¬Ë?unofficialââ?¬â?¢ organisation. The Assembly actually encompasses all of the other bodies involved with the fans (from the Trust itself, to the Alliance, Association, NARSA and ORSA). Obviously, all these initials and groups can be confusing so weââ?¬â?¢ll try our best to keep it simple. The Assembly is also the official fans body in the eyes of the club. Set up by, then chairman, John McLelland to combat the perceived threat of the politically astute new Trust in 2003; the Assembly has an office within Ibrox Stadium and an annual budget of around Ã?£30,000 to carry our itââ?¬â?¢s duties. President Jim Templeton (interviewed here by Gersnet earlier this year) has been in charge since its inception and continues to represent the Rangers supporters at board level. His duties do not involve the executive business of the club and he does not attend the formal business of these meetings. As such, because of their official ties and because their remit isnââ?¬â?¢t as wide-ranging as many fans would like, the Assembly doesnââ?¬â?¢t seem to have the same credibility as the wholly independent Trust. Moreover, because the Assembly doesnââ?¬â?¢t have a ââ?¬Ë?one member ââ?¬â?? one voteââ?¬â?¢ system like the Trust, it also suffers from not being truly democratic in its approach. Indeed, while the Assembly conveys a sense of representing all fans not many fans are aware they are members or know how to raise issues through their reps. Flawed is perhaps the best description for the Assembly. On the other hand, the Trust is different in its workings. The organisation prides itself on being both democratic and open. All board members are elected (although co-option is also a necessary part of its constitution) and ratified by the membership. In addition, every member can attend and raise motions at their AGM. As part of the Assembly and through its regular dialogue with the club, the Trust also ensures it retains a professional, working relationship with the club to ensure its members opinions are constantly on the agenda with the powers that be. Recently, the chairman and secretary of the Rangers Supporters Association joined the Trust board as they felt their members (all RSCââ?¬â?¢s) were better represented by the Trustââ?¬â?¢s outlook. Jim Templeton was also co-opted at the same time but has since resigned for personal reasons. All this background information means that we essentially have two organisations vying for one RFC board position (initially at least). The Trust has already announced their chairman Malcolm McNiven (4) has been nominated to the club for the role. This was unanimously backed by the Trust board and is expected to be ratified by the membership at their AGM this week. Jim Templeton is also widely expected to secure an Assembly nomination although ââ?¬â?? unlike the Trust ââ?¬â?? the topic wasnââ?¬â?¢t raised at their AGM and so far no vote has been held of their committee. As such, if Mr Templeton is nominated by the Assembly, doubts remain as to the clarity of his candidacy in terms of David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?democratically electedââ?¬â?¢ comments. It certainly does seem the Trust vehicle satisfies those terms more effectively. Where the Trust nomination arguably does lack credibility is in its actual representation per se. Although it does have approaching 5000 members, it does not match the ââ?¬Ë?umbrellaââ?¬â?¢ nature of the Assembly which claims to (sometimes indirectly) represent the whole RFC support. Of course, while members of the Assembly, Association, Alliance etc are active members of the Trust (and vice versa), itââ?¬â?¢s this lack of unity across the spectrum that can cause confusion and division from time to time. Certainly, what is clear, is that the Trust are the only organisation who have been interested in genuine supporters representation in the terms SDM spoke of and their attempts to unite the different groups under their ethos are admirable. The Trust has been lobbying for a supporter on the executive board for nearly 5 years and thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt they (and they alone) have managed to persuade the club chairman into his AGM comments. We can of course look at the two potential candidates as well. Both Jim Templeton and Malcolm McNiven come from business related backgrounds. Similarly, both are successful in their careers and both have worked hard to represent their members as office bearers of their organisations. Indeed itââ?¬â?¢s very difficult to separate their CVââ?¬â?¢s on first glance and one must delve deeper to find the differences worth of debate. The first again comes down to credibility. On all the major issues that have concerned Rangers fans over the last 5 years, itââ?¬â?¢s the McNiven led Trust that have been most vociferous and constructive in their work. From their unmatched media function; to fully in-depth safety reports on the Stuttgart/Pamplona disgraces; to bringing money into the club (via the impressive GerSave initiative); to open and full dialogue with the club administration ââ?¬â?? the Trust have been more active, more open, more vocal and more constructive in their work and achievements. While the Assembly works hard and often doesnââ?¬â?¢t receive the praise it occasionally deserves, they simply do not offer the same independence and results of the Trust. Especially when one considers their budget which seems to yield little compared to the Trust who are actually raising money for the club in their activities. That conclusion ââ?¬â?? however empirical it may be ââ?¬â?? raises another important question. If McNiven were to be elected onto the Board of the club, would the Trust lose that independence and credibility? Moreover, how could fans who are not members of the Trust feel they were truly represented? This certainly isnââ?¬â?¢t easy to answer either. What is clear is that part of McNivenââ?¬â?¢s initial remit would be to address those very issues. His initial main responsibility would be to formulate a workable and democratic system of membership and election to which he himself would voluntarily submit when it was in place. Having him organise this from his current unique position of independence and democratic background would ensure the kind of credible results all supporters want. Once this is in place then we can then move onto the issue of ensuring that year on year we have the most suitable person representing all of us. Further, instead of having several different organisations pulling in different directions, we should have one unified group acting in the best possible interests of us all. This should be in the form of an organisation where everyone can be involved in how it works as well as the decision-making processes. Due to the hard work of the Trust, the first steps have been made. These will define the direction for the future. Letââ?¬â?¢s begin by having a learned democratic, independent supporter outlining genuine supportersââ?¬â?¢ representation. Malcolm McNiven is the best choice of pioneer and his nomination should have widespread backing. Iââ?¬â?¢m confident that if we put our trust in him we will secure the kind of open and unified representation many of us have wanted for a long time. Not only that, his previous record will help ensure the hardest questions are asked of the board while innovation, imagination and ambition are once more part of the executive board of Rangers. With the current positive results on the field, having a supporter on the board of the club can only enhance our future. As a well known Rangers supporter once said ââ?¬â?? ââ?¬Ë?there can be only oneââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬â?? letââ?¬â?¢s make sure itââ?¬â?¢s the right one. References 1 - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6961230.stm 2 - http://www.rangersassembly.com/ 3 - http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/ 4 - http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=136&Itemid=1

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131&Itemid=1 The RST today announces that Jim Templeton has left the Board of the RST after a short spell. It soon became clear that Jim's personal ambitions did not tally in with the long term goals of the RST. Jim's resignation has been verbally accepted by RST Chairman Malcolm McNiven and will be formally completed by post imminently. We wish Jim well in his future endeavours. The RST will continue to represent its members as the only democratic, elected voice of the Rangers support.

The only problem with Barry Ferguson is he's better than his team-mates