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As it enters November that made me realise we are half way there to being back to the top as the clock goes. We've been in this incline for one and half years, another 18 months and we should have wrapped up the Championship title..... Fair play to Ally this season, we are romping all infront of us which we should have been doing last season but fair play even Usain Bolt is slow out of the blocks. That's quite a fast first 18 months....now we just need the off field matters sorted out (Would like to see Jim McColl do his biz) and its a case of here we come.....

Has there ever been such a calamitous array of evil bastards to run a football club? I remember as a kid I used to watch Dream Team on sky 1 where crazy brawls, explosions and murders were not uncommon. To be honest, what has gone on here this past year or so is more ridiculous than anything that happened there.

from their FB page... PLEASE SHARE WITH ALL WHO SUPPORT SONS OF STRUTH Due to todays press statements we have been urged by our followers to take action, we will have a meeting of SoS supporters at 7.15pm prompt tonight at the Copland road stairs. We urge all who support what we do and are concerned about the club to be in attendance. We would ask all to bring as many as possible.

ALLY McCOIST has no issue with the SFA hosting the Scottish Cup final at Parkhead – but admits he’s ‘baffled’ by the choice of Easter Road as the Ramsdens Cup final venue. It was announced yesterday the last game in the country’s main knockout competition will be staged at Celtic’s home ground next may, with the semi-finals taking place at Ibrox. And while he feels it might have been worth waiting a little longer before making that call, the Rangers manager is content enough with that decision. He’s less settled with where the Challenge Cup decider will take place given demand for tickets is likely to significant exceed the capability to accommodate. Hibs’ stadium in Leith holds just over 20,000 fans and it could be argued the ground is a size which is reflective of the competition it will host the last tie for. Past figures suggest Gers would easily fill the stands in Leith themselves and McCoist doesn’t see why somewhere bigger couldn’t have been selected. He said: “If the Scottish Cup final can get held at Celtic Park, I’d have thought the Ramsdens Cup final could have been held at Celtic Park too. “That baffles me, to be honest. If I’m the managing director of the sponsors, I’d want it at the biggest venue. “It would have been an opportunity for coverage and revenue. That would have been more sensible to me. “They’ve decided to take the game to Edinburgh and in doing that, I would have given it to the club (Hearts) that needs the money. “I’d have given the final to a team that’s in administration and tried to help them out that way but for whatever reason the game’s at Easter Road. “We are fine about that and I don’t have a problem with it at all. For the reasons I’ve given, it’s maybe a strange decision but we’re not going to moan about it. “We’re delighted to be in a cup final and we’ll go to Edinburgh but I can understand why our fans aren’t happy about it. “I’m on their side. I want as many Rangers supporters wanting us in that cup final as humanly possible. “We’ve got 36,000 season ticket holders and I don’t think there’s any doubt we could fill wherever with our supporters.” McCoist admits he wasn’t consulted on the Ramsdens match venue, which will host that game on April 6, when it is fair to think he might have been. He’s more at ease with the Scottish Cup climax happening at Parkhead, even if he thinks it would have been worth seeing how far the Old Firm went in the tournament first. McCoist added: “There are arguments for and against it. A similar argument would be that if we were lucky enough to get to the semi-finals, we’d have a home tie. “I can understand if people aren’t happy with it and I’d certainly be happier with it if I was Neil Lennon and Peter (Lawwell). “One thing I would say is at least we know where we are. A marker has been put down and the rules have been made so we can get on with it. “Possibly it would have been better to wait and for me that would probably have been more sensible. “If ourselves or Celtic weren’t in the competition, a decision could have been made in terms of taking a home advantage away. At the same time, we are where we are.” Copyright 2013. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to http://www.rangers.co.uk http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/5431-a-baffling-decision

I thought I had better issue a warning to all those Rangers haters out there (as a preparation for bad news) – after all the new industry standard is to “manage disappointment” Word reaches me that Rangers are to be nominated for the latest series of Humanitarian Awards. And is it any small wonder I ask ? After all what other organisation can claim to have produced in the apathetic and previously disinterested such a sense of social responsibility with a “refreshing” and new found concern for our armed forces, our hospitals, our school children’s textbooks ? Such a ground swell of social responsibility and care has even extended beyond our shores with concern now being expressed for those in South Africa. It truly is a global phenomenon – the birth of an international social responsibility with a common denominator – Big Bad Rangers. Perhaps ironic that those whose choice of Rangers bashing weapon was “Rangers prevented our front line forces being equipped” were amongst those who wished to make spurious and false allegations against our armed forces at Ibrox last month. You really couldn't make it up. And on the subject of making things up it is perhaps an appropriate time to mention Dumb and Dumber aka Spiers and English. For Rangers services to social responsibility have extended to these fine two gentlemen of the press and awakened in them a sense of morality regarding the prospect of Dave King returning to Rangers. But this new found moral argument still appears to be only half awake. As Operation Yewtree continues to bring fresh revelation and accusation with regard to child abuse, in particular those who were complicit in its covering up and the suppression of victims complaints, not one of these moral guardians of the press appear to be concerned that there are individuals connected with Celtic FC, and who are still subject to very public adoration and respect, who were actively complicit in the covering up of child abuse at Celtic Boys Club. It's easy to see where Noel Coward was coming from when he uttered “”The higher the building the lower the morals” I don't normally humour Graham “Rangers are a new club” Spiers but I will make an exception on this one occasion. Id rather we had died with our history rather than have to live with theirs. On the civil war front, I was reminded this week, courtesy of “Old Reliable” (BBC Scotland) how out of touch some of our current and prospective directors are with our support. I am yet to hear from any of the incumbent or prospective factions what their plans are to defend this club and its support from its enemies. “Increased revenue streams” etc etc etc tend to be ineffective weapons against those whose sole aim, by any means, is the destruction of our club. I am yet to meet a Rangers fan anywhere who is not concerned about the attacks on our club and support. It is one of the few things upon which our support can find some universal agreement. On the good news front our ever decreasing board and communications department means that there will probably be a blazer for everyone the only question is – brown or black brogues ?

I have just read that our former player has motor neurone disease

[Coming soon]

Afternoon Gentlemen, Listen I'm a bit of a history nerd at times and I like my Football tactics, so I've always been fascinated with a lot of the older formations and philosophies. Are any of you, with respect, old enough to remember the above formation ? If so I'd appreciate the info. I've read a few articles online about the games that featured the 2,3,5 but they don't really tell you much other than it was engineered to be more geared towards team work instead of individual flair. I'm hoping to replicate it on the up coming Football Manager 14, but before that I'm going to need some of the roles explained to me etc etc.

Ringing fugitive on Interpol wanted list not unusual in new world of Rangers KEITH tells how trying to make contact with a man on Interpol's most wanted list is hardly unusual in the weird world which Rangers now inhabit. IT’S not every week you speak to someone on Interpol’s most wanted list. In fact, after 20-odd years writing about football for a living, this was something of a first. Not that it was actually much of a conversation. “Hello, Mr Rizvi,” “Hello, who is this?” “Keith Jackson from the Daily Record newspaper in Glasgow, I want to speak to you about your involvement in Blue Pitch Holdings.” “I think you have the wrong number my friend, I would ahem (click)...” “Mr Rizvi? Rafat? Hello?” “BEEEEEEEEEEEP!” That was about the size of it. Hardly earth-shattering stuff. In fact, the only truly remarkable thing about this conversation is that it needed to take place at all. But this is the way of it at Rangers in 2013 – this club has long since disappeared through the looking glass. Vanished into a world which is as much about the fugitives as it is about the football. I phoned straight back but Rafat Rizvi, or whatever this plummy-voiced gentleman calls himself these days, didn’t answer. So I followed up with a text message, offering to speak on or off the record and pointing out that the identities of those anonymous investors behind Blue Pitch and Margarita Holdings were likely to be made public soon. Again, no response. Perhaps he was just busy. Then again, perhaps men who are on the run from the authorities over a £600million bank fraud, facing a potential death penalty in Indonesia, don’t do protracted conversations. Not with press men at any rate. Which would be fair enough were it not for the fact the future of Rangers hangs in the balance all over again and that there are many thousands of supporters out there who are beside themselves with worry and who are asking for one simple thing from their club, the truth. Remember that? It’s not easy where Rangers are concerned. This is a club which currently employs more spin doctors than it does directors, a business which is engulfed in a cloud of its own toxicity. A company which attempts to confuse its own customers with an unrelenting barrage of spin and counter-spin. The truth? So many lies and so much misinformation has been spread in the name of Rangers that the truth has become a complete stranger. It has been twisted and distorted to such an extent that it has become almost unrecognisable. And it has to stop, for the sake of the fans and for the greater good of the Scottish game in general. It is time for Rangers to reconnect with the truth. Which is why it would have been nice had Rizvi stayed on the phone for a longer chat. He might have been able to clear up many of the issues which continue to distress these supporters and cause them sleepless nights. Just who are Blue Pitch for example? These mysterious offshore backers of Charles Green, who financed the Yorkshireman’s takeover, buying up Ibrox and Murray Park for a £5.5m snip thanks to the stupendous generosity of administrators Duff and Phelps. It would also have been of interest to ask Mr Rizvi, a long-standing associate of Green and shamed former commercial director Imran Ahmad, if he could shed any light on some of the names of those behind the equally mysterious Margarita. Between them, Blue Pitch and Margarita hold a 15 per cent stake in the club and their voting power – which has been handed over by proxy to the Easdale Brothers – could swing the balance whenever this club finally allows its shareholders to vote on the make-up of the boardroom at its long awaited agm. Could it be that Brian Stockbridge, for example, is to be found standing behind Margarita’s door? Just asking because if the financial director was to be among these penny-a-share investors then it’s no wonder they are attempting to block the changes that would ultimately lead to Stockbridge’s removal from power. Right? Here’s another thing. Did you know Stockbridge and James Easdale last week signed off on a robustly worded warning to the club’s entire workforce, making it clear that information leaks from inside Ibrox will not be tolerated? That’s right. Stockbridge, who infamously filmed former chairman Malcolm Murray worse for wear at the end of a long night out, and Easdale, who endorsed the return of a certain spin doctor to the club. The hypocrisy is mind boggling. In fact, it smacks of yet another hamfisted and ever so slightly sinister attempt to suppress the truth. The fact that their internal memo has already been leaked out on to the internet is a delicious irony. Much has gone on behind the scenes of this club in recent times which defies belief. Senior, trusted and hugely respected figures have been horribly intimidated. These people too have a story to tell. Just like Rizvi. It would do Rangers a world of good if one day the whole truth emerges from this distasteful debacle, no matter how unpleasant or even inconvenient that truth might be. The truth is all that can pull Rangers back from this world through the looking glass and allow it to look at itself in the mirror once again.

Thisis lifted from FF thread on a DR story running today re Paul Murray and the AGM, from someone who has read that story, emboldment mine: ============== "Christian Purslow still lined up to be new chief executive. New financial director is in place but no names are revealed. Murray stating he has a team ready to go to work. Murray and Mccoll's legal team have also secured the identities of the figures behind Blue pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings, they will be revealed by tomorrow. ===============

Did I hear this correctly today? If so, could Rhegan tell us what the SFA did to prevent Craig Whyte getting ownership of Rangers two and a half years ago? Despite warnings about Whyte's background from the likes of AJ and Jeff Randall the SFA sat back and allowed Whyte to get his hands on Rangers and we all know how that ended up. Did Whyte make any such prior application to the SFA ? If so can we see it? Or did Liewell & his PGB call the shots & allow Whyte ownership knowing what was likely to happen as that would benefit Liewell's club ? So what's changed regards Dave King ? is it because his arrival at Rangers & subsequent investment might be of considerable benefit to Rangers that an 'application' now has to be made ? Do some people at the SFA not like the thought of Rangers returning to the top of Scottish football? Also has the fat,sweaty, bespectacled lawyer been working behind the scenes to change the rules? King's arrival yesterday certainly seemed to concern the usual suspects in the mhedia. English for one.

Taken from FF Sectarian Songs that are now being targetted by the Focus group include Include - Carsons Army (We're the volunteers of the UVF) Build My Gallows (Altogether for the YCV - Described as being not the YCV of the 1916 WW but the right wing youth element of the UVF?!) Fathers Advice (**** Bobby Sands he's Deid is now being classed as sectarian) No Pope of Rome (no nuns and no priests **** yer rosery beads) Focus are filming the crowd and if you are identified and witnessed singing these songs you will be arrested for this Im not wishing to dicuss the rights and wrongs of this, to me the whole world has gone PC mad, Ive spoken to admin about how I got the information and thought it was only right I try and warn fellow Supporters. ----------------------------

Q&A Summary of Meeting With Jim McColl Official Statement - POSTED ON OCTOBER 25, 2013 Meeting – Attendees – Jim McColl, Malcolm Murray & Paul Murray plus representatives from Rangers Supporters Trust, Rangers Supporters Association, Rangers Supporters Assembly and NARSA – Clyde Blowers – East Kilbride 4.00 24/10/2013 Paul Murray gave a brief introduction on why the group represented had come together and Jim McColl listed a number of serious concerns they all shared about a lack of corporate governance and financial transparency. The purpose of the meeting however was to afford the representatives of the fans groups the opportunity to get answers to specific questions. Questions had been collated under 3 Core Themes Immediate Issues Future Plans, Investment and Operations Fan Ownership Immediate Issues The perception that amongst the fans groups represented is that there is perhaps 50% general support for the group and 50% who at this time are not : The hosts were asked to tell us a bit about their team and why fans should support each? Paul Murray and Malcolm Murray briefly explained their backgrounds much of which was seen as commonly known. The other 2 people nominated for Board positions were spoken about: Alex Wilson Has a wide ranging skill set in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations A history of working with very senior people at a number of Blue Chip organisations Extensive experience in managing operational changes at large organisations Alex has multiple season tickets for Ibrox and has been a long term fan Would be invaluable in building a new organisation and structure at Rangers Scott Murdoch Has a major interest in property management One of the largest portfolios in UK Major involvement in the London market Also operates in New York & Hong Kong Has been London based for 25/30 years Scott has been a lifelong Rangers fan He has extensive commercial contacts in a number of global brand companies At this time the hosts were asked to comment on the question of securing Ibrox Stadium and Auchenhowie and if they would consider an asset lock on them? They confirmed they would take steps to do that – this would entail consultation with the shareholder base. They spoke about Rangers Directors being bound by a constitution established to do just that and to also constrain future Boards from for example borrowing beyond agreed levels. The Financial Position – there were lots of questions on this: Have you a current view or a plan to do a detailed health check? How serious a threat do you consider there is of Admin 2? Do you envisage a short-term need for refinancing and how will you deal with it? Are you for or against resolutions 9 & 10 and why? Would you deal again with Ticketus? The hosts have detailed views on financial issues but their main concern is to create a structure at The Club led by a quality CEO. They have identified and had discussions with a suitable candidate who they believe would work with them. They have also targeted a highly credible Head of Finance. Making such high profile appointments will they believe gain further support from the major financial institutions invested in Rangers. They are satisfied that this will help in securing further investment if and when required. The business will have a very credible executive management who will not only look over the recent past forensically but implement robust business and financial plans. The football operation will be able to focus on developing the team and on the field performance. It was the group’s view that there is no real likelihood of a further administration nor did they see any issue over short term financing. Resolutions 9 & 10 are not hugely unusual but at this time they agreed with the questioners that this was not appropriate for Rangers. Ticketus are not part of any future plans. AGM – It was stated that Rangers fans generally feel they have a lack of information from all sides and again a number of specifics were posed: Have you had recent dialogue with any of the other main parties and do you envisage any of them being involved in the future? Daniel Stewart – yes in trying to speed up the AGM process and they are still trying to progress this. Paul Murray stated that AGM could be held somewhere other than Ibrox and has someone willing to pay for an alternate venue. The current Executive Directors of Rangers – not recently Dave King – yes and meetings are planned over the next few days. Nothing specific has yet been agreed with him. Martin Bain – Paul Murray has a business relationship with Martin but the group have no intention of inviting his involvement with Rangers Mike Ashley – not recently What do you think about the possibility of shares being suspended? Jim McColl suggested that such an action if taken by AIM would only be to protect shareholders What are your views on the date of the AGM? Disappointed that since the Court of Session ruling it seems that the current Directors are trying to delay it – they would like it to be held as soon as proper governance would allow. Future Plans, Investment & Operations Plans Members of the Rangers support many of whom are shareholders are rightly concerned to be comfortable with plans going forward and a series of questions were raised in this respect: Have you considered how to deal with and can you share your thinking on matters like Scouting Maintenance Operational budgets Media & PR Will you examine contracts entered into on such as Security, retail and catering – will you share your findings? Yes on both counts but that will be part of the detailed implementation of agreed business plans. The Club has suffered of late from the lack of proper plans and not having a scouting network for example. It may not be appropriate to report every change implemented by the executive management of The Club. One of the key responsibilities of a CEO will be to examine and renegotiate any contracts that are not to his satisfaction in serving the best interests of The Club. Have you identified and can you share info on potential future investors? There are a number of prospective investors. The Institutions have indicated future support if a suitable structure is put in place. A number of individuals are considered prospective investors under the same pre-requisite. How do you propose to get The Club back to the pinnacle of Scottish Football and playing competitively in Europe – do you have a timescale? What differentiates you and your 5-year vision from the current Directors? Establishing a strong management structure that gains respect and support from the market will be the first critical step. Fan Ownership There were a lot of questions on this topic a lot of questions on this: Have you already considered this issue in detail? Will you publically back a fan ownership scheme – a 50+1 deal? What timescale would that be likely to take? Will you work with supporters to develop this concept? Will you also show a care of duty to supporters like Borrusia D? How quickly if/after you are elected will you devote serious reported efforts to this end? The intention is firmly to work towards proper fan involvement. All three of the hosts confirmed their support for this. The nitty gritty detail needs to be addressed but a future shareholder structure where Financial Institutions, High Net Worth Individuals and Individual Fans and Fans Organisations all had significant holdings would be welcomed. The group would canvass the support for input before anything was implemented. There is a very positive view of Rangers in the City and the relative value gap between for example Manchester United and Rangers was perceived to be considerably less than the current relative values of the businesses. Likely changes to football in Europe and North America over the next few years are likely to benefit a big club such as Rangers. The way German football was completely restructured over 10 years demonstrates that massive change takes time. Nobody wants or supports extensive borrowing by The Club – that model has clearly and consistently been proved to be a seriously flawed one. The group stated that they want to build trust between the Board and all of the stakeholders in The Club and they believe the best way to do that is by appointing quality people. They stated that doing that (and reiterated that they believe they have identified such individuals) ensures financial support will follow. Close Jim McColl, Paul Murray & Malcolm Murray stated that they have dealt with all sorts of blockages but that they have and will stick with their plans to introduce changes. They welcome future dialogue and involvement with Fans. They want to re-establish Rangers as the most successful Club in Scotland but to do it on a sustainable basis. They want the AGM to proceed as soon as possible. It was agreed that minutes of the meeting would be produced as quickly as possible – approved by the attendees and circulated amongst the Rangers support.

In the thread of world class players I found myself thinking about the standout players we have had in recent history and he stood out to me and always will. Nobody will ever say he was world class or even close to it. However, in the 02/03 season he was pretty much as great a player I've seen us have and he also showed his ability at a young age in Europe. The Bayer Leverkusen manager famously said he was worth £15m. After us he went to Blackburn and struggled in a poor side that was going nowhere, particularly after selling their star asset Duff to Chelsea who helped fund the move. A collision with Gary Speed resulted in a dislocated knee cap that held his career back massively but Ferguson still had what I believe is still a record streak of man of the matches on the trot (5, 6 or 7 was it?). He came back to us and just wasn't the same player but had a performance at home to Porto (3-2 win, was it in 04/05??) that was unbelievable. He was strangely anonymous in many games though most likely down to poor man management but he went to Birmingham and soon became a standout again. He was in a very struggling side but stood out in many matches, particularly at home to Liverpool where he bossed the game and was man of the match. I recall Martin Tyler waxing lyrical about him in that match. He had hugely impressive pass completion stats at a terrible team as detailed here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1323450/Barry-Ferguson-pass-master.html I just feel that it's a shame what became of his career. I wish he stayed at us for 03/04 and I felt he should have held out for a better move. At that point he was better than 95% of Premiership players. He's the only real standout Scottish player of the past 10 or so years and I just wonder if he had the benefit of Spanish, Dutch or Argentine coaching, he might just have realised his potential.

http://www.therst.co.uk/meeting-with-paul-murray-and-jim-mccoll/

RANGERS’ surviving directors were last night linked with a dramatic move to bring former Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir on board in a bid to stem the tide of support swelling behind Jim McColl and Paul Murray’s attempt to take charge at Ibrox. McColl, a millionaire businessman, and former Rangers director Murray last night hosted a meeting with representatives of three leading supporters’ groups where the plans they outlined were positively received. Now it is understood the current directors at the club – finance director Brian Stockbridge and non-executive James Easdale, along with the latter’s brother Sandy who sits on the separate football board – are considering Longmuir as a potential new chief executive. Longmuir has been out of work since July when he lost out to former Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster for the role in charge of the new Scottish Professional Football League. The 48-year-old had been at the helm of the SFL since 2007, having previously spent 20 years working for multinational drinks firm Diageo. During his final two years at the SFL, which saw the fallout from Rangers’ financial collapse land in his lap when the SPL refused the liquidated club a place in the top flight, Longmuir was perceived by Ibrox supporters as more sympathetic to their plight than either Doncaster or SFA chief executive Stewart Regan. However, it is unclear if Longmuir would be interested in discussing a move to Rangers in the current circumstances. Last night’s meeting, held at McColl’s Clyde Blowers offices in East Kilbride, took place on the day Rangers had been due to hold their first annual general meeting since the club plunged into administration and liquidation last year. But the agm had to be postponed when McColl and Murray won a Court of Session ruling last week which declared the current board had been wrong to prevent them requisitioning for the removal of existing directors and appointment of new ones at the meeting. That prompted the resignation of Craig Mather as chief executive and departure of non-executive director Bryan Smart. Last night’s meeting lasted around three hours with members of the Rangers Supporters Trust, Rangers Supporters Assembly and Rangers Supporters Association quizzing McColl and Murray. Full details of the meeting will be released today but Andy Kerr, president of the Assembly, made it clear there was backing for McColl and Murray. “I think the majority of fans are behind this,” said Kerr. “It was a very successful meeting. The main purpose was to gather information and we have done that and we will share that in a meaningful format with the fans. We were quite happy with what we heard from Jim McColl and Paul Murray and the key now is to communicate that information. We will put it together in a Q and A format. “The AGM is going to be the pivot for all of this. We heard that a board is ready to go in and that a CEO and financial director are lined up and that was good to hear because it was something that was causing us anxiety. We have some level of assurance and heard nothing that has given us any concerns.” No new date has yet been set for the agm. Dave King, the South African-based former Rangers director, is expected in Glasgow this weekend as he looks to return to the club. It remains to be seen whether he will do so with the existing board or lend his support to the McColl-Murray group. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/rangers-board-linked-with-bid-to-recruit-longmuir-1-3156598

How many truly World Class players have played for the club? Jim Baxter for one. Any others?

BOARD OF RANGERS FC 1 #SACKTHEBOARD# 0 For those of us in the neutral enclosure, sitting atop a fence rather than allying with any particular faction, the weekend scoreline came as something of a shock result. A very much under strength Rangers Board managed to pull off a shock victory against their bitter rivals - #sacktheboard# The result was made all the more remarkable considering the Rangers board have “Toxic Jack” in the squad, a man whose propensity this season to cite Paul McConville and Andy Muirhead to support his arguments make him firm favourite for the “Own Goal Of The Season” award. But in what to date, has been a very ugly and bruising contest, the Rangers Board emerged as Saturdays victors with lone striker Sandy Easdale netting the winner with the following display of intricate mouthwork : “I have no desire to criticise any individual or group and believe the constant tit for tat that we have seen recently is damaging the club” Hallelujah !!! To borrow a well known beer commercial’s slogan.....”If only all statements were made this way” Many of us in the undecided camp are growing weary of the predictable tactics which make the long ball up the middle look like an intricate maze of passes taken from the drawing board. Unsubstantiated allegations based on little more than rumour and scaremongering – if you have evidence or the truth is it really too much to ask you share it with the rest of the Rangers support so that we can make informed choices ? The citing of bloggers who yesterday you ridiculed as having a lack of credibility but today you are championing because their argument suits yours – only demeans your own credibility The citing of well known anti-Rangers contributors to support your particular argument – need I say more ? Careful where you sow those magical beans Jack. The new forum user whose entire posting history is to provide links to journalists who support his/her argument. But perhaps worst of all is the level of personal vitriol being exchanged between Bears as freely as Barcelona exchange passes. As if it’s not bad enough one bloggers wife being brought into the fray, some even felt the Daily Record publishing a photo of our director’s house was justified. Furthermore it’s difficult to afford people victim status when they themselves are engaging in the type of conduct they are complaining about – in this regard the word “hypocritical” jumps out at me way before “snake oiled salesman” or “Thief”. But seeing as Tom English enlightened us all at the weekend with some parody perhaps it’s fitting we end on that note. Speaking to Easdale post match it was clear he had a point to prove. “I was delighted to get that winner. All week Chuck [Charles Green] has been winding me up, waving his honorary RST membership in front of me and declaring..." “Hey Sandy lad, have you got one of these babies yet?”

Noticed that Andy Cameron was seated where our Directors should have been. Noticed this a good few times that he sits in Directors seating area. Why? He is not a big investors is he ?

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-rangers-chairman-alastair-johnston-2461159

From Richard Wilson http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/rangers-future-has-been-complicated-by-conflict-but-peace-can-still-break-out.22479981?

Folks, What are your favourite memories of Dutch Rangers players of the past, both Advocaat era and non-Advocaat era? Favourite Dutch player (or players), combinations of players in the team, favourite games? Just basically looking for fond memories, anecdotes, memories of a favourite game (or games) and any specific stuff you care to mention! A quick recap of some of the Dutch players: Dick Advocaat era: Ronald de Boer, Michael Mols, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Artur Numan, Bert Konterman, Fernando Ricksen. Outwith the Advocaat era: Frank de Boer, Theo Snelders, Ronald Waterreus, Pieter Huistra, Peter van Vossen. (If I've missed any players please chime in!)

By Keith Jackson Keith Jackson: One phrase clings to the ever dwindling bunch of Rangers directors.. not fit for purpose KEITH looks back on the figures who have come and gone at Ibrox over the last 10 months and calls for some honesty from the last men standing. 17 Oct 2013 08:25 Craig Mather IT was labelled, in a parting shot from former chairman Walter Smith, as already dysfunctional. But other words spring readily to mind when trying to describe the car crash that resides at the top of the marble staircase inside Ibrox Stadium. Disgraced. Shamed. Incompetent. Scandalised. All of the above have at one time or other been applicable to the broken board of Rangers Football Club in the last 10 months. Most of all, though, one phrase has clung to this increasingly dwindling bunch of executive and non-executive directors. Not fit for purpose. And never more so than yesterday morning when it was announced to the stock exchange that chief executive Craig Mather – a man shoe-horned into the position in the first place in a typically ill-thought out emergency measure – had become the latest victim of the civil war that continues to rage inside this club. Another day, another announcement to the stock exchange. They might have set some kind of record by now. Was it really only last week Ian Hart started this latest boardroom exodus, which is starting to look like the directorial desertion of a sinking ship? This time they wrote to confirm Mather has now left the building along with Bryan Smart, who has been – albeit in a less high profile manner – another major contributor to the governmental distress inside the Bluehouse. Smart has come and gone from it all without hardly being noticed. He can leave it all behind but his part in the chaos will be remembered by those he let down most. Men like Smith who could hardly win a vote in his own boardroom because of the pacts and deals being hatched around the table. Alliances that sickened him to such an extent he could no longer remain part of a club he has lived and breathed most of his life. Mather, on the other hand, had no problem whatsoever in striding into the thick of this toxic mess and, indeed, claiming centre stage. It did not seem to bother him at all that there was nothing on his CV that seemed even remotely to suggest he was worthy of the position or capable of holding it down. In fact, unlike Smith, who could take no more, Mather appeared to believe his role was some sort of entitlement. It may have escaped your notice (after all he only mentioned it in just about every single one of his rambling official statements) but Mather ploughed £1million of his own cash into this debacle. And for that, he would not walk away without his pound of flesh. Rangers did not reveal yesterday if Mather had been paid to fall on his sword, although the words “by mutual consent” are often a bit of a give-away in such situations. In fact, he walked away with a year’s full pay and that amounts to a cool £300,000. It would be unwise to refer to Mather as any sort of victim until the full facts are made public about his exit. It could be he has recouped almost all the money he invested in the club, without having to cash in any of his shares. The writing had been on the wall for him since Monday afternoon when former director Paul Murray humiliated the board in the Court of Session. Murray’s team proved the board had illegally attempted to block a move by rebel shareholders to nominate their own candidates for directorial roles. In doing so, they denied Rangers’ fans and financial backers a democratic right to vote on the make-up of the men in charge. QC Richard Keen stated each member of the board had committed an offence by refusing to add the names of Paul and Malcolm Murray, Alex Wilson and Scott Murdoch to the business at the upcoming agm (it’s coming at some point, right?). From that moment, Mather was toast. Only the speed of his demise was in question but it came more quickly than could have been predicted. Are you keeping count? That’s two CEO’s. Two chairmen too. A commercial director. Three non-execs, including Phil Cartmell who was Smith’s rock. And three NOMADS appointed in less than a year? So now, or at least as of last night (these things do tend to change quickly), the current regime is made up of just two men, financial director Brian Stockbridge and bus brother, James Easdale. Stockbridge, in case anyone needs reminding, is the money man with a flair for capturing video recordings, especially if they involve embarrassing a colleague at the end of a boozy dinner. It was incredible Stockbridge was not sacked on the spot for gross misconduct after the Daily Record exposed his part in that tawdry little episode. Or it would have been incredible, had this been any other director of any other board, in any other business. Only in a place as toxic as the Ibrox boardroom could such behaviour be excused or ignored. Stockbridge, an old ally of Charles Green and Imran Ahmad, also just might possess the worst head for figures in the history of financial directing. This is the man who predicted Rangers would turn a loss of around £7m when they posted their first set of accounts. In fact, six months later the deficit was in excess of £14m. So just the £7m out? Gross misconduct, gross incompetence? You do the maths. The cash Mather walked away with yesterday will have been signed off by Stockbridge as the club’s only remaining executive. He is also the man who handed Green a small fortune as a pay-off when the Ibrox board had a stonewall case to dismiss the Yorkshireman for free. He left with £1m in his big Yorkshire hands. Incredible? That doesn’t quite cover some of what has gone on as this club has burned through £22m of IPO (share issue) cash since January. In fact, it doesn’t come close to explaining how Rangers have been ripped apart by the intruders who have presided in the top office since Craig Whyte’s takeover in May 2011. Now Stockbridge is left on the inside manning the barricades. There is little choice for him as, should Rangers lose one of their two remaining directors, then under stock exchange rules the club will be suspended from trading on the AIM market. In other words, Stockbridge must stay, even though eventually he must go if this club’s credibility is to be fixed. What happens in the short term is now the more pressing question. Would-be saviour Dave King – who had been courted by Mather in a rather shameless and self-preserving way – may have already had his own concerns about being used as a tool to validate the current regime. He would be off his head to even consider returning as chairman now or at any time before the dust settles after what will be an explosive agm. Meanwhile, Jim McColl and Paul Murray will press ahead with their proposals for an open, democratic vote when shareholders get their showdown. In the interests of openness and transparency, however, they may first wish to take this board to task one last time and demand to be given details of those who may still be of a mind to re-elect Stockbridge and Easdale, despite the mountain of evidence which damns their tainted leadership. Murray has expressed his desire to know exactly whose cash is behind the mysterious investor groups Blue Pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings, who got in on the ground floor with Green and who hold around 15 per cent of the club’s shares. This board might be down to its last two directors, broken, dysfunctional and disgraced. But it would be a belated act of decency if, now the game is almost up, it finally discloses its last big secret. After all the damage that has been done to this club and all the dishonesty which has besmirched it, this seems like the least that should be done.

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/5288-chief-executive-steps-down CRAIG MATHER has today left his position as Chief Executive of Rangers International Football Club Plc by mutual consent. Mr Mather has agreed to stand down in an attempt to help calm speculation over the governance and executive management of Rangers. Mr Mather said: “The interests of the Club are of paramount importance and I believe these are best served by me leaving the Club. “Despite recent events and speculation, the facts of the matter are that the Club is financially secure and in a far better place than it was a year ago. “Unlike most football clubs Rangers has money in the bank, no borrowings and this season we have assembled a squad which is capable of progressing through the leagues. “I have enjoyed a very constructive relationship with Ally McCoist and wish him and the team every success. “My short tenure as chief executive has been beset by incessant attempts to destabilise the operations of the Club, all done supposedly in the interests of Rangers. “I had real faith in the rebuilding of Rangers and invested significantly in the Club. Sadly, those who have been most active in upsetting the very good progress we have been making were not willing to do the same. “I leave with my head held high and will remain as a shareholder and a supporter of Ally and his team. “I would also like to pay tribute to the outstanding commitment and loyalty of Rangers supporters. “No individual is more important than Rangers and my departure will hopefully alleviate some of the pressure surrounding the Club and herald an end to the current hysteria, which I believe most fans desperately want to see. “I have always tried to do my best for the Club and the fans and I will continue my support of what is a fantastic Club. “There are a great many good and thoroughly decent people working with Rangers and I am proud to say that I was able to stand alongside them for a time. “It is often forgotten that I put in £1m of my own money but I can assure everyone that it was never about the money for me. “I consider it to have been my privilege and I am certain that once the Board is settled Rangers will be restored to the top of Scottish football. “I wish Rangers and the fans every success in the weeks, months and years ahead. I will continue to follow the Club’s fortunes and support the team which is playing an exciting style of football. In fact, I hope to return to Ibrox and take in as many matches as my time will allow.”

Whilst I am very happy with the statements released tonight I do however have one major concern. That is the return of a certain Martin Edward Bain. This man in my opinion has done some serious damage to our great club, a lot of which has been hidden by the media and not discussed. This includes negotiating with Strathclyde's finest "not" to charge a certain manager of another club for racial and sectarian abuse. Allowing most media outlets to have a free for all against our club and its supporters without defending them once in a court of law. Vastly increasing his salary when our club had to downsize and reduce debt. Forcing the sale of certain players and lying to them personally about it. (Pedro Mendes being just one example). If Dave King returns there is a strong chance that this chancer will be making an appearance as well. Whilst Craig Mather may have put the nail in one coffin we must always be very aware of another return of the living dead. Please don't let this idiot ever get his feet under the table again.