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I spent Friday afternoon last week busying myself doing household chores, with the radio in the background tuned to Test Match Special, as England recovered from certain defeat to the brink of almost certain series victory in the space of a few hours. Once again, the summer game offered lessons for the winter one - but is it possible to believe that, like English cricket, Scottish football is capable of learning, or changing? The history of cricket in the last 25 years is very relevant to us, as we survey the wreckage of another failed European adventure - one in which we (Rangers) are quite likely, in my opinion, to share, as soon as we get started. Just as we are utterly uncompetitive at the top level (and even the second or third level), so too were the English test and one-day sides. Regularly thrashed throughout the 70s by the West Indies, English cricket in the 80s and 90s had to get used to being regularly thrashed by Australia, India and Pakistan, while previous minnows New Zealand and Sri Lanka began to record victories over the motherland. While on the surface, cricket appears the most conservative of sports, the administrators of the game were at least willing to try to find a way out of their pickle. Accurately perceiving that despite their failings, they still had a large fanbase willing to pay to watch their teams, the England and Wales Cricket Board split their divisions, withdrew restrictions on recruitment, altered the previous 5 or 6 Test fixtures against the same opponent each summer to 3 (or 5 against the Aussies) against different sides, expanded the one day calendar...the list goes on. Not all have proven successful. The long haul of a 5 Test summer, in all conditions, against players gradually getting used to English conditions, was one of the best facets of the game and one I miss. Another area I think the ECB have got wrong is the acceptance into their teams of too many pseudo-Englishmen. Even for this most tolerant of countries, it is a bit much to have a team with more non-natives than Englishmen in it; however, the facts are that as long as Pietersen, Trott, Strauss, Kieswetter, Prior and so on continue to win, no one else minds too much. And of course, the last few days have seen the ever present threat of corruption appear again, in the guise of some youthful and very probably penniless Pakistani bowlers who are unwilling to live in poverty any longer than they have to. How dare they? They ought to be content to perform for our sakes, yes, and for a pittance too! But they changed. They tried. So we can see that while conservatism certainly exists in the game of cricket, of itself it need not be a barrier to imagination. Can anyone expect the same here? For a start, who do we expect it from? The SFA? Or the SPL? SFL? Government? Everyone knows the shambles of administration we have so there's no need to go on about it, but it has to be said that until the current 'many chiefs' nonsense is rationalised, there's little or no prospect of change. Assuming it does happen, though, I can't see any reason why Scots football shouldn't rise again. After all, the target is hardly winning the Champions League or World Cup. The ultimate aim for our game ought to be qualification for final stages internationally with the occassional progression beyond, and at club level, regular participation up to the quarter final stages in Europe. Given the fan base, given the enthusiasm, given the lack of a serious competitor for attention, football has no excuse not to change. Why, then, even allowing for the administrative shambles, hasn't it done so already? I believe it's the inherent conservative nature preventing progression. As a country Scotland is not fond of change, and in football the mantras of the 1950s still hold sway here. How often have you heard these useless catchphrases trotted out by professionals, pundits and fans alike? "It's a man's game" "Play it long and get them turned" "He's not great, but he's a real trier" "So-and-so put in a great shift" And so on. The emphasis on strength and fitness would make us worldbeaters if allied to an equal fanaticsm for skill! What's needed is a new way of viewing foootball. And this is going to be very hard indeed to sell, because we have a media which relies on the football to keep breathing, especially at these time of recession. Summer football, for example, would be a Godsend for our game - years without international tournaments especially - but the media, which holidays in the summer, would be outraged at (a) having to work their break and (b) having to find something else to fill their winter schedules. This is not a small consideration; it must be borne in mind when media types are railing against summer football, that they have a vested interest in preventing it. Which in itself highlights another weak aspect of our game, the fear of the media. It's easy for me to type 'we must be bullish!' but that is whats needed. If someone at a paper wants to write something criticial, let them! there's no need to go on every media platform to discuss it...dignified silence, backed up with results on the pitch, would be the best riposte. An example: I found myself in a supermarket carpark on Saturday afternoon, after the football, and despite myself listened to some of the awful 'Your Call' show (well, my kids won't let me have 'Jazz Record Requests' from Radio 3 on in the car). Someone phoned in with an ambitious and well thought out suggestion which would see all training facilities pooled between regional clubs, and players produced allocated in the American collegiate system. Dismissed! None of your forward thinking, boy. Such a proposal would draw howls of protest from those who have invested already (such as Rangers) but the way around the problem is not that hard - there could be a levy for a period of years until an agreed sum is recouped by Rangers, or whoever, or else a rental fee could be charged continuously. It doesn't take a genius to work these things out, but it will take someone with the football nous of Rino Gattuso and the hide of a rhinoceros. Which is the main stumbling block I can see. Who will be the man? I thought Gordon Smith woud drive our football forward, but whether through his own failings, the system hampering him or whether I was just too optimistic, it didn't happen. Who will be the man who can achieve what would be a mammoth task against so many vested interests? If there's such a fellow currently active within the game, professionally, in the media or on the terraces, I haven't seen them. Without such a "Mandela" figure I just can't see how we will drive past the many roadblocks in the path of progress, which is a sobering and depressing thought to finish on. Perhaps we ought to be looking outwith the game for the man we need. Again we see how the conservative ethos, so firmly entrenched in the game, is a drawback - it's always the usual suspects whose names are put forward when a task like this is mentioned. Campbell Ogilivie, Henry McLeish, whoever is sports minister, blah blah blah. If we were to think outwith the box and come up with somone (completely at random) like Richard Branson or Stelios Haji-Ioannou, people who would be unwilling to take 'I shall refer that to the General Purposes' committie for an answer and who would, crucially, be given carte blanche to deliver, we may see some results. I fear, though, that that is a pious hope. Scottish football (indeed, Scotland's) inbuild leaning toward small c conservatism will continue to hold us back.

WHEN even such a clever man as Alistair Darling admits to being hoodwinked by them, then you know just what they are. Bankers! But there is something about one particular banker which perplexes me. Why is the man responsible at board level for the activites of Lloyds Bank in Scotland so seemingly reticent? And why is the nation's media so shy about telling us the life story of Archibald Gerard Kane, the banker who can call the shots over the debt owed to his bank by Rangers? After all Archie, as he's known in that ''bible'' of the famous, Who's Who, or Archibald on the Lloyds website, is a classic rags to riches story. The sort of' '' lad of pairts'' tale usually so beloved by our newspapers and broadcasting organizations. And, given his relationship with that other great Scottish institution, Rangers, I find it hard to comprehend just what is going on. On numerous occasions I have mentioned this to a number of senior people in journalism, and none of them has been able to give me an answer for the silence. So, for their benefit, and for the information of those interested in such stories, here is what I know about Archie Gerard Kane, as his entry in Who's Who calls him. Kane, it tells us, was born in the 16th June, 1952, and his parents were Archie and Rose . He was, by his own admission, from a poor background. In an interview with Alasdair Northrop in the serious and respected Insider Magazine on June 11th this year, Kane reveals how, for the first six years of his life he and his parents shared one room in an aunt's house in Hamilton. Clearly he still feels an affinity with Lanarkshire as his public address is listed as being Bellshill. Those humble origins were nothing out of the ordinary in those days, as I grew up with my mum and dad in a room and kitchen in a Maryhill tenement in the 50s and 60s until I was 12 and we moved next door to a two room and kitchen. Therefore I understand his comment about those years of: ''When you are young you don't think much about it.'' Quite right! In the interview he went on to praise mother, Rose, as the driving force in his life, adding:''My mother encouraged me school-wise, and to go to university. My dad did everything from being a bus driver, to a wages clerk on a construction site and was well read and knowledgeable about politics and history.'' For the rest, the interview , as you would expect given the nature of the Insider Magazine, is as dry as dust, concentrating on the world of high finance and banking. Certainly Kane is a man well qualified to talk about such subjects, despite having no banking qualifications, having studied accountancy at Glasgow University, emerging with a BAacc. For, as well as being the executive director on the Lloyds Board, responsible for Scotland, Kane has 41 different relationships with his fellow board members in nine different organizations across six different industries. Who could possibly argue against such a busy bee being worth the few quid short of �£1.5M he trousered last year from a bank which was rescued by the taxpayers? As I said, a classic rags to riches story, the sort usually documented in minute detail in newspapers and on radio and television in Scotland. Yet, despite extensive research, there appears to be nothing known about Kane since he and his mum and dad moved out his aunt's house when he was six in 1958, until he graduated from Glasgow University, probably some time around 1972-ish. Maybe some of his old school pals or fellow undergraduates, who sunk of a few pints with him in the Men's Union can fill us in. Somebody must remember him. Strangely there are no newspaper reports of this local boy made good returning to his primary school in Hamilton as the guest of honour on prizegiving day. Nor the hint of him addressing the present day pupils at whatever secondary school where he studied so hard, encouraged by mother, Rose, to win a place at Glasgow University. In fact Who's Who is as much in the dark about this period in the life of the man who holds sway over Rangers, and who works for a taxpayers' funded organization, as I am. Prime minister David Cameron lists his school as we all know, as Eton, and Gordon Brown tell us he went to Kirkcaldy High School. Tony Blair even goes so far as to list Durham Choisters School before he went to Fettes, while Nick Clegg is a product of Westminster School. Good grief, even shamed Fred the Shred - Sir Fred Goodwin, - owns up to having gone to Paisley Grammar School. Of course perhaps Kane is ashamed of his humble origins. After all, Edinburgh is Scotland's banking centre, and when the folk there ask what school you went to, they are trying to uncover your social status, revealed by whether or not you attended a fee paying school. If that's the case then shame on you Archie Gerard Kane ,though I find that hard to believe of a man who, despite having come a long way has still admirably kept his Lanarkshire roots. I know a wee bit about Lanarkshire, as my dad, Andrew was born and bred in Coatbridge, before having the great good sense to marry a Maryhill lassie and move there. So I know only too well the obsession of Lanarkshire's young men with sport in general and football in particular. Which is why I find it strange that in Who's Who, Kane lists his hobbies as golf, tennis and ski-ing. Hardly tastes he would have cultivated growing up in Lanarkshire in the 1950s and 60s. But then again, as former Chancellor Alistair Darling has admitted, they are slippery customers. Bankers! http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/

We all know what happened In Manchester and most of us were let down by it all but, why the need to go to these lengths? The continued witch hunt towards bears is really starting to piss me off. Everyone and their dog knows the trouble makers weren't the usual fans that follow the club away or even at home. So why go to all this trouble? GMP should be aware that their fans have history too. They also attacked The District bar when we played them a few years ago - should we lock them up in a place prior to kick off? FOLLOWING Friday's announcement regarding travel to Manchester, the Club have been liaising over the weekend with Greater Manchester Police, Strathclyde Police, Manchester United and the Club's supporter groups before finalising arrangements for the forthcoming fixture on September 14. Collectively an agreement has been reached and today the arrangements were finalised. All travel will be by coach under the official designation of the Club. Coaches will travel to the DW Stadium in Wigan where catering and rest facilities have been organised for fans. All fans will meet at the DW Stadium where they will then be transported by official coach to Old Trafford, there will be no exceptions. Tickets for the match will be allocated by a Club official during the coach transfer from Wigan to Old Trafford. Coaches will return directly from Old Trafford after the match, via Wigan where appropriate. Arrangements for the fixture against Manchester include:- Only registered Rangers Travel Club members with appropriate points will be allocated tickets All travel will be by coach under the official designation of the Club Regionalised official club departures will be implemented where appropriate Independent travel is being discouraged All buses will travel to the DW Stadium in Wigan where catering and rest facilities will be available Tickets will only be distributed by Rangers representatives on coaches once they have left the DW Stadium for Old Trafford Tickets will only be issued to the named recipient on the transfer from the DW Stadium to Old Trafford Tickets will not be issued to anyone under the influence of alcohol

Have been sent an email from, erm, Paddy's Market informing me of an interesting Ebay auction with various items of Rangers memorabilia up for sale. This includes historic match tickets, signed player cards, rare match programmes, books, a superb album of press cuttings/autographs and last but not least a signed Willie Waddell handkerchief. I'm interested in buying a few items for our archive part of the main site but you may also fancy a wee bit of Rangers history. Auctions: http://shop.ebay.co.uk/paddys-markets/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340 Gersnet Archive: http://www.therangersarchive.co.uk

Everyone thinks Rangers are skint and boring but Celtic are making all the right moves in pre-season. Sound familiar? by Alexander Anderson on 13 August 2010 As the new SPL season dawns, why can everyone be sure Rangers will ensure this season finishes the same as last? Because we have exactly the same situation as at this point last year. Rangers are champions, Celtic are chasing. There's a new man at the helm at Parkhead with all sorts of romantic notions having pushed his installation, there's Walter Smith still at Ibrox. There's lots of money being spent on new Celtic signings, there's none being spent at Ibrox. But there's also the small fact that yet again Celtic are out of the Champions League group stage, Rangers are already in it and therefore the big UEFA TV money will be coming to the blue half of the city. Rangers are settled, disciplined and cohesive. Celtic are a team of under-pressure strangers. And we all know how both clubs fared from this start point in 2009. Only a last-minute goal in a replay at the home of Scotland's new third force prevented The Gers completing a domestic treble. Instead they had to "settle" for a second straight SPL title, won at an absolute canter, and an historically sensational CIS League Cup final win over a St Mirren side with a two-man advantage when they fell behind. A few days later, as Rangers made that Scottish Cup exit to a destiny-fuelled Dundee United, news came through that St Mirren had coped surprisingly well in their first match after their Hampden tragedy. The Paisley Buddies played against a full Celtic side for 90 minutes in the SPL, and stuffed them 4-0. Tony Mowbray, the man who'd come to Parkhead as the new guru of glam at the outset of 2009/10 was gone within 24 hours. It was a season where even the bad stuff had great repercussions for Rangers fans. The Gers went crashing out of the Champions League with three straight home hammerings. But the fact they conceded only one goal per away game, losing only one of those games, vindicated the defensive formation which took them to the 2008 UEFA Cup final with a series of home draws. There'll be no more blind calls for Rangers to aimlessly cede possession against European opponents at Ibrox. Furthermore, the unnecessary fan backlash after the freakish 4-1 loss to Unirea Urziceni sowed the seeds for Walter Smith's best tactical move of the season. In a radio interview a few days later he played The Rangers Supporters Trust off against the Lloyds Banking Group to make two organisations he dislikes to create the media storm which took all the pressure off him and his players. Neil Lennon's next big game is the Europa League play-off. It may actually benefit Celtic to have drawn Utrecht, whose home ground's atmosphere makes it the Tynecastle of Holland. This way the green-and-white hooped ones can go crashing out of Europe altogether and not see continental competition become a further drain on their slim domestic chances, as it did last season. Celtic need the confidence from a Europa League group place but the money they'll gain is negligable in comparison to what Rangers will make in the big boys' competition. And the greater long-term gain is to be made in qualifying for next season's Champions League. The financial disparity between the two clubs will soon be closed. Skint Rangers may be, but only by their own standards, only by Champions League standards - this does not mean they can't lay on the excitement in Scotland. Last season Rangers won both Old Firm games at Ibrox. They went down at Pittodrie but that just set in motion a run of form which blew the league away. Within the space of a few December days Rangers beat Dundee United by an aggregate of 10-1, home and away. Having gone a man then a goal down before coming back to beat Hearts at Tynecastle in August, The Gers returned there in spring to win 4-1. They claimed the title with a second win at Easter Road, the first one being achieved with a 4-goal backlash after Hibs scored the fastest goal in SPL history. And for those who think defending like an open barn door is a more "honest" form of football, what about the champions' 4-1 loss at St Johnstone? Doesn't get much more "stylish" than that. Neil Lennon has endured two meaningful games as Celtic manager, in terms of competition. He lost both spectacularly. But if we take Braga and Ross County out of the equation, Lennon has enjoyed one win in his short tenure which Celtic fans will see as significant. Beating Rangers 2-1 last season long after the title was in Ibrox hands. Basically, Rangers lost the last derby of the season at Parkhead in exactly the same style they'd won the first one at Ibrox. But the reaction couldn't have been more different. Celtic had more of the ball at Ibrox, had a penalty claim turned down, lost 2-1 and then all hell was let loose in the media as refereeing conspiracies and those nonsensical accusations about "style" came flooding out the away dressing room. Nothing was mentioned of the fact Rangers lost three key players in the 24 hours leading up to the game and two more before half-time. At Parkhead in springtime, Rangers had more of the ball than during any trip to the home of their biggest rival in the last decade. Kenny Miller was sensational, scored a great goal and was denied a stone-wall penalty. Rangers lost 2-1 as Celtic burst out of their strait-jacket twice to score. No one at Ibrox complained. Rangers people understand football. They understand the breaks do indeed even themselves out and, most of all, they know that winning football - as long as it doesn't involve outright cheating - is the most stylish football of all. Everything else is just window dressing. And that's all Celtic's 2010/11 campaign is. Their new management team, their striker signed from Scunthorpe, their belief Rangers are lucky and their idea that Neil Lennon - who played for the club for half a decade - is some sort of "through and through Celtic man" or that that has anything to do with his ability to manage: All just window dressing. The ribbons will be staying at brox, on the handles of the SPL trophy. http://www.sportingo.com/football/a14023_why-parlous-rangers-will-trump-celtic-third-successive-spl-title

Walter Smith is a phenomenon. At the age of 62, after 44 years in professional football, he has become a Patton without the bluster, a Churchill without the growling. Well, not in public at any rate. In his final season in charge of his beloved Rangers, his enthusiasm for the task is that of a grizzled general who wants to go to war one more time, a leader who will inspire his men on their last charge together. He does it quietly, of course. After all, it is not as if his record doesn't speak for itself. Smith would need to be manager into his seventies and win every title from now until then to beat the legendary Bill Struth's managerial record of 18 Scottish championships for Rangers, but with nine league flags collected on his own - Souness left before the end of season 1990-91 - plus three as assistant to Souness, not to mention five Scottish Cups, five League Cups and that run to the UEFA Cup final in 2008, Smith's place in the Ibrox club's history has long been secure. There are still a couple of records he might want. As Rangers match secretary and then first manager, William Wilton won four Scottish Cups and ten league titles, the last of them just days before his tragic death from drowning in 1920. Victory in either the Scottish Cup or SPL would give Smith 15 of the big two, second outright behind Struth. A tenth league title would also bring him equal with Jock Stein's record of ten championships. So there is further prestige to play for, and Smith is relishing the prospect of another campaign, even as the club's financial difficulties continue and they have shed Kris Boyd, Kevin Thompson, Danny Wilson, and Nacho Novo, with no replacements brought in as yet. "Everybody that's involved, management, players, everyone, has to accept the challenge of a new season," said Smith. "It doesn't matter how many you manage to win, you still face a huge challenge to show that you can do it again. "If you look at it historically, there are teams that can get up there and win a championship, but to try and win it year after year is a difficult motivation for anybody. "I admire guys in sport who can repeat their success season after season, as that is the true test of any team or individual. "It makes no difference that this is my last season. You still have that determination to succeed and if I didn't, I wouldn't have come back for another year. The easiest thing for me would have been to say 'that's it, I'm finishing' but the determination is still there." Smith also knows not to disturb a winning formula: "We need to bring in a few players, everybody knows that. But we are set in what we do and we have been doing it for the past three-and-a-half years, there's no reason to change anything. As far as the organisational aspect goes, we will be doing exactly the same as what we have been doing." At least the immediate future of Rangers in David Murray's ownership is secure, to Smith's relief: "The situation has maybe been clarified. Last year we had four or five months of somebody going to be buying the club. Hopefully, if somebody is going to buy the club in the future then they do so in a bit quieter fashion than we had last year." How Smith keeps his patience in the face of banking intransigence nobody knows. Judging by recent reports, it appears he has a case-by-case kitty for acquisitions this month, so Rangers fans should not hold their breath for big signings as the debt-ridden club's entire budget is under constant accounting scrutiny. Lloyds Bank has apparently made it clear to Rangers that maybe, just maybe, it might allow some of the Champions League income - boosted by more than �£2 million to a likely �£12m-plus by Celtic's exit last week - to be spent on players in the January transfer window. But that's a banker's maybe, the kind on which you wouldn't bet your bottom, never mind your dollar. Smith merely commented: "I would hope that if we qualified out of the Champions League group then money would be made available in January, but that's a big ask for us. If we got into the Europa League knockout stages that would also be financially beneficial for us. We'll just have to wait and see." How will they fare without the goal machine called Boyd? "It's an important factor for us," replied Smith. "We saw a bit of what was needed in the second half of the season when he didn't score as much, but it's going to be a big hole to fill. Whatever criticism anyone - including myself - had of Boydie, he got us a level of goals that was invaluable." The spine of the team is already laid out, said Smith, with McGregor in goals, Majid Bougherra and the evergreen Davie Weir in central defence and Steven Davis and Lee McCulloch in midfield, and Kenny Miller and A.N. Other up front. Davis in particular will be a vital cog: "He has moved into the middle which I feel can strengthen us. We just need to fill in at the front with support for Kenny Miller, which we're trying to do at the moment." Main rivals as ever will be Celtic, and their difficulties against Sporting Braga should be ignored, said Smith. "If you change the number of players that have been changed at Celtic it would be difficult for anybody to mould a team to play. I've experienced it myself - you don't get any continuity if you make that many changes. I don't think that will be an indicator of how Celtic will fare once they settle down." When Smith ended his first tenure at Rangers, he announced his departure early in the 1997-98 season which did not end with Rangers winning a record tenth title in a row. Smith sees this three-in-a-row farewell bid as markedly different: "I don't think the circumstances we are in at the moment can be looked upon as anything like that. "It's just about whether we as a group, management and players, take up the challenge for another season." No one should doubt his ability to be Rangers' general one more time. This is Walter Smith's last hurrah, and that's worth shouting about. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Walter-Smith39s-ibrox-of-tricks.6463123.jp?articlepage=3

Grafenwalder 27 Jul 2010, 11:10 AM Post #1 Occasional Substitute Posts:421 Group:Members Member#25,457 Joined:3 February 2010 So we begin a new campaign with an untried and untested manager. His predecessor was arguably the worst manager in our history although most of us wish him well for the future. Our main opponents (in terms of trophies) appear to be in free-fall although I say this with some caution - they have only lost 2 or 3 meaningful domestic matches in the last 18 months. I think it would be a mistake to under-estimate them. Their manager is shrewd and tactically aware and they will always have officialdom and most of the media pulling for them. The volume of players leaving and arriving at Celtic is probably unprecedented in our history so it may be worth identifying outcomes by which the new regime should be judged. Would you, for example, say that winning one or both of the cups and getting closer to Rangers would represent a successful season? Would you say we need to be playing good, attacking football as well as winning? What are your expectations with regard to Europe? What would represent success and what would represent failure? I think we should make it clear, before the season begins, exactly what we would regard as acceptable in terms of outcomes to judge the performance of our new management team. For me, winning the SPL is a must. If we do this, I would define the season as a success. If we do not, I would say the management would have failed and should be replaced. The thought of Smith sailing off into the sunset after winning three in a row with a club effectively in administration, troubles me, to say the least. So, for me, this season is all about the SPL. Obviously a decent run in Europe and winning the cup competitions would be nice but I would say Lennon should not be judged on these. Even if we got pumped out of Europe, going on to win the SPL would make for a successful season in my opinion. Equally, losing the SPL (however close the league standings and however well we think we played) would be an unmitigated disaster and should result in him and those who appointed him being dismissed. I hope (and believe) that Lennon agrees this season is all about winning the League. I really don't care what brand of football we play, as long as we win. What do others think?

http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/ Good luck to the organisers with their new site.

Debut against Spurs! Should be interesting! Wenger doesnt half know when to sell a player though does he! Henry started ok at barca but has been average since! Henry could still do a job in any top league in Europe so its a surprising move but he must fancy the nice pension. Plus he wouldnt want to play for any other club in England other than Arsenal. Certainly in the top 10 of all time Premiership players but its probably the end we will see of one of Europes best. Terrific player and good luck to him in the US.

Just in case anyone hasn't seen this disgraceful statement from them over the weekend - with regard to the 40th Anniversary of the 1971 Ibrox Disaster: http://www.celtictrust.net/TheIbroxDisaster.htm They even had the date wrong yesterday but the italicised sections I've highlighted tell you all you need to know about these vile, vile people. To use a subject like the Ibrox Disaster to point-score over Rangers fans is nothing short of disgusting and their hypocrisy, as usual, astounding. For those that don't know, their chairwoman Jeanette Findlay is also banned from some media because of her previous public support for the PIRA when interviewed by Nicky Campbell. Unfortunately, Celtic are still all too willing to work with this organisation. - Link to Radio 5 Interview http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/fivelivebreakfast/2007/11/celtic_controversy.html - Link to Daily Record article http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2007/11/21/celtic-disown-rebel-fans-chief-in-ira-row-86908-20137880/ For those who wish to complain, please do so through official channels - Supporters Direct are clear in their constitution and it is beyond time this organisation was black-balled from a government backed initiative. http://www.supporters-direct.com/page.asp?p=3408 enquiries@supporters-direct.org

Disgusting!

Andy Gray is still lauded whenever he returns to Molineux. The former Scotland striker bagged the Wembley winner for Wolves in the 1980 League Cup Final. He'll forever be revered alongside legends like Derek Dougan and all-time top scorer Steve Bull. But Gray believes reborn Wolves have landed a new strike star for a new era. Steven Fletcher sealed his record-breaking �£7million switch last night just a year after leaving Hibs in a �£3m switch to Burnley. Sky Sports pundit Gray says he deserves to stay among England's elite following the Clarets' relegation. Gray said: "Owen Coyle signed him last summer and Steven vindicated the decision very quickly. "Some people said it was a risk but I didn't think it was too much of a gamble. "In today's transfer market, �£3m isn't a big fee - even for a newly-promoted side like Burnley. "It was the biggest signing in their history but Steven proved he was worth it. "When you go from Scotland to England, you want to make a big impact. "My memories of my own move - a long time ago - are of being determined to show people I could play. You want to prove to everyone that you can do south of the border what you did north of the border. "Steven's performances for Burnley last season have upped the ante now. "The transfer fee has also put him on the radar far more than he was, but I'm sure the move will be something he relishes." Just 12 months ago, Fletcher was a �£3,000-a- week SPL striker with Hibs. His career was transformed after Coyle forked out �£3m to take him south. The 23-year-old bagged 13 goals last term. It wasn't enough to save the Clarets from an instant return to the Championship. But the Scotland striker's sparkling form was sufficient to ensure he'll stay in the top flight with Mick McCarthy fighting off the likes of West Ham, Stoke and Birmingham for his coveted signature. The fee makes Fletch the second most expensive Scottish striker of all-time behind Duncan Ferguson. It eclipses Wolves' club record signing of Republic of Ireland international striker Kevin Doyle. And according to former Rangers ace Gray, it ensures he'll be a marked man when he pulls on the famous Old Gold strip next season. He said: "The fact Steven scored goals in the Premier League and won this move will make people sit up and take notice. It'll also make defenders sit up and pay closer attention to him next season. "He'll be under more pressure to produce the goods now Wolves have bought him for so much money. "But I don't think Steven will see that as something to worry about. "I'm sure he'll just view it as a new challenge which he'll enjoy. "He has done alright since he came down to England. "It's never easy coming from Scotland into the Premier League. "And it's certainly not easy coming into a struggling side. "But he has impressed people and his goals tally was good for a first season. "In fact, given Burnley were in their first season in the top flight it's a very good tally indeed." Hibs will land a �£1m bonanza with chairman Rod Petrie inserting a clause into the original sale which sees them bank 25 per cent of any fee in excess of the �£3m they received from Burnley. Fletcher's development curve has been impressive since his big breakthrough at Easter Road. He scored a double in the 5-1 League Cup Final win over Kilmarnock in 2007. He made his Scotland debut against Croatia on his 21st birthday in 2008. Advertisement Quantcast Last year he got his big move to Burnley and now Fletch, who has seven caps, has seen his earning power rocket to �£30,000-plus a week. Gray said: "Burnley have a fantastic history but, for me, Wolves is a bigger club. "They have a purpose-built stadium which seats 35,000 - almost twice what Burnley get at Turf Moor. "Wolves have been up and down in recent years and until this year they hadn't managed to stay in the top flight. "But now they seem able to invest some cash in the squad in a bid to really consolidate in the Premier League. "The owners are happy that Mick has kept them up and are giving him a few bob to invest. "He's spent �£7m on a frontman and I don't think it'll prove to be bad business." Gray had a four-year spell at Molineux after his �£1m switch from Aston Villa in 1979. He spent every season in the top tier of the English game and would love to see Fletcher help Wolves back into the top ten. He said: "Unless you have the spending ability of Manchester City or Tottenham, it's very difficult to challenge for the top four. "But if Wolves could consistently reach the top ten, it would be incredible progress and a huge success story." But could Fletcher emulate Gray by bagging a cup final winner for Wolves? Gray said: "I would never say it's unachievable for any Premier League team to win the League Cup. "You need a little more luck to win the FA Cup but if Portsmouth can win it then get back to another final, there's always a possibility." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2999331/7m-Fletcher-can-be-Molineux-great.html#ixzz0ps6WlcHB

Couldn't see any mention of this on the forum but stumbled accross this website by accident, you may or may not have heard about it before however, I thought it was worth mentioning. http://www.rangerspedia.org Just about everything is covered from results, player history, A-Z, trophies, managers even Youth Players. Could come in handy for settling a pub argument :box:

It isn't often Chinese military treatises can be applied to Scottish football but Tzu's famous 6th century book 'The Art of War' certainly seems to be being read by a variety of people when it comes to a few important issues - be it the political influence vacancies at the Scottish Football Association or those vying for the ownership of Rangers in recent months. Obviously the former is interesting in itself but we'll concentrate on the latter subject for this article. Military strategy then? How can that possibly be relevant to the Rangers ownership debate? Well, the metaphor for this piece is a simple one but a cursory look at each chronicle in 'The Art of War' shows there is arguably a distinct pattern being followed by those involved - be it 'Laying Plans', 'Illusion and Reality' and 'The Use of Intelligence' or any other of the well known chapters in the book. Indeed, one could be forgiven the master of illusion himself Sir David Murray will have a well-thumbed copy in his personal library. All joking aside though there is a serious aspect to this. The future of our club is a subject none of us can laugh about and the ownership battle being waged is one that should concern us all. For the last six months especially, this issue has gained incredible momentum - from front page, heavy gauge headlines; to petty arguments across the online community. The only consistency is that many of the relevant people appear to be inconsistent. The 'preferred' bidder seems to change on a week-by-week basis, excuses are made depending on the individual, characters are blighted if subtle differences are found, misinformation is released to create mischief, different media are used by different parties - all tactics which could be taken from Tzu. Just how do we believe then in this apparent propaganda war? Do we believe the unofficial blog-writer who is uncertain of his information and loyal to his selected website? Do we believe the journalists who have their next wage rise to protect based on 'exclusives'? Do we believe fan representatives who appear closer to one bid than the other? Do we believe the club who need our season ticket money? Do we believe the potential owner trying to save several million pounds via the use of whatever means possible? Is there no-one with a vested interest in all of this? One way not to be on the losing side means perhaps it is best to question all parties - with a vacuum of credible information one of the few facts in this debate. After all no-one seems to know the plans of any of the parties as it stands. Non-Rangers fans like a Duffy or an Ellis may have their money banked off-shore and their business history criticised but are they any worse candidates than the Rangers fans who have their assets in limbo or those who may wish to release private club challenges through endorsed journalists. How can we be certain any of these people are acting on our (or our club's) behalf? Does being a Rangers fan automatically mean they deserve our immediate trust? How can we be sure an outsider understands how important our club is to us all? How can we be expected to answer such vital questions? There is a war going on for our club and every time you or I open a newspaper, read a forum or consult our peers; we're soldiers in it. An easy example of this is where fan groups back protest and wave such banners without even saying why they do so. We even have the ridiculous situation of lone bank shareholders asking valid questions at the front-line of the Lloyds AGM while those 'officers' who criticise hide in their chosen newspaper bunker! Fortunately none of us will be sacrificed for our part but neither should we under-estimate how important we are to the success of any buy out - and, of course, the club's future. To that end, some of us have been consistent in our message to all involved. We demand clarity, we expect leadership and we seek honesty. Without those virtues any of the relevant parties lack the mandate to own our club and assume our interests. Who will be the first to step forward and show they deserve our support? Who will win the war for Rangers?

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/walter-smith-needs-assurances-if-success-is-to-continue-1.1026091 Analysis by Darrell King Share 0 comments 7 May 2010 Walter Smith will receive the silverware this Sunday, but will he get the answers? The weekend ahead promises to be one of the most crucial in Rangersââ?¬â?¢ history, as a behind-the-scenes search for clarity on the future goes on, against the backdrop of the clubââ?¬â?¢s first home SPL trophy presentation day in seven years. Smith is becoming an increasingly frustrated figure, and justifiably so. None of us, try and probe as we might, are likely to find out the full extent of the fires heââ?¬â?¢s been fighting in the past year or so. But the clock is now ticking on the most important issue at any football club ââ?¬â?? just who is the manager going to be? Unless Smith is given guarantees in the next few days that there will be funding to repair a squad that has been hacked at and systematically downsized over recent transfer windows, then he is almost certain to walk. And who could blame him? He has been happy to operate without a contract from the end of January until now, just in case a new owner arrived and didnââ?¬â?¢t fancy him, thus removing any compensation bill to bring in a new man. But isnââ?¬â?¢t Smith entitled to now put himself first over club politics? After everything heââ?¬â?¢s given to Rangers, over many years and not just this second spell, he has earned the right to be treated in a far better way than this. He knows the problems and the issues. In fact, he is the man who has brought many of them into the public domain. More than that, Smith has continued to drive the message in bold red warning letters to the heart of the supporters ââ?¬â?? many of whom still appear to be in denial ââ?¬â?? much to the annoyance of faceless men who have barked orders behind the scenes that he should be silenced. He was one man they could not control, and they dared not push him too far given the chaos that would have ensued had Smith departed during Rangersââ?¬â?¢ title defence. But his patience is now being tested. And if he does go as a result of more financial restrictions being imposed ââ?¬â?? and as of yet budgets have still to be agreed between Rangers and Lloyds ââ?¬â?? then there could be an almighty backlash from a support which holds him in as high esteem as they have done at any time in his two tenures. For instance, last Friday ââ?¬â?? after a week in which the club was again rocked by in-fighting in the wake of revelations that a tax investigation was being conducted with regard to payments made into playersââ?¬â?¢ off-shore accounts ââ?¬â?? Smith met the press to reiterate the need for investment and a plan to take Rangers forward. Almost as he was speaking, Sir David Murray was announcing to the BBC there would be a ââ?¬Ë?limitedââ?¬â?¢ budget for players, which was in stark contradiction to his successor Alastair Johnstonââ?¬â?¢s revelations days before that they still had to meet Lloyds to discover what the business plan would be, a process that will begin next week. With those kind of mixed messages, what chance does Smith have? He has pencilled in 16 players for next term, including the injured Andrius Velicka, two goalkeepers, and two kids in Danny Wilson and John Fleck. He knows that will simply not do. The business plan must identify what will happen to the Ã?£55,000 per week that would be freed up from the possible exits of six out-of-contract players ââ?¬â?? Davie Weir, Kirk Broadfoot, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, Stevie Smith and DaMarcus Beasley. Smith knows he needs at least six new players. Does he get that money? Does he get hard cash for transfer fees? And how much? What level of player is he pitching at? These are the issues he must have resolved before any call can be made on what he does next. In the midst of all this, Smith also had to cope with the revelations attributed to would-be buyer Andrew Ellis, who was forced to break cover when the content of his chance meeting and blether with a Sky TV presenter ended up becoming public knowledge. Smith would be offered a new three-year deal, Ellis said in a hurried public declaration, adding that he would offer a life presidency title to Sir David should he gain control ââ?¬â?? which he hoped would happen in three to four weeks. Clearly irked, Smithââ?¬â?¢s response to this was that ââ?¬Å?maybe the chap concerned should speak to me first before speaking about meââ?¬Â. Given the men have never shared a conversation, just what was Ellis thinking about? That episode has only added to Smithââ?¬â?¢s frustration. But there are two key situations at Rangers right now. Firstly, the immediate future of the manager and the budget for next season with, as we have revealed, senior figures inside the club still fearful of what conditions the bank will try to impose when Johnston meets them face-to-face at the start of next week. Secondly, the ownership issue, which is no further forward. As we stated last week, there are many inside Ibrox who simply do not believe Ellis will follow his interest through, unless there is some hidden business going on behind his proposed takeover that has yet to be unearthed. Time will tell on that, but he has no plans to meet Johnston in the immediate future according to his people, which does appear strange. As does his lack of urgency in calling Smith. Ellis, in fact, is close to being bracketed in the ââ?¬Å?put up or shut upââ?¬Â category that was outlined by Murray in reference to other interested parties last week. But will any of them? The ownership issue, however, is of less immediate concern to Smith. Assuming the budgetary issue is resolved to his liking, then the matter of finding a new owner would be no more than a sideshow, a bearable distraction. It would have no material effect on his day-to-day running of the team, as long as he has the appropriate financial plan laid out, guaranteed, and is allowed to manage without interference. Smith simply wants to know what Rangers 2010 will look like ââ?¬â?? then he can make a decision. While he wants to see the clubââ?¬â?¢s long-term future resolved as much as anyone, itââ?¬â?¢s what he will have to play with in terms of his team for next season that holds the key right now. Undoubtedly, people like Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain and the supporters want to see Smith given the resources to rebuild and strengthen a team that has won six trophies in three years. Unfortunately, they donââ?¬â?¢t hold the key to that. The bank do. And given their actions over the past 18 months, will they sanction what Smith needs? If they donââ?¬â?¢t, things may be about to get a lot messier ââ?¬â?? and the most important man of all could be lost in the fall-out.

Johnston hails title win as he jets in for talks More...

Andreas Hinkel lit the blue touchpaper ahead of the final Old Firm derby of the season by insisting Celtic will prove to a global audience they are better than champions Rangers. The German defender cannot envisage the prospect of completing the SPL campaign without a win over Walter Smith's side. Instead, he claimed Celtic will be inspired by their feeling of frustration about the three previous Old Firm matches, which have all featured controversial decisions in two home wins for Rangers and a 1-1 draw at Parkhead. 'It is always an important game against Rangers and we want to prove we are better than them,' said Hinkel ahead of tomorrow night's game. The league is finished but we can show all of Scotland, and all of the world, that we are the better team. 'When you see the three games we have had against them this season, then think about it. Even the game we lost in the last minute, we deserved a draw. We were very unlucky.' Rangers striker Nacho Novo revealed last week that the Ibrox players had laughed in the face of Celtic's weak challenge this season. Celtic have lost 14 games in all competitions, while Rangers have lost seven. 'I did not read anything from Nacho Novo,' said Hinkel. 'To be honest, I don't think about things like that and don't care what Novo says or thinks. He is not that important to me. It is always important to beat Rangers. It is the biggest game in the city and there is so much history attached to the fixture. 'It does not matter if the league is finished or not. It's one game but we want to beat them. 'We cannot turn around the season and the league is now finished but we would still love to beat the champions. 'I can't say in a few words why we are the better team, but just watch the previous Old Firm games. 'The last time we played them here, we scored only one goal but we made so many chances. We just let in one late goal for a 1-1 draw. 'Not taking our chances and conceding too many cheap goals has been our main problem for the main part of this season. 'We dropped too many points because of that. 'I don't want to talk about the (refereeing) decisions in the Old Firm matches but you can see them. We are frustrated about all three games against Rangers. 'I don't know if beating them would do anything psychologically for us for next season. 'But, if you think about the three Old Firm games so far, we deserved to win at least one of them. 'Actually, we dominated the first one at Ibrox and also the one here at New Year. 'We will give everything we can on Tuesday to get at least one win over them in the season.' Hinkel has 12 months left on his Parkhead contract, with Schalke 04 believed to be keen on taking him back to his native Germany. 'Everybody knows the situation - I have one year left on my Celtic contract,' he said. 'People are saying: "Is Hinkel staying or going?" I can only say that if a club like Schalke is being mentioned, then it shows my performances here have been noticed. 'They are a big club in Germany. But I have not spoken to them. 'Celtic have not spoken to me, either, about my contract still having a year to run. 'It's a good sign to be linked with a big club. You have to ask Celtic what they want to do.' :fish: :spl: :robbo: Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1270864/Celtic-defender-Andreas-Hinkel-Were-better-Rangers-prove-derby.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0moj4gTuW

BOSTON has sparked fury with a campaign to halt a unique Old Firm derby in the city after claims that Rangers fans could run riot. Celtic and Rangers could land a �£1million-plus close-season bonanza with a friendly in the US. But the Boston Globe - one of America's most-respected journals - is leading the bid to have the game at Fenway Park called off. It has accused Gers supporters of causing mayhem and violence at home and abroad. In a stinging editorial, it falsely claims "tensions between Celtic and Rangers fans" caused the Ibrox Disaster in 1971. The astonishing attack has been slammed by the SPL champions and has sparked a fierce backlash from angry Gers fans. The Boston Globe wrote: "While it is recognised that not all Rangers fans involve themselves in such activity, one can't help wonder how the city of Boston will fare after a Fenway game, should the Rangers faithful feel the need to express themselves, as they did in Manchester in 2008. "Following their team's defeat in the UEFA Cup Final, the blue-clad fans left parts of Manchester in a shambles and forced the local constabulary to don riot gear to restore order. "But Rangers have a long history of violence on their travels, dating back decades. "Who can forget their pitch invasion in Barcelona in 1972, which earned the club a one-year ban from European competition? The same fans brought their particular brand of fanaticism to Romania last year, clashing with police who were forced to use tear gas. "With Spanish police reporting Rangers violence in 2006 (Villarreal) and 2007 (Barcelona), the list goes on and on. "Most notably, disaster struck at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium in 1971 following a crush-barrier failure. It is widely accepted that the tensions between Celtic and Rangers fans played a major part in the 66 deaths. "Celtic, by comparison, can be charged with, well, not much at all. If their arch-rivals have dragged the name of Glasgow through the mud, it must be said that Celtic fans have done their best to restore the good name." Angry Rangers insist they will demand a retraction from the newspaper. Advertisement Quantcast A spokesman said: "Rangers fans can be assured the reference in this article to the Ibrox Disaster, in particular, which is both inaccurate and offensive, will be taken up with the newspaper." Stephen Smith, of the Rangers Supporters' Trust, said: "The remarks about 1971 are disgusting and entirely inaccurate." Celtic, meanwhile, have added another date to their American tour. They will face Seattle Sounders on July 18. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2952064/We-dont-want-your-yobs-Gers.html#ixzz0mSt3rvUX

SIR Alex Ferguson believes the capture of this season's SPL title has confirmed Walter Smith as a Scottish managerial great. The Manchester United legend took time to break from his own nerveshredding championship chase to hail the stunning achievements of the Ibrox gaffer. Ferguson, who had Smith as his assistant at Old Trafford, is involved in a frenetic flag fight with Chelsea as his team chase glory. However, the United supremo and godfather of management has hailed Smith after the Rangers boss extended his remarkable run of success. The Light Blues manager added another championship crown to his CV after seeing his side defeat Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday. Given the financial hardships and constraints he has had to work under, the success ranks as one of the Ibrox manager's most memorable. Ferguson believes Smith's quality is evident for all to see and feels the Ibrox gaffer should now be judged as one of the country's best managers for his work. Sir Alex told Record Sport: "First of all, you need to have ability and endurance to last such a long time as a manager. "Even more so given the fact that he has had to manage Rangers with the unbelievable expectation and with pressures on him all the time. "These are things that Walter has always had. "He has ability, has always been a great coach and, when he reverted to management, he proved the step up was at the right time in his career. "Walter has gone on to prove himself as one of the best managers in Scottish history. "The number of trophies he has got, which I think is now 19, tells you that." Ironically, Smith is at a decision time in his career at the same moment as speculation surrounds Sir Alex's future at United. Ferguson has yet to commit on how long he will stay in the Old Trafford job, while Smith is also undecided as to whether to extend his period at Ibrox as the club gets set for a massive upheaval. The Rangers gaffer will take a final decision at the end of the season or in the summer, but Ferguson says Smith has always enjoyed a love of the game which could play a part in swaying the decision. Sir Alex added: "The most important thing is that Walter has always kept his feet on the ground. "He has always had a great love of the game and never lost that. "These are the qualities that you need to be successful." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/04/27/man-utd-boss-sir-alex-ferguson-hails-walter-smith-86908-22215090/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1267614/Old-Firm-Tea-Party-Rangers-Celtic-make-history-Boston-friendly-clash.html No thanks... The Old Firm game has already lost some of its prestige with being played so often in Scotland live on TV, never mind making it a friendly in a country that couldn't care less about football.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/785587/Gers-boss-Smith-wants-a-level-playing-field.html Stick it to 'em Watty. :box: Best manager for any team in Scotland since... umm.... Walter Smith.

FEW FOOTBALL clubs embrace their own mythology quite like Celtic. They hang on to the folklore like a drowning man would a raft, speaking of the Celtic Way while telling themselves they are somehow different to the other lot, the vulgar team in blue with their anti-football and their negativity and their grinding performances that rarely allow for free spirit and flights of fancy. Celtic, goes the fable, are about beautiful football, about "success with flair" as John Reid, their chairman puts it. It's their way of things, their duty to the deities in their past. On the day they unveiled Tony Mowbray as the successor to Gor ADVERTISEMENTdon Strachan there was a feeling in the room, emanating from Reid and his chief executive, Peter Lawwell, and also held dear by the few fans allowed through the door, that Celtic were going back to their traditions. Mowbray, they said, had strong emotional connections with the club. He was, they stressed and re-stressed, a proud member of the Celtic family whose philosophy on how the game should be played chimed perfectly with the history of the place. Nobody said that Strachan hadn't possessed these qualities, but nobody needed to. Everybody knew that he wasn't Celtic minded. Talking later to some journalists, Reid acknowledged Strachan's great success in winning three consecutive SPL titles as well as two separate visits to the last 16 of the Champions League, but the chairman also allowed the impression to be formed that the brand of football Strachan had deployed wasn't in keeping with the story of the club. Mowbray promised to bring artistry to Parkhead, as their roots supposedly demanded. "The great enemy of the truth," said John F Kennedy, "is myth ââ?¬â?? persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." Lawwell and Reid bought the myth. They endorsed Mowbray's hair-brained notion of spending a season or two rebuilding his team even if it meant the likely loss of trophies. Even when the folly of his vision became abundantly obvious to anybody with eyes in their head, Mowbray received Lawwell's and Reid's public support. Reid said the club owed the manager its "moral backing" as he continued the redevelopment of the team. This creation of his would be carefully sculpted and reborn as a great footballing machine sometime in the future, a team full of elegance and craft, some kind of throwback to the way things were at Parkhead, circa the Tommy Burns years, which produced a whole load of lovely football but just one piece of silverware. The truth is that most of Celtic's greatest days in recent times were delivered on the back of the self-same qualities Walter Smith has brought to Rangers, qualities that Mowbray, in his befuddlement, seemed to demean in the wake of his epoch-making loss at St Mirren ââ?¬â?? namely, pragmatism and organisation and desire. A dogged refusal to get beaten was the raison d'etre of Martin O'Neill's Celtic. Sure, he had fabulous footballers at his disposal. And there was majesty in the ranks, no doubt about it. But above all other things ââ?¬â?? guile and goals ââ?¬â?? it was their manly acceptance of the pressure of Old Firm life that made them a success. They were fine players, but more than that, they were stand-up guys. Same with Wim Jansen's team. They didn't play particularly cosmic football, as Strachan would call it. But they played winning football. Strachan was cut from a similar cloth. When they appointed Mowbray and gave him the go-ahead to rip asunder a side that had won three titles and that had taken a fourth to the last day of the season, Lawwell and Reid forget their history. Celtic's prime duty to their fans and their traditions is not pretty football, but successful football. That is it. Full stop. End of story. Glorious failure (Burns) is in their DNA, and it is celebrated, but the thing they crave the most is victory. If the play is attractive into the bargain, then great. But every legend who ever walked in the door of the place would tell you that their primary responsibility was to win. That was lost under Mowbray. But it wasn't the only thing that was lost. Celtic's thinking has become distracted. Their famous paranoia was in danger of spiralling out of control had Mowbray stayed. Somebody needed to start banging heads together, but there was nobody. As sure as their board of directors bought the myth of the Celtic Way when opting for Mowbray they also bought the fantasy that everybody is out to get them; referees, journalists, the Scottish Football Association. They wallowed in the face of bad luck and awful refereeing decisions. A few weeks ago we stated in this space that their woe-is-us mentality, their apparent search for people to blame for their failing plight was a form of sporting cowardice. They had a bad situation on their hands and the way they opted to deal with it was to whinge incessantly instead of knuckling down like good professionals and trying to do something to arrest the decline. One of the problems is that they are so wrapped up in their own myth as victims nobody seemed to stand up. Certainly nobody stood up at St Mirren when things were going horrendously wrong the other night. What was that if not a shameful capitulation? That's partly because Mowbray cleared out a lot of the men who might have said or done something in these circumstances. Paul Hartley might have tried to snap them out of their self-pity. Or Stephen McManus. Or Gary Caldwell. Or Barry Robson. Or Scott McDonald. But those guys aren't around anymore. Some Celtic fans will tell you that most of that lot needed to go, that they weren't good enough for Celtic. Not good enough for the fantasy Celtic of Mowbray's imagination, perhaps. But plenty good enough to go to St Mirren and get a result, no? Finally, on Friday, we heard the things that needed to be said. We heard straight-talking and none of the fanciful guff of Mowbray's misguided months. The brutal honesty and the sharp focus came, of course, from Neil Lennon, a strangely peripheral figure in the Mowbray regime. Maybe he was too grounded in reality to be welcomed into the inner-circle, but he's the man now in any event. Maybe his inexperience is going to catch him out in the short term, but there was power in his words on Friday, there was a defiance and a straightforwardness about what he said that smacked of his great mentor, O'Neill. "I have told them that Wednesday night was totally unacceptable," said Lennon. "I never want to see that again. I made it pretty clear what is expected of them between now and the end of the season. I want them to play from the gut. They have their professional pride to play for with ten games left. They need to restore the club's reputation and their own. I think there is a softness about us. I'd like to eradicate that. I think mentally we're not as strong as we should be. Rangers have shown over the course of the season that they are quite able to grind out results and we've not been able to do that, we've only done it sporadically. I think there should be more of a tempo to our play as well, more concerted pressure, which I don't think we have enough of." Lennon spoke of wanting his team to have the same mentality as O'Neill's, wanting them to play hard, professional football and not accepting defeat. He didn't talk about the Celtic Way or his duty to entertain or his intention to win matches down the line at some stage. He knows how things are in Glasgow. The first step to being true to Celtic's traditions is to win. It's not rocket science, though his predecessor made it so at times. The board will be hoping against hope that Lennon can make a fist of this. Whether he has the coaching nous remains to be seen, but he's got a lot of other things in his locker, things like hunger and passion and commonsense, commodities that are far more relevant than the things that Lawwell and Reid saw in Mowbray on the day they presented him as the returning Messiah. Now that they've got their head out of the clouds again, maybe they can move forward.

When we win the league this year, (and let's face it, not doing so now would quite possibly be the biggest shambles in our club's history), do we go straight into a CL group or do we have the minefield of qualifiers?

Today Rangers required just nine men to win a cup final. An unbelievable achievement; to secure victory whilst at a two man disadvantage. This current Rangers team are jam packed of that most inspiring of qualities; character. Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s team epitomise this attribute with a never say die attitude. Our foes from the East End have attempted to tarnish our achievements this season as they see us marching to another league title to keep the League Cup company in the trophy room this summer. Tony Mowbrayââ?¬â?¢s side have not been good enough to keep up with our relentless accumulation of points and in their desperation have sought to stain our success with their accusations against the impartiality or quality of the officials in this country. All teams get decisions that do not go their way. It happens in all competitions, in all countries. But as Rangers demonstrated today, if youââ?¬â?¢re good enough you will still have the ability to overcome adversity and the occasional poor decisions. What our nine men achieved today was simply awesome. To defeat another side from the top division in the country with an incomplete complement of players on the field shows the winning mentality Smith has instilled in his squad. Never were the words of the fansââ?¬â?¢ chants more relevant; ââ?¬Å?We are Rangers, Super Rangersââ?¬Â. Thereââ?¬â?¢s is something super, something extraordinary about this Rangers squad. No other team in the country or perhaps even some earlier Rangers squads would manage to have secured victory under such circumstances. Both red cards could perhaps be described as harsh, but by the letter of the law both were also merited. The frustration comes with the lack of consistency from officials. Kevin Thomsonââ?¬â?¢s challenge was reckless, even foolhardy. But had the referee punished two earlier incidents in that passage of play for fouls on Rangers players; one on Thomson himself, the game would have unfolded differently and Thomson would not have gone seeking retribution as the referee temporarily lost charge of the match with his indecision. It does not excuse Thomsonââ?¬â?¢s subsequent behaviour but by the same token the refereeââ?¬â?¢s inaction should not be ignored. For me the Wilson red card is even harder to take. A slight tug of the arm outside the box. It was a free kick, maybe even a yellow card. But with Davie Weir also covering across it was perhaps not a clear goal-scoring opportunity. And to make matters worse, that issue of consistency of officials decisions again crops up. On numerous occasions this season we have won penalties or free kicks with players bearing down on goal only for the opposition player to be given a stay of execution with only a caution given or no card at all. To me, it was no surprise that the officials were not given a warm reception when collecting their medals. Down to just nine players then, with 20 minutes of the game to be played. As the commentators constantly reminded us, Rangers were playing for penalties. Not his Rangers side though. Not Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s Rangers. We were playing for prizes. Playing for victory and playing for another trophy. Weir won the ball inside our own half and set substitute Steven Naismith on his way on the right hand side. The young forward looked up and picked out Kenny Miller with a pin point cross. The dynamic forward, who had been struggling all game with his finishing, guided a pinpoint header into the far corner with the keeper toiling to get across. All that was required now was to see out the final 6-minutes plus injury time. However, even in spite of their first half dominance, an off form Rangers and a numerical disadvantage, St Mirren did not seriously threaten our goal again. No team could realistically harbour dreams of winning a match against such odds. But Cup Final hero Kenny Miller stated after the match that he always kept believing. That the team still felt they could do it. And with Walter Smith in the dugout and the team of battlers we have out on the field, so did this bear. Winning in sport is a habit and it is a healthy one into which we have gotten into. Prior to the match, Smith said his favourite cup final victory was the 4-3 win over Hearts. League Cup triumph number 26 surely ranks up there with the best of them. Smithââ?¬â?¢s post match comments struck a chord with me: ââ?¬Å?As I said to the boys, it doesn't matter how many times you win trophies you can never win enough of them and that's where I'm fromââ?¬Â. It is a footballing philosophy that I can relate to and Iââ?¬â?¢m happy we still have Walter Smith leading us into each competition. In the post match analysis new Scotland manager Craig Levein uttered the words ââ?¬Å?arise Sir Walterââ?¬Â and surely that is another accolade that could come his way when he finally hangs up his club tie. Whilst the fans and players must enjoy the moment and soak up yet another trophy success on Wednesday it is up to Tannadice as we seek to progress to a Scottish Cup Semi Final with Raith Rovers. We also need to ensure we claim the 6 victories that will guarantee SPL success. The likelihood is that the league title will also rest at Ibrox again this season. If the players could secure the clubs eight treble they would firmly establish themselves in Rangers history books and confirm themselves as Super Rangers!

Another excellent bit of thought-provoking prose from Andy... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=233:orwell-would-be-a-rangers-man&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67 Eric Blair = Teddy Bear! Simple when you think about it. Should you need further proof, however, read on. Writing in the magazine Tribune, in an article called 'The Sporting Spirit', the great English essayist pondered the 1945 tour of the UK by Moscow Dynamo. That tour included, of course, a game against The Rangers at Ibrox. Orwell mentions that game, not positively: "The Glasgow match, someone else informs me, was simply a free-for-all from the start." Does anyone else have any knowledge of bad feeling during this game? That, though, isn't the writer's main preoccupation. He is concerned with international politics and sport, which is where it connects with we Rangers fans and especially, our rivals from across the city. Given the way the Old Firm (and their fans) have attached themselves to Scotland/Britain and Ireland, they can in a sense be said to represent nationalism. Orwell would probably have laughed to scorn our public persona of British, Unionist and Protestant - but if he'd been presented with a 'take-it-or-leave-it' choice between us and them, I think he'd choose blue. At any rate, I think that the recent uprating of political activity at Celtic to 'official' status, with the general belief that either Mr Lawwell or Mr Reid were behind the pre-Old Firm game 'concerns' story, makes an examination of whether either club is wise to engage with such an area timely and valid. A lifelong Socialist, some might think of Orwell as more likely to lean toward the other side of Glasgow. I doubt that, though: he was well aware of the difference between talking and doing. And especially perceptive when it comes to the chasm that lies between actually following a team, and dousing it in extra significance. Consider this passage from Orwell's piece: Does that not sound like an Old Firm game? It does to me. Orwell's analysis of why this should be and his opinion of it makes for sobering reading, should you be a tricolour draped Declan from Dennistoun, or a Union clad Billy from Bridgeton. It is not the players who are to blame, he says, but the fans, and the 'larger units' they stand for: countries (and in our case communities), those: In my utopia, we still have the rivalry with 'them', but everything that was connected to events outwith the football stadium would be left behind. Dominating Celtic would mean dominating Celtic, and have nothing to do with religion or politics. The dangers of getting involved with such areas are addressed by Orwell - what he calls 'the lunatic modern habit of identifying oneself with large power units and seeing everything in terms of competitive prestige.' We are well aware of what some Celtic fans are like, attempting to drive the news agenda onto areas of Rangers-negative interest and finding fault with media or officials to explain away failure. Therein lies the danger of Celtic's recent move to adopt fan paranoia as a club mission statement: having already firmly tied their mast to the Irish diaspora, the sense of persecution becomes more than just a tale of sporting inequality. It moves into another level, one of national identity and 'larger units.' And when a fanbase moves into delusional levels of support, the whole point of sport is forgotten. Something our neighbours would do well to consider the next time they decide to campiagn on whatever mad scheme they hit upon next. Granted, Orwell was writing over 60 years ago, but I would argue that his words still carry weight: if you have to resort to chicanery or fast moves, your victory is no victory at all. Overall, though, I think his words have the effect of highlighting their behaviour as the childish and frankly ludicrous antics of people with far too much time on their hands, and also act as a warning to us not to get too involved in the flag waving and posturing. I know from experience that 'questioning the flag' or not enjoining wholeheartedly with Rangers tradition will lead to angry messages in response. I'm not trying to deny history, nor convince anyone to change their mind. My point is that attaching added value to sporting contests, where there is already plenty at stake, rarely leads to a positive outcome. There's plenty of scope to have a fierce rivarly with Celtic without getting wrapped up in matters of nationalism, and I think that we, in the main, occupy that ground. I would have written, until this last few weeks, that the majority of Celtic fans, and the club itself, were the same. I'm not so confident of that anymore. Orwell's analysis offers a clear-eyed appraisal of the dangers inherent in sporting clashes. We can learn, too, from Celtic's behaviour of late. It's not a road I would expect or hope to see Rangers going down, and under David Murray we can say that, if nothing else, he conducted his and Rangers' affairs with dignity. The image of the future, wrote Orwell, would be a boot stamping down on a human face, over and over again. In our little corner of the world, the image of the future may well be a Celtic official or fan spluttering down a telephone, complaining about perceived injustice, over and over again. Let's leave them to it. Let's enjoy the football for what it is, without feeling the need to ladle extra significance onto it. For those interested in reading further on Orwell, please click here: http://www.george-orwell.org/