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by Thomas Jordan Kaunas (a), August 5 2008 Rangers headed to Lithuania on the back of a 0-0 draw at Ibrox but, despite taking the lead, they crashed to a 2-1 defeat in the dying minutes of the game. In the financial terms, the Ibrox club have failed to recover. The �£10m cost of the exit will come back to haunt them in the summer when a leading player is expected to be sold to balance the books. It was a dreadful display from the Rangers players involved and immediately put everyone in a position of power at the club under immense pressure before the domestic campaign had even got off and running. advertisement St Mirren (a), October 5 2008 It was not only their first league defeat at the season but also their first defeat at Love Street in 22 years as St Mirren recorded a shock 1-0 win. Rangers travelled to Paisley with the full length of the SPL table separating the clubs, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third was Rangers' problem. Despite just about having all of the play, the visitors couldn't find a way to open the scoring yet, at the other end of the field, substitute Stephen McGinn netted 12 minutes from time with his team's only purposeful attack of the second-half. Dundee United (h), November 4 2008 Rangers surrendered their place as leaders on goal difference by slipping up at home in the league for the first time in the campaign. Indeed, the Ibrox men ended up requiring an injury-time goal from Kevin Thomson to rescue a point in thrilling 3-3 draw. After taking the lead through Steven Davis, United fought back to storm ahead before Sasa Papac levelled the scoreline. The visitors once again took the lead before Thomson's late equaliser. It wasn't, however, to take them back the top of the table as they slipped two points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic. Aberdeen (a), January 24 2009 With leaders Celtic not playing until later in the day, Rangers were handed a chance to take over top spot for a few hours by beating Aberdeen at Pittodrie. Smith adopted a cautious approach as striker Kris Boyd was left on the bench. Rangers started with just one in attack and Lee McCulloch coming in to occupy a holding midfield role in a 4-5-1 formation. But, despite once again dominating the game for long spells and carving out enough chances to win the game, the visitors had to settle for 0-0. Celtic (a), February 15 2009 Rangers crossed the city to Parkhead in the knowledge that victory would see them leapfrog Celtic into top spot. Once again, Boyd was left on the bench as Rangers went with a similar line-up that drew 0-0 at Pittodrie but with Kyle Lafferty taking over from Kenny Miller as lone striker. In one of the poorest meetings between the two clubs in some time, there was nothing to separate the clubs on the day. It was a missed opportunity for Rangers avoiding defeat at least kept them in the title hunt. Caley Thistle (h), March 4 2009 Back at the top of the table and seemingly enjoying a new lease of life, disaster struck at a most unlikely time. Despite dominating for long spells, there was little in the way of clear-cut chances created and, against the run of play, the visitors won an injury-time penalty after a mistake by Davie Weir. Black secured an surprise 1-0 win for his team. It allowed Celtic, who defeated Kilmarnock 2-1 away form home, to move top on their own right again with a two-point advantage. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493865.0.0.php

Football too easily lends itself to hysterical judgment. It hasn't taken long for Rangers' 1-0 defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Ibrox on Wednesday night to be decreed a ââ?¬Å?calamityââ?¬Â and a ââ?¬Å?disasterââ?¬Â, with every claim ranging from calls for Walter Smith's head to the permanent dumping of Kris Boyd being made. Rangers, a club with every chance of winning the 2009 title, are said to be at a low ebb. Caley Thistle's victory was certainly a setback for Smith's side but too much is already being read into the result. The chase for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title, at both Celtic Park and Ibrox, is going to endure quite a few more such moments as Wednesday night, so it seems silly to sound off emphatically about the harm that Terry Butcher's men have done to Rangers. Come early April, let's just see how many more random glitches have been added to the plot. Rangers were poor on Wednesday but they weren't ââ?¬Å?disgracefulââ?¬Â or ââ?¬Å?shockingââ?¬Â as some hot-headed supporters around the pressbox were claiming. Caley Thistle, in truth, were extremely lucky to win and, as stonewall a penalty as David Weir's late challenge on David Proctor was, Butcher's team had hardly been within 30 yards of Allan McGregor's goal. The fact that Rangers revealed some obvious flaws cannot conceal the fact that they were blatantly robbed at the death. Those who rant and rave at Smith's renowned caution may also pause to consider some of the aspects of Rangers' failings on the night. John Fleck, whom you could almost be forgiven for thinking was a new, young Diego Maradona in our midst, given some of his press coverage, played poorly, losing possession easily or running up blind alleys with the ball. A few Ibrox diehards were yelling for Fleck to be taken off long before he was on Wednesday, and it should serve again to warn those who already have this young footballer's mesmerising career mapped out ahead of him. Related Links * Fans turn on sorry Rangers * Someone is letting Rangers down These games happen every so often. Before Wednesday night Rangers had been running into some decent form - unlike Celtic - and their defence had begun to look stingy in the extreme. Right now, one match cannot be said to have undone all of that, and talk of the wheels coming off Rangers' title challenge is simply absurd. What you do need if you are a Rangers supporter today, given some of the players at the club, is a well of compassion and patience which are normally alien to football supporters. In their different ways Boyd, Kirk Broadfoot, Steven Davis and Maurice Edu all have the ability to infuriate. Davis, in particular, is neat and tidy, but for a Ã?£4million player should probably have more severe weapons in his arsenal. In Edu's case, it is still too early to judge, though some remain faintly amazed that Rangers paid an alleged Ã?£2.6million for the player. In terms of such a price, is Edu a Filip Sebo - all Ã?£1.8million of him - all over again? The most infuriating Rangers player of all remains Boyd: what a goalscorer and what a plodder. When Boyd, in the opening moments against Caley Thistle, was given time and space in the old inside-left channel in the penalty area, but then over-ran the ball, Ibrox let out a knowing groan. The striker will forever have his limitations, and when he is enduring one of his leaner scoring spells, such as now, they will always be held against him. Some of Britain's greatest goalscorers have also been average footballers, but their goals were all that mattered. That truth is something that Boyd is going to have to live with. In the weeks and months ahead Rangers have still to go to Celtic Park, Tannadice, Tynecastle, Easter Road and many another testing ground. As the noose tightens in the SPL race, Celtic face an equal gamut of hazardous trips. If last season's dramatic closing weeks taught us anything, it surely is that early March is no time to be making weighty pronouncements about the title race. It seems inconceivable that both halves of the Old Firm do not have stumbles and failures remaining within them. Smith looked a mite world-weary as he faced the media after Wednesday's humbling defeat. Ibrox had just been on his back, and for a brief moment he resembled the same Smith who bore the pressure somewhat less well in his first innings with Rangers back in the 1990s. But the 60-year-old Ibrox manager has seen it all, and will not be joining those who have started writing the club's 2008-09 obituary. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5854044.ece

ARCHIE CAMPBELL has recently watched on as Gers teammate John Fleck forced his way in to Walter Smith's first-team plans and the young striker hopes to follow in his friend's footsteps in the not too distant future. Archie CampbellCampbell has been in electric form for Billy Kirkwood's under-19s this season, scoring 13 goals in 16 starts, and his ability to hit the net has kept his side in the chase for another domestic double. The Fife-born hitman joined Rangers at the tender age of 14 and came through the ranks with Fleck at club and international level. The pair featured for Scotland's U16s in the Victory Shield and were being touted as two of the most promising players in the country at that time. While Fleck has shot to stardom in 2009 Campbell has been continuing his development with the 19s and doing his best to impress so that he can take the next step in his blossoming career. At 17 he has plenty of time on his side but Archie admits he would love to be one of the next players from the under-19 squad to be drafted in to the top-team. He said: "I think the young players at the club have really been given a chance by the manager recently which is great. "Flecky, of course, has been brilliant but we have also seen the likes of Danny Wilson and Jamie Ness on the bench and they are only 17. "I am roughly the same age as them so hopefully if I can keep scoring goals I might get a chance in the future. "We will wait and see what happens but I think there is a big opportunity for all the players right now. Archie Campbell "Flecky has shown what can be achieved if you work hard, show the right attitude and impress the coaches here." Archie's pace and ability to find the net made him a stand-out as he progressed through the ranks at Murray Park. These attributes have again been evident in 2008/09 and he bagged a double against Hamilton Accies on Saturday to add to his impressive tally this season. He said: "I have been pleased with the way I have played this season and hopefully I am improving all the time. "I have managed to get a few goals and still have another year wit the 19s so I am happy with that but I know I need to keep working hard on every part of my game. "Right now I am trying to get stronger by working in the gym with the physios and this will help me a lot on the pitch." Rangers will take on Inverness Caley Thistle in the semi-final stage of the SFA Youth Cup on March 29 after the Highland Jags beat Old Firm rivals Celtic in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at the Tulloch Stadium. The tie will give the Murray Park starlets another chance to run out at Ibrox Stadium and Archie is not surprised to be facing Caley for a place in the final. He said: "I think most people thought that would be up against Celtic but I knew it was going to be a tough game for them. Archie Campbell"Caley made it difficult for us earlier in the season and I am sure they will do that again when they come to Glasgow later in the month. "But we are at home and the holders of the Cup so we will be confident going in to it and have a good chance of going through. "It's great the game is at Ibrox and we all want to get to the final at Hampden. Hopefully we can do that." The 19s have now extended their lead at the top of the league to four points after closest rivals Hibs drew with Celtic and Rangers romped to a 4-0 win over Hamilton on Sunday. Despite having a young squad Archie is confident his team have the quality and character to win the title again this season. He added: "The team have done great so far but we have to keep it going. "We still have a lot of big games coming up and need to have the right attitude going in to every one. "We are a young group of players but we are confident going in to every game and always think we can get three points." The 19s next match is against Dundee United on Saturday at Thomson Park, Dundee, kick-off 1pm.

by Matthew Lindsay RANGERS must land the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title if they want to avoid experiencing serious money problems in the future. That was the warning from financial expert David Glen today after the Ibrox club announced it has made a �£4million loss in its interim results. Glen, a senior partner in Pricewaterhouse Coopers, was unsurprised the Light Blues had performed so poorly. Walter Smith's team failed to make it to the Champions League group stage when they lost to Lithuanian minnows FBK Kaunas in the second qualifying round in August. advertisement As a result of that major disappointment, the Gers turnover was down dramatically to �£20m for the six months to December 31, 2008, from �£33m the year before. Those figures are in stark contrast to their Old Firm rivals Celtic who made a six- month profit of �£8m in the corresponding period. And Glen, who estimates the Gers debt is now around the �£25m mark, believes being crowned champions this season is vital to stave off the effects of the credit crunch. He said: "The results are pretty much as expected. Basically, this is what happens when a club doesn't have European football. That makes such an enormous difference to clubs financially. "In the last five seasons, Celtic have been pretty much ever-presents in Europe and that is a large part of the reason why they are in such a healthy position financially. "Rangers, despite reaching the Uefa Cup final in Manchester last season, have not been so successful. Hence the reason their debt is, at an educated guess, around about the �£25m mark." Glen added: "The trouble is that in the past when Rangers were in this situation they would work on the basis that they would get back into Europe the following year, or even the year after that. "They would work on the basis that things would come right. Often, they would turn to the bank to lend them more money. With the banking situation the way it is now, though, they can't gamble like that as much as they have done in the past. "They are on a knife-edge. Going another season without Champions League qualification is going to hurt them. "The crucial thing is they win the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. If they do, they qualify automatically for the Champions League group stage. If they don't, they need to get through two qualifying rounds. "They will be up against a better standard of opposition in the 2009/10 season, too. They will come up against good teams from Russia and the like. It will be a tough task to make it. "If they get into the group stage, their income is far more predictable. They will pick up �£10m - possibly �£12.5m if the second-placed team doesn't qualify for the group stage - and will be in a far healthier situation." However, Glen, an authority in the field of football finances, feels Rangers may attempt to trim their squad of first-team players in the summer even if they pip the Hoops to the SPL trophy and get into the Champions League group stage. Sir David Murray provoked outrage among the Gers support when he agreed to sell top scorer Kris Boyd to Coca-Cola Championship club Birmingham City for a �£3.8m fee in the January transfer window. Boyd, a lifelong Rangers supporter, dug his heels in and refused to join up with former Gers boss Alex McLeish at the St Andrew's Stadium - despite the promise of a hefty pay rise. But there were serious fears that several first-team players, including keeper Allan McGregor, defender Madjid Bougherra and midfielders Barry Ferguson and Pedro Mendes, would be offloaded in an attempt to balance the books. Glen continued: "As Sir David Murray said over the weekend, this (the club's interim results showing a �£4m loss) is what happens when a club has European overheads without European income. "The second half of the season is, in comparison with last year when they reached the Uefa Cup Final, are also going to show a huge decrease in income. There will be another significant drop-off. "Rangers just can't risk living with such a big squad any more. They have 28 first- team players at the moment and have said themselves they would like to trim that by about eight players. "I would expect the club to be net sellers in the summer - even if they win the league and get back into the Champions League." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2493042.0.0.php

by Andrew Dickson WALTER SMITH has dismissed debate on the goal difference situation in the race for the SPL title and insists winning games is all that matters. Much has been made of Celtic slashing the gap to just four goals in Rangers' favour after demolishing St Mirren 7-0 last weekend. However, Smith says securing three points against Inverness tonight is all that interests him. Walter SmithHe said: "Obviously, the most important thing for us at the moment is to win every game we play. That counts more than anything else. "Of course, it's our objective to go out and score as many goals as we can. That's what we try to do in every game. "But the most important thing for me between now and the end of the season is we show a consistency in terms of winning. If we can do that, I'll be happy. "For league championships to be decided by goal difference is unusual so all we can do is try to get as many victories as possible and see where it takes us. "Although Celtic had a seven-point advantage over us not that long ago, the teams have been quite tight this season. "As you look at the statistics now and the way the league has panned out, there is not a lot between us at all. "There is pressure on both halves of the Old Firm to win all of their games, regardless of whether one team plays before the other or not. "As such, we have to keep picking up maximum points. We are on a decent run just now and have to keep that going."

It was one thing recently for the Old Firm to drop out of the Deloitte Top-20 List for Europeââ?¬â?¢s richest football clubs: when you consider the Milans, Real Madrids and Manchester Uniteds of this world, what right do either Rangers or Celtic have to be permanently hobnobbing with the elite? Within the Scottish context, though, I was still shocked by the poor financial health of Rangers, given their most recent set of accounts issued in recent days. It was alarming, even given their Champions League exit in August, to note that Rangersââ?¬â?¢ turnover amounted to a feeble Ã?£21 million ââ?¬â?? almost Ã?£13 million down on the previous year and just 44 per cent of Celticââ?¬â?¢s equivalent figure. Even worse were the ancillary figures in their interim report. Rangers made a pretax loss of Ã?£2.7 million, down Ã?£6 million on 2007, and their retained loss was Ã?£4 million, a decline of Ã?£6.2 million on the previous year. It appears that Rangers are on course this season for a total income-from-trading of around Ã?£42 million to Ã?£43 million, way below the target the Ibrox hierarchy should be hitting in this day and age. Or, put it another way, the amount of business that Rangers will generate in the present financial year will be less than Celtic posted for their first six months. Sir David Murray recently rebuked ââ?¬Å?the amateur economistsââ?¬Â who had been poring over Rangersââ?¬â?¢ figures and picking holes. In one sense he is on sure ground: his business track record stands as a testament to his financial bravado and risk-taking. But Murray, surely, will deplore the fact that Rangers are falling so far behind Celtic in almost every area off the park. Compared with Rangersââ?¬â?¢ six-month Ã?£4 million loss, Celtic have just posted an Ã?£8 million profit, and are making millions more than Rangers from their commercial affairs. The Old Firm were never meant to be as unequal as this. Even worse now is that old, dreaded subject of Murray and Rangers: debt. Four years ago, Murray, scolded by coverage of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ near Ã?£80 million net debt, vowed to wipe out the Ibrox overload and proceeded to chip away at it. Ultimately, it took the absorption of the Rangers debt by Murrayââ?¬â?¢s umbrella company, Murray International Holdings, to fix the problem, but, nonetheless, fixed in that sense it was. But look at it now. Rangers tried and failed to sell a principal playing asset during January, and now we know why. Their figures to December 31 have set alarm bells ringing again, and the Ibrox debt is once more estimated to be somewhere between Ã?£25 million and Ã?£30 million and rising. Again, the contrast with Celtic will pain those Rangers fans who crave the day when their club are back on a healthy footing. Celtic have just announced that their debt is less than Ã?£1 million, which means that, over the next two years, they will be in a far healthier position to enhance their team. Given all this, when you recall the August day that Rangers sold Carlos CuÃ?©llar to Aston Villa for Ã?£8 million, it all makes more sense now. Rangers will not have received all of that money up front, but their loss-making would have looked even worse had CuÃ?©llar not been sacrificed. It is putting it too strongly to say that Rangers are back in a financial mess, but their financial performance is deeply unimpressive. The question is, who is to blame? Many Rangers fans are asking: why is their club being run so much worse than Celtic? Is Murray to blame? Is Martin Bain, the clubââ?¬â?¢s chief executive, at fault? Is it Andrew Dickson, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ head of football administration and Bainââ?¬â?¢s right-hand man? Someone is certainly falling below standards inside Ibrox. Murray cites the Champions League as if it is a cureall. He was at it again on Friday, claiming that ââ?¬Å?the importance of qualifying for the Champions Leagueââ?¬Â was underpinned by Rangersââ?¬â?¢ poor financial figures. The Champions League, however, should not be the be-all and end-all of their commercial worth. Given that qualifying for Europeââ?¬â?¢s elite club tournament has been an erratic business in recent years, Rangers should have a business formula in place that preserves them when they are not in Europe. Right now, evidently, that formula has escaped the clubââ?¬â?¢s boardroom. And another thing... Undermining of Strachan so difficult to fathom These days some of the most embittered and aggrieved football supporters I come across are those of Celtic. There is a vocal rump of them who dislike Gordon Strachan, dislike the football his team play, and have constantly disliked his signing policy. ââ?¬Å?Strachan demeans Celtic,ââ?¬Â one of them told me recently, while another fan I spoke to actually said: ââ?¬Å?He is not a manager worthy of Celticââ?¬â?¢s name.ââ?¬Â And just to stem the conspiracy theorists, both of these people were of my own faith-tradition, which is to say, of the Reformed tradition. And they donââ?¬â?¢t seem to be alone among Celtic fans in their views. It leaves me wondering . . . if Strachan does go on to make it four championships in a row with Celtic, just how the heck are these people going to explain their position? It would be indefensible, wouldnââ?¬â?¢t it? Refreshing attitude One of the most refreshing parts of my tasks from last week was hearing out James McCarthy on the subject of bigotry. The young Hamilton Academical star has a right to feel as vehement as anyone on the subject, given the abuse he takes from the terraces, yet McCarthy was utterly refreshing when asked about the anticipated singing of The Famine Song by Rangers supporters at New Douglas Park on Saturday. ââ?¬Å?It doesnââ?¬â?¢t bother me in the slightest,ââ?¬Â McCarthy said. ââ?¬Å?These people are just idiots. There are always people in a crowd who want to abuse me, but it just goes in one ear and out the other. Like I say, itââ?¬â?¢s a bunch of idiots shouting.ââ?¬Â With an attitude like this, sometimes I wonder why the rest of us bother about such chants. If McCarthy can bring himself to laugh it off, and believes that it just makes the choristers seem slightly thick, why should the rest of us care about it? Laborious process So Henry McLeish, Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s former first minister, is to chair a coalition committee wherein a procedure for streamlining between Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s three football governing bodies ââ?¬â?? the SFA, the SPL and the SFL ââ?¬â?? is to be established. Would someone wake me up once they have their findings? Young guns misfire It was billed as the John Fleck v James McCarthy show at New Douglas Park on Saturday, but neither showed up in the Hamilton-Rangers game. Fleck was dropped by Rangers, while McCarthy, who did play, failed to ââ?¬Å?turn upââ?¬Â in the old, disparaging phrase for footballers who donââ?¬â?¢t perform. May it serve as a lesson to those ââ?¬â?? and Iââ?¬â?¢ve been counted among them myself ââ?¬â?? who have tended to speak of these two young players as if young Diego Maradonas have appeared among us in Scotland. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5828321.ece

SIR DAVID MURRAY knows no one can escape the brutal impact of the global credit crunch. Not the High Street chains who have crumbled in the face of multi-million pound debts. Not the highly-paid bankers who are now shouldering the blame for much of this desperate crisis. Not even the superstar footballers whose sky-high salaries are about to hit a downward spiral. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ newly-published club accounts paint a gloomy picture of the finances. But the chairman insists the big spending stops now as Gers seek to cope with these unprecedented times. No fewer than EIGHT first-team stars will be cut adrift this summer. David Weir, Christian Dailly and high-earner Brahim Hemdani are out of contract at the end of the season. The likes of Charlie Adam, Steven Smith and DaMarcus Beasley are likely to be moved on. Andrius Velicka and Graeme Smith are also expected to be casualties of the cash cutbacks. Murray has warned the stars who stay the days of bumper wages may be gone FOREVER. He said: ââ?¬Å?We had far too many players, too big a squad and no safety net in Europe this season. ââ?¬Å?The absence of European competition, together with the economic downturn, has confirmed the size of the squad was neither sustainable from a financial nor football point of view. ââ?¬Å?It is our aim to rationalise the squad to a more manageable level going forward, and integrate the young talent now emerging from Murray Park. ââ?¬Å?Next season our wage bill will be down by between Ã?£4-5million. ââ?¬Å?I would say that within a couple of years it will be a rare commodity in Scotland to have a player on wages beginning with a two. ââ?¬Å?And the vast majority might not even be beginning with a one.ââ?¬Â That is an ominous warning to Ibrox mainstays like Kris Boyd and skipper Barry Ferguson. Both are closing on the final year of their contracts and will soon be due to open negotiations with chief executive Martin Bain. Boyd is unlikely to receive an offer to match the Ã?£17,000-a-week he rejected from Birmingham. Ferguson can expect to be asked to take a mammoth cut on his Ã?£25,000-a-week-plus contract. Murray wants the first-team squad slashed from 28 to 20. The big names will be supplemented by home-grown kids like John Fleck, Jamie Ness and Danny Wilson. After the crushing blow of Kaunas, the chairman has vowed to never again rely so heavily on Euro cash. He added: ââ?¬Å?The situation is unfortunate but we knew this was coming. ââ?¬Å?We have to bring down costs and this financial downturn is a reality check for everyone. ââ?¬Å?If we stick with the business model I talked about in January, which we will, then we will be fine.ââ?¬Â Advertisement Click here Gersââ?¬â?¢ increasing debt levels are in stark contrast to the upbeat financial figures unveiled by Celtic last week. The crucial income stream from the Champions League has been vital to the Hoops. So as the Old Firm again battle for the SPL title, the price of success and the cost of failure has never been higher. The golden ticket of direct entry to next seasonââ?¬â?¢s Champions League is worth up to Ã?£15m. He said: ââ?¬Å?We are competing well again in both domestic cups, we are in the final of the Co-op Cup and the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup. ââ?¬Å?Savings in operating costs through efficiencies and reduced European expenditure have been partly offset by higher player wage costs and other charges due to last summerââ?¬â?¢s signings. ââ?¬Å?Incorporating the effect of these additions to the squad, less the gain on sale of players, results in an overall decrease of Ã?£5.8m in profit before interest and tax to a net loss of Ã?£2.7m. ââ?¬Å?Due to the increase in the average debt, the interest charge of Ã?£1.4m was Ã?£0.6m higher than the same period last year, resulting in a retained loss after tax of Ã?£3.9m compared to a retained profit of Ã?£2.3m last year.ââ?¬Â The figures, while hardly unexpected, make worrying reading for Gers fans. Itââ?¬â?¢s not quite a case of win-or-bust for Gers in the SPL title chase. But the clock is ticking on some very high-profile stars. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2280715.ece

Pretty much every season since the latter years of Big Eck's tenure our squads bottle has been called into question. Time and again, the manegement and the players have shown it to be lacking. Granted last year, whilst Celtic showed the bottle to win it from behind, we were hampered by our member clubs the SFA and the SPL. Having fallen what looked a massive 7 points behind after defeat in the second Old Firm at Ibrox, our championship credentials were again being questioned. We were written off by Hogmanay. Fairly solid form by ourselves and a woeful run by Celtic saw their lead cut to a mere 2 points heading into the 3rd Old Firm tussle at Parkhead. Smiths negative tactics, perhaps further excacerbated by a lone front man, left many of us frustrated at not attacking a wounded Celtic who had been stumbling from poor result to poor result between the top of the table clashes. Despite our dominance, we only left Parkhead with a point and again many where wondering had we failed to capitalise on a chance to put the pressure on Celtic as we have done so often the last 3 seasons. Virtually gift wrapping titles to the dark side. It was not so much the bottle of the players that was under scrutiny, but that of the management team. Whilst the draw at Parkhead will still be looked upon as opportunity lost Smiths frugal approach, whilst being highly frustrating, ensured we did not fall 5 points behind again leaving us needing a favour from another SPL side. Going into yesterday's home encounter there was a weight of expectation from the fans. Win that game and we were back top for the first time in 3 months and finally putting pressure on Celtic. Asking questions of their bottle. 20 minutes into what should be a routine home victory and we were staring back into the abyss. Were the fans to be disappointed again. How could Scotland's greatest team regain it's fear factor and its ruthless winning streak. Questions were asked. And at last the Rangers are answering them. A 6 minute goalscoring spell effected by Miller and Boyd, orchestrated by Mendes, turned a potential upset into a 3-1 half time lead. The players played out the victory and attention turned to Sunday afternoon encounter. At long last a serious title challenge from Rangers when not distracted by the greater glory of European football and an unprecedented fixture backlog. The media, the fans, the players would be looking to Celtic to affirm their title challenge. Ask real questions of their bottle. Are they up to the task. On a treacherous Fir Park surface, Celtic did not produce the goods. A Motherwell equaliser costing Celtic a precious two points and allowing us to retain top spot. We're back on terms, albeit with a superior goal difference. But nothing has been achieved yet. We've merely put ourselves back in the race. Now to put the title out of their reach. Celtic are in terrible form for SPL title pretenders. 8 points from 16 since the Ibrox Old Firm Clash. With Celtic running through a poor run of form a winning run from Rangers would really turn the heat up on the Parkhead side. Those who argued a draw suited us more than Celtic last weekend pointed to an easier run in for us, a greater chance of Celtic dropping points. So this weekend's results could scarcely have worked out better. If we are really to ask questions of Celtic then we need to put together a strong winning sequence. No disrespect to our forthcoming opponents, but with mostly "bottom 6" sides to play, with the hardest games at home, we have a real opportunity to test their mettle. Leading into the split our upcoming fixtures read: Sat 28th Feb Hamilton (A) Wed 4th Mar ICT (H) Sat 14th Mar St. Mirren (A) (to be re-arranged Co-op Cup Final) Sat 21st Mar Hearts (H) Sun 5th Apr Falkirk (A) Sat 11th Apr Motherwell (H) Sat 18th Apr Hibs (A) If we have serious title aspirations only the visit of Hearts and the trip to Easter Road should give us any casue for concern. That is not to dismiss the other sides. It is merely a statement of fact. If we match their endeavour our superior quality should see us emerge victorious against these sides. Over the next 6 fixtures only Hearts and Motherwell occupy top 6 places, and both travel to Ibrox. Taking maximum points before our trip to Edinbrugh in mid-April could put serious heat on our title rivals and see them wilt. Given we play before them on 2 out of the next 3 fixtures to be completed (ignoring St Mirren) we have extra incentive to put pressure on them before they take to the field. Many will point to the old adage of "one game at a time". But if we can put together a run of consecutive victories befitting a league winning squad Celtic will struggle to cope with the onslaught of our title juggernaut.

February 27, 2009 Ã?· By Editor Ã?· Filed Under Celtic, Rangers, SPL After the recent Old Firm Derby match at Celtic Park, where it was alleged racist, sectarian and bigoted songs were being sung by the Rangers supporters - and that the Match Delegate would be putting it into his report. We waited for the report to become public or at least a statement from the SPL to be released. However it has not been forthcoming and news on any action if any would be taken seems to have been swept under the carpet. But this afternoon we received an answer to our email from David Ogilvie, the SPL Operations Administrator - who is in charge of the Match Delegates. From the look of it, it is just your typical Statement by a company in the process of undertaking action or the possibility of taking action. However it also seems from comments made by the SPL Marketing & Communications Manager to David Ogilvie in a forwarded reply - that was not deleted by the way - that they have a pre-written statement that is sent out to those they feel would publish a statement in the public doman, such as Scotzine.com. David Ogilvieââ?¬â?¢s Email Statement: Dear ******, Thanks for your e-mail. The process to possible breaches of SPL Rules in relation to unacceptable behaviour is as follows: - We will consider the reports submitted by our Match Delegates and any other complaint which we may receive from other parties, including the opposing Club, the Match Commander and the SFA. - The report will be passed to the Clubs involved in each match for comment. - Complaints or reports which in the opinion the SPL Board provide ground for further investigation will be passed to an independent Commission, with a legally qualified Chairman, which will be appointed to determine whether or not a Club has breached SPL Rules. - The Commission will also determine the sanction that would be applied in the event of a breach of the SPL Rules. - A wide range of progressive sanctions may be applied. Any sanctions applied will be proportionate to the nature of the breach and will consider the previous record and work undertaken by the particular Club. We conduct much of our work in this area below the parapet. We have found this to be a much more effective form of governance in this area and it is policy which we will continue with. The introduction of our rules has resulted in a number of improvements across the board which is the aim. Our clubsââ?¬â?¢ policies and procedures of trying to prevent ââ?¬Ë?unacceptable conductââ?¬â?¢ and deal with it if it occurs have improved. That is not to say that this social problem has been solved as clearly it is more complex than that but progress is being made. Regards David Ogilvie Scottish Premier League First of all we would like to thank David for his reply and for taking time out of his busy schedule to do so. But given the comments made by Greg Mailer in an attached email to David Ogilvie, it is clear in my opinion, that they have had this statement written to be sent out and when someone they want to fob off contacts them, they duly send the prepared statement out. Why is that? are they still considering punishing Rangers? are they preparing a way to brush it under the carpet, hoping it all goes away? or are they awaiting Celtic fans to make a move that will give the SPL a way out to punish both clubs or neither? Tags: controversy, Rangers, SPL, statement http://scotzine.com/blog/?p=3422

KYLE LAFFERTY believes that the current Rangers squad have the confidence to carry on their title charge between now and the end of the season. Kyle LaffertyAs his side prepare to face Hamilton at New Douglas Park the Northern Ireland striker says the turn around in fortunes in 2009 has given them renewed belief. Since falling seven points behind Celtic after defeat in the final Old Firm game of 2008, Walter Smith's side have overhauled that deficit to return to the top of the SPL on goal difference. And Lafferty insists that they have what it takes to maintain that run and bring the league trophy back to Ibrox. He said: "I think a lot of people wrote us off when Celtic went seven points clear but there was still a lot of belief in the squad and in the coaching staff and that's still the case. "Everyone's confident that if we keep going the way we are we will win the title. "Celtic will feel they can win it and we believe we can win it. So it's up to us to go about things in the right way - if we do that I think we will win it. Kyle Lafferty"We're happy because I think over the last two months we've been playing some really good football and Celtic have dropped some points when we were picking up them up. "But there are still a lot of games to go and we can't get too carried away. We have to keep trying to go about things and looking to pick up points where we can until the end of the season." Tomorrow's meeting with Billy Reid's side will Rangers' fourth of the season and despite bagging twelve goals in the previous three matches between the sides the Gers have experienced their troubles against the SPL new boys. Hamilton have twice taken the lead before Rangers turned the games round and Lafferty expects a similarly tough encounter in a game that kicks of a run of important matches for his side. He added: "Hamilton are a good side and they caused us a few problems before and the next four weeks will be a difficult spell. "It will be interesting to see how we come out at the end and if we get maximum points I think we will be looking good."

Graham Spiers Rangers are believed to be about to reveal a slight downturn in their financial fortunes for the first six months of the current season when the Ibrox club releases its half-year accounts this afternoon in Glasgow. Having reached the Uefa Cup final and very nearly won the Clydesdale Bank Premier League last season, Rangers' fortunes suffered a setback when they failed to qualify for the group stage of the 2008-09 Champions League, a factor that has impacted on the club's turnover figure for the first half of the season. Rangers' turnover to December 31 should still be in the region of Ã?£30million, though the club is expected to have taken a hit due to its non-participation in Uefa's premier club tournament. The Champions League - even with Celtic sharing Scotland's pot of money - would have netted Rangers an extra Ã?£8million to Ã?£9million in ticket sales and other retail spin-offs in the run up to Christmas last year. Against that, the sale of Carlos CuÃ?©llar to Aston Villa for Ã?£8million in August will have softened the blow of missing out on a Champions League windfall. Without the CuÃ?©llar sale, Rangers' six-month figures would have been much tougher. This time last year the club recorded encouraging half-year figures, with turnover up by Ã?£10million to over Ã?£33million, though that was mainly due to their 2007 Champions League adventure. Today's figures are expected to show a dip by comparison. Sir David Murray, the Rangers chairman, will preside over today's interim accounts, and is also expected to clarify the current debt situation at Rangers, which is estimated to be in the region of Ã?£23million. Murray has repeatedly stated the importance of playing in the Champions League as the key to Rangers' financial performance in recent years. ââ?¬Å?For the Old Firm, who do not have access to the riches of some of the other big leagues of Europe, the importance of Champions League participation cannot be over-estimated,ââ?¬Â one football analyst told The Times yesterday. ââ?¬Å?It is tough if they miss out on the group stage or beyond, because of the obvious earning power of the tournament. So the defeat to Kaunas back in August [in a Champions League qualifier] will have hit Rangers hard.ââ?¬Â The current debt of Rangers is intriguing, given Celtic's revelation last week that they are just Ã?£900,000 in the red. There has been a distinct divergence in fiscal policy between the Old Firm in recent years, with Celtic feverishly trying to eradicate their debt, while Rangers have allowed theirs to climb steadily upwards again. Between 2003 and 2007, Rangers successfully arrested their bank borrowings from a frightening high of Ã?£80million to around Ã?£5million, though in the last 18 months the figure has risen sharply again. Murray and Rangers took some flak recently for revealing that they hoped to sell one of their main playing assets - either Kris Boyd or Barry Ferguson - to ease the financial pressure at the club. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5810535.ece

Feb 26 2009 By Hugh Keevins ALLY McCOIST will help build a lasting tribute to Davie Cooper on Friday night ... then honour his old pal's memory by continuing the search for the Super Coopers of tomorrow. A debate about the health of Scottish football has raged since Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan attacked the level of criticism aimed at the last Old Firm game. McCoist doesn't deny some of the stick was justified but refuses to believe this country's well of talent has dried up. Along with Celtic coach Neil Lennon, McCoist will tomorrow help with the fund raising for a sensory park for special needs children in Clydebank, the town where Cooper began and ended his playing career. But Rangers' assistant manager refuses to believe the exceptional skills Cooper possessed, and which ultimately took him to Rangers and a place in the national side, have skipped a generation. McCoist said: "I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I'll concede Coop was the last of the breed of players who learned their football in the streets but I won't accept pessimism so far as the future is concerned. "The talent is still out there and Scotland will continue to produce the type of player who makes you feel the anticipation of the crowd whenever he gets on to the ball. "Kids don't play on the streets any more for a variety of reasons but that doesn't mean to say genius no longer exists. "Aiden McGeady has ability to go past people for Celtic. Aaron and John Fleck at Ibrox have it as well. They're the players who produce the stuff the fans go to the pub on a Saturday night and talk about. "The priority for coaches is to make sure the team they work for wins matches. If we don't do that, we don't have a job but football has an obligation to entertain After the Old Firm had been slaughtered for the derby game, I felt we went out against Kilmarnock with a 'Let's show these people' attitude. "Coop was the consummate entertainer. Whether it was the swivel of the hips or the 40-yard pass, he entertained no matter the fixture or the surroundings. "The highest tribute I can pay him is to say I worked many times with Ruud Gullit on TV and he was always raving about Davie and a game he played against him while he was at Feyenoord. "I like the idea of a lasting tribute to Davie in Clydebank because I first became aware of him in 1976 when the Bankies took Rangers to four games in the League Cup before we got rid of them. I won't name names but there were two Rangers full-backs who tried swopping sides of the park during the first of those games because one of them was getting such a chasing from this young kid. "Coop was, first and foremost, a humble man but when people talk about him they don't mention his medals, they talk about his skill." Cooper, who died in 1995, was revered by his team-mates at Ibrox and McCoist smiled as he recalled one occasion when they literally pulled his leg. He said: "It was Coop's testimonial match and we racked our brains over a gift. "Then one of the lads had a brainwave and got the right leg off a tailor's dummy and wrapped it up in brown paper with the message, 'What do you give the man who's got everything ?' "I couldn't put a price on what that left peg of his would be worth in today's transfer market. Beyond price I would say. "I appreciate there's more to the game than goalscorers and I say that as someone who made his name as one. Rangers had three quality finishes on Saturday against Kilmarnock and Pedro Mendes was outstanding with defence-splitting passes. "But fans love the genius of a Coop or a Jinky Johnstone or a Willie Henderson. We need more like them and I know they can still be found." Part of McCoist's remit is to help discover and develop stars of the future - a job a certain ex-colleague would never have expected him to take. He said: "I can guarantee Coop will be looking down at me shaking his head. The prospect of me in management would have tickled him. "Never a day goes by that I don't think about him and Tommy Burns. You might go from the Old Firm to work elsewhere but in your heart and mind you never leave Rangers or Celtic. "Stefan Klos once told me it was what distinguished the Old Firm from German clubs. "That's why Davie will be on my mind when I pay tribute to him in Clydebank on Friday night. He had that magic ingredient and others will come to show they have it too." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2009/02/26/exclusive-duty-is-on-us-to-find-the-new-generation-of-davie-coopers-insists-ally-mccoist-86908-21153912/

RANGERS Ladies kept up their 100% league record last night as they came from behind to beat Celtic 2-1 at Petershill Park. After finding themselves a goal down at the break, Lana Clelland and Claire Rae struck in the second half to turn the game on its head. Gers have now won each of their 10 First Division fixtures so far and are a massive 12 points clear of their Old Firm rivals. With eight games remaining, Drew Todd's girls - who have six under-17s in their team - are clear favourites to win the title in their debut season. It has been a good week for the side after it reached the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup with a 5-2 extra-time win at Premier League outfit Raith Rovers on Sunday. Jenna Ross and Lesley McMaster are also celebrating after receiving call-ups to the Scotland under-19 squad for a 10-team tournament in La Manga next month. Todd said: "The first half against Celtic was probably the poorest we have played all season. We didn't pass the ball or keep possession terribly well. "They scored first but we came back well and hit the woodwork a couple of times, although we still found ourselves trailing at the break. "I had a word with the girls at half-time as I felt they were maybe suffering from heavy legs after playing for two hours at the weekend. "We improved after the restart and although things didn't go totally to plan, we ground out the win. "We'd have taken that beforehand so we're happy in that respect, especially as we've got so many youngsters in our squad at the moment." :cheers:

By Andrew Dickson ALLY McCOIST has revealed both Nacho Novo and Lee McCulloch are winning their fight to be fit for next month's League Cup final against Celtic. Lee McCullochStriker Novo is poised to return to full training at the end of the week after he hobbled off during the 2-0 win over Dundee United on January with an ankle knock. He has made excellent progress and is now hopeful of featuring in the home clash with Inverness next Wednesday. McCulloch, meanwhile, has discovered he has a minor tear in his calf after going for a scan this morning. He came off in the 4-0 Scottish Cup fifth round win at Forfar Athletic last Wednesday and it seemed he would miss the Old Firm clash on March 15. But the injury is not as bad as first feared and he has been given a realistic chance of regaining full fitness before then. Assistant manager McCoist is delighted the duo are on the mend and has been buoyed by more good news after Gers went top of the league at the weekend. He said: "I was getting the wee cheesy grin from Nacho today and he's back out running which is great to see.Nacho Novo and Lee McCulloch "He is a smashing lad with an infectious personality and he's one of those boys who just wants to train and play. "Nacho is somebody you don't like to have inside being a nuisance in the gymnasium as you'd far rather have him out on the park making a contribution. "Everybody will be delighted to hear the wee man is not far away from a return now and big Lee is the same. "He has a very minimal tear in his calf and that happened last week up at Forfar but I'd hope he'll be back in full training in a week to 10 days. "That's positive news for us and we are pleased about that. Lee is the same and I think he was quite relieved when he got his test results back. "Both lads are dying to get back playing for

CELTIC have opened talks with the SFL in a bid to enter a side into the Third Division. The sensational move could see the Parkhead club granted permission to compete in the lowest league within two years and possibly as early as next season. Record Sport understands Parkhead chief executive Peter Lawwell met SFL boss David Longmuir at Hampden last week to discuss a range of matters - but the idea of a second Celtic side in the league was the main issue. It's understood several SFL clubs have already been sounded out about the plans and have given a positive response. The SPL Reserve League is to be scrapped in April and Celtic hope to stake their claim for entry into the SFL at the association's agm in May. Falling attendances and mounting cash problems through a failure to generate revenue streams have hit the SFL hard in recent seasons and the arrival of one half of the Old Firm would provide a muchneeded boost. It's also understood Celtic's aim is to include youth and reserve players in a squad that would play in the Third Division but would not be permitted entry into any cup competitions. Celtic aim to take a lead from Spanish giants Barcelona who field a second team in the lower reaches of the their leagues that acts as a ready-made feeder side for the top team. Whether Rangers aim to join their Old Firm rivals in their bid remains to be seen but with SPL 2 already on the agenda it's clear that radical league reconstruction will open the door to the possibility of Celtic making their plan a reality.

RANGERS under-19s will take on Inverness Caley Thistle in the semi-final stage of the SFA Youth Cup after the Highland Jags made history by beating Celtic following a dramatic penalty shoot-out . Celtic were favourites to progress from this quarter-final tie at the Tulloch Stadium but the home side produced a strong and assured performance to deny an Old Firm semi at Ibrox Stadium on Sunday, March 29. With the game sitting goalless after 120 minutes a pulsating shoot-out followed with Celtic striking the bar with their seventh effort to spark wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands. :rfc:

By Andrew Dickson BARRY FERGUSON insists one bad derby with Celtic doesn't make Rangers a poor team to watch. Barry FergusonEver since the sides' 0-0 draw at Parkhead on Sunday, there has been much condemnation of the game as a spectacle. Many have said the Old Firm clash isn't what it used to be and claimed a dip in quality signings by each club has led to a more disappointing product overall. But Ferguson has hit back and is determined to prove Gers are still an entertaining team when they take on Kilmarnock in the SPL at Ibrox tomorrow. He said: "We've heard all week about the derby and we know it wasn't great game for people to see. "But I've played in plenty of great Old Firm matches and it's just a case that the latest one wasn't a great spectacle. "Hopefully we'll show that was the case tomorrow against Kilmarnock and we will give a better performance against them. Barry Ferguson"We want to go and entertain people. It would have been great if we could have gone out on Sunday and won 4-3 but it didn't turn out that way. "Now we'll move on. There have been plenty of times this season that we've played good football and we'll do that again. "People criticised us for the way we played last season, despite the success it brought us, and they're going to have their opinions. "But we try to go out and play as well as we can every week and we are still capable of doing that for our fans." Ferguson is eager to take Gers top of the league tomorrow ahead of Celtic's game with Motherwell on Sunday. It is more than three months since the Light Blues found themselves at the top of the summit but now they're only a victory away. Ferguson battles for the ballFerguson added: "We are under pressure this year and we know that so we need to handle that and win the league. "Now it's close again. After the last Old Firm game, people said we had lost the title but we're only two points behind. "We never believed it was over and if we win against Killie, we'll go top. That is a big incentive for us and I feel we've got a good enough squad to take the title. "When you set out at the start of the campaign, your focus is on winning the championship but we've not done that in the last three years. "That's not good enough. It was nice winning cups last season and getting to the UEFA Cup final but me and the rest of the guys in the dressing room really want the league."

I'm not sure what the general opinion on here is but agree with a lot that the above says. It seems clear Coisty is being groomed for the next managers job. Will his love and passion for the club prove to be enough though?

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown will be fit for Sunday's trip to face Motherwell despite suffering a head injury in the Old Firm derby. More...

Rangers fans sceptical of SPL agenda The Rangers Supporters Trust has questioned the motives of the Scottish Premier Leagueââ?¬â?¢s unacceptable conduct policy as it awaits the latest report on fansââ?¬â?¢ behaviour, this time during last weekendââ?¬â?¢s Old Firm derby. SPL match delegate Alan Dick may mention some sectarian chants and songs that appeared to come from the away support during Sundayââ?¬â?¢s goalless draw at Celtic Park, but RST spokesman David Edgar is hoping for a balanced verdict, and insists Rangers fans are not alone in singing ââ?¬Ë?offensiveââ?¬â?¢ songs. Dick reported Rangers to the SPL in August 2007 under similar circumstances following the Ibrox clubââ?¬â?¢s trip to Inverness and, while there was no action taken, there was a warning of sanctions should there be any future complaint. Rangers have campaigned in recent years to rid the club of its sectarian baggage but the SPL would come under pressure to punish them if they are presented with evidence of more transgressions. However, Edgar has said another black mark against the supporters would leave the SPLââ?¬â?¢s agenda open to question. ââ?¬Å?While it is difficult to comment until weââ?¬â?¢ve seen the report, we are looking forward to an even-handed and consistent approach to the application of this legislation,ââ?¬Â Edgar said. ââ?¬Å?We find it hard to believe that Rangers fans are the only fans in the country who have ever sung an offensive song; yet we are the only ones who have been reported under the rules. ââ?¬Å?There were instance of distasteful chanting coming from both ends on Sunday but, yet again, the focus is only on one set of fans. ââ?¬Å?It therefore becomes very difficult for the supporters to understand what is going on. ââ?¬Å?Are the rules genuinely in place to eradicate offensive chanting or simply to punish Rangers? ââ?¬Å?What about Aberdeen fans singing about the Ibrox disaster or Celtic fans singing about Nacho Novo and the IRA? ââ?¬Å?We are committed to ridding Scottish football of all genuinely offensive chanting and Rangers fans have responded magnificently over the last couple of years. ââ?¬Å?However, we are left with wondering if this is a rule for all the SPL clubs or a rule simply for Rangers.ââ?¬Â Rangers escaped punishment for the Inverness affair after the SPL board took into account the clubââ?¬â?¢s efforts to eradicate unacceptable conduct by some of their supporters. The incident at the Caledonian Stadium 18 months ago came just nine days after the launch of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Ë?Follow With Prideââ?¬â?¢ campaign, which was aimed at cleaning up the clubââ?¬â?¢s image by ending sectarian and other abusive chanting. However, the club had previously been fined on two occasions by Uefa for offensive chanting in Champions League and Uefa Cup matches, amounting to in excess of Ã?£21,000. Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist played down speculation that the Ibrox club will be up on yet another SPL charge. McCoist, who will take control of team affairs for tomorrowââ?¬â?¢s Homecoming Scottish Cup trip to Forfar, said: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know enough about it. ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know what the delegate said in his report; Iââ?¬â?¢ve not seen anything so I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t comment on it.ââ?¬Â http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/0217/1224241324757.html

An excellent article from GeneralCartmanLee of which I'm sure most of us will agree with the concerns raised... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=751&Itemid=2 If reports in this mornings rags are to be believed then we will be reported again for sectarian singing after Sunday's match. Possibly it will be songs directed at Scott Brown while the imaginatively titled famine song seem to have upset the attending match delegate Mr Alan Dick. For anyone who isn’t aware what an SPL delegate is; this was a scheme introduced in 2005-2006 where a range of people who have been involved at one level or another in Scottish football will attend the match on behalf of the SPL to oversee the game. The match delegates liaise with the match commander, inspect the pitch and act as an eyes and ears in the crowd to watch what is happening on the pitch and in the stands. They produce a report on this which they then submit to the SPL with observations and recommendations. We seem to have made an enemy of one of these delegates and it now seems a one man crusade against our fans is underway from a former Motherwell and Partick thistle director called Alan Dick. Mr Dick has now reported Rangers to the SPL for sectarian singing on three separate occasions. Once for a game at Ibrox against Aberdeen at the end of the season in 2006, then at the beginning of the new season in 2007 at Inverness and finally on Sunday. Now, let's make it clear that just now it’s only speculation as the SPL have not confirmed what is in Mr Dick's report but I will say that on the previous two occasions he reported us, the information was leaked to the media before the report was submitted (now who could have done that, Mr Dick?) so we can safely assume this will happen again. Let’s examine this a little more closely. Mr Dick attends a game of football every week and we are being asked to believe that since 2005, when this scheme was introduced and an observer was placed in the stand at every SPL game, that he (or any other SPL delegate) has only heard offensive chanting three times and they all involved Rangers. The latest one was an Old Firm match for goodness sake. I have attended these games for many years and to pretend what is now termed as unacceptable chanting comes from one end if beyond a joke. During the Celtic fans every visit to Ibrox they will frequently chant about the IRA, use derogatory terms for protestants, make vile references to the Queen and Davie Cooper but these seem to be ignored. Dick reported us at Inverness for sectarian singing on the first game of last season but just two weeks ago various Celtic fans were arrested in the stadium for sectarian and racist chanting but the SPL delegate for reasons best known to himself, heard nothing. Finally our first report was concerning an Aberdeen game at Ibrox. I am sure I don’t need to tell anyone who has regularly attended these games over the years what we hear from the away fans - references to the Ibrox Stadium disaster being a particular favourite of these 'supporters'. Are we to believe that this chanting is acceptable to the SPL? Why were the reports in these games only about us? Where is the parity in all this? I shall digress, slightly, and ask one to cast their mind back to Love Street on November 13th, 2006; Armistice day, a day when all British citizens quietly reflect the sacrifices their fathers and grandfathers made in the two great wars. Celtic were playing there that day and because of that a minutes silence was cancelled; too risky no doubt given the Celtic fans appalling record on these occasions. This riled the home support, as coupled with this, they were to be subjected to 45 minutes of vile anti-protestant and anti-British singing. The stadium announcer so upset by all he had seen decided to make an announcement at half time asking the home fans not to react to the filth being spewed from the stands and to keep their heads. For the singing to be this bad you would have thought the SPL delegate would have mentioned all of this in his report and Celtic would have been at least warned by the SPL about their future conduct? Sadly this did not happen. Now a quick check would reveal who the SPL delegate was that day, can you see where this is going……yes it was Mr Alan Dick. No media exclusives either that Monday, eh? I am not trying to paint us as the innocents in all this, some of us will need to accept that part of our repertoire is now seen as unacceptable and will only bring us bad publicity and the quicker we drop these tunes the better. I more wanted to draw a comparison between the treatment we receive and the treatment that every other club in Scotland receive. I could go through each club in the SPL and find offence at something they chant whether it be homophobic, sectarian, racist or sheepist(!) - you will find this happening in every ground in Scotland. Surely people must see that we as a group of fans will be more willing to co-operate if these rules are applied to everyone. If there are rules written in stone somewhere saying what we can and can’t sing then enforce them across the board. After all, if fen!an is offensive then so is hun or if we are to believe that songs mocking the faux Irishness of our friends in the east end are so upsetting that they are causing their children to burst into tears then songs about people who murdered indiscriminately on this island are at least equally as offensive to us and any other normal member of society. At the beginning of last season Mr Dick said “If there is any flak for the delegate after the game because his name has been in the media then we've just got to put up with it. I am big enough, ugly enough and old enough to suffer the consequences but I don't feel intimidated at all.” This only seems to apply when Rangers are playing though Mr Dick and when you only apply these rules to one team then your motives will rightly be questioned and only one conclusion will be drawn...

Rotten luck for the big guy if this is the case, after missing out on last season's Scottish Cup Final. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- RANGERS star Kirk Broadfoot is sweating on a broken foot that could rule him out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final. Broadfoot was injured in the Old Firm clash on Sunday and fears he has suffered a fracture which could rule him out for five or six weeks. That would mean the Ibrox defender would miss the March 15 Hampden showdown with Celtic, several key league games AND Scotland�s crunch World Cup qualifier against Holland on March 28. SunSport can reveal Broadfoot, 24, told Gers medics he felt a searing pain and heard a crack early in the 0-0 draw with Celts at Parkhead. Amazingly the defender played on for the entire 90 minutes. But on Monday, Broadfoot was unable to put weight on his left leg and was immediately taken to Glasgow�s Nuffield Hospital. He had the injury X-rayed and was told there was no obvious break. But specialists have still not ruled out a hairline fracture which could see him sidelined for weeks. The player now faces an anxious wait after being told to rest for the next 24 hours and allow the swelling to settle down. Only then will he be able to undergo a more detailed scan which could determine the rest of his season. Broadfoot has already been ruled out of tomorrow night�s Scottish Cup clash with Forfar. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2243585.ece

The match delegate at Sunday's Old Firm match highlights sectarian chanting in his report to the Scottish Premier League, BBC Scotland understands. More...

Many seem to be arguing that a draw is a better result for us than them. We appear to have the easier run in with the remaining Old Firm at Ibrox. Each teams upcoming fixtures are: We have.. Killie (h) Hamilton (a) Inverness (h) Hearts (h) They have.. Motherwell (a) St Mirren (h) Killie (a) Dundee Unt (a) Hopefully we can take maximum points and they suffer a couple of defeats or draws. We could go back top before long.

Referee Calum Murray admits he should have allowed more than two minutes injury time in Sunday's Old Firm draw. More...