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KIRK BROADFOOT knows more than a few eyebrows were raised when Walter Smith plucked him from Paisley and made him a Rangers player. Now the cynics are more likely to be nodding their head in appreciation after seeing the former St Mirren star slot into three different roles in as many matches and performwell in each of them. Broadfoot might have made his name as a centre-half at Love Street but he's been used at right-back, left-back and on Saturday against Falkirk he added left-midfield to his collection after coming on as a sub and pitching in with a goal during the 7-2 rout of John Hughes' men. The 23-year-old admits he is loving every minute of it and insists he never had any doubts that he could make the jump from a provincial outfit to one of the Old Firm giants. Particularly when the captain of the club, Barry Ferguson, went out of his way to make him feel welcome. Broadfoot believes the togetherness of the squad is a major reason for Rangers' sensational start to the season and for his own promising start to his Ibrox career. The former Scotland Under-21 defender said: "When I arrived I wasn't daunted by it, I relished the challenge. If you don't relish it you're at the wrong place. If you go out onto the pitch scared you've failed straight away. Advertisement "I know it's going to get harder as more players come back from injury.But when I arrived I didn't feel overawed. "Barry Ferguson helped me settle right away. When the club captain does that it's great, but it is a bit like starting any new job because it takes time to get to know everyone." Broadfoot's ability to play just about anywhere can make him a regular on the park or on the bench - and with players like Brahim Hemdani, DaMarcus Beasley, Ian Murray, Charlie Adam, Filip Sebo and Alan Gow sitting in the stand at the weekend, he knows the competition has never been tougher. He said: "This is the biggest squad I've seen. There are 30 players who could come into the first team and do a job. "The Under-21 rule takes three off straight away but it's a battle to make the bench now, never mind the starting line-up." Broadfoot was delighted with the victory over Falkirk, which stretched Rangers' run of victories at home and in Europe to six since the start of the campaign. He was particularly happy to notch his first goal for the club, particularly as his own fan club was sitting in the stand. He said: "That's my first goal for Rangers. I'm a Rangers fan so to score for Rangers at Ibrox is a dream come true. "My mum and dad were at the game along with four of my friends. When I switched my phone on there were quite a few text messages with people congratulating me. It was a good day all round to be honest." The defender was delighted to see the strikers do the business, with Daniel Cousin and Jean-Claude Darcheville grabbing two goals each and Kris Boyd making a welcome return to the scoresheet. He said: "Danny came in from the start and did very well. Once he starts speaking English he'll be even better. "He doesn't understand anything really but his knowledge of the game shows. "Kris and Darche then came off the bench to score too so it's pleasing. I think as a squad we're starting to gel." Interesting interview,sorry if it's old news but working overseas,i was just wondering what the fans are thinking about him as i've not seen much of him :cheers:

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

we might have expected some of the new players to make positive comments about there being such a large crowd for friendlies - but perhaps the comments of darcheville and ceullar were more positive than expected. i mean, they thought the atmosphere at the games was excellent, so they're going to be in for a shock come old firm day (though less so ceullar who's played against us in europe). but even our next oppponent's manager, who has no need to be particularly concerned or unconcerned about atmosphere said: so perhaps we're not so bad after all. :cheers: to us. to our detractors.

Taken from The Evening Times website..... I'd take him in a second. Great player.

Well that is English Clubs out of equation as he wants to stay in Scotland and i would say Celtic are out as well considering how many players they have got. So really it must be us and Hearts if there still intrested

Would love him to come back, that was another mistake by Le Tit, by not keeping him

MARTIN McMILLAN June 20 2007 Hearts last night defended a 30% rise in ticket prices that will be imposed on supporters of the Old Firm and Hibernian at Tynecastle next season. Fans of Celtic, Rangers and Hibs will have to part with �£33 to watch their team in the centre of the upper section of the Roseburn Stand, a jump of �£8 from the last campaign. Supporters in the other areas of the stand will be charged �£27, an increase of �£7 on last season, for Category A' matches. Opposing fans outside the Old Firm and Hibs will pay between �£17 and �£22 for Category B' games in the Roseburn Stand. advertisement Hibs fans have reacted with disbelief to the price increase, claiming Vladimir Romanov, the Hearts owner, is merely lining his pockets. But the club have defended the price hike in light of the planned redevelopment of the Tynecastle main stand in the coming campaign. "We reviewed the pricing of match-day tickets at some length prior to any increases," said a Hearts spokesman. "It's really all about supply and demand and we have to be commercially aware. Demand for tickets for Hearts versus Hibs at Tynecastle outstrips supply." Hibs travel to Tynecastle on the opening day of the season and Dave Kowalski, a spokesman for fans website Hibs.net, said yesterday: "Thirty-three pounds is an outrageous price. I've not heard about an organised Hibs boycott, but if there was one, Hearts would deserve to lose money." Meanwhile, FC Thun are seeking to secure a deal with Hearts to allow the Finnish striker, Juho Makela, to return to Switzerland. The 23-year-old was loaned to Thun in February and is unsure of his Tynecastle future, despite being contracted until June 2009. Reto Gertschen, the Thun general manager said: "The return of Juho Makela is an option for us. I spoke to him and he showed an interest to play for us again." Hearts are also rumoured to be set to return Chile again with a move for international winger Jose Luis Cabion. 33 quid for a ticket that is daylight robbery and should be looked into by instances controlling price rices and monopolies.

Posted 09/06/07 11:24 EmailPrintSave Celtic manager Gordon Strachan believes the club need to be playing regularly outside Scottish borders to eliminate sectarianism. Both Celtic and Rangers have shown a strong interest in joining the English leagues, and Strachan believes it would be a beneficial move on many levels. The 50-year-old suggests a European league is more likely to materialise, given the vehement objection of Barclays Premiership clubs to the Old Firm being allowed to join their ranks. But Strachan told The Times: "If we could get into a British league, I don't just think it would help us financially, it would also help this West of Scotland thing we have to live with. "I often think how exciting it would be to have Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea coming to Parkhead. "Sometimes you hear our people singing the IRA stuff, but I think all that would go if we were in a bigger league. "It would enlarge the scene, provide more breathing space and people would get on with their lives. "People from the outside looking in would no longer say to some Old Firm fans, 'Are you guys going to grow up ... are youse all mad?"' Strachan suggests as many as 50 leading clubs could be involved if the long-mooted European league does become a reality. He added: "It will happen and the sponsors would flock to it. I really think it's going to happen." This subject is easy pickings to increase popularity but i hope the ginger smurf gets people to listen to him. Rangers and Celtic are both fighting below their weight. We need to have better opposition coming to Ibrox.

...On a second consecutive season without a trophy. This season hasn't exactly panned out to be the way that many a Bear would have expected back in August once the first ball was kicked at Fir Park. Soap writers wouldnt have managed to write what was coming. After coming off the back off the previous season where we had our worst run in 20 years and finished out of the top 2 for the first time in 2 decades we all expected things to take a turn for the better. Instead we hit rock bottom by continuing a dreadful SPL run, early exits in both clubs including a home defeat to a lower division side and mass behind the scenes problems that led to the return of Walter Smith. We have talked about the problems that took place on many occassion so now its time to look forward. The first thing to be positive about is we improved our league position this season and since the turn of the year we topped the form table. These things arent quite what we want to shout about but its the first steady step in the right direction. This summer is going to be huge! Although that statement has a familiar ring to it. The man at the top - Sir David Murray - will be feeling a little bit of pressure to dip his hand into his pocket and provide Smith with some funds. Lets not pretend here, the average realist knows the squad needs major surgery but we are in no position to buy a new team, so Smith has to be shrewd and fill the key positions with the right players at the right price. If we can off load a few at the same time then that always helps free up some needed wages. But another job Smith and McCoist have is to get the players fit and in better shape. They also need to install harmoney in the dressing room again. They need to get complacency out the door as a few recent results have shown us. Off the park, we will be looking for Murray to improve the running of the club - but is that too much to ask and where do you start!! I'll leave that one to someone else! The team is now off for an all expenses paid trip to the USA for an end of season advertising match, while the fans are left to ponder whether to fork out the best part of 500 GBP to re-new their season tickets. Some might say Smith should leave a few of the first team squad in Glasgow and give them an early holiday as they seemed to finish early anyway - just after the last Old Firm Derby - and in place of them take the sucessful U19 squad to the States but that wont happen. So when the SPL kicks off in about 9 long summer weeks time, I will be extremely interested to see the look of our line up and whether it will be up for a challenge for domestic success again. We HAVE to be challenging for the title and we really HAVE to get the Scottish Cup back as 5 years without an appreance at Hampden for that cup is not good enough for Rangers.

MediaWatch ââ?¬â?? Murdo MacLoud awakens the People? Well, itââ?¬â?¢s been tempting to focus this weekââ?¬â?¢s instalment of MediaWatch on the intense coverage of Scott Brownââ?¬â?¢s signing for Celtic. It would be nice, perhaps, to spend a bit of time watching just how many times the tabloids, and even the BBC, were willing to contradict themselves in the name of a good headline [1]. But I think there was one article with a typically sensational and somewhat inflammatory title that may have furthered the Rangers cause despite itself ââ?¬â?? an article chiefly quoting Murdo MacLoud, no less [2]. Now, articles on Gersnet are largely un-edited and we do our utmost not to preclude people from giving their opinion, even if it doesnââ?¬â?¢t agree with that of the majority. Despite this, the consensus among our participants seems to be that the appropriate stance towards our Chairman is one of healthy criticism. As our previous articles have outlined (see Sir David Murray Report Card etc) Murray has done much good, but in current times serious questions have to be asked about his management of our club. And these questions are being asked with increased frequency in all areas of our support: from websites to the RST. However, I am not alone in holding a suspicion that the slumbering masses of Rangers supporters still hold the view that Murray detractors are mere troublemakers, and hold the view that Murray has invested significant portions of his own money in Rangers and will ultimately buy us out of our current predicament. Iââ?¬â?¢ll expand my suspicion by saying that I believe the majority of such supporters get their Rangers news chiefly from places like the Daily Record. I think weââ?¬â?¢ve started to entertain the illusion that Rangers supporters online (in places like Follow Follow & Gersnet) are representative of the entire support, and that thus, by and large, Rangers supporters avoid the Record and are sceptical of Murray. What may be true online, even in the Fanzines, going by newspaper sales alone, doesnââ?¬â?¢t seem to be true in general. The media, and especially the Record, have been almost unaccountably uncritical of Murray during his tenure. Rangers fans, by and large, lapped up Celticââ?¬â?¢s bad old days of struggle and toil ââ?¬â?? we enjoyed, truth be told, the one-upmanship it afforded us in the larger cycle of winning and losing. Iââ?¬â?¢m quite sure no Rangers supporter actually wanted to see them go under. But their famous ââ?¬Ë?biscuit-tinââ?¬â?¢ mentality was a source of constant fun ââ?¬â?? the term, remember, was one created by the media for no other reason than it could either effect smirks from Rangers fans, or incredulity from Celtic fans ââ?¬â?? both of which sell papers. We enjoyed, then, Murrayââ?¬â?¢s famous quips about spending a tenner for every fiver. But the fact that this arcadian dream had soured has long been true for those online, but the general Record-reading population still buy the propaganda (literally, from the Record) that the moonbeamed solution is just around the corner, despite all the evidence of past seasons to the contrary. Thatââ?¬â?¢s not to say your average fan is to blame ââ?¬â?? most people simply have more, or other, things to do than critically examine the papers and the situation. They have bills to pay and kids to feed and whatnot. Itââ?¬â?¢s easy to let your opinion by approximately guided by the general impression gained from whatever newspaper you read. But the problem with this is that if there is no critical analysis of the situation ââ?¬â?? if itââ?¬â?¢s not forced down your throat along with your coffee in the morning its far too easy not to think about it. The Internet can provide some of this, but itââ?¬â?¢s not until the tabloid media turn, in their typically horribly sensational way, against Murray that your actual average Rangers fan may become unsettled. It happened with Celtic, and it will happen with us. And so, it is with a very much afflicted sense of happiness that I turn to the article in question: ââ?¬Å?Biscuit-Tinââ?¬â?¢s Changing Directionââ?¬Â by Colin Duncan [2]. Both title and subtitle (ââ?¬Å?Exclusive Celtic signing sensation ... Now itââ?¬â?¢s Celtic who can splash the cash while Gers buy on the cheapââ?¬Â) are of the sort that I typically use this column to berate ââ?¬â?? sensational and purposefully inflammatory. But to the somewhat cynical Internet supporter the main response is not one of indignation, but of relief tinged with sarcasm: ââ?¬Å?What, its ââ?¬Å?Changingââ?¬Â? It changed years ago ffsââ?¬Â or something along those lines. But the truth is that if this rather simple message, so obvious to a lot of us, is now entering the public domain of tabloid sensationalism ââ?¬â?? if David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s spending policy is now a legitimate target of tabloid hype then the truth is that it makes the gravity of our situation apparent to your average Rangers fan. Phrases like ââ?¬Å?Three times in the past few months the Ibrox men have been close to securing deals for signing targets only to be gazumped at the 11th hour by their Old Firm rivals.ââ?¬Â while being deliberate half-truths, will do as they are designed and, irk Rangers supporters. And from the ashes of this sensation there will arise a desire for change. I hope. And I also hope that they will turn to those genuinly interested in Rangers ââ?¬â?? organisations like the RST. So, it may turn out that while articles like this, quoting people whose opinions generally do not matter to Rangers supporters (like Murdo, though I think heââ?¬â?¢s a nice guy), are annoying for all the reasons they typically are, they are the very thing that may spark the slumbering People into action. [1] See the Recordââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Å?Celts Land 4.4m Brownââ?¬Â where the article both claims ââ?¬Å?CELTIC last night won the race to sign Hibs midfield dynamo Scott Brownââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?Reading have emerged as a serious possibility with an offer that is believed to be marginally higher than Celtic's.ââ?¬Â It took both James Traynor and Keith Jackson to write this particular piece of journalistic genius. [2] http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=biscuit-tin-s-changing-direction%26method=full%26objectid=19110261%26siteid=66633-name_page.html

For our second Gersnet Interview, weââ?¬â?¢re delighted to welcome Rangers Supporters Trust media spokesman, David Edgar to the chair. David joined the Trust board 3 years ago and has done a fantastic job in his position. From radio and TV interviews to verbal jousts with broadsheet journalists, many Rangers fans will be more than aware of his combative ââ?¬â?? yet accurate and honest ââ?¬â?? style. Anyway enough of the compliments and onto the questions! David, obviously youââ?¬â?¢re heavily involved in supportersââ?¬â?¢ representation. Just how important do you think an independent organisation such as the Trust is for the fans? Itââ?¬â?¢s a vital organisation because as football grows more and more corporate, the fans are treated more like customers and their views are not taken into account the way they should be. Indeed, one of the main reasons for the RSTââ?¬â?¢s rapid growth has been the feeling of disconnection the fans have from the club. We aim to have two seats on the board of Rangers because we know then that supportersââ?¬â?¢ views would be represented in a clear, determined and erudite fashion. What would you say has been the most important Trust contribution since it was founded? It would be difficult for me to pinpoint that ââ?¬â?? it is like asking a parent to name their favourite child! Obviously, as someone on the media team Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that weââ?¬â?¢ve helped attack the negative, often vitriolic coverage of the club and the support. Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that weââ?¬â?¢ve represented our membersââ?¬â?¢ concerns direct to the Chairman and Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that the Board listen to us (which is not to say they always agree with us!) Iââ?¬â?¢m also proud that we are so heavily involved as our support modernise. Overall Iââ?¬â?¢m happy that the RST is a place where Gers fans can unite in their love of a wonderful institution. Some fans would suggest that itââ?¬â?¢s impossible for a support to own and run a football club. How would you counter that? Barcelona seem to do okay! I think there is a misconception that if the RST gained control of the board, weââ?¬â?¢d all give up our jobs and take cushy positions at the club! We arenââ?¬â?¢t naÃ?¯ve ââ?¬â?? I donââ?¬â?¢t know how to run a business with a turnover of Ã?£60m and I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t even attempt to. We would have in place qualified personnel from both the business and football community and charge them with the day-to-day running of the club. The board would be made up of elected officials who would have to answer to the members. If they did a bad job, theyââ?¬â?¢d be out! The main difference is that every fan would have a vote in the overall direction of the club. Many Rangers supporters continue to be annoyed with what they feel is a media witch-hunt towards our club. If this is the case, how would you recommend we deal with it? Well, the stock answer is to say ââ?¬Ë?do not buy/read/listenââ?¬â?¢ to that which offends you. But Iââ?¬â?¢m afraid that turning the other cheek is what brought us to this position in the first place. My suggestion has always been direct action. Write to the journalist, write to the editor, and stop your friends from buying these products. Let them know you are not prepared to put up with it. Itââ?¬â?¢s a lot better than it was in 2002/2003 when halfwit journalists were allowed to espouse their own bigotry under the cover of crusading against sectarianism. (I vividly recall a drunk who worked for a broadsheet newspaper at the time having the gall to lecture Rangers fans on morality!) Itââ?¬â?¢s still a hard fight ahead, but I believe that these constant attacks against us ââ?¬â?? especially the more hysterical ones (Nuremburg, anyone?) ââ?¬â?? have brought us closer together as a support and helped re-establish the community element of the support. Itââ?¬â?¢s blatantly obvious that we are treated differently from the other half of the Old Firm, but I like the fact that our support donââ?¬â?¢t just sit and moan about it, they get in the ribs of the people behind it. Recently, the Trust has been working with other fansââ?¬â?¢ groups to show unity in how we approach certain issues. How important is such teamwork? Vital. Many groups, one consistent message Thereââ?¬â?¢s plenty of room for debate on how we go forward, but the one constant is clear ââ?¬â?? we all love the Rangers and we all want to help shield it from things which could damage it. Onto less political matters now. Domestic success in recent years has been minimal for our great club. Do you think Walter Smith can turn this around and regain the title? I certainly do. Walter is a better manager now than he was when he left, and his organisational skills and ability to motivate players have been evident since his return. If you are my age, Ally McCoist is your hero, so it is terrific to see him back at the club. Itââ?¬â?¢s also great to see guys in charge who have blue blood running through their veins. As I said earlier, there is a gap between the players and the fans at ALL clubs in modern football ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s hard for us to see a guy going through the motions when his wage packet is bigger in a week than ours is in a year AND when weââ?¬â?¢d gladly play for the club for free! Walter and Ally wear their hearts on their sleeves and that resonates with the support. However, whilst both these guys are clearly very talented, they canââ?¬â?¢t work miracles; the Chairman MUST give them adequate resources to bring in the level of player required to gain success, not just domestically, but in Europe too (where Walterââ?¬â?¢s record in his first spell was patchy.) Weââ?¬â?¢ve messed around in the bargain basement Bosman bucket for too long now. What are your thoughts on the unsuccessful PLG era? These things happen. He is clearly an intelligent coach, but he looked at the end like he didnââ?¬â?¢t know what had hit him. The SPL is a strange wee league ââ?¬â?? good players have flopped here then done well in what youââ?¬â?¢d say were superior leagues. I think he felt it would be easier than it was and in the end, he simply didnââ?¬â?¢t want to be here. He made some very poor signings and some equally bad decisions, but he did some good things too ââ?¬â??I donââ?¬â?¢t think Charlie Adam would have had such a good season if PLG hadnââ?¬â?¢t been here. Do we need a large transfer budget to ensure we donââ?¬â?¢t fail again this year? How much do you think we can afford to spend? Weââ?¬â?¢ve got to spend Ã?£8-10m minimum. That shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be out of the budget of a club our size, and if it is, we should be looking at the financial management of the club and asking questions.

I know that technically, you canââ?¬â?¢t win ââ?¬Ë?1 in a rowââ?¬â?¢, but please bare with me as hopefully youââ?¬â?¢ll see where this is going. As the 10th anniversary of our fantastic achievement approaches, I thought that it would be a good idea to relive my personal memories of this time, and recount those to the fellow forumees. I will apologies up front for any historical errors, or any dates, scores or scorers that I get wrong my memory isnââ?¬â?¢t what it used to be. The first game in the 9-in-a-row run was played at Douglas Park against Hamilton Accies and we were eager to dispose Celtic as Scottish Champions. Celtic had won the double the previous season in their ââ?¬Ë?anniversaryââ?¬â?¢ season, a feat that could be traced back to the unfortunate and untimely leg-break suffered by then Rangers captain Terry Butcher. Although confident of winning back our title, I donââ?¬â?¢t think any of the 1000ââ?¬â?¢s of Rangers fans present that day (Aug 13 1988) could have dreamed that they were witnessing the beginning of Rangers writing themselves into the annals of world football and on our way to dominating Scottish football for close to two decades. Going into the game and season, we were boosted by the arrival of further two big money signings from South of the border in the shape of Kevin Drinkell and Gary Stevens. Drinkell was a bit of an unknown quantity, but quickly proved himself to be a great striker and a fantastic addition to our squad. Gary Stevens was an established player with a wonderful pedigree and showed his class from his debut onwards. I think it is safe to say that we havenââ?¬â?¢t had a full back of his class since, and it could be argued that he was one of the best full backs ever to grace the light blue jersey. It was Gary Stevens who was unlikely first scorer of the season (ergo first scorer in the 9-in-a-row season) and Ally McCoist (who else) secured our opening day victory by a comfortable 2 goals to nil. We draw our opening home game of the season 0-0 with Hibs and defeated Clyde and Clydebank easily in the opening rounds of the League Cup. Next up was the first Old Firm game of the season and a chance to put one over the auld enemy and defending champions. The game didnââ?¬â?¢t start well, we were 1-0 down inside 3 minutes, then up-stepped Ally McCoist to bring us level. As the game approached the half-time interval, Rangers won a throw. Gary Stevens throw the ball in, it was headed on by Butcher and Ray Wilkins thundered an unstoppable shot into the Celtic net. After half-time, we destroyed Celtic and ran out 5-1 winners. Greame Souness decided that this was a time for showboating and rather than putting them to the sword he dictated play so we ripped the piss for the last 20 minutes. The game will be remembered for the goalkeeping antics of Ian Andrews, but in all honesty, he was at fault for only one of the five goals. What Iââ?¬â?¢ll remember the game for is singing ââ?¬Ë?Happy Birthday Dear Celticââ?¬â?¢ as the goals rained inââ?¬Â¦. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-bWchIBBbI Straight after that game, I went on holiday to Florida for 3 weeks and missed a lot of games including the European tie against Katowice and the League Cup Semi Final victory over Hearts. I also missed the next few games as on my return, I lost my Grandmother. The next game I can remember being at was the loss at Pittodrie on the day Neil Simpson ruined Ian Durrantââ?¬â?¢s career. The game and result paled into insignificance once the seriousness of the injury was revealed. Next up as a 1-0 victory at Easter Road followed by one of the best League Cup Finals I can remember, We defeated Aberdeen 3-2 thanks to 2 Ally McCoist goals and a great strike from Ian Ferguson. So, we had secured the first trophy of the season in a dramatic final and were well placed in the league. It was also the first time in our history that we had won the League Cup in 3 consecutive seasons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaTfJqASNSQ We were then knocked out of Europe by Cologne and were well beaten by the Germans over the two leagues. This was a major disappointment as Souness had assembled a very decent team and squad and many Rangers fans, buoyed by a couple of encouraging runs under Souness, believed that we were about to make our mark in Europe, but it wasnââ?¬â?¢t to be. Our good form continued in the league until we were beaten 3-1 at Parkhead in November and then lost our way a little dropping points to Dundee, Dundee United and Hearts (who outclassed us at Tynecastle). Back to back narrow victories over Hibs and Hamilton didnââ?¬â?¢t appear to be the ideal preparation for the 3rd OF game of the season. However, once again after falling behind to an early goal, Rangers bounced back to record another emphatic OF victory by 4 goals to 1 with Walters (2), Butcher and I Ferguson getting the goals. If I remember correctly, this was Ian Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s first OF goal and his celebrations were as wild and enthusiastic as any fans! Due to the hangovers (!!) we then lost the next game away to Motherwell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rj5-8M6yRA&mode=related&search= We then played Gretna in a game for the Lockerbie Disaster Fund and Gary McSwegan scored in a 2-1 defeat. The next game of note was a 8-0 Scottish Cup victory against Stranraer then a 2-2 draw away to St Johnstone which is notable for the fact that it was Rangersââ?¬â?¢ final game ever at Muirton Park. This was a testimonial game. The league run in was in full swing now and we powered our way to the finishing line, winning the league from Aberdeen by six points (our 39th League title). The title was wrapped up in a 4-0 thrashing of Hearts at Ibrox and the unlikely hero of the day was Mel Sterland who scored 2 goals (as did Kevin Drinkell). We rested most of our players for the remainder of the season and won only 1 further game, and that was the game after securing the league, beating DUFC 2-0. We then faced Celtic at Hampden for the chance to secure a historic treble. The game will be remembered for two terrible refereeing decisions. Firstly, Celtic scored from a Rangers throw-in taken by Roy Aitken and then a perfectly good Davie Cooper goal was chopped off when Paddy Bonnar was fouled by his own player. A sad end to the season, but one that Iââ?¬â?¢ll remember for the Tims singing ââ?¬Ë?Mo Mo Super Moââ?¬â?¢ at the final in reference to Mo Johnston returning from French football. However, as the next article will reiterate and history will tell us, it wasnââ?¬â?¢t the green and grey that he would return to Scotland to wear, by the famous light blue. Cammy F

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=405&Itemid=1 As we did last week with the players, itââ?¬â?¢s now the turn of the staff to receive their end of season report cards. From Paul Le Guen to David Murray ââ?¬â?? all notable staff will be appraised. Today, weââ?¬â?¢ll begin with the managers and then weââ?¬â?¢ll move upstairs. So, make a cup of tea, open the Kit-Kats and let us know whether or not you disagree with Gersnetââ?¬â?¢s assessments. * Paul Le Guen It may seem a little strange analysing a manager who is no longer here but PLGââ?¬â?¢s effect on our season is still pretty obvious so itââ?¬â?¢s worth discussing. Initially, the Frenchman arrived in a blaze of publicity with an instant burden of expectation placed on his shoulders by the Rangers support. Itââ?¬â?¢s difficult to put a finger on exactly what went wrong but I guess itââ?¬â?¢s down to a number of factors. Firstly, although PLGââ?¬â?¢s success record was second to none, it appears his man management skills werenââ?¬â?¢t quite as refined. We all know about the various alleged fall outs with Barry Ferguson (and a few other players) but I think the main problem the manager had wasnââ?¬â?¢t with anyone else but with his own discipline. I think right from the outset, Le Guen felt that wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have too much trouble in Scotland. He didnââ?¬â?¢t do his research properly and his signings (although restricted in terms of affordability) were arguably too raw to make the instant impressions required. This, along with his far too stubborn attitude and his alleged failure to settle into the British way of life, means that perhaps the biggest personality clash was with himself. Secondly, and most obviously, the results and performances just were just not happening. A bright (and arguably unlucky) start wasnââ?¬â?¢t developed properly and the teamââ?¬â?¢s morale and confidence was built on a house of cards. One could sense footballing improvement over time but the least setback and we were right back to square one. Notwithstanding our excellent European displays, our form was far too patchy and PLGââ?¬â?¢s obdurate attitude to tactics and his incapability to fix our most basic faults eventually led to his departure. Not intending to improve the central defence in January was the last straw for the chairman. Thus, the PLG era came to a quick ââ?¬â?? and arguably premature ââ?¬â?? conclusion. It certainly didnââ?¬â?¢t pan out as many of us hoped and the disappointment is still seen from a large part of the Rangers support as we speak. Would we eventually have improved under Le Guen? Would we have finished in second place? Would the player relationships have improved? Would Barry Ferguson still be captain? Would any new signings have fixed our obvious problems? Would we be able to mount a SPL challenge next season? These types of questions are still impossible to answer if PLG was still in charge. Meanwhile, the very fact Walter Smith has answered them positively means it was the right decision to appoint him. There are obviously positives to retain from the previous managerââ?¬â?¢s spell in charge. The re-emergence of Alan Hutton is not down to Walter Smith as many people argue but down to the fact that Le Guen persevered with the right back through the bad results and performances. The same goes for the likes of Charlie Adam and Kris Boyd who despite never really being outstanding have played an important part in this season. The recall of Nacho Novo bringing hard work and spirit just when we needed it and placing more responsibility on Brahim Hemdani also yielded some long term rewards. Moreover, the much criticised 4-2-3-1 formation which PLG couldnââ?¬â?¢t get to work consistently has now been the spine that Smith has used to secure second place. For these benefits, we should be big enough to appreciate the contribution Paul Le Guen had in them. To conclude, its obvious PLGââ?¬â?¢s tenure was a failure. However, I think there are enough glimpses of a French hand to suggest itââ?¬â?¢s not as clear a failure as some would have you believe. Score ââ?¬â?? 4 * Walter Smith I think the best way to approach Smithââ?¬â?¢s 5 months in charge is to immediately answer the questions above. Iââ?¬â?¢m not sure any Rangers fan was as excited as they were about PLG regarding Smithââ?¬â?¢s arrival. The appointment smacked of the usual David Murray short-termism and many thought it was a backwards step. However, it has proven to be the right one. The saying may be familiarity breeds contempt but in Smithââ?¬â?¢s case (backed up with his Scottish management team) it was a case of familiarity breeding assurance. Immediately, Smith set about his work in the most straightforward manner. He brought in two experienced centre-halves to fix our obvious defensive frailties whilst retaining a conservative attitude to tactics. The appointment of Ally McCoist would have helped alleviate the dressing-room tension and Kenny McDowall being snatched from Celtic showed Smith wouldnââ?¬â?¢t be denied in what he wanted. As such, although improvement wasnââ?¬â?¢t huge, it was evident and morale lifted quickly. David Weir was an inspiration at the back, Barry Ferguson was back playing to his full capabilities in midfield and results (although not always performances) were coming in. Also, of vital important was an away Old Firm win in early March which showed the management team hadnââ?¬â?¢t lost any of their blessings when it came to these fixtures. Clinching second spot at the weekend with another convincing win over our arch rivals showed that the appointment was definitely the right one. Being undefeated domestically since Smithââ?¬â?¢s arrival was an impressive turn around. Yes, second place shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be deemed acceptable but in this seasonââ?¬â?¢s context it was imperative. Now, the fans can look forward to next season with a smile rather than a frown. However, the smile may not be as big as weââ?¬â?¢d all like. Paul Le Guen had brought some excellent European tactical nous and Smith has already shown signs of weakness at this level. We all know from Smithââ?¬â?¢s previous years that the European arena isnââ?¬â?¢t the best part of his CV so doubts will linger about his suitability in that regard. In addition to that negative, the last few years have seen a few younger players break into the first team. Steven Smith, Alan Hutton and Chris Burke have all contributed to a fair degree so it will be interesting to see if Smith intends to explore the potential of some of the younger players such as Lennon, Shinnie and Furman. If he can do that, deliver domestic success and achieve the holy grail of European level consistency and respectability, this could be an even more successful period in charge for Walter Smith. Obviously, thatââ?¬â?¢s easier said than done and heââ?¬â?¢ll need the funds to do so but he certainly wonââ?¬â?¢t have the same kind of cash that he did in the 1990s. Can he take this second place and improve upon it? The jury still remains out but appointing Smith has shown it wonââ?¬â?¢t be any less risky than employing the so-called cream of managerial talent. Score ââ?¬â?? 7.5

http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,5~1022095,00.html

I guess it wasnââ?¬â?¢t any surprise when we all read Spiersââ?¬â?¢ first ââ?¬Ë?Timesââ?¬â?¢ article today. This column warned Scottish football fans that Spiers wouldnââ?¬â?¢t have the discipline to refrain from his usual inaccurate and biased ramblings. He didnââ?¬â?¢t disappoint. The usual signs of an unhinged mentality were all there. The usual lies were there. The usual flawed, self-opinionated rhetoric was as frustrating as it always is. The usual lack of impartiality was evident. Was there anything different from his Herald days? Not in the slightest and, my goodness, it was tedious. A paint-by-numbers course in broadsheet journalism. Why ââ?¬Ë?The Timesââ?¬â?¢ thought this appointment was a good idea Iââ?¬â?¢ll never know? Their editors are probably asking the same question tonight. As such, what happened at Ibrox today made this particular bearââ?¬â?¢s smile even larger than normal after an Old Firm win. Once again, Spiersââ?¬â?¢ favourite ââ?¬Ë?remarkable human beingââ?¬â?¢ lost the plot. Gesture after gesture to the fans, physical assaults on Rangers players, cautions from referees eventually frustrated with his awful attitude and most importantly another average performance in terms of football. Remarkable indeed! Importantly, we must make something clear here right away. Lennon was not, WAS NOT, subject to any sectarian chanting today. Despite certain failed sports-writers lies about why Lennon is hated ââ?¬â?? apparently itââ?¬â?¢s because he represents Northern Irish Catholicism (not very well considering his affairs, bastard child and bigotry!) - Lennon showed exactly why he is hated. Because heââ?¬â?¢s a childish and provocative clown who canââ?¬â?¢t take defeat and is unsporting in the way he carries out his work. End of. Thatââ?¬â?¢s why every Scottish football fan hates him and thatââ?¬â?¢s why Irish catholic players of the past have never had the same treatment. Of course that doesnââ?¬â?¢t fit the agenda of the Rangers haters in the media and elsewhere but itââ?¬â?¢s the simple truth. Spiers will of course be happy that the fond send-off he requested for Lennon was evident. Chants of ââ?¬Ë?Lennon must stayââ?¬â?¢ must have made Spiers smile. I wonder if Spiers was as embarrassed as the rest of us at his typical antics. That takes us nicely to Artur Boruc ââ?¬â?? the big Polish goalie also fond of the odd wind up and gesture. After the game he approached the Celtic end, cuddled Lennon and grabbed a ââ?¬Ë?Championsââ?¬â?¢ flag from the away support. Asking Lennon to take said banner, even Lennon appreciated this foolhardy attempt at provocation of the home fans and ignored his team-mate. Boruc ââ?¬â?? never one to use his brain ââ?¬â?? then proceeded to make his way up to the tunnel area waving the flag like he usually flaps his hand at Kris Boyd shots. Fortunately, like Lennonââ?¬â?¢s various gestures today, the Rangers support cringed at the desperate and passÃ?© effort to be controversial and largely ignored this fool Apparently, Strathclyde Police are investigating the incident and will speak to the player. Iââ?¬â?¢m sure Celtic and their fans will have their excuses ready but once again at an Old Firm match a Celtic player acts like the very idiots that the likes of Lennon, Spiers and McNee regulary ask to be removed from our stadia. As such, it will be extremely interesting to read the papers over the next few days. Considering the complete absence of ANY discriminatory songs from the home support (I donââ?¬â?¢t think I heard the Celtic fans sing before you ask) and considering the fantastic banter emanating round the stadium, where will the critics aim their usual bile? Will it be at Neil Lennon? Maybe Artur Boruc will be roundly berated? Considering their previous, surely, they canââ?¬â?¢t ignore these yobs again? I think we all know the answer to that one.

One would be forgiven for thinking this Saturday was considered an exciting day because of the last Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox. After all, thousands of us will descend on our spiritual home to once again support our team in one of the worldââ?¬â?¢s greatest derbies. Unfortunately, word reaches me that, among us after an enforced period of ââ?¬Ë?gardening leaveââ?¬â?¢, shall be the one and only Graham Spiers ââ?¬â?? ex-ââ?¬Ë?Heraldââ?¬â?¢ Chief Sportswriter and new ââ?¬Ë?Timesââ?¬â?¢ columnist - well the Scottish version (with itââ?¬â?¢s, erm, ââ?¬Ë?compactââ?¬â?¢ readership anyway). Ergo, considering the SPL title has already been won and lost, perhaps all the excitement will occur when reading Spiersââ?¬â?¢ pre and post match musings? Itââ?¬â?¢s been a while since weââ?¬â?¢ve read this charlatanââ?¬â?¢s brand of half-truths and ill-informed rhetoric so can Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s self-appointed sectarian sheriff make a valiant return at the place where he made his name (and essentially lost his job) singling out Rangers as the sole perpetrators of sectarian offence in Scotland? The stench of hypocrisy will of course be evident as Spiers cheers on his favourite ââ?¬Ë?remarkable human beingââ?¬â?¢ Neil Lennon who will play in his last Old Firm match. Spiers has always had a lot to say about the bigotry problem but does strangely prevaricate when it comes to the double standards of the Scottish mediaââ?¬â?¢s best-loved victim. One rule for some and one rule for another certainly applies when one considers Spiersââ?¬â?¢ partiality (or lack of). Itââ?¬â?¢s also very interesting to note the Scotsport (yes, that high-quality football analysis show!) pundit has also spent the last few months writing a book about the Paul Le Guen saga. As if we werenââ?¬â?¢t all tired enough of what happened in the first half of this season, it appears in ââ?¬Ë?PLG ââ?¬â?? Lââ?¬â?¢Enigmaââ?¬â?¢ (Mainstream Publishing) our favourite failing hack will discuss why the Frenchman couldnââ?¬â?¢t succeed at Ibrox. Despite no official status and little or no relations with anyone at the club or Monsieur Le Guen, Spiers feels the need to bore us with his usual variety of self-appointed opinion based on little knowledge of how the game works. A ââ?¬Ë?Samuel Johnsonââ?¬â?¢ prize winner or car boot sale door stop? You decide! So what can we expect from Spiers in his new book and more importantly his new job at ââ?¬Ë?The Timesââ?¬â?¢? Well, ever since his ââ?¬Ë?Scotland on Sundayââ?¬â?¢ days in the mid 90s Spiers has enjoyed putting the boot into our club. From scurrilous attacks on club legends like Jock Wallace, Davie Cooper and Bill Struth to unfair and inaccurate ramblings about the support at large, Spiers wrote article after article on sectarianism and specifically Rangers. Some argued these articles were necessary to remove the problems we faced. However, the intensity and frequency of the pieces when compared to clubs with similar problems just wasnââ?¬â?¢t conductive to such a valued campaign. If one looks at some of the language in the Spiersââ?¬â?¢ archive, the conclusion can be reached that this wasnââ?¬â?¢t a man attempting to fix a problem, but more a coward throwing insults in favour of sensationalism. I donââ?¬â?¢t think many Rangers fans have ever denied the challenges we face as a support but surely itââ?¬â?¢s the responsibility of the critic to offer solutions to help us successfully face these challenges? Itââ?¬â?¢s also imperative that we are not singled out in order that the whole problem of bigotry is attacked ââ?¬â?? not just one part of it. Unfortunately, Spiers has never done either to any great extent. Yes, heââ?¬â?¢s taken part in one conference about the subject (no solutions offered though) and yes, he has written the odd article about other clubs; but never once to the same extent as his regular attacks on Rangers. As such, can we expect any different this Saturday? The problem of bigotry and discriminatory singing is still part of Scottish football. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ fans though have made huge strides in the last year and have successfully removed much of the problem chants from the away support. They have done this not because of the likes of Spiers and his ilk but in spite of them. Meanwhile, the clubs with similar dilemmas that Spiers has chosen to minimise or even deliberately ignore, still have their problems. From sectarian and terrorist sympathising songs from Celtic fans, to songs about the Ibrox Disaster from Aberdeen fans, to racism from Motherwell fans, to homophobic chants from Hearts/Hibs fans; bigotry is still rife in the SPL from many clubs out with Rangers. This summer will see a new SPL rule introduced to punish clubs for such singing. This may go some way to helping remove these problems but only if the rule is applied across the board and from a neutral perspective. The questionable Scottish media will have their part to play regarding this and Graham Spiers (love him or loathe him) will be at the forefront as usual. Will we be reading an informative, impartial and accurate Graham Spiers this weekend? I genuinely hope so but I also doubt it. After all, these valuable virtues donââ?¬â?¢t always help make journalistic careers. But, as we saw when Spiers was sidelined at the Herald, not having them can also end and/or limit said careers. Whatââ?¬â?¢s it to be, Graham? http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=402&Itemid=1

RANGERS under-19s have beaten Ross County 3-0 in their SFA Youth Cup semi-final clash in Dingwall tonight. Victoria ParkA crowd of 1,493 travelled to Victoria Park to watch the Staggies take on Billy Kirkwood's team but the home side failed to match their SPL opponents who romped to a comprehensive victory. Steven Lennon, who was in superb form, opened the scoring on 18 minutes with a typically composed finish but despite dominating the first-half Rangers failed to increase their advantage up to the interval. This all changed when William McLachlan replaced winger Adda Djeziri on 57 minutes and the substitute was to score with his first touch before Andrew Shinnie celebrates his goalAndrew Shinnie secured a memorable win against the SFL Champions by netting a third on 66 minutes. County will have been disappointed not to test keeper Scott Gallacher more throughout the tie but there is no doubt that Rangers were worthy winners and the Murray Park starlets can now look forward to a final against Old Firm rivals Celtic at Hampden on April 26. RANGERS: Gallacher, Lowing, Kinniburgh, Perry, Smith, Emslie, Djeziri (McLachlan ), Shinnie, Lennon, Furman, McMillan

We have to be honest and real now, the last 3 years have produced the worst Rangers sides that I have seen (the older posters may think different) and 2 title wins in the last day of the season has kept Celtic from being on 7 in a row and in the other 5 seasons they have won the league by huge margins. That is saying something!! This is the 2nd season in a row without a trophy and that for Rangers is a disaster considering the League Cup is a diddy cup and Gretna can manage a Scottish Cup final appearance while being a 2nd division side. The amount of players who have been in and out of Ibrox in the last few years is enough to set up a league in a small country, and some didnt even kick a ball like that Italian. We arent going to get stability like that but it seems that certain players were preferred all the time even if there form was shoddy and they simply cant be dropped. Even when one of our managers tried to drop a player in poor form he ends up out the door - thats the sort of stuff you couldnt make up and is a journalists dream. The other thing is we dont seem to play players in their preferred positions hence once again meaning we are going to struggle. In the past we have had a few great playmakers being the link from midfield to frontmen. Gascoigne and De Boer were in a different class at doing this and we admit we wont see this type of player with us again for a long time. But when we do get a few players in this role with a hint of talent they are not given the chance. Im talking about Namouchi, Lovenkrands and Buffel here. Lovenkrands shined in the european stage and in Old firm games and had pace to scare defenders but he was deployed on the wing most of the time. Namouchi was thrown out on the wide right or left depending what number McLeish drew him out of the hat and Buffel was the same. Since Smith has came in he has steadied the ship and made us hard to beat and score against. He did well in january singing two solid defenders and at the moment we are top of the form table and closed the huge gap on Celtic. Things are looking better at the back but in midfield and upfront we are still absolute rank rotten bar 1 or 2 players. I'll give Smith the benefit of the doubt as he only had a few weeks in January to buy players, but come the summer Im hoping for the same improvements in the others areas of the squad but buys like Gow wont convince me.

"It has been a shameful week for Rangers fans, starting with the aeroplane gestures made to Shunsuke Nakamura as he prepared to take a corner during the Old Firm game." I'm beginning to think this is a huge conspiracy. http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/darrylboadfoot/display.var.1268063.0.0.php

Fat Jim seems a bit puzzled as to what he means... Funnily enough I noted his silence last week after the Celtic fans sung their IRA hymns of hate.

Alan Hutton for me! http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/

I think it was Cammy who said WS has his work cut out to get us back on track. By god, was that a fair comment!! Maybe some who believe that the likes of Adam and Boyd should be playing need to convince this Bear. Adam can turn it on on occassion but when he is poor he is very poor. WS hasnt helped his cause be going into a big European match (one that we needed to win to give us an advantage) by playing a 4-5-1 formation with the 1 upfront being useless. Yes Boyd gets goals but they are easy goals that many fans sitting in the stadium would be able to score. After that he offers absolutely ZERO to the team. Its like the situation in US football when a kicker comes on to get the field goal - thats all he does. But im afraid in the real game of football that goal scorer HAS to over something else than tap in's that anyone could get. Cammy also stated that there are only 3 players who are good enough to be playing at the club - Ferguson, Hemdani and Thompson. I would go along with the first 2 but I wasnt over impressed with us signing Thompson and he hasnt shown me much in the few games ive seen him that he is good enough - maybe he will come good - yet to be seen. Id also add Klos, Weir, Ehiogu and Prso to that list but they are all at the end of there careers. For almost 2 years and 3 different managers ive been saying Klos must play, as keepers like this dont come around too often and they can win you points. He has been wasted on the sidelines while bombscares like Wattereus, Letizi and McGregor have played Now we have an Old firm match coming up (see OF preview) and then we need to take off for Spain in a match we HAVE to score in. Its not impossible but as usual we have made it very difficult for ourselves. So not only do we have out work cut out to change the current squad, we have our work cut out to qualify for the next round of the UEFA cup. I think all bears would accept going out of the UEFA cup if we gave 110% and tried our pants off with the manager making positive decisions - but if we go out in a poor manner like this then he will come in for critisism.

Today, an Express column written by satirist Scot Hickey referred to Rangers fans as 'huns'. Unacceptable I'm sure you'll agree. This bear took a few mins to write to the journalist and editor (who I know) and got a prompt apology. Hickey will also apologise in tomorrow's paper apparently. Just goes to show we don't need to accept being villified by the press one day then made fun of in the same way the next. Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Thank you for your communication about the Hickey column. This is a light-hearted column which satirically pokes fun at individuals and organisations. However, it is not the intention of the column or this newspaper to insult or anger anyone. Please accept my sincere apologies if you feel angry or insulted by today's column. I think you will find Hickey will make his own apology in tomorrow's column. Once again, thank you for your interest in the Scottish Daily Express. Just for the record, I am a Falkirk season ticket holder, so have no axe to grind with either side of the Old Firm! Best regards, H. David Hamilton, Executive Editor, Scottish Express Newspapers, Citypoint 2, 25 Tyndrum Street, Glasgow, G4 OJY.

Do you see a pattern here, a pattern which has been prominent for the last two or three seasons now. In or around our big Euro matches there's always an old firm and we have no time to recover: Sunday, 04 March 2007 Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League Hibernian v Rangers, 14:00 Thursday, 08 March 2007 UEFA Cup Rangers v Osasuna, 20:05 Sunday, 11 March 2007 Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League Celtic v Rangers, 12:30

Gallacher - 17 Lowing - 19 Perry - 17 Donald - 18 McMillan - 18 Emslie - 18 McShea - Furman - 18 Shinnie - 17 Lennon - 19 Fleck - 15 MacLachlan - 17 Djeziri - Harvey - 17 Good young team. Anyone any ideas how old McShea and Djeziri are?