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MSPs might review controversial anti-sectarian laws amid concerns from football fans about a heavy-handed approach from police. Scotland’s justice authorities have been urged to explain “a perception of intimidation” among supporters, with Celtic fans in particular claiming they have been unfairly targeted. The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act was introduced by the Scottish Government in an effort to end sectarian chanting following high-profile flare-ups involving the Old Firm in 2011. But fans have complained of having “cameras thrust in their faces” at matches and are confused about what kind of behaviour could land them in trouble, MSPs heard yesterday. Holyrood’s justice committee has written to the justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, Police Scotland and the Crown Office calling for a response to e-mail correspondence from fans setting out widespread concerns. And MSPs made it clear yesterday that they are ready to launch an inquiry into the new laws after receiving the responses. Independent MSP John Finnie, a former police officer, said yesterday: “There’s a deep sense of feeling and a deep sense of concern about how this is being applied to one group. For that reason, I am very supportive of an early review of the legislation.” Stirling University is currently carrying out a two-year academic review of the impact of the new laws. But the MSP said: “If some young football supporter, to quote from one of the e-mails, is having a camera thrust in their face whilst at a football game, then they’re not interested in the academic aspects of this.” He added: “It was the perception of intimidation. I don’t think we can ignore it – I think we must act.” Thousands of football fans who claimed they were being criminalised by “disproportionate” measures converged on Glasgow’s George Square in April. The event was organised after an incident which saw Celtic’s self-styled “ultras”, the Green Brigade, clash with police amid claims that they had been unfairly “kettled”. The controversial practice came to light during the G8 protests and involves the groups targeted effectively being couped up in by a ring of police officers and unable to move. Concerns also centre on confusion about what does and does not constitute offensive singing. Conservative back-bencher Margaret Mitchell said the conviction rate for the new laws was 68 per cent compared with 85 per cent for crimes in general, while there’s a dedicated police unit for the new laws. She said: “Clearly, there’s a widespread problem with the act in operation and the various difficulties it is presenting. “It’s taking up an inordinate amount of resources across the board and there’s even a dedicated unit for it. “Given the pressures facing police and courts, the time is right to review this act to see exactly what kind of impact it is having.” Labour’s John Pentland said there was “so much ambiguity” among football supporters and said it was not just Celtic fans who were concerned. He said: “It doesn’t reflect what’s happening in my constituency – it’s just people going to the local game where there’s this real concern that they don’t know whether they’re doing something right or doing something wrong.” But Nationalist MSPs played down calls for a separate Holyrood inquiry into the legislation, with QC Rod Campbell urging against “rushing into an inquiry”. He continued: “As a first step, before we take any view as a committee, we ought to invite comment from the government – we’ve only had one year of statistics.” The committee will decide in a fortnight whether to establish a Holyrood inquiry into the legislation. http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/anti-sectarian-football-laws-fear-as-fans-complain-1-3174637

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24737531 Not to mention this is actually completely wrong (it was 2011), this article is yet another example of BBC Scotland blowing a raspberry to their Trust and editorial guidelines.

When the cracks open, the light gets in. NO one likes admitting they are lost. We’ve all took a punt at a crossroads and ploughed on, only to have that growing gnawing feeling we’re going further in the wrong direction. When you start seeing cows rather than buildings it finally dawns on you there’s nothing else for it, you’ll need to go back. Turning round is sore for the ego – but a far better option than charging on into the wilderness. Let’s face it, this new-but-really-the-same Scottish football set-up is heading in the wrong direction. We need to go back. I know the idea of going back to reconstruction talks is about as appetising as a roll ‘n’ cowpat but whether we like it or not we have to take another bite. It’s just isn’t working. The Premiership is all over before Halloween. Talk about scary. We might as well hold the end-of-season dance this weekend. The title race is over. Not that it ever really started. Same in League One. Relegation is pretty much a done deal in the top division as well. Even Hearts fans know they have more important battles to win. All that’s left is heavily-weighted relegation play-offs and the scrap to see what teams get to start pre-season the earliest to prepare for a European tie in deepest darkest Belarus. Not great is it? And we can’t say it hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Christmas decorations will be getting dug out soon and we still don’t have a title sponsor. Big companies won’t touch our game with a bargepole. They’re not interested and it won’t be long before everyone else feels the same. The one positive from those endless meetings in the last 18 months is we have one body in charge. It’s as easy to change the format of our leagues now as it is to change the curtains at Hampden, so let’s just do it. Fans have constantly been told we can’t afford a bigger top flight but wait and see, it won’t be long before we’re told we can’t afford not to have one. It doesn’t take the gift of second sight to see what’s around the corner. Scottish football is heading back down the rabbit hole. Next season we are likely to have a First Division – or Championship in new money – that includes Rangers and Hearts. Dunfermline could be in there too as well as St Mirren or Kilmarnock. Chuck in Falkirk, Hamilton, Dundee and others and it’s going to look like a mirror image of the division above. There will be weekends when attendances in the second tier outnumber the first, which would be bonkers. Scottish football will never have a better chance to have a bash at a bigger top flight again. So let’s just go for it. Ram the top two divisions together and do the same with the bottom two. Have a top 20 and bottom 22. Can’t hurt to have a go. I’d bet there would be a queue of sponsors who put down the bargepoles and get all touchy-feely. The Old Firm would be back. We’d have derbies in Edinburgh, Dundee, Fife and the Highlands. A 38-game campaign and freedom to play without constant fear of the drop, no split and a proper spread of money. Tempting, isn’t it? Ah, but... of course there’s a but. The undoubted howls of protest. It’s a leg-up for Rangers and a bailout for Hearts, they’ll say. Well, they’ll need to grow up. Rangers have had two years on the naughty step. It’s time to let them back in. If we need to wallop Hearts further to appease the rest then we can take more points off them next year too if need be. But what would be the point? There’s been enough self-harm in Scotland. There’s time to mend wounds and patch up the product. We’re all in this together. We need to turn round before it’s too late to find our way back. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/michael-gannon-scottish-football-never-2659293

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

No directors at game today, so that's two games without any Rangers directors, has this ever happened before?

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

DAVE KING made the following statement tonight: "I confirm that I held talks with Rangers Chief Executive Craig Mather and Finance Director Brian Stockbridge in South Africa. I wished the discussions to remain confidential until something definite was agreed- one way or another. I have maintained that confidentiality. However, given my awareness of incorrect inferences being drawn in the media I would like to make a limited statement at this time. "The discussions were, to my mind, very positive and it was agreed that subject to the normal regulatory approval I would put my name forward to join the Board and to serve as Chairman. "Such an appointment is of course subject to the approval of the existing Board members and ultimately the shareholders of the company. There are also mandatory regulatory requirements that must be complied with and take time. I have already submitted all the necessary documentation. "News of the meeting has found its way into the public domain and this has unsurprisingly resulted in speculation as to the nature and the outcome of the meeting. In reaction to this speculation and to give some clarity to the club's fans I would like to address a couple of points at this time. "First, my willingness to become part of the future of the football club is based simply on my love for the club and my desire to support the club with a combination of my business expertise and my willingness to make a further investment. "In particular I see a present need to utilise the time we have over the next few seasons to be prepared, both financially and on the pitch, to compete with our Glasgow neighbours when we get back to the top League. "My involvement is not linked in any way to any other individual, albeit I have my private thoughts as to certain individuals that might add value to the club going forward. Ultimately it is for the shareholders to make such decisions. The recent settlement of my litigation in South Africa removes any impediment to my appointment to the board. "I want to make it clear that I agreed to join the Board only after intensive and detailed discussions with the existing executives and because I believe I can help them by playing a significant role in driving Rangers forward and finally putting the past behind us. "It is sad that every month of the continued disunity between the fans and other stakeholders is eroding our ability to be ready for the step up to the premier league. We do not have time to waste. "It was also made clear by Mr Mather and Mr Stockbridge that Rangers are not in need of an immediate financial injection but we agreed that now is the time to commence a new round of funding to ensure that it is available in an orderly and cost effective manner when required. I wish to lead that fund raising exercise and being on the Board will greatly assist me in that regard. "I believe that the timing is right for me to take this step and I look forward to the opportunity to work with the current directors albeit I would have preferred to have my appointment confirmed prior to communicating my further thoughts. Unfortunately the rumour mill necessitated this short statement. If matters proceed as I hope over the next few days then I will be present at the AGM." http://t.co/LgzX419pNl

From Sons of Struth Facebook page. OPEN LETTER TO THE ONLINE KEYBOARD WARRIORS AND KNOW IT ALLS This page started 7-8 weeks ago by 2 friends who knew things were not right within the confines of the Ibrox boardroom and like many we were riddled with guilt when OUR club went in to administration and eventual liquidation as we felt the Rangers support as a whole and us as individuals had sat back and let it happen before our eyes. We made a promise that we would not sit back and let anyone ruin our club again In a short space of time we have attracted numerous fellow bears and other fans groups who had similar feelings to ourselves. We have stood in the streets handing out leaflets at a number of games, organised production of banners, arranged and held open meetings, been continuously on the phone and internet answering questions and stating our point, tried to unite the support and supporters groups and we have done all this for one reason, to protect our club from a clear and present danger in the board room. We have always stated that not every Rangers fan would agree with us and we expect and respect that but expected the same respect back. We have received help and support from numerous sources and their help, advise and financial help in forms of suppliers giving their time and products has been priceless and very much appreciated. We could not have taken this from two pals and a facebook page to the front pages of the national press with out this massive support from many others and your assistance will never be forgotten. The board room has been shaken and the institutional investors have heard our voice. What have we received in return? On a personal level I have lost a considerable income as i am a sole trader, missed out on the limited time I have with my children and put stresses on my relationship due to this page growing arms and legs in a short period and the amount of time it has taken out of my life. I have to accept that this has happened through my own doing. What I cant accept is the verbal abuse handed out not only online but also while handing out leaflets on the street by the minority. I have been accused of being in the pocket of others and the mouthpiece for organisations i am not even a member of. I have been told I am scum, a ****, a jacobite and even most recently by a professional blogger and probably the most bizarre, a socialist. I am continually told I have a hidden agenda and not the best interests of the club at heart. I get berated online by individuals who appear to follow the party line of their forum of choice and then send me personal message saying in private that they actually don’t mind what we are saying. I get accused of not answering questions when i have answered the same questions a hundred times before but the poster cant be bothered to scan our page for the answer they demand. I have been told never to return to Ibrox. I have been accused of using youths to distribute my message on my behalf. I appear to also have been reported to the police by the board of directors in Ibrox. Why does all this happen? Because i have a different opinion to the minority who wish to destabilise our movement and leave the current proven liars in power at our club? Allow me my voice as i allow you yours. The rangers online community must be the most fragmented place in the world and thankfully doesn’t represent the fans as a whole. It is a place where the easily lead and lazy form opinions based on the forum of their choice or even based purely as the opposite of the forums and personalities they dislike. It is full of closed shop forums and secret facebook pages where they all decide who they can hate or love, agree or disagree with as a collective. Its a place where statistics are made up then passed off as fact. It is a place for hatred and bile between Rangers fans. It is a place where people can assume strange nicknames and abuse others in secret. It is a place i do not like. This community really must sort its act out and stop fighting each other because of old differences and lies about each other. There are no winners only losers in this and if you could stop this nonsense then the outside enemies and distracters could be blown away by the power of a defragmented unified support. Do you all realise the effect you could have if you ALL united against outside forces instead of the continued in fight you all seem to thrive on? GIVE YOUR HEADS A SHAKE Agree or disagree with me on the aims of our group but allow me my opinion without threat and insult please. I will no longer get involved with debate on line as the minority waste it for the majority. I will still post when I need to and will leave this page open to allow others their opinion but I will continue to delete offensive posts and will start to ban users who continue to abuse others. Thank you again to the vast majority who conduct themselves in the correct manner but no thanks to the keyboard warriors and know it alls. CRAIG SONS OF STRUTH

Lifted from FF: ''Thats two younger lads now both under 19 had police come to their doors early morning to arrest them for singing said song. I was also told by a polis up in Ayr that FoCUS are watching out for people singing this now due to the YCV reference''. Just a heads up.

Alasdair Lamont @BBCAlLamont Craig Mather and Brian Stockbridge have been meeting Dave King in South Africa re future of Rangers. More to come soon. Well now... What can this mean?

THE SPFL board are planning changes to their rulebook which could see clubs who enter administration being relegated instead of merely suffering points deductions. Any such move could spell bad news for some of football’s biggest names. Rangers have just announced losses of £14.4million and former director Dave King warned in August that the club could be plunged into administration by Christmas. Ally McCoist’s side are currently eight points clear at the top of League One after eight games but some financial analysts have claimed they may need another cash injection in order to see out the season. Hearts currently have no idea when – or if – they may be able to exit administration. Kilmarnock are £9.8m in debt and suffering plummeting attendances as fans protest about the running of their club by chairman Michael Johnston. In the last 12 years, Motherwell, Hearts, Livingston (twice), Morton, Dundee (twice) and Dunfermline have slid into administration while Gretna, Clydebank, Airdrieonians and Rangers subsequently fell into liquidation. Prior to the SPL and Scottish League merging this summer, the two bodies had their own rules when it came to punishing clubs who failed to live within their means. Rangers have just announced losses of £14.4million In the wake of Rangers’ demise, the SPL introduced a set penalty which saw the offenders deducted a third of the points they had won the previous season, as well as being hit by a signing embargo. Hearts were the first club affected by that ruling, starting this season in the Premiership with minus 15 points after going into administration in June. In November 2010, Dundee were handed a 25-point penalty by the SFL board – who had no limit to sanctions – because they had failed to live within their means for the second time in a decade. However, now the league bodies have merged, the SPFL board – chief executive Neil Doncaster, Eric Riley (Celtic), Duncan Fraser (Aberdeen), Stephen Thompson (Dundee United), Mike Mulraney (Alloa), Les Gray (Hamilton) and Bill Darroch (Stenhousemuir) – are updating the rules. “That’s where the prospect of relegation comes in,” said a well-placed Hampden source. “In the past the SPL’s hands were tied when it came to punishing clubs which suffered an insolvency event because they had authority over just the 12 members. “Consequently, they couldn’t impose a relegated club on the SFL. Now, though, there is the opportunity to provide a 42-club solution.” http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/435350/Bust-clubs-could-face-relegation?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-football-news+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Football+Feed%29

forlanssister posted this on another thread, but it warrants a thread of it's own too. Our club's board of directors are now releasing official statements via McMurdo's blog....... October 4, 2013 Rangers Board Statement Statement on behalf of the Rangers Board Speaking for Rangers board Jack Irvine said: “A small group of shareholders served notices on the Club seeking to have themselves appointed as directors at the AGM. “The Club is obliged to take steps to verify that the shareholders had made a valid request. The club’s lawyers were of the firm view that the notices were not valid and entered into open discussions with the shareholders’ lawyers on why they took that view. They sought clarification from the shareholders on the question of validity. The Club extended an open offer to those shareholders to meet to discuss the issues. That offer was not even acknowledged. “Instead without any warning the shareholders went to court seeking an order to stop the AGM taking place. The court declined to grant the order and the legal process will now continue”. http://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/rangers-board-statement/

Posted by Roy Greenslade It will be interesting to see if any newspaper covers the fact that members of Britain's armed forces appeared to join in with Scottish football fans as they sang sectarian songs at a match yesterday. Initial reports suggest not. Some 400 uniformed soldiers, seamen and air force personnel attended an armed forces day at Ibrox, the Rangers ground. After a formal march and band music, a group of soldiers (they were in khaki) were filmed dancing, clapping and singing along with the crowd. Although it is difficult to make out the exact words on the video posted on YouTube, people have identified sectarian songs and chants celebrating the death of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. Rival Celtic fans were quick to point to songs that are supposed to be banned from all Scottish football grounds under a new law passed by the Scottish parliament. One commenter to the YouTube site wrote of it being a "disgusting vile and tawdry spectacle". Another wrote: "Shocking stuff. I hope this vid is forwarded to the footballing and army authorities." Two media reports about the events that have been published - one here on the STV site and another here on the Daily Record site - make no reference to the soldiers' antics. The STV report mentioned that an army band "entertained fans" and quoted Major General Nick Eeles, general officer commanding Scotland, as saying it was hoped to make it into an annual event. The Record did write that "the match-day experience began in dramatic circumstances" but only because two marines "abseiled down the Govan stand ahead of kick-off, before delivering the match ball to the referee." How odd that both outlets missed the story? Or do their reporters think soldiers chanting jingoistic sectarian songs in unison with football fans is unworthy of comment? Incidentally, Saturday was not the official armed forces celebration day in Britain (that falls in the close season). The club, with the full approval of the military, decided to stage its own separate event. http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade

In the teeth of fierce fan dissent - and a continued campaign to dislodge existing Rangers directors by a group of investors including the former chairman, Malcolm Murray - the Ibrox chief executive, Craig Mather, mounted a forceful defence of the accounts issued on Tuesday which posted an operating loss of £14 million for the 13 months to June this year. The results were in vivid contrast to those of Celtic, revealed last month, which showed a pre-tax profit of £9.74 million on a group turnover of £75.82 million. Rangers’ turnover to June was £19.1 million, most of which was derived from gate receipts and hospitality income. Playing squad salaries fell during the period but so too did earnings from sponsorship and the media. Throughout the accounting period and also subsequently there has been a persistent concern amongst supporters and some investors that the cash burn at Ibrox has been out of control. Asked why the costs associated with the public share offer last December were as high as £6.1 million, Mather replied: “There are the physical IPO costs, the costs of raising money and what we would deem non-reoccurring costs - for example, exceptional costs in excess of £4 million. “Nobody can shy away from the fact that the IPO cost was high and the cost of raising money was high but if you go into the detail of that – and the devil is in the detail, without fear of contradiction – at the time, when I wasn’t CEO, just for clarity - there was no football security. What I mean by that is the club didn’t know what league they would be playing in. “It was never ever going to be cheap to raise money against that backdrop but Rangers had to be saved. For me, and to five million fans looking at it around the world, it was imperative that this club was saved. “Under normal circumstances, people in the City would take a view of somewhere up to 7.5 per cent is a normal cost of raising funds. This wasn’t normal and I’m not trying to defend the people involved - I wasn’t there, I wasn’t party to it - but it’s obvious that you have to look at what you can offer the investor in return for the investment. “If you can’t tell them if you’re going to be able to kick a football, or if you’re going to be able to play in a certain division or get membership of the SFA it’s not an easy sell.” Another bone of contention is that the directors have set their own remuneration, to which Mather replied: “It was a decision taken by the remunerations committee and the chairman at the time, which was Malcolm Murray. “So Malcolm Murray decided the remunerations for Charles Green and Brian Stockbridge and unfortunately the directors are duty bound to honour those scenarios historically. I can assure you on my watch that won’t be happening. “If you look at my pay, there was talk about £500,000 but the actual amount I agreed to in the end was £300,000. Brian Stockbridge was on £200,000 plus a contractual bonus. Again, quite openly he’s agreed to waive that contractual bonus of his own accord.” The accounts reveal that £6.75 million was used to purchase trade and assets. Some critics have suggested that Charles Green’s consortium did not buy Rangers, but rather that the club itself did. “That’s categorically untrue,” said Mather. “It’s just mischief making. The club was bought by the Green consortium and I wasn’t part of it at that juncture. Monies were paid in good faith for those trading assets, full stop.” As to the Ally McCoist’s wages, Mather said: “I’m not suggesting Alistair become the lowest paid manager but he’s very happy to take a pay cut of his own volition. It’s a substantial pay cut.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/10348112/Malcolm-Murray-to-blame-for-Rangers-directors-high-wages-claims-Craig-Mather.html

The shareholders group looking to force their way onto the Ibrox board have urged supporters to continue protesting in order to keep the pressure on the current Ibrox regime. Director Paul Murray and Jim McColl are set to unveil their alternative vision for the club this week. Rangers supporters protested inside and outside the stadium on Saturday where Ally McCoist’s side thrashed Stenhousemuir 8 - 0. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/rumour-mill-rangers-protests-messi-out-souttar-to-sunderland-1-3117871

I've had two legal letters sent to me via email by Biggart Baillie on behalf of the Rangers board and Brian Stockbridge over comments I made about him lying. They are threatening a civil defamation action. One came on Friday and one today. Meanwhile, Macgiollabhain, Galloway, Haggerty, Greenslade and CQN can say whatever they like about the club and the fans without any risk of the board lifting a finger to defend either. They are an absolute disgrace. Their attempts to silence dissension both through the action against FF and me is a clear attempt to bully, using the fans ST money to pay for it. I'll be making more detailed comment on it over the next couple of days.

From BBC Chris McLaughlan #Rangers contact police over what they term 'offensive and threatening comments' made about a director on a fans website. BBC get the news first as usual.

Richard Wilson SELF-EXPRESSION, whether borne of exuberance or exasperation, was a recurring theme during this latest procession at Ibrox. Protests against the board, gaining momentum through old-fashioned leafleting campaigns as well as the now-inevitable use of the internet, reached a new level on Saturday with the grandest exhibitions of dissent yet being shown in the 18th and 72nd minutes, nods to the club's foundation in 1872. To suggest this is akin to the storming of the Bastille is premature, but more and more Rangers fans, never ones entirely comfortable with demanding necks on the guillotine, are warming to the idea of one way or another forcing out those inhabiting the boardroom. The centrepoint of the demonstration was the corner of the stadium between the Main Stand and the Broomloan Road Stand - and the unfurling of banners which read 'Spivs Out', 'No More Lies', 'Action Not Apathy' and 'Give Us Our Rangers Back' was well orchestrated. What may worry the likes of chief executive Craig Mather, as the temperature builds ahead of next month's AGM, is that these messages were not restricted to that area of the ground. They were raised throughout all four stands at the appointed time, with one or two perhaps a little too close for comfort to the directors' box and the stoic types in the posh seats. It would be disingenuous to suggest the chants of 'Sack The Board' and 'Get Out Of Our Club' emanated from all corners of the arena, but there was enough widespread applause to suggest the views expressed are gaining enough support to be taken seriously. This was not all clenched fists, stern faces and 'Wolfie' Smith politics, though. Passions are running high but they come out in positive ways, too, and the wonderfully chaotic half-time parade in honour of the armed forces was quite something to witness. Around 400 servicemen and women marched into the ground in perfect order behind a massed pipe band. But the minute they set foot on the hallowed turf all semblance of order dissolved. Squaddies were bouncing up and down on the trackside with the spotty adolescents of the Union Bears fans group, RAF pilots were queuing up for photos beside the substitutes as well as Broxi Bear, and there were a couple of Navy men you would swear were trying to get up the tunnel. One fellow who certainly shared the enthusiasm and joy of those soldiers and sailors revelling in their moment in the spotlight was central defender Bilel Mohsni. The 26-year-old French-Tunisian completed this rout with the most spectacular overhead kick in stoppage time and decided to embark upon a one-man lap of honour after the final whistle. Channelling the spirit of the afternoon, he was in no mood to keep his thoughts to himself. Despite being just in the door, he is already talking of the possibility of at least matching Rangers' record league win of 10-0 against Hibernian in December 1898, and more. "It's possible we could score double figures in a game at Ibrox this season," he said. "Stenhousemuir have some good players and try to play football, but they caught us on a great day. "That was the best goal I've ever scored and it was a special day, because my parents, my brother and some friends had travelled over from France. I enjoyed my celebrations. All I want to talk about with regard to the fans, though, is the relationship we have with them. There is a very close bond between every player and the supporters. If we play our best, we could win every game as we have good players in every position. I think we have the team to win every game." Mohsni did not hold back either when criticising last week's award of the SPFL League One manager of the month prize to Stenhousemuir's Martyn Corrigan. "It's just a pity Ally McCoist didn't get it," he said. "How many goals do you want us to score in one game before he gets recognised - 100? I know the Stenhousemuir manager got the award, so this was a good way for the manager to respond to that. People seem to ignore the job that Ally McCoist is doing and he should get more praise." His side did him proud here. Jon Daly scored four goals to complement other efforts of varying quality from Andy Little, Lee Wallace, substitute David Templeton and Mohsni. Ian Black also made an effective return from his suspension for gambling against his own team and will have been happy to emerge from the 90 minutes without any perceptible criticism from the stands. "I lost seven goals to Rangers in the cup when I was with Dunfermline and also lost seven at Parkhead, but I'd never lost eight before," said visiting goalkeeper Chris Smith. "It was, without doubt, my worst ever day."

Mathew Lyndsay THE high regard Bill Struth is held in by Rangers fans is not just due to the success he enjoyed in his 34-year spell as manager. Struth is still, with a staggering 73 trophies to his name, the most decorated manager in British football history despite retiring back in 1954. Yet, it is perhaps how the one-time stonemason carved the future of the Ibrox club in the first half of the last century for which he is most revered. A strict disciplinarian, Struth demanded high standards of conduct in those who represented the Glasgow institution both on and off the field of play. The ideals he instilled in those around him helped to ensure Rangers became the most successful club in Scotland and one of the most successful in the world. There could, then, be no better man for the protest group demanding honesty and integrity at boardroom level to be named after. Sons of Struth, or SoS, organised the demonstration during the SPFL League One game against Stenhousemuir at Ibrox at the weekend. A variety of banners were held aloft throughout the packed stadium in the 18th and 72nd minutes - the significance of this being that Rangers was, of course, founded in 1872 - of the match. Chants of "Sack the Board" and "Get out of our Club" - among others more unsavoury - were also belted out as Ally McCoist's team romped to a resounding 8-0 victory. It was a reminder for the directors that, as the publication of annual accounts draws ever nearer and an eagerly-anticipated AGM edges closer, nothing less than complete transparency will do. Who ends up holding power at Rangers when the AGM is finally held, those currently at the helm or the shareholders demanding change, remains uncertain at this juncture. However, with such disharmony clearly existing among such a large number of paying customers it would be foolish business practice, suicidal in fact, to dismiss their concerns when they do. McCoist, whose team remained five points in front of Dunfermline thanks to their biggest win of the 2013/14 campaign, is concentrating fully on football matters. And he is optimistic the growing unrest in the stands will not have any negative impact on his players' performances for however long it continues. He said: "We would ask the fans again to keep on giving the team their continued support. I keep saying, and I make no apology for saying it again, that in the last couple of years the fans have kept the club going. "They have been absolutely fantastic and their support of the team is all we can ask for. "There were issues at the weekend which I am certainly not going to get involved in after the result we had. I think it would be wrong of me to do so. "The team and the players and the fans deserve all the credit for the performance." While the Rangers support remain firmly at loggerheads with those in positions of authority, progress is being made on the park. The victory at the weekend, in which striker Jon Daly netted four goals for the first time, maintained the team's 100% record in the league in some style. McCoist's side has now won all seven of their games in their division this term. They have scored 32 goals and conceded just two goals in the process. The manager is pleased with the progress his new signings have made in a short space of time and with the way the Light Blues fans have taken to them. He said: "I think it is terrific we are now getting players who are striking up bonds with the fans. "Whether it be Bilel Mohsni, Ian Black, Nicky Law, Arnold Peralta or whoever. There is definitely something building which is important for us. "All we can do is prepare the team as professionally as we can and hope they can go and play in the most professional manner they can. That will always be the case as long as we are here." McCoist welcomed Ian Black, who has now completed his ban for gambling offences, back into his team against Martyn Corrigan's side. It proved to be a shrewd call. The central midfielder was one of his side's best performers throughout an admittedly one-sided 90 minutes. Some fans were deeply unhappy with the punishments meted out to the player, who admitted betting against Rangers to win, by the SFA and his club. If he continues to perform in the highly-impressive manner that he did against Stenhousemuir then he will continue to be a leading light for Rangers as the campaign progresses. McCoist agreed: "He has been terrific for us all season and he just picked up where he left off. It was great to see the reaction he got from the crowd. "Our fans are intelligent. They know he has made a mistake and he has been punished and they want to support him now." The same cannot currently be said of the Rangers board. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/the-moment-of-struth-137790n.22281435

Lifted from FF: I have been hearing from various sources that we as a group are being met with mixed reviews from forums etc so decided to come on and let everyone know a bit about us and our aims to allow each to make their own mind up We have been accused of being many people from tims to M Dingwall to D Leggat and even malcolm murray. We are none of these we are only normal concerned fans and if you read attachment below it will give you a better idea of who we are and how we came about. We only have 3 aims and I would question any fan who didnt want these things from their club regardless of who they are and which team they follow 1) Keep the stadium in clubs name to avoid Coventry situation 2) clear accounts which prove proper running of the club 3) a board that keep the club off the front pages and are above reproach We do not have any aims that can divide a support and only actually which to unite fans from all groups against a clear and present danger The following is a post from our facebook page that was first posted 2 weeks ago when we first started. Please take the few minutes to read and DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE surrounding The Sons of Struth https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfStruth Here we go I will try and explain in as short a post a possible who is involved to date with the Sons of Struth and how this page came about. One of our main points of agenda and a main Struthism is openness. Some of you may be aware of the Rangers Rumours website and a regular poster named George or George protester number 1. I picked up on his postings only 1 week ago and was intrigued to know what his feelings and understanding of our clubs current plight was. George arranged to travel from London on Friday and meet anyone interested in what he had to say at Ibrox. Due to my own worries about our club I felt I had nothing to lose other than 10 minutes of my time and a whole lot to gain if he had any information that could fill my appetite to fully understand the situation at our club. The fact that only 10 people turned up confirmed my general feeling that our fans are very apathetic towards the current situation and George was very disappointed also. He did, as many have since held against him, arrive minus the promised leaflets and did introduce himself as a representative of George. Both these points seem to have angered some but I understand why he done both when as he could have possibly been faced with a far greater number of fans who he didn’t know who they where and he was let down by a local printer which was a point later proven to me. To the 10 who were at the first meeting and others who visit the Rangers Rumours site, I was the guy with the red jacket who some believed was Georges minder and I post on the site as Craig protester number 2 BFH. To set the record straight I had never met George before Friday and purely turned up as a disgruntled fan searching for some knowledge. I appeared to pick up on what George was saying very quickly but so did others around me, however George seemed to like the questions I asked him and what I had to say so he asked me after the meeting if I would like to talk further on a one to one basis. This “private” meeting consisted more of us talking like true fans and swapping stories of our favourite experiences following our club than it did about revelations which weren’t disclosed at the full meeting. We did prove our love for our club and our concerns for the future just as many discussions would go between Rangers fans all over the world when two strangers meet and they find they both support Rangers. We decided we would talk again during his stay in Glasgow and exchanged numbers. During the course of last weekend we talked several times over the telephone and agreed to meet on Monday and I would introduce him to my friend Sandy who was also interested to hear what George had to say. During the course of the weekend George had put his leaflet online as he promised. George, Sandy and I met on Monday and again the discussion was no different to hundreds of chats between Rangers fans many times over. We discussed our favourite games, best goals,most manic away trips and the like but most importantly we shared a huge concern over the current state of our dearly held club and a desire to do something about. We all agreed that doing something and failing was more acceptable than doing nothing but with the hope we could make a difference even if it was just to give the proper fans some information that may put some fire in the belly and arouse some passion from within the fan base. We then involved the man power from a well known body of fans, who if they wish to disclose their important and welcome involvement is matter for them, who helped along with hastily recruited normal fans like Paisley Gary to help with the distribution of Georges leaflets prior to Tuesdays game. The leaflets went out and received a mixture of reactions. On Tuesday not long before I left for the game I started the Sons of Struth facebook page. The reasons for this is to give the normal fan who wants our club to return to a stewardship of which we would expect from Rangers. You pick up a paper on Monday going to work and you are faced with another scandal about our club. You discuss it and try to make sense of it but before you have a chance to get your head round it a few days later you’re faced with another earth shaking scandal. This is not what we expect from the custodians of our club. The mere inclusion of the Struth name in the page harks back to an era when our custodians conducted themselves with dignity, honesty and respect. We must install this again from our boardroom. Who am I? I am a nobody. Not attached to any fan group or organisation. I am you. A fan and season ticket holder since the age of 8 years old. What do I want? I want to talk about my favourite memories of Rangers and idols and goals again, not have to discuss and deal with on a daily basis another boardroom scandal and just get back to the football. I want a board that won’t embarrass me and treat me like a fan without hiding facts from me. I want to be assured that the stadium where I have had many happy memories will be in the ownership of my club and not sold off and rented back to us by some spiv. The stadium holds the spirit of not one but three disasters and has to remain ours to honour those who did not return. It has to remain for the thousands who have the names of lost loved ones chiselled on the very bricks in their memory. It is not the crown jewels it is far more important to the very soul of every fan who has ever walked through the turnstiles. Who are the Sons of Struth? We all are and can be ordinary fans or members from any other fan body. If you are a Union Bear or a Supporters Trust member, as long as your principles and desires are the same as ours then we welcome your input and support. We are not affiliated to any other fan body but welcome their involvement and discuss common aims. Our biggest and most immediate threat is the possible sale of our stadium and let me explain why. The ground swell of opinion is the current board may not have 51% of the shareholder support in the near future and as such leaves them in a position of one last heist. Let me explain in simple terms and use your house as an example. You require cash due to your ailing financial position and own a home with a market value of £200k. I agree to give you £100k cash today to solve your short term financial problems and I will rent you the house back for £2k per month. I will also agree to allow you to buy it back anytime in the next 10 years for £300k. I cant lose. I either 1) have you in the home and draw £24k a year of you in rental 2) Get £2k a month off you until your able to give me £300k to get it back 3) You leave the house and I have a building costing me half market value. Now turn this story to Ibrox and what a spiv could do. Sell the stadium to a carefully selected company that a trusted friend owns and the spiv has a vested interest in and do it soon before he loses the majority of shareholders. Couldnt happen? Think of the Monday morning paper stories we have all had to deal with in the last couple of years. SONS OF STRUTH DEMAND THE TRUTH SHOW YOU CARE AND SHARE WITH A BEAR Craig

I'll go for 4-0 win today - Little 2,Jig,Templeton

Following on from a thread in Footie chat about Morton knocking Celtic out the league cup, I thought had we still been in the competition then the trophy would be there for the taken. But my comment was Id still be happy to settle for a League One and Ramsden's Cup double. It got me thinking about the Scottish Cup. Oh yes I'd love to win that but are we ready to compete with the SPL sides? On paper we are. I wouldn't be swapping our squad for any in the SPL right now including Celtics as I think we have the basis of a good squad to compete. Add in a few quality signings when we are back to the SPL then Id say we will be top 2 for sure. It boils again down to our style of play and management ability as to how good we can be, as last season we were easily beaten by Inverness and Dundee Utd. But we are probably far more prepared this season. As we are more prepared with a stronger squad that have had a full pre-season: What is our realistic expectations in the Scottish Cup? Of course the luck of the draw will always come into it. Are some fans still wanting to boycott it in protest towards the SFA and anti-Rangers SPL clubs? I know I could understand that point of view. Does anyone want to avoid playing an SPL side yet in case a) we get turned over and b) assist in financing them? The jury is still out for me. I don't want to return to Tannadice nor head for Pittodrie to satisfy the vile hatred from elements of those places. But if we were to draw Ross County or Kilmarnock I'd take that right now as a) it would be a good test and b) I think we could beat those. I do think the sticky balls will be in play this season and we will get Celtic.

It is perhaps a Godsend that the behaviour of our online Rangers communities do not appear to impact or reflect on the ability of the Rangers support to “Follow Follow”. Thankfully the support which embarrassed, and continues to embarrass Scottish football with it's attendance figures, which caught the imagination of the world with it's steadfast devotion to a football club, appears to remain unaffected by the schisms within her online communities. Whilst it undoubtedly raises a question of the significance of our online communities and how reflective they are of our support in general, I'm afraid the exploration of this subject must wait for another day as there are more pressing issues to concern ourselves with. The emergence of the Sons of Struth campaigners gave rise to the question asked in the title thread. Through no fault of their own (in fact they deserve immense credit for how they have, with diplomatic aplomb, handled the minefield which is the fractured, divided and partisan inspired Rangers online community) their emergence has proved to be a “proving ground” for everything which is wrong with our online communities. On the various websites which carried their threads, as well as on social media, sadly the usual battles, accusations and counter accusations came to the fore. It's perhaps pertinent at this point we highlight the 3 main objectives of the Sons of Struth campaigners :- 1. Keep the stadium in the club's name to avoid Coventry situation 2. Have clear accounts which prove the proper running of the club 3. Have a board that keep the club off the front pages and who themselves are beyond reproach If there is a bear anywhere in the world, never mind within the online Rangers community, who does not aspire to the 3 aforementioned objectives for our our club – them I am yet to meet them. Sadly, despite the universal agreement with the above objectives, our online communities find the energy and time to fall out with each other – is it any small wonder our club is in the mess it is today, being raped and savaged by so called “businessmen” and the media ? We appear to be too concerned fighting amongst ourselves than fighting the battles we really need to be engaging in. Can the real enemies of our club really wait until tomorrow whilst we fight amongst ourselves today ? It manifests itself in whole Rangers communities being stereotyped into one particular box, often “evidenced” by a single post by an individual which, as if by magic, suddenly represents the views of hundreds, often thousands of other posters who may not even agree with the original cited post. Personal animosity, historical feuds, bitternesses and hatred have all been done to death. Even the Rangers bloggers appear to have acquiesced to the hate fest, giving rise to what some have referred to as “The Blogger Wars”. At a time when hate filled individuals and even some of the mainstream media are determined to kill off our club – you would think our energies would be more productively spent tackling the enemies of our club. Perhaps what is particularly sad in all this is that the Rangers online communities also represent what is best in our support. 90 minutes on a Saturday is not enough for us – quite simply we eat, sleep and breathe Rangers FC. That kind of devotion represents considerable and mammoth energy with potential – the potential to effect change for the better. It is however completely neutralised when it is spent focussing inwardly on the things which divide us rather than the issues which unite us. If this online Rangers community is to fulfil its true destiny then it must change, because at the moment the schisms, historical feuds and bitternesses are holding us back from unleashing that potential on the real enemies of our club. If the Sons of Struth campaigners achieve nothing else (and I sincerely hope that's not the case) then educating the Rangers online community that there is real need for change, will be a considerable achievement in itself.

Further to the announcement on 10 September 2013, the Company confirms that the Board's discussions have been continuing with representatives of the group who requisitioned (together the "Requisitioners") a general meeting to consider the proposed resolutions ("Requisition") detailed in the announcement on 2 August 2013 ("General Meeting"). The Company can confirm that the Requisitioners have withdrawn the Requisition which put forward resolutions for the removal of Craig Mather, Brian Stockbridge and Bryan Smart as Directors of the Company and for the appointment Frank Blin and Paul Murray as Non-Executive Directors of the Company on the condition that the Company convenes its Annual General Meeting to be held no later than 31 October 2013. The Company confirms that all of the current Directors remain in office and that it is not appointing any additional Directors save that as previously announced, the Company confirms that it continues to actively seek to appoint a new Chairman. Further announcements will be made as appropriate. http://www.londonstockexchange.com/e...entId=11707849

http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/282-jim-spence-rangers-jibes I won't post the article as there are a few images used at the link for context... Suffice to say, poor Jum gets nailed by an on-form Chris...