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  1. Thinking about the news that offers are being received for Allan McGregor, I'm not really surprised that he will be sold. Wealthy clubs have always accumulated the best players and we should expect our best to be targeted by these clubs. After all, we've done it ourselves for over a hundred years. I do find it dispiriting that he might be sold for as little as �£5m which neither seems to reflect contemporary value nor the importance of the player to the club. Such underselling inevitably diminishes the club even further. But we have a ready replacement in Alexander, who will not let us down, and apart from the price this isn't the end of the world on its own. What I do find utterly depressing however is the lack of any apparent end to this decline. At the time when I first discovered Gersnet some years back I was convinced the club would diminish considerably from where it was then but I also expected a time would come when it would be sold and a new beginning would be reached, perhaps not quite on the scale of the 1986 rebirth but at least a fresh start. Now I fear we might yet look back and see these times as something to aspire to. If the tax investigation ends badly, we might easily sink without trace. I just hope we finally have it in us to wake up and never again put our unquestioning faith in an owner as we did with Murray. Not only did we close our collective eyes to what was going on at the club but we actively encouraged Murray to indulge himself with the thing we held so dear. "Rape us harder Dave, it must be good for us". How fucking stupid do we look now? And given the lack of any voice being raised against Murray even now, how stupid are we yet prepared to become. From the laughable posturing these last few months by the RST and other accumulations of plastic, it seems the pit of our stupidity might indeed be bottomless. Quite prepared to hoot about Lloyds and holler about Donald Muir, our 'reps' show their finely honed affectations at every turn but do you hear a single meaningful proposal directed at the root of the problem? Do you fuck. Do you see one attempt to harness the fans in protest? Do you see one glimmer of hope that the support has finally decided enough is enough? Do you fuck. It appears our capacity for self-deception and weakness is perhaps limitless after all. Instead of looking for the cause of our decline only in others, maybe we could usefully spend some time on more introspective reflection. just a thought.
  2. CELTIC last night warned their fans Parkhead could be closed if they continue to breach safety rules by standing during matches. Police are unhappy with supporters who refuse to sit and several incidents have been reported to the club. Celtic issued a statement, urging fans to take heed or face drastic action - which could include Parkhead's safety certificate being removed. The club insist they are taking the matter seriously and demand fans remain seated at all times. A section of the support, the Green Brigade, who were criticised for displaying an anti-poppy banner during last month's game against Aberdeen, regularly stand but a club spokesman said: "Celtic Park is designed as an all-seater stadium and the safety certificate has been approved and issued on that basis. "Persistent standing is a real safety risk and could ultimately result in the certificate, which is required to open the stadium, being revoked. "It is vital this matter is taken seriously and that supporters sit during matches." The Green Brigade had a sit-down protest at the start of the recent game against Inverness. They pretended to read papers for the first 20 minutes before a whistle in the crowd was the signal to stand for the rest of the match. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2010/12/16/celtic-warn-fans-that-parkhead-faces-closure-if-they-refuse-to-sit-down-during-matches-86908-22787258/
  3. The Green Brigade have been one of the highlights of the past few seasons at the library that Celtic Park is. The introduction of their own section, sanctioned by the PLC, the introduction of a drum and the acceptance of Depeche Mode as anthem has made this season interesting off the park. Against Information Computer Technology their silent 20 minute protest then subsequent burst into life ââ?¬â?? that saw the stadium give them a standing ovation ââ?¬â?? has been the highlight of recent home games. This type of protest is unseen on these shores. The authorities seen unable to deal with this European styled group. They are trailblazing a path that others are struggling to comprehend nevermind follow. The fall out from Poppy Gate ( views on the protest are here and the aftermath here) has seen a change in tact from a board. It seems that instead of banning the GB from Celtic Park, as they threatened they will just ban them from Ibrox by stopping them or anyone else in section 111 getting offered tickets for this game no matter if they havenââ?¬â?¢t missed an away game this season. The season book holders in that section are getting the message that : THIS TIME YOU DONââ?¬â?¢T HAVE THE CORRECT PRIVILEGES ON YOUR ACCOUNT. Any queries are getting meet with the line: itââ?¬â?¢s a computer ballot. If you believe that then if you look out your window you will see a flying pig. Itââ?¬â?¢s not the first time that the PLC have used underhand tactics against the GB. The banner below saw a bluemail campaign from those who claim we are the offended ones and the PLC helped Strathclyde Polis (them again) identify those who held the banner and sectarian breach of the peace charges were brought against those fingered. The Procurator Fiscal has said the accused had no case to answer. A blow to those who wish to be offended. The PLC knew what they were getting with the Green Brigade, I donââ?¬â?¢t think they know what they will get if they continue to take their money and persecute them. They seemed to be liked, or dare I say LOVED, by the majority of the rank and file season book holders I come into contact with. They pay their money as well. http://thecelticblog.com/2010/12/blogs/green-brigade-banned-from-ibrox?
  4. Roddy Forsyth: soap opera surrounding Hugh Dallas episode reeks of nasty opportunism So the conspiracy theorists were correct all along. The truth, at last, is out there and Scottish football is in turmoil, although it took disruption to the fixture card to bring the whole sorry mess into the open. This goes back to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, of course. The oil has gummed up the ocean bed and switched off the North Atlantic Current, which keeps Europe from freezing. We are at the start of a new Ice Age. You donââ?¬â?¢t believe it? OK, what game are you going to watch this weekend? In lieu of a match programme, you might want to read the findings of Dr Gianluigi Zangari, theoretical physicist at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Italy who says that the Earthââ?¬â?¢s central heating system has broken down because of the oil spill. When the archaeologists of the future dig down through the tundra around Hampden Park they are bound to ask how the planet could have been plunged into deep cold just after a Krakatoa of hot air erupted over the subject of Scottish referees ââ?¬â?? and why there were so many unresolved issues even when the volcanic row became dormant. A couple of facts could be established, mind you. Hugh Dallas was not sacked as the Scottish Football Associationââ?¬â?¢s head of referee development for being satirical or sectarian in forwarding a widely circulated email about the Pope. His forced departure was because he had breached the SFAââ?¬â?¢s rules about IT, which prohibit the dissemination of potentially sensitive or offensive emails. Dallas was dismissed, plus four more employees, because of that infraction. Other SFA staff members were warned about their conduct in the same regard. It appears that the five who were sacked had forwarded the email beyond the confines of the SFA offices, while those who were warned did not. At which point the unanswered questions begin. Why did the SFA begin its disciplinary process all of six weeks after the circulation of the emails had been discovered? Were the sackings disproportionate? Was the nature and outcome of the disciplinary procedure in any way influenced by the much publicised intervention of Peter Kearney, director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office? It would be a surprise if mââ?¬â?¢learned friends were not examining this very point on behalf of the sacked quintet. Indeed, I believe that is exactly what they are doing. Kearneyââ?¬â?¢s role also warrants scrutiny. He was rejected as a SNP candidate for both Westminster and Holyrood by the voters of Coatbridge and Chryston but he retains sufficient political nous to be certain that his pronouncements about the email in question would generate enormous publicity. So, on whose authority did Kearney act? Did he have the prior approval of Cardinal Oââ?¬â?¢Brien or did the Scottish Catholic Church press officer go freelance on this issue? Of the email depicting the Pope, Kearney said: ââ?¬Å?We will not tolerate it. We will not laugh it off or see the funny side ââ?¬â?? because there is no funny side.ââ?¬Â Does that, then, apply to the edition of Have I Got News For You? which employed the same image as the Hampden email when the BBCââ?¬â?¢s irreverent news review programme was transmitted in the week of the Papal visit to the UK in September? And, if so, where was the implacable protest, the declaration that such a display indicated that ââ?¬â?? to use Kearneyââ?¬â?¢s words ââ?¬â?? hostility to Roman Catholics that is ââ?¬Å?deep, wide and viciousââ?¬Â. If Kearney did have the approval of Cardinal Oââ?¬â?¢Brien for his insistence that Dallas be sacked if found to have forwarded the email, is His Eminence satisfied that justice was done by extending the same sanction to a practicing adherent of his own faith and a man of 60 who, having recently lost his wife, has now been deprived of his livelihood at the SFA ââ?¬â?? and if so, what does that say for the application of Christian charity? In Kearneyââ?¬â?¢s denunciation of the Hampden email and others like it he declared that priests in West Lothian and Renfrewshire had been attacked by ââ?¬Ë?thugsââ?¬â?¢. Given that a childcare specialist in Wales was forced to leave her home by a self-styled vigilante mob who could not distinguish between a paediatrician and a paedophile, one could certainly believe that innocent Roman Catholic clergy might be at risk from similarly ignorant or bigoted buffoons. Yet where were the reports or police investigations into these incidents? I ask because, within five minutes of three complaints being received by Strathclyde Police about Dallas, a tabloid newspaper reported in its online edition that the Hate Crimes Unit was investigating him. Strathclyde Police do not have a Hate Crimes Unit and they are not ââ?¬â?? and never were ââ?¬â?? investigating Dallas. And we may ask why Kearney did not denounce the knuckle draggers who phoned death threats to a religious education teacher at a Roman Catholic High School in Lanarkshire ââ?¬â?? who just happened to have awarded Rangers a debatable penalty kick when Celtic lost 3-1 in the Old Firm derby on Oct 24. Whatever may be the rights and wrongs of the Dallas episode ââ?¬â?? and I think that he was stupid to have forwarded the email even if he thought it was a harmless joke ââ?¬â?? the outcome reeks of nasty opportunism. Speaking of which, the forced departure of Dougie McDonald was a declared aim of the Celtic directors ââ?¬â?? stated with considerable force by the Parkhead chairman at the clubââ?¬â?¢s chairman at the annual general meeting three weeks ago. Why, then, was it left to Paul McBride QC ââ?¬â?? in a rare distraction from his duties at the Tommy Sheridan perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow ââ?¬â?? to speak as someone ââ?¬Å?close to the clubââ?¬â?¢s boardââ?¬Â and say that they had experienced ââ?¬Å?a sense of quiet vindicationââ?¬Â at the refereeââ?¬â?¢s decision to resign, McDonald having lied to their manager about a penalty kick decision at Tannadice in October. There was nothing quiet when John Reid was whipping up the gallery at the AGM, but the former so-called ââ?¬Ë?big beast of the Labour Partyââ?¬â?¢ has gone all coy now. Nor is there a squeak from anyone else at the club whose commitment to transparency is flexible enough to include threats of non-cooperation to broadcast outlets who transmitted Gary Hooperââ?¬â?¢s dopey remarks about Scottish referees. Anyway, as I say, itââ?¬â?¢ll all be academic once the permafrost kicks in. And itââ?¬â?¢s precisely because Russia knows how to cope with the coming freeze that Fifa awarded them the 2018 World Cup. Think Iââ?¬â?¢m kidding? Is the Pope a Catholic? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/scottish-premier/8177228/Roddy-Forsyth-soap-opera-surrounding-Hugh-Dallas-episode-reeks-of-nasty-opportunism.html
  5. So the tims got their way after all. Only 5 million masons to go.:smile:
  6. THE problem the Scottish Football Association is having with referees at the moment can be traced back a mere nine months to their feeble reaction to an incredible claim on the official Celtic website. You may recall that less than two hours after Rangers had won the Old Firm game at Ibrox in February, in a match which saw the Parkhead captain Scott Brown sent off, the official Celtic website made an astonishing attack on the referee. It claimed no fair minded person could agree the sending off of Brown was the correct decision. The clear implication was the referee was not a fair minded person. The further implication being that he was biased. Yet, when the matter was referred to the SFA's General Purposes Committee,it led to the SFA giving Celtic no more than a slap on the wrist, in the form of a censure. It was hardly the sort of defence a referee deserved from the SFA, and perhaps there was resentment among officials at the lenient way Celtic were dealt with. At the time I felt the SFA decision was tantamount to sparing the rod and spoiling the child. Or, to put it another way, giving an inch which would soon become a mile. However, that was not the first time Celtic appeared to have been indulged by the SFA in recent years. When Hugh Dallas was felled and bloodied by a missile, to the extent that his wound needed stitching, the men in charge of the SFA at the time felt the offence was serious enough to warrant a substantial fine. However, by the time Fernando Ricksen was also battered by a missile and also needed a wound stitched, the SFA appeared to have lost its grip. A slap on the wrist was all that followed, despite the previous. At the time surely stronger action was needed to lay down a marker. Perhaps an order to close the ground for a couple of matches - suspended for five years - was the way to head off any more trouble. People who heaped ridicule on such a suggestion were noticeably quieter just two years later when the Rangers doctor became the latest victim of the missile throwers inside Parkhead. Much of what has followed - and which has climaxed in the refereeing strike - has appeared to take root in a support which gives every sign of being out of control. Two years ago on Remembrance weekend the Green Brigade staged a protest against Celtic wearing a Poppy on their strips. The protest was inside Parkhead in the exact same area of the same stand where the Bloodstained Poppy banner was raised this month. Surely therefore, nobody inside Celtic should have been surprised the Green Brigade - a group many may believe the club has over-indulged - should have staged some sort of protest. Last Saturday there was more bother in the same section of the stand, and Celtic chairman the Baron Reid of Cardowan, was the subject of more hate filled banners. And that despite some harsh words spoken by the Baron Reid of Cardowan regarding the SFA at the Celtic AGM. It seems it is impossible for anyone inside Celtic to go far enough to satisfy the zealots and extremists who have attached themselves to the club. Yet there are still some media outlets who would have people believe the strike action being taken by referees has been prompted by a number of actions by a number of clubs, their managers, players and supporters. In fact, any of these run-of-the-mill confrontations which have taken place in recent weeks and months have been no more than we have witnessed over the years, and are what referees regard as usual. What has been unusual has been the perception of a campaign to get rid of Hugh Dallas, undermine the SFA and create anarchy, which has many Celtic supporters whipping themselves into a lathered frenzy. There was even a letter to UEFA from one Celtic supporter begging for intervention. A supplication which was quickly kicked into touch by that higher authority. Does that make UEFA party to a great conspiracy? Goodness knows what they think about what's going on in Scottish football. Maybe the Eurocrats are having a sly wee snigger behind their hands at the way Celtic supporters are ranting. But surely there is somebody within UEFA who can see the danger, and who can have a quiet word with the Baron Reid of Cardowan and ask him to try and calm Celtic supporters before some extremist and zealot commits one of act of madness which even the recently supine Scottish Football Assocation cannot dismiss with a mere censure. http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/
  7. Neil Lennon who was brought up and bred in Ireland as a catholic found life very difficult (blah,blah)...now he wants to bring his hardship to Scotland, like many other's and all his grief with it and cause sensationalism in our small country, well quite simply we dont need this shite...get him and his like to fuck. I love my Scottish football especially The Rangers, why should I put up with his political crap any much longer.......get that guy to fuck out, Scottish football is struggling to find any ground and this cunt is knocking it when it's down, using religious reasons for 'Celtic FC's continual struggle to be tops. It's football, Killie, Hibeez, Saints, Well, Jam Tarts, Utd, Accies....it's what we have in Scotland, It's our game, why do we need to put up with this sectarian rubbish that flows from Celtic Park. Recently we had to endure some protest about bloodstained poppies? What the fuck has that to do with football? I think these cunt's want a voice, and Celtic put Lennon up there to voice it, and he's making one big arse of it, like many before him. Seems they will try anything to be noticed. The world is tough, we know, but I love my football, I love the challenge....but do we have to look at our TV screens and watch the twisted, tormented Neil Lennon the hard done by spewing his bile in the peoples faces? This guy afterall has mental problems, and due to pc and all that...we have to accept it, I know like any person out there we need to be careful in what we say, but do we have to put up with this shite anymore? Neil Lennon has a mental problem so therefore we have to allow him to bring our game into disrepute' NO FUCKIN' WAY.
  8. PARANOIA, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a mental derangement, which, especially in chronic forms, is characterised by delusions. I thought it would be useful to clarify the exact meaning of the word before exploring examples of paranoia raging around various websites in the last few days. It would seem Celtic supporters are deluding themselves into believing the club they support has always been treated badly by the Scottish Football Association. Indeed, the Celtic Underground site went so far as to say that the SFA has always been governed by people with an anti-Celtic bias. That is a serious allegation. It is also the delusion of chronic paranoia. For a start, of all the people who are both employed by the SFA , and who make up the reprepresentation from clubs and other bodies, who would appear to be the best paid.? That might well prove to be Eric Riley, who is the Celtic executive director of finance, and who earned, according to accounts in the public domain, �£222, 765 last year. That's more than new SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has signed up for. Riley has been the Glasgow Association's member on the SFA for many years, and sits on two of its most powerful bodies. He is vice chairman of the Disciplinary Committee and a member of the Appeals Committee, and has previously been the vice chairman of the General Purposes Committee, which has a wide range of powers.. There is of course nothing wrong, or in any way improper, about that. In fact, it is both right and proper that a club such as Celtic should be represented and have its voice heard at the highest level of the game. Celtic supporters though, blinded by their delusions, cannot see the influence Riley has at that rarified level. They also seem to be suffering from amnesia. For instance, though the latter half of the 1990s and into the 21st Century, a Celtic director - indeed a one time Celtic chairman - Jack McGinn, sat at the pinnacle of Scottish football's power structure as the President of the Scottish Football Association. Such was his power that his reign extended even beyond the normal two terms in office. A sort of SFA FDR is you like. McGinn was therefore one of the most powerful and influential figures in Scottish football....ever! The Scottish Football Association, over which former Celtic chairman McGinn ruled for longer than other presidents, and where Celtic's highly paid director of finance, Riley, sits on one powerful committee, is the vice chairman of another, and has occupied that position on a third, can therefore not be said, by any rational person, to be governed now, or in the past, by people with an anti-Celtic bias. To go even further back, probably the most influential of all Scottish Football Association presidents I can recall was that towering figure from Celtic's history, Bob Kelly, whose trenchant statements in the 1960s were viewed as the authentic voice of Scottish football. In fact, both then and now, it could be claimed that of all of Scotland's major clubs, Celtic have been the most influential . And yet the Parkhead paranoia continues, with a letter from Joe O'Rourke of the Celtic Supporters Association on that group's behalf, and also speaking for the Celtic Trust, the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs and the North American Federation of Celtic Supporters Clubs, having been sent to Celtic saying that they are all 100per cent behind Celtic's campaign. What campaign would that be? For we have heard nothing - open and above board and on the record - from either Celtic chairman Lord Reid, or chief executive Peter Lawwell, about any Celtic campaign. It was a point well made in his Monday column in the Record by Jim Traynor when he called for these two powerbrokers to make a statement. Celtic's fans have shown no such reticence, and the Celtic Supporters Association went on to reveal that a number of organisations of Celtic supporters hope to meet in the next few days to discuss and decide on the way forward. As for Celtic Football Club, it will be represented at Hampden later this week as part of a previously arranged meeting between the clubs and the SFA. It is not known if Celtic director and SFA member Eric Riley will ride the two horses at the meeting, or if Reid or Lawwell will attend. Hampden is also the venue for some wild calls out there in cyberspace for Celtic supporters to descend upon and stage a protest on Saturday. There is though one website point which deserves careful attention and thought. The Huddleboard claims Celtic supporters have been denied an independent investigation into refereeing in Scotland. Actually I think such an independent probe would be a good thing, as I am sure its findings would once again reveal the true level of paranoia. It would have to be conducted by someone with impeccable refereeing credentials, who understood written and spoken English, in order that there could be no misunderstandings. England therefore appears to be the obvious place to look for a likely candidate. Maybe someone like....Jeff Winter? http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/
  9. CELTIC fans went bonkers yesterday at a controversial referee - and showered a pitch with CONKERS. Hoops supporters unleashed a volley of horse-chestnuts during a stormy SPL clash with Dundee United at Tannadice. Coins and other missiles were also thrown after ref Dougie McDonald cancelled a penalty he'd awarded to the Parkhead side. The match official then had to remove a green lighter which police say was thrown on to the field from the visitors' section of the stadium. And last night it emerged Celtic may face a probe by league chiefs into the crowd disorder. Police confirmed that a number of Hoops supporters were ejected from the ground during the game, which was broadcast live on Sky TV. Cops struggled to contain furious fans reacting to the referee's U-turn. And Celtic manager Neil Lennon was also captured on camera - appearing to repeatedly shout "F****** s***" at the fourth official when he realised his side had been denied a spot-kick. A Tayside Police spokesman said: "It was a rowdy Celtic support that was in the stadium today. "Coins were thrown on to the pitch and, bizarrely, a number of conkers landed on the grass as well. Still, I suppose it is that time of year." The spokesman added: "The referee will be making his report and police are making further inquiries." Celtic eventually won the match 2-1 thanks to a 90th-minute winner by English striker Gary Hooper. Moments later an accidental clash of heads left Dundee United forward Jon Daly covered in blood. Yesterday's shower of conkers join a long list of unusual objects thrown on to football pitches. In December 2001, several Celtic players were pelted with snowballs chucked by Aberdeen fans during an SPL match at Pittodrie. At the 2007 Carling Cup Final at Wembley, Arsenal's Spanish star Cesc Fabregas was the target of dozens of sticks of celery thrown by Chelsea supporters. The vegetables - linked to a rude terrace chant - were later banned by Chelsea bosses. In 1998, Hull City fans covered their pitch in tennis balls as a protest against club owner David Lloyd, a former British Davis Cup captain. A dead cat was aimed at the playing field at the end of a Charlton Athletic v Luton Town game in 1982. And in 1988, Newcastle United fans pelted ex-hero Paul Gascoigne with Mars Bars when he returned to their ground with new club Spurs. The legendary midfielder - later to star for Rangers - had said in an interview that he loved the sweets. In typically cheeky fashion, Gazza refused to be annoyed by the stunt. He simply wandered over in the middle of the game, picked up a bar, unwrapped it - and took a bite. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3184489/Celtic-fans-throw-conkers-at-ref.html#ixzz12hHMHpvo
  10. WHEREVER you are, whatever you are doing, and whatever opinion you are free to express, we are once again approaching the time of year when we remember those whose sacrifice grants us the freedom to do all of those things. Of course chosing what football team to support and going to watch them and encourage them in their efforts is just one of the many freedoms - however trivial - we and the people of so many other countries enjoy. And take for granted. Which is why it is correct that as a week of Remembrance approaches and we prepare to wear our poppies, not only with pride, but also with humble gratitude, football should play its part in giving thanks. In the past though, any request for a simply act of Remembrance and homage to the fallen, has somehow sparked off controversial debate and protest in Scotland. No wonder, as some of my buddies will testify, I often refer to my homeland as a dark wee country. South of the border they do things differently, and in England football joins the rest of this nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in remembering the fallen. Television pictures from all the matches in the Premiership show crowds of up to 75,000 falling silent for a minute. Up here though, that is not always the case. Four years ago, when Celtic played St Mirren at the old Love Street on Remembrance Sunday, there was no silence. The St Mirren chairman, Stewart Gilmour later said it was an oversight. Let us just think about that crass admission for just a moment or two. A quiet moment or two. In the midst of all those poppies, the night after the Festival of Remembrance from the Royal Albert Hall had been shown live on television, and following the Queen leading the nation in an act of Remembrance at the Cenotaph - also live on television - Stewart Gilmour forgot it was Remembrance Sunday. Clearly, by his actions, we will FORGET them is Gilmour's mantra. Celtic are due to visit St Mirren's new ground on November 14this this year, Remembrance Sunday, in a match which will be broadcast live by ESPN. Gilmour remains the St Mirren chairman. Perhaps this year someone will remind him of the day's significance. There have been other occasions too when things have not been right. Such as two years ago when Celtic played at home and, according to the club tannoy announcer, the crowd were asked to show their appreciation in what he described as the "Celtic Way" by joining in a minute's applause. Let me state right here, that I was not the only journalist in the press box who chose not to applaud, but to stand in bare-headed silence. And let me also make it clear also that there were plenty of Celtic supporters in the areas around the press box, season ticket holders and corporate backers, who did likewise. Maybe their personal memories were off a dad or grandad, an uncle or brother who, had first taken them to watch Celtic when they were small, and who had fought in either of the 20th century's two world wars. Or perhaps they were thinking of a son or a daughter, a nephew or niece, a brother or sister, a friend, or the son or daughter of a friend, Celtic fans all, who have fallen more recently, or who are still serving on the front line. Or maybe they were just giving their own quiet thanks for their freedom to be at Parkhead and support Celtic. A freedom won by the fallen they were honouring. Whatever their personal thoughts, they vastly outnumbered the small group of protestors, away to the right of the main stand ,who had objected to Celtic, in common with all other SPL clubs, wearing a poppy on their shirts. Both sections though were even more vastly outnumbered by the 50,000 or so who followed Celtic's official instruction and applauded. Last year, on Remembrance Sunday, Celtic travelled to Falkirk, and according to one highly informed source, who is close to the Falkirk boardroom, chairman Martin Ritchie understood Celtic would have liked Falkirk to ditch their preferred minute's silence in favour of a round of applause. It is to his, and his club's eternal credit that Falkirk chose to attempt to honour the fallen in a quiet and dignified way. That they could not, and that the silence was broken by booing and singing from travelling supporters, was Scotland's Shame, and one of the reasons why I often despair of the land of my birth as a dark wee country. It was also Sky Sports' shame that they masked the sound of this shameful episde by muting the it, though the booing could be clearly heard on foreign channels and on BBC Radio Scotland. Sky then tried to explain this piece of blatant censorship by claiming they did not want to offend anyone. Sky Sports and Sky News are both in the business of journalism. Censorship is what all news organisations and all journalists should fight against, not collude in applying. Remember the horrific picture from the Vietnam war of the little girl running naked and in pain and terror from wounds from the napalm bombing? I DO! It was offensive, but it did much to heighten people's understanding of what was going on, giving power to the aruguments of those who wanted it stopped. Therefore, should the silence be broken at any ground this year, we, the nation, have a right to hear it, and all media organisations, be they television, radio or newspapers, have a duty to report it. However, let us hope that on Saturday November 13 and Sunday 14th, when at Ibrox, where Rangers meet Aberdeen, at Tannadice, where Dundee United face Kilmarnock, at Hamilton, where Inverness are the visitors, at Easter Rd, where Motherwell visit, at McDiarmid Park, where St Johnstone face Hearts, and in Paisley, where Celtic travel to play against St Mirren, in a match beamed live on ESPN throughout Britain, silence falls for a minute for an act of Remembrance. It would be Scotland's Shame - yet again, - if anything other were to happen. http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/2010/10/remembrance-and-football.html
  11. I spent Friday afternoon last week busying myself doing household chores, with the radio in the background tuned to Test Match Special, as England recovered from certain defeat to the brink of almost certain series victory in the space of a few hours. Once again, the summer game offered lessons for the winter one - but is it possible to believe that, like English cricket, Scottish football is capable of learning, or changing? The history of cricket in the last 25 years is very relevant to us, as we survey the wreckage of another failed European adventure - one in which we (Rangers) are quite likely, in my opinion, to share, as soon as we get started. Just as we are utterly uncompetitive at the top level (and even the second or third level), so too were the English test and one-day sides. Regularly thrashed throughout the 70s by the West Indies, English cricket in the 80s and 90s had to get used to being regularly thrashed by Australia, India and Pakistan, while previous minnows New Zealand and Sri Lanka began to record victories over the motherland. While on the surface, cricket appears the most conservative of sports, the administrators of the game were at least willing to try to find a way out of their pickle. Accurately perceiving that despite their failings, they still had a large fanbase willing to pay to watch their teams, the England and Wales Cricket Board split their divisions, withdrew restrictions on recruitment, altered the previous 5 or 6 Test fixtures against the same opponent each summer to 3 (or 5 against the Aussies) against different sides, expanded the one day calendar...the list goes on. Not all have proven successful. The long haul of a 5 Test summer, in all conditions, against players gradually getting used to English conditions, was one of the best facets of the game and one I miss. Another area I think the ECB have got wrong is the acceptance into their teams of too many pseudo-Englishmen. Even for this most tolerant of countries, it is a bit much to have a team with more non-natives than Englishmen in it; however, the facts are that as long as Pietersen, Trott, Strauss, Kieswetter, Prior and so on continue to win, no one else minds too much. And of course, the last few days have seen the ever present threat of corruption appear again, in the guise of some youthful and very probably penniless Pakistani bowlers who are unwilling to live in poverty any longer than they have to. How dare they? They ought to be content to perform for our sakes, yes, and for a pittance too! But they changed. They tried. So we can see that while conservatism certainly exists in the game of cricket, of itself it need not be a barrier to imagination. Can anyone expect the same here? For a start, who do we expect it from? The SFA? Or the SPL? SFL? Government? Everyone knows the shambles of administration we have so there's no need to go on about it, but it has to be said that until the current 'many chiefs' nonsense is rationalised, there's little or no prospect of change. Assuming it does happen, though, I can't see any reason why Scots football shouldn't rise again. After all, the target is hardly winning the Champions League or World Cup. The ultimate aim for our game ought to be qualification for final stages internationally with the occassional progression beyond, and at club level, regular participation up to the quarter final stages in Europe. Given the fan base, given the enthusiasm, given the lack of a serious competitor for attention, football has no excuse not to change. Why, then, even allowing for the administrative shambles, hasn't it done so already? I believe it's the inherent conservative nature preventing progression. As a country Scotland is not fond of change, and in football the mantras of the 1950s still hold sway here. How often have you heard these useless catchphrases trotted out by professionals, pundits and fans alike? "It's a man's game" "Play it long and get them turned" "He's not great, but he's a real trier" "So-and-so put in a great shift" And so on. The emphasis on strength and fitness would make us worldbeaters if allied to an equal fanaticsm for skill! What's needed is a new way of viewing foootball. And this is going to be very hard indeed to sell, because we have a media which relies on the football to keep breathing, especially at these time of recession. Summer football, for example, would be a Godsend for our game - years without international tournaments especially - but the media, which holidays in the summer, would be outraged at (a) having to work their break and (b) having to find something else to fill their winter schedules. This is not a small consideration; it must be borne in mind when media types are railing against summer football, that they have a vested interest in preventing it. Which in itself highlights another weak aspect of our game, the fear of the media. It's easy for me to type 'we must be bullish!' but that is whats needed. If someone at a paper wants to write something criticial, let them! there's no need to go on every media platform to discuss it...dignified silence, backed up with results on the pitch, would be the best riposte. An example: I found myself in a supermarket carpark on Saturday afternoon, after the football, and despite myself listened to some of the awful 'Your Call' show (well, my kids won't let me have 'Jazz Record Requests' from Radio 3 on in the car). Someone phoned in with an ambitious and well thought out suggestion which would see all training facilities pooled between regional clubs, and players produced allocated in the American collegiate system. Dismissed! None of your forward thinking, boy. Such a proposal would draw howls of protest from those who have invested already (such as Rangers) but the way around the problem is not that hard - there could be a levy for a period of years until an agreed sum is recouped by Rangers, or whoever, or else a rental fee could be charged continuously. It doesn't take a genius to work these things out, but it will take someone with the football nous of Rino Gattuso and the hide of a rhinoceros. Which is the main stumbling block I can see. Who will be the man? I thought Gordon Smith woud drive our football forward, but whether through his own failings, the system hampering him or whether I was just too optimistic, it didn't happen. Who will be the man who can achieve what would be a mammoth task against so many vested interests? If there's such a fellow currently active within the game, professionally, in the media or on the terraces, I haven't seen them. Without such a "Mandela" figure I just can't see how we will drive past the many roadblocks in the path of progress, which is a sobering and depressing thought to finish on. Perhaps we ought to be looking outwith the game for the man we need. Again we see how the conservative ethos, so firmly entrenched in the game, is a drawback - it's always the usual suspects whose names are put forward when a task like this is mentioned. Campbell Ogilivie, Henry McLeish, whoever is sports minister, blah blah blah. If we were to think outwith the box and come up with somone (completely at random) like Richard Branson or Stelios Haji-Ioannou, people who would be unwilling to take 'I shall refer that to the General Purposes' committie for an answer and who would, crucially, be given carte blanche to deliver, we may see some results. I fear, though, that that is a pious hope. Scottish football (indeed, Scotland's) inbuild leaning toward small c conservatism will continue to hold us back.
  12. With the season well and truly wrapped up, is now not the time for us to examine the role of Alistair Johnston, Martin Bain and Donald Muir (the enemy within) on the Rangers board? Clearly, there have been many who have been adament that he could not be trusted and as every single transfer window has approached, warnings of Muir-backed firesales have been stated as virtual fact only to fail to come into fruition time and time again, seemingly due to the heroics of Bain and AJ Looking back retrospectively, and baring in mind I held up a banner in protest at Muir 5 rows behind him, I think it would be a worthwhile idea discussing Muir in particular, but obviously appraising the board as a whole is something we should be doing too. More importantly, discussing what their objectives were, how succesful they were and also, how they've managed to marry his fiscal responsibilities as a business fixer with continued success on the park. The positives: Back to back SPL titles all be it he was only on board for the most recent one, wagebill cut to 10-15 year low, virtually no 'wastes of a wage' left in the squad. The negatives: The squad is wafer thin, the amenities within the stadium have been shambolic (big screens, catering, condiments etc, paintwork of the kiosks) potential loss of several out of contract players due to the length of time taken to amend bank business plan, takeover yet to be complete. Interested in input from all-comers here. Is it possible to praise Bain and AJ yet slam Muir at the same time? Obvious King and McGill are in there as well so all is up for discussion.
  13. from RM reiterating what we always knew here. Serious question....what exactly was Smith up to and why, was he spittin the dummy because Muir was advising against giving him to much money to waste, or was he firing bullets for another takeover faction, whatever it was Smith owes Donald Muir an apology at the very least and the supporters an insight into his allegations. It's the evening of Saturday the 13th of February 2010. Placards are being readied; banners are being kept under lock and key, their contents a matter of whisper. Flurries of internet activity, text messages and phone calls being exchanged on an hourly basis, the preparations are nearing completion. A section of the Rangers support was ready to protest. The night before the day when lovers the world over are preparing to reach their arms around their significant others and remind themselves of the affection and love they have in their shared bond. In the world of Rangers, it was the eve of one of the most important games in the 2009/10 season. The midweek before, we had endured a stuffy draw with Motherwell leaving the supporters frustrated at not being able to capitalise on the hapless and deteriorating performances of Tony Mowbray's Celtic. Come Saturday however, Celtic drew with Aberdeen in an epic eight goal encounter leaving Rangers with the impetus to beat Hibs on Sunday and surge the club to a ten point lead over our greatest rivals and potentially onward toward a second successive league title. Purely on the football pitch, Valentine's Day was to be a pivotal moment in the season; however, this was also being echoed off the pitch amongst supporters and the tone was certainly not of free love blowing through the Govan air. Ever since the turn of the year there had been speculation brewing from many different quarters about the financial circumstance that Rangers was perceived to be in - swimming against a tide of debt, facing a future stripped to a skeleton. Forty days to find a buyer or face an existence on par with St Mirren was the whisper that became the 'news'. Troublesome noises were reverberating from a Scottish media with a taste of blood in their mouths; threads and articles were being scrawled with haste from commercially run forums acting as judge, jury and executioner, cynically you could say to profit from advertising hits; 'fan chiefs' were popping up on the radio to offer their views on the turmoil yet, the default position adopted by almost all Rangers fans was one of bewilderment and a genuine thirst to just be told the truth. Rangers were being portrayed by both friend and foe as a pauper on the street corner, crippled by financial pressures being ramped up by Lloyds Bank, waiting for its remaining possessions to be stripped almost personally by the devil incarnate; the so called "enemy within", Donald Muir. Donald Muir was appointed to the Rangers board without much fanfare in October 2009 and introduced as having "more than 25 years' experience of strategy implementation and business transformation activity internationally in a variety of industry sectors". He has a bulletproof reputation in the city as a turnaround specialist and therefore he undoubtedly had the confidence of the bank to make a positive impact on the club. He was brought in by Sir David Murray who at the time was subject to mounting rumours of a badly recession-hit MIH; however we were told publicly that he was not appointed by the bank and does not get paid by them. But of course that doesn't stop conjecture and speculation - after all, never let the facts get in the way of a good story. I digress; let's get back to the narrative. So there we stood in the few days running towards the weekend of Valentines day; staring into the void of uncertainty and muddied waters - with rumour of financial meltdown aided and abetted Lloyds with Muir cast as the treacherous puppet master. Pressures were being ramped up by media sources across the country through a number of mediums. Some of the Rangers support decided to get proactive. Tired of waiting for answers, a group of fans decided to get out there and make things happen for themselves and by proxy, for everyone else. A protest was hastily arranged. Despite reported investment, public relations at Rangers has been poor for a long time, there's no doubt about it. In many respects, the Rangers' Board deserved the Protest that was hashed together first over the internet and then by a thrown together steering committee with bears from different walks. Had there been a bit more involvement of the support, a bit more openness, a bit more clarity from the club, there would have been no need for the support to seek answers through these pound the street means, as these, to me at least, have always whiffed of the unwashed. The spreading wings of the protest could have been clipped with ease however, nipped at the bud. Our incumbent Chairman could have done the type of televised interview that our former Chairman was sometimes so adept at when it came to the crunch and he decided to pull his head above the parapet. But that didn't come. Johnston is the strong silent type and is almost always straight down the middle. Even a dampening official press release would have put some minds at rest. But that didn't come either. So the supporters decided that they had no other option but to take to the streets. However, somewhere along the line the plans for the protest became distorted, a machine gun style quest for answers from everyone, someone, became more focussed and Muir became the target once again for many. One of the Rangers forums going as far as to invoke a filter making the phrase "enemy within" automatically appear whenever his name was typed - their eggs were placed firmly in their basket on this issue. Message boards were awash with arguments about the motivation of the protest. Some arguments carried old baggage, yet most inquisitive minds just wanted clarity about what exactly the protest was aimed at, never mind what was going on at the club. Petty swiping became prevalent; with different 'camps' emerging with people who were for a protest and some that felt it was unnecessary. One the eve of the protest these camps were at a standstill, the protest was to carry on regardless, as was their prerogative and the people who thought it unnecessary got on with preparing to head to Ibrox to support the team as they did week in week out. However, it was at this precise juncture that two articles appeared on this website. One entitled "Rangers Protests ââ?¬â?? Donald Muir, the Saviour Within?" and another given the title "State of the Rangers - This is the truth, the whole truth, & nothing but the truth". In all honesty, the protest went largely un-noticed, all the bluster soon was yesterdays news; a damp squib with some predictable and pointless banners alongside some genuine and impassioned requests for clarity. One thing that did happen was that the authors of both of the aforementioned articles were immediately given treatment by fellow Rangers supporters that Muir had became accustomed to ââ?¬â?? their characters being sniped at from faceless internet assassins whose identities, allegiances and motivations were easily unmasked from behind their monikers. The "State of the Rangers" article contained the assertions of one of the staff members of this site and the information obtained was completely contradictory to the narrative that had been pushed by the media and by some factions of the dissenting Rangers support. In summary, this article pointed to the following bullet points of information: ââ?¬Â¢ Rangers will not be downsized next season and the bank doesn't run Rangers. There is a business plan agreed and the bank will be serviced with a repayment of Ã?£1 million per year towards reducing the debt ââ?¬Â¢ The budget for player's salaries will be the same next season as it is this season. ââ?¬Â¢ Contract offers have been made to Boyd, Novo & Broadfoot and, if they wanted to, they could sign them tomorrow. ââ?¬Â¢ If Rangers win the league and therefore qualify for the Champions League there will be a budget for the manager to strengthen the squad, but at the moment he cannot buy players until he sells to keep in line with the business plan. If we take a cursory look at the statements made in the press recently by Alastair Johnston, Martin Bain and Walter Smith since the end of this season - every one of these four key assertions has came to fruition. In fact, it reads much like a summary of the news that has came from the club in recent weeks. The million pound repayment was not news to some at the writing of the article as it had been outlined in the end of year accounts a matter of months before. The bank were, and still are, satisfied with this agreement; the doubts that this was not the case and that the bank were going to call in all the debt at once was only ever a rumour - hearsay designed to cause mischief and to worry our support when the facts of the matter were there for everyone to see. What of the budget for next season? Well an exact figure has not been outlined, presumably as there is no such thing as a fixed budget for Smith to work from. It's all relative - spend more on wages and new contracts, have less for transfer fee's and visa versa - common sense really. But in terms of a ballpark figure, Ã?£5 million seems to be the universally agreed banding that Bain and Johnston confirmed which is based on a percentage of the guaranteed Champions League monies. As predicted. For clarity; "We have agreed with Lloyds that we can spend some of the Champions League income and we also hope to maintain wage levels as they currently stand and reinvest any transfer proceeds that we might have." Martin Bain (26/05/10)
  14. Manchester United's owners are �£1.1bn in debt - �£400m more than previously known - after borrowing extensively against their shopping mall business. BBC Panorama has found evidence that the Glazer family's debt levels may threaten their hold on the club. A spokesman for the American family has said it holds more than �£2bn in assets. But the extent of the debt owed by the Glazers is likely to fuel a continuing revolt by some supporters, who oppose their ownership of the club. Green and gold Details of the financial arrangements of the owners also come at a time when the sport's governing bodies are facing questions about Premier League debts that have reached a combined total of �£3.4bn and the growing popularity of leveraged buyouts in English clubs. Continue reading the main story These are people who tell us not to worry about Manchester United debt because they are great businessmen. In their core business in the US they got it absolutely wrong Andy Green City Analyst and Man U supporter Mortgage documents seen by the BBC show that the Glazers have borrowed �£388m ($570m) against shopping malls and �£66m ($95m) against their American National Football League team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In addition to their mortgages in the US, a portion of the Glazer family's �£700m Manchester United debt will soon see them charged interest at a rate of 16.25%. Fans fear that, despite the club's record of success on the pitch, the Glazers' leveraged buy-out of United has saddled the club with debt and that may mean that there is no spare money in the future to buy a new generation of star players. Disappointed fans have launched the "green and gold" campaign that resurrects the original team colours in protest over the Glazers' ownership. Their numbers have reached 158,000 and former United star David Beckham has signalled his support. They point to the �£80m sale of star striker Cristiano Ronaldo last year and note that he has not been replaced by a player of similar quality. Yet ticket prices have gone up by more than a third. The club's management denies any lack of commitment to buying new talent and says that cash is available for Sir Alex Ferguson to buy players. Negative equity City analyst Andy Green, 37, is the disgruntled Manchester United supporter who first uncovered the extent of the Glazers' debts. Mr Green said: "They borrowed more money at inflated valuations right at the top of the cycle. "These are people who tell us not to worry about Manchester United debt because they are great businessmen. In their core business in the US they got it absolutely wrong." Man U's Nani The Glazers have defended their ownership of the team The debt levels at the club are also drawing the attention of other prominent football figures. Dave Whelan, Chairman of Wigan Athletic, told Panorama: "I don't think anybody can be satisfied with how Manchester United are being run... they have got somewhere in the order of three-quarters of a billion pounds worth of debt. That has got to be eliminated and eliminated quickly." The Glazer family's main assets are the shopping centre business in America, First Allied Corporation, along with Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. First Allied is a private business and its accounts are not publicly available. But Mr Green discovered that the Glazers' shopping mall mortgages had been bundled with other loans as Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities. Those bundles are publicly traded and therefore require the Glazers to provide detailed information on all the mortgages, which are then publicly available in the US. Mr Green found mortgages - confirmed by the BBC - on 63 of 64 First Allied shopping centres, totalling �£388m ($570m). Most of those were taken out with Lehman Brothers before the US investment banking giant went bankrupt, triggering the global banking crisis in 2008. 'Watch list' While Lehmans collapsed, the Glazers' mortgage debt lived on and many of those shopping centres are not generating enough income to keep up with interest payments. With falling commercial property values, many are also now in negative equity. Banks have put 28 of the shopping centres on a watch list, meaning they are worried about the loans. Four shopping centres - one each in Ohio, New Mexico, Texas and Georgia - have already gone bankrupt. When they bought Manchester United in 2005, the Glazer family borrowed �£500m and paid the remaining �£272 million in cash. Mr Green found that the Glazers had remortgaged 25 of their shopping centres in the six months before the takeover. He believes the family borrowed against their US properties to pay for United: "At the time when they had to present a huge amount of cash over here in the UK they borrowed a huge amount of extra money in the US and publicly they didn't buy anything else that year." A spokesman for the family did not respond to questions about the mortgages taken out by First Allied. But with properties now worth about �£380m ($550m) but mortgages valued at �£395m ($570m), the shopping mall company now appears to be worth next to nothing. 'Commercial expertise' That financial picture has analyst Mr Green questioning how the Glazers will service their �£1.1bn debt. A green and gold supporter sells scarves Fans are wearing green and gold in protest over the Glazers' ownership United chief executive, David Gill, has said: "We're very confident the business model we have in place will ensure the club can continue to compete at the top of football for many years to come. "The owners have been true to their word since they took over the club in 2005. They've brought commercial expertise and commercial benefit to us in a numbers of areas, and we've seen our revenues grow significantly." The Glazers' most troublesome debts are held by Red Football, the parent company that owns Manchester United. They are payment in kind loans, or PIKs, worth �£200m and the interest owing on them will soon rise to 16.25%. Mr Gill told the BBC in January: "We don't worry about the PIK repayment. That's nothing to with the club." A spokesman for Manchester United told the BBC last week that the club stands behind Mr Gill's assertion that the debts will be repaid without involving the club. But sources close to the Glazers have confirmed that Red Football may use cash from Manchester United to pay off the PIKs in the future. The Glazers are said to be "comfortable" with the PIKs. The situation at Manchester United reflects the wider issue within the Premier League, where clubs like Liverpool and West Ham are struggling with huge debts and FA Cup finalists Portsmouth barely staved off bankruptcy. Both the Premier League and the FA declined requests for interviews on the subject of debt in football. Panorama: Man United - Into the Red, BBC One, Tuesday, 8 June at 2235BST and then available on the BBC iPlayer . http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10237268.stm
  15. Found this Do The Bouncy article and thought it might be worth posting for those that don't go on Newsnow.
  16. It isn't often Chinese military treatises can be applied to Scottish football but Tzu's famous 6th century book 'The Art of War' certainly seems to be being read by a variety of people when it comes to a few important issues - be it the political influence vacancies at the Scottish Football Association or those vying for the ownership of Rangers in recent months. Obviously the former is interesting in itself but we'll concentrate on the latter subject for this article. Military strategy then? How can that possibly be relevant to the Rangers ownership debate? Well, the metaphor for this piece is a simple one but a cursory look at each chronicle in 'The Art of War' shows there is arguably a distinct pattern being followed by those involved - be it 'Laying Plans', 'Illusion and Reality' and 'The Use of Intelligence' or any other of the well known chapters in the book. Indeed, one could be forgiven the master of illusion himself Sir David Murray will have a well-thumbed copy in his personal library. All joking aside though there is a serious aspect to this. The future of our club is a subject none of us can laugh about and the ownership battle being waged is one that should concern us all. For the last six months especially, this issue has gained incredible momentum - from front page, heavy gauge headlines; to petty arguments across the online community. The only consistency is that many of the relevant people appear to be inconsistent. The 'preferred' bidder seems to change on a week-by-week basis, excuses are made depending on the individual, characters are blighted if subtle differences are found, misinformation is released to create mischief, different media are used by different parties - all tactics which could be taken from Tzu. Just how do we believe then in this apparent propaganda war? Do we believe the unofficial blog-writer who is uncertain of his information and loyal to his selected website? Do we believe the journalists who have their next wage rise to protect based on 'exclusives'? Do we believe fan representatives who appear closer to one bid than the other? Do we believe the club who need our season ticket money? Do we believe the potential owner trying to save several million pounds via the use of whatever means possible? Is there no-one with a vested interest in all of this? One way not to be on the losing side means perhaps it is best to question all parties - with a vacuum of credible information one of the few facts in this debate. After all no-one seems to know the plans of any of the parties as it stands. Non-Rangers fans like a Duffy or an Ellis may have their money banked off-shore and their business history criticised but are they any worse candidates than the Rangers fans who have their assets in limbo or those who may wish to release private club challenges through endorsed journalists. How can we be certain any of these people are acting on our (or our club's) behalf? Does being a Rangers fan automatically mean they deserve our immediate trust? How can we be sure an outsider understands how important our club is to us all? How can we be expected to answer such vital questions? There is a war going on for our club and every time you or I open a newspaper, read a forum or consult our peers; we're soldiers in it. An easy example of this is where fan groups back protest and wave such banners without even saying why they do so. We even have the ridiculous situation of lone bank shareholders asking valid questions at the front-line of the Lloyds AGM while those 'officers' who criticise hide in their chosen newspaper bunker! Fortunately none of us will be sacrificed for our part but neither should we under-estimate how important we are to the success of any buy out - and, of course, the club's future. To that end, some of us have been consistent in our message to all involved. We demand clarity, we expect leadership and we seek honesty. Without those virtues any of the relevant parties lack the mandate to own our club and assume our interests. Who will be the first to step forward and show they deserve our support? Who will win the war for Rangers?
  17. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266:rangers-fans-to-protest-at-lloyds-bank-agm&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67 After previous protests against the influence of Lloyds Bank - via shareholder votes against the election of Rangers Director Donald Muir and protests at Ibrox earlier this year - it seems the banking issue is one again on the agenda for Rangers supporters. As coincidence would have it, the Lloyds Banking Group - who this week reported an unexpected surge in profits since being bailed out by the tax-payer - have their AGM next week in Edinburgh. Whilst Rangers fans cannot gain entry to the event, a protest outside the Edinburgh International Conference Centre may take place as the AGM is held next Thursday at 11am. Once again Gersnet asks, would you take part in such a protest?
  18. Motherwell are considering protesting to the SPL over their final allocation of league fixtures. More...
  19. It seems the BHEASTS are planning some sort of protest :sleep: Topic Started: 26 Mar 2010, 12:19 PM (4,677 Views) Auldyin 26 Mar 2010, 12:19 PM Post #1 Member Avatar Getting on a bit [ * * * * * * * * * * ] Posts: 4,390 Group: Snr. Member Member #9,220 Joined: 2 July 2007 The message in green was taken from the Celtic Supporters Association web site. It was posted by The General Secretary a couple of days ago and what has changed since then makes it even more important we get behind Neil Lennon and the team on Saturday and thereafter to demonstrate our support. Now we have Neil Lennon in charge you would expect a bit more bite to our play so lets make sure the man in charge (Dougie McDonald) is in no doubt that we know him for what he is. As the post says this is a two fingered salute from the SFA to Celtic and the support need to organise a response not just for Saturday but a campaign until things change. The question is will we? This sounds like a rallying call to me, please pass it on. I sincerely hope that the Celtic support give Dougie Mc Donald the reception he so richly deserves on Saturday; a warm welcome should also be extended to assistant referee John Gilmour who infamously waved his flag to deny Motherwell a goal that would have put them two-nil up against the Evil Empire recently. This is a clear message from the SFA to tell Celtic that you can complain all you want, but there will be no change, and we will decide what happens within Scottish Football. They have decided against having a fair and transparent policy within the Scottish game, a game that is on itââ?¬â?¢s last legs, and depends heavily on the financial input of the Celtic support, they obviously believe that the game in Scotland needs a strong and successful Rangers team far more than it needs honesty and integrity. This is not a new phenomenon; this has been the case in all the years that I have followed Celtic Football Club. You could go back to the days when Bob Kelly stood firm against a demand to remove the Irish Tri-Colour from Celtic Park; or we could point to Jim Farry holding up Jorge Cadeteââ?¬â?¢s registration, a case that proved conclusively that there was institutionalised bias against Celtic. We could also look at the treatment of Celtic players, how many Scottish Caps did the Lisbon Lions accrue for instance? If that team had played in England every one of them including the Manager would have received a Knighthood, maybe that was a blessing in disguise. So what do we as fans do about it? We canââ?¬â?¢t keep rolling over, Iââ?¬â?¢ve never been one of these turn the other cheek type people, I believe in fighting for what is right, Terence Mac Swiney the famous Lord Mayor of Cork who died on hunger strike said ââ?¬Å?It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most who will conquerââ?¬Â by that he didnââ?¬â?¢t mean we were just to keep accepting what was thrown at us, what he meant was no matter how much you do to us we will overcome and prevail, and Iââ?¬â?¢m not trying to compare what was faced by the Irish people to what is facing us as Celtic fans. I think Saturday v Killie probably comes too soon to have a properly organised demonstration by the fans against Mc Donald and his assistants, and obviously their employers at the SFA/SPL, but Iââ?¬â?¢m sure a spontaneous reaction from the fans will suffice in the meantime. The most important demonstration must come at the next match against the Forces of Darkness, it must be both visual and vocal, and it must come from all sections of the stadium with the obvious exception of one corner where Scotland Shame will be standing, there are people much more experienced and capable than me who can organise this type of show, the Junglebhoys and Green Brigade for a start, all I am doing here is offering my support and calling on all fans to do the same, I would be happy to meet with anyone who can help, this must be just the first action in a collective campaign of support of our team, there are lots of very smart Celtic fans out there, and each and everyone of us has a part to play; no matter how trivial it may seem. I am sure that if we can stand together we can succeed in our drive to be treated fairly and justly within the Scottish game, while we are still part of it that is. Keep the Faith.
  20. Took almost 2 years for the fans to chant his name - I don't Johnstone ever had his name chanted iirc. When Kenny Miller was on our radar far back as Spring 2008, well, we were all gutted weren't we? We all filled our heads with despair, that Walter and Ally had 'lost the plot', yours truly writing at the time that this was one of the biggest gambles of Smith's career. The day I saw Miller on our club's website in a Rangers jersey was a day which will stay with me. I was filled with horror, that this turncoat sub-par player was going to adorn our light blue. His club career had been littered with fairly average returns, with no period really standing out as good - Wolves, Derby, ourselves, and of course that lot over there had seen mediocrity with only the most sparing purple patch. I had a builder up, a fellow bear, and I mentioned to him my disgust at this signing - his reply was 'when's he been at his best?'. Answer? Scotland. Under the management of Walter Smith and Ally McCoist. I really didn't have a strong argument in protest - my feelings remained the same but he had a point and my mind was minorly open to Miller now. On Sunday he showed yet again why he's been one of the best signings Walter's ever made. He might not do it in every game, he might at times lose form (ok, *does* at times lose form) and occasionally his first touch is worse than Weir's punting. But he has never ever hidden, always works hard, has the stamina of a horse, and is 100% committed to the club he plays for. And when it really counted, and counts, he's produced the big moments on the big stage. Naismith's cross was fantastic, as was his run, but from that distance, getting a header as perfect as that took skill, guts, and sheer quality - and that's what Miller can be. Walter Smith and Ally McCoist get the best out of him, and truly now, having heard the fans chant his name, I hope he finally feels accepted. I got over myself by about October 2008 - looks like many of the rest of us are now finally following suit. There really is only one Kenny Miller and I am very, very glad I was so wrong about him.
  21. After the farce that the Muir subject developed into, more an inter forum star wars than resemblance to any discussion, has anyone or any of the high heid yins of the various forums thought or attempted to get a statement from the organ grinder. Murray as custodian of the club could if he so desired clarify matters, I am aware that there are those among us who are ever sceptical of Murray's utterances, but at this juncture his input may be more of a help than a hindrance. Smith should also be given the opportunity to reiterate or retract his statement about the club being run by the bank, Muir appears to be a convenient whipping boy at this stage, a sop for those perhaps not wishing to question Murray or Smith, for whatever reasons. An approach by ALL admin of all Rangers forum for a statement from our owner will either be successful or it wont, if not people are more than entitled to ask questions and look for the answers as they see fit, be it by protest or petition or any other legitimate means, but the man at the top must be given the opportunity to clarify matters, if he has not already been requested to do so.
  22. It has been announced that a group of Rangers fans - backed by all official fan groups and all unofficial fansites in the online community (including Gersnet) - are to hold a peaceful protest within Ibrox Stadium this Sunday. You can read the statement released by the group below.
  23. As a naive one-forum contributor and observer of stuff I must say I find the whole protest issue incomprehensible. I only have a similar level of incomprehension and skepticism at election time - each party deconstructs the other by ascribing them dubious motives. The pro-protest people are working for the anonymous consortium say one, and the anti-protest people are working for the club, says the other. The effect of this electioneering style ethic is that its hard to listen to what either side actually says because their respective wells have been poisoned with plausible sounding allegations. The overarching question is ultimately who does this divided distrustful state suit? The answer is always that division suits the status quo - the very status quo all parties agree is unacceptable. The only solution is, as it always has been, for all parties - the club, the fans involved, and any potential consortium - to speak openly and honestly and let good sense prevail. Too much to hope for?
  24. VIDEO - http://tinyurl.com/ykarjxs Let your voice be heard. On Sunday the 14th of February we play Hibs at home with a 1.30pm kick off. We shall be handing out leaflets and posters before the game. We will also be holding a protest inside the ground to show our disgust at the way the bank is trying to hold the club and the fans to ransom. The protest will come in the tried, tested and successful shape of banners inside the ground aimed at those who are currently dragging us through the mire. A protest inside the ground shall have the biggest and best visual impact with regards to getting the message across and with the Sky TV cameras being there, we shall gain even more coverage. We need volunteers to distribute the flyers. We need volunteers to help us into the ground with the banners. We need each and everyone of you to get this message across. We need you to donate any sum you can towards the making of the banners (we have a Bluenose in the trade who can print these in plenty of time for the 14th of February) Donations shall be received through PayPal and a link shall follow. Any surplus will go to a good cause. http://tinyurl.com/LloydsProtestBanner Let's make it clear and concise. WORDS OF WISDOM FROM WALTER "I think you need to be blind to think we don't have a problem that for a team of our standing we should not have and my concern is that that will continue. "We are only left to do what we have to do on the pitch and try as hard as we can and we are doing that. "For whatever faults we all have, from myself all the way down through the players, they don't lack a desire to try as hard as they can to win the game and they are managing to do that. "We are delighted to be in the final, but anybody who thinks it is going to get better in the summer is deluding themselves." - Walter Smith Let's make it happen. BEARSPROTEST@YMAIL.COM Support the Facebook Anti-Lloyds page - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=...d=257485890255 Please distribute as and where you see fit. We need to pull together on this one.
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