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Champions League run. Reaching the final of the UEFA cup. The associated attendance money, television income, advertising revenues, merchandising sales, etc, etc. There was even the sale of homegrown Alan Hutton to Spurs. There have been many opinions - played down by Murray, played up by the media. But surely the net income from last season must have been considerable. So where is the payback from success? Why are we no more able to strengthen our squad this summer than we were this time last year? If it was important to take a punt at success last year, what is different this time around? You can speculate all you like about whether this signing is worthwhile or that one is a waste of time. You can even voice opinion on whether we actually need a whole team full of forwards. What is less easy to understand is why the proceeds of success don't seem to have influenced future quality on the field of play.

Thought we may aswel stick this in here too. Liverpool reported to be ready to bid �£12m for Stewart Downing from Boro. IF this came off I think he would be a great signing. Liverpool need more quality in a few areas. Up fron they are ok, I like Kuyt in his new RM role, Gerrard obviously a lynch pin. Carrageher is outstanding, Babel looks a player. I'd say Downing would bring a lot to that team, but they possibly still need 2 or 3 more world class players......Villa would be a great start

He obviously has not had us spied on yet. Penalties anyone?

Och it is only a Friendly.

How many will McGregor have had by now.

Im mainly getting at players here. There have been plenty of players who have had a great season with us but as soon as their performance drops they are wanted out the door. The latest player to likened to this is Hemdani. He was very good in 06/07 but because he had one average season last year people think he should be surplus to requirements. This actually bugs me quite a lot and shows fans wont give players 2nd chances to get their top form back and the fact they have quality goes out the door. I wonder what would happen if Cuellar has a few bad games at this start of this season. He will go from being a hero to having the boo boys on his back in no time. Yet look how much he is worshipped at the moment!! Fans dont actually know whats going on inside a players head. They could be suffering from depression, lack of confidence or any other problem, so it should be up to the other players, staff, management and fans to get behind that player. Its the same on reverse. Average players are not liked until the give outstanding form - Hutton and McGregor come to mind here. Obviously we dont have hindsight and dont realise potential like Arsene Wenger can but there is no excuse when it is the other way round with a player going from good to poor form.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=657&Itemid=1 After Kenny Millerââ?¬â?¢s debut for his much debated second spell at Rangers, I think itââ?¬â?¢s time for an objective look at what this controversial signing really brings to the table. First off, I donââ?¬â?¢t blame any Rangers fan for not welcoming this player with open arms to our club. In todayââ?¬â?¢s financial climate, Ã?£2million is a lot of money for any player ââ?¬â?? not least one who failed in his first spell and has hardly shown throughout his career to be the kind of genuine quality player the club talked about bringing in over the summer. Add in his ridiculous chest-beating antics after scoring against us at Celtic then his signing was never going to be popular. After impressing at Hibs and winning the ââ?¬Ë?Young Player of the Yearââ?¬â?¢ award in 1999/2000, like many a player before and after him, Miller made the journey along the M8 to sign for Rangers. As he will again later this month, he made his competitive debut at Ibrox against Kaunas and went on to spend 18 months at the club. During that time he actually had some decent games which reflected his potential ââ?¬â?? goals against Monaco in the CL and the 5 goal spree against St Mirren the highlights of his one full season in his first spell at the club. He also played an important part in wins against other teams (including the 5-1 against Celtic) but in a season where the Dick Advocaat era imploded with various senior players (Konterman, Ricksen and Moore) all losing their discipline while the crazy signing of Tore Andre Flo relegated Miller to little less than a bit-part player after Xmas, Miller proved to be an easy scapegoat for the manager and the fans as the Oranje-era fell apart. Since then Millerââ?¬â?¢s career and goal-scoring record has been inconsistent due to a combination of injuries and manager fall-outs with regard to his best position and overall worth to the team. Millerââ?¬â?¢s previous with regard to being quick to run to the media certainly havenââ?¬â?¢t helped his reputation either. As such, itââ?¬â?¢s arguably at international level where heââ?¬â?¢s been most accepted by any fans. No-one can deny that Millerââ?¬â?¢s contribution in a reasonably resurgent Scotland side has been valuable. His industry, working of the channels and the odd goal has shown he can play a bit against decent opposition. His natural game is probably well suited to teams where the pressure of actually scoring goals and winning games isnââ?¬â?¢t of the level of the very best teams (domestic or international). The question remains: is he good enough for Rangers? As with any new signing that question isnââ?¬â?¢t easy to answer. At first glance his striker statistics ââ?¬â?? specifically goals scored ââ?¬â?? are hardly impressive. However, most fans will agree, itââ?¬â?¢s not really goals where Miller excels. His first touch is also poor, his finishing average and itââ?¬â?¢s only his work-rate that allows these flaws to be minimised. In saying that, Miller reads the game pretty well and shows decent awareness in possession also. All in all, heââ?¬â?¢s a difficult player to make an honest and accurate judgement on. Therefore, I think itââ?¬â?¢s fair to say the signing represents a more than moderate gamble by Walter Smith. Itââ?¬â?¢s this gamble that puzzles me though. Why take the risk on a player the fans were never going to accept initially? Smith did enough last season to allow the majority of fans to say his second spell in charge could help take Rangers back to the successes of his previous reign. Latter disappointments in the UEFA Cup Final (yes, thatââ?¬â?¢s final) and losing the league late on did temper that optimism somewhat though. As such the signing of Miller allowed the more sceptical of our fans more room to voice their negativity. And, to be fair, they have a point. So, when the season finally gets going: when the competitive games start; when the CL qualifier lottery begins; and when the SPL battle gets under-way; it wonââ?¬â?¢t just be Kenny Miller needing to persuade many fans that his second spell will be a success - Walter Smith will also have the jury out as well. Thus, was the signing of Kenny Miller a gamble worth taking? Or does it place needless extra pressure on a manager who may find that his legendary status amongst the Rangers support is brought into disrepute because of signing an average ex-Celtic player? The dice have been thrown.

I cannot wait to see this guy play for Arsenal. Another young quality player signs up for a few years. Nasri Talk of Wenger going for Huntelaar as replacement for Adebayor. That would be a good bit of business too.

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/06/26/manual_103242.html&TEAMHD=soccer Certainly sounds like an interesting signing given the quality of the teams also apparently previously interested.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=648&Itemid=1 After last weekââ?¬â?¢s playing staff report cards, itââ?¬â?¢s time to move onto some analysis of the management team. Walter Smith is certainly the main man here so, while Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall have played their part and deserve to share in any praise/criticism, Iââ?¬â?¢ll concentrate on Walter. First off, I think we have to give praise where praise is due. When Smith took over in January 2007, the club were struggling badly, hadnââ?¬â?¢t won a trophy in over 2 years and the dressing room appeared split under the disastrous Paul Le Guen reign. The new manager identified the immediate problems and via some important signings begun the task of re-building. When he took over Smith was always at pains to say this would take time. He wanted to make the team difficult to beat first and foremost then move forward from there. In the latter part of season 2006/07, he did that ââ?¬â?? beating Celtic twice ââ?¬â?? and generally giving the fans something to buy into last summer. Further investment in the playing squad to the tune of Ã?£12million meant the chairman was also buying into this second Smith tenure in a way he didnââ?¬â?¢t with Le Guen. The signings Smith did make were greeted with conservativeness by the bulk of the support. Thomson and Weir (who arrived in January), followed by Beasley, Darcheville, Cousin, Gow, Broadfoot, Carroll, Whittaker, McCulloch, Cuellar and Naismith were interesting signings but none really captured the imagination of the support. Nonetheless, a large number of players did come in and the squad did look an improved one ââ?¬â?? if lacking in an immediate sense of excitement. The season started well. Championsââ?¬â?¢ League Group Stage qualification secured meant the risky financial gamble on MIH revolving credit facilities had been a successful one. A strengthening title bid and a decent CL campaign resulting in European football after Xmas suggested the club was back on the right track. What would 2008 bring? The answer was a European run none of us would have dreamt of, followed by the kind of disappointment that means the fans are once again nursing their depression during the close season. The Scottish Cup and CIS Cup wins were scarce reward for a roller-coaster season. Is our depression warranted then or should we concentrate on the positives ââ?¬â?? difficult as it may be after such a mentally exhausting season? A bit of both is how Iââ?¬â?¢d like to approach Smithsââ?¬â?¢ rating. Letââ?¬â?¢s concentrate on the negatives first. Despite the obvious problems with fixture congestion in the latter part of the season, it was a crushing blow to not win the SPL title. To lose a ten point lead in little over 6 weeks is unacceptable and Walter Smith must share responsibility for that. His inconsistent approach to team selection, personnel rotation and an overly defensive playing style meant while we were securing fine results in Europe, at home we could barely beat teams home or away. Quite simply because we were so defensive in Europe, we couldnââ?¬â?¢t switch to a more attacking frame of mind domestically when required. This resulted in the dropping of points which was unsustainable if we were to win the league. Essentially, as we did in Europe, Smith tried to defend his SPL lead as opposed to develop it via a fresh approach in terms of players and system on return from our UEFA Cup duties. Add in doubtful loyalty to under-performing players such as Broadfoot, Ferguson, McCulloch and Cousin then we had a team that was stumbling from game to game as opposed to striding through them. The style of play was bland, uninspiring, easy for opposition teams to play against and generally not good enough. Walter Smith canââ?¬â?¢t take the sole blame for losing the title thereafter but neither can he hide from it. What was obvious as the season went on was the distinct lack of creativity quality in the side. Injuries to our creative players (Beasley, Naismith and Burke) meant our direct style would be the norm despite indications earlier in the season that we could play attractive attacking football. Some fans advocated the return of Buffel or the introduction of Gow, Furman or Fleck to bring back some flair to the side but the fleeting glimpse in the less important games was our lot. We paid with this absence of a creative edge with the loss of the title. Of course there are mitigating reasons for Smithââ?¬â?¢s reluctance to be flexible. The number of games was unprecedented and unexpected. The fringe players available were hardly match-sharp, reliable or experienced. Changing the system too often could result in even more problems. We were still getting some positive results so why drop players? All these points are valid and should be considered when one questions the manager. We can also add in all the positives from the campaign. There are manyââ?¬Â¦. Walter Smith takes a lot of criticism for not being the type of manager who bloods younger players. I think that last season blew that theory out of the water. While we may not be playing the real youth per se - guys all 24 or under have formed the bulk of the team for large parts of the season. Broadfoot, Hutton, Davis, Whittaker, Thomson, Burke, Adam, Beasley and Naismith all played important parts in the squad while Smith also introduced Furman and Fleck into the first team. Even players like Cuellar, Papac and McGregor still have their best years ahead of them. The future of the squad is bright and Iââ?¬â?¢m confident that if a player is good enough, theyââ?¬â?¢ll play no matter their age. The next positive is one that has been missed in certain peopleââ?¬â?¢s haste to give our team the ridiculous anti-football label. Sure, at times we were too defensive and deserved criticism for that. However, every football team has to play to its strengths and our strength last season was our defence by far. Losing Alan Hutton and Alan McGregor reduced that effectiveness but the manner in which we defended in Europe is worthy of great praise. For many years people have wanted Scottish teams to be more mature, measured and intelligent in their approach to European matches and thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt we achieved that to a reasonable extent last season. Add in some of the impressive results we did have last season - wins against the French and German champions, wins against other first class European opposition, wins against Celtic and our domestic cup successes means Smith can deliver in key games. The platform is there. All in all, I think we have to be measured in our analysis of the manager last season. I certainly donââ?¬â?¢t blame anyone for being wary for the future. Many of us remember Smithââ?¬â?¢s stubbornness and loyalty causing friction in his first spell at the club. Smithââ?¬â?¢s sides will always be more workmanlike than glamorous. Will he really ask difficult questions of Sir David Murray to ensure the club move forward again? Can he recover from the loss of the SPL title? To conclude, Walter Smith has achieved what he set out to do 18 months ago. Rangers are a difficult side to beat and we are now winning things again. The next stage is now even more important. Smith must bring genuine quality back to the first XI. Yes, weââ?¬â?¢ll need a small turnover of squad players (hence Kenny Miller) but we still require 3 top level signings on top of that - another defender, a creative player (wide or central) and a striker. If Smith can provide those imperative additions to the team then perhaps some of the recent criticism of what was still a decent season will be tempered somewhat. If not, then I doubt many fans will tolerate another season of defensive route one play with no title at the end of it. Neither would I blame them. Thus, the jury remains out then. Itââ?¬â?¢s up to Walter to show us he is the man to take us forward. We should get behind him to ensure that does happen. Walter Smith - 7

What is WS transfer funds ?,if rumours are corrcect it's 10mill,if this is true then I don't think it's enough,how many quality players can we get for that ?.I really hope he gets more than than that to spend,we have had enough of signing mediocre players and I for one think the fans deserve to see some quality after too long watching average players pull on the Rangers FC jersey.I know our days of signing Laudrup,Gazza,Albertz and the likes are gone,and I also appreciate the fact that we need to keep our finances in order,but we have just had a financially successfull season and I think WS should be given a decent amount of money to bring the SPL title back home,also we the fans deserve a team worth watching and bragging about,especially so we can stick two fingers up to all the Rangers HATERS !!!!!!.Sir David Murray.................get yer finger oot and give WS some proper backing because WE ARE THE PEOPLE.

A long read but have fun... http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=645&Itemid=1 It’s cold and wet outside, the transfer rumours are starting up again and tennis/cricket seem to be taking over the sports bulletins – the football season must be over again! Let’s have a look over the season that, in Spring promised so much, but by last week delivered so little… Firstly, I think it’s important to say that last August, if we’d been told we’d qualify for the Champions’ League Group Stage, draw with Barcelona, beat Lyon 3-0 away, make it to the UEFA Cup Final, take the SPL title to the last day and win both domestic cups, I feel most bears would have been happy with that given the dearth of quality/success in recent years. Unfortunately, when one considers the way we threw away the chance to win the SPL title, our poor performance at home against Lyon and a pretty tame UEFA Final display, then that positive outlook starts to become a wee bit more unrealistic. Some will choose to point to fixture congestion, dubious game call-offs, key players becoming unavailable and/or numerous officiating mistakes but generally we have no-one to blame for not winning the league but ourselves. The season started brightly enough. We made several decent signings in the summer on a budget that we hadn’t seen for a long time. The jury was out on some of them but by early September after a faultless start in the league and CL Group Stage qualification secured, the signs were already there that we could provide a decent challenge to Celtic in the SPL while testing ourselves in the toughest club competition abroad. In contrast, the next two months actually foretold what would happen in 2008. September and October showed exactly the kind of inconsistency that would belatedly curtail our chances of league success. Defeats and draws against Hearts, Motherwell, Dundee Utd and Hibs suggested our squad wasn’t strong enough to compete in Europe while maintaining a high enough quality domestically. Was our league challenge already stuttering? Fortunately, we managed to improve our league form as the year closed while Celtic also struggled to match their reasonable CL form with domestic results. By Christmas we were top of the league again and on an unbeaten run that would cement our status as genuine challengers. Meanwhile, in Europe, we had lost our early advantage in our group by losing away to Stuttgart (DaMarcus Beasley injured for over 6 months as well) and eventually went out in disappointing fashion at home to Lyon – that game actually in some ways being decided by our striker’s late miss, just like what would happen in Manchester the following May. However, UEFA Cup qualification was a decent alternative and this gave us a few months to concentrate on the league. Our form improved in that regard and even although the impressive Alan Hutton had moved south to Spurs for a club record fee, the fans still felt confident we could regain the championship. After all, we wouldn’t do much in the UEFA Cup, would we? Yes, we could actually and soon the debate was what trophy we preferred to win or could we do the unthinkable and win a quadruple? Certainly, the initial signs were very positive – impressive, but unglamorous, wins against Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and Sporting Lisbon, coupled with important league wins against Celtic, Hibs and Hearts meant we were suddenly in a position none of us could have dreamed of just 6 months earlier. By early April, we were effectively 10 points clear in the league and in the semis of the UEFA and Scottish Cups! Of course doubts remained about whether or not we could cope with the punishing run of games that we now faced. Earlier in the season, we had already struggled badly to juggle our European commitments with league matches. Again, these cracks were starting to show with replays needed to beat Partick and Hibs in the Scottish Cup while we just managed to win the CIS Cup with a penalty win against Dundee Utd. Nonetheless, March had been a good month and April was upon us. Indeed, this was the month that would prove crucial in determining the league title. Two games away to Celtic, extra time needed in both cup competitions and an away game against a Dundee Utd team aggrieved by the league cup final loss the previous month amongst the difficult schedule. Two points dropped at Tannadice early in the month was the first sign that perhaps we were struggling. Our defence didn’t look as sound as it had previously and fan confidence took a hit. This was compounded by back-to-back losses away to Celtic in two games affected by some strange officiating decisions. Further pain was literally inflicted with injuries to Allan McGregor and Lee McCulloch in the first match while Chris Burke and Steven Naismith had also fallen in the Scottish Cup semi. Not only were Celtic back in the title hunt but our squad was stretched further, creative players almost non-existent and the SPL adding to our woes by refusing to extend the season. The writing was on the wall. Suffice to say May was little better. Our incredible run in the UEFA Cup was ruined by an impressive Zenit side in Manchester (not to mention the actions of a few thugs amongst a historic 200,000 fans who travelled down for the game). Meanwhile, two positive wins at home with superb backing from the real Rangers fans couldn’t precipitate enough confidence and energy (mental or physical it seemed) to catalyse the players into managing any further wins in the games that mattered. The league was gone, our UEFA Cup achievements seemed distant and the Scottish Cup win against a determined QoS outfit little consolation for our woes. It was easy to become depressed and react overly negatively to this extremely disappointing end to the season. However, I think it’s important to concentrate on the positives – even if the above wasn’t easy reading. [CONTINUED]

Just a wee thread for everyone to drop their thoughts and reflect on the season. Enough has been said about whether we blew the league, the SPL blew it for us or both. Im looking at it in 2 ways: 1) When Walter came in we were a mess and this seasons targets were to get in a position to challenge again. Big tick on that box. 2) Rangers should never have been in that situation anyway. Aswell as bringing in new faces, the main things Walter and Ally installed was fight, grit and never say die attitude with a bit of harmony - which should be at the club anyway! So maybe the quality has always been there! I really am looking at the league as our loss more than Celtics win and 1 which should have added to our world record. However if we go back to point 1 then this season has been a great season of progress. If we do the same next year then we should be champions. Therefore next season the league title is a MUST! Stage 1 was steady the ship - done! Stage 2 was get back to be challenging again - done! Stage 3 is win titles - next! There can be no excuses next season unless another club gets a multi million pound investment and signs world class players.

I am sick to the stomach at last nights outcome after the sheep put in there 2nd goal i had to leave the room as couldnt keep my composure any longer we gave it to the tims on a plate. Who is to blame the SPL who could not afford us 1 measley game off against Dundee Utd in fear of offending the Mopes in the east and the conspiritors. causing us to play an unamaginable amount of games in the shortest period of time , i tell you if the sock was on the other foot and timmy was in the same situation there would be cries from the rooftops too get games postponed. Walter Smith ??? We have heard enough about 4-5-1 but his indesicion on making subs during games drives me up the wall he leaves it far too late bringing them on. His persistance in playing D.Cousin - this guy is not a Ranger and does not deserve to pull on the jersey - get him shipped out asap. Sticking with the same team week in week out and not giving youth a chance. I think Walter and co have done a great job and is the right person for Rangers but he is not without his faults The Players. I cannot really fault our players as the games they have had to play must have been gruelling and energy sapping but not everyone gave 110% all the time chasing lost causes and winning 2nd balls, winning 50-50's apart from a select few Cuellar,Weir,Thomson,Novo,Fergie,JCD i thought the rest could have given more to the cause in the run in. I think it is a mixture of all of these , i will never forgive the SPL for this season they showed their colours well and true, all Rangers fans should boycott every away ground next season and hit them were it hurts IN THE POCKET see how the SPL like it then. Hopefully with a few quality signings this summer we will be back stronger next season and win the Title on our own terms. Bitterly Dissapointed but in a No Surrender frame of mind W.A.T.P

Have we blown the League title now after dropping more points , we are handing timmy this league on a plate. i am not happy with the we we are playing , walter leaves it too late to go and attack teams and get the 3 points. We must bring in some quality in the summer and ditch this 4-5-1 formation tonigjt is a must win , if we do not win by at least 3 goals clear i think its over as D.Utd wont try as hard against celtic after all the mccurry carry on and the sheep will play out of there skin against us as usual. We need 6 points on the board and a barrel load of goals to go with it but if we go 4-5-1 , will we get them i dont think so. Come on Rangers one last push for the Treble.

I hope the big man is correct!! Keeping a clean sheet in the first game could be what wins it for us.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=201&Itemid=1 Whether it is a wedding, a sportsman's dinner or simply just for work, the RST are delighted to announce the release of our new official tie. Designed by a local Glasgow firm we're sure our members will be eager to get their hands on this quality piece of merchandise - design below: You can order yours NOW by clicking the following link. Each tie costs �£12.50 with �£1 P&P no matter your location in the world! Buy yours securely via PayPal now! Please note you can also buy without postage costs in the RST Shop which is open on match-days within the Wee Rangers Club. Keep an eye on the website and your regular Trust emails for news of more exclusive merchandise. Our new online shop will be open in the next month!

There has been much speculation this season with a few EPL clubs supposedly jossling for the signatures of our top performers. Hutton was pushed out the door at gun point after spurs gave our chairman an offer he couldnt (or more to the point wouldnt) refuse and if you listen to the rumours there will be a few more tempting bids comming his way. So given the success of the new team this season can we expect walter to put his foot down and demand that his squad remain intact? should we the fans demand consistency through the squad in order to maintain a standard that will see us compete and challenge in every competition as we have this year? We have had a great season so far. All done will a squad built in a short space of time and you have to give credit to Walter and his staff for their efforts. But it will be all for nothing if we cant build on our successes. we have to retain the quality that we have in order to maintain any level of consistency and success in the future. If we dont we will end up stumbling from season to season hoping for the best. Walter has had a fantastic return on his buys this season. Every player that has featured in the squad this season has played his part, quite exceptional given the amount of players comming through the door, that wont happen every season though. And If we go down the road of selling the likes of Cuellar and Mcgregor everytime an EPL club flashes it check book we are doomed. We have to hold on to the likes of these players if we are to have any foundation for the new season . If we dont then we only have to look across the city at our inbred neighbours to see what happens if you neglect your squad and look after your bank balance instead.

STEVEN DAVIS is relishing the prospect of making his first trip to Parkhead as a Rangers player tonight and is desperate to make it two wins out of two against the club's greatest rivals. Steven DavisSteven made his Old Firm debut in the 1-0 win at Ibrox on March 29 and once again put in an industrious performance that Stuart McCall would have been proud of in his heyday. Having played in massive Premiership games with Aston Villa and Fulham and also come up against some of the world's best players on the international stage Davis has already proved that he thrives on the big stage. The 23-year-old has been outstanding in Rangers quadruple quest but admits that it does not get any bigger than playing against Celtic in the East End of Glasgow. Having watched his boyhood heroes in action at Parkhead on TV and get three points Steven hopes he can also achieve this and help Rangers get a victory which will take them one step closer to the championship. He said: "Old Firm games are always very tough game and there is a lot of importance on this one. Stecven Davis "If we can win it will put us in a great position but, on the other hand, if Celtic get three points they will get a massive lift. "So we all know what will be at stake going into the match but hopefully we can do the business on the night. "I got my first taste of an Old Firm game at Ibrox and it was a great feeling to come off the pitch at the end with a victory. The atmosphere at Ibrox was exactly what I expected. "I had watched the games on TV before and it was great to be involved in one. "Obviously I am now looking forward to going to Parkhead to play. "It will be hostile but I am sure that is something all our players will thrive on." Kevin Thomson was the Rangers hero when he scored a stunning goal to sink the Celts at the end of March and Davis would love nothing more than to hit the net tonight. Davis wins the ball from HartleyHis only goal in a Light Blue jersey so far came against Werder Bremen at Ibrox on March 6 but he is desperate to add to his tally as soon as possible. "Everybody dreams of scoring the winning goal in an Old Firm match, that would be unbelievable. "Thommo got the last one at Ibrox and I was delighted for him. It is unfortunate that he is now suspended this week. "But we have a lot of quality players in the squad and whoever is involved will be desperate to get a good result."

I'll give Rangers first chance to sign me, says loan star Steve Davis Apr 16 2008 By Colin Duncan RANGERS' hopes of making Steve Davis' switch from Fulham permanent were last night given a major boost. The midfielder revealed he will give the SPL leaders first crack at signing him. The Ulsterman has been a revelation at Ibrox since arriving from Craven Cottage on loan during the January window and has played an integral part in Rangers' push for four trophies this season. Now Ibrox boss Walter Smith has made keeping him his No.1 priority this summer. The 23-year-old is receptive to the idea of furthering his career north of the border if Fulham decide to let him go. But with Middlesbrough, Everton, Blackburn and Newcastle all chasing the �£4million-rated star Rangers might struggle to match the financial package on offer in the Premiership. Davis said: "The most important thing for me is to see this season through first. We are still involved in three competitions at the moment and that's what I need to focus on. "When the season finishes I will go away, have a break and hopefully sort out my future after that. What I can say is that I will listen to Rangers first. If they are an option then it's something I will consider. "I grew up a Rangers fan and I have enjoyed my time here. It has been good for everyone and the fact we're in the semi-final of the UEFA Cup proves we are a massive club. "The manager is well respected and it was good to read that he wants to keep me. I have enjoyed working with him. "I haven't really thought about things and I suppose a lot will depend on what happens with Fulham." Instead of fighting a relegation battle with the Londoners, Davis now finds himself closing in on four trophies with his boyhood heroes. Yet, as he gears up for his second Old Firm clash the Northern Irishman admits he was surprised Roy Hodgson allowed him to move north. He said: "I don't know why Fulham let me go. Before I came here I'd started almost every league game but then there was a change in manager. I was out of the team and when I heard of Rangers' interest I went to see the new boss. "I didn't think he would agree to the move but he did and I'm so glad I came. I've been able to add to the quality that was already here and things have worked out well." Victory at Parkhead tonight would leave Celtic needing a miracle to overhaul Rangers in the title race and while Davis is confident he knows it will take another Herculean display. He added: "We had big performance against Sporting last week, probably the best I've been involved in since I came here. "We showed we are a good footballing side and there's no doubt we've taken a lot of confidence from that performance. But it will take a similar showing against Celtic to get anything at Parkhead. "Things have gone well for me since I came to Ibrox but there's a lot of football to be played and it's now a case of seeing it through. "This will be my first experience of Parkhead but I'm looking forward to it. "There's no doubt this game is huge just because of what is at stake. It's vital we get a result. "A draw would suit us more than Celtic but you don't go into any game looking to draw. We'll be going there looking to win." GET THE LAD SIGNED WALTER

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=197&Itemid=1 The facts speak for themselves: Rangers are in a European semi-final with a domestic clean-sweep distinctly possible. The performance in Lisbon was exceptional, with ball retention and composed football of the highest quality. Getting an away goal at a critical time showed genuine character and if Steven Whittaker was Brazilian weââ?¬â?¢d still be raving about his slalom run through the Sporting defence. Having beaten 3 excellent sides to progress, Rangers now face Fiorentina as equals. In the Scottish Cup, the business was taken care of with 2 first half strikes. Credit to Thistle but not their supporters, who need to learn that sectarian abuse of both the Pope and the Queen is unacceptable. Anything other than defeat at Celtic Park should see Rangers as Champions, but with Celtic failing to score or secure a point in the last 4 OF fixtures, a major ââ?¬Ë?Timplosionââ?¬â?¢ is possible. Letââ?¬â?¢s hope the home crowdââ?¬â?¢s May 1999 behaviour isnââ?¬â?¢t repeated. Stephen Smith http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/SPL-fanzone.3984993.jp Seems, as usual, it's fair game to call Rangers fans bigots but if we have the temerity to question other supporters' regarding their own sectarian chants, we're, erm, still bigots. Great column, Stevie!

By Julian Taylor "When Rangers limped off after a Champions League capitulation at home to Lyon in December, few thought that just four months later the same players would be eyeing a European final. The dejected Glasgow club were parachuted into the Uefa Cup and now only Fiorentina stand in the way of an appearance at the City of Manchester stadium on 14 May. It would be a remarkable achievement and long overdue for a club who have not tasted continental success since a European Cup Winners' Cup victory in 1972. HOW HAS SMITH SUCCEEDED? One of the main criticisms of Smith's first spell in charge was that, for all Rangers' domestic domination, he could not adjust his teams to the European arena. Ironically, this time around, the Light Blues have fewer resources, and their Uefa Cup run has been the result of Smith's greater experience and pragmatism. His approach has been to play with just one striker up front, with Jean-Claude Darcheville carrying the responsibility, with the prolific Kris Boyd featuring just once, against Panathinaikos. This hasn't always been popular with the fans, but the former Scotland manager's persistence has paid dividends, as Rangers have conceded only two goals in six games ahead of the semi-final clash against the Italians. Rangers looked comfortable for long periods in Lisbon, with a maturity to their possession play in midfield. Darcheville simply delivered when opportunity arose. Smith admitted earlier that the prospect of Uefa Cup football was firmly down his list of priorities, with the SPL title the main item on his agenda. But now, with each passing success, confidence and excitement has grown, with Rangers supporters eager for their club to emulate Celtic's run to the 2003 final. THE SCOTTISH FACTOR Smith's experience with the national team has helped - his emphasis on Scottish-style industry has transformed Rangers. The 60-year-old's success with Scotland - particularly when plotting the famous Hampden win over France - will no doubt have imbued him with the belief that, as a manager, he can outfox the biggest names at the highest level. Central to the Uefa Cup campaign has been the form of key Scots such as goalkeeper Allan McGregor, veteran defender David Weir plus Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson. McGregor's performance away to Werder Bremen was quite outstanding, while captain Ferguson has always looked comfortable in any European company. Weir's partnership with the exceptional Spaniard Carlos Cuellar - who has a rugged, traditional Scots style - has been one of the major reasons why Smith can rely on a solid backbone in pressurised situations in Europe against quality sides. RANGERS' NEW EUROPEAN RESILIENCE On several occasions the Ibrox side have answered a stern test of their character. The second leg of their tie in Bremen saw the German side dominate. Yet Rangers prevailed, thanks to McGregor, Smith's organisation and a fair slice of good luck. A tricky tie in Athens was negotiated when Nacho Novo netted a priceless late away goal against Panathinaikos, and Steven Whittaker's sublime finish against Sporting crowned a deserved win. Curiously, it could be argued that the Uefa Cup adventure has been a relatively relaxing diversion from the SPL title battle with holders Celtic, with the season set to reach another edgy conclusion. The fact is that the prospect of actually winning the Uefa Cup is only now beginning to dawn on Rangers, taking even Smith by surprise. The manager will continue to claim that winning a 52nd Scottish championship will be the main priority. However, a serious tilt at the Uefa Cup now gives Rangers a profile in Europe they certainly would not have dreamt of earlier in the season. "

Let's leave aside petty and OTT criticism of the players last night. They didn't play well but we're still in the tie, so let's move on. However, I do have one worry and that is we appear to be over reliant on the same players too often at the moment. Guys like McCulloch, Ferguson, Broadfoot and Novo have all done well in patches this season but seem to have lost a wee bit of form over the piece recently. As such, what worries me is that the management team seem very reluctant to take them off or rest them. Sure, when injuries and extra-time force the issue (see Celtic and CIS Final), we make subs but for the most part we seem to limit them to two maximum. Fair enough, consistency of selection is wanted and I'm a strong advocate of that but sometimes I think we need to be more flexible, no matter the game/opposition. At this stage of the season, I really think we need to play the fringe guys more. Naismith, Boyd, Whittaker, Burke, Buffel and Gow all have their weaknesses and none have really achieved a high quality of consistency so far in their time here. Certainly any of these players can't really lay claim to a first XI slot. No matter, all would bring a freshness to the team in terms of creativity, pace and goals which is definitely lacking from a core first XI that appears to be tiring by the game. As such, I'm really worried that Smith et al are going to push the core XI we seen last night too far. The return of Cousin will definitely help in that regard but I'd like to see the manager utilise his squad more often. Not in terms of unnecessary changes/rotation but just don't be afraid to change things and give others a chance to show what they can do. Finally, I'd like to urge everyone not to lose faith. In the coming weeks and months the players will need our fans more than ever to help them over the finishing line. We've had a good season so far (if unspectacular) but it's far from finished yet. Let's make sure we get behind all the players so maximise their contribution and help them face the challenges ahead.

as most of you know i have been unwell for a while and am coming back to wellness. i wont be properly back for about a week or so but i just thought i would quickly put this up to start some interest. i think one of the best points about gersnet is the quality of the discussion - without being snobby or bullshity all the news/results etc are given some proper thought. so, anyway, in order to boost our numbers, and give some more exposure to the writers of the great posts, i plan to read the developing discussions editorially. if i, or you, reckon they could get a little polish and a title we will make them an article on the main site and add it to newsnow (with your permission of course). this would be good, i think, because it would mean the site getting more visits without demanding any commitment to regular writing from anyone. i reckon if everyone just posts as they normally would we should have plenty of material. i plan to just do the basic editting myself at first, but we could theoretically have a few people reading with an eye to this if it works out. if you have any thoughts/comments just let me know.

Just posted this up on a football forum i am part of, thought i would share this with you lot as well First of all i think this is shocking that there is a game getting played tonight, fair enough it will be Burley's first game but there is an Old Firm game this Saturday which is of great importance. Five regular Rangers players are not in the squad, four of them pulled out Ferguson ( Scotland Captain ), McGregor, Dailly and McCulloch. David Weir was left out the team by Burley to give him a rest due to his age and how many games he has played for Rangers this season. One Celtic player has pulled out which is Barry Robson. Another two call offs have been the magician McFadden and the back up player of Stephen Pearson. This leaves Scotland short of 7 players. I think it's good to see that the Rangers players have been told to pull out , as i am a Rangers fan, i don't wan't any the players running the risk of injury to such an important game coming up. Only Rangers player left in the team is Kris Boyd. Celtic have 4 players in the team, which are Mcmanus ( who will be captain tonight ), Hartley, Brown and Caldwell. Lets say Brown and McManus get injured tonight, Celtic fans will go into meltdown that they were playing. This game should never have been arranged, especially when the SFA knew there was an Old Firm game happening the following Saturday. They could of had one of the meet up things they normally have at their training camp, SFA got this one totally wrong. Anyway enough of that, another farse has been the tickets for this game. Go on have a guess how much a friendly will be to watch Scotland ................................................................�£25 for a friendly, its a joke, last week i went to Hampden for the League Cup Final, that cost me �£24, �£24 for a cup final, �£25 for a meaning less friendly, makes no sense at all. Why doesn't the SFA reward the loyal Scotland fans that followed them in the Euro qualification, Hampden was full every game. Reports are saying that Hampden will be only at the most half full, what would Burley rather see on his first game in charge, Scotland flgs flying around the whole stadium, or red and blue empty seats. Obviously he would rather see the stadium full with flags everywhere, Scotland fans singing , SFA have got this one totally wrong again with the pricing of tickets. Will be a proud moment for Burley tonight, but seeing the stadium half full, lets all agree, it's not a pretty sight. Yes i still bought a ticket for tonights game, was stupid enough but thankfully i have managed to get rid of it. For one costing me �£25 , plus to get me to/ back from the game and something to eat etc etc, looking at least me spending �£40 for a friendly. For me that is alot of money, especially with alot of important Rangers games coming up i will give this one a miss and watch it on the tv. Also only 1 Rangers player in the team, will be paying to watch Celtic really with a few Premiership players I got �£20 for it which was good a suppose Anyway with all that done with , looking forward to the game. Will be intresting to see what lineup/formation George Burley plays in his first game in charge for Scotland. I would like to see him go 4-4-2. In goals will be the 9 million man of Craig Gordon. I haven't seen much of him at Sunderland this season, as much as i seen him at Hearts. Apparantly he has had a few dodgy games, he hasn't done anything wrong for Scotland though. Allan McGregor the Rangers goalkeeper has been having a magnificant season, was pushing Gordon all the way for tonights game to be in between the sticks, but thankfully for Gordon, McGregor has pulled out the squad. At right back will be another 9 million man ( Scotland has got some great talent ) of Allan Hutton. He has only broke into the Scotland team this season, ut has rightly made that positiong his own, he will probably have that position for his own for the next 10 years. I haven't seen him play much since he left Rangers to join Tottenham, but he must be alright down south if Tottenham are winning , especially winning cups. We definetly know that McManus will be playing at centre back, he will be captain tonight due to Barry Ferguson's absence. McManus is also the Celtic captain and will take huge pride by leading Scotland out tonight. Yes he is a Celtic player but i think he is a good player and a decent proffesional. The question is though who will partner him at the heart of defence. Christophe Berra the Hearts captain has been called up and could be giving his first cap, while the Sunderland centre back Russell Anderson has been called up as well. Or will Burley play Gary Caldwell, both McManus and Caldwell play at theback together for Celtic, but they can be a liabilty at times. I would throw in Christophe Berra to see how he gets on. George Burley has called upon somebody to make the left back position their own, as we don't have alot of good left backs. The man who has been doing the job for us is Gary Naysmith, he has done a good enough job but we need someone better. James McEveley might fill in at left back tonight, played a few times for Scotland, maybe he could be the player who can hold down that position on his own. Midfield looks fairly simple to pick from since the amount of call offs we have had, with Darren Fletcher being called up after re covering from injury and Gavin Rae the ex Rangers and Dundee midfielder now playing at Cardiff has also been called up. Although Gavin probably won't play, he will probably be starting on the bench. I think the midfield will be made up of Celtic duo Hartley and Brown, along with Darren Fletcher, with probably Gary Teale ( hope not ) or Shaun Maloney Up front will be intresting. Kris Boyd the only Rangers player in the team is a favourite to start up front. Kenny Miller the Derby striker might play up front along side him. Although all the talk has been about Steven Fletcher getting his first call up. The Hibs youngster has been impressing everyone this season, there has also been talk about Real Madrid wanting him. Would be great to see him start up front tonight to see how he would get on in the big stage. So i think the team will look something like this ____________Gordon_____________ Hutton___McManus___Berra___McEveley Brown___Hartley____Fletcher__Maloney __________Boyd____Fletcher______ Although i can see Caldwell playing instead of Berra and Miller ahead of Fletcher I can see Scotland getting beat tonight of a quality team in Croatia, will be good if we got a draw and great if we managed to get a win. Don't see it happening though with many important players missing 3-1 Croatia i think