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Thatââ?¬â?¢s What Iââ?¬â?¢m Talking About On exiting Tynecastle on Sunday I found myself reinvigorated, brimming with pride and buzzing with excitement, and I bet I wasnââ?¬â?¢t the only one. Grabbing a last minute winner after being down to 10 men for almost 80 minutes at a venue where victories are notoriously difficult gives you as much, if not more enjoyment than an easily achieved 4-0 win. It isnââ?¬â?¢t only the circumstances of the victory that buoyed this old cynic it was the manner of the victory and performance. What I witnessed yesterday, especially in the 2nd half, epitomises Rangers. There was a determination to triumph in the face of adversity. There was character seeping out the pours of every one of the 10 heroes in that 2nd period as well as a good old (dare I say Protestant) work ethic that would put most of us to shame. We can discuss the performance of the officials and scrutinise every contentious decision and come to the conclusion that they got far more incorrect than correct. We can bemoan the lack of consistency and we can bemoan the objectivity of the media in the face of this ââ?¬Ë?controversyââ?¬â?¢. Some fans, rightly or wrongly are claiming that Scottish referees arenââ?¬â?¢t just inconsistent but are corrupt (thatââ?¬â?¢s another discussion for another day). What we canââ?¬â?¢t deny is that Rangers deserved the victory. The 2nd half performance was immense. At times it appeared that we were the team with the extra-man and we were the team playing the football and pushing to initially equalise, then to win the game. In a perverse way, the decision to red-card Thommo actually worked in our favour. It galvanised the players and may have been the inspiration required to spur the players into the brilliant performance. Walter Smith must also take some credit for replacing the worryingly ineffectual Fleck with Smith at half-time. A changed that was decried by the majority of Bears in attendance but not just a justified change, but one that gave us the platform we required. Going 3-4-2 ensured that we bossed the midfield and allowed the tireless Miller some company in the forward line. Stevie Smith, for all his faults, does offer an energy required to get from box to box and his appearance did give us a natural balance. He also sent in a great ball for the equaliser which was dispatched brilliantly by our new goal machine Lee McCulloch. Big Lee has his detractors, but he has started this season well and I can see him getting a lot of game time this season, especially in Europe where he be deployed as the ââ?¬Ë?holdingââ?¬â?¢ midfield player. The old saying that is a funny old game is certainly true and weââ?¬â?¢ll all have evidence to prove this saying. The latest one for me came on Sunday. There is no secret that I am not Kris Boydââ?¬â?¢s greatest fan. I appreciate that Boyd will score goals, that canââ?¬â?¢t be argued with. I just believe that he should offer more. Anyway, when he entered the fray in the dying embers of the raging battle I shouted, ââ?¬Ë?come on Kris, do what you do bestââ?¬â?¢. See, no matter what I write in fanzines, or message-boards, I do offer 110% support to the team / players during the game! Anyway, low and behold with his first touch of the ball he flicks on a long clearance which SN latches onto and is fouled. PENALTY. With his 2nd and possibly last kick of the game, Boyd does what he does best! One last word on the game at Tynecastle, a huge round of applause to the Rangers fans who were in attendance. The support these people give canââ?¬â?¢t be overstated. In these financially uncertain times, where every penny is critical and in the face of aggressive Policing and Stewarding, the travelling fans are an absolute credit to the club. The song sung at the final whistle on Sunday really summed up events on the pitch and the fantastic support shown off it, yes that is why we are champions. Jam Tarts Donââ?¬â?¢t Do Irony Donââ?¬â?¢t know if any one else has noticed the newest ditty sung by Hearts (and Hibs) fans when we face them? ââ?¬Ë?Weââ?¬â?¢re from the capital, youââ?¬â?¢re from a shit-holeââ?¬â?¢. Now, sitting at Tynie on Sunday with the raining pouring down, the dilapidated stand offering no shelter, I had to wonder what the Hearts fans definition of a ââ?¬Ë?shit-holeââ?¬â?¢ is? I know this is just football banter, but come on folks, I think everyone of us has seen Trainspotting! Celtc And Their Obsession With Rangers I think that we all know that the vast majority of Tims are obsessed with the mighty Rangers. This is a mixture of envy, hatred and loathing but I didnââ?¬â?¢t really appreciate the extent of this extended to the ââ?¬Ë?clubââ?¬â?¢ itself. Due to driving through the A80 road-works ever day I have taken to listening to Real Radio for the travel reports and have caught the advertisement for the new Celtc 3rd strip (the bumble-bee strip). Anyway this advert states something along the lines of the following ââ?¬Ë?the first time around it stopped 10-in-a-row, imagine what it could do nowââ?¬â?¢. There it is folks, they are so desperate that they have to use US in their advertising. Imagine having to pray on their fans bigotry, loathing, hatred and envy of us to shift some strips? Cammy F - :spl:

I was reading Andy's responses in the 'feel ashamed about your support' thread, and it reminded me of Pericles in the Peloponnesian wars. I thought a bit more about it and there are a number of interesting parralels. So I thought I'd reconstruct that war for us gersnetters, with the dominant opinions getting to play leading roles. I'm not sure how many people know their classical military history, and about the Peloponnesian wars (the Athenian empire versus Sparta and her allies) but I've tried to pad it out enough to be a something worth reading even if you haven't heard anything about it. Anyway, here goes: Andy’s approach to the media is like Pericles’ stance towards the Spartans in the Peloponnesian wars. Pericles persuaded the Rangers supp... sorry, Athenian people that there was no point in fighting the celtic-minded-Spartans. Although the Spartans had control of the media, sorry, land, with their vast, incomparable hoplite army, they could do no lasting damage to Athenian power because Athens was self sustaining. When the Spartans marched into the countryside in Attica, all the Athenians had to do was to retreat behind their walled city, with walled links to the harbour, and count on their incontestable domination of the seas to provide all they needed. The Spartans could huff and puff, and destroy the countryside all they liked, but in doing so they could win no lasting tactical advantage, and could not ultimately touch Athenian power. As evidence he pointed to the last all out battle with the Spartans – the Spartans won the battle, but ended with lots of dead Spartiates and no significant gain, as no-one in the ancient world could take a walled city. Likewise, Andy_Steel as Pericles, realises that all this huffing and puffing from salaried-dullards in the media might be aggravating, it doesn’t do any tangible harm. If you maintain a sense of self-sufficiency without provoking them further, they are going to realise eventually that all their vitriol and big words don’t make a blind bit of difference, and that life will go on irrespective of their petty little crusade. I think Andy represents the best version of this most moderate course – take it on the chin, because in the end it just doesn’t matter. I think he also represents the majority of Rangers supporters, even if they haven’t thought about it. However, things didn’t turn out well for Pericles even though the principle ancient writers thought he was right. Eventually he was ousted by radical conservatives, played in our Gersnet reconstruction by maineflyer, and Norris Cole, and the Vanguard Bear sort. While the Spartans didn’t win any tactical advantage, they did win in other ways as they ravaged the Attic countryside. The Athenians had to look on as their honour was disparaged by mocking Spartans, and as it progressed on for years, Pericles found it harder and harder to suppress the radically conservative Athenians who were not willing to cower behind the walls and suffer dishonour. The backbone of Athens, and the life of the polis, was the hoplite landowners, who loved their land, and hated seeing it ravaged. They reasoned that the Athenian democracy was the greatest of the polis and it was unseemly for them to hide behind their walls. They pointed to Pericles’ policy and said it wasn’t working, as year on year, the Spartans came back and ravaged the countryside. The conservative element played this up and eventually the dominant opinion in Athens changed, no longer willing to stay Pericles’ course, and they went on the attack. They actually done well at first and gained a few significant victories, but their reactionary temperament, and fury, made them ill suited to preserving power. The confidence won by their victories kept them going on the attack in ill-considered regions (like Egypt) and they overstepped their bounds. I think any all out attack on the media from these more radically conservative elements, if their statements and their wording are anything to go by, will go on this way because, although their anger is justified, anger is rarely an astute place to wage war from. They eventually pissed off too many people, and all support for Athens crumbled and they lost the war. So who’s right? Well, both are clearly partly right. Pericles was mostly correct in his assessment that the Spartans could not win the war if they pursued his course, and that Athenian power was untouched by their harsh words and farm-burning, just as Andy is right that Rangers wont be better or worse off for petty media attacks because ultimately we are self-sufficient. But Andy will find it harder and harder to encourage fellow Rangers fans to pursue this moderate course, not because he isn’t correct in his understanding, but because it’s hard to endure dishonour. The longer the media keeps provoking, the more likely they are to draw out the ultra-conservative element, and in doing so win the war. That said, the ultra-conservative element, when they went on the attack, looked like they could seriously win the war, and Athens regained a sense of its identity. If they hadn’t overstretched, they may very well have won the war. Likewise, if Rangers on mass started attacking the media, we would soon see its vulnerabilities (ie: its need to make money) and would probably see a change in attitude. This would be no tactical advantage, but it would be good for morale and identity, which, the conservatives know is important. So what’s the answer? The final characters to be introduced are the Frankie/Bluedell contingent. They don’t get to be contemporaries of the Peloponnesian wars like Andy and Norris, but get to play Yale neoconservative scholar Donald Kagan. He agreed most fundamentally with Pericles, but his one criticism was that a purely defensive policy never works. Although he was intellectually right that just ignoring the Spartans attacks would mean they would lose nothing, he had no plan to actually win the war. With Athenian power at sea, he could’ve launched raids all over the Spartan territory, and made them think twice about ravaging the Attic countryside. But because he was interested in peace, and maintaining Athenian high-ground, and not giving the Spartans what they wanted, he essentially invited them on to keep making more and more attacks. If he had chosen, as a wise and moderate sort of first-among-equals to have an offensive policy that was fair, thought out, and, above all, not reactionary and angry, he might well have won the war without augmenting his fundamental principle that the Spartans, if ignored, couldn’t do anything to them. I think Frankie/Bluedell advocate this moderate approach to response – they agree with Andy that it doesn’t actually matter a fuck one way or the other what the media say, but, like Norris and the radical conservatives they realise that these sort of attacks, especially over sustained periods of time, have effects on solidarity, morale and confidence. If we had a, Murray-down policy of contesting only the grossest of mistruths, without becoming petted-lipped reactionaries towards anything bad said about us, we might remind them that we have a big stick too, and though we’re not interested in petty wars, and prefer a moderate approach, we do have some sort of response, and aren’t going to take shite. So there we go.

From The Herald: The birth of the blues is a story of remarkable poignancy. Rangers are a solid, substantial club with its roots firmly planted in the soil of world football. Yet the beginnings of the club were truly humble and have been treated with an indifference, even an ignorance. Consider this for a test. Who founded Celtic? Most Scottish football fans would instantly reply: "Brother Walfrid". But who were the originators of Rangers? Some may mumble hesitantly: "Moses McNeil". Others would not hazard a guess. But the question receives its most authoritative answer in Gary Ralston's Rangers 1872: The Gallant Pioneers. This is the dramatic story of the formation of an institution and of the cruel fate that beset the four young boys who set the ball rolling for what soon became the leading club in Scottish football. "It is a sad, heartbreaking story. It adds an extra dimension to the formation of Rangers, just what these young guys went through. advertisement The sadness for me is that they created a club that went on to be known throughout the world yet they themselves led such tragic lives. There is something touching, even romantic, about that," says Ralston. The simple conception of Rangers can be traced to Kelvingrove Park. There were four fathers: Peter McNeil and Moses McNeil, 17 and 16 years of age respectively, and Peter Campbell and William McBeath, both 15. They discussed the possibility of forming a team during their constitutional walk. The club that has won 52 Scottish championships was therefore basically started as a street team by a group of boys who had been smitten by the latest sporting enthusiasm of association football. They were joined in their endeavours by Tom Vallance, later to become a legendary Rangers captain, but who was then barely 16 years old. Their triumph was to be the foundation stones of a Scottish institution. Their tragedy was to die in relative obscurity and have their deeds unremembered by the mass of supporters. Ralston, gloriously, resurrects them. But the sadness remains. The passing of Moses in 1938 did not rate a mention in the press of that week. He was buried at Rosneath which only recently has become a place of pilgrimage for Rangers fans. His brother, Peter, died in his early 40s. He was certified insane and had been sectioned at Hawkhead Asylum in Paisley. The business brain behind Rangers, Peter had been beset by financial problems and the pressure took a toll on his mental and physical health. Peter Campbell had a more sudden demise. At 25, the marine engineer was lost at sea after the steamer he was working on came to grief in the Bay of Biscay. William McBeath, chronically ill and mentally infirm, was certified as "an imbecile". His last days were spent in the Lincoln workhouse, his passing went unremarked in the press when he died in 1917. He was given a pauper's burial and lies in an untended grave. Tom Vallance, however, did have his days in the sun. As a footballer, Vallance was of the highest rank, almost certainly one of the most accomplished players in the 1870s. He never played on the losing side against England and was a commanding captain for Rangers. Yet, in common with his band of brothers who were part of the formation of Rangers, he was struck by misfortune. Vallance embarked on a career in the tea plantations of Assam. But he returned to Scotland suffering from black water fever. Why did Ralston include him in the pantheon of Rangers founders even though Vallance was not at the meeting in Kelvingrove Park then known as West End Park? "Because he was an absolute colossus," said Ralston. "The two people who were absolutely pivotal to Rangers' development were Peter McNeil for his work behind scenes and Vallance. At 6ft 2in, he was a veritable club giant on and off the field." The club these vulnerable human beings created went from strength to strength. Ralston is keen to dispel any misconceptions about the birth of Rangers. "There was no political or religious element in the formation of Rangers," he said. "I am fascinated about just how the sectarian divide came into Scottish football but that happened in the 20th century, probably from about 1910-20." He added: "The birth of Rangers was basically a result of young guys deciding to have a team to play in what was the new craze of football. There was no other agenda, no wealthy benefactors." Ralston, a journalist, spent three years uncovering the story from the debris of passing decades. It was a labour of love. "I wanted to do it because I had read brief accounts of the formation of the club and I wondered just what had happened to those guys. This is a story that has never fully been told before. I was helped by the fact that the internet has meant that it is easier to do the kind of research that it is necessary in pulling the strands of the story together. Basically, it was a fascinating piece of Scottish football history that has been under-researched." He emerged from his studies with a mass of evidence that he has distilled into a story that is fascinating for any observer of Scottish football. "The most important game Rangers have played in their history was the 1877 Scottish Cup final," he claimed. "Rangers took the mighty Vale of Leven to three games. That final was crucial because SFA annals testify to the Glaswegian labour classes rushing from the factory gates to salute their new heroes. These games won them an audience." That audience has endured 137 years on. Rangers sit unmoveable on the South Side. The stadium has been modernised to cope with the changing imperatives of football. More than 50,000 people file into their seats of a Saturday. Hundreds of thousands more follow the Light Blues through internet and television. There are no shortage of stories on Rangers. But the tale of the birth of the club had been allowed to lie in the darkness of the past. Ralston has brought it into the light.

Typical but I guess we'd find it funny if it was the other war around.....

Craig, you will like this, a review of the match more reflective of the action on the field. From the Sunday Post.

WALTER SMITH has bluntly warned Rangers fans not to expect any new signings to replace Barry Ferguson. The 31-year-old completed his �£1m move to Premiership new boys Birmingham City on Friday, freeing up some �£25,000 a week in wages, but Smith confirmed last night that the Ibrox club are still in no position to bring in a replacement. "We'll not be bringing anybody in as it stands at the present moment," Smith said. "The transfer doesn't allow us anything like that. The chairman has spoken about the financial aspect. It's just something we have to adjust to. We've said we'd have to sell players before we can buy so we have to wait until a situation arises before we can make any judgment on bringing anyone in." One such eventuality which could free up funds for the Rangers manager would be a sizeable bid from either Bordeaux or Wigan Athletic for Madjid Bougherra, but despite fevered speculation in certain newspapers, Smith has heard nothing. "No-one has been in touch with us about Bougherra," Smith said. "I've seen a denial from their president, and I've seen another paper quoting him as being interested, so even he doesn't seem to know. But no-one has talked to us, which would normally be the first port of call." Ferguson's return to the Premiership four years after he left Blackburn for Govan is as neat a resolution as possible to the conundrum caused by the "boozegate" row and the final 12 months of the player's contract. Smith admitted last night his departure was the "best thing" for everybody, and tipped the player to be a success south of the border. "I think it is the best thing for both parties, taking into consideration everything that happened last season plus the fact he's coming into the last season of his contract anyway," Smith said. "He's a good player though, of course he'll do well. He's had the experience already although the last time he went to Blackburn he was hampered by a serious injury. But that shouldn't hide the fact he did well down there, anyone who saw him play at that time will tell you that. It's not another world of football. He's a good player and he can go and play in it." Who knows, maybe new signings are overrated in any case. With Celtic having already spent �£3.8m on Marc-Antoine Fortune, Smith would no doubt prefer to have a massive transfer kitty at his disposal this summer, but the Rangers manager still managed to speak convincingly of his hopes that the sense of continuity and new-found confidence around the younger members of his squad after last season's SPL title win can help them hit the ground running. Wheeling and dealing did Rangers few favours last season as they crashed out of Europe to Kaunas. "We have a younger group - Steven Whittaker and Kevin Thomson are typical of them - who are starting to meet the demands of playing," Smith said. "They are starting now to gain the necessary experience to impose themselves in games and I am hoping that can happen with a number of the younger ones like Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith. They have won a championship there and we have not lost a lot of players who played in that group last year. I would hope with the better level of experience that will help them greatly." The same sense of evolution rather than revolution applies to the even younger elements of the team, namely John Fleck, who Smith feels has made further progress since last season. "I would hope that John Fleck would step a little bit further forward," he said. "We are still talking about a young lad, but he got a bit of experience last season and like the rest of them I am hoping he can gain a bit of confidence from that. So although we might not have new players at the start of the season I think we have certainly got a group who will look forward to starting the season and hope that quite a number of them are coming into what I would look upon as the best spells of their careers." Having said all this, whoever picked Rangers' first home opponents of the pre-season clearly does a wicked line in black humour. Manchester City will arrive at Ibrox in early August having lavished �£85m of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan's money on a combination of Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry and Emmanuel Adebayor, with millions more on the table for Joleon Lescott or even John Terry. "They may have two or three other signings by the time we play," Smith says, only half-joking. While the collapse of the Setanta deal, and stillbirth of the Old Firm TV plan didn't do Rangers' finances much good, Manchester City's wealth is above and beyond such mundane matters. "This goes beyond TV money in England," Smith said. "This is about wealthy individuals putting money in and the Premiership giving them the profile they want. They're obviously buying an awful lot of players and having a push at breaking into England's top four clubs. It'll be interesting to see how that goes. If you look at the clubs at that level just now, they're all solid enough clubs, there's a steadiness about them. "Mark Hughes did exceptionally well at Blackburn but people need to have the patience to allow a team to settle in," he added. "It's okay to buy a number of players, as he will do between now and the end of August, but they have to have time to gel and become a team. I think we will see them pushing to get into the top four - whether they get there or not is another thing. I think we might end up with five teams at the top. It's not quite as easy as saying We'll spend a lot of money and get there' but football has shown that if teams are well run and spend a lot of money, then they'll get a level of success." While Manchester City are collecting players, Rangers can't get rid of them quickly enough. Ferguson's departure, coupled with those of Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly may have freed up a total of �£50,000 a week, but with Charlie Adam prevaricating over a proposed move to Blackpool, the club are still three or four players heavy to reach the chairman's stated target of a slimline 20-strong first team pool plus youngsters. Having benefited from their depth of squad at the tail end of the previous campaign, Smith hopes that he won't be left too light when the injuries and suspensions kick in. So will the squad be big enough? "It depends how many leave," Smith says. For the moment at least, the player movement at Rangers will remain one-way traffic. http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootball/display.var.2520783.0.0.php

Two Rangers fans have been charged over attacks on police officers after last year's Uefa Cup Final in Manchester. Scott McSeveney, from Shotts, North Lanarkshire, and Mark Stoddart, from Glasgow, are accused of violent disorder and a Section 47 assault. Mr McSeveney is alleged to have attacked Pc John Goodwin, while Mr Stoddard is accused of assaulting Pc Mick Regan. Rangers were defeated 2-0 by Zenit St Petersburg in the final in May 2008. Both officers were kicked and stamped upon while on the ground. The attacks were captured by CCTV cameras. Pc Goodwin was knocked unconscious and suffered swelling to his brain after being repeatedly punched and kicked. Crimewatch appeal His colleague Pc Regan later described how he was pulled free from a mob of fans by a member of the public, allowing him to escape with sore ribs and a puncture wound to his arm. The Crown Prosecution Service's reviewing lawyer Andrew Holt said a third man, Brian McVicar, from East Kilbride, will also be charged with violent disorder. His charge does not relate to the attacks on the officers. Mr McSeveney, 21, Mr Stoddard, 25, and 19-year-old Mr McVicar are all due to appear at Manchester City Magistrates Court on 10 August. About 150,000 Rangers fans travelled to Manchester city centre for the match on 14 May last year. Violence erupted when a big screen in the largest fan zone in Piccadilly Gardens failed to show the game. Groups of supporters clashed with police, with officers suffering dislocated shoulders, broken fingers, and bruising. Greater Manchester Police issued a Crimewatch appeal to catch the culprits in January, leading to the arrest of several fans for public disorder offences. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8149980.stm

Super_Ally explores the wide-ranging implications of the now defunct Rangers TV channel and asks just how important this could be with European leagues again being mooted... http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=1 Whilst all fans of the Bluenose persuasion revelled in the demise of the Irish Broadcaster Setanta with the knowledge we will no longer have to suffer a distinctly anti-Rangers agenda from what should be neutral coverage of the Scottish game, it does bring to the fore an important question. What now for Rangers TV? Many of us will have ââ?¬Å?Sky+ââ?¬â?¢edââ?¬Â the RTV coverage of the 2008/9 Double Winners and their celebrations. Probably the defining moment of RTVââ?¬â?¢s short lived run was wee Nacho Novo serenading the lovely Lindsey Archibald with a rendition of ââ?¬Å?Ha ha Samarasââ?¬Â and performing "The Bouncy" on Ibrox Uncovered. RTV took a lot of stick in the early seasons it broadcasted. Excessive repeats of the few programmes shown throughout the week, the same games from seasonââ?¬â?¢s past played again and again and again and various quality issues were often levelled at the channel. However, in recent seasons the programming did improve. There were still repeats of games, but this may well be put down to who owned the rights to show matches from various eras. Ms Archibald, taking over as the face of RTV from Ali Douglas, improved immeasurably over her tenure. Indeed, persons associated with the channel were committed to a project exploring the club's founders. It is sad therefore that just as RTV really began to turn into a quality medium for Rangers fans to follow the club, the Tannadice/Ibrox celebrations and Rangers Mastermind being particular favourites, the demise of Setanta has led to uncertainty over the continuation of a Rangers dedicated TV channel. Further confusion has arisen from the fact that the dedicated Liverpool and Arsenal channels are still broadcasting. It appears however, that there must be a difference in the deals struck between these clubs and Setanta that has allowed the Premiership sides to continue to run their own TV channel. However, it begs the question, if these clubs can run their own club TV station, why canââ?¬â?¢t the mighty Glasgow Rangers. A club with an enormous global fan base; a World Record making and breaking history; and a majesty and mystique appealing to commercial broadcasters must surely be capable of a similar provision? I can understand most fans holding this view point and so it is important that we realise that for many years MUTV, perhaps the fore-runner of Club Football TV, was run by Man United as a loss making venture. In this time of financial uncertainty across the globe and with the knowledge that Rangers are looking to reduce our costs, cut the wage bill and hopefully enhance profit margins, the club could not commit to a loss making project. It is even more distressing then, that in viewing the Portsmouth FC website I came across a stream for PFC TV. Free on the website, I didnââ?¬â?¢t even need to subscribe (though having subscribed to the Rangers website sometimes gives you full access to other clubââ?¬â?¢s pages as they use the same provider). Unlike the Rangers website and Rangers World, there was no fee and/or no monthly cost for this facility. They had an interview link with a former player. With the recent demise of Setanta and RTV I was intrigued and clicked the link. It was a perfect stream, good quality and no doubt highly informative to the Portsmouth fans. With the knowledge of the free availability of PFC TV on their website I do wonder how a club the size of Rangers cannot produce an equivalent service. Sure, there are some fans that are never happy and will knock it whatever, but I am sure such a concept would be welcomed by many. Even the possibility of improving the Rangers World service (something I am ignorant of) and/or transferring the programmes from RTV to this medium should be explored. The feasibility of this could be ascertained by the club. Surely it is something that is worthy of investigation. I know from perusing various websites that whilst RTV was initially not well received, since the cessation of broadcasts many fans miss their daily fix of Rangers news and the behind the scenes insights that Rangers Uncovered allowed us, something hitherto unavailable. With European Leagues again being mooted by the Spanish elite, Rangers should once again be ââ?¬Å?Setting the Standardââ?¬Â to emphasise our world-wide appeal by not just providing a valuable service to the clubââ?¬â?¢s loyal fans but by making the club instantly accessible to all via modern technology. The current economic climate across the world means more than ever our commercial and marketing ventures are crucial to our financial well-being. The replacement of Rangers TV and the upgrading of our club website/Rangers World would go some way to addressing that.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article6342409.ece At last a good read from the repugnant reporter. Graham Spiers Rangers FC, the 2009 Scottish champions, resolutely remain one of the great institutions of British football. And compiling this list of Rangers' greatest 50 players has been quite a trip down memory lane for me. My own particular Rangers journey stretches back to just 1970, but in composing this list I have spoken to Ibrox fans whose recollections went back through the decades and, in one case, even to the immediate prewar years. The old Ibrox prior to its 1980 all-seated refurbishment was something to savour: the great oval arena with the huge terracing covering three quarters of the ground, set against the famous Archibald Leitch stand, with the grass below glowing in the early-season sunshine. Back then, as today, vast crowds rolled up, and, for a little kid, bounding up the steps to take in this sight made for breathtaking excitement. The club's history is littered with great players, as I hope the list testifies. This, naturally, is a highly subjective list, and I take full responsibility for its accuracy or whims. Thanks go to Robert McElroy, Jim B and Fat Rab for their advice, though I disagreed with all of them in the end. 50 Willie Johnston 1964-72, 1980-82, 393 total appearances, 125 goals Forgive the authorial bias here ... but His Eminence, Sir William "Bud" Johnston, has to be quoted in a Rangers top 50, if only just scraping in. A winger, a dribbler, a fiery personality with a wicked temper (but a lovely guy off the pitch), Johnston was everything to a young Glasgow kid dreaming of such wing wizardry himself. Johnston's colourful career had everything - too much to quote here - but when he took flight over 15 yards few would catch him, especially in 1971-72. 49 Arthur Numan 1998-2003, 118 total appearances, 3 goals Numan was the very epitome of the modern full back: quick, strong, intelligent on the ball and blessed (he's Dutch) with bags of self-belief. One of the first of Dick Advocaat's signings when he came to Rangers in 1998, Numan had just starred for Holland at that summer's World Cup and quickly became an Ibrox favourite. One of the club's greatest left backs. 48 Neil Gibson 1894-1904, total appearances unknown This Rangers player was once called "the greatest half back of Victorian times". Neilly Gibson was also once described as "Pavlova in football boots". He was an ever-present in the Rangers team that recorded a 100 per cent league campaign in 1898-99, so let not the years dim his reputation. 47 Ian Durrant 1983-98, 347 total appearances, 45 goals Many can still recall Ian Durrant's first, fleeting moments of greatness as a Rangers player in 1985. Craig Brown: "He had this amazing ability to streak ahead of the play, to ghost beyond defenders to latch on to through balls." Durrant was magnificent, one of the great Scottish midfield players-in-waiting before injury wrecked his career. His spirit and guts forced him back into the Rangers team in the 1990s but he was never the same player. 46 Colin Jackson 1963-82, 506 total appearances, 40 goals Tall, lanky, with legs the length of oars, Colin "Bomber" Jackson was a mainstay for Rangers for a remarkable span of years. "McCloy, Jardine and Mathieson, Greig, Jackson and Smith..." was the Rangers side of the early 1970s, reeling off the tongue like a poetic stanza. Jackson was excellent in the air, and no slouch on the ground for such a beanpole. 45 Willie Reid 1909-20, 217 league appearances, 188 goals Reid remains one of the great goalscorers in Rangers' history, his tally of 188 league goals is bettered by only three other strikers. The Great War called him away from Ibrox when he served as a gunner in France, but he was firtune enough to return adn resume his penalty-box exploits. 44 Barry Ferguson 1997-present, 420 total appearances, 60 goals Despite recent controversies, and some cynics who dislike him as a player, this writer stands by what Dick Advocaat once said: "Barry Ferguson could play in any league in Europe ... in Spain ... in Italy." A midfield player of poise, composure and technique, Ferguson's greatest gift is his comfort on the ball, and ability to take possession in tight areas and open the play up for Rangers. Currently does not have his troubles to seek but would have staked a claim for a place in any Rangers team of any era. 43 Paul Gascoigne 1995-98, 103 total appearances, 39 goals One of the most skilful - and troubled - players ever to play for Rangers, Gascoigne lit up the Ibrox scene for two and a half seasons before fading due to off-field problems. It was a memorable coup for Rangers when he arrived from Lazio in 1995, and in some matches of that 1995-96 season Gascoigne was unstoppable. Possibly the greatest case ever of brains being in feet. 42 Derek Johnstone 1970-83, 1985-86, 546 total appearances, 210 goals Johnstone makes it on to the list because he was a prolific goalscorer, had a fine touch for a big man, could run well and at ease with the ball, and who was "all Rangers" for so many years. A recent DVD of his exploits reminded many of what a complete striker Johnstone was. To his great credit he was equally adept at centre back, as no less a figure than Jock Wallace ajudged. 41 Graeme Souness 1986-91, 73 total appearances, 5 goals Hard, antagonistic, and prone to maiming certain opponents, Souness was no angel but was still a great Rangers player. By the time he triggered the great Ibrox revolution in 1986 he was past his best, but we still saw flickers of the great midfield enforcer of the late 70s and early 80s. A cosmetic surgeon has subsequently pottered with Souness's head but he is still a recognisably intimidating character. 40 Tommy McLean 1971-82, 453 total appearances, 57 goals "Wee Tam" was an enduring figure of Rangers teams of the 1970s. If you were positioned high up the terracing of the old, oval-shaped Ibrox, McLean's little legs seemed to flicker like highly-charged pistons as he scuttled to the byline to send in his looping crosses. An intelligent player whose dead-ball distribution was his strongest asset. 39 Mark Hateley 1990-97, 222 total appearances, 115 goals Hateley was a powerful and intimidating centre forward who overcame a difficult start to his career at Rangers, when he looked slow and lumbering, having been out of football for 18 months with an ankle injury in Monaco. Lithe and aggressive, Hateley turned into one of the great postwar Rangers strikers, becoming an icon in the club's success in the 1990s. 38 Bobby Shearer 1955-65, 407 total appearances, 4 goals Red-faced, chisel-jawed and with a sprig of wiry hair, you wouldn't have wanted to pick a fight with Shearer any time. "Captain Cutlass" raked in the medals during his ten-year sojourn with Rangers and was a member of the famous "Ritchie, Shearer, Caldow," line-up which was written in the hearts of many Ibrox fans of the 1960s. 37 Davie Cooper 1977-89, 540 total appearances, 75 goals A mercurial talent and winger of outrageous if fitful ability, Cooper's goal in the 1979 Drybrough Cup final will live long in the memory of many Rangers fans. Twisting, turning, duping opponents with his dribbling, Cooper has nonetheless become a mythical figure at Rangers, with many deleting from history his leaner times. The first time I met Cooper, in a TV studio two years before his tragic death at just 39, he said to me: "It wasn't all glory for me at Rangers." 36 Alex MacDonald 1968-80, 503 total appearances, 94 goals Come on down, Doddie, lamb-chop sideburns and all! "Alex MacDonald covers every blade of grass, his lungs are made of leather..." How man sports reporters wrote such a sentence while watching this compact machine of a midfield player? Perhaps David White's lasting legacy to the club, MacDonald was a midfield phenomenon who was adept at ghosting in on the blind side of defences. 35 Alex Venters 1933-46, 201 total appearances, 102 goals A brilliant, almost insatiable goalscorer, Venters arrived at Ibrox from Cowdenbeath already a Scotland international, and would go on to score 155 league goals - some of these "unofficial" goals during wartime - 18 of them in Old Firm fixtures. The Second World War came at precisely the wrong time for Venters (as well as for half of Europe) but he continued banging in goals during the unofficial war period, hence the discrepancies in his goals tally.

THE NEW Rangers kit is available to pre-order now or you can buy yours on July 16. The new kit is traditional blue with a distinctive checkerboard pattern design which is reminiscent of the home top from the late 80s and is sure to appeal to all Rangers fans. The shirt, which will continue to sport a Saltire on the back neck, is complimented by traditional Rangers black socks with red trim and the classic white shorts which continue to feature the Rangers Charity Foundation logo on the rear. The Club has worked closely with JJB to ensure supporters can purchase the new kit as early as possible, this has meant focusing on the Club's sales channels - including online - to maximise availability of the range for all Rangers supporters. You can pre-order online HERE or via mail order on 0871 702 1972 (then press option 5) from Monday on a first come first served basis. The SPL Champions will officially launch the new home strip on Thursday, July 16 and it will be available to purchase exclusively from Rangers outlets including the Rangers JJB Megastore at Ibrox Stadium, the Argyle Street Rangers JJB store, online right here on rangers.co.uk and via mail order on 0871 702 1972. The strip will be available from other non-Rangers retail outlets for the new SPL campaign in August. New Kit Prices Home Short Sleeve Shirt: Kenny Miller with the new kit Junior 6/7 - XLB �£29.99 Adult S-XXXXXL �£39.99 Long Sleeve Shirt: Junior 6/7-XLB �£34.99 Adult S-XXXXXL �£44.99 Shorts: Junior 6/7-XLB �£15.99 Adult S-XXXL �£17.99 Socks: Boys/Large Boys �£7.99 Mens �£8.99 Infant Kit: 2yrs-6/7 �£29.99 Baby Kit: 68cm-86cm �£24.99 Womens Shirt: SG-LG �£29.99 8-20 �£39.99 GK Shirt: SB-XLB �£34.99 S-XXL �£44.99 GK Shorts: SB-XLB �£15.99 S-XXL �£17.99 GK Socks: Boys/Large Boys �£7.99 Mens �£8.99

Fine article from Pete discussing the mistakes of last pre-season and how they should be rectified to minimise risk this year. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=803&Itemid=1 As June slides into its final stages and the summer solstice has come and gone, most people look forward to their summer holidays. Meanwhile, as Britainâ��s airports reach fever pitch, football players are looking to return to training and the cogs of a new football season start to grind into action. As in the last few seasons Rangers will be heading to Germany for a training camp and three pre season friendlies. During last seasons visit to Germany two amateur teams managed to dominate Rangers for large spells of the game. In addition, the glamour game against Schalke saw us defending on our own 18 yard line for most of the game. The signs of football poverty were there for everyone to see. It would seem everyone that is, except the Rangers coaching staff. It was obvious to all we were crying out for midfield reinforcements but still Rangers stalled on buying Stevie Davis to save �£500,000. A decision that probably cost us �£10million in the long run, by missing out on the Champions' League and European football in general. Surely the reason for these pre-season games is not only to get match practice, but also to evaluate the development of the team. Newspapers, football forums and everyone who had the slightest piece of football knowledge, could see that Rangers were struggling to beat teams at amateur level. Then came the first leg of the Kaunas debacle. Still the signs that we were not equipped to even beat a so called pub team at home never got the alarm bells ringing. Only when we lost to Kaunus in Lithuania did the penny drop that we needed reinforcements. Closing the barn door after the horse had bolted springs to mind. It is of course easy to blame Walter Smith but we also have to ask ourselves in how much Walters hands were tied in spending any cash for players. Looking at it from a distance it looks like the club board had decided the risk of losing to Kaunas was minimal and saving money on transfer deals was worth risking the �£10million Champions' League cash. A decision that came back to haunt us. A decision that meant that Carlos Cuellor - arguably the best defender to play for Rangers in years - had to be sold to finance any new signings. This season, with the tour of Germany leading the way to a tournament at the Emirates where we meet Paris St Germain and Arsenal, followed by two friendlies against Manchester City and Portsmouth, there will be plenty of chances to assess our development. While knee-jerk reactions to bad games are no use to anyone, these games will offer up an insight to where our weak points are. Indeed, most Rangers fans will aleady agree we need to strengthen our defence (especially if Bougherra is lost to international duty during much of January) while left-midfield remains a priority. Of course, as it stands, finance is an issue so that is as good a reason as any to ensure the younger players (such as Wilson and Fleck) are given the chance to impress and develop in the close season. Our technical staff have to monitor this and act upon it if necessary. While advancing in the Champions' League would be financially fantastic, a more realistic run in the UEFA Cup should be achievable where we'd have to end at least third in the CL group. With the SPL television money uncertain we have to look to Europe to make our money. As such, if we do not strengthen then I feel we will be missing out on valuable income. The technical and management staff must use the close season to spot the weak spots and patch them up immediately. We cannot afford another such weak start to the season as last year. Our management have to read the signs and make certain of a Euro run and Euro money whilst consolidating our place as the SPL's best side. Gambling with money is a mug's game. Let's minimise the risk by making sure the team is ready immediately. :spl:

RANGERS have stormed to victory at the prestigious Eurofan tournament in Ukraine, going through the event unbeaten in six games to lift the trophy. The Light Blues, represented by a squad of club staff members and supporters, beat local side Karpaty 4-1 in the final in Lviv. Some of the players who will represent Rangers at the Eurofan tournament in UkraineTheir win capped a fine three days at the 16-team competition, in which they scored 27 times and conceded just four goals. After a 4-1 success against fans of Dutch outfit Heerenveen and a 10-0 thrashing of an equivalent team from Wales on Friday, Gers made sure of their place in the last eight. Needing just a point from their meeting with Polish side Ostrovio yesterday morning to confirm a pool win, they got it when David Matthews levelled to secure a 1-1 draw. Having topped Group C, the Scots then went on to play Croatia in the quarter-finals and did what was necessary to progress again. Robert Godfrey grabbed his second goal of the tournament to give Rangers a lead and although the Croats equalised, Godfrey restored the lead with an 18-yard curler. Erald Krasniqi then made it 3-1 after the break as the Ibrox men ran out comfortable winners. Awaiting them in the semis were Inter Milan and once more Gers were dominant from start to finish. EurofanGary McGonnell grabbed a brilliant opener after he made a mazy run from his own half to score and Krasniqi doubled the advantage early in the second period. McGonnell soon made it three before Neil Smith got his name on the scoresheet as the Light Blues moved into cruise control. Inter pulled a late consolation back but they still couldn't have the last word, with Ian Danby finding the net to make it 5-1 at the death. Home side Karpaty were well backed in the final and with plenty of locals cheering them on, it seemed to be in the script that they would win. But Rangers had other ideas and were three up at the midway point through a Krasniqi penalty and McGonnell's brace. The hosts tried to make a game of it again as they reduced their deficit early in the second half but Danby struck to seal glory for the away side. Colin Atkinson from the club's Football in the Community department has run the team over the weekend with coach Ian Clark and he was thrilled to come out on top. He said: "We are delighted to win the tournament, especially as it is the first time we have participated in the event. Some of the players who took part in Eurofan 2008"It was great to see Rangers fans representing themselves and the club so well both on and off the pitch in front of supporters of teams from across Europe. "There were some great individual performances in the squad and Erald did particularly well as the top scorer in the squad with seven goals. "Gary and David were right behind him with six and five respectively and now we look forward to setting about retaining the trophy at Eurofan 2010." The win was particularly satisfying for five members of the squad, who are attached to the 45 Commando Royal Marines and all support the club. Danby, McGonnall, Clark, Karl Neave and Scott Nicholson left their forces colleagues after returning to Britain recently to join the group in Ukraine. And having served on the front line in Afghanistan earlier this year, winning was a real high for them after some testing times over the past few months.

It's well known to the Rangers fans this summer & hopefully to the management as well, that with another fixture packed season approaching, we could really be doing with a new partner for Madjid Bougherra. David weir has been an excellent signing for us, but in my opinion he now often shows signs of tiredness & thus lack of pace & sharpness. For the most part, he's been extremely solid in his role in central defense & without a doubt for his age, he's admirably played a part in bringing silverware to Ibrox. I'm wondering now though, as are most Gers fans I'd imagine, if we should primarily in the summer transfer window, be looking at bringing in a new central defender. I know that this is no new idea, as it's been discussed for quite some time amongst the online Gers community, but the question remains open as to who the right man would be. The club have apparently had an ongoing interest in the Sporting defender Tonel, but having been watching the Confederations Cup in South Africa, I'm wondering if the USA central defender Onyewu might be a better option. He's been playing for Standard Li�¨ge since they signed him from Metz in 2004 & as well as being in integral & important part of a successful Li�¨ge side, he's also won a fair number of footballing awards in Belgium. He was named in the Belgian league's Best XI after the 04/05 & 07/08 seasons, as well as winning the Foreign Player of the Year award in 2005. In 2006 he won US soccer athlete of the year. He's been a big part in Standard's league winning past couple of seasons & other than an unsuccessful loan spell at Newcastle to consider, I'm only wondering if we could afford him. His performance in last night's USA win over Spain was so good though, that I'd imagine yet again he'll be a player being targeted by clubs from around Europe. I think he's a defender that's on form & possibly approaching his peak, so he'll probably be worth a few million.

Appeal court judges rule that the controversial Famine Song sung by some Rangers fans is racist. More...

Whilst every man and his dog is turning down the Celtic job, and bearing in mind that none of these names are even A-List are we still to believe that Celtic are some mythical, magical club, held in high esteem the world over? Martinez, Moyes, Coyle. None of these names seem enamoured with the prospect of the vacant hot-seat. Their current predicament got me to thinking; we often have the draw of their club over-hyped and the pull of the Rangers undersold. However, what does reality tell us? In the past decade or so, at management level we have attracted Dick Advocaat to Ibrox. He was assistant manager of Holland before succeeding Rinus Michels as manager, leading them to the quarter-finals of the World Cup. He also guided PSV to a domestic cup triumph and a league title prior to becoming manager at Rangers in 1998. A big name in football, out with the parochial Scottish game that struggles to look anywhere but within as the European game flourishes and continues without us. The manager who preceded the current incumbent, whilst not the roaring success that was hoped and expected was never the less, at the time, an extraordinary coup. Many of our ever impartial press laughed off suggestions of luring the precocious talent of Paul Le Guen to Govan. A man who had won 3 Ligue 1 titles on the bounce would be headed off to the likes of Real Madrid and was pie in the sky for Rangers fans. And yet, at the beginning of the 2006-07 season PLG was over-seeing the beginning of his Rangers tenure. Such is the extraordinary success throughout Rangers history, built upon managerial stability, that there have only been two other managers in our recent history. Alex McLeish and Walter Smith. Two successful Scottish managers. Smith is a big name in football, but as a Rangers man at heart, as with McLeish (who at the time had only the Hibs and Motherwell jobs to bolster his c.v.) it would be churlish to describe attracting either as a testament to our global pulling power for the biggest names in the game. A man who already has Rangers in his heart takes little persuasion. Moving on to the playing staff. Walter Smith brought the delights of Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne to Ibrox. Laudrup was a member of Denmark's European Championship winning team. He played for some of Europe's greatest club's; Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Fiorentina and then Rangers. He is a great player in every sense of the word. The greatest foreign player to ply his trade in the Scottish game. Paul Gascoigne was a prodigious talent. The most naturally gifted British player of his generation? His exceptional skill and exciting ability to leave defenders in his trail, showcased for Newcastle, Spurs, Lazio helped build his profile. It was, however, his tears at a booking received in the World Cup Semi Final at Italia 90, an iconic football image, that the game's fans will remember him for. An undoubted star player of his generation. The impressive list goes on and on. Andrei Kanchelskis. A Russian international who won the double at Manchester United. Arthur Numan starred for a successful PSV side winning domestic honours and representing the Dutch in an impressive showing at France 98 (Numan started every group game), before losing to eventual finalists Brazil. One of the games top left backs at the time he came to Rangers. Stefan Klos was a two team player. With his first club, Borussia Dortmund, he won league titles and the Champions League before continuing his success with Rangers. The fact he was never capped is down to the legendary Oliver Khan and yet is still one of the most perplexing statistics of the last couple of decades. Ronald De Boer, a legend of Dutch football, who starred most notably for two of European football's great sides in Ajax and Barcelona, made it 3 when he became a Rangers player. He was subsequently followed to the South side of Glasgow by his twin brother Frank during Alex McLeish's reign. The quality of cult hero Dado Prso was late to be recognised, until the Croatian was plucked from obscurity to star for French club AS Monaco. Prso has the distinction of being one of only 4 players to score 4 goals in a single Champions League game along with the likes of Dutch legend Marco Van Basten. Even the current team, built more on defensive solidity and a good team ethic rather than multi-million pound signings and individual brilliance, can boast former Premiership stars in Steve Davis and another Champions League winner in Pedro Mendes (His Porto side defeated Prso's Monaco in the final). The above examples show what an enormous draw Rangers have for the game's elite. From the passion of the fans, the history of the club to the majesty of the Archibald Leitch designed Main stand. Advocaat's legacy of ensuring the completion of the multi-million pound training facility at Auchenowie only serves to enhance this reputation and sell a wonderful club to potential employees. And I haven't even spoken of the heyday of English football in the 80's when Graeme Souness brought their brightest talents, such as England captain Terry Butcher, over the border. Now cast an eye across the city to the poorer relation. The "new" stadium. Made of mechano and falls apart under a light breeze. The budget built version of our impressive Murray Park. Look at the uninspiring names distancing themselves from the Celtic manager's job. Look back through the same recent history at Parkhead and try and identify a Brian Laudrup, a Paul Gascoigne. Even a Dado Prso. The only name in their recent history that may jump out is Larsson. However, he was a man who forged his name at that club. Celtic just does not seem to hold the same appeal to the global stars of the World's greatest game. No bias, no blue tinted specs. Unlike our parochial media my assertion is based in a look at the facts and not my own misguided prejudice. It was with great mirth I read the recent comments of a Burnley fan responding to one of the bitter persuasion's assertion that Owen Coyle would certainly give up a chance at Premiership football to oversee the talents of Paddy McCourt or Darren O'Dea at such a big team. "You're not even the biggest club in your own city!"

Over the coming weeks Iââ?¬â?¢ll be delving back into the happenings of the season gone past and reviewing all the major talking points from the debacle in Kanuas to the unforgettable and fantastic scenes at Tannidice when the league flag finally came back home (why do I feel the urge to burst into Glasgow Rangers Champions Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh?). I know there was a game AFTER that Sunday in the sun, but Iââ?¬â?¢ll get to that, I promise. I will try to dismantle the season into three month chunks looking back to the games that had the greatest effect on the SPL title race, how the players faired in those monthly segments and try to decipher how Walter Smith wasnââ?¬â?¢t named Manager of the Year and how Boogie wasnââ?¬â?¢t name player of the year. Boogie isnââ?¬â?¢t only the best player at Ibrox, he is the best player in the land by a country mile. As well as documenting the incidents, performances and results that ensured that theyââ?¬â?¢re would be no 4-in-a-row, I will endeavour to paint an honest opinion of our footballing style (or lack off) over the course of the season. There is no doubting that we displayed some very decent football in patches. Victories at Easter Road, Parkhead and off course, the final SPL game of the season instantly spring to mind. In those games we were simply awesome. It is my opinion that if he had maintained those games as our ââ?¬Ë?standardââ?¬â?¢ and hit that form on a consistent basis, we would have won the league at a canter. However, for every brilliant performance, there was a dross performance (ying and yang if you like). Away to Falkirk twice, away to St Mirren, losing to ICT at Ibrox spring to mind ââ?¬â?? and I havenââ?¬â?¢t mentioned the Scottish Cup Final yet. It is also important to investigate and discuss the state that we approached in the season in given the heartbreaking end to the previous season and off course, the sale of King Carlos. There are many trains of thought as to how successful we were in season 2007/08 where we secured the domestic cup double but that only begins to tell the story. We were tantalisingly close to an unprecedented quadruple and at least, should have been good enough to secure the domestic treble. To let the SPL title slip was unforgivable, no matter the mitigating circumstances. We were so far ahead, Celtc required snookers. Given the disappointment of last season, winning the SPL title was a MUST this season. Allow Celtc to lift their fourth title in a row, given our calamitous financial position would have been akin to committing footballing suicide. With that in mind, it is also our duty not to allow our title victory, our 52nd domestic league title (still a world record), to paper of the enormous cracks in our club. There will be at least 10 players sold in the summer (two have already been released) so it is fair to say that some fans favourites could still leave. If Walter Smith intends to add to the first team, heââ?¬â?¢ll likely have to lose even more than the ten that is currently being banded about. Our club is teetering on the edge and guaranteed champions league money has only delayed more stinging cuts. There is also the question of how our club is being marketed. In laymanââ?¬â?¢s terms, it isnââ?¬â?¢t. Here we are basking in the afterglow of winning the domestic double and there isnââ?¬â?¢t a commemorative DVD (or any item celebrating this apart from ONE t-shirt ââ?¬â?? which I am proudly wearing!). Kris Boyd has just celebrated scoring 100 goals for this club, the first player to do so since Mark Hateley. Again, this wonderful achievement hasnââ?¬â?¢t warranted a DVD. Due to the complications of the Umbro deal, we still arenââ?¬â?¢t any closer to knowing the design of our new home top. All of this may not appear to be important in the context of the wild celebrations that rightly greeted the SPL triumph, but this is the time to cash in on the success and by God do we need the cash. There is also a predicted shortfall in season ticket sales, but the only place you see season ticketââ?¬â?¢s for sale in on the official website. Meanwhile our neighbours are advertising on radio, TV and national press. Anyway, back to the post-mortem of the season gone by and it is great to witness that we have a new ââ?¬Ë?cheer-leaderââ?¬â?¢. After the departure of Shota, we didnââ?¬â?¢t have anyone to marvel at as the celebrations took place ââ?¬â?? well step forward and take a bow Mr Nacho Novo. Watching Novo lately has been a joy in itself, especially his ââ?¬Ë?Ha Ha Samarasââ?¬â?¢ antics at Tannidice. Another aspect of the season that is worth discussing, and Iââ?¬â?¢ll mention this in my reviews is how the team spirit grow over the season and was cemented during and after the ââ?¬Ë?boozegateââ?¬â?¢ affair. It would have been easy for the players to have chucked it at certain stages of the season (being 7 points behind, the boozegate affair, the draw at Easter Road) but they all pulled together and this was most evident at Tannidice when we won the title, but it had been growing over the course of the season. So much so we have players like Boyd, Novo and Mendes claiming that they want to finish their careers at Ibrox and players like Boogie stating that knocking back big money moves to the EPL as being the ââ?¬Ë?correct decisionsââ?¬â?¢. It appears that the feel-ggod factor is back at Ibrox and I believe that this is down to the influences of Ally McCoist and Ian Durrant. In finishing, the hard work starts here as we have to build on this success and ensure that we dominate the domestic game for the next few years. This will not be easy and the full extent of how difficult this will be will only be know once the transfer window is closed and we can assess who is still here. We require a long term replacement for David Weir, a left midfielder (Chris Brunt seems the favourite at the moment and he is a very decent player), a right midfield player (as Stevie Davis isnââ?¬â?¢t the answer wide right). Again, these needs may change depending on who is or isnââ?¬â?¢t sold. Either way, itââ?¬â?¢ll be a nail-biting summer with Rangers fans hoping and praying that our ââ?¬Ë?blue chipââ?¬â?¢ players remain at the club for another season (at least). Next week Iââ?¬â?¢ll open the review concentrating on July through to the end of October. This will include (close your eyes) the Kanuas games, the first OF game of the season and asking if whether our eventual forays into the transfer market would have made a difference if they were signed PRIOR to the CL qualifier. Cammy F :spl:

Jings!

Thought I'd pick out five games that set us up for number 52. Others might disagree but hopefully get some debate. It's the nature of the season that I could also list five games where we almost blew it... Falkirk 0 - 1 Rangers (09.08.08) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7548329.stm Bit of a forgotten victory this one but vital nonetheless. Just days after the Kaunas debacle, there was a horrible atmosphere surrounding the club, the fans reaching breaking point with an under-fire Murray. I recall a stream of posts on messageboards by Rangers fans stating they'd rather we lost the first game of the league season as it would put unbearable pressure on the custodian. Unsurprisingly Rangers played like arses, and had to rely on a McGregor penalty save and a second half Velicka strike to take three big points to get some semblance of normality back at the club. We won five of our next six games, only drawing at Pittodrie thanks to Corrupt Officiating Decision No. 1 of the season ruling out Beasley's late strike. Rangers 2 - 0 Dundee United (31.01.09) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7858967.stm This match had dropped points written all over it at a time when Celtic were still 4 points clear. Rangers huffed and puffed without creating much in terms of chances until Fleck netted a high-pressure penalty with 10 minutes left. A last-minute Lafferty goal put gloss on the scoreline but I feel we'd have struggled to come back if we'd dropped further behind Celtic at this stage. Admittedly that sounds strange in a season when we clawed back a 7-point deficit not once but twice, but at the time the fans were all in agreement what a vital 3 points this was. Unsurprisingly speccy had something to say about the penalty decision. Roon ye. Hibs 2 - 3 Rangers (19.04.09) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8003509.stm This is the game the bheasts had earmarked as the day we would fall out of the title race. It was also the game that put the shiters up me more than any other towards the end of the season. The monkeys had won the day before so the pressure was well and truly on. Drop points, and I didn't fancy our chances of taking the flag, but win and it would lay down a marker that we had the bottle to close out the title. Just as we had to yesterday, we came out the traps from the first whistle and scored three good goals and the final scoreline flattered Hibs IMO. I reckon the chimps' morale took a bit of a blow after we left Easter Road with all three points. Celtic managed two streaky wins from their next (last) five games while we romped home to take the title by four points. Rangers 1 - 0 Celtic (09.05.09) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8032832.stm One of the biggest games in the history of Rangers IMO. We're all aware of the stakes tied in with this season's title. If we hadn't won this one I firmly believe we'd have lost the league as I reckon Celtic would have won their last three games, certainly the two home ones anyway. A draw would have kept Celtic a point ahead with three games left, while a defeat would have been game, set and match to the bheasts. While Celtic enjoyed the bulk of the possession, we scored and they didn't. This defeat killed them psychologically for me. Dundee Utd 0 - 3 Champions (24.05.09) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8062744.stm Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful Sunday...

All season nearly there's been rumours that Walter Smith will leave at the end of the season. So, i got to wondering, what would Rangers fans prefer? A.] Walter Smith to continue and do a Sir Alex and build for the future. This would be WS' empire if he continued and i couldnt really blame any Gers fan for wanting him to continue if he wins the league on Sunday. Look at the stats after all, in his first half season back, he restructured Rangers from a disaster area to have us winning again. He got us in his second season, to the UEFA cup final, a Scottish and League Cup Double and on the verge of a very impressive 4 trophies. Many still say we only lost the league that year due to fixture congestion and a very unhelpful spl who refused to space out the games. And, who knows in his third season? a Double with the biggest prize to come? the Scottish Premier League Championship, which is in his own hands to win with one game to go. The bad side to WS is having to put up with his weird tactics, his poor transfer dealings, his playing older seemingly past it players, and the playing negatively and players out of position. But, through all that is bad, i for one would take that if it won us the league from Celtic every season. You honestly cannot fault the guy if he produces a league and cup double which was preceded by a major european final appearance and a cup double. B.] Or, would you prefer another, bolder manager who would have the team playing beautiful, silky attacking football, destroying the lesser teams, but also one who may not manage to deliver the goods when the push comes to the shove. A team that plays superbly doesn't always win things. And i for one am now beginning to realise that maybe, just maybe, we as Rangers supporters should have been more supportive of WS because if he delivers this title, it would be so hard to argue against what he has delivered to us. He may walk anyway, and the signs are that he is tired, and fed up with the constant sniping and criticism. That alone is spurring him on to get this league from Celtic, and i fear he may use up all his experience to win this league title. So, it would be interesting to hear from you guys what you think would be the better for the club. The chance to impress everyone with beautiful football, skillfull attacking players but no certainty of winning. Or to take most of the prizes and seemingly 'win ugly' but nonetheless, WIN anyway!!!

What a day. I suspect everyone has had the same nail biting scenes in the last few weeks thinking that being a fan this year is as nerve racking as it gets. However today was soooooooo comfortable it was unreal. The players really responded (for a change!) and produced an unforgettable performance. From the front to the back it was sublime with no ridiculous. Even the likes of Mendes and Davis who have been criticised so much lately were immense although I think someone who may be sometimes unsung - Papac was astounding, what a hero on the day. The list of superlatives will go on but Bougherrra, Weir, Edu, Miler and Boyd (- in the end) were a cut above - and what about Lafferty responding to the boos. That has to be the goal of the season - not because it won the league or was pretty, but totally due to the head scratching of how did he do that???? The best chant of the day was "Hartson, Hartson what's the score?" which just sums up his so called "punditry", the guy should be booted out and given a dunces hat. After last season I've been one of the few who has been confident all this season despite the shit officiating which robbed us of points and gave Celtic more. I'm not the biggest Walter fan (despite the weird arguments I've had on here that might suggest the opposite) but I've stuck by him and been rewarded. He's not the best manager in the world but he knows what to do for Rangers. He won his first half season by 9pts, he would have won his next season on a level playing field and he's won this one properly. For all his detractors - GIRFUY!!! (I can't believe I have to say that to Rangers fans) You surrender monkeys!!! It's been a crap season on here to be honest and I've not enjoyed it at all - and that's in a probable double season! Some people really need to look in the mirror and I hope you're not celebrating as you don't deserve it in the slightest - you know who you are! There is more to supporting Rangers than merely attending games. The latter is a privalege, the former takes a bit more character. Walter Smith not won a title in his second stint? - get back to tiddlywinks you weirdos, you don't have an effing clue about football. Those that voted for the obvous suspects' continual negativity should feel ashamed of yourselves. WS has averaged 4pts more than Celtic in 2.5 seasons which makes him the best manager since... - himself!!! And the best in the last 50 odd years - except for maybe not winning the UEFA cup final. Some bum up the achievements of Eck which is fair enough as he did ok but to use it to put down a better Rangers manager shows that they hate Walter more than they love Rangers. Eck 50% when it comes to titles which is the same as Walter but the latter wins by miles on points difference and of course injustice. Eck 40% with cups, Smith at 67% and a good chance of 75%. It's obvious that Smith knocks Eck into a cocked hat - big time. And what did you prefer, going to Manchester or Villarreal? I now really want him to have another two seasons to show what he can do compared to DA and AM. He was under pressure with the monkey that Eck and Le Guen put on our back but with that gone I can see a more relaxed season with much better football (in the current financial situation) - and we've got guaranteed CL money too. If I sound smug then forgive me, but I feel I've been fighting a very lonely battle all season and now I've been totally vindicated...

SETANTA will introduce goalline technology to the Premier League this weekend - but it won't be allowed to affect the destiny of the title or decide who goes down. What it will do is provide additional entertainment and talking points for a viewing audience about to witness the biggest mobilisation of a television company's manpower since they started covering Scottish football. A total of 130 people will be involved in covering today's relegation battles in Inverness and Paisley, while 170 will be covering tomorrow's games at Tannadice and Celtic Park. Each goal-line camera, unmanned but set to fan the flames of controversy, will cost �£2000 to install but can have no material influence on the outcome of the games. Setanta's head man in Scotland, producer-director Colin Davidson, is there to provide unmissable television without asking for the game's rules to be rewritten. He said: "We accept no technology is foolproof and I understand it isn't fair to have goal-line cameras at some SPL grounds and not at all of them. That's not justice for all. "But our remit is to let viewers share in what will be the biggest weekend of Setanta's life covering the Premier League." Their A team is commentator Ian Crocker, summariser Scott Booth and pitch-side interviewer Stuart Lovell. They will be at Tannadice but conspiracy theorists should be aware that this is on the grounds of logic and with no hint of bias. Davidson said: "We went to Motherwell in 2005 because Celtic were leading the league and that day gave birth to the phrase Helicopter Sunday. "And we went to Tannadice on the final day last season because Celtic were in front once again. We have literally to follow the leader." Commentator Crocker arrived in Inverness yesterday to prepare for Caley Thistle's relegation crunch against Falkirk. But what if Crocker got so carried away that he lost his voice and could not make himself available to play his part at Tannadice the following day? Davidson said: "The first thing I'd have to do would be to pick myself up from the floor. "Then I'd consider calling Jock Brown off the game he's covering at Aberdeen and drafting him into the squad for Tannadice." The former general manager of Celtic commentating on Rangers' bid to win the title? The mind boggles. But Crocker will be locked away in his Tayside hotel room on Saturday night with a packet of throat lozenges. The West Ham fans said:"I did a commentary of a Hearts-Celtic game a couple of years ago when I had a serious throat infection and it was abysmal. I won't make that mistake again. "Rangers fans suspect I support Celtic and Celtic fans think I'm on Rangers' side. I'm conscious of the fact they listen carefully to every word for traces of bias. "I know how vital this weekend is to the two sets of fans which is why I've been reading up on everything Record Sport has had to say about the climax to the championship." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2009/05/23/setanta-debut-goal-line-technology-for-final-game-of-spl-season-86908-21382597/

RANGERS chief executive Martin Bain is delighted at the take up of season tickets so far for the coming campaign and has praised the Rangers fans for their continued commitment to the club. Supporters have once again shown great passion and dedication to the team, with a record 43,500 season ticket holders this year. Rangers FansSeason ticket renewals are ahead of expectations for next season and there is already a substantial waiting list with new supporters ready to be part of the action. Praising the fans for their unwavering support, Bain said: "Yet again the Rangers fans have shown their commitment to supporting the team year in year out. "Last season saw a record number of season ticket holders and we are on target again for the next campaign. "Despite the current economic climate, the Rangers fans have committed to their season tickets again for next season and we already have a considerable waiting list. "The club was determined to continue the strategy of making football more affordable for fans and providing value added benefits to supporters. "This was recognised with the recent Clydesdale Bank 'Best Fan Marketing Initiative' award which commended the club for its innovative ticketing and communications strategy. "Bringing the fans closer to the club and improving direct communications with the supporters has been a top priority and will continue to be next season. Martin Bain"The fans backing of the team directly contributes to its success and this has never been more true than in the current season." Season ticket holders benefit from Old Firm games and priority for European ties, free entry to Old Firm reserve and under 19 games, free entry to SFA Youth Cup ties plus free seat transfers for one-off games at Ibrox. Juvenile season ticket holders also enjoy an exclusive Q&A session with the management team and players and have the chance to take part in matchday flag processions and guards of honour on the Ibrox pitch in season 2009/10. Season ticket prices have been frozen for the third consecutive season and children will continue to benefit from the third off juvenile season ticket prices introduced at the beginning of this season. Prices for 2009/10 start from as little as �£96 for juveniles and �£298 for adults in the Broomloan Road Stand Family Section. Fans can join the season ticket waiting list in the following ways: * Online at rangers.co.uk * Via the hotline on 0871 702 1972 * By visiting the Rangers Ticket Centre

A homecoming parade will be held for Manchester United if the club wins the Champions League final, 24 hours after the game takes place. Bosses of Manchester City Council and Trafford Council are preparing to host the celebration on 28 May, if the club are crowned champions in Rome. No parade was held when the club won the title in May 2008 after police said they feared "risks to public safety". In the same month 150,000 Rangers fans had been involved in riots in the city. 'Appropriate way' The supporters of the Glasgow club clashed with officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) leaving a number of people injured and causing substantial criminal damage. Manchester City Council had previously said the riots were a key factor in calling off the 2008 homecoming event. This year the players will be invited to lead the parade if the club defeats FC Barcelona on 27 May. Councillor Mike Amesbury, executive member for culture and leisure at Manchester City Council and a life-long Manchester United fan, said: "We'd be delighted to see the team now go on and win the Champions League and celebrate in the appropriate way with a parade through the city." The parade plan is currently being co-ordinated by the two local authorities, Manchester United and GMP. If Manchester United win, it will be the first time any club has clinched the Champions League title in two consecutive years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8048143.stm

By Andrew Dickson MADJID BOUGHERRA has warned Rangers fans not to take a title win for granted after Saturday's win over Celtic. Madjid Bougherra, RangersLight Blues supporters are allowing themselves to dream of a first championship in four years after the 1-0 Old Firm win two days ago. But Algerian defender Bougherra knows there is still plenty of work to be done before that hope becomes reality. Two of Gers' last three games are away from home against Hibernian and Dundee United, while an awkward clash with Aberdeen at Ibrox awaits in between. Celtic, meanwhile, will play twice at Parkhead against the Arabs and Hearts but have to go to play the Hibees in Edinburgh too. Of course, Rangers are the team in the ascendancy after seven consecutive wins took them two points clear at the top of the table. But Bougherra is adamant that could still count for nothing in the end and he has urged his team to keep pushing until they're over the finishing line. Madjid BougherraThe 26-year-old said: "This is one of the big results in the last five games of the season for us and now we are top. "But the league is not finished as we still have three difficult games to play and two of them are away. "We are very happy at this stage but I honestly don't feel we have one hand on the championship trophy yet. "When you have to play away at Dundee United and Hibs, it is difficult. Likewise, we don't know what will happen at home against Aberdeen. "It is the end of the season and people are tired but we have more confidence in our side now because we are first in the table. "I hope we can go on to stay there in the last three games. I know the fans might think the title is ours but I don't think that's the case just now. "When you beat Celtic, it's great because it's a big game and a big derby but there are still other games to play and we need to be very careful." Bougherra reiterated his desire to stay at Ibrox beyond the summer, regardless of how the campaign ends. Madjid BougherraThe Rangers' Player of the Year was misinterpreted in a recent radio interview and it was assumed he would want to leave if the Light Blues came second in the SPL. But he maintains he's keen to stay and still has plenty of goals he'd like to achieve in Glasgow. Bougherra added: "I'm not leaving, it's that simple. It's too early for me to go from here because I need stability in my life. "Everywhere I have been, I have left after six months or a year and I want to be here for longer than that as I'm very comfortable here. "The last time I spoke to the radio, I didn't translate what I was trying to say about having the right mentality very well. "I know if I stay here, I cane become a better player. I feel I have done that under Ally McCoist, Kenny McDowall and the gaffer. I've learned so much from them."

By Andrew Dickson POLL Rangers fans for their favourite moment supporting the club and some obvious choices will crop up. The Cup Winners' Cup victory against Dynamo Moscow in 1972 is one, the night Nine in a Row was clinched at Tannadice a quarter of a century later another. Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Sergio Porrini celebrate at the final whistleSo too is the day the Light Blues went to Parkhead and won their 48th league title with an emphatic 3-0 win over Celtic in Dick Advocaat's first season as manager at Ibrox. It's hard to believe that this today it is exactly 10 years since Neil McCann's double and a Jorg Albertz penalty led to that dramatic victory. For most Gers supporters, memories of the day remain as vivid now as they were in the weeks that followed their team's remarkable triumph. Scheduled to start at 6.05pm so that it could be broadcast live by Sky Sports, a lot of people reflect on what unfolded over the next 90 minutes for the wrong reasons. Generally regarded - maybe even accepted - as Scotland's shame game, it was a match in which referee Hugh Dallas was struck by a coin and several home fans invaded the pitch. Three players were also sent off and a man fell from the second tier of the Jock Stein Stand as many of those in attendance let the occasion get the better of them. Yet as it was, the visiting Light Blues support's behaviour wasn't in question and the club's only blemish back then was Rod Wallace's red card four minutes from full time. Rangers fans celebrate winning the league at ParkheadIt consequently goes down as one of Rangers' greatest Old Firm victories and on the day they claimed their 100th derby success, taking the title too made it so much sweeter. A decade on, the SPL's decision not to have such a match deciding the outcome of the championship again - a ruling made in the aftermath - stands firm. That's why Rangers and Celtic will meet for the final time this term on May 9 - a date when it's impossible for either team to win the league on the day - rather than later on. There's something sad about that when you consider the side that came out on top in 1999 played little part in the shameful scenes witnessed at Parkhead. For everyone with Ibrox connections, the way Gers took their Glasgow rivals on in Advocaat's debut season and won on their own patch is to be celebrated. The Little General's men were the better team on the day and better over the course of the season as they went on to take the silverware by six points. Jorg Albertz celebratesNeil McCann gave Rangers an early lead on 13 minutes when he poked in Wallace's low, fast cross after he had been released by Giovanni van Bronckhorst. And Albertz made it 2-0 from the spot on the stroke of half-time to spark bedlam at both ends, given Dallas had been treated after being hit on the head by a coin seconds earlier. It says much about the former official that he called every major decision in the game correctly, including Vidar Riseth's foul on Tony Vidmar that led to the penalty. It may say more about Albertz that of the 76 goals he scored for the club, his finish in the city's east end was one of his coolest as he sent keeper Stewart Kerr the wrong way. "It wasn't hard for me to concentrate on the penalty because I liked making decisions like that on the park," the German said. Jorg Albertz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst celebrate the German's penalty making it 2-0"I knew that if I missed we would probably have allowed Celtic back into the game but I was strong enough mentally to cope. "In fact, I was looking forward to taking the kick. It was probably the most important one of my career because of what was at stake. "It was the best atmosphere I've ever played in that day at Parkhead but it was also the most dangerous. "It was only one or two idiots who ran on to the pitch to take a swipe at Dallas and in hindsight it could have been a lot worse had others decided to charge on. "You get nervous when you see people running on to the park but the majority of fans would never think of doing that. "You always get abuse from fans when you go away but that's part of the game - it's more serious when people start trying to attack the referee. "Dallas deserved a lot of respect for how he handled the situation as it was all going off around him when he awarded us the penalty. "When you watched the game back on television later, you saw that every call he made proved to be right." Neil McCann scores his second goal and Rangers' thirdMcCann - now at Falkirk - ensured Gers would be crowned champions when he slotted in the clincher 15 minutes from full-time. Moved inside to support Gabriel Amato up front, Advocaat's decision to give the little winger a slightly different role was a masterstroke as it paid off handsomely. Substitute Jonatan Johansson threaded him in on goal with a cute touch and McCann rounded Kerr to slot into the empty net. But his run took him straight in the direction of seething Celtic fans as he celebrated and it goes without saying that he was quick to veer away from them again. McCann said: "I knew as soon as I had scored the third we were champions but I was also conscious of what was going on around me. "I didn't want to cause a riot with my celebrations and my momentum was carrying me towards the Celtic fans so I had to slam the brakes on pretty quickly. "As I changed direction and I started to run towards the Rangers fans, I definitely let myself go a little bit more but that's not surprising. Neil McCann celebrates his second goal and Rangers' third"Scoring the goal that clinched the championship was a great honour and it is something I will never forget. It was a great feeling. "I was delighted with both goals because I was just looking for us to win the game and to score twice was out of this world. "The first was very special for me because it put us in a very good position and set the ball rolling. "But my second was my favourite because I knew that as soon as I had rounded the keeper we had won the championship." Of course, the shameful incidents at Parkhead 10 years ago weren't on the same scale as some of the troubles at previous Old Firm games. Exactly 100 years back, for example, fans of both sides rioted for four hours when it was decided extra-time would not be played in a Scottish Cup final replay between the clubs. As the trophy was withheld, troublemakers tore down barricades, lit fires and fought with police and it was a similar story in running battles after the 1980 final at Hampden. Rod Wallace and Jonatan Johansson congratulate Neil McCann on his second goalWhat happened in 1999 has still left a lasting impression though and from Gers' point of view, it was for keeping their heads when others were losing theirs. "It was an incredible match and the whole experience is something I'll never forget," McCann added. "It was the most amazing atmosphere I've ever played in. "I thought it was all going to boil over when Dallas was hit by a coin and a couple of fans started to stream on to the pitch. "I think we were all a bit scared as we thought about the consequences but we had to retain our concentration and just get on with the game. "The majority of the players involved managed to keep their cool but there were a few who lost it. "I didn't understand some of the Celtic players who lost the place because they must have known what was at stake for their club. "Probably the pressure and atmosphere on the night got to them but I was pleased we held it together and I think we deserved our win. "To go there and win the championship was obviously very special for everyone involved with Rangers." For Advocaat, claiming his first title in Scotland gave him the second part of what was to become a magnificent Treble. Lorenzo Amoruso celebrates at the final whistleThe sixth in the club's history, it was completed when Wallace's strike gave Rangers a single-goal Old Firm victory in the Scottish Cup final four weeks later. Advocaat went on to win the league and Scottish Cup again before stepping aside and making way for Alex McLeish to take his place in the hot seat in December 2001. His first campaign was undoubtedly his best at the Ibrox helm and even he couldn't have imagined it going so well. Advocaat said: "It was a big occasion for the Rangers fans to win that game against Celtic and we were very proud to have done that for them. "I was absolutely delighted with the way we both played and controlled ourselves. I think we deserved the championship over the course of that season. "We lost the first game then went top after the third match and from then on we stayed there. We deserved a lot of credit for that. "When you look at what we did in Europe and our triumphs in the championship, Scottish Cup and the League Cup, I don't think it could have gone any better. "I'm a person who likes to win and that year was a good one for me. What we achieved in that season exceeded my expectations."