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STEVEN WHITTAKER believes the Rangers fans can play a major part in helping the club move to the top of the SPL in the next two weeks. Fans at the Scottish Cup FinalThe in-form full back was delighted his side were handed back-to-back home fixtures after the split and insists their support can be the equivalent of a twelfth man when Hearts and Celtic visit the stadium. Walter Smith's men are now at the business end of a dramatic season and go in to the final month high in confidence having won their last four league games on the bounce. But the big tests now lie ahead and Whittaker is fully aware that the team has to show a ruthless streak which, at times, has been missing throughout the campaign. Only last month the Jambos travelled down the M8 for a second time in 2008/09 and, having gone two goals up in a one-sided opening 45 minutes, the Light Blues allowed the visitors back in to the game; an opportunity they gratefully took with both hands. The 2-2 draw was a painful reminder of just how thin the line is between success and failure in the championship race and it highlighted the level of focus that will required from every Rangers player if the League title is to Steven Whittaker celebrates his goal with Pedro Mendes be secured. Steven said: "Our last game against Hearts was definitely a frustrating one as we played really well in the first-half and went in two goals up at the interval. "We were well on top but lost our way in the second and they punished us. "Looking back that result was disappointing for everyone but I think we have learned from it and we were perhaps lucky that we have been able to recover and get back in a decent position in the league. "If we are drop points like that now it will be very costly and there might not be any way back. "But I don't think we can have many complaints about the fixtures we have after the split as we have two massive home games coming up first. Steven Whittaker scores against Hibs"It's crucial we make the most of this advantage and the fact we have 50,000 fans behind us against Hearts this weekend and then Celtic will give all the boys a massive lift." The Jambos have enjoyed a superb season under the guidance of Hungarian gaffer Csaba Laszlo who has brought a mental toughness to a side that was in need of direction. The Tynecastle club is now on the verge of clinching a Europa League slot but still faces stiff competition from Dundee United and Jimmy Calderwood's Aberdeen who take on league leaders Celtic on Saturday at Parkhead. Whittaker has been hugely impressed by the strides made by the Gorgie outfit in the past ten months but is confident Rangers can increase their recent impressive run. He said: "There is no doubt Hearts have talented players in their squad and they have done really well this season. "Guys like Andy Driver and Bruno Aguiar have a lot of ability and can create and score goals. "But you can see from their games that they work hard for each other and the manager had made them difficult to beat. "They lost Christophe (Berra) there and he was a big player for them, a leader, but that it says a lot that they have pushed on and look good to secure third place in the league. "Tynecastle is never an easy place to go to but the fact we are playing them at home should give us an advantage and I am confident we can get all three points on Sunday." With Kirk Broadfoot still sidelined with a foot injury Whittaker will be a key figure in Walter Smith's plans for forthcoming games and the defender has been delighted that fringe stars such as Mo Edu, Steven Smith and Steven Smith trains with Steven Davis and Steven Whittaker Andrius Velicka have also come in and proved their worth to the Gers' squad. He said: "I think these lads have been brilliant for us. "Mo has not featured a lot for us this season and the same can be said for Andrius but both of them have enjoyed a wee spell in the team now and have played well and scored goals. "This will have helped their confidence a lot. I am not surprised that big Andrius has come in and done well; in training he has shown that he can finish and now he is getting the chance to take that in to games. "Steven Smith is another who has come in after being out for so long and you can see how much it means to him to be back in the team at this stage of the season. "He always gives 100 per cent and his performances have been a big boost for the team. Steven Whittaker celebrates his goal"He may not have played on the left side of midfield a lot but he delivers a great cross and definitely gives the manager a different option for this position." This weekend's game against Hearts will be Whittaker's ninth start in a row and he is relishing being part of the club's title charge. He said: "It has been great being involved recently and as a player this is the situation you want to be in. "Every game is a cup final right now and we are still in with a real chance of winning two trophies. "It's an old saying but right now all we can do is take it one game at a time. "I have heard a lot of people saying the Celtic game is the big one but they are all big and we have to try and win them all. "On Sunday we have a big test against a Hearts team that have enjoyed a terrific season. Our first aim has to be to get three points there and then we can focus on Celtic."

by Matthew Lindsay RANGERS officials are often asked by dignitaries from visiting clubs and their own supporters why there is no club museum. After all, the Glasgow giants, founded way back in 1873, have a rich and colourful history which would fascinate anybody with a love of football. Yet, the answer to these queries is always the same - Ibrox Stadium itself displays all of the items which are of histor-ical significance to the Gers. The many articles of clothing, caps, photographs, paintings, medals, miscellaneous pieces of memorabilia and trophies inside the world-famous Govan ground tell Rangers' remarkable story eloquently. That is especially true now that the exhibits which will be on show to visitors on tours of the Category B-listed building have been extensively updated and expanded. For instance, mementoes from the club's epic run to the Uefa Cup Final in Manchester last year - including the medal which manager Walter Smith collected after the game with Zenit St Petersburg - can now be seen in the breathtaking trophy room. Sandy Jardine, the legendary former player who now works at Rangers as player recruitment and welfare manager, has been heavily involved in the extensive overhaul. He said: "There are a lot of great stadiums in the world. There are some wonderful brand new stadiums. "But not many of them have a trophy room like we do. As soon as you walk in it has a wow affect. "Over the last four or five months we have taken it and changed it a bit. Because we had new memorabilia we have taken all the pennants and put them up high where everybody can still see them. We have put new memorabilia around the wall. But we also still have extremely old pieces of memorabilia as well. "We have the original of the constitution of the club in 1874. It tells you the rules, tells you what the club will be called, what the strip will be like, and the people who will be involved, Moses McNeil, people like that. Jardine added: "But we have many other things. We have Willie Waddell's handwritten team for the European Cup- Winners' Cup Final in 1972. "It is written on the morning of the match. He still hadn't decided what the team was. One position was between Penman, Conn and Parlane. "We have the handwritten team lines drawn up by manager Scot Symon at the Grand Hotel and handed to the referee before the very first European final we played in 1960. "In those days European competitions weren't as regulated and didn't have the same back-up and admin. "Whenever we win a cham-pionship we put a miniature of the league flag up on the wall in the trophy room. We have a world record of 51. Hopefully, we will get another one to add to our collection at the end of the season." While Rangers fans could spend hours poring over the many exhibits in the well-stocked trophy room, the same is true of other stops on the tour - the old manager's office as well as the impressive Blue Room. Jardine continued: "We have manager memorabilia in the office. We have the typewriter that Mrs Dallas, Bill Struth's secretary, used to type letters. "It has Rangers headed notepaper from 1925 in it. We have the ink stand which used to sit on the table. Any player who signed for the club would have used that ink to put pen to paper. We have Bill Struth's walking stick for his bad leg. "We have the decanter set which was given to Willie Waddell on the occasion of the completion of the redevelopment of Ibrox Stadium. We have the actual phone, complete with its original phone number Ibrox 1858, which Scot Symon used to use." The Blue Room, with its murals of Rangers managers, chairmen and captains on the mosaic walls, is one of the most eye-catching in the stadium and it has also been changed this year to celebrate the club's most memorable matches. Jardine explained: "We have photographs and medals of the most significant games in the club's history through the years. We have the first medal which was ever won by the club in 1879 in the Glasgow Charity Cup and medals from all the European finals we have been involved in. "The club have acquired the medals through auctions. Either that or they were loaned to us or we have just found them in the safe." Former Rangers players have also been happy to donate the Scotland caps they have won for their country so they can take their place alongside the greatest players ever to turn out for the club. Jardine said: "We have the greatest collection of caps in the world. They date from 1892 right to the present day." And if Rangers have their way, there will be many more additions in the years to come. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2504524.0.rangers_trophy_room_is_in_a_different_league.php

Forgotten Rangers man Andrius Velicka sets himself a double target as he strikes out for final glory Andrius Velicka is very keen to make up for lost time. The Lithuanian striker is determined to play his part in an engrossing title run-in and fancies helping Rangers to not just their first league title win in four years, but to the Home-coming Scottish Cup as well. A place in the final will be assured if Rangers can see off the threat of St Mirren at Hampden tomorrow and, if they do so, tongues will start to wag about the possibility of a league and cup double. St Mirren, of course, will feel that their shot at glory is equally near at hand. Gus MacPherson's side have already seen off Celtic in the competition and view tomorrow's game as one of the biggest of their season. Staying in the top flight is their ultimate aim, but a Scottish Cup Final party wouldn't be too bad either. Velicka, though, is determined to use the final weeks of the season to show Rangers just what he is capable of after being placed in cold storage for most of the season to date. The striker returned to Walter Smith's side for the 1-0 win at Falkirk this month, but it was the first sighting of him since he had featured in a 2-0 win over Hearts way back in August. It has been a difficult time for the striker, who has admitted the past eight months have been the most frustrating of his senior career. "It was a natural reaction because I had played so much football without a break," he said ruefully. "It has been very difficult for me because I started in the team and then all of a sudden I was injured. "All the games caught up with me physically, but now I feel that I can be like a fresh player for the manager. I have had a lot of time to recover my fitness and I feel I am hungry now. "It would be nice to get the chance to show the Rangers fans what I can do in these last months of the season because I don't think they have seen the best of me yet. "I believe that I can score goals, but I have to respect that there have been players doing that all season, so I will be patient. I do want to have a say in the title race because I think I can help Rangers to win the SPL and the Scottish Cup. It will be a hard game for us at Hampden tomorrow, but we are looking forward it." He will be hoping to add to the two goals he has scored in recent wins over Motherwell and Hibs and, when the dust settles on tomorrow's contest, Velicka will turn his attention to the pivotal Old Firm game at Ibrox next month. The striker has yet to sample the unique fare offered by a meeting between the Glasgow giants and he couldn't ask for a bigger game in which to make his mark this term. Irrespective of what happens between now and then, the game at Ibrox is titanic in terms of its significance. For all that both sides have squandered advantages and thrown away chances to exert further pressure on their rivals this term, it would be difficult to envisage either side winning the game at Ibrox and then not lifting the title. Velicka had fallen so far out of the picture at Rangers that he was in danger of becoming the forgotten man but, should he make his mark in what is the biggest game of the season, redemption could be at hand. "Of course I want to play in it," grinned the Lithuanian. "I haven't played in an Old Firm game before and I know what a big game it is. "It is huge because of the league situation, but an Old Firm game by itself is known all over the world. I would love to play a part in it, but this is football and things do not always go the way you want them to. "The manager has a big squad here and players like Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd have been doing it all season. "All I can do is show what I can do in training and in games and hope that I am involved when the game takes place. "But before then we have a game against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup and a league match against Hearts, so we have to think about them. "It would be silly to be thinking about Celtic just now when there are other things for us to do." Rangers have avoided a second trip to Tynecastle and will play Hearts at home in the first SPL game after the split. Critics who have pointed to the third home game against the Edinburgh side might want to consider the manner in which Csaba Laszlo's side came back from a two-goal deficit to take a point on their last visit to Ibrox. The games between either half of the Old Firm at Tynecastle are always fraught, although Velicka doesn't believe Rangers have an advantage by avoiding a trip to his former home ground. "Hearts will believe they can win against us," he said. "I enjoy playing against them because they are my old side, but that doesn't mean I don't want to beat them. "They have done very well under Csaba and he has them playing good football but, more importantly, they are a team that seem to have a lot of belief. "I don't think it is easier playing them at Ibrox than at Tynecastle because they are a difficult side to beat. "People look at Scottish football and think that Rangers should beat everybody they play, but it is not like that. You have to work very hard to win every game and every team can make life very hard for you. "Hearts will remember what happened when they played us the last time and they will take a lot of belief from that. We will need to be at our best but all that matters now is getting points." Publication date 24/04/09 http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2504069.0.0.php

Hampden Park always was Lorenzo’s soil. Big Amoruso never once lost a match with Rangers on the hallowed Mount Florida turf. Anyone who remembers his emotional swansong at the national stadium would have thought otherwise, however, as the Italian stallion wept openly in front of the assembled legions of Rangers fans. That emotional outpouring came after Amoruso’s winning header secured the 2003 Scottish Cup Final against Dundee, bringing down the curtain on an eventful six-year spell at Rangers. The biggest low of that time came when he was deposed as captain by a 22-year-old called Barry Ferguson. Almost a decade on, Ferguson has suffered the same fate. The former Scotland skipper’s ‘Boozegate’ antics alongside goalkeeper Allan McGregor have all but ended his Rangers career, with a torn calf muscle sustained in a reserve match on Tuesday ensuring there will be little opportunity for a spectacular return to favour. Unlike his disgraced successor, however, Amoruso at least had the chance to bid a dignified goodbye to the Ibrox denizens. And the 37-year-old agreed that may be a situation which comes back to haunt Ferguson in later life. ‘You don’t want to finish with Rangers in that situation,’ he said. ‘My last game was special, against Dundee at Hampden in 2003. We secured the Treble — the second of my Rangers career. It was the best way to finish my Rangers career. I went out on a high. ‘There are always consequences to your actions and Barry is old enough to understand that. He is the captain of a big club and the captain of his country. He needed to be an example as a player — and also as a human being. ‘It was a totally different situation when I lost the armband but it will definitely hurt Barry. Just because they take your armband away, it doesn’t mean you stop feeling like a captain. You will still dream, walk, talk and act like a captain, but you are not one any more. ‘You never used to be able to think of Rangers without Barry Ferguson but they have been without him for a few weeks now.’ Amoruso is back in town to promote Sky Sports’ live coverage of his old team’s Scottish Cup semi-final against St Mirren tomorrow and, unsurprisingly, he revealed that he often endured a fraught relationship with the man who inherited his captaincy. The big Italian, however, will seek out Ferguson this weekend to offer him support in his hour of need. ‘I have a lot of good memories of Barry,’ he said. ‘We definitely had a few arguments because he is a strong character and so am I. He has the kind of spirit you need in the dressing room. It’s all part of being a good team and being a winner. ‘On the pitch, he was a great player. I remember he was fantastic against Paris Saint-Germain in France and also against Celtic on several occasions. ‘After the whole (Boozegate) thing broke, I tried to give Barry a phone but he had changed his number. I didn’t want to phone someone else up to ask for his number so I will make sure I see him myself this weekend. Barry has my full support. I know he made a mistake but I’m sure he would love a second chance. It would be terrific if he stayed but he will have to sit down at the end of the season with the chairman and manager and take it from there.’ Amoruso believes that Rangers’ hopes of stopping city rivals Celtic racking up four titles in a row will diminish if St Mirren knock them out of the Scottish Cup tomorrow. And that is a possibility, he believes, if Walter Smith’s men turn up devoid of a professional mindset. Ferguson limps off in possibly his last game for Rangers Sad ending: Ferguson limps off in possibly his last game for Rangers ‘It’s important that Rangers treat St Mirren with the respect they deserve,’ he said. ‘They have to go to this game with a good attitude. ‘I haven’t seen a lot of St Mirren this year but I know they knocked Celtic out in the quarter-finals — so they must be a good side. ‘Their league position is not great but they are clearly capable of fighting for the cause and they shouldn’t be underestimated. ‘And if Rangers lose, it could be a massive problem for them. But hopefully they will win and then also go on to catch Celtic in the SPL. The league is not over yet — there are still five games to go.’ * Amoruso will be a studio guest for live, high definition coverage of Rangers v St Mirren from 12pm this Saturday on Sky Sports HD1/Sky Sports 1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1173040/Lorenzo-It-pity-Fergusons-time-Rangers-end-like-this.html

In the continued absence or 'Faither Frankie', I thought that I'd grasp the mantle and post a match report and players ratings..... Rangers rolled into Easter Road on the back of three consecutive SPL wins and the confidence that this feat would have undoubtedly given the players was evident as we raced into an early lead thanks to a wonderful strike from Whittiker. The former Hibee defender controlled a loose ball, steadied himself and fired a swerving and dipping volley into the net via the cross-bar. Instead of using this fantastic start as a platform, Rangers reverted to type and allowed the home side to grow in confidence and dictate the game. Neil Alexander ensured that our lead continued to be in tact as he pulled of a couple of saves, but couldn't stop the inevitable equaliser. A simple cross into our box wasn't defended properly and Fletcher lost Weir and planted a header into our net. Hibs tried to crank up the pressure but thankfully Rangers held out without conceding further until half-time. The weaknesses in our play were evident in the first half again. Failing to use a fantastic start as a springboard, sitting back on a lead and allowing the opposition back into the game. Our midfield was fragmented so our strikers were starved of decent service. The massed Rangers fans, who were once again a credit to their club were demanding an improved 2nd half performance and were hoping for some changes after the break. This looked a distinct possibility as Kenny Miller went through a lengthy warm-up during the break. The 2nd half started quite evenly with neither Rangers nor host Hiberian creating any notable chances. Rangers regained the lead with another well taken goal. Whittiker found Velicka with a wonderful pass into the channel. The former Hearts striker latched onto this pass and blasted the ball into the net. This happened just as it looked like Velicka was about to be subbed. This goal was well received by the travelling blue and white army, but sickened the Hibees. 2-1 down and goals scored by one of their ex heroes and ex Jambo! Rangers started to control the game at this point and this control was cemented when Kenny Miller replaced Velicka. Miller's pace and directness was what had been missing and he caused the home defence problems. They were happy with the physical battle against Boyd and Velicka, but Miller's pace certainly worried them. This was borne out with the third goal when Miller latched onto a Mendes pass, turned two defenders and drew a great save from the keeper. From the resulting corner, Boggie nodded the ball goal-wards and the ball rebounded back to the defender. Instead of settling for another corner, Boogie hooked the ball back across the six yard line. Miller met the cutback in acrobatic style and his volley was somehow cleared off the line. However, it was met by the lurking Edu who prodded the ball high into the net. The game should have been over, and we continued to create opportunities. Once again, Miller's pace and directness almost brought a forth goal when he managed to get between two defenders and surprised the keeper with a shot which was smothered round the post. Hibs throw themselves a lifeline when Rankin scored a thundering volley in the closing minutes, but Rangers held out without any problems to secure another vital away win and ensure that the destination of the title is still in out own hands. We should be helped with the news that most of our injured players are on the mend and they could contribute to the title run-in. Miller should today the benefit of having players with pace and directness, especially away from home against immobile defences like Hibs. Player Ratings Alexander - two or three notable saves and little chance with either goal - 6/10 SW - once again the best player on the pitch. Scored an early goal and set up the 2nd goal - one of only two players who starts who can beat an opponent with the ball - 8/10 Weir - apart from losing Fletcher at the goal did well - 6/10- Boogie - like SW, the only one of two players who has the ability to take a player on - 7/10 Papac - struggled badly through-out and finally replaced due to injury - 4/10 Davis - MIA again - 3/10 Edu - growing in stature and still has a lot to learn - HOWEVER, doesn't hide (take note Davis) and tries his hardest - chipped in with a goal - 6/10 Mendes - frustrating again - when he's good, he's very good, when he's bad he is very bad. Flashes of genius aren't good enough - needs a consistent level of performance during a game - 6.5/10 Smith - rightly praised for his performance last week and rightly kept his place. However, like Papac struggled through-out - 5/10 Boyd - starved of service so we know that he'll not flourish in those situations. Change in attitude though as he didn't hide and seemed up for the challenge - still, not his greatest game - 6/10 Velicka - once chance, one glorious goal - 6.10 Miller - did more in his short time on the pitch than either Velicka and Boyd, pace and directness was exactly what we have been missing - 7/10 Dailly - replaced Papac and did well - not shy in getting forward and one brilliant cross that Boyd should have gotten on the end off - 6/10 Novo - not enough time to contribute. Cammy F

Over thee last few years, a number of Rangers fans, including myself, have been vocal in their criticism of the H word, due to its sectarian connetations. I was just having a look at Paul Elliott's blog and found the following entry which may be of interest as it's on a similar theme, and may be of use in any future campaigns. "On another Chelsea connection, I met David Baddiel recently who is looking at making an advertising film to highlight the fact that the word 'yid' is a racially offensive term. I support David's work and will be getting involved. The use of this term has gone unchallenged for too long and often leads to overt anti-semitism. Abusive terms like this just don't have a place in football anymore, whatever the context and we need to educate people as to its meaning." http://the-elliott-blog.blogspot.com/

That exactly how yesterdays performance was to me. Started off like a house on fire doused in petrol, scored two goals then took the foot off the gas and let Motherwell dominate us. Once we went 2-0 up no one seemed interested to attack. No one made forward runs and no one wanted the ball. Every time we had a chance to counter Mendes and Edu struggled to find an outball therefore punting it down the field straight to the Motherwell keeper. I was chuffed to see SS start yesterday and I thought he'd start at left back with Whittaker being pushed further forward but yet again oor Watty had a positional trick up his sleeve. SS was awful yesterday, made rash tackles and just like the other players didn't seem interested in galloping forward to create an out-ball for the defence or midfield to find. What makes it worse is that our midfield had to create yesterday because the forward pair certainly weren't going to do that unless it came from a flick on from a long punt by Alexander. There was no movement between Velicka and Boyd and to be honest that's what I expected. The only reason Velicka played today was to give him games before the OF game because he'll be the one that leads the line against Celtic. We needed a Novo on from the start yesterday to up the tempo when it all died of death for us. Sure as shit, Motherwell got back into it and scored a cracker. Squeaky bum time was introduced to the thousands of Rangers fans until Boyd stuck away the penalty. It looked a stonewaller from where I was sitting but the Motherwell players seemed to think he dived. I just don't understand WS tactics. We shouldve gone at Motherwell and looked to have put the game to bed after we went 2-0 up but we sat back and invited them onto us. 3 points in the bag and the gap at the top closed so it turned out to be a good day.

THE family and friends of Rangers fanatic Garry Lynch have helped raise �£25,000 for the Rangers Youth Department after calling on fans to buy Rising Stars tickets in his memory. Garry sadly passed away in February aged just 52 and his family - wife Elaine, son Garry and daughter Angela - have been astounded by the support they have received from the Rangers Family. After discussions with friends and fellow Rangers fans, the idea of helping the Rangers Youths, which was one of Garry's favourite pastimes, came to the fore. Neil Alexander promotes the Gary Lynch Rising StarsFollowing talks with the Club, his family and friends launched a campaign to sell Rising Stars tickets in his honour and in the past few weeks supporters from around the globe have bought almost 35,000 tickets. The Club sells around 5,000 at a typical home game so the Rangers fans deserve great credit for their generosity in Garry's memory. Rising Stars tickets can be bought online via the Rising Stars link at http://www.rangerslotto.co.uk or by calling 0141 427 4914. Tickets can also be obtained before home games or in person from the Lotto Office, 2nd Floor Broomloan Stand, Ibrox Stadium or by sending an email to lotto@rangers.co.uk Tomorrow's Rising Stars draw to be made at half-time during the Motherwell match will also earn one lucky winner the chance to win a jackpot of around �£15,000 - which would be a record payout for any UK football club for a half-time draw. Goalkeeper Neil Alexander joined Rangers legend Ian Durrant, Rangers Youth Academy Director Jim Sinclair, youth star John Fleck and Garry's son at Murray Park today (Friday, 10 April 2009) to give the campaign a final push ahead of this weekend's SPL game with Motherwell at Ibrox Stadium - where tickets will be on sale in Garry's memory for the final time. Garry Lynch Jr said: "This is a great way to honour my Dad's memory and something I know he would have loved to see happen. "We hope to achieve a record payout at the Motherwell match tomorrow and we are delighted Neil Alexander promotes the Gary Lynch Rising Stars the money is going to the Rangers Youth Department. "My dad never missed a game - first-team, reserve or youth - and I have been touched by the messages of support our family has received from fans worldwide. "I'd like to thank everyone who has bought a Rising Stars ticket in his honour and I would encourage supporters to buy them at the match tomorrow so we can raise as much money as possible." Jim Sinclair commented: "Everyone at the Club was shocked to hear of Garry's death. "He was well known to the players and staff at Rangers and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. "Garry was a passionate and committed Rangers fan who was also regular at our Reserve and Youth Team matches. "His family has created a lasting legacy in his honour with this donation to the Club's Youth Department and I can't thank them - and the fans who bought tickets in Garry's memory - enough for their generosity."

Not sure if the guys who run Gersnet accept clips from other websites so i haven't put this on. But, if you want a wee laugh at Celtic's expence, go to YouTube and enter in the search "Brother Walfrid is a bear". I thought it was rather amusing. It's a wee bit of revenge for Rangers fans as i vividly remeber the last time they won the league they brought about two bus full of Celtic fans to Ibrox stadiums front entrance and stopped the traffic by doing a big huddle over the road. So, if you've seen that on Youtube, you'll enjoy the Brother Walfrid clip in revenge for that!:cheers:

One instance doesn't really prove much in any direction.

April 03, 2009 TWO Rangers fans have been cleared of any alleged role in the violence which marred last summer's UEFA Final in Manchester. Simon Toland, 19, from Belfast, and 35-year-old James Clark, from Glasgow, walked free after a jury took two hours 50 minutes to find them not guilty of violent disorder. Manchester Crown Court heard they were arrested during the early hours of the morning on Chorlton Street after crowds of Rangers supporters ran amok following the defeat by Russian side Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1106627_two_rangers_fans_cleared

and the game is drifting into injury time. The ball gets delivered into the Falkirk box and Kris Boyd (or any other player) slots the ball home. The players run to the massed Rangers fans behind the goal and during the celebration, he gives the '6 finger salute'. Whats your reaction? Cammy F

RANGERS Charity Foundation manager Connal Cochrane has scooped his second award of the last six months thanks to his personal commitment to charity and the community. Connal picked up the prize in the individual contribution category at the Evening Times Community Champion Awards for his work in the Govan and Craigton area via the Rangers Charity Foundation and for the personal fundraising challenges he has undertaken. Connal CochraneIn 2008 he climbed 100 Munros over the course of the year, each one sponsored by a Foundation supporter, and raised �£7,000 personally. In addition, a group of Rangers fans and Foundation supporters climbed Ben Lomond with Connal in May 2008 and raised over �£8,000 collectively. This event was so successful that the Rangers Charity Foundation is running it again this May. If you are interested in participating click HERE for further details. In February 2009, Connal and eight other Rangers staff and supporters completed a 200km dog sled challenge across the frozen wilds of Norway, north of the Arctic Circle, to raise funds for the Rangers Charity Foundation. The challenge was an arduous test of endurance and team work, with the participants facing ice, snow, extreme weather conditions and temperatures as low as minus 30�ºC. Connal's work has impacted hugely on the immediate community, particularly via the launch of a Community Grants scheme for the local Govan area. Connal's successful fundraising resulted in the Foundation being able to extend its grant making activities to create this new scheme in 2008. Connal Cochrane, Martin Bain, Alex Rae, Jacqui Gourlay and Debbie McRae on the Rangers Arctic ChallengeConnal developed the blueprint for and launched the initiative which saw local charities and community groups in the Govan and Craigton area benefit from grants of between �£500 and �£3,000. In 2008, 15 groups benefited to the tune of �£28,000 in total and the scheme has recently opened its doors for application for 2009, with a view to granting a further �£25,000 this season. Applications will be accepted until Friday 17th April and anyone interested can contact Connal at the Foundation for further information on 0141 580 8776. Connal Cochrane also won the prestigious Institute of Fundraising Scotland's Fundraiser of the Year Award 2008. He was again singled out from a record number of entries for his personal commitment. For further information on the work of the Foundation, visit our website at http://www.rangerscharity.org.uk.

Yip, here it is, your daily/weekly/monthly (delete as appropriate) Kris Boyd article. It is an understatement to say that Boyd splits the support and it is fare to say that both camps are well ensconced in their opinion of Kris Boyd and his merits to Rangers Football Club. Let me state this up front, I have nothing personally against Kris Boyd, he appears to be a Bear and is passionate about Rangers Football Club, but a good player that doesnââ?¬â?¢t make. There is usually a lot of vitriol in these topics so I am going to try to endeavour not to get personal or overtly passionate in this article where I will outline my reasons for believe that Kris Boyd doesnââ?¬â?¢t offer Rangers as much as it is claimed and why I believe that Rangers Football Club could actually prosper in Boydââ?¬â?¢s absence (which may be a mute point depending on the severity of Laffertyââ?¬â?¢s injury). Kris Boydââ?¬â?¢s fans point to his goal-scoring prowess as his main, and if they are honest, only redeeming feature and that is understandable as on the face of it, the lad scores goals. However, if you break these goals down, it does take some credibility away from the ââ?¬Ë?factsââ?¬â?¢. As it stands, Boyd has yet to score at Pittodrie, Tynecastle and Parkhead, arguably the three toughest away games that we face and he has managed one solitary goals against Celtc in his entire footballing career. This season, Boyd has scored 19 goals in the SPL and of those, six have been penalties. Further investigation reveals that the vast majority of these goals have come against Hamilton, Kilmarnock and Falkirk and in games where we have won convincingly. There is a lack of goals against Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and Celtc, games that are usually close and games where you are expecting and hoping that your top strikers are going to score that all important goal that will ensure that you win the game (just think Ally McCoist here, how many games did McCoist score the winner?). Another criticisms that can be aimed at Kris Boyd is that he doesnââ?¬â?¢t score enough headed goals. For a centre, you would expect a fair percentage of headed goals (just think Mark Hateley or Derek Johnstone). In my opinion, and this isnââ?¬â?¢t Kris Boydââ?¬â?¢s fault, whenever Boyd is in the team, our players resort to firing long hopefully balls to Boyd, something that he has never been able to cope or adapt to. This is a utterly useless tactic as all that we succeed in doing is handing position back to the opposition. For some reason (fitbess?) Boyd appears to shrink when he jumps and inevitably fails to retain position, flick the ball onto his strike partner etc. Outside the penalty box, Boyd is static and offers little or no movement. His control is non-excitant, he canââ?¬â?¢t beat a man and he canââ?¬â?¢t outpace even the slowest and sluggish defenders in the SPL. All of the above are basic qualities that any striker should possess. Even the glimpses we have had of Lafferty playing through the middle has shown us that he ticks all the above boxes and given an extended run and the chances that are created for Boyd, I bet that heââ?¬â?¢d score as many as Boyd scores. I touched on Ruud Van Nistelrooy in another thread and pointed out how Manchester United actually benefited and prospered by selling one of the most prolific strikers that had had. It is worth examining just how prolific RVN was for Manchester United. In his first season at Old Trafford after a Ã?£19M transfer, RVN scored 23 goals in 32 EPL games for Manchester United including a run of scoring in 8 consecutive league games which is an EPL record. He also scored 10 goals in the Champions League and was voted the PFA Player Of The Year. The following season he was even more prolific scoring 44 goals in 52 games including 12 in 10 CL games and was the EPLââ?¬â?¢s top goal scorer that season (with 25, including three hatricks) and ended the season with another 8 consecutive scoring run. RVN was injured for most of the next season but still contributed with important CL goals. The following season he was joint top scorer with Henry (21 goals) before SAF sold his scoring prodigy to Real Madrid. Whilst these goal-scoring exploits are outstanding, Manchester United happened on their worst run of trophies in years. SAF believed that this was down to the way they played to accommodate RVNââ?¬â?¢s goal-scoring threat. He decided that to actually win the EPL and CL, he would have to sacrifice his top scorer, one of the deadliest marksmen in Europe to help the TEAM. He was ridiculed for this decision in certain sections of the press but in hindsight, it was one of SAFââ?¬â?¢s bravest and craftiest moves. Manchester United havenââ?¬â?¢t looked back since. We as Rangers fans were lucky enough to witness a young RVN when DAââ?¬â?¢s Rangers were drawn with Dutch giants in the CL. We destroyed them 4-1 at Ibrox with Mols on fire and secured a 1-0 away victory thanks to a trademark Albertz thunderbolt. In all honesty, RVN looked like a rich manââ?¬â?¢s Kris Boyd in those games and it was our Dutch striker Mols who displayed a master-class performance at Ibrox. However, it canââ?¬â?¢t be denied that RVN went on to become on of Europeââ?¬â?¢s top strikers and he was still delivering at Real Madrid before injury cut short his season. So, could Rangers benefit from following SAF and Manchester Unitedââ?¬â?¢s example of selling their top scorer? Having not won an SPL title in three seasons and the likelihood that we wonââ?¬â?¢t win again this season, then yes, we must try something different as playing to Boydââ?¬â?¢s supposed strengths hasnââ?¬â?¢t and isnââ?¬â?¢t working and more importantly, no matter how prolific he appears, we arenââ?¬â?¢t winning the title. In Kyle Lafferty, Walter Smith may have stumbled on an ideal replacement for Boyd, now he must trust his instincts and give Lafferty an extended run in the striker role (injury permitting) and find Lafferty a partner that will supplement and flourish alongside him. I believe that I have stuck to my original promise and havenââ?¬â?¢t gotten personal of over passionate in my argument as to why it could be an advantage to drop / sell Kris Boyd. I would also argue that his stock in football isnââ?¬â?¢t that high given that when it was made public that he was for sale in January, his only suitor was his ex-manager Alex McLeish who was willing to take Kris Boyd to Championship side Birmingham City. Given his perceived abilities, surely there would be a queue of managers fighting for his signature? Cammy F

Anyone still a fan of this has-been old prick? No problem with his set-up in midfield and up front, but our amateur manager set out an amateur defence today. Who else should he have played in defence then you ask? Couldn't give a shit - McCulloch is NOT nor ever has been a defender in anyone's eyes other than Smith's, and every minute Dailly takes to the pitch in a Rangers shirt we are the laughing stock of Scotland. There can't be many arguments that at least a handful of our team are gutless wee gobshites (Beasley, Boyd - there's two), and the players have to take their share of the blame. But it is patently clear that Walter Smith is not inspiring this group of players. Fans are simply going to have to accept the obvious, that Walter Smith is incapable of winning us an SPL title. We are quite literally going backwards by the week under this charlatan. He cannot go soon enough for this Bear. The old git's only there beacuse of his pal upstairs, who himself is long past caring that each day of Smith's reign damages the club. Any respect I had for you from the 9IAR years has disappeared completely. You are past it as a manager and have made it abundantly clear on several occasions what you think of good Bears like me. You will not, under any circumstance, accept responsibility for any of our disastrous results under your watch, and you can stick your tedious media platitudes up your arse. Thousands of Rangers fans will look back on your second spell and view you with utter contempt. WALTER SMITH GTF

‘Hatred (or hate) is a word that describes intense feelings of dislike. It can be used in a wide variety of contexts, from hatred of inanimate objects (e.g. vegetables) to hatred of other people, or even entire groups of people.’ Was I the only one disappointed at the media and general all-round furore that greeted Wayne Rooney’s comments that he ‘hated’ Liverpool Football Club? This statement was published on the official Manchester United website in an in-depth interview with the player. Rooney supported and broke through the ranks at Liverpool’s neighbours Everton before being transferred to Liverpool’s deadliest rivals. Is it any wonder that he has a dislike for Liverpool? This hate from the red half of Merseyside will have ingrained into Rooney whilst growing us as a ‘blue’ and I’m betting that the Liverpool support would be more annoyed if Rooney stated that he didn’t hate them. Football rivalry has been around for over a century and whilst not being entirely healthy, it is what makes football special and creates the passion that sees millions flock to football stadiums all over the world on a weekly basis. As a Rangers fan, I hate Celtc, in fact, I despise them with every fibre of my being. Why, well, they are our fiercest rivals, nothing more sinister than that. I have family and friends who support Celtc and who have no issue with my dislike of their club. They have the same intense dislike for the club that I love. I find that harder to believe, how could anyone hate The Rangers! The worrying issue regarding Rooney’s comments was the reaction to them in the media. Wayne Rooney is a professional football player who is plying his trade at the top of his profession. Should that make him above statements about hating Liverpool? Again, I certainly hope not. Would I be concerned to read that Artur Borac and Neil Lennon hate Rangers? Off course not. Would I lose any sleep over it? Off course not. There is a tendency in society for people finding offence where this is none. As Rangers fans, we have first hand evidence of this but we are up against an especially sensitive type of ‘mopery’ where even the children’s song ‘hokey cokey’ is considered sectarian and out of bounds. I hope that we haven’t entered a stage in our culture where every sound-bite is scrutinized to the ‘n’th degree’ and criticised, just for the sake of criticism. Rooney’s comments were withdrawn from the Manchester United website in the aftermath of them being projected into mainstream media outlets and the backlash that these comments caused. However, I believe that Liverpool answered Wayne Rooney in the best way possible, given the result on Saturday. The flip side to this argument is the hatred shown by certain fans that has nothing to do with football, but so-called politics that attach themselves to supporters of certain clubs. In the week that Rooney’s comments caused so much discussion, supporters of a certain club openly flaunted the death of two British Servicemen and the severe injury of innocent bystanders without a peep in the mainstream media. It is time this country got its priority’s into perspective and instead of defending any off the cuff comment that they fear will upset some minority and look at where the real hatred and where the real problems lie. http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Cel...zza.5081563.jp

CammyF throws down the gauntlet to the club s he asks Rangers to provide a museum at last to celebrate our proud history (with valued contributions from the Curator of the Scottish Football Museum). http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=772&Itemid=2 Part One ââ?¬Ë?The Scottish Football Museum exists to promote the unique football heritage of Scotland, to build and maintain a national football collection, and to educate and inspire future generations.ââ?¬â?¢ The above is the mission statement for the Scottish Football Association Museum Trust which through hard work and dedication has opened the impressive Scottish Football Museum at Hampden. I have a personal interest in this museum as my Grandfatherââ?¬â?¢s junior and amateur medals are now held in the museum and are occasionally on display. Richard McBrearty, Curator of the Scottish Football Museum kindly supplied detailed information that is used within this article and we at Gersnet are indebted to Richard for taking the time to add his input to this article and project. The above mission statement rings true when evaluating and showcasing Scottish Football and the same could be said for Rangersââ?¬â?¢ uniqueness and having our own museum is something that I know some fans have been suggesting for many years now. I believe that the first time I personally became aware of the need for a Rangers museum was after the tragic death of Davie Cooper. Many Rangers fans at the time rightly stated that a Rangers Museum would be lasting and fitting tribute to Davie Cooper. The idea of a museum has been muted and discussed at various AGMs, but as yet, there has been little, if any movement on this front. If you have been lucky enough to have visited the Ibrox Trophy Room you will know that there are many unique, interesting and quirky exhibits that deserved to be showcased in a dedicated museum ââ?¬â?? the ââ?¬Ë?Loving Cupââ?¬â?¢ instantly springs to mind. Indeed, the club feel that the stadium is a museum in itself and while that opinion has validity, we could build upon the existing tour by providing new stand-alone facilities for such an initiative. This existing tour has positive feedback but there is no doubt improvement, as always, can be sought. The best stadium tour that I have ever undertaken was the tour of the Santiago BernabÃ?©u Stadium in Madrid. Not only does this take in the wonderful Real Madrid museum, the tour is unique in-itself as there are no dedicated guides for the tour, you pay your money and allowed access to the stadium and complete this at your own leisure. All the exhibits on the tour and in the museum are showcased in Spanish, German and English. Real Madridââ?¬â?¢s museum is also interesting as it isnââ?¬â?¢t solely a footballing museum. Realââ?¬â?¢s basketball team are also well represented in the museum as are other sports like tennis and athletics. The history of the club is told as you wander through the museum and this is done in such a way that you leave the museum with all the historical information that makes Real Madrid the institution that they are. At the end of the museum, which takes up the majority of one stand, is a tribute wall that lists every player ever to play for Real Madrid and they are separated into the countries of their birth. There is only ever been one Scotsman to play for Real Madrid, a certain Mr John Fox Watson - 1948 ââ?¬â?? then player/coach and is credited as being the first British player to play for Real Madrid. . The BernabÃ?©u model is an example that Rangers could follow. Ibrox Stadium whilst being the famous home of Rangers Football Club has also housed various other events over the years; from the annual parades of the Boys Brigade and Orange Order to the Rangers Sports Days that were a highlight of the sporting calendar in the 1950ââ?¬â?¢s. There is some wonderful footage of the sports days on ââ?¬Ë?YouTubeââ?¬â?¢ and they did draw impressive crowds to Ibrox. All this information, photos and memorabilia will be currently lying around Ibrox somewhere gathering dust. We do have an unofficial publication, 'The Rangers Historian' that details our glorious history and Robert McElroy as well as the Club Historian David Mason would be ideal supporters representatives on any museum project. Ex-players, such as Sandy Jardine who is, according to Richard McBrearty, the Rangers representative on the ââ?¬Ë?Scottish Football Heritage Networkââ?¬â?¢ and has done a fair amount of work for that organisation, should also be included. There are also on-line resources that the club could use to supplement their official records. The Manchester Utd Archive site, the ââ?¬Ë?Stretford Endââ?¬â?¢ is a fantastic example of how fansââ?¬â?¢ hard work, dedication and love for the club could be used. Off course, we have our own unofficial and less complete Rangers Archive which is another empirical example of how much can be achieved without financial input. Richard McBrearty does warn that the idea for a museum would be hard to sell to the club as a money making scheme as very few museums actually do make a profit - Barcelona and Man United being the exceptions to the rule. Man Unitedââ?¬â?¢s museum was making profits in the region of Ã?£200,000 while he Barca museum has generated over 2 million visitors a year as a direct result of it being on the official tourist route. The same can be said of the BernabÃ?©u, this is on the official tourist route and, as a result, all tourist buses pass and stop directly outside the stadium. I have to admit that I havenââ?¬â?¢t managed to ride the Glasgow Tour Bus so I donââ?¬â?¢t know how close to Ibrox these go. If they take in the Science Museum then it wouldnââ?¬â?¢t take much to persuade Glasgow City Council to get the buses to go an extra mile to Ibrox? CONTINUES

A day that will life long in my memory not only due to this being my first ever Old Firm Cup Final but due to the dramatic nature of our eventual victory. I had been lucky enough to have seen Rangers win this trophy previously (against DUFC in 1982) and was due to go to the final in 1983 which would have been my first OF final. Thankfully (sic) I was taken unwell and was in hospital with a bout of appendicitis and missed our 2-1 defeat at the hands of our bitter rivals. The League Cup has been a very successful competition for Rangers over the years and last season penalty shoot-out success against Dundee United marked our 25th victory in the League Cup. Another amazing statistic is that over the years, we have only ever lost 6 League Cup Finals (out of 31) a truly staggering statistic. We also suffered an embarrassing final defeat but weââ?¬â?¢ll gloss over that at this juncture and itââ?¬â?¢s worth remembering that this result wasnââ?¬â?¢t the greatest OF victory, we defeated Celtc 8-1 ââ?¬â?? before anyone tells you that this game doesnââ?¬â?¢t ââ?¬Ë?countââ?¬â?¢, Celtc count their solitary goal from that game in their official club history. I believe weââ?¬â?¢ll all remember the titanic finals against Aberdeen in 1988 and 1989 (3-3 and 3-2 respectively) of the fantastic 4-3 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle. The victory over Ayr United in 2002 will also be well remembered for an outlandish piece of showboating from Andre Kanchelskis : [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQJtZF_6Fyc]YouTube - Kanchelskis stands on the ball[/ame] And if like me, you attended that 1995 final at Hampden then you are entitled to claim this as a victory, well it was a moral victory in my eyes! Anyway, I digress, back to the League Cup Final in 1984 a season that ranks as one of the most traumatic in our history. John Greig eventually bowed in increasing pressure and resigned as Rangers manager and was replaced by Jock Wallace. Due to our disastrous start in the league, the cup competitions were (once again) our only true hope for any silverware. The road to Hampden started with a convincing 8-1 aggregate win over Queen of The South and this was followed by impressive victories over Hearts (3-0 at Tynecastle) and St Mirren (5-0 at Ibrox). These results, coupled with return fixtures ensure that Rangers qualified for a two legged Semi-Final against Dundee United. A credible 1-1 draw at Tannidice saw Rangers entertain the tangerines at Ibrox with a place in the final in the balance. From what I remember of the home leg, Rangers played extremely well and won the game 2-0 with Ian Redford scoring the decisive goal with a beautiful chip over the onrushing Hamish McAlpine. Davie Mitchell scored in both legs of the semi-final but wouldnââ?¬â?¢t feature in the cup final itself. In the run up to the final, Jock Wallace had made an immediate impact and Rangers would embark on a 16 game unbeaten run that would eventually come to an end when Dundee won a Scottish Cup replay 3-2 at Ibrox and ended our chances of a domestic cup double. As this was my first OF Cup Final, I didnââ?¬â?¢t really know what to expect. Would it be just like the league encounters? I was soon to find out. I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t sleep the Saturday evening (evening forgoing the Boys Club Disco to ensure that I was match fit for the Sunday). The supporters bus was a buzz of excitement and the journey to Hampden seemed to fly past and before I knew it, I was climbing the stairs on the way to section J. It is impossible to describe the build of noise that this climb generate, or on how louder this gets, reaching a crescendo as you took your place on the terracing. What would stick in my mind that day was the huge gaps in the Celtc end (see you tube links below) and just how louder and mope passionate the Rangers fans were. I know itââ?¬â?¢s romantic to think this way, but in some perverse memory, it felt that we did contribute to our eventual victory as the Rangers fans were ferocious in their backing of the team that day as I had ever seen them. Just like the journey to the game, the game itself flew by and if Iââ?¬â?¢m honest, all I can really remember of the game is the goals, well our goals anyway. Referee for the day was our old friend Bob Valentine and he award three penalties in the game, two to Rangers and one to Celtc and all three were converted. Our first goal was scored from a penalty just before half-time nicely tucked away by Ally McCoist. Rangers scored their 2nd goal on the hour mark after Sandy Clark won a long ball from Peter McCloy and headed the ball into the path of McCoist who slipped home past the despairing Bonner. Celtc equalised and sent then game into extra time, but not before a show of petulance from the Celtc team as they protested a booking to Roy Aitken in an overtly provocative fashion. In fact, a senior Policeman had to intervene. Unsurprisingly, this incident wasnââ?¬â?¢t included in the referees report and the players went unpunished (some things never change). Anyway, into extra-time we went and Rangers were awarded another penalty when Roy Aitken fouled Ally McCoist in the penalty area and the referee correctly pointed to the spot. Another booking for Aitken leading to a red card? You would have thought so, but no, Aitken escaped further punishment and after the dust had settled, Ally McCoist stepped up to face Pat Bonner. The keeper guessed correctly and parried McCoistââ?¬â?¢s kick back out onto the six yard line where Super Ally was awaiting to, at the 2nd attempt, deposit the ball into the net. This is where your mind starts playing tricks with you especially over the ravages of time. From my vantage point, it appeared that the Celtc fans had been celebrating for numerous seconds before Ally put their ââ?¬Ë?gas at a peepââ?¬â?¢. In reality, they had barely the time to jump for joy before Ally reduced them to tears. Well, that was it, bedlam, delirium, ecstasy et al ensued in the Rangers end and I remember being shunted about 10 stairs down and about 20 foot to my right in the celebrations. In fact, one of my friends that I was at the game with lost a trainer in the celebrations but decided that it was a price worth paying! The final whistle sparked further celebrations on and off the pitch and John McClelland led his troops up the famous Hampden stairs to receive the trophy. A huge cheer greeted him as he showed the glittering prize to the rank and file supporters. We had won the cup and my first OF final couldnââ?¬â?¢t have gone better. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih0JoTykCqY&feature=related]YouTube - Rangers vrs Celtic Hampden 83/84 part 1[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG1KwL7P1U0&feature=related]YouTube - Rangers vrs Celtic Hampden 83/84 part2[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGXIeCC0O0k&feature=related]YouTube - Rangers vrs Celtic Hampden 83/84 part3[/ame] http://www.napit.co.uk/viewus/infobank/football/scottishleaguecup.php http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/old-firm/classicmatchreports/2009/02/10/league-cup-final-rangers-3-celtic-2-march-25-1984-86908-21112643/ Cammy F -

By Andrew Dickson ALLY McCOIST is sure Madjid Bougherra will be fit for next weekend's League Cup final with Celtic despite having to take the Algerian off against Hamilton. The 26-year-old took a kick to the calf in the second half of the 5-1 victory over Accies in the last eight of the Scottish Cup at Ibrox this afternoon. bougherra_160He was taken off as a precaution and after club doctor Paul Jackson looked at the injury, he is expected to train normally later in the week. That's great news for Rangers fans who had been worried when they saw the former Charlton man make way for Maurice Edu. They will be pleased further by news that Pedro Mendes is in line to play in the Old Firm derby after suffering no reaction to the thigh strain that sidelined him last week. The Portuguese midfielder played 61 minutes before he was replaced by Lee McCulloch, himself making a comeback after a recent calf knock. McCoist, standing in as manager in the cup, said: "Madjid is fine and we didn't actually take him off because of the injury. "He was away back home for a few days seeing his mum so we took him off for that reason. "I'd be lying to you if I said I had been into the physio's room for myself to see how Madjid is doing but it would be a major surprise to me if he wasn't fine."

Does the above date resonate with you? Does the above date send horrible feelings hurtling through your body? It should, it was the last time Rangers lost a domestic cup final to Celtc. As the CO-OP Cup Final is looming large in our thoughts, it is worth taking a trip down memory lane and remember the empty feeling you get when you lose a cup final to your bitter rivals. Any time you lose to your bitterest of rivals, you get an empty feeling, a feeling of horrid, putrid nothingness and an exasperation that nothing in the world can eradicate. This is magnified and multiplied if the loss is in a cup final, and if possible is made worse if you are blatantly cheated. The Scottish Cup Final in 1989 was supposed to be the day that we won the treble to put the icing on a terrific domestic season. Rangers had won the title for 39th time leaving Aberdeen in our wake and this was the 2nd title of the Souness era. We had also won the League Cup defeating Aberdeen 3-2 in a truly wonderful cup final. This season was also notable for two destructions of Celtc – 5-1 and 4-1 in the league games at Ibrox. This season would also be remembered for the terrible challenge by Neil Simpson on Ian Durrant at a league game at Pittodrie. Manager Souness had never won a domestic ‘FA Cup’ as a player nor a manager and we all believed that this was the game that would exorcise those demons. During our semi-final (played at Parkhead) news filtered through that there had been an incident at Hillsbourgh where Liverpool was taking on Nottingham Forest. In the days prior to mobile phones, no further information was gained during the game, only on returning to our supporters bus did we fully realise the full extent of the horror that had unfolded in Sheffield that day. If my memory of the cup final is off a beautiful sunny day and on the way to Hampden, a support who were anticipating celebrating a domestic clean-sweep made all the sweater by defeating our foes in the final. This anticipation was temporarily tempered by the news that the mercurial Ray Wilkins and ever improving Derek Ferguson was both injured and out of the final. However, as it transpired it wasn’t a player who would decided the destiny of the Scottish Cup, it would be referee Bob Valentine who made two ludicrous decisions that would cost Rangers not only the cup, but the domestic treble. Celtc, through Roy Aitken were allowed to take a throw-in that the officials had clearly signalled was a Rangers throw. Aitken threw the ball in the direction of Joe Miller but Gary Stevens had it covered. However, he was short in his back-pass and Miller stole in and scored. Everyone in the stadium were awaiting the officials to chalk-off the goal and restart with a Rangers throw-in. Instead, they waved play on and Rangers were 1-0 down. Pressing for an equaliser, Rangers were awarded a corner and as this was swung into the Celtc box, Paddy Bonnor collided with his own player, the ball broke to Terry Butcher who slammed the ball into the unguarded net. The Rangers end exploded and the Rangers players wheeled away in celebration only for the inept official to signal for a foul on Bonnor. As the final whistle signalled the end of the game, I’ll never forget the wonderful reaction of the Rangers support. The fans stayed to a man (woman and child) and hailed our gallant team who had had a very successful season and were only denied the ultimate prize by a ‘Mason In The Black’. The Rangers fans outstayed their ‘celebrating’ neighbours and no-one in attendance that day will forget the chants of ‘We Want The Rangers’ from a still full Rangers end whilst the Celtc end had long emptied. One ironic subplot to this final was that in the lead-up to the final, Celtc had leaked to the press that a certain Maurice Johnston would be returning from France to Celtc during the close season. The massed Celtc fans could be heard chanting ‘Mo, Mo Super Mo’ during the cup final, oh how those words were going to come back and haunt them. Hopefully the present Rangers incumbents won’t fall foul of such ineptitude from the officials on Sunday and hopefully we will have learned from the example set by St Mirren on Saturday on how easily Celtc are nullified and beaten. Give them no time or space to pass the ball and pressurise their defence. Both central defenders are great in the air, but are susceptible to pace. I decide to highlight a lowlight in the lead up to the final as I am sure there will be plenty of stories and You-Tube clips of the vast amount of Rangers glories over the years against ‘THEM’. However, whilst hoping for and enjoying the glories, lets not forget that emptiness that engulfs you when you loss these game. Come On Rangers……….. Cammy F http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=769&Itemid=1

TALKSPORT host Alan Brazil is giving me growlers because I dared to order a soft drink in the pub. Well, it had just gone 10am. ââ?¬Å?Not in my company, pal,ââ?¬Â snarls the ex-Scotland star as he kicks off another of his famous bleary-eyed benders... We meet in The Three Lords pub on the edge of Londonââ?¬â?¢s east end. Itââ?¬â?¢s wasnââ?¬â?¢t open yet, but Alan knew a side door. The joint is owned by former boxer Mickey Quinn and is already full of shady-looking characters, with bent noses and missing teeth ââ?¬â? Alan feels right at home. Its walls are adorned with photos of celebs and scrappers from yesteryear, including Brazilââ?¬â?¢s big bald head. Cockney owner Mickey says: ââ?¬Å?We had to have Alââ?¬â?¢s picture in black and white because his face was so red ââ?¬â? it was ââ?¬Ë?orrible.ââ?¬Â ââ?¬Å?Aye,ââ?¬Â Brazil concedes ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢d been on holiday and was pretty sunburnt.ââ?¬Â Alan has just come from TalkSPORT where he broadcasts to 1.1million listeners across the country every morning. Heââ?¬â?¢s exactly the same off-air as he is on it ââ?¬â? opinionated, funny and a right good drinking buddy. Itââ?¬â?¢s his 10th year fronting the breakfast show, give or take one or two dismissals for failing to turn up ââ?¬Å?cos I was p***ed.ââ?¬Â He says: ââ?¬Å?When I was offered the breakfast slot I said, ââ?¬Ë?I couldnââ?¬â?¢t get up for 10am football training, never mind start a radio show at 6am.ââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Å?But somehow Iââ?¬â?¢ve managed it.ââ?¬Â The Scot has arguably the best job in the country, talking football with punters on the show then off to the pub followed by a match or a function. Freefall Alan admits: ââ?¬Å?I am out every night of the week ââ?¬â? without fail. ââ?¬Å?I was once asked if I have a drink problem. My reply was ââ?¬Ë?Nah, Iââ?¬â?¢m just from Glasgowââ?¬â?¢. ââ?¬Å?But every January the bosses send me to a health farm for a detox ââ?¬â? I just get bladdered instead.ââ?¬Â Itââ?¬â?¢s reported he also gets paid Ã?£200,000 a year for the privilege. Brazil smiles: ââ?¬Å?Aye, and the rest.ââ?¬Â Me: ââ?¬Å?Ã?£300,000?ââ?¬Â He says: ââ?¬Å?Nah, more than that, but Iââ?¬â?¢m not a bragger. ââ?¬Å?But I earn more now than I ever did as a player.ââ?¬Â Brazil is worth it. They say no player is bigger than the club, but not in his case. When he was bulleted after going AWOL at Cheltenham Races in 2004, station bosses simply had to bring him back after listener figures went into freefall. Alan returns to the scene of the crime next week for the Gold Cup. He winks: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ll be on my best behaviour. Actually, thatââ?¬â?¢s a lie, itââ?¬â?¢ll be business as usual. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m fined Ã?£5,000 now for every show I miss and everyone calls me ââ?¬Ë?Sick Noteââ?¬â?¢. ââ?¬Å?But Iââ?¬â?¢ve only had to pay them back Ã?£15,000... so far.ââ?¬Â Brazil is from that glorious era when Scotland produced a host of top players starring in England. His main side was Ipswich Town, winning the UEFA Cup with the unfashionable club in 1981. The striker also turned out for Spurs and Manchester Utd, earning 13 caps for Scotland. At 21 he was the youngest member of the national squad at the World Cup Finals in Spain 1982. Pints for breakfast His glittering career was sadly cut short due to a back injury at just 27 years old. He hasnââ?¬â?¢t aged well. Brazilââ?¬â?¢s only 49 now but looks at least 10 years older ââ?¬â? hardly surprising with his drinking schedule. But the team he always dreamed of playing for was Celtic. Alan, who grew up in Simshill in the shadow of Hampden Park, turned out for Celtic Boysââ?¬â?¢ Club. He said: ââ?¬Å?I scored 62 goals in my last year at the boysââ?¬â?¢ club ââ?¬â? that has to merit getting a chance for Celtic. ââ?¬Å?Maybe Big Jock Stein just didnââ?¬â?¢t fancy me ââ?¬â? but then he picked me for the World Cup in ââ?¬Ë?82, so it doesnââ?¬â?¢t make sense. ââ?¬Å?Whether the problem I had with Celtic Boysââ?¬â?¢ Club prevented me from signing with Celtic I donââ?¬â?¢t know.ââ?¬Â Pervert That problem was pervert general manager Jim Torbett. His crimes became public in 1996 when Brazil revealed he had been molested at the age of 13 at Torbettââ?¬â?¢s home in Sighthill, Glasgow. Torbett was subsequently jailed for two and a half years in 1998. Since then a section of Rangers fans have been blasted for singing ââ?¬Ë?Big Jock Knewââ?¬â?¢ at games. The chant alleges former Scotland and Celtic boss Jock Stein, right, tried to cover up Torbettââ?¬â?¢s sordid crimes. Me: ââ?¬Å?So did Big Jock know?ââ?¬Â Alan says emphatically: ââ?¬Å?No chance. Big Jock wouldnââ?¬â?¢t stand for any nonsense would he? ââ?¬Å?But I tell you who did know ââ?¬â? The Kelly family who ran Celtic at the time. ââ?¬Å?They stood by him. One of the Kellys was even with Torbett in court. That p****d me off big style.ââ?¬Â Alan, who has three daughters Michelle, 25, Lucy, 23, and 17-year-old Stephanie with wife Jill, added: ââ?¬Å?I got lots of negative comments. ââ?¬Å?Even in court the judge asked me why I hadnââ?¬â?¢t said something at the time. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s not something you go home and say to your mum and dad ââ?¬Ë?guess what happened to me today?ââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Å?But I promise you there were lots of others. I had a phone call afterwards from a well-known footballer who played in England. ââ?¬Å?He was in tears, saying he was so glad Iââ?¬â?¢d come forward. ââ?¬Å?It wasnââ?¬â?¢t just Celtic Boysââ?¬â?¢ Club. These paedophiles are attracted to anything with children. Advertisement Click here ââ?¬Å?If they had touched any of my daughters Iââ?¬â?¢d have killed them.ââ?¬Â As for the Rangers fansââ?¬â?¢ sick chants, Alan laughs: ââ?¬Å?Uch, I expected that. I grew up with all that I donââ?¬â?¢t think thereââ?¬â?¢s anything wrong with it. ââ?¬Å?As long as both sides are just 90-minute bigots inside the stadium and not outside, Iââ?¬â?¢ve not got a problem. I hate all this talk of docked points and fines ââ?¬â? what a load of nonsense. ââ?¬Å?Thatââ?¬â?¢s what makes the Celtic-Rangers rivalry so unique.ââ?¬Â Easy to say when you live hundreds of miles away I guess. But Alan clearly loves London life. He has a flat near Canary Wharf and returns home to his missus in Suffolk at weekends. He said: ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m convinced I gave the English the word numpty. ââ?¬Å?No one said it down here 10 years ago. Now it even pops up on EastEnders. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m going to try them with ââ?¬Ë?gallusââ?¬â?¢ next.ââ?¬Â Wrecked But how did a boy from Glasgowââ?¬â?¢s southside end up with a name like Brazil anyway? Alan smiles: ââ?¬Å?Ah, thatââ?¬â?¢s a long story. ââ?¬Å?Basically it involves a ship from the Spanish Armada being wrecked off the coast of Ireland, a survivor, and the potato famine... ââ?¬Â Sounds like a good pub tale to me. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/mattmeets/article2302640.ece

As you know, I have little interest in international football, but I will be keeping an eye on the Scotland team that'll play in the up-and-coming qualifiers. Will George Burley pick Gordon in goal over McGregor given his comments on his decision not to play Kris Boyd earlier in the campaign? If he does plump for Gordon, will he loose the respect of the media and the fans, especially those Rangers fans that still support the national team? If I were McGregor and I was overlooked in favour of Gordon, I'd follow Boyd's example and tell Burley where to stick his team. Cammy F

It was one thing recently for the Old Firm to drop out of the Deloitte Top-20 List for Europeââ?¬â?¢s richest football clubs: when you consider the Milans, Real Madrids and Manchester Uniteds of this world, what right do either Rangers or Celtic have to be permanently hobnobbing with the elite? Within the Scottish context, though, I was still shocked by the poor financial health of Rangers, given their most recent set of accounts issued in recent days. It was alarming, even given their Champions League exit in August, to note that Rangersââ?¬â?¢ turnover amounted to a feeble Ã?£21 million ââ?¬â?? almost Ã?£13 million down on the previous year and just 44 per cent of Celticââ?¬â?¢s equivalent figure. Even worse were the ancillary figures in their interim report. Rangers made a pretax loss of Ã?£2.7 million, down Ã?£6 million on 2007, and their retained loss was Ã?£4 million, a decline of Ã?£6.2 million on the previous year. It appears that Rangers are on course this season for a total income-from-trading of around Ã?£42 million to Ã?£43 million, way below the target the Ibrox hierarchy should be hitting in this day and age. Or, put it another way, the amount of business that Rangers will generate in the present financial year will be less than Celtic posted for their first six months. Sir David Murray recently rebuked ââ?¬Å?the amateur economistsââ?¬Â who had been poring over Rangersââ?¬â?¢ figures and picking holes. In one sense he is on sure ground: his business track record stands as a testament to his financial bravado and risk-taking. But Murray, surely, will deplore the fact that Rangers are falling so far behind Celtic in almost every area off the park. Compared with Rangersââ?¬â?¢ six-month Ã?£4 million loss, Celtic have just posted an Ã?£8 million profit, and are making millions more than Rangers from their commercial affairs. The Old Firm were never meant to be as unequal as this. Even worse now is that old, dreaded subject of Murray and Rangers: debt. Four years ago, Murray, scolded by coverage of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ near Ã?£80 million net debt, vowed to wipe out the Ibrox overload and proceeded to chip away at it. Ultimately, it took the absorption of the Rangers debt by Murrayââ?¬â?¢s umbrella company, Murray International Holdings, to fix the problem, but, nonetheless, fixed in that sense it was. But look at it now. Rangers tried and failed to sell a principal playing asset during January, and now we know why. Their figures to December 31 have set alarm bells ringing again, and the Ibrox debt is once more estimated to be somewhere between Ã?£25 million and Ã?£30 million and rising. Again, the contrast with Celtic will pain those Rangers fans who crave the day when their club are back on a healthy footing. Celtic have just announced that their debt is less than Ã?£1 million, which means that, over the next two years, they will be in a far healthier position to enhance their team. Given all this, when you recall the August day that Rangers sold Carlos CuÃ?©llar to Aston Villa for Ã?£8 million, it all makes more sense now. Rangers will not have received all of that money up front, but their loss-making would have looked even worse had CuÃ?©llar not been sacrificed. It is putting it too strongly to say that Rangers are back in a financial mess, but their financial performance is deeply unimpressive. The question is, who is to blame? Many Rangers fans are asking: why is their club being run so much worse than Celtic? Is Murray to blame? Is Martin Bain, the clubââ?¬â?¢s chief executive, at fault? Is it Andrew Dickson, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ head of football administration and Bainââ?¬â?¢s right-hand man? Someone is certainly falling below standards inside Ibrox. Murray cites the Champions League as if it is a cureall. He was at it again on Friday, claiming that ââ?¬Å?the importance of qualifying for the Champions Leagueââ?¬Â was underpinned by Rangersââ?¬â?¢ poor financial figures. The Champions League, however, should not be the be-all and end-all of their commercial worth. Given that qualifying for Europeââ?¬â?¢s elite club tournament has been an erratic business in recent years, Rangers should have a business formula in place that preserves them when they are not in Europe. Right now, evidently, that formula has escaped the clubââ?¬â?¢s boardroom. And another thing... Undermining of Strachan so difficult to fathom These days some of the most embittered and aggrieved football supporters I come across are those of Celtic. There is a vocal rump of them who dislike Gordon Strachan, dislike the football his team play, and have constantly disliked his signing policy. ââ?¬Å?Strachan demeans Celtic,ââ?¬Â one of them told me recently, while another fan I spoke to actually said: ââ?¬Å?He is not a manager worthy of Celticââ?¬â?¢s name.ââ?¬Â And just to stem the conspiracy theorists, both of these people were of my own faith-tradition, which is to say, of the Reformed tradition. And they donââ?¬â?¢t seem to be alone among Celtic fans in their views. It leaves me wondering . . . if Strachan does go on to make it four championships in a row with Celtic, just how the heck are these people going to explain their position? It would be indefensible, wouldnââ?¬â?¢t it? Refreshing attitude One of the most refreshing parts of my tasks from last week was hearing out James McCarthy on the subject of bigotry. The young Hamilton Academical star has a right to feel as vehement as anyone on the subject, given the abuse he takes from the terraces, yet McCarthy was utterly refreshing when asked about the anticipated singing of The Famine Song by Rangers supporters at New Douglas Park on Saturday. ââ?¬Å?It doesnââ?¬â?¢t bother me in the slightest,ââ?¬Â McCarthy said. ââ?¬Å?These people are just idiots. There are always people in a crowd who want to abuse me, but it just goes in one ear and out the other. Like I say, itââ?¬â?¢s a bunch of idiots shouting.ââ?¬Â With an attitude like this, sometimes I wonder why the rest of us bother about such chants. If McCarthy can bring himself to laugh it off, and believes that it just makes the choristers seem slightly thick, why should the rest of us care about it? Laborious process So Henry McLeish, Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s former first minister, is to chair a coalition committee wherein a procedure for streamlining between Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s three football governing bodies ââ?¬â?? the SFA, the SPL and the SFL ââ?¬â?? is to be established. Would someone wake me up once they have their findings? Young guns misfire It was billed as the John Fleck v James McCarthy show at New Douglas Park on Saturday, but neither showed up in the Hamilton-Rangers game. Fleck was dropped by Rangers, while McCarthy, who did play, failed to ââ?¬Å?turn upââ?¬Â in the old, disparaging phrase for footballers who donââ?¬â?¢t perform. May it serve as a lesson to those ââ?¬â?? and Iââ?¬â?¢ve been counted among them myself ââ?¬â?? who have tended to speak of these two young players as if young Diego Maradonas have appeared among us in Scotland. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article5828321.ece

Rangers fans are well known for their incredible support of various charities whether it be through the official club charity foundation or many different smaller ventures that have been extremely successful over the years. To that end, Gersnet are delighted to announce our support for one such charity. ââ?¬Ë?Moni Malawiââ?¬â?¢ is a new charity set up to create awareness of the plight of the African country and to raise money to assist its people. ââ?¬Ë?Moniââ?¬â?¢ means ââ?¬Ë?helloââ?¬â?¢ in Chichewa, the principle language of Malawi. The charity name therefore translates as ââ?¬Ë?Hello Malawiââ?¬â?¢. Malawi is a landlocked country in southern Africa. With a population of 14 million it is one of the least developed yet most densely populated countries in the world. Per capita GDP is Ã?£450, compared to the UK figure of Ã?£20,000. The country suffers from high infant mortality, low life expectancy, and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. As such a group of like-minded football fans met to decide how they could raise money to fund specific projects in areas of need. In setting up ââ?¬Ë?Moni Malawiââ?¬â?¢ they believe that they can make a real difference to the lives of some of the poorest people in Malawi, and indeed the world. Further information can be found on the website by clicking here. The range of skills, experience and contacts available to ââ?¬Ë?Moni Malawiââ?¬â?¢ as a group is encouraging and the charity would welcome like minded individuals to join them in achieving their goals. Their Board of Directors have previously been involved in successful fundraising dinners, and as such their forthcoming Dinner and Dance will form a cornerstone of their fundraising later this month. The charity is also committed to individual projects through the course of the year, in addition to other fundraising ideas which will be updated regularly on their website. The smallest contribution to Malawi can make a big difference and Gersnet would invite you to join us at the Dinner and/or take part in other fundraising activities or sponsorship schemes. The Dinner and Dance is on Saturday the 28th February at the Thistle Hotel, Glasgow with tickets available at an unbelievable price of just Ã?£60. Suffice to say the entertainment on offer is literally second to none. With speakers such as Ewen and Roughie from Real Radio; SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith; and the inimitable Bill Copeland, there is something for everyone. Add in an exclusive performance from Sandi Thom (featuring some special guests) followed by dancing the night away with the ââ?¬Ë?Republic of Soulââ?¬â?¢ then every taste is catered for. As well as all the entertainment, there will be a superb 4 course dinner as well as a raffle and auction with some superb prizes! Tickets can be bought for the event by pm-ing me. We hope to see you all there! Please note ââ?¬Ë?Moni Malawiââ?¬â?¢ is a registered Scottish charity (SC040141).

Graham Spiers A media rumour momentarily did the rounds last week that Sir David Murray had at last found a buyer for Rangers. In fact, it turned out to be one of those ten-a-penny yarns which intermittently have journalists scuryying to cover themselves, before discovering that the story is baloney. Murray himself, however, continues to agitate to sell his 90 per cent Rangers stake. My take on the Murray and Rangers situation was further intrigued by a recent, odd phone-call and subsequent meeting I had with a Scotland-based businessman and entrepreneur who, of all things, wanted to pick my brain about Paris Saint-Germain. "Did you say Paris Saint-Germain?" I said on the phone to him a mite incredulously. "Why the heck d'you think I can help you there?" It transpired that there was a Paul Le Guen connection, and that this bloke had read my book about Le Guen and noted my visits to Paris in 2007, and was advising a group who were potential investors in the Parisian club. We met and chatted about Le Guen and PSG, but what most interested me was his take on Murray and the Rangers situation. I had always believed that the current recession mitigated against Murray's fervent wish to somehow get his hands on the �£50m to �£60m required to relieve him of his Rangers shares, but this particular football economist thought otherwise. "The recession doesn't necessarily mean that potential buyers of Rangers are off the market," he said. "With the worldwide economy shrinking at the moment, if someone has the money and wants to get into Rangers, he is as well putting his money there as anywhere else right now." In fact, he argued to me, any potential Rangers investor's shares, which would be bought on the cheap, would only grow in value, much as Fergus McCann's did at Celtic. Will Murray have sold Rangers by this time next year? It is tantalising to think that he might have done, and intriguing to wonder about to whom. Some Rangers fans are of the view that the club needs another Graeme Souness-style revolution of 1986, whereby Rangers, under a new owner, will be catapulted into a fresh, re-invigorating chapter. Certainly, when the club announces, as it did a month ago, that it needed to sell its main scoring asset in order to ease its financial health, you know things at Ibrox are pretty dire. Various clubs in England - Chelsea, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Manchester City to name a few - have been invaded by foreign investors, and some of us are still waiting to see if Rangers can entice a similar offer. There would be mixed blessings in such a deal, and David Murray has made it plain that he would prefer a British takeover at Ibrox. Murray, nonetheless, will baulk at the thought that, a year from now, in 2010, he will still be holding the Ibrox reins. He wants out, Rangers need change, and the Rangers fan out there with the money to facilitate the deal needs to be found sooner rather than later. If this particular man is in North America or Canada, and has the wherewithal to do it, would he please step forward soon. He is guaranteed a warm Glasgow welcome. http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/02/rangers-hope-to.html