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Arsehole!

Just seen on Sky News, 11 Rangers fans charged with Criminal offences.

Utter shambles! They just didn't predict the volume of Rangers fans that travelled down for the game. They were given enough notice that we'd come in huge numbers yet the facilities put on for us was atrocious! I was in Albert Square from 1:30pm until 5pm and the place was mobbed, you literally couldn't move. The beer tent ran out of beer at 12pm. What the fuck is that all about? Incredible! I managed to find my way to the portaloos used for toilets. There was about 10 of them for about 10k people. Is that good enough? We were left to piss on walls, on cars, on shop windows infront of women and children. I was lucky enough to get a ticket so missed all the violence in the city centre but I don't blame the fans for getting upset (they did take it to extremes though). The UEFA Cup Final is a HUGE occasion and Manchester let themselves down massively with the unorganised chaos that went on all day. Maybe next time they hold an event like that they'll have learned from the mistakes they made yesterday.

Standing On The Edge Of Greatness If like me, you are too young to remember that fabulous night in Barcalona, then you’ll be entering un-chartered waters as our date with destiny hurtles towards us. It is ironic that our foe for the evening will have a couple of familiar faces within its ranks. Dick Advocaat and Fernando Ricksen, whilst not being Rangers heroes do have and deserve places in our rich history and in some of our hearts. It is also ironic that some people, even Rangers fans are claiming that this is one of the worst Rangers teams since that historic evening in Barcelona. Like me, you’ll have watched ‘better fancies’ Rangers teams torn apart on the European stage (by very decent opposition at times, but lets be honest, more often than not, by some pretty average teams). This Rangers team / squad are different. They have resilience in abundance, they have undoubted team spirit, they have a will to win, they have heart and courage and lets not forget, the have some skill as well. We have defeated some very decent teams during this European adventure, the highlight for me was watching us dismantle Lyon in their own back-yard. This was closely followed by our outstanding 2-0 victory in Lisbon (the home of the real Lisbon Lions). Admittedly we have at times been very ‘frustrating’ to watch but it is undeniable that we are very, very hard to defeat on the European stage. This has been highlighted by the fact that we had a very decent showing in the CL Group of Death and by the fact that we are 90 minutes (or 120 + penalties) from writing a whole new chapter into our already rich and illustrious history. These players (and management staff) stand on the edge of greatness – they are so close to creating history, so close to writing themselves into folklore, so close to be know as the ‘invincibles’. They have a huge amount of work ahead of them, they have a huge amount of ‘blood, sweat and tears’ ahead of them, they have a huge amount of personal and physical sacrifice ahead of them – however, it’ll all be worth it. 18 months ago, a quadruple would have been unthinkable, even a domestic trophy seemed a long, long, long way away. Tonight, we, THE RANGERS are one step closer, we are nearing the finishing line and we can see the glittering prizes. It is now up to the players to go that extra yard – come on Rangers – we can’t do it can we? We won’t do it, will we? As you know, I’ the above was penned before Sunday’s uninspiring (and rather worrying) draw / performance at Easter Road and before the ludicrous SPL decision to force us to play 2 huge SPL games before playing Zenit in Manchester. That is not even considering the titanic schedule we have AFTER the UEFA Cup Final. However, the sentiments remain and are worth reiterating. This gruelling schedule belittles or game and the SPHELL have shown themselves to be nothing more than Liewells bitches. The word that Liewell and the SPHELL keep referring to is ‘integrity’ – neither knows the true meaning of the word. Let’s remember that Cynical FC used the unfortunate, untimely and tragic death of Phil O’Donnell to have the New Year’s Old Firm game postponed – for no other reason than injuries and suspensions. These ambulance chasers have no shame but most of all, have no integrity. As for the SPHELL, well, what can you say about these freeloading, good for nothing bastards? They’ll happily take their free tickers and junkets to Manchester whilst laughing and sniggering at our fixture pile-up. There is little or nothing we can do about this situation but I would love it (I know I am about to sound like Kevin Keegan here and we all now what happened after is ‘I would love it rant) that if (when!) we win this SPL title that we decided not to have a celebration or presentation. I would love it if we were to go to Aberdeen with the title already won and I would send up our under 16 team. As for next season, no matter the outcome of the SPL title, the UEFA Cup final or the Scottish Cup Final, if I were Rangers, I would refuse tickets to ALL domestic away games next season. Let’s see how the SPL, SFA and League would cope without the 10’s of thousands of Rangers fans who travel to all corners of this country cheering on The Rangers. Remember folks, they need us more than we’ll ever need them. No matter what happens, one thing is for sure, the SPHELL have, at a time whilst we should be basking in the glory of a Scottish club getting to a UEFA Cup Final, reduced our football to the laughing stock of Europe. Well done. Manchester Here We Come So back to some positives and I still can’t believe that The Rangers have secured a place in the UEFA Cup Final. After so long in the European backwaters, here we are one game away from securing our second European trophy. I am not a superstitious person, but if you like your omens, then we are halfway there. Make no mistake, Dick Advocaat has assemble a very decent outfit at Zenit and they have had all the help they could have asked for in their perpetrations for the UEFA Cup Final. Whilst we can’t get one SPL match postponed, they have had 3 games rearranged to allow sufficient time to prepare. I sincerely hope (and I know its impossible) that everyone gets sorted for a ticket as all our support deserves the opportunity of witnessing what is potentially one of the greatest nights of our glittering history. As ITV4 stated – Brace yourself Manchester, Rangers are coming…… Isn’t it ironic that you have to watch ITV4 to hear some positive things being said regarding our European adventure? Now, its not that the presenters or pundits are ‘Rangers friendly’, in fact, Jim Beglin and Andy Townsend were both ROI internationals, bit both have given us nothing but praise and are more then delighted that we have secured a UEFA Cup Final place. Compare and contrast to the bigoted tossers on STV who make snide comments et al. Masonic Referees Now, I am not one for conspiracy theories and I am the first to laugh when Timmy claim that all Scottish referees are Masons and biased against Celtc. You’ll also remember Wee Chesney claiming something similar recently and as usual, the combined Celtc intimidation has worked for them big-time. As well as Chesney, we’ve had Liewell (yip, him again) making his mouth go about certain officials and lets not forget the GFITWÃ?© legendry intimidation of officials. It is undeniable that in the last 5 SPL games, Celtc have benefited from decisions that have won them games that they were going to lose / draw. Now, when we are beneficiaries of refereeing decisions, the Celtc minded go into overdrive and meltdown (remember the SPL title has been tainted by the stench of cheating) yet, when decisions go for them (hence against us), you don’t hear the same hyper-broil for the unbiased Scottish media. Given the decisions that they have benefited from and the SPHELL doing everything it its power to stop us winning the SPHELL title and UEFA Cup, if journalists wanted an example of any season being tainted by the stench of cheating, it is this season – but guess what, not a peep from them. Rallying Cry Right, we all know what is required and we all know that given an even playing field (that is all we ever ask for) that 7 victories in the next 7 games is more than achievable. We all know that we don’t have a level playing field, so that is going to make our task even harder, some may say it’s bam near impossible. However, there is one thing that this squad has continually achieved this season and it is upsetting the odds. We have seven cup finals ahead of us and we need to win the seven games. I know we are entering ‘squeaky bum’, ‘nail-biting’ and ‘stomach churning’ territory here, but let’s get right behind the team and lets cheer them on no matter what happens between now and the end of the season. Hopefully we can turn a promising and exciting season into an unforgettable season. Congratulations I understand that as we enter this crucial part of the season that we won't have much time to think of others, but I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Chelsea on getting to the Champions League final and taking the EPL into the last game of the season. I would also like to extended my best wishes to West Brom on gaining automatic promotion back into the EPL COME ON RANGERS – JUST DO IT – KEEP BELIEVING Cammy F – Support The Dublin Loyal - We Are The People….

RANGERS today received verbal confirmation from UEFA that the Club can proceed with plans to host a massive UEFA Cup Final event at Ibrox by beaming the match live for supporters on Wednesday 14 May. The Club is throwing open its gates and to hold a party in Glasgow for the thousands of Rangers fans without tickets for the final in Manchester, meaning supporters can experience together the Club's greatest European night since 1972.This will allow families and friends alike to come along and enjoy what could be one of the most memorable nights in the Club's history. Chief Executive Martin Bain said today: "To reach the UEFA Cup Final is a tremendous achievement for the Club and everyone involved is looking forward to what is sure to be a great occasion next Wednesday night. Rangers fans"The final has already been billed as the 'friendly final' due to our close association with Dick Advocaat and a large contingent of the Rangers family will travel in good spirits to Manchester. "We also want to make sure the thousands of other fans without tickets have the opportunity to experience the party atmosphere and that is why we are creating a celebration venue in Glasgow, Rangers home city. Supporters and families will be able to turn up at the gates on the night, with entry free of charge. "The Club will be working with Glasgow City Council over the next few days to ensure an extra special night and we will be making further announcements in the coming days. In the meantime, supporters should check the Club's website for all official and accurate updates on the Final." Rangers has announced the appointment of Mark Hateley as the Club's official 'Fans Ambassador' for the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester. Mark's role will be to communicate the do's and don'ts, and to communicate how to support the Club in an official capacity. Martin Bain said: "We are delighted that Club legend Mark Hateley will represent Rangers as UEFA Cup Final Ambassador. Mark continues to play a key role behind the scenes at the Club and his European pedigree speaks for itself." Hmmm, where better to watch it than Ibrox? Other than City of Manchester stadium that is.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=205&Itemid=1 After Rangersââ?¬â?¢ superb achievement in qualifying for the 2008 UEFA Cup Final in Manchester, the RST are looking forward to all the relevant authorities working with the club and fans to ensure the maximum possible levels of security, safety and convenience for the travelling fans. While the RST understands the sentiment behind the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) preference for ticket less fans not to travel, unfortunately this is neither realistic nor as positive an approach as weââ?¬â?¢d like to see taken. With Manchester hoteliers already full to capacity, and conservative estimates of at least 100,000 travelling Rangers fans, its imperative the local authorities plan ahead for the inevitable red, white and blue invasion. The very least which should be put in place for the fansââ?¬â?¢ arrival are large ââ?¬Ë?Fanzonesââ?¬â?¢ incorporating large screens for the game, refreshment vendors, fan information points and sanitary/waste facilities ââ?¬â?? all with appropriate stewarding/policing. The RST recommends that GMP, the Manchester City Council, Rangers FC and all fan groups meet before the event to ensure all of the above well in advance of next Wednesdayââ?¬â?¢s match. The RST also invite Gerry Sutcliffe MP (Minister for Culture, Media and Sport) to oversee that preparations for the event are suitable for the numbers of fans expected to travel. Manchester has had recent experience of holding large-scale major events and Rangers fans should be treated in the same professional, courteous manner as the visitors to the Commonwealth Games were in 2002. Manchester hosting a UEFA Cup Final involving one of the UKââ?¬â?¢s most successful football clubs should not be seen as some sort of problematic obstacle but as another opportunity to promote our national sport while welcoming an away support which has incurred no arrests on their European travels this season.

I donââ?¬â?¢t usually submit an article (or rant) on a Friday evening, but the unprecedented happenings of last night have forced me to reflect on The Rangers securing a place in a major European Cup final since 1972. If like me, you are too young to remember that fabulous night in Barcalona, then youââ?¬â?¢ll be entering un-chartered waters as our date with destiny hurtles towards us. It is ironic that our foe for the evening will have a couple of familiar faces within its ranks. Dick Advocaat and Fernando Ricksen, whilst not being Rangers heroes do have and deserve places in our rich history and in some of our hearts. It is also ironic that some people, even Rangers fans are claiming that this is one of the worst Rangers teams since that historic evening in Barcelona. Like me, youââ?¬â?¢ll have watched ââ?¬Ë?better fanciesââ?¬â?¢ Rangers teams torn apart on the European stage (by very decent opposition at times, but lets be honest, more often than not, by some pretty average teams). This Rangers team / squad are different. They have resilience in abundance, they have undoubted team spirit, they have a will to win, they have heart and courage and lets not forget, the have some skill as well. We have defeated some very decent teams during this European adventure, the highlight for me was watching us dismantle Lyon in their own back-yard. This was closely followed by our outstanding 2-0 victory in Lisbon (the home of the real Lisbon Lions). Admittedly we have at times been very ââ?¬Ë?frustratingââ?¬â?¢ to watch but it is undeniable that we are very, very hard to defeat on the European stage. This has been highlighted by the fact that we had a very decent showing in the CL Group of Death and by the fact that we are 90 minutes (or 120 + penalties) from writing a whole new chapter into our already rich and illustrious history. These players (and management staff) stand on the edge of greatness ââ?¬â?? they are so close to creating history, so close to writing themselves into folklore, so close to be know as the ââ?¬Ë?invinciblesââ?¬â?¢. They have a huge amount of work ahead of them, they have a huge amount of ââ?¬Ë?blood, sweat and tearsââ?¬â?¢ ahead of them, they have a huge amount of personal and physical sacrifice ahead of them ââ?¬â?? however, itââ?¬â?¢ll all be worth it. 18 months ago, a quadruple would have been unthinkable, even a domestic trophy seemed a long, long, long way away. Tonight, we, THE RANGERS are one step closer, we are nearing the finishing line and we can see the glittering prizes. It is now up to the players to go that extra yard ââ?¬â?? come on Rangers ââ?¬â?? we canââ?¬â?¢t do it can we? We wonââ?¬â?¢t do it, will we ââ?¬â?? JUST KEEP BELIEVING - Cammy F

Apr 29 2008 By Paul O'Hare CELTIC star Aiden McGeady was caught up in a street brawl just hours after Sunday's Old Firm match. The winger clashed with Rangers fans after being taunted as he left a nightclub with team-mate Scott McDonald, 24. McGeady, 22, was targeted by the yobs who squared up to him and chanted: "If you hate Aiden McGeady clap your hands". One onlooker said: "They were right in his face and very threatening." Seconds later, the Republic of Ireland international was attacked. McGeady is said to have defended himself and the bust-up was over in seconds. McDonald was not involved in the scuffle. The two players had been celebrating their team's 3-2 win over Rangers when trouble flared outside Bamboo in Glasgow. Hours earlier, Australian McDonald scored two goals and was brought down for Celtic's penalty clincher. But it was McGeady who was singled out by the drunken louts. Police were called to the city centre nightclub around 3.30am yesterday but no complaint was made. A Celtic spokesman said: "The players made the club aware of this incident on Monday. Aiden has made it clear he'd be more than happy to co-operate with the police as both players were undoubtedly the aggrieved parties in this unfortunate incident." Midfielder McGeady was last week named Scotland's player of the year and young player of the year by his fellow professionals. But one Parkhead season ticket holder who witnessed the fracas was critical of the star. He said: "Nobody deserves what happened to Aiden and he did his best to avoid the confrontation. "But I don't think it was too clever going out after a Celtic v Rangers game, especially after his team had won. "It's a sad indictment of Glasgow but players are best lying low after an Old Firm match." The incident came just 24 hours after Motherwell captain Paul Quinn was attacked in Wishaw, Lanarkshire. He suffered a broken jaw and is out for the rest of season. Meanwhile, a Celtic fan has died after being attacked in Govan, Glasgow. Patrick McBride, 51, was assaulted by a gang around 9.30pm on Sunday. It's believed the Gorbals man suffered a heart attack. He was not wearing any football colours but cops believe the confrontation was triggered by the Old Firm game. Three men, all aged 21, were arrested in connection with the incident and are expected at Glasgow Sheriff Court today. There were six other arrests linked to the Old Firm match, mainly for minor offences. I hoped we were above this sort of Bullshit.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk As you will see, the Rangers Supporters Trust have implemented a rebranding initiative to coincide with some very exciting times for the Trust. Over the years the RST have been misconstrued and many people have been unsure of who we are, what we are and our intentions. The new branding clearly evokes our intentions - The heart of the club. We have Rangers at heart first and foremost. We love Rangers Football Club and we are passionate about the future of the club. We know that the Rangers fans like ourselves are the lifeblood of the club and the RST is the Heart ensuring the fans have a strong say in Rangers Football Club. Together, we are the people, and together we can give the club a healthier future. The Rangers Supporters Trust - The Heart of the Club

RANGERS' under-19 squad have clinched the SPL title for the second successive season and coach Billy Kirkwood is encouraging fans to flock to Hampden for Wednesday's SFA Youth Cup Final against Celtic. Billy Kirkwood with league trophyThe 19s drew with Motherwell at Murray Park last Friday afternoon to win the championship and current Captain Andrew Shinnie and winger Georgos Efrem were pictured with Kirkwood and the SPL trophy at Murray Park today. With the title secured, Billy's team are now concentrating on Wednesday's tie against Celtic - who were beaten 5-0 in last season's Final thanks to goals from Steven Lennon (3), Dean Furman and Andrew Shinnie - and supporters have the chance to see the latest crop of young Light Blues in action at Hampden. Turnstiles in the West Stand are open to Rangers fans who can pay at the gate from 6pm on Wednesday (Adults can attend for just �£5 with Concessions costing �£2) and the match kicks of at 7.30pm. Kirkwood commented: "The boys have worked hard all season and I am delighted they were able to win the league for the second season in a row. We are now looking forward to the SFA Youth Cup Final and we hope for another big crowd at Hampden. "An amazing 11,486 supporters turned out to cheer on both teams last season and it would be nice to top that. There will be a lot of talent on show and it would be a fantastic achievement for the Club to clinch another league and cup double. "It will be a difficult game, of course, but we hope to have a good crowd behind us to help secure further silverware for Rangers." The Under-19s squad will parade their league trophy at half-time in next Thursday's UEFA Cup semi-final tie with Fiorentina at Ibrox and from next season the Under-19s will play their Old Firm league games at the Andrew Shinnie with league trophyStadium, with entry free to Season Ticket Holders. The Club has already frozen prices on Adult Season Tickets for next season and reduced the cost of Juvenile Season Tickets by a third to encourage more families to football and Midfielder Andrew Shinnie knows playing at Ibrox in front of supporters will be beneficial for the Club's youth players. He commented: "We are fortunate to play the majority of our games at Murray Park and the facilities are excellent but moving the Old Firm games to Ibrox will be a great experience. "All the youth players here dream of playing for the first-team there so it will be nice to play in front of the Rangers supporters on home soil."

WORRIED Rangers fans have demanded a big-game summit with Celtic chief Peter Lawwell after stating missile-throwing Hoops thugs have made Parkhead unsafe for players and supporters. http://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/41663/ http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/2008/04/18/rangers-trust-want-last-old-firm-game-behind-closed-doors-after-coin-throwing-86908-20386669/

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

Arthur Numan may not be considered thus by Rangers fans who witnessed him collect eight trophies in five seasons at Ibrox - particularly now that the Dutchman has made his home in Scotland - but the 38-year-old believes his former club should be looking to expand their horizons. advertisement <A HREF="http://ads.telegraph.co.uk/event.ng/Type=click&FlightID=27064&AdID=32704&TargetID=6217&ASeg=&AMod=&Redirect=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/flanders" target="_top"><IMG SRC="http://adc.telegraph.co.uk/f/flanders/cobrands/flanders_300x250.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=250 BORDER=0></A> Ironically, considering he was speaking in order to publicise broadcasters Setanta's exclusive rights to tomorrow night's Old Firm game, Numan played down the importance of that particular encounter and argued that Walter Smith should make winning the Uefa Cup the club's priority. Numan is of the opinion that winning the SPL title is a done deal and that local bragging rights should take a back seat to preparing properly for the visit of semi-final opponents Fiorentina in nine days' time. "For me the Uefa Cup is, without a doubt, the most important competition," Numan said. "Winning that would be a bigger achievement than five league titles put together. "Rangers have won 51 league titles, but how many European trophies have they won? Just the one. "In this country everyone is so focused on the league but when you look at the teams Rangers have already beaten in Europe this season you realise what this would mean. "It would also be good for Scotland as a country. Celtic and Rangers have already reached the last 16 of the Champions League and the national team has also been improving. "To be honest, I've been surprised by how well Rangers have done and I'd be lying if I said I was the only one. No-one expected them to get this far. "The home-grown players at the Old Firm know what it means to play for Rangers or Celtic but maybe you need to think like a foreigner to win the Uefa Cup. "I remember losing 5-1 at Parkhead in my first Old Firm game and afterwards Ian Ferguson just went mental. He even said he would rather beat Celtic four times each season than win the league. "But the club is now just two games away from going to Manchester for the final and that would be fantastic. It should be their priority." Celtic's management and staff claim that retaining their title remains a possibility, but Numan gives the impression that opinion is right up there with Scientology as far as questionable beliefs are concerned. "At the moment Rangers are four points clear with two games in hand," Numan said. "The way they're playing just now, realistically that puts them 10 points clear with just six games left. "Celtic have been losing a lot of games recently while Rangers have lost just one of their last 30 matches. So there's no need for them to worry -Rangers can afford to lose both games at Parkhead and still win the title. "Of course, that would make life a little more difficult for them because that's when the pressure comes. I remember in 2003 we were eight points clear with nine games left and then we lost twice to Celtic and drew with Dundee after missing two penalties. "That meant it came down to goal difference and we beat Dunfermline 6-1 while Celtic won 4-0 at Kilmarnock. But I don't think that will happen this time." Numan has been impressed by the resilience of Rangers since Smith's return, but doesn't doubt that the team he played in was superior in almost every respect. "We were a far better team and we also played better football," he said. "The strength of the current group is that they are well-organised and play as a unit.They're hard to beat and they don't give a lot of goals away." "My one regret is that the Rangers team I played in never made it past the first stage of the Champions League, especially when you look at the squad we had."

Recently there has been much informed (but much more ill-informed) discussions regarding the short and long-term futures of both Old Firm managers. Some journalists have even gone as far as to claim that they know that Gordon Strachan will leave Celtc this summer, no matter the outcome of the SPL. Apparently, he has had enough of the baggage that associates itself with being an ââ?¬Ë?Old Firmââ?¬â?¢ manager. Funnily enough, we never hear of this baggage when a Rangers manager is ââ?¬Ë?strugglingââ?¬â?¢. Did this apparent baggage affect Alex McLeish or Paul Le Guen? Anyway, I digress. GS is in an extraordinary position as no matter how well he does (2 SPL titles, 2 domestic trophies and 2 last 16 appearances in the CL) will never be enough to appease the (growing) vocal minority (which will increase to the majority if we are to clinch the SPL title) as he isnââ?¬â?¢t termed ââ?¬Ë?Celtc Mindedââ?¬â?¢. Yip, once again that mysterious term or Celtc mindedness raises its ugly head. In this instance, I believe that the media have gotten it correct, no matter how the season ends, GS will leave Parkhead for pastures new. Liewell and his PR machine will go into overdrive and promise to deliver a ââ?¬Ë?Blue Chipââ?¬â?¢ replacement, with names from abroad being touted about, but I believe any new manager will come from much closer to home. In fact, I donââ?¬â?¢t think youââ?¬â?¢ll need to look much further than Motherwell. Mark McGee will fit most of the criteria Celtc are looking for, and most importantly to appease the fans, he is what can be termed ââ?¬Ë?Celtc Mindedââ?¬â?¢. Other names that will enter the frame and could become part of a management team are Mick McCarthy, Tony Mowbry, John Hughes and Peter Grant (see a pattern developing here!). Our manager is in a slightly different position. Walter Smith was brought back to steady the ship, to get us back challenging for domestic honours whilst continuing to progress in Europe. So far this season, it can be argued that he as ââ?¬Ë?over achievedââ?¬â?¢. If we finish the season with say the domestic treble, or even just with the much coveted SPL trophy, Walter Smith may decide that he has delivered and might want to take a step back. However, I donââ?¬â?¢t think he can as his successor is just settling into a new job at the moment and wonââ?¬â?¢t want to ââ?¬Ë?jump shipââ?¬â?¢ just yet. Some believe that Ally McCoist is being groomed as Walter Smithââ?¬â?¢s long term replacement but I donââ?¬â?¢t think Ally will be ready in 12-18 months. In my opinion, weââ?¬â?¢ll have another manager before Ally McCoist. As I said recently, I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t rule out Craig Levin, but I believe that our next manager will be George Burley. But, as I said above, I canââ?¬â?¢t see WS moving on until the end of next season at the earliest. This may come as a disappointment to the minority of Rangers fans who for some reason believe that we arenââ?¬â?¢t improving under Walter Smith. We have won our first trophy in 3 years, are leading the SPL, have a great chance of the domestic treble and are racking up the European coefficient points like never before. WS was brought in to steady the ship ââ?¬â?? he has done far more that steady us, he has turned us around into a very efficient team that is hard to beat ââ?¬â?? but I suppose, like our friends from the east end, some of us will never be satisfied. Cammy F -

I will keep knocking back buy-out bids unless they make the club stronger Sir David Murray by Darrell King RANGERS owner Sir David Murray today revealed how he almost sold the club last summer. But the Ibrox supremo did not feel that the interested suitor was right in terms of taking the club forward. The Edinburgh-based millionaire is approaching his 20th anniversary as chairman, and has said on a few occasions in the past year or so that he would sell up to the right person. But Murray - who again insisted major plans to revamp Ibrox and the surrounding area WILL be unveiled soon - remained at the helm despite the in-depth talks over buying his controlling shares. advertisementMurray said in an interview on RTV: "I repeat this again, I will not sell the club to anybody who I don't believe is in the best interests of Rangers. "I could have sold the club last summer when we had an opportunity to do a deal. But when I examined it, I genuinely did not believe it was in the best interests of the club. "Yes, eventually, I will go. All I can say is that when I do move on, I will hopefully leave the club in good shape and leave it to the right people to take Rangers forward. "As I come up to my 20th year, I have won 13 titles and 28 trophies overall. I have been reasonably successful, I have enjoyed the highs and gone with the pain of the lows - that is part of being chairman of a big club like Rangers. "If you haven't got the broad shoulders, then don't take it on and leave. But I am happy to take on the responsibility, it goes with the ticket. "We won the CIS Cup recently and that was very satisfying for all Rangers fans, including myself, and I would love to win more this season, that is what we are striving for. "I have always tried to be honest and treat everyone correctly. You can't keep everyone happy, everyone has an opinion, but I think throughout my stewardship I have always tried to have an integrity, and hopefully I will be judged that way when I finally leave." Rangers' plans for Ibrox have been met with raised eyebrows given the overall figures of �£750m that have been bandied around. Three options are being looked at, one of which would see the stadium rebuilt to a 70,000-capacity based on the Sapporo Dome in Japan, and Murray is adamant all will be revealed. He rapped: "There has been a lot of cynicism about this, but that is the way of things here in Scotland. But I had further meetings last week with councils and developers. "As soon as it is possible, and all legals are drawn up, we will make an announcement. "There is a wonderful opportunity to regenerate the whole of the area, the stadium, the areas across the road and the whole Hinshlewood area of Govan. "I hope our supporters will be pleasantly surprised when we make an announcement as soon as we can." Fans are more interested, as always, on what will happen on the pitch. Murray has vowed to back manager Walter Smith in the transfer market this summer, with a fund of �£10m said to be available. There was, of course, the �£9m sale of Alan Hutton to Spurs which offset just about all of the net spend last summer on 12 players. The chairman revealed that Smith wants to buy "three or four" first team picks instead of squad bulk like last summer. Murray explained: "The fact is we can only spend the income we have got. If we make a profit, then I'll spend it, if we don't make a profit we can't spend it. "People can moan and groan all they want, but we must balance the books as a football club. I have read people saying: Are Rangers a selling club?' We will only sell if the figure is seen to be one that you can't turn down, as with Alan Hutton. "That was a figure that we, as a board, could not turn down. We did not want to lose Alan, and initially he didn't want to go. "But he came round to the idea that it would be in his best interests, and give his family the security of a wage structure that was so much higher than he could ever get in Scotland. "I don't mind spending money on players who are young and who have their best years ahead of them. What we must not do is spend a lot of money on 30-year-olds when there is no residual value. "If you spend and invest on Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker, players of that ilk, then it's good sound business. "But where we perhaps got it wrong was buying players at the wrong end of their careers as we strove to get European success - that backfired on us. "Financially, this club is in good shape. We have funds to spend, we showed good interim profits for six months and we will make a profit for the year net of all costs

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=191&Itemid=2 It’s that time of year again! All members should have received the latest edition of the Blue Spirit (available for download here) which contains a wealth of information regarding the Trust. Within it, we once again invite you to renew your Trust membership for the year beginning April 2008/09. To facilitate this we have a variety of simple options for you to consider. These are as follows: - By Standing Order (form available by contacting us); - Online via our own secure payment facility (click here); - Online via PayPal (click here but please note we incur charges for this facility); - By paper membership form (available here or by contacting us). (Please note if you joined the Trust in the last 3 months you will not be asked to renew until April 2009) This year we are also delighted to offer various rewards for those who renew. These include the following which when put together actually means you get your money back: - Voucher for the RST Shop - Ã?£5 off when you spend Ã?£25 or more on RST merchandise; - Voucher for a free Rangers DVD worth Ã?£10 (while stocks last); - Win a limited edition Ibrox desk set worth Ã?£100 (new life members only); - Entered into draw for 2 tickets at RST annual dinner (new life members only); - Entered into draw for match-day hospitality for 2 at Wee Rangers Club (new life members only). To ensure every Trust member is receiving the very best service from the board, it’s vital your personal details are accurate and up to date. As such, if you change your email or home address, please contact the RST so we can update our records accordingly. If you do not receive our weekly emails, please contact us asap so we can add your address to the mass emailing list. The Trust board would like to take this opportunity to thank all members for their continued support. Remember, the Trust is THE engine that is driving change amongst the support and fighting the good fight on behalf of all Rangers fans throughout different areas in society. We continue to rely on the practical and financial support of our members to ensure our representation is of the standard you expect. As always, if you have any questions about the renewal procedure, please contact us in the usual way.

Apr 10 2008 By Alan Carson QUICK-THINKING Rangers fans helped revive Chelsea star Paulo Ferreira after he collapsed in an airport terminal. Stunned supporters were having their picture taken with the �£13million defender yesterday when he slumped unconscious. One fan told how he quickly gave him emergency first-aid he had learned in the Boys' Brigade decades ago. The fan said: "He came round after a couple of minutes and said he hadn't eaten anything since the day before. "He also said he had been feeling light-headed when he came off the plane. "At least those BB first aid lessons from 30 years ago finally came in handy. All in all, it was an eventful start to our trip." The drama happened as thousands of Rangers supporters were flying out to Portugal for the Ibrox side's crunch UEFA cup tie against Sporting Lisbon. A group of fans had spotted Ferreira, 29, boarding their flight at Heathrow - wearing a red, white and blue jumper. They caught up with him after the plane touched down at Lisbon airport and asked for a photo. But as the talented right-back posed for snaps, he suddenly lost consciousness. The fan said: "Paulo was on our flight, resplendent in a Union-Jack jumper. "We were behind him in the queue for passport control and when we got through to the other side, decided to ask him for a photo. "I had taken a pic of my mate and him and was going to ask if I could get one with me in it. "But as I turned to shake his hand and congratulate him on the previous night's result, he was slumped over a chair. "I got him off the chair and down on to the floor in the recovery position. I then made sure his airway was clear, while my mate went off to get help." Within minutes, dazed Ferreira came round and admitted he had been feeling poorly throughout the flight. The fan added: "I think he was quite embarrassed about it and didn't want any fuss. "We walked out with him to the exit to make sure he was ok. "He was met by a woman I presume was his wife and a boy." On Tuesday night, Ferreira, who did not play, watched Chelsea beat Turkish outfit Fenerbahce 2-0 to clinch a Champions League semi-final tie against Liverpool. He was spotted out on the town in London later that night as he and his teammates celebrated the victory until 3am. Ferreira joined Chelsea in 2004 in a �£13.2million transfer from Porto. He signed a lucrative new five-year deal in January. After a 0-0 draw at Ibrox last week, Rangers face Sporting Lisbon tonight in the second leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final.

(Before I start, cheers for the title idea Cammy) With all the fixture chaos of this incredible season; caused by the Scotland - Italy game, Europeam runs, the weather and one very mournful passing, Scottish football enetered the business end of the season with Rangers holding a slim lead in the SPL and chasing silverware on four fronts. A succession of games called off meant that there were not as many games over the usually hectic New Year period and it became increasingly difficult for Scotland's governing bodies to fit in all the postponed fixtures. Rangers were to enter an incredibly congested period the press dubbed mad March, with a narrow lead over our city rivals. We contested a massive 9 fixtures in one month, the most in any single month this season. As the manager has pointed out though, this fixture headache is a good one. It's the sign of a succesful team. The self appointed authorities on football in Scotland declared that we would stuggle with a fixture backlog and saw it as ideal opportunity for Celtic to put the pressure on us in the title race. Celtic's defeat to Hearts in the CIS cup meant they were already competing on one less front than us. And us they crashed out of competitions left right and centre during Mad March it meant they had more time to concentrate on the main prize, the SPL. The only fixture any Rangers players got off was the international midweek when some stars carrying knocks took the opportunity to rest up and recover. So how did Mad March shape the run-in for this season. Rangers began the month with a tricky home league tie with Aberdeen. Goals from Adam, Boyd and Dailly's maiden Rangers strike continued our impressive run of league victories since we last dropped points, ironically at Pittodrie. Next up was the home tie against Bundesliga cracks Werder Bremen. Heavy bookies favourites for the tie and the pick for many to lift the trophy. Another first goalscorer from the Bears in Ulsterman Davis, added to Cousin's long range opener, gave us a commanding lead to take to Germany. Domestic duties resumed with the cup replay against Hibs. In what has recently been a troublesome fixture for the Old Firm, Rangers went to Easter Road to claim a hard fought draw, when arguably we had our minds on bigger things. In the replay we made no such mistakes though, progressing to a quarter final with Partick Thistle. The following mid-week saw our only defeat of Mad March and our first since the heart-wrenching loss to Lyon. However Bremen's single strike was not enough as we shocked Europe to progress past the strongly fancied Germans to tonight's quarter final with Sporting Lisbon. A further fixture was postponed as we had our first Hampden appearance to contend with since the Coop final. Neutrals and Arabs alike will be bemused as to how they left with only credit for an impressive performance. However an awesome substitute display by Scotland's deadliest maksman meant that trophy number 108 was decekd in red white and blue. Kris Boyd scored another perfect "hattrick", with a late equaliser, a late extra time equaliser and a thumping winning penalty in the shootout as we sealed our first trophy in 3 years. Bouyed by that success we entertained Partick Thistle in the aforementioned Scottish Cup quarter final. Arguably our only slip up in Mad March, Boyd again came to the rescue as we came from behind to seal a replay. This author was concerned that replays against the "wee" teams, whilst keeping us in the competition, might harm our chances in our hunt for other silverware. So far I have been proved wrong. In the penultimate fixture of the month we entertained Hibs in the 5th meeting of the teams this season. A 2-1 victory, much more comfortable than the scoreline suggests, maintained momentum going into the biggest Old Firm since Celtic "won the league at Ibrox" in the infamous Helicopter Sunday season. At last a midweek off for our "toiling" stars. Whilst Boyd and Davis gained international caps, the likes of Ferguson, McGregor and Weir, who have played almost 50 times this season, rested injuries and aching muscles. Amazingly at the end of Mad March, just the second Old Firm of the season was contested. Rangers fans, players and management went into the tie full of confidence on the back of 3 victories under Smith, with McGregor's goal yet to be breached under the guidance of Smith and McCoist. Celtic had the better of the first half, but Thomson capped an excellent personal display with a suckerpunch of a winner right on the stroke of half-time. Despite Celtic's relative inactivity and our grueling schedule as we mounted an attack on four fronts we showed great physical strength and mental toughness to further extend out lead in the SPL and put one hand on the trophy. So despite warnings of Smith's fledgling team being unable to contend with such a punishing shedule. And protestations that we had no winning pedigree, nor the winning mentality of our East End rivals, we survived Mad March. In fact we positively flourished. Mad it may have been. But not for the fixture chaos. Rangers fans had many a "mad" party in March as we celebrated a CIS cup victory, progression in the UEFA cup and Scottish cup, with continued interest in both, and finally a strengthening of our league position atop of the SPL pile. If that was the worst that Mad March could throw at us, bring on Madder April, with cup quarter finals like tonight's tie with Sporting to be savoured. A further Old Firm on the 16th and the opportunity to put the final nail in the coffin of the Cetlic title challenge.

YOU ARE THE PEOPLE! FANS praised for atmosphere at Old Firm clash RANGERS and supporters' organisations today praised fans for the atmosphere they created at Saturday's Old Firm match at Ibrox. Kenny Scott, the Club's Safety and Operations Manager, said: "The fans created a tremendous atmosphere on Saturday and we are pleased to say the police were satisfied with the way things went. "When it is such a tense fixture there is always a concern that it could be a difficult afternoon but the fans deserve credit for making it a great afternoon." Jim Templeton, President of the Rangers Supporters' Assembly, said: "Football fans are forever getting stick but it was a very good atmosphere at Ibrox on Saturday and I think we put on a very colourful display. The fact that everyone joined in singing 'Come on Over to My Place' after the final whistle said it all. "The fans can now look forward to another great European night on Thursday against Sporting Lisbon."

When Kevin Thomson acrimoniously departed Hibs last January many expected his close pal to follow him along the M8 from Easter Road to Ibrox. During the following summer Scot Brown did indeed follow Thomson along the M8, but instead ended up at Celtic Park. The media took great delight in ridiculing Rangers as being the new owners of the biscuit tin as we were seen as being unable to compete with Cetlic's package to take the young Scottish international to Parkhead. Were Rangers unwilling or unable to match the �£4.5 million pound fee plus �£25k per week in wages? The two midifelders complimented each other well in an exciting Hibs team which regularly chalked up victories against both half of the Old Firm, stimulating the bidding war to take the two youngs stars to Glasgow. Brown took many of the plaudits from those who are not quite as appreciative of the nuances of effective midfield play as his all action combative style and marauding runs were more easily noticed. Keener students of the game tried to educate that Thomson was the better of the pair, with a more cultured game. Rangers won round one as Walter convinced Thomson to become one of his first signings as he rang the changes in Govan following the disastrous Le Guen experiment. Round two was given as a resounding victory to Celtic. Many in the media felt it was a knockout blow in the summer transfer duels. Brown was hailed as a "blue chip" signing along with other players such as Donati the former AC Milan player. So Thomson has had an extra half season to settle on the West coast. The Scottish press, and indeed some fans, were underwhelmed by his early contributions. A waste of �£2 million was the consensus. However towards the end of the season and most notably in the 2-0 Old Firm victory Thomson showed promise as Rangers dominated the mdifield contest. His ex partner in the youthful Hibs midfield then made to many the suprising choice of joining the green half of the city. Celtic fans and many journalists revelled in the bloody nose Celtic had dealt Rangers in securing his services. As Thomson said "It's Scot's decision, he'll have to live with it". Prophetic words as Thomson turned in a man-of-the-match performance scoring the only goal of the game after an incisive run and one-two with Darcheville put Rangers on course for victory at Ibrox on Saturday. Whilst in the early part of the season Brown's uninspiring performances had him bizarrely singled out as the best midfielder plying his trade in the SPL, murmurings of discontent about Thomson continued from the stands and on the back pages. It was only really once Thomson was kept out of the side through injury that those with an active interest in Scottish football and particularly Rangers fans appreciated what he brought to the team. Tenacity, aggression, tough tackling and a great engine. Our midfield looks a lot stronger with the young Scot in it. Conversely as the season drags on, the tide of opinion has turned on Scot Brown. A waste of �£4.5 million according to the disgruntled Celtic fans who watched in agony as he wasted several good chances as they succumbed to another crushing defeat to Smith's Rangers. Again failing to find the net. Yesterdays game could prove pivotal in the two player's Old Firm careers. As Thomson goes from strength to strength, Brown increasingly comes udner fire from those of the green and grey persuasion. As Thomson continues to grow into a true Rangers midfielder the fans demand more and more. And Thomson delivers. He has begun to step out of his captain's shadow. Fans now suggest he should be getting forward and providing some kind of goal threat. And what better time for a Rangers player to bag his first goal for the club than against Celtic. How he has yet to join his more illustrious team mate and club and national captain in the Scotland set up is beyond this fan. Before those from the east end cry bias at this peice let me be frank. Brown undoubtedly has the talent to be a top class midfielder. Not many Rangers fans can honestly say they did not want him at Ibrox. However the focus of this peice is to honestly assess the contributions of the two players many thought joined at the hip. Thomson did not move solely for the cash. He came to Ibrox to play beside and learn from the best Scottish player of the last decade, and maybe more, and under the guidance of possiblhy the most dominate coach in Glasgow. In an era in which Celtic have prided themsleves on the fine business conducted both on and off the field, you have to ask yourself how they allowed themselves to pay an inflated fee for Scot Brown when his more effective former team mate was signed for less than half the price and most likely wages. Ask yourself, would you be happier with Kevin Thomson at �£2million pounds or Scott Brown at �£4.5 million and �£25k a week. Yet again the wily Walter Smith appears to have gotten the upper hand on Celtic. And whilst it has taken most of the media the best part of 7 or 8 months to realise this, it is unlikely Smith was ever in any doubt about who was the more prodigious talent. Hopefully Thomson's first goal for the club in this powderkeg fixture will see his somewhat meteoric rise continue and identify himself as potential successor to the current Rangers captain. A role that many fans worried would be impossible to replace when Rangers number 6 hangs up his boots. Edit: Touched up the typos and a few errors to save Frankie a job before he posts it. Hope there's none left.

Newsdrive link listen in to the text that was read out 57-58 mins in. It is worth remembering this comment is related to a science/medicine vs the vatican issue. To me that is a purely sectarian comment and, coming from a publicly funded institution, is unacceptable. I will not pay a licence fee to have Rangers fans, or any other social group for that matter, disrespected in that manor. Imagine if it had been anti-islam? or anti-asylum seekers? etc... heads would roll. If the PC tone had not been set, and they dished out "banter" in equal measures from both sides, this would not be a significant issue. This is not the case. Serious question, is it possible to refuse to pay for a tv licence, yet still purchase pay-per-view such as sky?

Rangers Football Club has today become the first UK-based club to join Superleague Formula - an exciting, new motorsport championship which kicks off at the Donington Park racing circuit in August. Rangers - the last British side remaining in the UEFA Cup this season - will be the sole Scottish representative on the Superleague Formula grid and will compete against AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto, Olympiacos, Borussia Dortmund, RSC Anderlecht, FC Basel, Galatasaray SK and Sevilla plus Brazilian greats Flamengo and Corinthians in the six round championship later this year. The Club's blue, white and red colours will adorn the 750 horsepower, V-12 powered Superleague Formula single-seater car and the new Rangers car - one of 20 that will line up on the grid - will be unveiled at Ibrox Stadium next month. Rangers Chief Executive Martin Bain commented: "We are thrilled to join so many great clubs in a totally new sporting endeavour - a project which will not only promote Rangers across the world but also provide an income stream for the Club. "We will benefit greatly through sponsorship, television and spectator revenues so it is a win-win situation for us. Superleague Formula will introduce the passion of the Rangers brand to a whole new range of fans, in addition to our existing support, and we are proud to represent Scotland in the new venture. "The Club has enjoyed some fantastic European nights of late and we look forward to competing against some of the biggest names in world football in Superleague Formula." Alex Andreu, Superleague Formula President and CEO, is delighted to have Rangers Football Club on board. With a world record 108 major trophies already secured - 51 League Championships, 31 Scottish Cups, 25 League Cups and the 1972 Cup Winner's Cup - he says Rangers are a welcome addition to the list of teams competing for glory. Andreu commented: "Rangers record is really quite remarkable and we are delighted that they are now part of Superleague Formula. "We are looking at bringing together the biggest brands in world football to take part in Superleague Formula and Rangers is a perfect addition for us. "Not only has the club been wildly successful throughout its history, the Rangers fans are incredibly passionate and we are looking forward to encouraging them to make the trip down to Donington Park to see their car do battle in the opening round of the championship. "The Superleague Formula grid is certainly filling fast. We have 12 of the 20 spots now announced, two additional clubs to announce after Easter and we are currently finalising arrangements for the final six places." Pre-season training has already begun for Superleague Formula with the V-12 powered, 750 horsepower prototype hitting the track for the first time recently at Donington Park. Testing will continue after Easter at the Circuito Monteblanco in Spain. For more information on Superleague Formula, log on to http://www.superleagueformula.net Nothing too exciting but should be good to see how it does against that lot.

Hanseaticstadter: A few days later back from Glasgow............ First of all I have to say that the scots and glaswegians are so friendly, helpful, funny and peaceful like no other people in the world. That�´s my impression and I have visited a lot of countries. The rangers where great hosts at merchant square and I am embarressed because now official from werder thanked for that organization. The pubs in glasgow are fantastic, especially that one which was in former days a bank building. I don�´t know the exact name any more because I was to drunk. Ibrox Park is a beautiful and historic stadium. When you are near Ibrox you can smell that in the air. The atmosphere is loud and formidable and that�´s why you recognize that your team plays in the uefa-cup. Thank you to all scots for the great time. Rangers Fans are welcome in Bremen and a exciting second match for all. You are the people! from werder.de forum Always nice to hear

From 4-4-2 magazine.

Happy birthday, gaffer! Exclusive by Lindsay Herron WALTER SMITH should probably be cautious when he goes into the dressing room on Sunday ahead of the Gretna game - if he has learned anything in nearly 30 years of dealing with Ally McCoist. Walter is 60 on Sunday and there is bound to some form of high jinks with people like McCoist and partner in crime Ian Durrant about! Ally McCoist, Walter Smith and Kenny McDowallThe two of them were the kings of the Rangers dressing room in Smith's first period in charge and when he was assistant to Graeme Souness. Now they are his valued lieutenants in his second term as boss and deadly serious about their business. However, few people can lighten up a room like McCoist or Durrant and there are bound to be a few laughs before the day is through. McCoist said: "We have to wish him a happy birthday although I think there is many a time he didn't think he would make it! "It's a great birthday and behalf of the staff and all of the players we hope it's a happy one. "Knowing the Gaffer as I do, the best thing to make him happy would be a win against Gretna!" The relationship between Smith and McCoist stretches back further than the trophy-laden years they spent together at Ibrox in the 1980s and 1990s and their more recent jobs with Scotland and Ally McCoist and Walter SmithRangers. McCoist revealed that Smith had the misfortune to have a youthful Ally under his charge when the Scotland under-17 team when to the French Riviera. Smith, then a blossoming coach with Jim McLean's Dundee United, had been appointed assistant to Andy Roxburgh in the youth set-up and was well thought of in football circles. Unfortunately, he fell for a trademark McCoist gag - although Ally soon learned the angry side of Smith! McCoist told me: "I first came across Walter when he was assistant to Andy Roxburgh with the Scottish youth team. "We took a side to Monaco. I was still at school at the time and was playing with St Johnstone. "I was rooming with big Davie Moyes and I made the mistake of locking Walter on the balcony of our hotel room! "He made the mistake of falling for the old 'what a good view we have here' routine and walked out onto the balcony and the door was promptly locked! "Twenty minutes later I was terrified to unlock the door and big Davie had to let him in and, funnily enough, I never locked him out on the balcony again after that!" It was to be 1986 before McCoist and Smith were fully connected when the latter joined Rangers as assistant to Graeme Souness in the ground-breaking move which rocked the football world. Nacho Novo and Ally McCoist arrive in SpainSmith had been part of the most successful period in Dundee United's history, helping them win the Scottish Premier League title in 1983 and reaching the European Cup semi-finals the following year. United and Aberdeen had attacked the Old Firm's dominance of the game and won with the Dons also winning the title in 1980, 1984 and 1985. Tannadice was a place to be feared and that was not lost on Souness who had got to know Smith through the international set-up. Following the death of Jock Stein in 1985, Alex Ferguson had taken over as Scotland manager on a temporary basis and he made Walter his assistant. McCoist revealed: "I remember being at a Scotland get-together at the Grosvenor Hotel prior to the Mexico World Cup and Graeme was there as a player and Walter was there as assistant manager. "That was the first time we heard that they were coming to Rangers and what a transformation that proved to be, not only for Rangers Football Club but for Scottish football in general." It is well documented the impact the appointment had and Rangers fans could not have imagined the riches that lay in store. A first title in nine years along with the League Cup came in year one and the new Rangers were off and running.Walter Smith and Ally McCoist Celtic won the crown back in 1988, but it was fleeting success. The nine in a row era was about to start and the League Cups kept coming. McCoist, though, never had the best of relationships with Souness who, having signed Mark Hateley in the summer of 1990, chose to partner the big Englishman with Mo Johnston rather than Ally. McCoist was on the bench more often than not, earning him the nickname of The Judge. Being a man who thrives on humour, Ally accepted the tag but, again, there was a serious element to it all which almost resulted in him leaving Rangers. It was Smith who, by his actions, convinced Ally to stay and the rest, as they say is history. When Souness left for Liverpool, Smith made McCoist and Hateley the most terrorising strike partnership of the period McCoist explained: "Walter put faith in me in his first season in charge and that was important for me. "I have to be honest and say that I was at a bit of a crossroads at that time. We had competition for places the previous season and it's well documented that Graeme wasn't that too sure of me, which is a polite way of putting it. "Thankfully, when Walter took over he played me. I managed to go on a good run with big Mark and it worked out wonderfully well. "One of the first games that season was against Hearts at Tynecastle and he gave me my chance and I scored that night. Kenny McDowall, Walter Smith and Ally mcCoist"So I was very thankful that he gave me the opportunity to play and it snowballed from there for me." Those who were around Ally during his playing days at Rangers would be the first to admit that they did not foresee a day when he would lead training sessions and organise tactics on a grand scale. However, he has proved in the last three years that he has this ability in spades and, of course, Walter Smith was the catalyst by recruiting him for the national team. He said: "I was thrilled to bits when he gave me the opportunity with Scotland. It was a massive move and a massive chance for me. "In many ways it was better than going somewhere else full time. It was a perfect experience and learning curve to come into a part-time environment. "And it proved to me that I wanted to do it full time." McCoist got that chance last January when Smith returned to Rangers to replace Paul Le Guen, steadied the ship and now has his eyes on all of the major prizes this season. So, what's it like now all these years after locking Walter out on a balcony in Monte Carlo? He said: "My relationship with him now is not that much different from when I was playing for him. "He is still the boss, and that's the way it should be, but we are obviously closer in the sense that we talk about things and talk about the team a lot more on the coaching side. "I am very respectful of the relationship we have and thankful of the relationship we have and it's one that I value very highly. "It is different in the sense that as a player there are things your manager would not discuss with you but now we are open with each other on so many things." There is a family celebration of Walter's special birthday coming up which will undoubtedly be a great affair but it is unclear what the coaching staff and players have planned. McCoist, with that impish smile he has never lost, said: "There will be something in the dressing room for him, but I'm not sure it will be a birthday cake!" Many happy returns, Walter.