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Like he said he would of liked to get Brown but he cost far too much and we can get a few players for that type of money

MediaWatch ââ?¬â?? Murdo MacLoud awakens the People? Well, itââ?¬â?¢s been tempting to focus this weekââ?¬â?¢s instalment of MediaWatch on the intense coverage of Scott Brownââ?¬â?¢s signing for Celtic. It would be nice, perhaps, to spend a bit of time watching just how many times the tabloids, and even the BBC, were willing to contradict themselves in the name of a good headline [1]. But I think there was one article with a typically sensational and somewhat inflammatory title that may have furthered the Rangers cause despite itself ââ?¬â?? an article chiefly quoting Murdo MacLoud, no less [2]. Now, articles on Gersnet are largely un-edited and we do our utmost not to preclude people from giving their opinion, even if it doesnââ?¬â?¢t agree with that of the majority. Despite this, the consensus among our participants seems to be that the appropriate stance towards our Chairman is one of healthy criticism. As our previous articles have outlined (see Sir David Murray Report Card etc) Murray has done much good, but in current times serious questions have to be asked about his management of our club. And these questions are being asked with increased frequency in all areas of our support: from websites to the RST. However, I am not alone in holding a suspicion that the slumbering masses of Rangers supporters still hold the view that Murray detractors are mere troublemakers, and hold the view that Murray has invested significant portions of his own money in Rangers and will ultimately buy us out of our current predicament. Iââ?¬â?¢ll expand my suspicion by saying that I believe the majority of such supporters get their Rangers news chiefly from places like the Daily Record. I think weââ?¬â?¢ve started to entertain the illusion that Rangers supporters online (in places like Follow Follow & Gersnet) are representative of the entire support, and that thus, by and large, Rangers supporters avoid the Record and are sceptical of Murray. What may be true online, even in the Fanzines, going by newspaper sales alone, doesnââ?¬â?¢t seem to be true in general. The media, and especially the Record, have been almost unaccountably uncritical of Murray during his tenure. Rangers fans, by and large, lapped up Celticââ?¬â?¢s bad old days of struggle and toil ââ?¬â?? we enjoyed, truth be told, the one-upmanship it afforded us in the larger cycle of winning and losing. Iââ?¬â?¢m quite sure no Rangers supporter actually wanted to see them go under. But their famous ââ?¬Ë?biscuit-tinââ?¬â?¢ mentality was a source of constant fun ââ?¬â?? the term, remember, was one created by the media for no other reason than it could either effect smirks from Rangers fans, or incredulity from Celtic fans ââ?¬â?? both of which sell papers. We enjoyed, then, Murrayââ?¬â?¢s famous quips about spending a tenner for every fiver. But the fact that this arcadian dream had soured has long been true for those online, but the general Record-reading population still buy the propaganda (literally, from the Record) that the moonbeamed solution is just around the corner, despite all the evidence of past seasons to the contrary. Thatââ?¬â?¢s not to say your average fan is to blame ââ?¬â?? most people simply have more, or other, things to do than critically examine the papers and the situation. They have bills to pay and kids to feed and whatnot. Itââ?¬â?¢s easy to let your opinion by approximately guided by the general impression gained from whatever newspaper you read. But the problem with this is that if there is no critical analysis of the situation ââ?¬â?? if itââ?¬â?¢s not forced down your throat along with your coffee in the morning its far too easy not to think about it. The Internet can provide some of this, but itââ?¬â?¢s not until the tabloid media turn, in their typically horribly sensational way, against Murray that your actual average Rangers fan may become unsettled. It happened with Celtic, and it will happen with us. And so, it is with a very much afflicted sense of happiness that I turn to the article in question: ââ?¬Å?Biscuit-Tinââ?¬â?¢s Changing Directionââ?¬Â by Colin Duncan [2]. Both title and subtitle (ââ?¬Å?Exclusive Celtic signing sensation ... Now itââ?¬â?¢s Celtic who can splash the cash while Gers buy on the cheapââ?¬Â) are of the sort that I typically use this column to berate ââ?¬â?? sensational and purposefully inflammatory. But to the somewhat cynical Internet supporter the main response is not one of indignation, but of relief tinged with sarcasm: ââ?¬Å?What, its ââ?¬Å?Changingââ?¬Â? It changed years ago ffsââ?¬Â or something along those lines. But the truth is that if this rather simple message, so obvious to a lot of us, is now entering the public domain of tabloid sensationalism ââ?¬â?? if David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s spending policy is now a legitimate target of tabloid hype then the truth is that it makes the gravity of our situation apparent to your average Rangers fan. Phrases like ââ?¬Å?Three times in the past few months the Ibrox men have been close to securing deals for signing targets only to be gazumped at the 11th hour by their Old Firm rivals.ââ?¬Â while being deliberate half-truths, will do as they are designed and, irk Rangers supporters. And from the ashes of this sensation there will arise a desire for change. I hope. And I also hope that they will turn to those genuinly interested in Rangers ââ?¬â?? organisations like the RST. So, it may turn out that while articles like this, quoting people whose opinions generally do not matter to Rangers supporters (like Murdo, though I think heââ?¬â?¢s a nice guy), are annoying for all the reasons they typically are, they are the very thing that may spark the slumbering People into action. [1] See the Recordââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Å?Celts Land 4.4m Brownââ?¬Â where the article both claims ââ?¬Å?CELTIC last night won the race to sign Hibs midfield dynamo Scott Brownââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?Reading have emerged as a serious possibility with an offer that is believed to be marginally higher than Celtic's.ââ?¬Â It took both James Traynor and Keith Jackson to write this particular piece of journalistic genius. [2] http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=biscuit-tin-s-changing-direction%26method=full%26objectid=19110261%26siteid=66633-name_page.html

For our second Gersnet Interview, weââ?¬â?¢re delighted to welcome Rangers Supporters Trust media spokesman, David Edgar to the chair. David joined the Trust board 3 years ago and has done a fantastic job in his position. From radio and TV interviews to verbal jousts with broadsheet journalists, many Rangers fans will be more than aware of his combative ââ?¬â?? yet accurate and honest ââ?¬â?? style. Anyway enough of the compliments and onto the questions! David, obviously youââ?¬â?¢re heavily involved in supportersââ?¬â?¢ representation. Just how important do you think an independent organisation such as the Trust is for the fans? Itââ?¬â?¢s a vital organisation because as football grows more and more corporate, the fans are treated more like customers and their views are not taken into account the way they should be. Indeed, one of the main reasons for the RSTââ?¬â?¢s rapid growth has been the feeling of disconnection the fans have from the club. We aim to have two seats on the board of Rangers because we know then that supportersââ?¬â?¢ views would be represented in a clear, determined and erudite fashion. What would you say has been the most important Trust contribution since it was founded? It would be difficult for me to pinpoint that ââ?¬â?? it is like asking a parent to name their favourite child! Obviously, as someone on the media team Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that weââ?¬â?¢ve helped attack the negative, often vitriolic coverage of the club and the support. Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that weââ?¬â?¢ve represented our membersââ?¬â?¢ concerns direct to the Chairman and Iââ?¬â?¢m proud that the Board listen to us (which is not to say they always agree with us!) Iââ?¬â?¢m also proud that we are so heavily involved as our support modernise. Overall Iââ?¬â?¢m happy that the RST is a place where Gers fans can unite in their love of a wonderful institution. Some fans would suggest that itââ?¬â?¢s impossible for a support to own and run a football club. How would you counter that? Barcelona seem to do okay! I think there is a misconception that if the RST gained control of the board, weââ?¬â?¢d all give up our jobs and take cushy positions at the club! We arenââ?¬â?¢t naÃ?¯ve ââ?¬â?? I donââ?¬â?¢t know how to run a business with a turnover of Ã?£60m and I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t even attempt to. We would have in place qualified personnel from both the business and football community and charge them with the day-to-day running of the club. The board would be made up of elected officials who would have to answer to the members. If they did a bad job, theyââ?¬â?¢d be out! The main difference is that every fan would have a vote in the overall direction of the club. Many Rangers supporters continue to be annoyed with what they feel is a media witch-hunt towards our club. If this is the case, how would you recommend we deal with it? Well, the stock answer is to say ââ?¬Ë?do not buy/read/listenââ?¬â?¢ to that which offends you. But Iââ?¬â?¢m afraid that turning the other cheek is what brought us to this position in the first place. My suggestion has always been direct action. Write to the journalist, write to the editor, and stop your friends from buying these products. Let them know you are not prepared to put up with it. Itââ?¬â?¢s a lot better than it was in 2002/2003 when halfwit journalists were allowed to espouse their own bigotry under the cover of crusading against sectarianism. (I vividly recall a drunk who worked for a broadsheet newspaper at the time having the gall to lecture Rangers fans on morality!) Itââ?¬â?¢s still a hard fight ahead, but I believe that these constant attacks against us ââ?¬â?? especially the more hysterical ones (Nuremburg, anyone?) ââ?¬â?? have brought us closer together as a support and helped re-establish the community element of the support. Itââ?¬â?¢s blatantly obvious that we are treated differently from the other half of the Old Firm, but I like the fact that our support donââ?¬â?¢t just sit and moan about it, they get in the ribs of the people behind it. Recently, the Trust has been working with other fansââ?¬â?¢ groups to show unity in how we approach certain issues. How important is such teamwork? Vital. Many groups, one consistent message Thereââ?¬â?¢s plenty of room for debate on how we go forward, but the one constant is clear ââ?¬â?? we all love the Rangers and we all want to help shield it from things which could damage it. Onto less political matters now. Domestic success in recent years has been minimal for our great club. Do you think Walter Smith can turn this around and regain the title? I certainly do. Walter is a better manager now than he was when he left, and his organisational skills and ability to motivate players have been evident since his return. If you are my age, Ally McCoist is your hero, so it is terrific to see him back at the club. Itââ?¬â?¢s also great to see guys in charge who have blue blood running through their veins. As I said earlier, there is a gap between the players and the fans at ALL clubs in modern football ââ?¬â?? itââ?¬â?¢s hard for us to see a guy going through the motions when his wage packet is bigger in a week than ours is in a year AND when weââ?¬â?¢d gladly play for the club for free! Walter and Ally wear their hearts on their sleeves and that resonates with the support. However, whilst both these guys are clearly very talented, they canââ?¬â?¢t work miracles; the Chairman MUST give them adequate resources to bring in the level of player required to gain success, not just domestically, but in Europe too (where Walterââ?¬â?¢s record in his first spell was patchy.) Weââ?¬â?¢ve messed around in the bargain basement Bosman bucket for too long now. What are your thoughts on the unsuccessful PLG era? These things happen. He is clearly an intelligent coach, but he looked at the end like he didnââ?¬â?¢t know what had hit him. The SPL is a strange wee league ââ?¬â?? good players have flopped here then done well in what youââ?¬â?¢d say were superior leagues. I think he felt it would be easier than it was and in the end, he simply didnââ?¬â?¢t want to be here. He made some very poor signings and some equally bad decisions, but he did some good things too ââ?¬â??I donââ?¬â?¢t think Charlie Adam would have had such a good season if PLG hadnââ?¬â?¢t been here. Do we need a large transfer budget to ensure we donââ?¬â?¢t fail again this year? How much do you think we can afford to spend? Weââ?¬â?¢ve got to spend Ã?£8-10m minimum. That shouldnââ?¬â?¢t be out of the budget of a club our size, and if it is, we should be looking at the financial management of the club and asking questions.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=412&Itemid=1 After another soulless performance at Ibrox yesterday, it was disappointing to note that once again the three essential virtues in the title above were missing from much of our team. Right from the very first minute it was obvious that yesterdayââ?¬â?¢s game would be a pedestrian affair. Killie may have had a fairly offensive set-up but they played mainly on the counter from a defensive outlook. Rangers, meanwhile, again opted for the 4-2-3-1 formation that has been such a hit and miss this season. Certainly no-one can argue that against the bigger sides that formation seems to work pretty well. Even with Le Guen in charge we had some good results against European opposition as well as against the bigger domestic teams. However, itââ?¬â?¢s also pretty obvious that when we come up against more defensive outfits, we struggle with only the one striker. We just arenââ?¬â?¢t flexible enough when it comes to reacting to opposition formations. In saying that, we could employ any tactic we like but if we continue to go into games without the necessary mental qualities, we will always struggle to match teams who do possess them. That explains why we have lost many games this season to supposed sub-standard opposition. Of course, the Falkirkââ?¬â?¢s, Caley Thistleââ?¬â?¢s and Kilmarnockââ?¬â?¢s of this world are not better than Rangers. Nevertheless, when we fail to match the spirit of the underdog, we will not secure the points. After an excellent result and impressive display against Celtic last week once again our appalling lack of consistency was evident. We simply appear to lack the motivation and discipline to achieve this imperative goal. Given the fact that Walter Smith is renowned for having fine man-management skills that is extremely worrying 5 months into his new tenure. The negative signs are all there and have been now for a number of months ââ?¬â?? going on years. From some players being obviously unfit to others simply not applying themselves on the park; one must question the club discipline. Yesterday saw one of our greatest sons being remembered with what we all thought was a flawless minuteââ?¬â?¢s silence (none of that applause nonsense thankfully!). It is with extreme upset and disappointment though that after the match I quickly found out that two of our players couldnââ?¬â?¢t even take a few seconds out of their comedy routines to respect Kai Johansenââ?¬â?¢s memory. Both Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd ââ?¬â?? supposed big Rangers fans ââ?¬â?? preferred to share a private joke as the rest of the stadium (including the excellent Killie fans) stood in silence. Inexplicable behaviour from senior players which this fan cannot understand. Now, some fans calling for them to be sold is perhaps going a few steps too far but this disgraceful episode is another own goal from a set of players who, with each passing week, appear to isolate themselves further from the very people who pay their wages. At a time where the club are asking (and mainly receiving) the highest possible standards from the support, it seems the players canââ?¬â?¢t (or wonââ?¬â?¢t) match these minimal requirements. Ergo, I hope to hear about suitable punishments and apologies from the players involved. Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd have had decent seasons. McGregor has grown into the goalkeeping number one position very well and Boydââ?¬â?¢s goals are one of the main reasons we managed to secure second place. Both are now international quality players. However, simply having the practical qualities should never be enough to assume the job is done. Unfortunately, too many people at Rangers Football Club (and particularly the players) are simply just turning up and not applying themselves fully. Every Rangers employee should conduct themselves with the utmost standards of pride and professionalism whilst showing the kind of passion that should never be taken for granted. If anyone at the club canââ?¬â?¢t provide those minimal values then quite simply they are not good enough to be part of the Rangers. I sincerely hope as the end of this unacceptable season ends; every person at Rangers appreciates that second best will never be good enough. Whilst expectations have to remain realistic itââ?¬â?¢s not unreasonable to expect much, much more from our football club. Pride, professionalism and passion should be the foundations Rangers careers are built on. An occasional glimpse is not enough.

I know that technically, you canââ?¬â?¢t win ââ?¬Ë?1 in a rowââ?¬â?¢, but please bare with me as hopefully youââ?¬â?¢ll see where this is going. As the 10th anniversary of our fantastic achievement approaches, I thought that it would be a good idea to relive my personal memories of this time, and recount those to the fellow forumees. I will apologies up front for any historical errors, or any dates, scores or scorers that I get wrong my memory isnââ?¬â?¢t what it used to be. The first game in the 9-in-a-row run was played at Douglas Park against Hamilton Accies and we were eager to dispose Celtic as Scottish Champions. Celtic had won the double the previous season in their ââ?¬Ë?anniversaryââ?¬â?¢ season, a feat that could be traced back to the unfortunate and untimely leg-break suffered by then Rangers captain Terry Butcher. Although confident of winning back our title, I donââ?¬â?¢t think any of the 1000ââ?¬â?¢s of Rangers fans present that day (Aug 13 1988) could have dreamed that they were witnessing the beginning of Rangers writing themselves into the annals of world football and on our way to dominating Scottish football for close to two decades. Going into the game and season, we were boosted by the arrival of further two big money signings from South of the border in the shape of Kevin Drinkell and Gary Stevens. Drinkell was a bit of an unknown quantity, but quickly proved himself to be a great striker and a fantastic addition to our squad. Gary Stevens was an established player with a wonderful pedigree and showed his class from his debut onwards. I think it is safe to say that we havenââ?¬â?¢t had a full back of his class since, and it could be argued that he was one of the best full backs ever to grace the light blue jersey. It was Gary Stevens who was unlikely first scorer of the season (ergo first scorer in the 9-in-a-row season) and Ally McCoist (who else) secured our opening day victory by a comfortable 2 goals to nil. We draw our opening home game of the season 0-0 with Hibs and defeated Clyde and Clydebank easily in the opening rounds of the League Cup. Next up was the first Old Firm game of the season and a chance to put one over the auld enemy and defending champions. The game didnââ?¬â?¢t start well, we were 1-0 down inside 3 minutes, then up-stepped Ally McCoist to bring us level. As the game approached the half-time interval, Rangers won a throw. Gary Stevens throw the ball in, it was headed on by Butcher and Ray Wilkins thundered an unstoppable shot into the Celtic net. After half-time, we destroyed Celtic and ran out 5-1 winners. Greame Souness decided that this was a time for showboating and rather than putting them to the sword he dictated play so we ripped the piss for the last 20 minutes. The game will be remembered for the goalkeeping antics of Ian Andrews, but in all honesty, he was at fault for only one of the five goals. What Iââ?¬â?¢ll remember the game for is singing ââ?¬Ë?Happy Birthday Dear Celticââ?¬â?¢ as the goals rained inââ?¬Â¦. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-bWchIBBbI Straight after that game, I went on holiday to Florida for 3 weeks and missed a lot of games including the European tie against Katowice and the League Cup Semi Final victory over Hearts. I also missed the next few games as on my return, I lost my Grandmother. The next game I can remember being at was the loss at Pittodrie on the day Neil Simpson ruined Ian Durrantââ?¬â?¢s career. The game and result paled into insignificance once the seriousness of the injury was revealed. Next up as a 1-0 victory at Easter Road followed by one of the best League Cup Finals I can remember, We defeated Aberdeen 3-2 thanks to 2 Ally McCoist goals and a great strike from Ian Ferguson. So, we had secured the first trophy of the season in a dramatic final and were well placed in the league. It was also the first time in our history that we had won the League Cup in 3 consecutive seasons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaTfJqASNSQ We were then knocked out of Europe by Cologne and were well beaten by the Germans over the two leagues. This was a major disappointment as Souness had assembled a very decent team and squad and many Rangers fans, buoyed by a couple of encouraging runs under Souness, believed that we were about to make our mark in Europe, but it wasnââ?¬â?¢t to be. Our good form continued in the league until we were beaten 3-1 at Parkhead in November and then lost our way a little dropping points to Dundee, Dundee United and Hearts (who outclassed us at Tynecastle). Back to back narrow victories over Hibs and Hamilton didnââ?¬â?¢t appear to be the ideal preparation for the 3rd OF game of the season. However, once again after falling behind to an early goal, Rangers bounced back to record another emphatic OF victory by 4 goals to 1 with Walters (2), Butcher and I Ferguson getting the goals. If I remember correctly, this was Ian Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s first OF goal and his celebrations were as wild and enthusiastic as any fans! Due to the hangovers (!!) we then lost the next game away to Motherwell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rj5-8M6yRA&mode=related&search= We then played Gretna in a game for the Lockerbie Disaster Fund and Gary McSwegan scored in a 2-1 defeat. The next game of note was a 8-0 Scottish Cup victory against Stranraer then a 2-2 draw away to St Johnstone which is notable for the fact that it was Rangersââ?¬â?¢ final game ever at Muirton Park. This was a testimonial game. The league run in was in full swing now and we powered our way to the finishing line, winning the league from Aberdeen by six points (our 39th League title). The title was wrapped up in a 4-0 thrashing of Hearts at Ibrox and the unlikely hero of the day was Mel Sterland who scored 2 goals (as did Kevin Drinkell). We rested most of our players for the remainder of the season and won only 1 further game, and that was the game after securing the league, beating DUFC 2-0. We then faced Celtic at Hampden for the chance to secure a historic treble. The game will be remembered for two terrible refereeing decisions. Firstly, Celtic scored from a Rangers throw-in taken by Roy Aitken and then a perfectly good Davie Cooper goal was chopped off when Paddy Bonnar was fouled by his own player. A sad end to the season, but one that Iââ?¬â?¢ll remember for the Tims singing ââ?¬Ë?Mo Mo Super Moââ?¬â?¢ at the final in reference to Mo Johnston returning from French football. However, as the next article will reiterate and history will tell us, it wasnââ?¬â?¢t the green and grey that he would return to Scotland to wear, by the famous light blue. Cammy F

Despite our well-documented domain name problems of the New Year, Gersnet Online continues to re-establish itself within the online Scottish football community. We are absolutely delighted with our progress so far and we'd like to thank all our visitors for their support over the last few months. Here's why we're proving so popular: First of all our interesting and objective online analysis of many issues that concern every Rangers fan has proven to be our biggest success. Since returning to the extremely popular NewsNow Rangers feed, almost every article we've written has reached the top 5 Rangers stories read by NewsNow users. Indeed, in many cases, we have topped the lists outdoing many of the broadsheets and tabloid newspapers who also post their releases daily. With no annoying adverts and the kind of balanced coverage many Scottish fans are looking for, it's refreshing that a voluntary fansite can out perform the high-profile journalists who struggle to match our NewsNow results. Our new articles comment system has also proven very successful. Unfortunately, due to misuse, you may find some comments moderated before they appear but we aim to turn around submissions very quickly to ensure they are published as soon as possible. It's always interesting to hear your feedback whenever we write. Unlike the major newspapers, all are authors are on hand to answer your thoughts on our articles. To that end, our friendly forum can often be another excellent way of putting across your point. All are welcome and although we may not be as busy as other forums on the net, you can be sure your contribution will be greatly appreciated. There is always plenty to talk about and we have a wide range of sub-forums to accommodate every subject! In addition to the forum, despite being in it's infancy our Rangers Archive section of the site is already proving very popular. It's a one stop source of info for all Rangers fans and we aim to keep it as up to date as possible. Finally and most importantly, we're always looking for contributors to every part of our site. Thus, if you think you'd like to write articles for release under the Gersnet banner or if you'd like to take part in the archive section, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Contact us via the pm function on the forum. If you have any comments or ideas on how we can improve the site please let us know. Your support is greatly appreciated. We Are The People! :cheers:

One would be forgiven for thinking this Saturday was considered an exciting day because of the last Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox. After all, thousands of us will descend on our spiritual home to once again support our team in one of the worldââ?¬â?¢s greatest derbies. Unfortunately, word reaches me that, among us after an enforced period of ââ?¬Ë?gardening leaveââ?¬â?¢, shall be the one and only Graham Spiers ââ?¬â?? ex-ââ?¬Ë?Heraldââ?¬â?¢ Chief Sportswriter and new ââ?¬Ë?Timesââ?¬â?¢ columnist - well the Scottish version (with itââ?¬â?¢s, erm, ââ?¬Ë?compactââ?¬â?¢ readership anyway). Ergo, considering the SPL title has already been won and lost, perhaps all the excitement will occur when reading Spiersââ?¬â?¢ pre and post match musings? Itââ?¬â?¢s been a while since weââ?¬â?¢ve read this charlatanââ?¬â?¢s brand of half-truths and ill-informed rhetoric so can Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s self-appointed sectarian sheriff make a valiant return at the place where he made his name (and essentially lost his job) singling out Rangers as the sole perpetrators of sectarian offence in Scotland? The stench of hypocrisy will of course be evident as Spiers cheers on his favourite ââ?¬Ë?remarkable human beingââ?¬â?¢ Neil Lennon who will play in his last Old Firm match. Spiers has always had a lot to say about the bigotry problem but does strangely prevaricate when it comes to the double standards of the Scottish mediaââ?¬â?¢s best-loved victim. One rule for some and one rule for another certainly applies when one considers Spiersââ?¬â?¢ partiality (or lack of). Itââ?¬â?¢s also very interesting to note the Scotsport (yes, that high-quality football analysis show!) pundit has also spent the last few months writing a book about the Paul Le Guen saga. As if we werenââ?¬â?¢t all tired enough of what happened in the first half of this season, it appears in ââ?¬Ë?PLG ââ?¬â?? Lââ?¬â?¢Enigmaââ?¬â?¢ (Mainstream Publishing) our favourite failing hack will discuss why the Frenchman couldnââ?¬â?¢t succeed at Ibrox. Despite no official status and little or no relations with anyone at the club or Monsieur Le Guen, Spiers feels the need to bore us with his usual variety of self-appointed opinion based on little knowledge of how the game works. A ââ?¬Ë?Samuel Johnsonââ?¬â?¢ prize winner or car boot sale door stop? You decide! So what can we expect from Spiers in his new book and more importantly his new job at ââ?¬Ë?The Timesââ?¬â?¢? Well, ever since his ââ?¬Ë?Scotland on Sundayââ?¬â?¢ days in the mid 90s Spiers has enjoyed putting the boot into our club. From scurrilous attacks on club legends like Jock Wallace, Davie Cooper and Bill Struth to unfair and inaccurate ramblings about the support at large, Spiers wrote article after article on sectarianism and specifically Rangers. Some argued these articles were necessary to remove the problems we faced. However, the intensity and frequency of the pieces when compared to clubs with similar problems just wasnââ?¬â?¢t conductive to such a valued campaign. If one looks at some of the language in the Spiersââ?¬â?¢ archive, the conclusion can be reached that this wasnââ?¬â?¢t a man attempting to fix a problem, but more a coward throwing insults in favour of sensationalism. I donââ?¬â?¢t think many Rangers fans have ever denied the challenges we face as a support but surely itââ?¬â?¢s the responsibility of the critic to offer solutions to help us successfully face these challenges? Itââ?¬â?¢s also imperative that we are not singled out in order that the whole problem of bigotry is attacked ââ?¬â?? not just one part of it. Unfortunately, Spiers has never done either to any great extent. Yes, heââ?¬â?¢s taken part in one conference about the subject (no solutions offered though) and yes, he has written the odd article about other clubs; but never once to the same extent as his regular attacks on Rangers. As such, can we expect any different this Saturday? The problem of bigotry and discriminatory singing is still part of Scottish football. Rangersââ?¬â?¢ fans though have made huge strides in the last year and have successfully removed much of the problem chants from the away support. They have done this not because of the likes of Spiers and his ilk but in spite of them. Meanwhile, the clubs with similar dilemmas that Spiers has chosen to minimise or even deliberately ignore, still have their problems. From sectarian and terrorist sympathising songs from Celtic fans, to songs about the Ibrox Disaster from Aberdeen fans, to racism from Motherwell fans, to homophobic chants from Hearts/Hibs fans; bigotry is still rife in the SPL from many clubs out with Rangers. This summer will see a new SPL rule introduced to punish clubs for such singing. This may go some way to helping remove these problems but only if the rule is applied across the board and from a neutral perspective. The questionable Scottish media will have their part to play regarding this and Graham Spiers (love him or loathe him) will be at the forefront as usual. Will we be reading an informative, impartial and accurate Graham Spiers this weekend? I genuinely hope so but I also doubt it. After all, these valuable virtues donââ?¬â?¢t always help make journalistic careers. But, as we saw when Spiers was sidelined at the Herald, not having them can also end and/or limit said careers. Whatââ?¬â?¢s it to be, Graham? http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=402&Itemid=1

As part of the Rangers Archive project, Gersnet Online would like to open the voting for 'Hall of Fame' project. Obviously, Rangers run their own official Hall of Fame but it would be good to get a flavour of what all online football fans think - as opposed to just Rangers fans and registered users of the official site. As such, we are looking for eleven initial layers for our inaugural nominations. In essence, a team of the very best Rangers players from 1872 to the present day. From the pioneers such as Moses McNeil and his brother Peter right through to Jim Baxter and Brian Laudrup. We'd also like to have two non-playing Rangers men to compliment the above players. William Wilton, Bill Struth and Jock Wallace canot be ignored and there are many more to consider alongside the playing greats. All in all this is a chance for every football fan to vote on their greatest bears to compile a list of the utmost Rangers legends. More news will be available on this venture as we proceed but after the initial vote we'll be looking to our contributors to suggest future recommendations with interesting articles and storis about their own heroes from every era. Please feel free to make your vote by email to wsf_01@yahoo.co.uk where once this season has ended we'll publicise the inaugural Gersnet legends.

Was it really only 12 months ago that we witnessed what some of us described as the ââ?¬Ë?worst Rangers team in historyââ?¬â?¢ crawl to 3rd place in the SPL playing terrible football? It seems longer, but I suppose that can be expected after the promises of ââ?¬Ë?moonbeams of successââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?investments that would rock Scottish Footballââ?¬â?¢ from serial liar SDM. In hindsight, and given SDM history of false promises, we should really have known better. It could be argued that this season was just as bad, if not worse than last. PLGââ?¬â?¢s revolution never really got off the ground and whilst Walter Smith has steadied the ship somewhat, watching Rangers isnââ?¬â?¢t really ââ?¬Ë?prime-timeââ?¬â?¢ at the moment ââ?¬â?? although weââ?¬â?¢re expected to pay top dollar for the privilege. Another close season arrives and another mass reapplication for season tickets will follow giving our esteemed leader the belief that we the fans are totally behind him and believe that he is the right man to carry us forward. Oh, weââ?¬â?¢ll have his lap-dogs in the media telling us that he has a new found hunger, a desire to put us back on top, a list of first class signings queuing to sign ââ?¬â?? just to ensure that those of us swithering will give him (another) benefit of the doubt. I am still unsure if Iââ?¬â?¢ll renew, but if I do it will be in spite of SDM not due to another bout of his lies leaked to the press. There is so much wrong with our club at the moment, it is hard to pick out something positive to talk about in the lead up to the last OF game of the season. I suppose the U19ââ?¬â?¢s thrashing their Craptic counterparts in the U19 Cup recently shows that there might be some gems finally coming through the system. Players like Stevie Lennon, Shinnie, Fleck and Perry to name but 4. The U19ââ?¬â?¢s also have a chance to claim the league title which will have been decided when you read this. The latest fan initiative by the RST and fanzines, Rangers First is also worth a mention and going by recent games, especially out-with Ibrox, the first signs are that this is working and the Rangers fans are warming to this initiative and actively encouraging songs without the unnecessary add-ons. However, the major issues that surround the club are still there for all to see and there doesnââ?¬â?¢t appear to be anything coming from the club that would suggest that these will change for the better. The most worrying is the money, or lack off that the manager will receive to rebuild the team in the summer. We urgently need at least 10 players, most of them ââ?¬Ë?startersââ?¬â?¢ but feel weââ?¬â?¢ll be pinning our hopes on players like Gow, Broadfoot and Naismyth (instead of the likes of Brown, Koevermans etc) and if we are, and I hope Iââ?¬â?¢m wrong, weââ?¬â?¢ll be back here in another 12 months wondering where it all went wrong and what if anything will change to make things right again. Cammy F

Once again, on a visit to Scotland's capital, Rangers fans were met with heavy-handed Policing. Police in tracker vans with video cameras, Police in vans in full riot gear and the Police on the streets trying to intimidate the visiting support. On the way to the ground, a Rangers fan asked a Policeman if he was allowed to drink in the streets. He was informed that as long as he wasn't 'drunk' or close to the ground, he could indulge. The guy nips into a shop, buys 2 bottles of beer and is promptly surrounded by Police as he opens the first bottle - only after intervention from 10 fellow fans is the lad not arrested (he had his drink confiscated). Early in the game, a young Rangers fan was surrounded by Police and had his Union Flag confiscated and warned that he could be arrested. Meanwhile, the Hibs fans were happily allowed to fly the flag of a foriegn nation without Police intervention. Near half-time, the entire Rangers end is surrounded by Police and stewards whils the rest of the stadium is left 'unguarded'. Que Hibs fans rushing to the Rangers fans, gesturing, blessing themselves and making 'cut-throat gestures. What action by Plod? NONE, apart from telling the Rangers fans to shut the fook up..... When will all this end? Cammy F

Similar to our Stuttgart and Bratislava report of recent years, the RST have compiled a report into the unacceptable security arrangements for Rangers fans in Spain earlier this season. You can download the report from our downloads section (Acrobat PDF file - 340k). If you require a different format please contact us in the usual way. http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104&Itemid=1

Whilst we were dominating Scottish Football in the early 90ââ?¬â?¢s, Rangers were ââ?¬Ë?richerââ?¬â?¢ than clubs like Manchester United and after our fantastic European adventure in 93, we were better placed to win the European Cup than teams like Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea etc. It can be argued that those ââ?¬Ë?bigââ?¬â?¢ English clubs were still adjusting to life in the ââ?¬Ë?newââ?¬â?¢ English Premiership and life back on the European stage after years of exile. However, we defeated the English Champions home and away on the way to the inaugural Champions League group stages and were only denied a place in the final by the corrupt French Champions. So what happened to this fantastic opportunity? Well SKY TV arrived and financed the EPL, UEFA changed the goal-post regarding the CL and the 3 foreigner rule, and IMO David Murray allowed Walter Smith to stay on as Rangers manager for too long and the team that drank together, stagnated together. After securing 9-in-a-row Walter Smith decided that he would leave Rangers the following season and if we are honest, it was torture watching that aging team limp towards what would have been a historic 10-in-a-row, Now the nostalgic and romantics amongst us would argue that that team/squad deserved the chance to etch themselves into history. However, after a season that started fantastically (who can forget the moody Italian Marco Negri scoring with almost every touch he had ââ?¬â?? well, it seemed that way, then weââ?¬â?¢d watch him sulk back to the half-way line!). I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but you have to ask why SDM allowed Walter Smith to continue even after he had handed in his notice. Looking back to Graeme Souness, as soon as Souness indicated that he would be leaving for Liverpool, SDM showed him the door and booked him a taxi to the airport. So, why did Walter Smith not get the same treatment? Would a change of manager after securing 9-in-a-row ensured that we would have continued our domestic dominance and recharge our European challenge as this had faded since the halcyon days on 92/93? Weââ?¬â?¢ll never know, but Iââ?¬â?¢m sure a change of manager would have seen a change in fortunes as the season draw to a close. Walter Smith, rightly or wrongly chose to stick with the mainstay of the 9-in-a-row team who were clearly running on empty. We actually had 2 chances to win the league that year and blew them both (losing at home to Motherwell and away to Aberdeen) after defeating Craptic twice in a week in the Scottish Cup and League. We were famously to lose the league and both domestic cups that season but perversely, that season was to give me the possibly the proudest moment in my Rangers supporting life. As we stood at Tannidice, the deposed Champions and the 10-in-a-row dream in tatters, knowing that the manager and majority of players would be leaving, we reacted ââ?¬Ë?the Rangers wayââ?¬â?¢. The fans stood to a man (woman and child) and sang of their love for Rangers and applauded the players/manager from the pitch. Rangers, dignified in victory and defeat. Now it is worth reminding ourselves that at this stage in our history, we were still financially sound ââ?¬â?? and that our bitterest (sic) of rivals were still recovering from being on the brink or extinction. We were, in all honesty, going into the 10-in-a-row season, 10-15 years ahead of them off and on the pitch - all that was about to change. IMO, this is SDMââ?¬â?¢s greatest crime, allowing such a change in such a short space of time. SDM must have known that our debt was about to spiral out of control and should have put measures in place to ensure that we stayed ahead of the game. To his eternal shame, he didnââ?¬â?¢t and all our current ills can be traced back to this point in our history. SDM appeared to have pulled of a mater-stroke by appointing Dick Advocaat as our new manager. DA signed a whole host of exciting players like Amato, Gio, Numan and erm, Bert Konterman! After a shacky start and a thumping at the hands of Craptic, DAââ?¬â?¢s team gelled and played some wonderful football that saw his reclaim OUR title and win a glorious treble. Plenty other domestic success came or way along with some very credible performances and results on the European stage. Everything in the garden appeared rosy, oh how we were mistaken. DA started to lose the plot and Craptic under a new regime (on and off the pitch) stole our thunder and DA had to fall on his sword. He was replaced by Alex McLeish, an appointment that had a lot or Rangers fans shaking their heads in disappointment. To AMââ?¬â?¢s credit, he managed to match Crapticââ?¬â?¢s 2nd most successful manager on the trophy count (including a treble) whilst having to sell our better players, reduce the wage bill and replace them with inferior quality. Any money we made was put to servicing the debt whilst our financially sound neighbours had money to invest in their team. However, we were offered a ââ?¬Ë?chink of lightââ?¬â?¢. Martin Oââ?¬â?¢Neill was leaving Craptic and leaving them in a min-crisis. We had snatched the league title from under their noses for a 2nd time and their aging squad was to be dissembled. This was an opportunity for us to strengthen from a position of being the champions, but again SDM refused to back his manager with the funds required to forge ahead to domestic dominance. Once again, we were left in our rivals shadows and AM was sacked and replaced by PLG. Again, we have hope but alas, it was to be false hope and SDM didnââ?¬â?¢t back his new charge with money either. So after 2 disastrous domestic campaigns, can our leader take a possible opportunity to put us back where we belong? Or will he once again, miss a golden opportunity? If the (strong) rumours are to be believed, Gordon Strachan will leave Craptic in the summer and return to a role in the EPL ââ?¬â?? most likely at Manchester City. Crapticââ?¬â?¢s form over the closing half of the season hasnââ?¬â?¢t been particularly good and only our woeful results under PLG have stopped us from mounting a serious challenge in the league and cups. So what will our esteemed leader do this summer? I think heââ?¬â?¢ll do what he has done in the last 5 summers, give his charge a minimum transfer budget to sign players who are expected to replace the ââ?¬Ë?betterââ?¬â?¢ players in our squad. The early indications donââ?¬â?¢t look promising, but surely a brilliant business man like SDM can smell an opportunity and would do what ever it took to put his ââ?¬Ë?businessââ?¬â?¢ back on top? I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t bet on it, this summer will be another missed opportunity for SDM and for Rangers. Cammy F

Sometimes, in between studying literature, I take some time off to actually read some, for pure escapist enjoyment. Even for just half an hour or so - keeping the brain ticking, but without the strain of rigorous analysis. Sometimes I think most of us do it with football - while we are dragged through the peaks and troughs of our club's every new wave, we sometimes watch a game in Europe in which we have no emotional investment just for the pure, unadulatered, pleasure of the sport. I went home at lunchtime today for a while, just to get out the office, and had a wee read. I was reading Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Mystery of Marie Roget' the fictionalish account of the contemporaneous murder of Mary Rogers (The Beautiful Cigar Shop Girl) in New York. The first great detective, Dupin, famously examines the newspaper accounts of the sensational murder, and sifts through them, applying pure reason to reach at the truth of the affair. One phrase, articulating something most of us feel, inevitably stood out: 'We should bear in mind, in general, it is the object of newspapers rather to create a sensation - make a point - than to further the cause of truth. The latter is pursued only when it is co-incident with the former.' I thought how great it would be if this were to be legally emblazened at the top of all newspapers, just to remind of us their job. It is our fault they do this - as Poe says 'the print which merely falls with ordinary opinion (however well founded this may be) earns itself no credit with the mob'. But that doesn't make it right. What happens, though, in modern life, when people implicitly say this of the media? Its not hard to be reminded of Steve McLaren who after a 3-0 victory, deemed not good enough by many, refused to answer press questions. The media's response the next day was SO vitriolic that even other areas of the press began reporting on the extremity of the reporting. We've seen it recently too - PLG who seemed to be a concerted effort not to endear himself with the press never had a sympathetic word for him amidst the whole confusing and misty Barry Ferguson debacle. So the press - our gateway to truth we're not party to - always have an agenda. One of, I think, the most interesting examples of this lies with us. Over the last few years lacking success, we have seen a quite subtle shift in the media in giving us various smallish digs. David Murray had been the master manipulator during our success, but his relative anonymity of late has seemed to lead to an increase in the press' antagonististic attitude towards us. The reaction was quiet at first, Murray's dignified silent approach is still favoured by the majority. Indeed, it still is - but the active few who had seen this pattern emerging were, not co-incidentally, people involved with the most active rangers supporters organisation, the RST. Just prior to, and indeed, during the first UEFA lead bigotry charge against us we had seen several statements from the trust about media issues. Not willing to take the cheap digs at the good name of decent rangers supporters, while acknowledging the dross, they made several statements highlighting press bigotry. Then, as with McLaren, when we were brought to bear on these charges they dropped all self-restraint and went at us full throttle, and its largely persisted to the present day. Aside from the RST, continuing to try and work with the positive aspects of the media while highlighting the bad, who has been standing up for us? When we look at Murray's recent press statements they are all responses to criticisims of - well, who? - him. His commitment to the club was questioned under McLeish with challenges from demonstrators after that cup game, and not soon after McLeish was gone and his good name was restored by appointing PLG in a whirlwind of press attention. Next the idea of his commitment raised again with the lack of investment in the squad - he announced, in a whirlwind of media attention, the JJB deal. The common element in both these things of course is that they succesfully deflected media criticism, and both have made no improvement to the situation. Next he was criticised, by the RST, of not supporting his manager - the press took up on this and he appeared again in a blaze of glory shouting at the players, with players appearing in the papers. We next hear from him when defending himself about the suspicious circumstances of PLG's departure. You'll have noticed the pattern that David Murray's press appearances occur when he is attacked. In this same time Rangers fans have been physically abused in Europe, had the memory of fans abused by travelling Aberdeen supporters, villified in the press and have taken all sorts of (often appauling) constrains on their freedom and slurs on their name. On all this Murray has had nothing to say. Certainly nothing that will persuade the press. So whats the solution, then? Revolution always has, and always will, be with the people. No, we're not talking storming the Daily Record and battering them over the head with a cut up David Murray, but we're talking, as with all revolution the struggle for autonomy, or freedom. When all the Rangers supporters representatives joined to commit to self-regulation of the fans they declared unequivocally their independence from the moral judgement of the media. Many people have saw this as a move to appease the media - the media may even see it this way - but, infact, the message was that there's a problem in our support, the nature of which we decide, and that it is our domain to deal with. While this achieves the END, the freedom from bigotry, that the press use to justify their slanderous rants, the MEANS by which this is achieved involves us turning to a new authority, ourselves. Because where the media will quite happily see no difference between nationalism and bigotry, we will, and the people have spoken and they are quite adamant that rangers at least be allowed to be the 'quintessential british club', and while the media, in their vanity, suppose that we are bowed to their pressure, publish the fact that they've had a moral victory over the hordes, they are also publishing the evolution of a Rangers support, led by the RST, growing in self-dependence from the media and the hier-archy of the club. While Poe ultimately seemed to get parts of his assessment of the murder about Mary Rogers wrong, his pursuit for the reasoned truth led him to some startling discoveries missed by everyone at the time. His main premise was that we should always read critically, especially when dealing with the press. And those of us reading the press critically at the moment can just see the slightest glimmer of a small revolution's birth amidst the Rangers supporter that will usurp their moral authority and give it back to the people.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai...6/sfncom06.xml The above is an article describing and condeming the Rome Police for their unprovoked attacks on Man U fans on Wednesdat evening (and I would expect a similar line tomorrow regarding the Spanish Polices attack on Spurs fans). Now, there is no doubting that Man U and Spurs had 'fans' at the games who were there to cause trouble (Man U and Spurs have the biggest casual element in English football at the moment) and their is the possibility that their fans may have been singing 'offensive' songs. So, the question is, why have the English press (to a man/woman) backed the fans over the Police and more importantly, why have the clubs backed their fans 110%? Compare and contrast to the brutal Police actions 3 weeks ago and the subsequent press and club reaction........ In fact, I cought a short part of a phone in last night and Keith Jackson stated that he was utterly disgusted by the Police actions in Spain at the RFC game - pity you didn't write about it at the time then you fookin maggot Jackson. Another aspect that is worth compairing is the level of constraint shown by the Rangers fans in the face of the aggresion shown by the Police. Whilst Man U and especially Spurs fans fought back, throwing chairs etc, Rangers fans were far more restrained in their response (yet our press still describe us as the animals). UEFA MUST be forced to take actions against these Police forces, that is not the way to Police a football match - charging in, weilding batons and riot shields injuring innocent fans. It is good to hear that the RST (yes, them again - leading the way and a shining example to the club) have offered their services and dossiers to the Man U Trust and supporters to join forces in forcing UEFA into action. Cammy F

Someone was asking why the NI fans no longer sing The Sash and this was a reply posted by Fermanaghblue. Kind of sums up the position we find ourselves in I think. If we cleaned up our act and just accepted that was the things had to be, we'd be untouchable by the media and the constant whinging from other supports. Something to think about.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=1 http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,5~1004155,00.html RANGERS' supporters groups today announced the launch of a major 'self-policing' initiative in a continued effort to eradicate sectarian behaviour. The groups, with the full agreement of the Club, intend to immediately undertake a range of self-policing measures in an attempt to isolate and shame so-called 'fans' who are 'bringing the Club into serious disrepute'. It was agreed last night that Supporters' groups will self police at domestic away matches until the end of the season and will then meet the Club to review the behaviour at these away games. If there is unsatisfactory behaviour at domestic away matches then the suspension of ticket allocations for away games in Europe will be considered jointly. Rangers and the supporters' groups have been engaged in positive and productive talks since the UEFA Cup match against Osasuna in Pamplona on March 14. Following their latest meeting this week, Rangers Chairman Sir David Murray, Chief Executive Martin Bain, the Board of the Club and supporters' organisations agreed the following joint statement: "The match in Pamplona turned out to be a watershed for the Club and supporters. At that game, Rangers encountered the poorest safety and security arrangements for a match for many years which gave the Club deep concern for the welfare of supporters there to enjoy the game. "The poor arrangements led to questionable policing and shambolic segregation that was clearly visible to all attending the game and those watching on TV. "This Club knows better than most the tragic consequences that can result at football matches and we believe the arrangements in Osasuna were a recipe for disaster. We continue to pursue this matter with UEFA in the strongest terms. "We accept there were a small number of so-called Rangers fans who let themselves and the Club down during this match and we condemn them out of hand. That said, much of the distress and injury suffered by many supporters could have been prevented. "Quite rightly, clubs in the UK have to adhere to the strictest safety regulations and it is disappointing to see this is not the case in countries which are regarded as advanced footballing nations. "We are grateful for the support of the First Minister, MPs and MSPs who have expressed their concern at events on the night and have agreed to raise the matter through appropriate channels. "Regrettably, we also witnessed sectarian singing at the Pamplona match by some of our fans and we are united in our condemnation of this. It is deeply disappointing since we have achieved so much on sectarian behaviour, particularly at Ibrox this season. "We all agree that we still have some way to go on this issue and we are very grateful to the fans who have embraced the Club's Pride Over Prejudice policies. "We are agreed that the strongest possible action should be taken by the Club and supporters against people who continue to indulge in sectarian behaviour. This kind of behaviour will simply result in a doomsday scenario for the Club and the vast majority of fans. "Since Pamplona, we have held exhaustive and constructive talks on finding the best way forward. It is clear to everyone that the future of fan behaviour lies in the fans' own hands and real improvement in fan behaviour will work best through self-policing. "This, of course, will be done in addition to the stringent policing and stewarding measures already enforced by the Club and the police. "The issue of ticket allocations for away matches has been discussed at length. Although this sends out a strong message to those who let the Club down, it was agreed that, in general, it is not the people who use Rangers ticket allocations who cause the most problems. "However, we will review this position again at the end of this season. We remain deeply concerned at Clubs willingly selling tickets to fans at away matches in Europe on the day of the game. fans in osasuna"This is a matter we will be raising again with UEFA and with clubs Rangers may play in Europe next season. We do not want Rangers fans to travel to away European matches without officially endorsed tickets. "There is complete unity between the supporters groups and the Club. We agree there are people who refuse to come on board with our anti-sectarian campaign who are bringing the Club's reputation to the brink of ruin. "The supporters have pledged to do everything in their power to isolate and shame these people. It is time for everyone to move on. They cannot and will not be allowed to spoil the enjoyment and pride so many take from being part of the Rangers family. "Our message to them is clear - come on board and show pride in yourselves and your Club. Remember what being a real Rangers supporter is all about. It is about setting standards that should be the envy of clubs around the world. "Collectively we will also work together to devise a code of conduct for Rangers supporters which we hope to develop into a fans' charter. "This work will go on over the next few weeks. We intend to present this to UEFA who may wish to use it as a guide for good practice, as they have done with the work we have done on racism. "This has been a difficult time for Rangers over the past few weeks but we feel now we can go forward together. "There is a renewed determination to eradicate sectarianism and the supporters have an opportunity to demonstrate that this great club - whose pedigree is respected throughout Europe - has a great support that does the Club proud." The measures to be undertaken include: > Supporters groups to issue anti-sectarian guidance to all supporters clubs > Anti-sectarian messages to be featured on all possible websites including Follow Follow fanzine > Supporters groups and the club to urge fans not to travel to away matches without officially endorsed tickets > The Club will undertake a major review of the Rangers Travel Club operations > Supporters to inform fans on songs and chants that 'do Rangers proud' > Code of conduct to be produced by supporters for supporters > Players to deliver anti-sectarian messages to supporters' clubs "Supporters' representatives and the Club agreed at the start of the season a list of songs in the Wee Blue Book and we would urge fans to focus on these at all matches." Signatories: Jim Templeton, President,The Rangers Supporters Assembly Jackie Robertson, Secretary, The Rangers Supporters Assembly Alex Milree, Scottish Delegate, The Rangers Worldwide Alliance Roddie Maclean, Scottish Delegate, The Rangers Worldwide Alliance Ryan McNamee, Scottish Delegate, The Rangers Worldwide Alliance Mark Dingwall, The Rangers Supporters Trust Jim Kirk, The Rangers Supporters Association Sir David Murray, Chairman, Rangers Football Club Martin Bain, Chief Executive, Rangers Football Club

Going to be posting this poll on every Rangers site today. Obviously you don't need to be a member of any of these organisations to vote. Similarly, if you think none of them are doing a good job, please say so. To try and make the topic more interesting (and very helpful for me) it would also be great if we got a few reasons for your choice of vote. Cheers!

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=377&Itemid=1 So after another fine weekend of Scottish sporting performance it was with my usual disappointment that I found out the usual suspects had been casting their typical brand of negativity and poison over the red tops. One wonders exactly what our media set out to achieve with their constant aspersions of bigotry towards Rangers. Earlier this year Manchester Utd visited France and their fans were treated similarly shabbily to ours. Poor segregation, non-existent stewarding and heavy handed policing resulting in violence and danger to what are simply people like you and I travelling to watch their team away in Europe. The responses towards their problems were much more positive ââ?¬â?? the FA promised to investigate, the media backed them to a man and even the Sports Minister said that heââ?¬â?¢d be investigating. After all, their fellow countrymen had been treated disgracefully by another country despite doing little to provoke such treatment. Compare and contrast with the media reaction to Rangers supportersââ?¬â?¢ problems in Spain. Broken limbs, scars, litre blood and danger of loss of life were all reported from Rangers fans on the Friday morning. Were their similar outcries of defence, did the media demand action, did David Taylor promise investigation, what about Joke in his Edinburgh castle? Nah, a dodgy YouTube video was found and the usual taunts begun in earnest. The RST have had to report now on dangerous incidents in Stuttgart, Bratislava, Villarreal and now Pamplona. Is it any wonder minor trouble flares up due to the frustration of fans' terrible treatment by heavy handed police and poor host organisation? Does someone have to be killed before we look after our own? Are the Scottish media that petty that they'd rather go against their own people instead of standing together and getting us all a better deal from the likes of UEFA who consistently rule against Scottish football while ignoring the bigger problems of racism and fascism in the continental countries? Rangers FC and its supporters know we have our problems. What happened in that grainy YouTube video was unacceptable and we have to eradicate such chants. And weââ?¬â?¢re working damn hard to achieve that realistic aim. Indeed, the club have been praised by UEFA for their hard work against bigotry, while the announcement of a forthcoming conference organised by voluntary fans in the RST has shown weââ?¬â?¢re eager to self-police and find solutions for our problems. Was this conference praised and discussed by the likes of Gerry McNee? Did it make the front page of the Sunday Mail at the weekend? How eager will our First Minister and Strathclyde Police be to attend this conference in the summer? They are all so far strangely silent on this extremely interesting development. Itââ?¬â?¢s easy to criticise and complain about any issue. What is much more difficult is to come up with practical and workable solutions for these problems. The likes of Graham Spiers, Gerry McNee, David Taylor and Jack McConnell have never done that. Instead, they enjoy the increased profile and quick buck from paying lip service to a social problem that has nowhere near the impact on our country that the real issues such as poverty, health and crime actually do. The Rangers fans are eager to solve our problems. That simple fact seems to be overlooked in the haste by some to criticise us. At the same time, these people appear to prefer to castigate us instead of offering solutions and defence when we most need it. That isnââ?¬â?¢t helping to solve our problem but actually exacerbating it. For that, they are not only failing to help but are actually part of the problem.

"It has been a shameful week for Rangers fans, starting with the aeroplane gestures made to Shunsuke Nakamura as he prepared to take a corner during the Old Firm game." I'm beginning to think this is a huge conspiracy. http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/darrylboadfoot/display.var.1268063.0.0.php

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=1 Tonight on Radio Scotland's Sportsound programme, Trust Media Spokesman, David Edgar revealed plans of a major summer conference for Rangers supporters. The RST intend to organise an event attended by politicians; UEFA delegates; 'Show Racism the Red Card' reps; top Scottish businessmen; ex-players and other relevant bodies, where several important issues can be discussed and debated by every Rangers supporter. This forum will also look to at last achieve much needed clarity with regard to the sectarianism debate. Although politicians, the authorities, footballing bodies and the media have all had their say, none have come up with genuine solutions to what is not just a football problem but a social one. The Trust hope this conference will go some way to changing the status quo in a constructive and positive fashion whilst at the same time bringing Rangers fans together to discuss many other aspects of our great club. More news on this exciting event will be made public at the RST Dinner this Saturday at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow.

With the newest alleged UEFA investigation into the ââ?¬Ë?Simply The Bestââ?¬â?¢ song in Osasuna, Rangers have to wage war on two fronts if they have any hope of coming out of this ââ?¬Ë?warââ?¬â?¢ unscathed. Dignified Silence Is No Longer An Option SDM needs to realise that a ââ?¬Ë?dignified silenceââ?¬â?¢ in the face of sensationalist headlines is no longer an option. The club has to come out fighting here. We are not looking for UEFA to ignore any discriminatory songs, we are asking for a level playing field. It is time for the club to take of the kid gloves and hit back here. It sounds petty, but we have to highlight other clubs fans who sing discriminatory songs and prove that we arenââ?¬â?¢t the only club in Europe who have an issue. Hell, we arenââ?¬â?¢t even the only club in Glasgow who has an issue. There is plenty of evidence out there to prove this. A quick search of You Tube will bring up videos of Celtic fans singing IRA, sectarian and other vile songs, itââ?¬â?¢ll bring up videos of West Ham fans singing anti-Jewish and racist songs, itââ?¬â?¢ll show evidence of Aberdeen fans singing discriminatory songs, hell, you can even see the TA singing anti-English racist songs. Celtic fans are getting worried as they have tried their best to get the ââ?¬Ë?press bus incidentââ?¬â?¢ in Milan rubbished and certain sections of the media have as usual been very obliging in ââ?¬Ë?coveringââ?¬â?¢ this up. As well as showing UEFA that we arenââ?¬â?¢t the only club with an issue, we have to highlight this to the Scottish press. This may turn out to be harder than convincing UEFA. Rangers, as a club must invite the editors of the newspapers to Ibrox and show them ââ?¬Ë?You Tube Videosââ?¬â?¢ of other Scottish clubs indulging in discriminatory songs and if they do not splash this all over their front pages, the club must take them to task over this. As with UEFA, we are not asking for preferential treatment, just parity. In our quest for parity both here in Scotland in Europe, it is my belief that Rangers could do worse than enlisting the services of Donald Findlay QC. Ok, SDM treated DF like shit and hung him out to dry, but in our hour of need, DF wouldnââ?¬â?¢t let us down. He is the best in the country and we need the best at the moment. Fââ?¬â?¢ing The Pope Id No Longer An Option The club, hopefully with the help of the RST need to lead an initiative informing Rangers fans that fââ?¬â?¢ing the pope and using F***** as a discriminatory term is going to KILL the club we love. It is my view that once we eradicate effteepee and ââ?¬Ë?f*****ââ?¬â?¢, we are, (like Neil Lennon) untouchable. This is where we need leadership, direction and clarity from the club. No one appears to want to define what is deemed ââ?¬Ë?sectarianââ?¬â?¢, so lets pre-empty the discussion and lay down the ââ?¬Ë?lawââ?¬â?¢. Letââ?¬â?¢s lead from the front, and admit that singing fââ?¬â?¢ the pope is sectarian as is using fe**** as a discriminatory term (this is a grey area, but bare with me). If we are first to announce such things, it puts pressure on others to follow suit. We can then draw a line in the sand and say, ââ?¬Ë?we have defined what terms/songs our fans sing that are discriminatory songs. These will be stopped, BUT nothing else is up for debate. Union flags, GSTQ, RB, Derrys Walls, The Sash et al, whilst not being football songs, THEY ARE NOT SECTARIAN NOR ARE THEY DISCRIMINATORY. Failure to take action on both fronts isnââ?¬â?¢t an option either, if we fail to do this, Rangers will continued be hammered from pillar to post by a Celtic Minded Scottish media (and political base) and UEFA not to mention the MOPES (most offended people ever, yip, the tims). A quick and decisive attack on both fronts will highlight the ââ?¬Ë?one-sidedââ?¬â?¢ sensationalist journalism in this country and will force UEFA to open up a whole can of worms regarding a European wide crack down on discriminatory songs. Cammy F

Sunday mail has a story (front page) about a a rangers fan who posted a video of the rangers fans singing a song in spain and that is not all, and while they where singing said sectarian song, they did the nazi salute. That's the evidence that could get us banned from European competitions. video is on youtube. A shocking 3 minute video of rangers fans singing a sectarian song in spain could get the club banned from europe. The damming clip titled simply the best was shot by a rangers supporter at the end of the 1-0 defeat by osasuna and posted on youtube. last night, supporters leader jim templeton condemmed the singing and said who ever posted the video "had scored a own goal" And sfa boss david taylor who takes over at uefa in two weeks, said all evidence would be studied before a disciplinary probe on thursday. European football boses have already warned the ibrox club they could face the "ultimate sanction". turn to page 4 (yes i'm typing this out) lol (oh fuck it its too long) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG4eX1OHIy0

It is now 2:00PM on Friday, a full 36 hours after our fans were brutally attacked by riot Police in Spain, and we still haven't heard a peep from our custodian regarding this, or the vicious articles penned since by reptiles like Traynor. Now, I understand that before giving a 'detailed statement' regarding this, SDM will be wanting to get all the evidence in black and white, but as Nacho Novo and BF have shown, you can still come out and show your anger, concern and disbelief of these unprovoked attacks. SDM must come out in support of our fans and must push UEFA all the way on this and codemn the actions of the Police and show some concern on the well-being of our fans. After all, the UEFA representative in Spain is quoted today hailing the Rangers support as 'magnificant'. As any club led investigation progresses, SDM must also take action against Jim Traynor and his employers including closing all ties, sponsership deals etc with them. He must also take action against L McIntyre as the list of dangerious situations in Europe grows season after season. LM's duties include the safety of travelling Rangers fans and he has failed in this regard. SDM must also get his PR Department to work and show that our travelling fans are not troublemakers. They have plenty of ammunition - the local Spanish newspapers all complimented the travelling support, as above the UEFA rep has stated that we are 'magnificant', other police forces in Porto etc had nothing but praise for us. Get your finger out your arse SDM - defend us or GTF. Cammy F

Fat Jim seems a bit puzzled as to what he means... Funnily enough I noted his silence last week after the Celtic fans sung their IRA hymns of hate.

Is Larry's job on the line after the latest horrific stories coming from Bears who were in Spain last night? Isn't it Larrys job to ensure the safety of Rangers fans on their travels? Last night, Rangers had 2 official sections of the ground that were well apart from each other and one had NO segregation from the home fans. This would have been apparent to larry when he visited the stadium prior to the game. This is the latest in a long line of tales of woe coming from Rangers fans who are treated like shit whilst following their team not just in Europe, but domestically as well. Saturday will see the Red Scum get carte-blance (sp) to stand at Ibrox for 90 mins and sing their vile songs whilst Bears will be thrown out for unwrapping sweety papers. Larry, your time us up Cammy F