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Ticket Centre Open All Weekend To assist with season ticket renewals Rangers Ticket Centre will be open this weekend. To make things easier for supporters the ticket centre will be open today AND Sunday to allow fans to renew their season ticket before the deadline of Friday 16 May. The Ticket Centre will be open today from 10am-2pm and Sunday 10am-2pm. The Ticket Centre is also open this bank holiday Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-5pm, Thursday from 9am-6pm and next Saturday and Sunday 10-2pm. SEASON TICKET PAYMENT OPTION OPTION 1 - In full by bank transfer, cheque or cash. a) Bank Transfer – For UK payments please use the following account details: Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA, Account Name: Rangers FC - Direct Ticket A/C, Sort Code: 23-05-80, Account Number: 14222855. For all overseas payments please use the following account details: Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA, Account Name: Rangers FC - Direct Ticket A/C, SWIFT/BIC: MYMBGB2L or IBAN: GB86MYMB23058014222855. IMPORTANT INFORMATION – if you select to pay by Bank Transfer you MUST only pay for one season ticket at a time and ensure that you use your correct 9 digit Rangers Number along with your seat details with a space in between as payee reference in order for your season ticket renewal to be processed. For example. 50001111 GLWAA111 b) Cheque – write cheque guarantee card number, expiry date, Rangers number and seat details on reverse and make payable to The Rangers Football Club Ltd. If returning by post, please send to Rangers Ticket Centre, Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD. c) Cash – only in person at Rangers Ticket Centre. OPTION 2 – BY 4 MONTHLY INSTALMENTS – ONLY AVAILABLE TO SEASON HOLDERS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY SELECTED TO AUTO RENEW IN INSTALMENTS There are 3 ways to pay by 4 monthly instalments: a) Bank Transfer – For UK payments please use the following account details: Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA, Account Name: Rangers FC - Direct Ticket A/C, Sort Code: 23-05-80, Account Number: 14222855. For all overseas payments please use the following account details: Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA, Account Name: Rangers FC - Direct Ticket A/C, SWIFT/BIC: MYMBGB2L or IBAN: GB86MYMB23058014222855. IMPORTANT INFORMATION – if you select to pay by Bank Transfer you MUST only pay for one season ticket at a time and ensure that you use your correct 9 digit Rangers Number along with your seat details with a space in between as payee reference in order for your season ticket renewal to be processed. For example. 50001111 GLWAA111 b) Cheque – write cheque guarantee card number, expiry date, Rangers number and seat details on reverse and make payable to The Rangers Football Club Ltd. If returning by post, please send to Rangers Ticket Centre, Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD. c) Cash – only in person at Rangers Ticket Centre. PLEASE NOTE - you will receive reminder emails or SMS 1 week prior to subsequent payment dates – please ensure you provide/update your current email address and/or mobile to enable us to contact you. The payment dates are as follows: • 1st instalment - on or before renewal deadline • 2nd instalment - on or before Monday 30 June • 3rd instalment - on or before Thursday 31 July • 4th instalment - on or before Friday 29 August OPTION 3 – Zebra Finance by 4 or 10 monthly instalments Renew online here, download a renewal form or request a form from Rangers Ticket Centre.

If you have any queries please contact Rangers Ticket Centre or email ticketcentre@rangers.co.uk

From today's Sunday Mail. Rangers in crisis: Entire Ibrox board reported to police in storm over statements made by CEO Graham Wallace May 04, 2014 07:07 By Norman Silvester 63 Comments INVESTMENT banker Phil Maher claims Wallace misled fans over the club's finances and he has asked police to examine whether the board committed an offence by failing to stop the chief executive. RANGERS' entire board of directors have been reported to police investigating statements made by chief executive Graham Wallace. Investment banker Phil Maher made two new allegations to detectives who travelled to London on Wednesday. He earlier claimed that Wallace misled Rangers fans over the club’s finances. In a three-hour interview, he alleged Wallace has made other misleading statements. Maher – a shareholder and lifelong Rangers fan – also asked police to examine whether the board committed an offence by failing to stop Wallace. Last week, we revealed Maher had complained about comments made by Wallace at the club’s annual general meeting in December. He claims Wallace misled shareholders when he said the club had enough funds to operate until May before the board took out a £1.5million emergency loan two months later. Craig Williamson/SNS GroupGraham Wallace However, a new complaint relates to comments made by Wallace about season ticket sales on Friday, April 25. Fans have been told they must pay by cash after payment providers First Data Solutions insisted on full security in return for their services. Wallace claimed the firm had made the demand after Dave King, who wants to take over the club, called for a season ticket boycott. Maher, who declined to comment yesterday, told police that is misleading because the credit issue was first raised with Rangers in January, a month before King’s boycott plea. A Rangers spokesman said yesterday: “The club has no knowledge of any erroneous complaints of this nature which, if they are ever put to the football club, will be defended rigorously as they have absolutely no grounds. “As these complaints appear to be vexatious, we will consider our legal position with regards to defamation.” Some disgruntled Rangers supporters held a red card protest against the board during their League One clash with Dunfermline at East End Park yesterday.

Yet another good article with the questions a lot of fans have been asking plus some that have never been brought up before. Wednesday, 30th April 2014 In a week that saw the board of Rangers conclude their 120 day review into the business, Season Ticket renewals across the country are in various stages of action, with Dave King and the "Union of Fans" encouraging Season Ticket holders to pay their season ticket monies in to an Escrow account that is intended to hold and release funds when Rangers sign over securities for the Albion Car Park and Edmiston House to Season Ticket holders. With many of our members expressing concern that the "Season Ticket Trust" hasn't been made clear to them, we believe it is appropriate to seek clarity by asking the following questions of Dave King, and the "Union of Fans". It should be noted that we also have concerns about the 120 Day Review, and how the club plan to bridge an apparent cash flow shortfall, with the club £1.5M down before next season has even started Q - Has an Escrow account been set up yet? Q - If so, who is hosting that Escrow account facility, i.e. which bank? Q - Who are the Trustees of the account, other than Richard Gough? Q - How do I pay in to it? Q - If I pay in to it, what guarantees do I have over what seat I will be paying for, and that the seat will be in my name? Q - What written assurances do I get that the money will be returned, in the event that the assurances the Trust are requesting from Rangers are not granted? Q - What assurances, other than guarantees over Rangers owned assets have the Trust requested? Q - 66.6% of the loan value, not including interest, is due to Rangers Supporters Trust board member George Letham. Don't the Trust feel that withholding funds to Rangers runs the risk of Rangers defaulting on the loan to Mr Letham, and thereby Mr Letham theoretically stands to gain £1.075M worth of shares in Rangers International Football Club? Q - Can George Letham confirm what his plans are regarding his holdings if that share value is transferred to him, namely, will he retain ownership and voting rights, or will he proxy votes to the Rangers Supporters Trust (RST)? Q - For those who sign up for Away Tickets, how will they get tickets in future? Q - Do current Travel Club members stand to lose travel club points by using this Trust? Q - How will Richard Gough act as Guarantor as a resident of the USA? Q - What are the Administration costs of the Escrow account, and how will they be funded? Q - In the event that Rangers are willing to compromise over loan securities, with the agreement of Sandy Easdale and George Letham, who will become the signatory for these assets on behalf of Season Ticket holders Q - Do shareholders that live abroad with a shareholding in value higher than the price of a season ticket get any security? Q - Why was there no mention of the Season Ticket Trust, or any information about it in the UoF leaflet handed out last week? Q - Will the Trust facilitate split payments like those offered by the club to pay for Season Tickets (through Zebra finance over 4 or 10 months)? Q - Will Season Ticket Holders who have sat in their seat for a number of years be able to secure "their" seat at Ibrox, or will they stand to lose "their" seat? Q - Will money deposited accrue any interest? If so, what will be done with that money? Q - Where will the interest payments be shown? Q - Who decides exactly when the money will be released to the club and in what form? Q - Will the custodians of the account be separate and distinct from the organisations who wish only for the board's removal? Q - Will every member have a say in when the money should be released? Q - What exactly does the board need to do (beyond what they have) to make the monies available? Q - What lines of communication have been opened with the club to urgently discuss the aims of this project? Q - Who exactly has the authority to negotiate with the club? Q - How often will fans putting money into this scheme be updated of progress and by what medium? Q - What other transparency is guaranteed by way of communicating to those who pay in to the scheme? Q - Are other Rangers supporters' organisations involved in this scheme? Q - Are the Rangers supporters trust or any of their senior or high profile members involved at the core of this? Q - Will there be a board of Trustees in the scheme, and if so, how will they be elected? Q - How can supporters and contributors become involved to influence the decisions being made? Q - Are any previous board members of any of Rangers corporate entities, other than Dave King, involved? If so, at what level? Q - Are there any conditions attached to the Trust that require a nominee of the Trust to join the PLC board or the football club board of Rangers? Q - If so, how will that nominee be chosen? Q - Will the Trust be VAT Registered? Q - If the board acquiesce to UOF demands who will then hold first charge/security on the stadium rights to our club? Q - What IT problems could possibly delay implementation of the Trust? We trust that the relevant people involved in the Trust will both answer these questions and make themselves known to Rangers supporters, who are understandably cautious about contributing their hard earned money to a scheme that appears to carry a high element of risk. We feel that supporters should seek clarity both from the PLC board of the club, over their plans for the future, and from those promoting the Season Ticket Trust.

@Martin1Williams: Sons of Struth to hand out red cards to allow #Rangers fans to protest against the board & their business review at Dunfermline

Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 59m #Rangers U20 team v Falkirk: Kelly; Pascazio, Halkett, Gasparotto, Sinnamon; Stoney, Telfer, Crawford, Murdoch, Ramsay; Gallagher 13' - Robbie Crawford nets with a fine finish to put the Light Blues ahead from the edge of the area. Just the start Gers wanted! 35' - Danny Stoney takes advantage of a defensive lapse to race in on goal and score through the keeper's leg. It's 2-0 to #Rangers now! 39' - GOAL RANGERS!!! That's 3-0 now against Falkirk as Charlie Telfer scores to stretch the lead further at Westfield 39' - Telfer stroked home with a lovely low finish in off the keeper's far post to put #Rangers firmly in command of this match. 3-0

Long article and rambling open letter on DR website RE: investor Alan MacKenzie and Dave King http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-investor-urges-dave-king-3482599?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 5m 46' - Play gets underway again with #Rangers looking to regain the lead after Gallagher's goal was cancelled out by Erwin's penalty. 1-1 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 19m HT' - Gallagher's opener gave Gers a lead they merited by a foul by Hegarty on Erwin gave him the chance to level from the spot and he did Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 20m HT' - The whistle goes and it's a frustrating first period for #Rangers as they dominate, take a lead and are then pulled back. It's 1-1 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 26m 40' - Goal for Motherwell after a foul on Lee Erwin in the box, He takes the penalty and scores, despite Liam Kelly going the right way. 1-1 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 43m 22' - Robbie Crawford crossed from the left & Gallagher got above his man to steer home a magnificent header at the far post. 1-0 #Rangers! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 44m 22' - It's the breakthrough #Rangers have been wanting and one they merit for having the bulk of the play early on. Calum Gallagher scores! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 45m 22' - GOAL RANGERS! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h 0' - Referee David Lowe gets the game underway in bright sunshine as #Rangers look for another three points to keep their title bid on track https://twitter.com/RFC_Youth?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gersnetonline.co.uk%2Fvb%2Fforum.php&profile_id=351838853&tw_i=461200012358471681&tw_p=embeddedtimeline&tw_w=382261353282412544

DAVE KING has savaged Rangers’ 120-day review and branded it good news for CELTIC fans. The former Ibrox director dismissed chief executive Graham Wallace’s findings — claiming an office junior could have produced the same in a day.

Monday, 28 April 2014 10:30 Past Win Can Help Us Written by Andrew Dickson DAVID BROWNLIE hopes the fact Rangers have so many past winners in their team can help them retain the City of Glasgow Cup against Celtic tonight. The Light Blues will face their biggest rivals for the prestigious old trophy at Parkhead (7pm) as they look to build on four final successes in the last five years. Tickets are still available to season ticket holders only and they can purchase them from the Rangers Ticket Centre up until close of business at 4pm. Defender Brownlie turned out in the most recent final 12 months ago as Gers edged a cracking game 3-2 at Firhill. Played out in a raucous atmosphere in front of 6,500 fans, a Ryan Hardie goal and Junior Ogen’s double won the game for the Murray Park outfit. Both forwards will be involved again this evening along with under-17 skipper Brownlie and a number of other Auchenhowie starlets. There has been nothing between the two teams this season, with each having a 2-1 home win in the Glasgow Cup and also sharing a draw in the league. But where Billy Kirkwood’s team perhaps has an edge is in terms of the fact there are a number in his side who know what it takes to come out on top in the decider. Brownlie said: “In the first game we had a man sent off in the first 10 or 15 minutes when we were 1-0 up and they got a penalty then went on to win 2-1 in the last couple of minutes. “That was a bad one but we had to get on with it but we won the more recent match between us 2-1. “The victory helped us get out of the group stage of the competition plus it gave us a boost as a team ahead of this final. “On the night, it is 11 players against 11 and anything can happen and the fact we’ve got a lot of boys who experienced the final last year in our side can help. “We’ve the likes of Ryan and Junior who scored the goals in the last final plus people such as Michael Mossie and Adam Wilson as well as me. “There are a few in there who know what it takes and what it feels like to play in front of a passionate crowd and to have the composure required to win the game.” Supporters attending tonight's game should note there are car parking facilities in Dalriada St, off Janefield Street, for no charge. Rangers fans should approach Celtic Park from Kinloch Street. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6886-past-win-can-help-us

"The Union of Fans is absolutely appalled by Graham Wallace’s business review and revelations over the weekend regarding Mr Wallace’s alleged behaviour and that of this board. Given the serious nature of the allegations, we expect David Somers, in his role as chairman, to suspend Mr Wallace until these investigations are complete. It is our firm belief that shareholders have been misled. First of all we would like to address the London Stock Exchange statement, and Mr Wallace’s subsequent comments in his press conference, which attempted to lay the blame for the withdrawal of credit and debit card facilities at the door of UoF and Dave King. We are aware that FirstData, the payment processing company, first alerted Mr Wallace to the need for security for these facilities on 23rd January of this year, a full month before Dave King and the Union of Fans spoke about the idea of a season ticket trust. FirstData clearly communicated that this was due to the shocking financial results released in December and Mr Wallace’s attempt on the 16th January, just four working days before FirstData raised the issue, to get the players to take a wage cut. FirstData did not at that time raise any issues with a possible decline in season ticket sales as being a reason for the need for security. Once again we have seen a Rangers board attempt to deflect the blame for their own incompetence onto fans who only want the best for the club. Even more seriously, this is a blatant attempt to mislead shareholders as to the underlying reasons for the club’s inability to provide these facilities. As if this was not bad enough, we now find out that Mr Wallace has been reported to police over his comments at the AGM about the club’s financial position. We have consistently stated that his AGM undertaking that the club had sufficient funds was false and nothing that has happened since has shaken us from that belief. We are not surprised that his consistent refusal to address this issue has led to angry shareholders taking this action and we hope there will be a full and thorough investigation. Mr Wallace’s ‘120 day’ review could have been written by any Rangers fan before Mr Wallace even took up his position. It is full of vague promises for the future which read like a wish list from a fans forum. Whilst much of the content in terms of football progress is certainly desirable, there is a complete lack of any detail as to how this board can achieve it. They have provided no evidence that they can raise the necessary funds to take the club forward and we have no confidence in them to do so. We note Mr Wallace’s criticism of previous boards. James Easdale sat on the previous board from July of last year. Is he now going to be removed for his part in this financial mismanagement? Sandy Easdale became a de facto member of the previous board in September last year and has clearly had unprecedented and unjustifiable access to the PLC’s financial details since. His public statements just prior to the review showed that he has access to information he should not, were share price sensitive and showed the utter lack of corporate governance being enforced by Mr Somers in his role as chairman. It is time for Mr Somers, our absent chairman, to step forward and clear up this mess. He must explain why his CEO, Mr Wallace, misled shareholders. He must suspend Mr Wallace pending the conclusion of police investigations. He must deal with the serious questions over Sandy Easdale’s role and why he is being treated like a privileged PLC board member when he is simply a minority shareholder with undue influence. He should also inform shareholders and fans whether the board as a whole was aware that the reason given to the London Stock Exchange for the need for security to obtain credit and debit card facilities was misleading. He is responsible for the total lack of corporate governance on this board and must act now or his own reputation with be irrevocably damaged. This board is a disgrace to Rangers Football Club and the current members of it are running our club into the ground whilst simultaneously making a mockery of the positions they are privileged to hold." http://www.unionoffans.org/statements/2014/4/27/uof-statement-270414

Another day, another story in the anti-Rangers media designed to damage the club. And yet another collaboration between the Union of Fantasists and a notoriously Rangers-hating outlet. It is obvious that the rebel faction in the Ibrox support is prepared to fight as dirty as it gets after a so-called Rangers fan reported Graham Wallace for statements made at the AGM last December. It is clear that this is just mischief-making and a sordid attempt to tarnish Mr Wallace’s reputation and the board in general. I genuinely think that some of these people will not stop till they have destroyed The Rangers, so all-consuming is their hatred. It has been an open secret for a while that Graham Wallace was their next target. To be fair, I think Wallace himself has been naive about the extent to which the rebels will go. He is certainly under no illusions now. There are many fans who feel this has gone beyond whether or not you are pro or anti the board. The issue now is one of survival. The brutal reality is that Dave King and his supporters are playing a game of brinkmanship, hoping that the pressure of mob rule will force the board to hand over control of the club to them. But Dave King is more aware than anybody that the board have no power to do that. Any suggestion they would take that course of action would trigger the shareholders to junk the board and appoint a new one. In short, King knows he can only win if he is prepared to go all the way and force a second administration, from which the club may not recover. That would be a Pyrrhic victory. In other words, nobody would win except those who hate Rangers so much that they would be prepared to destroy the club. Many fans are anxious that there are those in the King camp prepared to do just that. For me, it’s always been as simple as this – seeing the lengths these people are prepared to go, I oppose them on principle. The board Rangers presently has was appointed by the democratic votes of shareholders. That is the normal and lawful way things are done in this country. To use mob rule to usurp power is indefensible and doomed to failure. The question is not can the rebels win? It is can the club survive their constant attempts to undermine progress? It is not about whether people support the board or not anymore. It is about the survival of Rangers Football Club. This attempt to grab control of Rangers by Bolshevist tactics has split families, destroyed friendships, turned bear upon bear and cheered the enemies of Rangers no end. Rangers fans are being threatened at games and people are being sickened to the point of threatening to stop going to watch the team. Anything this divisive and destructive cannot be a good thing. Behind it all are tycoons who won’t buy shares and blazer chasers who fawn upon them. Rangers fans need to unite and show support, not to the men who sit in the Directors Box or those who want to – but to the club itself. Propagandists have tried to tell us there is a difference between the tean amd the regime. But Rangers supporters need to look beyond that superficial division and understand that supporting The Rangers means you support Rangers Football CLUB. We have learned that the company running Rangers is not the club itself. Therefore, do not let anyone con you into thinking that supporting RFC is backing the board. It’s not the board that need the support, it is Rangers Football Club. If opposing the board results in destroying the club, how does that help anybody except those who hate Rangers? Rangers Football Club was formed in 1872/3. That is the club I support. Noit Dave King and the Union of Fantasists formed a few months ago.

IN THE standard media take on Rangers’ affairs, Graham Wallace is the big, bad bouncer barring entry to the club to Dave King, a man whose deep pockets would ensure everything went with a swing for those inside. Yet, Ibrox chief executive Wallace has tried to create the impression that King will be welcome to join the party. Just not take it over. “We have quantified a range [of investment, the figure being £30 million] where we think the club needs to be looking at in order to be competitive,” said Wallace, as the club published a damning 120-day business review which showed £70m had been haemorrhaged over 18 months. “Right now we don’t have the authority to issue a fresh batch of shares and say to Dave King ‘Here you are… £20m? In you come...’ “What we’ve said is we will go to the shareholders for authority in the autumn and the timing of that is important because it gives us time to demonstrate stability in how we’re running the business from an investor’s perspective. When we do that, the equity offering will be open to existing shareholders, it should probably also be open to fresh investors, including Dave King, and potentially others. There’s no one stopping Dave King or anyone else putting money into the club today other than the regulatory authority the board needs to have. “Dave has said before, there may be 15 per cent of the existing shareholders who may not want to participate further, in which case there’s a significant block of stock that would be available.” Wallace denies the current directors fear their power being diluted by King’s involvement. “When we met with him, when you look at his ambitions and his vision for what he would like the club to be, they’re not dissimilar to what we’re trying to do,” insisted the chief executive. “We want to be competitive, we want to be punching at the top of the Premiership and in order to do that we know the club needs investment.” Rangers supporters find themselves in an horribly invidious position. They are understandably contemptuous of the current board for the cash burn and calamitous contracts that Wallace excoriated in his review. However, through a gushing press for King, the only alternative being presented is a man who mismanaged his own financial affairs so profoundly he had to repay more than £40m to the South African tax authorities and lodge certain payments to 
prevent his convictions landing him in prison. “A wide cross-section of the fan base is looking for some form of guidance, some form of reassurance as to how their club has been run,” Wallace said. “I hope as they look at this review that they get a sense of where it’s been, where it is now, and more importantly where it can go. “People are worried about putting their money into the club and three months later it not to be there and they’ve lost their £400. I completely understand that, and I’ve been repeatedly asked if the club is under threat of another administration and I’ve said the same thing every time – no, it’s not. “The point about the fans is, yes, there’s a desire on behalf of a segment of the fanbase to support someone like Dave King, who’s offering up – on paper, at least – a potentially significant amount of money to invest in the club. I understand that. “We’re giving the assurance that if the fans continue to back the club in the way they have, then there is no threat to the financial stability of this business. That’s the single most important thing. If fans are really concerned about the financial health of their club, if they give us the support by behaving as they have done and renewing their [season] tickets, then we’re in a very very strong position.” That is tantamount to the emotional blackmail the supporters’ coalition the Union of Fans has railed against. Wallace might not be so tainted in the eyes of the wider support, and might have been perceived more as a figure to trust by them, were it not for the £1.5m loan at exorbitant rates the club required only months after he stated such an injection would not be needed to keep the club afloat. The chief executive now accepts his credibility was damaged. “It was an issue, yes. I responded to a question at the AGM about [whether there] ‘is sufficient cash to continue to trade in the near term’ and I said there was. That was an honest answer made on the assessment of what was available at the time. As we’ve gone through the review, there were certain assumptions made in the business plan which, when we went to push the button on them, we found they didn’t exist. So yes, we got to a position where we had to look at an alternative strategy for a very short, defined period of time. So yes, our credibility was questioned. “Subsequent to putting the deal in place there were offers of similar amounts at vastly reduced monies. I think we’re in a better place now.” A huge measure of sensible husbandry is required at Rangers, but with Wallace stating manager Ally McCoist’s playing budget for the Championship will be “comparable” to the indefensible £6m with which the club have bulldozed their way through two part-time lower divisions, questions can be asked about lessons learned. Perhaps in one sense they have been. Rangers announced in their review that they will appoint a chief football operations officer, essentially a director of football, who will “concentrate initially on developing player talent identification, scouting and recruitment capability”. In the past two years, Rangers have certainly been guilty of having a flawed recruitment strategy that has been the largest consistent drain on their revenue and resources. “In terms of building this club to be competitive back at the top level, the level of infrastructure is not there,” said Wallace. “So scouting, recruitment, talent identification, managing and driving value from sourcing players [needs to be addressed]. Bringing players in here, if they’re good enough to play for us great but if they’re not then they might do a season and move along and get some value. “We’ve no one looking at that. That’s what I see this particular role focusing on. It’s very much a support role for me, for the manager, at an overall level. The hunt for this person begins now and it’s about getting the right person, with the right skill set and the right experience. I’d hope over the course of the coming months to have someone.” Wallace maintains this new appointment did not reflect on McCoist’s job security. “I have never even had a thought about the manager’s future. We speak every day and meet two or three times a week. “He’s obviously interested in the financial budget. We’ve talked about it. He knows we’re going to make funds available for the summer. He doesn’t know the magnitude, the number. We will sit down and agree that.” http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/rangers-open-the-door-to-dave-king-1-3390262

According to STV the review will be published to LSE today as planned. Please ensure all discussion takes place in this thread where appropriate. Full review for download here: http://t.co/HNRfyvKDAe

Thread on FF saying Sandy has passed away! So so sad if true Been confirmed by Mark Dingwall on FF RIP Sandy, a true Rangers legend.

CRAIG HALKETT’S goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute gave Rangers a vital win in the SPFL Under-20 League as they edged out Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. The Light Blues were struggling to get the victory they needed to keep their title challenge on track when the defender was thrown on with little over quarter of an hour to go. Utilised in the striking role he played in when he was younger, Halkett’s introduction was a masterstroke as he nodded into the net in his first passage of play. And that was enough to ensure the points went back up the M77 as Gers applied pressure to the teams above them in the standings. Hibs still lead but Celtic are looking like being more likely championship rivals and with them beating Falkirk, it was crucial to keep pace with them. The Murray Park kids have done that and with four games left, they remain a point behind their city rivals with a game in hand over them and a derby between the two to play. In a further boost, Andy Little returned from a thigh injury and he played 63 minutes before he was replaced by winger Scott Roberts. Gers were deprived of teenage pair Calum Gallagher and Charlie Telfer after manager Ally McCoist decided to list them on the bench for the first-team fixture with Ayr. But Gordon Durie was able to compensate for losing them by bringing in senior players Little, Ross Perry and Chris Hegarty and all three of them started the contest. It was a good start for Gers too, just as it had been last week at Dumbarton as Partick Thistle were beaten 4-0. Having gone ahead inside four minutes then, the visitors took a lead 60 seconds quicker this time as Jamie Burrows found the net. He did well to burst clear on the left and cut inside, keeping the ball in play as he crept inwards along the touchline. The Jersey-born forward attempted to cut back for a team-mate but having made good progress towards goal, his clip hit off keeper Antonio Reguero and dropped in instead. Killie tried to respond and they did so with a positive approach as they settled and enjoyed a lot of possession. But William Gros was wasteful for them in attack, pulling one shot wide and sending a cross from the left too deep as it drifted out beyond the back post. The Light Blues also got lucky as Ross Davidson’s free kick took a touch off Perry and beat keeper Liam Kelly but thankfully the ball ran wide for a corner rather than in. Durie’s side didn’t offer too much in attack for the rest of the half and when they did come forward, their final ball was often too heavy or lacking direction. That proved to be costly seven minutes before the break when Killie – themselves a little lacklustre coming forward at times – grabbed a deserved leveller. Durie will have been disappointed by the way it came about, with the hosts capitalising on a breakdown in communication at the back. Perry, Hegarty and Kelly all thought someone else was going for a loose ball and their hesitancy let Dean Hawkshaw take control. He did well to clip into the mix before he ran out of play and he managed to find Gros, who stroked in a rising effort from eight yards to make it 1-1. Burrows almost restored the lead within seconds as he wormed into the box at the second attempt and fired towards goal. But after getting lucky against Reguero earlier in the game, the keeper got down well to palm his attempt behind this time. There was one more opportunity before the midway point but Luca Gasparotto’s header from an Andy Murdoch free kick sailed over and the was nothing between the sides at the break. Rangers almost got a lucky break in the opening moments of the second half when Reguero charged out of his goal to claim a loose ball and failed. Murdoch robbed him and pushed play wide but when he tried to lift into the net from distance an opposition leg did enough to divert his ambitious effort behind. Nevertheless, Danny Stoney had been introduced at the restart for Ryan Finnie and suddenly the away team had more purpose and energy. Little headed just wide from a Hegarty cross then Burrows’ pace very nearly created an opening but forced a corner instead. Gers’ renewed impetus faded and play evened out again, with more of the game being played in the midfield area as time wore on. But with the pace the likes of Stoney and Burrows were displaying, they looked dangerous and with 16 minutes to go they forged in front again. Halkett had only been on the park for a couple of minutes when he and Stoney scampered upfield on the break. Killie did enough to stem the tide momentarily but the visitors piled bodies forward as they could sense a goal. And when Stoney centred from the right, Halkett rose highest to steer home a magnificent downward header inside the keeper’s near post. Predictably, the home side tried to hit back in the closing stages and there were a couple of near misses for Rangers to deal with. But they had done enough to keep their title challenge on course and next up for them is an SFA Youth Cup rehearsal against Hearts in Newtongrange on Friday night. RANGERS: Kelly; Perry, Gasparotto, Hegarty, Sinnamon; Dykes (Halkett 72), Murdoch, Gibson, Finnie (Stoney 46); Burrows, Little (Roberts 63). SUBS NOT USED: A Smith, Pascazio. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6831-u20-kilmarnock-1-2-rangers

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/239-renewals-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place The last few years have been hugely difficult for Rangers fans. Administration, dysfunctional directors and confused coups from ‘Rangers men’ who believe they would be better placed to run the club; all this contributes to an ongoing period of uncertainty and frustration for many bears. Time is a great healer they say but, in actual fact, we appear no closer to finding genuine stability for Rangers football club in the short term – indeed the decision-making for the average fan is now even more of a challenge than before. Why? Well, the deadline for renewing season tickets is fast approaching. While some fans still have around two weeks to make up their mind, those who pay in instalments only have until next Monday to confirm their payment plan. Thus, with the club waiting until this Friday to finally publish their 120-day Review (no-one knows if this will be an update or a detailed report), fans have next to no time to decide whether or not the current board can be entrusted with millions more season ticket cash for 2014/15. Meanwhile, at the time of writing, Dave King and the Union of Fans have similarly failed to outline why their Trust fund is a better option or, indeed, how this would even work. To say fans are stuck between a rock and a hard place is an understatement. In an ideal world we’d all renew regardless. Despite the under-performance and inconsistency of the team on the park, next season is sure to be an exciting one and it’s safe to say will present much more of a challenge than the first two stages of the ‘journey’ back to the SPFL Premiership. Not only will Hearts be as eager as us to return to the top league at the first time of asking, there’s a good chance another Premiership team could be joining us both. In addition, as the existing Championship table shows, there will be at least two more teams more than capable of forming a title/promotion challenge for next season. Add in the recent defeats we’ve suffered from teams like Raith Rovers and Queen of the South, it’s safe to say next year will be far from a walkover for Rangers. The fact is for 2014/15 the SPFL Championship will be the most exciting competition in Scotland so I can’t be the only bear looking forward to the challenge. Renewal of our season ticket should be automatic. Yet it isn’t. Not only are thousands of fans unable to trust the board of directors with their money, for those uninterested in the often tedious boardroom politics the match-day experience is also average at best. Sure, it may appear somewhat bizarre to complain about a team (and manager) who look likely to deliver an unbeaten league campaign while scoring over 100 goals but aside from a few sporadic early season performances we’ve really struggled to achieve genuine quality home or away on a consistent basis. This is perhaps summed up by the difficulty in picking a Player of the Year for 2013/14. Yes, a few lads have done well in patches but I don’t think any player (and I include Lee Wallace in that) can really say they’ve been a stand-out all season. I don’t want to be hyper-critical but there really isn’t a lot to be positive about ahead of a new campaign. In that sense, I’m eager to hear from the manager in how he intends to address this ahead of renewals. So far, like many others who form part of the Rangers saga, he hasn’t. Of course, that’s possibly an unfair expectation when McCoist, like the rest of us, is supposedly unaware of his budget for next season. For example, we’re told Graham Wallace wanted squad wage cuts (to the manager’s credit, he seems to be the only one who has accepted a decrease) while recent loans show the club apparently doesn’t have the finance to complete a season of football – this only one year after raising £22million via an initial share offer, not to mention two tranches of match-day ticket income (in itself around the same figure) since 2012. Clearly, season ticket money (possibly around £12million for the coming year) defines the club’s operations going forward. Yet, many fans are being asked to renew without knowing exactly how competitive the club is going to be. With that in mind the content of the 120-day Review is now overdue and vital to the future of the club. I won’t bore the reader of this article with the plethora of questions about the review but the detail simply has to reveal the club’s direction for next season and beyond. While every single Rangers fan wants our club to be of a right-size for future demands, it’s also clear it needs to be re-capitalised for the challenges ahead. However I’d also suggest no fan wants money to be wasted on short-term player signings but instead (as what should have happened in 2012) the club stream-lined and positioned to be self-sustainable for the long term. This means investment in youth, scouting and the stadium to bring success for many more years to come. Yes, this isn’t easy to achieve (ask Sir David Murray) but we’re told Graham Wallace is of the highest calibre (and he’s apparently very well paid) to clearly explain how this is possible in his review. I’d certainly say four months is ample time to provide a report which offers the kind of detail and evidence based submissions to excite every Rangers fan about our future. In short, Wallace must make his plan one we can all buy into one way or the other for many years ahead. No bland generalisations, no business-speak and, well, no excuses. In saying that, what is the alternative for Rangers fans? Well, Dave King and the Union of Fans appear equally less than convincing so far. Statement after statement from King implores us not to renew our season tickets while the Union of Fans promise us some sort of Trust fund to release our money on a match-per-match basis to the club. Yet, a few months down the line, they’re also no closer to revealing their plans in that regard. Can fans retain their preferred seat? Who or what is entrusted with the property securities they’ve requested? What happens if the club enters further financial difficulty in the interim? So far, we’ve seen no answer to any of these questions. Similarly, Dave King’s actions have been less than consistent as well. Just how keen is he to invest in the club and what affect will his own past business dealings have on his and Rangers’ reputation? No-one can deny King’s previous impressive financial commitment but that cannot make him immune from the same questions we have of the incumbents. The lack of clarity in that regard remains a huge disappointment. To conclude then, despite months of uncertainty and superficial debate, Rangers fans remain no closer to a solution for their renewal conundrum. I don’t doubt the vast majority of last season’s 36,000 season ticket holders want to sign up for what will be a more exciting challenge next term but I also believe our incredible passion has been taken advantage of all too often in recent years for fans to hand over their hard-earned no questions asked. There’s absolutely no shame or disloyalty in wanting more for our money. Taking that into account, I’m disappointed in the club’s disregard for open fan consultation vis-à-vis the review. However, I feel equally let down by Dave King in his inability to turn words into demonstrable action by means of a viable alternative to the status quo. In light of all the above, I can’t be the only fan who feels they’re in an impossible position ahead of the forthcoming deadlines. This may well change today, tomorrow, or later in the week but it seems our annual investment will continue to be the pawn of others for the foreseeable future. Rather than stand by and let ourselves be used in such a manner, I’d hope fans would now begin to realise our power when it comes to Rangers and actually become a player ourselves instead of being played. Only then can we really have a proper say in the future. Anything else will just see that rock become a harder and harder place….

THE former Southend defender wouldn't swap a day at Ochilview for a game at Old Trafford and says that team-mate Lee Wallace is good enough to play for Arsenal. BILEL MOHSNI insists even an offer from the English Premier League couldn’t lure him away from helping Rangers back to the top. The French defender claims he has found a new family at Ibrox since arriving from Southend last summer. Mohsni has made 32 appearances this term to help Gers run away with the League One title. He scored his 10th goal of the season in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Forfar and the 26-year-old admitted he has been blown away by the passion of the Light Blues’ support – even though a fans’ signing session left him on the brink of collapse. Paris-born Mohsni also insisted team-mate Lee Wallace is good enough to play for Arsenal. The centre-back said: “It’s impossible to realise just how touching and pleasing it is to be surrounded by so many Rangers fans. “My dream is to take the club back up to the top and into Europe where it belongs. “I’d prefer to be at Ibrox 100 times more than playing for a club in the lower half of the English Premier League. That is despite the fact I would earn more money down south. “The levels of support for Rangers are unbelievable. “People have so much love for this club and I can only imagine what it is like in the Scottish Premiership and for European games. “Madjid Bougherra has told me it is something he misses and would like to experience once more some day. The club asked me to do a midweek signing session in the megastore. “It was meant to last two hours and given that I am not a big name like Lee McCulloch I didn’t think many people would come along. “But I was wrong. The queue stretched for dozens of yards and I spent hours signing shirts, calendars and footballs non-stop as well as posing for photos. I heard fans who had waited for hours saying, ‘There’s still people behind us – I’ll buy an extra shirt and get Bilel to sign it for my uncle.’ I was shocked. “As for Lee Wallace, he is good enough to play for any Premier League team, even Arsenal. “Kieran Gibbs or Wallace? Waldo would fit into their side no problem.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/rangers-defender-bilel-mohsni-id-3426558

Thought this Investors Chronicle (IC) article was quite interesting and maybe worth posting since it mentions our new shirt sponsor 32Red and their deal with us.... 888 numbers prove the race is on By Harriet Russell 16 April 2014 A bullish set of numbers from online gambling company 888 Holdings (888) is the latest example proving the online gambling sector is locked in an unforgiving 'arms race', with companies attempting to win as much investor confidence and new customers as possible before the Point of Consumption (PoC) tax is introduced this December. 888 only released its full-year results at the end of March, reporting a 30 per cent increase in reported pre-tax profits and a 7 per cent jump in revenues year-on-year. Additionally, it handed back $50m (£30m) to shareholders, declaring an additional special dividend worth 7¢ share for 2013. And now, first-quarter figures are equally good, with an 11 per cent year-on-year rise in quarterly revenues and a 7 per cent improvement on the final quarter of 2013. Particular progress was made in consumer bingo, with revenues up 9 per cent on the final quarter of last year. This will be welcome news after the bingo business saw revenues plummet 16 per cent in 2013. But the bullish news update must be understood in a wider context. The gambling sector is facing one of the worst years for regulatory upheaval: if PoC is introduced on time, all online gambling companies will be subject to another 15 per cent tax on revenues generated from customers in the UK. It will no longer matter where the company is registered. Traditionally, online gambling companies avoided onshore duties by registering abroad - most commonly in Gibraltar - which rendered other taxes such as Machine Game Duty (MGD) and fixed-odds terminal betting duty irrelevant. But this will no longer be enough to safeguard against PoC. There is no word yet from most of the online gambling companies on how they plan to offset the cost of the new duty in the long term, and concern is building over the effect on prices and the consumer. Instead, the companies have laid out figures which they believe will represent the annual impact going forward. In 888's case, profits are expected to take a $20m beating in a full year. More concerning is the reaction from investors to the incoming taxes. While the March Budget did nothing to alleviate pressure on the sector (fixed-odds terminal betting duty rose from 20 to 25 per cent), widespread panic sent some gambling stocks plummeting. While the long-term measures are unclear and cause shareholder skittishness, a $20m hit to profits at 888 is barely material. The company has a market capitalisation of more than £500m and ended 2013 with over $100m in the bank. But understanding the numbers in relative terms hasn't stopped shares such as those in 32Red (TTR) taking a 16 per cent nose-dive since early March. Forced to address the share price movement, group chief executive Ed Ware insisted guidance for 2014 was still positive and reassured the market of the group's plans to fight PoC in the courts, should it be brought in at the current rate and on time. Mr Ware also emphasised that the changes to fixed-odds terminal betting announced as part of the Budget would not be affecting his business. For now, the gambling companies will focus on growing market share. They believe this is crucial to offset any profit challenges later in the year and will help outstrip future punitive measures. To achieve this, gambling companies are fighting a fierce war to garner as much media coverage as possible before the tax is introduced at the end of the year. Interactive gaming outfit NetPlay TV (NPT) secured a three-year deal with ITV and sponsored reality show Big Brother and its celebrity version last year. Marketing costs were vast, but it appears to be paying off: NetPlay TV reported a 25 per cent increase in new players by the end of 2013. Similarly, 32Red announced this week that it will be the new sponsor for Rangers International Football Club (RFC) for the 2014-15 season, and betting exchange group Betfair (BET) has signed deals for more television coverage over the next 15 months, including during the World Cup and Champions League broadcasts. IC VIEW: Online gambling companies are in a race against time. But investors shouldn't accept bullish numbers, increased spending and bumper TV deals as signs of confidence. In many cases, it will be the very opposite. http://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/2014/04/16/shares/news-and-analysis/numbers-prove-the-race-is-on-eryg1ZRovbS73m2ubEijjI/article.html

GRAHAM WALLACE insists Rangers are making 'substantial progress off the field' as they gear up for next season's SPFL Championship campaign. The Light Blues this week clinched a shirt sponsorship deal with online casino giants 32Red, who will replace Blackthorn in the summer and become the Gers' partners for the next three seasons. Ally McCoist's side are just one season away from their return to the Scottish top flight and chief executive Wallace said: "We are delighted to announce this deal. It shows we are making substantial progress off the field. "This is a good long-term partnership for Rangers. "We can leverage the strength of the 32Red brand and this deal can help reinvigorate the Rangers brand domestically and internationally. "We are working very hard to re-energise and reposition the club on the international stage. That goes hand in hand with our progression up the leagues and we are planning for next season in the Championship with one eye very firmly on the seasons beyond that. "Having a strong commercial partnership portfolio is very important to the club. "Attracting blue chip brands to be partners allows us to grow our commercial revenue which in turn allows us to reinvest right across the business. We are very pleased with this deal and it is the first, tangible step in our new commercial strategy. "The Championship will be a very competitive division and we are doing all our preparation to make sure that, in the true traditions of Rangers Football Club, we expect to be competitive and we expect to be successful." Wallace is due to complete his 120-day overview of the books at Ibrox on Friday but the club confirmed this week that they will only publish an 'update' on April 25. Wallace said: "We will shortly be publishing the results of the club's business review, as we committed to do, following an in-depth review of all areas of club operations. "This will give fans an insight into understanding the current status of club operations and how we are working to put in place what is needed to build for future success." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/wallace-happy-with-off-field-progress-at-rangers-159803n.23978036

Big game for the young guns in their U20 League title race tonight! ________________________________________________________ Wednesday, 16 April 2014 12:00 Kids Look To Capitalise Written by Andrew Dickson RANGERS will seek to make the most of slip ups from their rivals in the SPFL Under-20 League yesterday when they host Partick Thistle in Dumbarton tonight. The Light Blues went into this week’s round of fixtures as underdogs after finding themselves behind Hibernian and Celtic in the standings. That’s still the case ahead of the clash with the Jags but both of their fellow title challengers failed to win their games and that has opened the competition right up again. Hibs, leaders of the 16-team division, could only draw 1-1 with Hamilton Accies at Livingston’s Energy Assets Arena. And although they are eight points ahead of Gordon Durie’s men, they have played four times more and have just two fixtures remaining now. A more notable result was perhaps Celtic’s as they lost 2-1 to Hearts in Newtongrange, where Gers will go themselves next Friday night in an SFA Youth Cup final dress rehearsal. The Parkhead team was sitting second before it took on the Jambos but with the chance to overtake Hibs if they won their games in hand. That’s still a possibility but their loss at New Victoria Park means Durie’s men could now theoretically leapfrog everyone. The Murray Park kids are four points off Celtic with two games in hand over them plus a derby against Stephen Frail’s side still to play. Tonight’s encounter with Partick sees Rangers come up against a team it beat 3-0 at Firhill back in November. With six games remaining in their own league campaign, this will be the Light Blues’ final designated home fixture. The other five matches will be away to Hearts on April 25, Motherwell on April 29 and to Kilmarnock, Celtic and Falkirk on provisional dates which have still to be confirmed. Rangers go into this tie off the back of their SFA Youth Cup semi-final win at St Mirren on Sunday, which set up the meeting with Hearts. A date, kick-off time and venue for that match has still to be determined but it is likely to be early next month. Midfielder Darren Ramsay scored an extra-time winner in Paisley at the weekend and he’s hoping the result there can boost Gers going into tonight’s game, which starts at 7pm. He said: “Our results have dipped a bit in the league lately but hopefully we can pick things up again against Partick and get back to winning ways there. “Hopefully beating St Mirren can kick-start us. We’ve got games in hand of Celtic and Hibs so hopefully they drop more points and we can put them under a bit of pressure.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6781-kids-look-to-capitalise

DAVE KING tonight fired another attack on the Rangers board. The South African businessman has declared war on the current Ibrox regime and has issued a strongly-worded statement again urging Rangers fans not to renew season tickets. The statement reads: I must respond to the Rangers board’s criticism of my appeal to withhold season ticket advances. This board continues its habit of evading issues by attacking the integrity of any individual or group that speaks out against them. I am happy to engage the board on our comparative integrity. Unlike this board, I do not regard integrity as a character attribute that comes with an ON/OFF switch. When I met with the board the Chairman requested that, other than the two public statements that we made, the balance of our discussions would remain private. I agreed to that and, despite requests from fan groups to disclose the full details of my discussions, I steadfastly honoured my undertaking. This board did not do likewise. In an ill-judged attempt to discredit me, they have now disclosed my comment to them that I preferred not to put money into Rangers if it could be found from other sources. In this instance they demonstrated their lack of integrity for no advantage as I had already, as part of my frank discussions with the fan groups, advised them that I had no prime ambition to invest further in the club but will do so if no other investors come forward. I would be delighted if the club could thrive without any investment from me. This attempt at a “juicy” leak by the board merely proves that it is impossible to engage this board on a basis of confidentiality and integrity. The board has now stated that it was always its intention to only provide the business review after season ticket advances had largely been paid. It has denied that it agreed that the business review would be made available prior to fans committing to season ticket advances even though I referred to this agreement in my public statement immediately after our meeting. At the time the board allowed my public statement, in toto, to go unchallenged. Presumably it had no concern with what I stated. Again, we have an integrity issue but fortunately have common sense as a referee. We know that the board did not challenge my public statement of last month. It is also common cause that the vital issue for the fans is to be told what ambition the owners have for the club and how this is going to be funded. It must be obvious that the fans need this information prior to investing - not after. The board’s new version lacks integrity even if it was believable. Given that the board is quick to raise integrity and trust as key issues I would like to pose simple questions that are easy to reply to with a simple yes or no. a) Does the board agree it is unfair to ask fans to buy season tickets before they consider the business review? b) Does the board agree that, given the present financial position of the club, it is appropriate to provide Ibrox Park and Murray Park as security against season ticket advances? c) Does the board agree that in the latter half of December 2013 it was in discussions to obtain finance that would be needed prior to the end of the current season? d) Does the board agree that in the latter half of December 2013 it provided public assurances to the fans that the club had sufficient cash to last until the end of the current season? Without satisfactory answers to these questions fans should not be expected to invest in season tickets.

by Robbie Bannatyne In 2001, I played in the Willem II Youth Football Tournament for Glasgow Rangers FC under 13s. After a narrow 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in our opening game we got, to use a colloquial term in the West of Scotland, ‘pumped’ in all of our remaining fixtures by opposition including Ajax, Nantes and Feyenoord - who were technically, and physically, far superior in every department. To further compound our misery, our pathetic performances were the polar opposite to those of the gifted U15 side, who produced a string of dominant displays en route to the final of the prestigious tournament. Since its inception in August 1993, the Willem II youth tournament has featured the top international clubs and some of the most talented young football players in the world on an annual basis. But no other youth side will ever face a team as talented as Rangers’ opponents in the 2001 Final of the Willem II tournament; a Barcelona side orchestrated by Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique. The team was also supplemented by a further three current professionals in Victor Vasquez (Club Brugge), Marc Valiente (Real Valladolid) and Marc Pedraza of CD Numancia. Unsurprisingly, this vintage crop of La Masia youngsters routinely routed their poor, hopelessly overmatched opponents. A comment from Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, after Francesc Fabregas arrived at the Gunners, a mere 18 months after that youth tournament, summed up their superiority, he stated, “When Cesc arrived here (Arsenal) I spoke with his mother and she told me that his team (Barcelona Academy Team) were used to winning 6-0, 7-0, 8-0 and 9-0." Yet despite Barca’s embarrassment of riches, the final was a keenly contested affair- which the Catalans edged 2-0. Although the classy Catalan side were clearly a step up in quality, the young Ibrox hopefuls were not totally outclassed, and contributed significantly to an absorbing final, rich in technical ability and skill. That final seems to have been a catalysing event for the young Catalan side who, in the very next season, became the all-conquering group of young Cule’s who won an unprecedented treble in the unforgettable, and now legendary, season of 2002-2003. Dundee United midfielder, Paul Paton, was a member of the Rangers team who played Barcelona in the Willem II Cup final. In an exclusive interview with GiveMeSport, Paton recalled his memories of the tournament: “We performed well in the tournament playing against Brugge, Willem II and Arsenal. We defeated Feyenoord, who had De Guzman, (Swansea midfielder and Dutch international) in the semi finals. “But the Barcelona team were a step up in class, physically bigger, stronger, fitter and faster. At the time, I didn't realise there players would go on to be some of the best players in the world. But it was obvious that they were a special side. Almost every player in that team has gone on to carve a career in Spanish football.” The fact that the same youth team has produced three of the greatest players of their of generation, and in Messi, probably the finest player in football history, ensures that the ‘Class of 87’ will forever be enshrined in the history of FC Barcelona and their legendary talent conveyor belt academy, La Masia. A simple Google search on ‘Barcelona’s Class of 87’ yields a litany of literature written about the fabled ‘Baby Dream Team’. Yet an identical search about the Rangers class of 1987 offers up nothing. The brilliant batch of young boys at Ibrox literally became forgotten men. Surely the strong showing at the Willem II tournament should have been a platform for further success, right? Wrong. Soon after, the team seemed to plateau before alarmingly beginning their rapid descent into footballs abyss, where the vast majority of the players remain. The aforementioned Paul Paton of Dundee United, and Bob Harris, who plays for English League One side Sheffield United are the only two players from that gifted Ibrox youth side to have properly made the grade in the professional game. Tellingly, they were both released from the Ibrox club at 16 years old. In what is befitting of the Scottish ‘way’, the concerns about both players seemed to be in regards to there of lack height rather than deficiency in ability. At the same time, many of their teammates from the Willem II tournament team, who have since faded into obscurity, were awarded professional contracts by the Glasgow giants. Paul Paton, without a hint of bitterness or resentment, recalls his painful snub from his boyhood heroes: “There are always favoured players in every set up and it was them that were rewarded with pro contracts. I was released along with Bob Harris and funnily enough we're now playing at a higher level than anyone else in that side. "Maybe that shows that Rangers failed to spot what we knew we had. We weren't given a chance and that's my only regret. If I went full time at 17 rather than 21 I'd be a much better player." Now I am in no position to disagree with Paton, who has plenty more knowledge and experience of football than I will ever have. But, in some respects, I think he has risen to the top level because of his snub from Rangers, not in spite of it. Instead of staying cocooned in the prosperous comfort zone of Murray Park, being lulled into a false sense of security of dominating games in the U19s or reserve leagues, he started at the very bottom of the senior football ladder, with Third Division side Queens Park, and made his way up the leagues the hard way. His experience of the harsh and unforgiving environments of the lower leagues strengthened his resolve to be a success in the senior game, and gave him a greater appreciation of the toil it takes to really make it as a footballer. His undeniable talent was complemented by; commitment, hard work, dedication and a desire to better himself- qualities which I am sure were refined and developed during his apprenticeship in the lower leagues. He is now thriving in the top tier of the Scottish game. So much so, in a miraculous twist of fate, today Paul Paton started for Dundee United in their 3-1 victory over, you guessed it, Rangers at Ibrox. The result sent Paton’s side into the Scottish Cup Final, and typically, the combative 26-year-old was in the thick of the action in the Dundee United engine room, enjoying every minute against his boyhood heroes. When asked about his opinion on the failure of his former teammates to make the grade in the senior game, he said: “Murray Park was a good experience and it felt like a privilege at the time. Maybe the boys that went full time took it for granted, got too much too young and read their own press. At the time they were the best players in the county at their age. Maybe they never applied themselves and didn't work hard enough.” Although the national approach to youth development in Scotland has been notoriously archaic for a number of years, perhaps Rangers youth academy coaches and the Murray Park policy makers were especially negligent in their duty of care to diligently develop the potential of their youth team products. This is a quote from the clubs former chief executive, Martin Bain, given in a press conference in 2004, which seems to add credence to this conviction. He stated: "If I'm very honest, the focus was on the first team for most of the nine years that I've been here." Alarm bells should have been ringing when one of the most influential men at Rangers publicly denounced his clubs antiquated approach to youth development. The statement basically lays bare the brutal truth that the Ibrox powerbrokers abandoned the process of youth development in favour of procuring established talent for the 1st team for a close to a decade. This is in spite of the fact that fully three years prior to his comments Rangers spent £14 million on the plush Murray Park complex. When I quizzed Paul Paton about the success of Murray Park, the former Rangers youth stated: “As far as I'm concerned no real talent has came through Murray Park. The young boys playing in the first team wouldn't make the reserves in years gone by.” These damning comments seem to confirm that the supposedly fertile terrain of Murray Park, which should have been used to cultivate and maintain a dedicated and focussed philosophy, that prioritised, above all else, organic long term sustainable development, was instead turned into barren landscape after being sabotaged by the prevailing, and fundamentally unsustainable principle of investing in readymade success for the senior team. This subordination of youth development in favour of buying expensive foreign players the club couldn’t afford literally killed Rangers FC on 13th June 2012. The current incarnation in the club now trade is officially named ‘The Rangers Football Club Limited’. As a direct consequence of the fatal financial problems, which still plague the Ibrox club, they do not have any sort of scouting infrastructure in place at the club. No need to rub your eyes in disbelief: you read that last sentence correctly the club has no scouting network whatsoever. Unsurprisingly, this approach is the antithesis to that of Barcelona’s where the emphasis has been on consistently producing quality home grown players to complement the first team since the appointment of Laureano Ruiz, as the general coordinator of youth football for the club in 1974. From that point on, the overwhelming focus of youth development has been on cultivating a style of football based on the philosophy of possession play, through the marriage of touch and technique, as opposed to relentless running and physique, which prevails in Scotland. The long term result of this vision: the inimitable brand of ‘tiki-taka’ football played by all Barca teams from the academy to the Camp Nou. The talent conveyor belt, which continues to churn out world class individuals and sides such as ‘The Baby Dream Team’, from the La Masia breeding ground, could not be contrasted more sharply with the barren land of Murray Park. Whilst the Barcelona players are literally living out their dreams, the former Rangers youth prospects suffer the nightmare of tainted memories, broken ambition and bitterness that they failed, or were prevented, from truly fulfilling their huge potential, which was abundantly clear to anyone who watched their fantastic displays at the famous Willem II tournament. Ultimately, Rangers’ negligible approach to youth development was one of the main culprits for the creative cull of such a promising batch of players that went off the boil so badly, so quickly. But there were certainly other chief protagonists in this tale of woe and tragedy.

The Rangers boardroom battle has been a wee bit like watching an old war movie of late. Dave King is charging around the seas like a crazed Admiral, dropping depth charges and firing all guns blazing at HMS Rangers, the elusive submarine. Admiral King never seems to land a blow as the crew of HMS Rangers are always several steps ahead. Every now and then HMS Rangers launches a quiet torpedo that blows yet another hole in King’s rebel ship. Perhaps the killer blow came yesterday with a short statement from the club that, as planned all along, the 120 day review will be published and give skeptical fans an idea of where RFC is right now and what it has to do to get where it wants and needs to go. Fans expecting a document that will magic away all problems Rangers faces and others expecting a breakdown of how many paper clips each department at Ibrox plans to use over the next twelve months will be disappointed. These reviews are meant to give broad strokes, not minute details – at least the versions that will be on public display. Rangers being a plc means that the board is obligated to withhold certain information that may be price-sensitive in terms of share value. There should, however, be enough in the review for the average fan to get a decent picture of what could be improved upon and how this new board will go about it. If the board delivers this review on the 25th then it would only be reasonable to expect an apology from Dave King, who has raised anxiety levels unnecessarily recently by his pronouncements that the review would not come prior to the season ticket renewal deadline of May 6th. Particularly when King himself made it a contest between his own integrity and the board’s. Readers of my blog yesterday will be aware of the real integrity issue that fans have to mull over. Cynics may be forgiven for thinking that Dave King is actually the board’s secret weapon. His interference in the boardroom saga has galvanised thousands of Gers fans into buying season tickets and taking a more aggressively anti-rebel stance. Some in the rebel camp are clearly squirming every time King makes a pronouncement these days. Dave King is either the board’s secret weapon or he has kicked so many tyres it has damaged his brain. As a businessman he is only too aware of how preposterous the idea is that a responsible plc board would sign over its assets to customers – assets owned by the shareholders. It is arguable that AIM would block such lunacy if the board was daft enough to succumb to the proposal. And the very people proposing it accuse the board of emotional blackmail! There will be a hardcore of rebels and other gullibles who will give the South Africans their season ticket. But I suspect that many who are threatening to will crumble and join the masses who will renew. King will huff and puff and eventually head for home in his crippled ship while HMS Rangers will continue on its path back to glory. Full speed ahead for the mighty ship Rangers.

This should be interesting, renewals before the 120 days. Rangers will launch their season ticket renewal campaign at Ibrox tomorrow. As reported in the Herald today, prices expected to rise by 18%.