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http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=1 The RST are delighted to announce a major breakthrough in their innovative Share Save Scheme. Malcolm McNiven, the RST Chairman, has successfully negotiated a price of 59.5p per share with Sir David Murray. When the scheme was launched, it was envisaged that the shares would be bought at �£1.00 each, so this great news means that GerSave members will get almost twice as many shares for their investment. The price of the shares is approximately the same as the current share offer price of 60p. GerSave is a scheme where supporters can invest a minimum of �£10 per month, or lump sums if they wish, and this money will be invested directly into the club on a periodic basis. With the share price being in line with the market price, and there being no broker fees involved, it represents an ideal opportunity for fans to invest in the club that they love. The first investment into the club of �£50,000 will be made in the very near future. You will find more information on GerSave, including an application form if you wish to join by visiting our site. Specific enquiries may be made to this email address: gersave@rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=138&Itemid=1 The Trust is delighted to release the results of their recent online Rangers supportersââ?¬â?¢ survey. Please visit the downloads section of the site to peruse the document (PDF File ââ?¬â?? 76K). It is the most comprehensive online survey ever conducted on the views of Rangers fans and covers all aspects of following the club - from the match-day experience itself through to the way the club conducts its relationships with customers, both internal and external. This report will be submitted to the club at the earliest opportunity and the Trust urge the club to consider and comment on its contents. We hope they welcome its findings - as valuable data has been obtained for the Club - at the sole expense of the volunteers who run the Trust, and trust its value is recognised. Please note that this survey was open to both members and non-members of the Trust.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=136&Itemid=1 The Board and members of the Rangers Supporters' Trust were delighted that after four years of campaigning by the Trust, Sir David Murray yesterday opened to door to supporterââ?¬â?¢s representation on the board of Rangers Football Club at the clubââ?¬â?¢s 2007 AGM. The core aims of the Trust include securing supportersââ?¬â?¢ representation and widening share ownership amongst Rangers fans. The Rangers Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Trust is therefore pleased to announce that it has today put forward the name of it's Chairman, Malcolm McNiven, to be appointed to the Board of Rangers Football Club. Mr McNiven's nomination comes at the end of a lengthy series of discussions between representatives of the Trust and club chairman Sir David Murray and Chief Executive Martin Bain, on supporter representation and all key aspects of the relationship between the club and the supporters. During these negotiations it was felt it might be helpful to the process of democratisation if an additional director was appointed to the RFC Board, with the remit that includes considering the electoral mechanism best suited to giving a fair representation to all members of the Rangers Family. Mr McNiven's nomination was unanimously agreed at a meeting of the Board of the Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Trust on 8 August. Mr McNiven accepted the nomination and pledged that he would take forward the Trust's ideals, with an initial objective of helping develop a sustainable system of supporters' representation at the club. Mr McNiven said: "I view this as a great opportunity to develop and improve the relationship between the club and the support base, and open channels for constructive dialogue on what the supporters believe are meaningful issues" NOTE: Malcolm McNiven, aged 34, is a prominent figure in the Glasgow financial community and Finance Director of Direct Sharedeal Limited, a fast growing brokerage business with offices throughout the UK. Malcolm has been Chair of the Trust for 2 years and involved since its inception in April 2003. The Rangers Supportersââ?¬â?¢ Trust is the fastest growing supportersââ?¬â?¢ Trust in the UK and the leading organisation for Rangers fans, open to all on a ââ?¬Ë?one person one voteââ?¬â?¢ basis. The Trust has already created thousands of new shareholders in Rangers FC, and through its innovative ââ?¬Ë?GerSaveââ?¬â?¢ scheme will shortly make its first sizeable investment in the club. The Trust AGM takes place in Glasgow on 1 September 2007.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=133&Itemid=1 Can all members please note that you can now download the latest issue of our Blue Spirit Newsletter via the downloads section of our website. Also available for download are the formal notice and agenda for the Trust AGM being held next Saturday at the Wee Rangers Club, Glasgow. If you cannot download the above documents, please contact us where upon we will email you a copy of the documentation at the earliest opportunity.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129&Itemid=1 This will take place on Friday 12th October in the ââ?¬Ë?Wee Rangers Clubââ?¬â?¢ with a 7-15pm start. Places are available for teams of four, priced at Ã?£20 per team, with prizes for the winners. This year the money raised will be split between the Sara Thackray Foundation and http://www.travistrek.co.uk - both charities that are close to the hearts of a lot of Rangers supporters. The format will be the same as last year's although we can promise the will be a bit easier! There will be 60 on Rangers and 40 on general football. We learned a few things at the inaugural event last year and hopefully can improve on it. The aim remains the same though: it's a chance to raise money for two worthy causes; learn one or two things about our Club and have an informal night out in good ââ?¬Ë?Bluenoseââ?¬â?¢ company. Contact us through the RST website for more info or to submit a team.

Following meetings between the Trust, the club and the stadium singing sections it is generally felt by all that the match-day experience at Ibrox Stadium could be improved. As such, the Trust would like our members to contact us with any feedback or suggestions of improvement they may have. From the catering to displays to song suggestions ââ?¬â?? what would you like to see ââ?¬Ë?every other Saturdayââ?¬â?¢ at Ibrox? Please contact us through the RST website where upon we will liaise with the various singing sections and the club for further debate on how best to facilitate your recommended improvements. http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=126&Itemid=1

RST chairman Malcolm McNiven is pleased to announce three new appointments to the RST Board, namely, Jim Templeton, President of the Rangers Supporters Assembly and Chairman of the Rangers World-Wide Alliance, who will bring a wealth of experience to the RST, along with John MacMillan and John Donald both leading representatives of the Rangers Supporters Association. These steps further signal everyone�s willingness to work together for the betterment of Rangers Football Club. This is yet another landmark in the short history of the Trust. The RST has grown as a significant force in Scottish Football, and today's developments mean that by the start of the new season, 1 in 5 supporters at Ibrox will be represented by the RST. The RST will continue to strive towards having elected Supporter Representation on the Board of Directors at Rangers Football Club http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=123&Itemid=1

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=121&Itemid=1 he Trust would like to thank all the Rangers fans who attended Saturday's presentation and family day at the Wee Rangers Club. The attendance was superb and it was great to see members and non-members alike enjoying a great day for the family at the premier Rangers entertainment venue. All the kids enjoyed the presence of Broxi-Bear and the face-paining while the parents enjoyed the ââ?¬Ë?refreshmentsââ?¬â?¢ and the opportunity to meet and talk with three Rangers Legends. Johnny Hubbard and Billy Simpson were both presented with Honorary Memberships of the RST on the day and it was fantastic to see fellow team-mate Ian McColl turn out to support their presentation. "It is always nice to be recognised by the fans and at times like this it is a big reminder of how special it is to have played for a club like Rangers," smiled Billy. "A lot of water has passed under the bridge since I last played for the club but the label 'Billy Simpson of Rangers' is one I have always worn with pride. The past few years might not have been the best for the club but, with organisations like the Rangers Supporters Trust, we won't be down for too long. "The fans are the lifeblood of Rangers and, no matter who is in control in the boardroom, he will have to answer to the guys who go along week after week, at home or away. I will always regard myself as a Rangers man and I am one hundred per cent behind the work of the Rangers Supporters Trust." Weââ?¬â?¢d also like to take this opportunity to thank the Wee Rangers Club for their continued support as well as Rangers FC for bringing back Broxi-Bear from his holidays to play with the younger fans.

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

Some very good and honest points (again) from David Edgar on RR tonight - - The price Celtic have paid for Brown is way too much for someone who hasnt proven himself in europe or international level -David Murray is at fault for the "debt" Rangers currently have. As he is worth �£450M, surely he can give WS �£10 to spend on players? -Our bosman signings (to date) won't do -We are the most successful club in Scotland and we must maintain this -If Murray won't dip into his pockets then he can go and go now. The RST still the only show in town when it comes to delivering for the Rangers support. Cammy F

The Trust will have a table just inside the Ibrox Complex on Sunday prior to the Killie game. Just bring along your tenner to join or renew if you haven't already done so. Our influence is steadily growing and the more people who join can only increase this. Come along and speak to Board members who will answer any questions you may have.

For the last 7 years, it appears that SDM has decided that being 2nd in a 2 horse race is acceptable for Rangers Football Club. So, the question is, as fans, is 2nd acceptable? If not, what are we going to do to ensure that OUR club never accepts 2nd when 1rst is achievable? Cammy F

Trust media officer David Edgar has been interviewed by Darrell King for this evening's edition of the Evening Times. To read more click here. http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/

Where can I find my membership number? Just filling in my renewal and sharesave forms.....

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

Following the resounding success of this year's annual dinner, the Trust is pleased to announce another exciting evening for your social diary. To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Nine in a Row, the Trust has teamed up with the Wee Rangers Club and a couple of playing legends from that era to celebrate one of our club's greatest achievements. The venue is the Wee Rangers Club on Edmiston Drive (a hundred yards West of Ibrox Stadium) and the date is Friday the 27th July, 2007. Doors open early and the 4 course dinner will be served from 8pm. John Brown and Andy Goram will be our speakers with with John Gillighan who shall be our MC for the evening. As usual with a Trust Dinner a host of ex-Rangers players are hoping to attend. Tickets have again been kept to a very reasonable £30 per person or £300 for a table of ten and demand is expected to be extremely high due to the more intimate size of the venue. As with the annual dinner, there will be a first class raffle and auction where all monies raised will go to funding the RST's activities. Dress code is smart. Please note that by contacting us through the site we can arrange for tickets to be paid on an installment basis. You can now buy tickets securely via PayPal (see below) or by sending a cheque (made payable to the Rangers Supporters' Trust) to: The Rangers Supporters' Trust c/o Direct Sharedeal 4 West Regent Street Glasgow G2 4RW Pay using PayPal by visiting the link below. http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=1 Keep an eye on the site for more info regarding this exciting event. Please contact us through the site regarding any questions regarding the dinner. Please note that Rangers play Chelsea in a friendly the next day.

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.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rs...00&Itemid=1 Following an unprecedented meeting, arranged by Billy Montgomery of Nithsdale Loyal, involving 68 Rangers Supporters' Clubs and 7 fans' organisations on Saturday 5 April, the Rangers Supporters' Trust, Rangers Supporters' Assembly and Rangers Supporters' Association have made a joint statement asking all parts of the Rangers family to unite in doing three things: improve the atmosphere at games; support the team; and demonstrate the best of our traditions. Whilst many of us no doubt feel we are being victimised, there can be no doubt that we must get our own house in order and the time to act is now. Rangers FC and their supporters have everything to be proud of. We are Scotland's most successful club and the tradition, history and heritage of our fans is the history of the nation. Our values and community are rooted in pride, loyalty and commitment. The good name of the club and the support are too important to risk and all of us must accept it is time to move on. The '*** Brigade' has had its day. All members of the Rangers family must unite and celebrate the club's traditions in a positive fashion. We must be judged on what we are for, not what we are against. We can and will defend our traditional anthems and songs, but without the idiotic add-ons. Rangers Football Club is more important than any of us - it is an institution, one of the greatest football clubs in the world. As a uniquely Scottish and British Club it is incumbent on us to act in the best traditions possible. 'We Are The People' - let's show the world what that really means.

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

As I watched the NI v Sweden game on TV last night (well, if WS and Ally can scout on Healy, then so can I ) I was very impressed by the atmosphere created by the NI fans. They supported their nation from start to finish and guess what, not one 'sectarian' or 'cultural' song was sung. If NI fans can manage this and turn Windsor Park into a loud and intimidating stadium, surely we can do the same at Ibrox? It wasn't long ago that NI fans would regularly sing the sash (with add ons) and other 'cultural songs', but no more. Linfield have also moved on and in fact, there was a fantastic article on them in Scotland On Sunday proir to this season friendly (I posted this on the old site). Could Rangers supporters groups like TBO, RST, Assembly etc contact both NI and Linfield to find out how they managed to 'move on' whilst improving the match day experience? Lessons that we could learn from? Cammy F

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.

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

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=1 The RST was inundated with complaints about the treatment Rangers supporters received at the hands of the Police at Parkhead yesterday. Complaints include the Police bizarrely removing Union Flags - the flag of this country - whilst making no attempts to remove flags of a foreign nation being flown by the home support. It was also noted that the Police attitude was unhelpful, negative and unfriendly, despite Rangers supporters having one of the lowest arrest rates of any club in Scotland. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that this attitude was down to the attendance of certain dignitaries at yesterday's match. However, it is surprising that these same rules were not applied to supporters in the home end. After the scandal at Parkhead in November 2005 - where the Rangers support was 90 times more likely to be arrested than those in the home end - it is becoming increasingly clear that the Rangers support is being policed in a different fashion to other supports in Scotland. The RST raised its concerns with the Police at that time; however it is apparent that these concerns were not addressed. We will be seeking a meeting with Strathclyde Police and looking for assurances that this politically motivated campaign against Rangers supporters cease immediately, and that we are no longer subject to a two-tier system of Policing. The treatment of Rangers fans - ordinary, working men and women whose only crime is a love of their team - is a disgrace. The RST feel that if assurances are not given, serious thought must be given to an organised campaign of civil disobedience at matches. Whilst this would not be anyone's preferred option, the time has come for the Rangers support to stand up and be treated fairly.

Although proper renewal letters are currently being prepared for issue with this month's edition of The Blue Spirit (posted this week), members are welcome to renew online now, and thereby give Trust funds an early boost in advance of some fairly heavy expenditure for our forthcoming initiatives. We shall also be inviting nominations from Trust members for Board positions. Full details of this will also be contained in the The Blue Spirit, but if you would like to renew online (same price as last year) then please visit the JOIN NOW page. The Trust is THE engine that is driving change amongst the support and fighting the good fight on behalf of all Rangers fans throughout different areas in society. But the Trust depends for it's credibility upon the active support of it's members - both old and new. Join or Renew Now! http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=1