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RFC Maybe we can talk about this without any unecessary snyde remarks about the board?

RANGERS legend Brian Laudrup today revealed how his transfer to the Ibrox club 20 years ago today rescued his foundering career. Danish internationalist Laudrup put pen to paper with the Glasgow giants in a £2.5million deal back on July 21, 1994. The winger went on to enjoy enormous success over the next four years and helped Walter Smith's side to complete nine-in-a-row. He won the Scottish title three times, the League Cup once and the Scottish Cup once, and was also named SFWA Player of the Year twice. The skilful attacker is now widely considered by supporters to be one of the greatest-ever players in the 142-year history of Rangers. But the 45-year-old has recalled how his playing days were in freefall over in Italy where he had endured unhappy spells with Fiorentina and then AC Milan. And he has told how his father - former Denmark star Finn - had warned him that the transfer to Scotland HAD to work out if he was to revive his career. In an exclusive interview with SportTimes, he said: "I can remember a conversation I had with my father at the time I was going to sign for Rangers. "He said to me: 'Brian, this is going to be the most important switch in your career. This move has got to be a success for you'. "Up until then, I had been at Bayern Uerdingen in Germany for one year, Bayern Munich for two years, Fiorentina for one year and AC Milan for one year. "My father told me: 'If you want to be a successful player then you can't be finding a new club every season. You need to find a club and stay there'. "Rangers was that club. Joining Rangers turned out to be the best move of my career. I enjoyed every minute of it. It was very successful for me and very successful for my family. "It was the best four years of my career in terms of playing and the best in terms of my private life. I was happy in Scotland on the park and my family and I were very happy off it." This week in SportTimes Laudrup looks back on the circumstances that resulted in him agreeing to sign for Rangers 20 years ago. He reveals how he realised it would be the correct decision just a few minutes after meeting manager Smith for talks at Cameron House Hotel. And the Scandinavian, now a television pundit in his homeland, also tells of his distress at the off-field difficulties the 54-times Scottish champions have experienced in the last two years. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/laudrup-my-lifetime-debt-to-rangers-172216n.24803808?

According to the Sun website: Club bow to fan pressure over stadium RANGERS fans are set to record a victory in the battle to safeguard Ibrox. Sunsport understands that the under-fire club board are set to give fans’ groups assurances that the club’s home won’t be sold off. The agreement will only be a short-term fix — but the board are hopeful it will spur fans on to buying season tickets for the Championship. Only 17,000 have been sold as fans attempt to put cash pressure on the club. Around 3000 fans marched to Ibrox yesterday to voice their concerns about the running of the club. Ex-stars John Brown and Nacho Novo lent their support and Novo told the crowd: “This club means everything to me and you mean everything to me. “Thank you all for coming out and staying united as we try to safeguard the club we all love. “I’m from Spain but this is where my heart is and we have to stay together to make sure this place we love stays part of Rangers. “This is about every supporter who wants to see the club prosper. This is a special club and Ibrox is a special place.”

All That Glitters... Written by: D'Artagnan Saturday, 19th of July 2014 After penning my recent articles for WATP magazine, I didn't expect to be writing about HMRC again so soon. But of course as Rangers fans, if the last few years has taught us anything, is to always expect the unexpected. Except of course where BBC Scotland is concerned. Their decision to feature Angela Haggerty in a programme discussing Rangers and the big tax case was, disappointingly, completely in character for an organisation which appears to be unable to exercise any of the standards of journalistic integrity, it was once renowned for. Ms Haggerty's apparent inability to understand the anger of Rangers fans towards HMRC is an illuminating reflection of a wider journalistic community in Scotland who have comprehensively failed to grasp some of the golden nuggets the Rangers Tax Case has unearthed, and instead, for a variety of reasons, their attention has been drawn to that which may very well glitter, but alas, is not gold. Firstly though allow me to separate some of the wheat from the chaff, and attempt to qualify the anger of the Rangers support towards HMRC. It does not stem from their investigation and attempts to close the tax loophole which are EBT's, I think most Bears realise the blame for our club finding itself on the wrong side of an HMRC investigation lies with Sir David Murray and his willingness to involve our club in a scheme which had all the hallmarks of risqué, written all over it. Perhaps many, myself included, would be interested in the decision making process which caused HMRC to single out Rangers as the "test case" for EBT's, but that in itself is more about curiosity than anger. Furthermore HMRC's action over Whyte's failure with regards PAYE is perfectly understandable, the only caveat to that being why it took them so long to take action? The anger of the Rangers support stems from conduct by HMRC which suggests they have been negligent during the course of this enquiry, that they have deliberately prevaricated in their responses to concerns about breaches of confidentiality and have failed on a number of professional levels to both safeguard and implement the standards they set for themselves during the course of an investigation. Section 98 of Lord Nimmo Smith's SPL Commission Report makes reference to the confidential information obtained by BBC Scotland. The phraseology used in the report "which we understand were the productions before the tax tribunal" suggests that evidence from the tax tribunal has somehow been removed from its safe storage and passed onto a media organisation. Responsibility for the safe storage and handling of productions normally lies with the prosecuting authority. We therefore have the possible scenario of a professional investigative body seizing evidence in the course of their investigation, failing to secure that evidence properly thus allowing it to be removed and subsequently used by others to infer a presumption of guilt against the accused party whilst meanwhile, that same investigative body dismiss concerns reported to them about such leaks with the phrase "HMRC don't respond to speculation about alleged breaches of confidentiality". Perhaps the question needs to be asked of HMRC – "What exactly do you respond to?" But of course, none of the above offer any insight as to the source of the leaks which allowed another award winner, The Rangers Tax Case Blog, to captivate readers and the wider journalistic community with its regular exposures of sensitive and confidential information. Was the security of the tax tribunal evidence, for which HMRC were responsible, breached on a number of occasions or in one "grand heist" which subsequently fed this web blog with the information it so regularly shared? Or did the material come from another, as yet unknown source? Like many Rangers supporters I am struggling to understand why award winning documentaries broadcast on national television by national media organisations and award winning web blogs, both featuring appropriated confidential information concerning the Rangers Tax was met with the following response when concerned Rangers fans and shareholders highlighted them to HMRC: "HMRC don't respond to speculation about alleged breaches of confidentiality". Speculation and allegation? Quite simply this is totally unacceptable and it is incumbent on our politicians to seek an explanation from HMRC on what is increasingly looking like gross negligence by them concerning this episode. Furthermore it is not only those of us within the Rangers community who are struggling with this concept. At some point in the future, probably at the conclusion of the Police investigation into this matter, HMRC are going to have to provide answers to people who they cannot dismiss in the manner and with the contempt they showed for the Rangers support. This is where we must channel our anger - towards ensuring that a full and thorough investigation is undertaken and that answers are provided which explain the apparent failings of HMRC and makes those responsible accountable for their actions; or lack of action as the case may be. Do not let the Ms Haggerty's of this world tell you that your anger and moral indignation towards HMRC is somehow "unjustified" let us instead use that anger to press for a full government investigation into this matter. When the unknown becomes known, then and only then will we decide if our anger is justified or not.

MICHAEL MOLS reckons the calls for an apology to Rangers for their treatment in recent years are futile - because the major damage to Scottish football has already been done. The Union of Fans last week hit out at a number of key figures in our game following HMRC's failure to overturn the court verdict in the 'Big Tax Case'. Boss Ally McCoist insisted the club and fans will never forget some of the comments and jibes aimed in their direction during the Gers' troubles, which saw them drop down to the Third Division and threatened with the loss of league and cup titles won during Sir David Murray's Ibrox reign. Fans are furious at the treatment their club has received in recent years and Mols, who won six winners medals during his time in Scotland, reckons the time for sympathy has long since gone. He told SportTimes: "It is difficult for me to keep track of everything that is going on but I understand that Rangers can't be blamed for anything. "They did everything properly and well. You can ask for an apology but it is too late for that. The damage is already done. "What has gone on has not only damaged Rangers, but it has damaged the whole of Scottish football and that is very serious. "Not having Rangers in the top league has devalued the league. Not having Rangers, or Celtic, there devalues it. Even if the management had done something wrong, which they did not, it was not wrong on the pitch. "On the pitch, we won those medals fair and square and were the best team. "For me, if they wanted to strip the titles that I won at Rangers, personally, I couldn't care less. "In my heart, I know I won it and we deserved it. Nobody could have and won't ever take that away from me." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/u/mols-rangers-tax-case-damaged-scots-football.1405583275

Now revealed...

5000 tickets already purchased by Rangers fans for the game against Derby, can we sell out the stadium before the season starts? #dcfc

Wednesday, 16 July 2014 16:15 Rangers To Honour Sandy Jardine Written by Rangers Football Club RANGERS Football Club will pay a lasting tribute to the late, great Sandy Jardine by re-naming the Govan Stand in his honour. The Light Blues legend sadly lost his battle with cancer in April but is forever in our thoughts and the Club will mark his phenomenal 50-year contribution to Rangers by changing the name of the Govan Stand to the Sandy Jardine Stand. Sandy was based in the offices at the Govan Stand for many years when he returned to the Club he served with such distinction as a player so it is fitting this particular stand will carry his name. This dedication will be in place for the opening league game of the season against Sandy's former side Hearts at Ibrox on Sunday 10 August. His family will also be guests of the Club on the day and Sandy’s widow Shona says the honour is something he was immensely proud of. She commented: "My husband considered it a great honour and privilege to represent Rangers Football Club and I know he was extremely proud to receive this lasting tribute from the Club he loved.” Rangers Chief Executive Graham Wallace commented: "Sandy Jardine epitomised everything that is good about Rangers Football Club. He was a man of principle and class and his contribution throughout his career both on and off the pitch was truly incredible. "His achievements are unlikely to be seen again in the modern game and this is a truly fitting way to honour Sandy's memory. The re-naming of the Govan Stand will be a permanent tribute to a man who gave everything for Rangers. "He was a credit to Rangers for decades and his dignity, class and love for the Club shone through. We have lost a true gentleman but he will never be forgotten and everyone at the Club is immensely proud to re-name the stand in his honour.” Rangers Manager Ally McCoist commented: "There have been many great names associated with Rangers Football Club but I can think of no-one more deserving of this tribute than Sandy Jardine. "A Rangers legend in every sense of the word, he will always be in our hearts and I am delighted he will be remembered forever with this permanent tribute at Ibrox Stadium. “Sandy's achievements both on and off the pitch were second to none. He gave everything for this great club and we are all looking forward to paying tribute to him at the Hearts game next month." Sandy, a truly world class fullback, was twice Player of the Year in Scotland and a key man in the Club's Treble-winning teams of 1976 and 1978. He also featured in two World Cups, winning 38 caps for Scotland and made almost 800 appearances for Rangers scoring 77 goals in the process. He won three League Championships, five Scottish Cups, five League Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 with the Light Blues and is rightly regarded as one of the greatest Rangers players of the post-war era. His contribution to Rangers since his return in the late 90s was just as significant as he epitomised the dignity, class, history, standards and traditions that are the hallmarks of this 142 year old institution. Sandy lost his battle with cancer on 24 April 2014. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7227-rangers-to-honour-sandy-jardine

1300 words on a situation that is becoming more worrying and difficult to justify with every day that passes... http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/260-ally-mccoist-and-rangers-time-for-some-home-truths

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert ready to offer Darren Bent and Alan Hutton lifelines Exiled high earners told to return to training with the first-team squad returns in July Paul Lambert is ready to take the drastic step of bringing Darren Bent and Alan Hutton in from the cold at Aston Villa. Lambert will offer the two exiled high earners a chance to revive their careers with Villa after talks with chairman Randy Lerner, in a move which will surprise the club’s supporters. Bent, Villa’s £24 million record signing, and Scotland international Hutton have both been told to report for training with the first-team when the squad returns for pre-season in July. Lerner is understood to have been influential in the move as he is keen for the manager to utilise players already on the wage bill and potentially avoid the need to spend money on new signings. Lambert said: “Everybody’s even now, everybody’s level. It’s public what’s happened [in the past] and now everyone is on the same level playing field. “Everybody knows the club is up for sale and it’s going to need everybody to pull in the same direction. The next few weeks and months are going to be testing, that’s for sure. “The only uncertainty we’ve got is how long before the club is sold.” Bent, who earns around £65,000 a week, has endured a turbulent time since Lambert’s appointment in June 2012. He was first made captain, then stripped of the armband and later consigned to the substitutes’ bench for most of last season. Last summer he was made to train with a select group of unwanted players, infamously branded the ‘Bomb Squad’, and made to change in a separate dressing room to the first team. He was then loaned out to Fulham for the season and scored only six goals. The former England international, 30, could attract interest from Turkey and the MLS this summer but will be given the opportunity to stake a claim with Villa if he remains with the club. Hutton, 29, has suffered even greater frustration, having never made a single appearance since Lambert’s arrival. Lambert admitted the former Tottenham Hotspur right-back has been ostracised due to his high wages of around £40,000 a week but he will now have a shot at redemption. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10845383/Aston-Villa-manager-Paul-Lambert-ready-to-offer-Darren-Bent-and-Alan-Hutton-lifelines.html

.......after Hampden chiefs bump up cost of Euro 2016 briefs. FURIOUS fans insist their loyalty is being exploited to maximise revenue and that many supporters will now be priced out of backing the national side. THE Tartan Army last night accused the SFA of a season ticket rip-off. Fans reacted with fury as the SFA announced the cheapest ticket for all five home Euro qualifiers and a friendly against England next year will be £190. That compares to just £115 for five World Cup qualifiers last year. And fans claim they are being priced out of supporting their country. West of Scotland Tartan Army spokesman Hamish Husband said they felt their loyalty was being exploited. He said: “I got a call from a fellow Tartan Army footsoldier who has not missed a Scotland game at home and abroad for 30 years and his message melted my phone.” Last year’s World Cup qualifier season tickets averaged £23 a match. The £190 minimum price for next year is an average of almost £32 – and there is also a £45 fee to join the Scotland supporters’ club. The most expensive Scotland ticket package costs £250, an average of almost £42 a match. Opponents for the Euro qualifiers include newly-crowned world champions Germany. Husband reckons fans are being fleeced once again. He said: “There are many Scotland fans who are convinced that they are being ripped off because of their loyalty. “The crowds in the last qualifying games were amazing considering the performances. “We know we are playing the world champions Germany but we also have Gibraltar in our Euro 2016 qualifying group. “The cheapest ticket for the Germany fixture in Dortmund is 25 euros, which is about £20. “It also seems apparent that the purpose of the England game – which is a friendly match – is just to fleece the fans and make money out of them.” The SFA defended the ticket prices and said that the fans were getting value for money by buying all six games in their package. An SFA spokesman said: “The Irish season ticket price is 250 euros and does not include the Germany game and is only a season ticket up until the end of season 2014-15. “There are three qualifiers and three friendly matches in that package. The SFA’s season ticket is for the entire campaign. What do people think is a fair price? “Fans always throw up the argument that ticket prices in Germany are cheaper. “That is because Germany has 10 times the TV revenue and a vibrant domestic league that sells out which Scotland don’t have. “The same thing happened the last time and the Scotland season ticket ended up selling out.” Social media sites were flooded with Scots fans complaining they could not afford to watch the France 2016 qualifying campaign. Chris Donnelly tweeted: “I cannot believe the prices of those tickets. What planet are you all on? Get them reduced now!” Sandy McKie wrote: “Your prices are a disgrace. Stop the silly season tickets now.” Daniel Shields tweeted: “£295 for tickets + membership, without train, pints etc. When did supporting Scotland become extortionate?” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/tartan-army-accuse-sfa-season-ticket-3861869

My tickets say monday 21st. Rangers T.V. says Tuesday 22nd. If Rangers TV is right I will be half way back to Edmonton when the game kicks off. totally pissed off.

RANGERS are pleased to announce match ticket pricing for home games in the new SPFL Championship season. There are two categories of games for the 18 league matches played at Ibrox next season. Category A games are league matches against Hearts and Hibs, while games featuring the other seven teams in the division are in the Category B classification. Match ticket pricing for Category B games range from £17 to £29 for adults, £12 to £20 for concessions and £5 to £6 for juniors. Category A prices range from £21 to £33 for adults, £15 to £23 for concessions and £5 to £8 for juniors. Tickets for the first two games of the season – the Petrofac Training Cup tie with Hibs on Tuesday August 5 and the first league game of the season at home to Hearts on Sunday August 10, will go on sale online and via the Ticket Hotline from Friday July 18 with the Rangers Ticket Centre beginning to sell from Monday July 21. Matchday ticket prices are between 5 and 8% higher than the price of the equivalent Season Tickets for Ibrox next season. Rangers Chief Executive Graham Wallace said: “The new match ticket pricing structure provides excellent value for money in what promises to be the most competitive league in Scottish football next season. “Our policy is to keep tickets as affordable as possible – especially for junior supporters – while reflecting the increased standard of football our fans can expect with visits from both Edinburgh clubs the highlights of the fixture calendar.” “The excitement is building for the new campaign and everybody here is raring to go.” The Club is making special access arrangements to allow supporters to use the Ticket Centre while Ibrox is being prepared for, and then de-rigs after, the Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens. The Ticket Centre will be closed for the two days of the rugby competition on Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27. Tickets can still be purchased on those days via the Club website or Ticket Hotline. The Club has produced a ‘Questions and Answers’ document that will provide supporters with most of the information they require about buying tickets. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE Q&A DOCUMENT http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7180-rangers-announce-ticket-pricing

Assuming Hampden wont be ready after the commonwealth games. But theres a shocker Celtic Park gets it. Why not have it at Murrayfield and get 67000 through the gates.

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/258-book-review-born-under-a-union-flag-rangers-the-union-scottish-independence

teams: Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Klose, Muller, Lahm ©, Kroos, Boateng Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Perez, Higuain, Messi ©, Mascherano, Demichelis, Rojo, Lavezzi Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy) 2-0 Germany for me. Klose and Muller. point on referees, I think they have generally been good and let play flow, except the European referees who I thought have been very picky. PS I'm watching BBC coverage as I cannot stand Adrain Chiles

The poll resulted in a narrow win for 27/09/2014 v Hibernian, with the obvious caveat of moving to Sunday if required. As was proven last time, even if an early kick-off is unpalatable to some from a football point of view it gave us a nice comfortable afternoon/ early evening to eat and drink; so in some ways I'd be hopeful of an early kick off again. In the first instance I'm only going to put up two options: going back to Malaga Tapas http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186534-d1087980-Reviews-Malaga_Tapas-Glasgow_Scotland.html or "somewhere else". In order not to appear biased, I will say only that I have confirmed that Cristobal would be happy to have us back; but it is entirely up to you guys if you want to go back or somewhere else. If you wish to go somewhere else then please post a suggestion and I will do a second poll. Unless there is a landslide one way or the other, I'll keep the poll open till the end of the month, so that everyone who is on holiday gets a chance to vote.

Christian Nerlinger has delivered a blow to Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace by rejecting the chance to become the club’s new football operations officer. The German, who played for Rangers between 2001 and 2004, held talks with Wallace about returning to Ibrox and filling a role similar to the one he previously held at Bayern Munich. The pair met twice in recent weeks but Sportsmail understands that, after careful consideration, 41-year-old Nerlinger has decided to decline. The appointment of a new football figurehead was one of the key recommendations of Wallace’s 120-day business review of the club. Had Nerlinger accepted, he would have been responsible for player identification and recruitment. Rangers boss Ally McCoist would have welcomed assistance in that department but any new appointee would essentially have assumed some of the manager’s duties. Ultimately, McCoist is understood to favour the establishment of a new scouting system, an area that has been neglected during the attempts to recover from financial meltdown. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2690180/Christian-Nerlinger-turns-chance-Rangers-football-operations-officer.html

....and beat Celtic to one last Premiership title before I go. Kenny Miller has revealed his wish to retire as a Rangers player, ideally with the parting gift of one last top-flight winners’ medal as he plans to plunder more prizes before hanging up his shooting boots. The 34-year-old is back with the club for a third spell this summer and would like to make his return signing the 10th and final move of his nomadic career. Miller flew out to Los Angeles on Saturday as Ally McCoist’s squad embarked on a four-game North American tour that will take the striker back to Canada, where he starred for Vancouver Whitecaps in a previous pit-stop. For Miller, though, there is no place like the football home that he regards as Ibrox. Yet this is no comfort zone for the former Scotland international, who stresses his ambitions stretch further than helping hoist Rangers into the Premiership next May. He would love to finish his playing days with his current employers and, feeling fresh into a new pre-season, has no interest in setting a time limit on that. So he still has a top-flight title challenge within his career compass and a desire to add to the three Scottish Premier League medals he won for Rangers back in stint two under Walter Smith. Miller’s motivation on the first step towards that goal is to contribute sufficiently to a successful promotion campaign against former club Hibernian and Hearts so that he earns the optional year on his new Rangers contract. He’ll then take aim at bigger prizes. ‘You never know because if they kick me out of the door at Rangers after a year, I’d imagine I’ll still want to play on,’ said Miller. ‘But it would be my intention to finish up here. I’ve got a year with a year option, depending on games. So it’s pretty much on me. ‘As long as I’m fit, playing and performing then, hopefully, it will turn into another year. It’s going to take a good season this year for us to get there and then obviously some serious competition next year to get back challenging. ‘But that’s the aim for me anyway — to be back at the top of Scottish football where we belong. To top things off would be to win the league back in the Premiership. ‘Rangers shouldn’t go in to any competition thinking of accepting second best, so that’s what we’ll be aiming for next year if we get there. ‘I hope to be around for that. I want to play as long as I can. I feel strong and fit right now. Of course, only time will tell if the performances follow but, if I do that, then there’s no reason why I can’t be around for a bit longer.’ The highlights of Miller’s 67 goals in 147 appearances so far for Rangers were in SPL and Champions League competition. The second tier of the Scottish game, though, is nothing new to him. As an Easter Road teenager, he played seven games either side of a loan spell at Stenhousemuir as Hibs bounced back at the first time of asking in 1998/99. Franck Sauzee, Russell Latapy, Paul Hartley and Mixu Paatelainen were among the heroes of Alex McLeish’s team that year as crowds flocked back to Leith to see a team canter to the First Division title. Not since that campaign has there been such a buzz about the division now known as the Championship. As Miller recalls the year that one of the traditional top-flight teams had to claw their way back up, he admits he can’t wait to sample the curiosities of a season like no other as three giants of the game collide in an unfamiliar environment. ‘I made my debut the season Hibs got relegated and made a few appearances while the team was promoted,’ he said. ‘It was a big season for me. They brought Latapy and Sauzee — that pair must have sold 5,000 tickets alone each week, given the standard of players they were. ‘Hibs had a fantastic season. To draw those players to the club was phenomenal and what they went on to do was amazing. ‘A winning team on the pitch can create a fantastic atmosphere within the club and the crowds were up. I can see big crowds and huge games in this division. It’s going to be a fantastic season and one I’m really looking forward to. ‘To come back to Rangers not in the top division is incredible in itself but for Hearts and Hibs to be there also is phenomenal. I never thought I’d be back playing against them in the Championship. ‘It will be a competitive league and a big challenge for us. But it’s a challenge I feel this squad probably needs after the last couple of years. ‘No disrespect to the opposition Rangers have been facing but I feel the challenges coming our way this year will really raise the standards of the players we’ve got.’ Miller and strike partner Kris Boyd were reunited last weekend as both players got off the mark on a two-game Highland tour. The next phase of pre-season will involve the long-haul journeys to which he was accustomed as a Vancouver Whitecap. After games on the west coast of the United States against Ventura County Fusion and Sacramento Republic FC, Miller returns to British Columbia for a game against Victoria Highlanders a week tomorrow, before the final game with Ottawa Fury on July 23. He called Vancouver home for two years after joining the Major League Soccer side from Cardiff City midway through their 2012 season. Under the Scottish coaching team of Martin Rennie and ex-Scotland international defender Paul Ritchie, Miller helped guide Whitecaps to a first-ever appearance in the MLS Cup play-offs that year. However, he admits there were facets of professional life in Canada that he found difficult to embrace. ‘If you are a guy like myself who if he doesn’t win the weekend is ruined, then that side is not there so much,’ explained Miller. ‘You see others who don’t have that. It’s not that they don’t care — far from it — but just not as much as I did. ‘In Scotland, you lose and you don’t want to go out. It’s straight home on a Saturday, a Chinese and the X Factor. Here we live, breathe and eat football. Across there, it’s not quite as life or death as it is for us. I found that mentality towards it a bit hard to get used to. ‘This is not any slight on anyone I played with. It’s just the way they are brought up. This has been my life since I was four. Ever since I could walk, I had a ball at my feet. ‘I’d argue till the cows come home that it doesn’t mean as much to them, whereas it’s a way of life for us. That’s what I’ve come back to at Rangers. ‘Vancouver is a beautiful place and there are amazing cities to live in or visit for players going to MLS. ‘There’s a more relaxed lifestyle, so I can understand why people want to do it. I’d just say it’s a very different attitude to football. ‘I was grateful for the opportunity as it was something I’d always talked about trying. I enjoyed some aspects but not others. I was fortunate that there were British guys as coaches, we had good people in charge. ‘Being so far from home and away from friends and family is always tough, though. ‘Towards the end, I had an eye on moving home somewhere — and Rangers was always that No 1 option.’ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2690178/Kenny-Miller-exclusive-I-want-finish-career-Rangers-win-one-Premiership-title-I-go.html

Dont know if this has been covered or not , but who exactly is paying for this tour , we are taking a playing squad of 25 plus management and backroom teams , there must be the bulk of 40 plus in the party , yet we are playing basically junior teams by Scottish standards , so given we are struggling financially , the question is who's footing the bill for this little extravaganza

RST statement: The Rangers Supporters Trust (RST) is deeply concerned with last nights BBC programme, Scotland 2014. It is yet another example of the ongoing perceived anti Rangers bias from our national broadcaster. Firstly, reading from a prewritten script, it was stated that Rangers had been stripped of titles. This is clearly not the case. The Rangers support have fought hard to ensure our titles remained. It is incomprehensible that the BBC can get such a simple fact wrong, especially from a prewritten script. Secondly, the selection of Angela Haggerty as a guest is perplexing. Her association with Phil MacGiollaBhain, a man regarded as being tarred with a sickening sectarian brush, was mentioned on the show. Surely this should have ruled her out of appearing on the show? Furthermore, why was a Celtic supporter with no qualifications in complex tax matters appearing to discuss the first-tier tribunal. Whilst the need for balance is required, that does not warrant a Rangers side and a Celtic side. This issue surrounds Rangers, therefore for balance to be achieved it should have been a Rangers representative, as there was, and perhaps a tax expert. Not a Celtic supporting blogger. Can the BBC justify the involvement of Ms Haggerty on this issue? It was also of concern that Angela Haggerty stated "HMRC will continue to fight this". Is this a case of leaked information from HMRC, or is it just wishful thinking? The BBC should clarify this immediately. The RST will follow this statement up with a direct complaint about this substandard reporting on Rangers FC. This unfortunately appears to be a consistent theme from an organisation which was once highly regarded for its journalistic impartiality. Journalistic impartiality and basic professionalism appear to be sadly lacking at BBC Scotland where Rangers FC is concerned.

Last evening, watching BBC Scotland's piece on Rangers trials with HMRC, I wondered why Angela Haggerty was chosen to counter Craig Houston. The current on going gripe is with HMRC, where is their representative? How about one of any number of the usual suspects(a lot of them regular contributors to BBC Scotland) who rushed to put the boot into the club? Even a Mark Daly who won a prestigious award for his BBC Scotland documentary, 'the man who sold the jerseys'? BBC Scotland utilise considerable energy in maintaining their policy of, 'careful hate'. Cosgrove keeps up the ridicule, Spence pushes the envelope regularly, and the News Department never misses an opportunity to demonise and marginalise(who can forget the bouncing ball on perceived sectarian lyrics)? Careful Hate just wouldn't cut it, the momentum had been building among the Rangers support, harbouring a legitimate sense of injustice. Quelling such fires requires venomous hate. Angela has a long history of being supportive of Irish republicanism, including providing necessary mitigation on the awkward area of armed struggle. Angela has been all over the Rangers situation, like a rash. Lucrative too for Angela, as Editor of Phil McFournames collection of essays, entitled 'Downfall'. Angela would have been paid a fee for lat evening's appearance too. Now, Angela is a well practised contributor to social media and she is 'Friends' with lots, if not all the regular detractors of Rangers. I suspect a few BBC Scotland Producers liked the cut of Angela's jib yesterday : "the revenge frenzy being whipped up by the Scottish tabloids is shameful. They know what the Rangers culture is capable of" and, "Rangers are a social club for people still clinging on to a white British protestant identity that revolves around fancy dress". You can see the attractiveness of misrepresentation, the HMRC thing has become inconvenient; get Angela on to spit a bit of venom on to the frenzy. Remember, the tabloids are shameful, BBC Scotland is unfailingly moral.

Did I hear the orange bloused presenter say Rangers were relegated and stripped of titles ? Could have misheard the last bit. Otherwise what a waste of time. Pity it hadn't been Forlanss or Bluedell or BH or some other articuLate bloke with a bit of expertise to argue the case. According to Haggerty Rangers didnaemwin the tax case, so they didn't . Fair enough. The HMRC appeal was for the most part refused. Slight difference but largely the same outcome. But, she says, there will still be money due to,the taxman so we'll all have to putmthatnin our pipes and smoke it. I reckon this dame has a future on Radio Bahgdad.

Remember, the Donegal based fantasist has been all over the on going Rangers situation these last five years, like a rash. He has published a book, received the funds to publish another two(a novel and a revisionist history of the Irish in Scotland). He was welcomed on phone-ins, eulogised and lionised in turn, because he told the usual suspects what they needed to hear. Cosgrove and Spence were supporters, Radio Snyde's objective host of ra show, Jim Delahunt often introduced Phil as, 'a journalist who has built his own most substantial platform'. I wonder what their collective and individual take on Phil's ill-disciplined pronouncement on yesterday's Appeal result? "The sequence of events that ended in June 2012 with the club established in 1872 lying in a lifeless heap at the bottom of the marble staircase was almost entirely created by important people at the top of said staircase". Of course, the Ibrox Disaster analogy is most attractive to Phil et al. Again, please allow me to remind Gersnetters of Channel Four's Alex Thompson's YouTube sequence of John Greig's effigy stepping off the plinth and walking away, the strapline being, 'we don't do walking away'. Thompson was invited on to BBC Radio Scotland by Channel Four's Director for Diversity, Stuart Cosgrove to be coached through an apology for offence due to ignorance. It was an east 20 minutes for Alex as Stuart prompted him to a laughing conclusion. Two days later and a further two articles from Thompson had Rangers supporters continually referred to as, 'Daleks'. Notoriously, Dalek have problems with stairs. A further reminder, Alex Thompson, the journo that patrolled the back streets of Baghdad, was brought to the Rangers story by constant pleading from Dearest Phil, Cosgrove, and Roy Greenslade.

League Cup draw on Thursday Wednesday 9th July 2014 by SPFL The draw for the first round of the Scottish League Cup will be made at the Bet Butler Stadium, home of Dumbarton FC, on Thursday 10 July at 2pm. The 30 clubs who competed in the Scottish Championship, League 1 and League 2 in 2013/14 are involved in the draw, which is seeded and will be conducted by Danny Lennon and Kenny Shiels. Ties are due to be played on Saturday 2 August but the game involving Rangers FC will be rescheduled due to Glasgow 2014. Seeded clubs Dundee Hamilton Academical Falkirk Queen of the South Dumbarton Livingston Raith Rovers Alloa Athletic Cowdenbeath Morton Rangers Dunfermline Athletic Stranraer Ayr United Stenhousemuir Unseeded clubs Airdrieonians Forfar Athletic Brechin City East Fife Arbroath Peterhead Annan Athletic Stirling Albion Clyde Berwick Rangers Montrose Albion Rovers East Stirlingshire Elgin City Queen's Park Dates for ties 2014/15 First round Saturday 2 August, 2014 Second round Tuesday 26 August, 2014 Wednesday 27 August, 2014 Third round Tuesday 23 September, 2014 Wednesday 24 September, 2014 Quarter-finals Tuesday 28 October, 2014 Wednesday 29 October, 2014 Semi-finals Saturday 31 January, 2015 Sunday 1 February, 2015 Final Sunday 15 March, 2015 http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/league-cup-draw-on-thursday-78/