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Hearts have exited administration after documents were lodged with the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh club had been in administration since last June with debts close to £30m. They started the season with a 15-point penalty and will play in the Championship next term after being relegated from the Premiership. Hearts owner Ann Budge “When we do hand the club over to the fans in a few years' time, it will be in the best possible shape” Ann Budge Hearts owner "We kept going and it's wonderful that we're here, eventually," said the club's new owner Ann Budge. "There have been many days when I thought there were just too many challenges facing us but we didn't lose hope. "We want to get a really strong management team in place - I don't just mean on the field, off the field as well - and basically ensure that this club never has to go through this again. "When we do hand the club over to the fans in a few years' time, it will be in the best possible shape." Budge agreed a deal with creditors to buy Hearts and quickly set about restructuring the club with Craig Levein brought in as director of football and Robbie Neilson joining as head coach. Gary Locke, who had been manager during the administration process, left the club at the end of his contract. The move out of administration means the ban on the registration of players imposed by the league last year will be lifted and Hearts will now be allowed to make signings. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27794267 The Tynecastle club entered administration in June 2013 with debts close to £30m, with most of the money owed to businesses in Lithuania who themselves would undergo insolvency procedures. Hearts' new director of football Craig Levein and head coach Robbie Neilson Levein and Neilson will lead Hearts' football operation "It certainly has been a long year but, with hindsight, it's been a great outcome," said administrator Bryan Jackson. "For that I'm very grateful, happy and very relieved." Jackson has successfully taken seven clubs, including several in Scotland, out of administration. And, asked if saving Hearts had been his toughest task, he replied: "Of course it has because I say that about all of them. "I think genuinely this one has been. It was always going to be a tough one when you saw what we inherited from day one. "With some of the external factors, some of the third parties that were involved as well, it made it very difficult for us. New obstacles kept popping up all over the place. As we solved one, there was another one. "So, I would say in the end it was the most difficult one and there were certainly times when I really didn't think we were going to make it this time. "We were close to running out of money on a couple of occasions. We managed to sell a couple of players to keep us going. "Just about everything that came in was crucial. The fans' donations were crucial as well. It was fantastic the donations we received and the support we received from them "The income in the last few games was very important to us and I'm very grateful to the fans for the numbers that turned up to those games."

Colin Stewart ‏@RFC_Colin 3h Every time I look out of my window another digger or portacabin has appeared Colin Stewart ‏@RFC_Colin 2h Broomloan car park being turned into a portacabin village. That's 7 and rising

By Alasdair Lamont and Martin Conaghan BBC Scotland The Scottish FA is to look into moving away from Hampden Park. It is one of a number of proposals put forward following the hiring of a consultancy firm by SFA chief executive Stewart Regan. The SFA's lease on Hampden expires in 2020 and that could signal an end to international matches and cup finals at the national stadium. Its board will look at the practicalities of taking such games to other stadiums round the country. The proposals, which are at an early stage, also include exercising an option to renew the lease for a further 20 years or acquiring the freehold from current owners Queen's Park Football Club. BBC Scotland has seen documents circulated to key SFA figures last week. Celtic Park, Pittodrie Stadium, Ibrox Stadium, Easter Road and Murrayfield Stadium are all under consideration as venues for Scotland's home matches and Scottish Cup games. It would also mean the SFA finding offices elsewhere as well as moving the Scottish Football Museum and sports medicine facilities. The SFA has lodged a bid with Uefa to host group matches for Uefa's Euro 2020 competition, which will be staged across multiple European cities. It recently extended the lease to incorporate the Euro 2020 bid. The proposal document assumes there is no desire in the SFA to build an entirely new stadium or refurbish an existing ground. James Watson Consultancy has been engaged to assess the various options ahead of any announcement regarding Euro 2020. BBC Scotland contacted the SFA, who did not wish to comment at this stage. Hampden, which also houses the headquarters of the Scottish Professional Football League, has been temporarily converted to an athletics stadium for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Queen's Park, who play in Scotland's League Two, have been playing their home games at Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie during the conversion work and until the stadium reverts back to a football venue after the summer event. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27774208

Received this email today. Ready To Listen Focus Groups Following the issue of the Rangers Ready To Listen Phase 2 results, the next phase of the initiative is to hold face-to-face meetings in the form of focus groups. More than half the respondents from the initial survey said they would participate in further supporter engagement initiatives to help shape the Club’s Ready To Listen campaign and these focus groups will now be facilitated at Ibrox with fans who had expressed a wish to continue their involvement. The first set of focus groups will take place on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 June in the Blue Room at Ibrox Stadium. These focus groups will concentrate on Fan Engagement with 4 groups being held across two days and should last no longer than 1½ hours. A representative sample of Rangers fans will be included in each group to share their individual views and will be invited to participate on a first come first served basis. The sessions will be managed by an independent researcher. If you would like to take part, please reply to this email stating your name, contact telephone number and which day and group you would like to attend from the following: Day 1: Tuesday 10 June • Group 1: 6pm • Group 2: 8pm Day 2: Wednesday 11 June • Group 1: 6pm • Group 2: 8pm Please reply no later than Friday 30 May to confirm your attendance. All chosen participants will be notified no later than Wednesday 4 June and as an incentive, all participants who are selected to attend the focus groups will have the opportunity to attend a tour of Murray Park as a thank you for their time. These initial focus groups will be followed by sessions covering Club Membership and Digital & Media in the coming weeks and months. If you acknowledged that you would like to take part in further initiatives on Club Membership and Digital & Media, you may still have the opportunity to attend these focus groups whether or not you attend the Fan Engagement initiative. Thank you for your continued support for Ready To Listen. Rangers Football Club Rangers.co.uk To unsubscribe, please follow this link: Unsubscribe The Rangers Football Club Ltd, registered in Scotland with number SC425159 registered office Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD

THE Rangers family have taken Calum Gallagher to their hearts. But the Ibrox kid has revealed his biggest fans are Celtic supporters. Gallagher emerged from the Murray Park ranks to impress for Ally McCoist's side in the closing weeks of the League One campaign and will be part of the squad that will bid for Championship glory next term. The forward was snapped up by Rangers after being spotted while playing for local side Giffnock after leaving Dundee United early in his teens. After forging his way into the first team, scoring on his debut against Dunfermline and helping seal a third tier title, Gallagher is living the dream in Light Blue. And the 19-year-old is delighted to be able to repay his nearest and dearest for their backing as he continues on the road to glory with Rangers. "I come from a really supportive family and now that I am where I am I think they are more Rangers fans than Celtic fans," he told SportTimes. "I get teased from a lot of them but a lot of them are at every game and they are really supportive. "I have got to live my dream and play football. Now that I am where I am, I love the club and everything it stands for. "I am so lucky to be where I am and long may that continue." It may have taken until the closing weeks of the campaign for Gallagher to get his big break but it was to prove well worth waiting for as he impressed in League One and the Scottish Cup triumph over Albion Rovers. He has quickly settled into a first team filled with SPFL Premiership-quality stars and, in the cases of stalwarts Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace and keeper Cammy Bell, players who have turned out for Scotland. The transition from Murray Park kid to Ibrox star could have been a daunting one but Gallagher admits the warm welcome he received made the first team dressing room feel like home sweet home. "When I first came in, Lee McCulloch was amazing with me," he said. "I felt that he put a lot of attention towards me and really helped me settle in. "He is still a great influence and he is amazing around the dressing room. "He is deserving of the club captaincy, there is no doubt about that. "Guys like Jon Daly have been great for me, as a striker. He has been able to impart his wisdom in a positional sense and talked me through a few things. "It has been great to work with the gaffer as well and it can only help me working with someone who was as good a player as him. "It would be unfair of me to single out anyone, everyone really pulls their weight and helps integrate the younger players into the squad. You couldn't ask for a better staff and group of team-mates." Gallagher may have had to quickly make new acquaintances on his maiden venture into the Gers first team arena but there were a couple of familiar faces for the forward to chew the fat with. His Murray Park peers Fraser Aird and Lewis Macleod have shone since given their chance by boss McCoist, with the pair once again impressing in League One as Rangers eased to the title this term. It was to prove a frustrating end to the campaign for Macleod as a virus saw him forced to hang up his boots with several weeks of action still to be played. The champions will return to pre-season training in a couple of weeks and Gallagher is confident his fellow Light Blue protege can shine once again next term. He said: "Lewis is one of the most gifted players I have ever played with. He has got everything you need in a footballer. "Fingers crossed everything works out for him. If he is able to keep himself fit and healthy then there is no knowing where he could end up in the game. "It must have been really frustrating for him not being able to play in the second half of the season. "It is something all players go through, everyone gets injuries. It is horrible coming in and feeling the energy about the place but not being able to exert yourself and play your part. "I am sure it was torture for him but here's hoping he comes back better than ever next season." It is less than a month before McCoist will start putting his players through their paces ahead of the big Championship kick-off but there has only been one arrival at Ibrox thus far, Kenny Miller clinching his third Gers switch last week. Having allowed Andy Little to leave after his contract came to an end, another striker is one of McCoist's top priorities as he looks to bolster his squad, with former Ibrox forward Kris Boyd linked with a return to the club. And Gallagher, who has spent most of his first team career in a role on the right of the Rangers midfield, is eager to show what he can do in front of goal. He said: "That is where I have always played, through the middle. "But I know that I have the traits that let me play wider as well. I am happy to play anywhere in a Rangers top.As long as I am on the pitch and doing my bit for the team I am delighted. "I would love to get a run out in what I see as my natural position. But you never know where you will end up. Lee McCulloch has played in just about every position during his career. "If you can make an impact in multiple positions then that is great. Doing that gives you more of a chance of getting on the pitch than if you were restricted to one position. "It is not something I grudge or anything like that. I am delighted to play wherever the manager wants and I will go out and give my all for Rangers." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/calum-ive-got-bunch-of-celtic-fans-proud-of-my-role-in-rangers-family-166655n.24435761

ALLY MCCOIST was disappointed that 18-year-old Charlie Telfer decided to move to Dundee United after Rangers had offered him a new deal to stay at the club. Telfer was a key player for Gordon Durie’s Youth Cup winning under-20 team in 2013/14 but at the start of this month it was confirmed he would join the Tangerines which came as a surprise to many Rangers supporters. The midfielder, who made his Gers first-team debut in a 4-0 win over Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park in April, was seen as being one of the brightest prospects at Murray Park but McCoist reluctantly had to accept his decision to move on. He said: “We wish Charlie all the best but we were obviously very sad to see him go. “He trained with the squad and came on against Stenhousemuir last season and we feel he is a great prospect. He still is a great prospect but sadly for Dundee United now. “We offered Charlie terms which he was well within his rights to decline and turn down and he did so. He has moved to Dundee United with our best wishes. “The first thing people have to realise is it was Charlie’s decision. We wanted to keep Charlie but he obviously decided to turn down the offer that was put to him by the club. “I can understand people questioning why would Charlie want to go to Dundee United rather than stay at Rangers. He can answer that, he has been quoted in the newspapers recently. “But we have been delighted with some of the younger boys that have come through. “Last year alone we had 13 academy graduates who played for the first team. Some of them will develop quicker than others. Look at boys like Macleod, Gallagher, McKay, Aird and numerous more have come through the academy.” In total 21 Murray Park graduates have made more than 450 appearances for the Rangers first-team post-administration which goes against any suggestions that young players have not had an opportunity at senior level in recent years. McCoist added: “We are delighted with the academy, we want to get as many coming through as possible but 13 last year is good and we will never rest on it. “Jimmy (Sinclair) and the lads in the youth department are very pleased that myself, Kenny and Ian have told them, and we stand by it, if we feel the kids are due an opportunity and deserve an opportunity then they will certainly get one. “They will always get the opportunity. Even further back Allan McGregor, Barry Ferguson, Charlie Adam, Chris Burke, Stevie Smith – international footballers a lot of them - have come through the academy at Murray Park. “Perhaps the whole thing has been blown up a little bit because Charlie has exercised his right to move on but we will continue to work hand in hand with the academy. “The boys that warrant and deserve their chance, I can reassure everybody, will get it.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7046-ally-sad-to-see-charlie-go

I think England have the potential to get to the semi finals but can just see Hodgson being so negative and continuing playing out of form Rooney and players out of position therefore will go out in the group stages. England should let teams worry about them and play to their potential and strongest team with players who are in form. Giving Rooney an automatic start means he switches off, and I agree with Scholes that he has peaked already. He would be better coming off the bench at a high impact level. Welbeck is a bizarre one, I don't know what anyone see's in him. Sturridge is a must, and then let the other creative players go and play. For me Id go with 1 of these teams: _____________________Hart______________________ Johnson______Cahill______Jagielka______Baines ___________________Gerrard___________________ Sterling____Barkley______Ox-Cham____Lallana ___________________Sturridge__________________ Or start this against Italy: _____________________Hart______________________ Johnson______Cahill______Jagielka______Baines ______________Gerrard____Wilshire______________ Sterling_____________Barkley__________Lallana ___________________Sturridge__________________

“You’ve only got two years of history.” Dundee United have pushed relations with Rangers to breaking point. They have declared: “You’ve only got two years of history.” Tannadice chairman Stephen Thompson delivered the incendiary put-down to Light Blues Chief Executive Graham Wallace in negotiations over youngster Charlie Telfer. Rangers wanted £175,000 to £200,000 in compensation for the development of the player from the age 12 to 18. But United countered with £50,000, arguing only the time since the 2012 liquidation of the Ibrox club is relevant. That’s infuriated the Govan outfit, who squashed talks to await the verdict of an independent panel early next season. It is the latest in a series of conflicts between the clubs, stretching back to United’s involvement in the decision not to allow Rangers to play in the SPL in 2012-13. In deciding to reject an offer from Rangers in order to switch to Dundee United as a free agent this summer, the Scotland Under-19 cap raised more than a few eyebrows. Seen as one of the brightest products of the Murray Park youth system, he was tipped as a future Ibrox first team star. Yet if the failure to hold onto the midfielder irked some Rangers fans, it should be nothing to the reaction to news of United’s inflammatory stance in subsequent compensation talks. Under Scottish regulations, clubs who lose a player under the age of 23 through freedom of contract are entitled to payment for his development and training. The scheme protects those who invest heavily in youth development, only to see their best prospects snapped up by bigger clubs. In exploratory talks about Telfer, Rangers — using the ready reckoner for such cases — asked for a payment of between £175,000 and £200,000 for bringing Telfer through from the age of 12. Tangerines chairman Stephen Thompson, though, offered just £50,000. He dismissed all but the last two years as irrelevant — because in his eyes Rangers only came into existence in 2012. That stance has infuriated the club and will provoke a similar reaction from the Light Blues support. The liquidation of two years ago is not disputed. But, they assert, the purchase of business and assets by the new company covered Rangers’ illustrious history, including the world record 54 titles and seven domestic Trebles. Now, with no agreement reached, the validity of United’s argument — centring on the successful departures of stars such as Steven Davis, Steven Naismith, and Steven Whittaker in 2012 for nothing — is set to be decided by an independent panel. Likely to include a law lord, it should take place early in the new season. The news will do nothing for already strained relations between the two clubs. Many Light Blues fans blamed Thompson for the fact the newco was not allowed to join the SPL two years ago. He was involved in the move to open up the vote to all clubs, the catalyst for the so called “Arab Spring” of fan opposition. With many Rangers fans already annoyed at the Tangerines’ failure to honour tickets for an abandoned league fixture four years ago, the Scottish Cup tie between the pair at Tannadice was subject to a fan boycott. Since then, there has been the rancour over this season’s Scottish Cup semi-final. http://www.sundaypost.com/sport/football/dundee-utd-blast-for-rangers-in-tranfer-row-1.410939

.....as bill for winding up oldco Rangers continues to soar. Jun 09, 2014 12:26 By Keith Jackson THE staggering figures are revealed in the latest six month report from insolvency experts BDO - which shows more than £1m has been spent on legal fees and outlays ACCOUNTANTS and lawyers have raked in a staggering £2m in 12 months as the bill for winding up oldco Rangers continues to soar. The mind blowing figures have been detailed in the latest six month report from insolvency experts BDO who were appointed as liquidators of the Rangers Football Club PLC after it failed to emerge from administration following Craig Whyte’s ruinous 10 month reign. And the unfathomable strategy adopted by Whyte is further highlighted by the fact that almost half of this latest £2m bill has been covered by the final instalment of the £4.5m deal which saw Nikica Jelavic sold off to Everton just two weeks before the club was plunged into financial chaos in February 2012. The BDO report, which was completed at the end of last month, reveals that a cheque for £975k is expected to arrive from the Goodison Park club ‘shortly after 31 May 2014’. But that windfall won’t come close to covering th.e spiraling costs of the on-going liquidation process - as BDO gear up for a potential multi-million pound courtroom battle with Collyer Bristow, the law firm who advised Whyte during his takeover in 2011. In total, more than £1m has been spent on legal fees and outlays with more than £650,000 of it going to solicitors Stephenson Harwood, who are preparing the case against Collyer Bristow. The report says that a trial date is ‘currently set for the beginning of 2015’ but it is anticipated that a deal could be negotiated and an out of court settlement agreed. BDO are also carrying out a probe into the conduct of administrators Duff and Phelps, who sold the club’s assets to Charles Green for a knock-down £5.5m. But the report stresses: “Due to the highly sensitive nature of certain aspects of these investigations, we consider that it is not appropriate to provide full details in respect of our investigations to date,”. BDO reveal that the creditors pot has been boosted by a payment of £75k ‘in relation to the transfer of Charlie Adam’. But, while they are attempting to claw together as much cash as possible for those who suffered from the Rangers collapse, their own running total for remuneration stands at more than £1m which, the report says, has already been drawn down. BDO expect more money to trickle into the account through from a sell-on clause triggered by Jelavic’s January move from Everton to Hull City, possibly as much £187,500 so long as the Croat helps keep his new club in the Premiership next season. But one creditor who has received this latest update from BDO told Record Sport last night: “The fact that Everton still owe almost £1m from the initial Jalvic deal defies belief. It’s good new for the creditors but it makes you wonder what on earth Whyte was thinking about when he did that deal, just a fortnight before placing the club in administration. “He sold the club’s best player for a snip and yet he didn’t even demand that the money was paid up front. It’s incredible as, for that matter, are the sums of money involved in this on-going process. The collapse of Rangers has made an awful lot of money for an awful lot of people.” But another source said: "BDO are doing a highly professional job in going after as much money as possible for the creditors. The fact they are ploughing so much into the legal cases is an indication of where this thing is headed. "There should be a lot of very worried people out there because BDO are going after them like a dog at a bone." BDO admit, two years into the process, there is no sign of it coming to a conclusion any time soon. Not only is the court action against Collyer Bristow still to be settled but an ongoing dispute with HMRC over the club’s use of the controversial EBT scheme also continues to rumble on. The report says: “If HMRC are successful in the appeal their potential claim in the liquidation could be significant and have a material impact upon any dividend that may ultimately be payable to unsecured creditors,”. And it ends: “Due to the significant issues to be resolved in the liquidation, the joint liquidators do not expect to be in a position to bring this case to a conclusion for some considerable time. Further reports will be circulated to creditors within six weeks of each six month anniversary of the date of liquidation.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/revealed-accountants-lawyers-rake-2m-3665381

GRAHAM WALLACE says Rangers now has a solid base from which it can move forward with confidence as it looks to grow, prosper and thrive more as time goes on. Wallace has spent the weekend in Toronto at the 2014 NARSA convention, where over 1,000 Light Blues fans have been in attendance. The chief executive took questions in an open forum yesterday afternoon following the association’s annual general meeting. A number of issues were raised with him and Wallace is keen to reassure Gers followers a path to a brighter future lies ahead. He said: “It has been interesting talking to a different cross-section of fans in Toronto as it was an opportunity to hear at a really detailed level about some of the issues they have. “Almost since the day I came to Rangers, we’ve been operating in an environment where there have been consistent questions about the financial stability of the club. “I’ve repeatedly come out and said there’s no threat of administration and we’ve built a very solid base now which we’re moving forward from. “The fans should take reassurance and comfort from that. We are moving in a way that allows us to grow and develop the business. “The long-term financial stability of the business is well in hand and we are in a good place now. Fans should be confident and comfortable with the club’s long-term stability. “The club needs them to survive like any business does and we are absolutely hoping they will stand behind and support the club the way they have in recent seasons. “In the vast majority of areas, I think we are moving in the right direction and it is business as usual at the football club. “The fans are looking for a degree of confidence that their club is stable, it’s being properly run and we are in a good position financially. “We are now in our best position financially in my time at the club so that’s positive and we are placed very well for the start of the forthcoming Championship campaign.” Wallace admits there is still considerable work to be done as Rangers bid to make up for what he feels has been a missed opportunity to rebuild in a better way since administration in 2012. But he is sure a lot key moves have now been made which will allow the League One title winners to make more notable strides from now on. He added: “I’ve been in position now for a little over six months and in that time it has been extremely challenging. “There have been so many legacy issues we have had to deal with and we spent a considerable period of time looking at the condition and the state of the business. “We had to map out what we think the club and the business is capable of doing over the next several years. “We have done a tremendous amount of groundwork and we’ve addressed a significant number of issues. “In April, we published our business review. That gave fans a sense of what we inherited but more importantly, a sense of the vision of where we think we can take the business. “We have made significant strides but it’s not an overnight journey and what we are looking for now is to move forward again. “We want to go through our pre-season routine into the new season and really push on, starting to make a huge difference in the areas we’ve identified.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7029-a-base-to-grow-from

...moves into a £65-a-week council house. EX-SCOTLAND star once lived in a £1.3million mansion and drove a £100,000 Ferrari but he is no longer living the high life after his career fizzled out. FORMER £16,000-a-week footballer Garry O’Connor has moved into a council house with his family. It is thought they pay £65 a week in rent for the terraced property. The family’s modest lifestyle is a far cry from O’Connor’s heyday when he earned a fortune, lived in a £1.3million mansion and drove a £100,000 Ferrari. The move to the Law View estate in North Berwick, East Lothian, is the latest twist in the rise and fall of the former Scotland and Hibs star. In a career marred by drug scandals, court appearances, debt problems and professional humiliation, O’Connor has gone from hero to zero. At one time, he was courted by top clubs. But he last played for third-tier Morton. And they released him after club chirman Douglas Rae branded him lazy and out of shape. O’Connor, from Edinburgh, began his career with Hibs. The player, who has 16 caps for Scotland, landed a big-money transfer to Lokomotiv Moscow in 2006 but did not settle in Russia. The first major controversy of his career came when he went AWOL before Scotland’s Euro qualifier with Ukraine. A year later, he got a megabucks move to the English Premier League with Birmingham City. Since then, his story has been one of unfulfilled potential. In June 2012, O’Connor was convicted of possessing cocaine. He was sentenced to community work but landed back in court when he repeatedly failed to turn up. Shortly afterwards, the player was cleared of a £93,000 insurance fraud after he crashed his Ferrari Spider. The same year, after moving to Siberia to play, O’Connor suffered a £350,000 loss when he sold his £1.3million five-bedroom house in the exclusive Archerfield estate in East Lothian for £950,000. Last year, it was revealed that O’Connor owed large debts to creditors and that he had put a trust deed in place in a bid to avoid bankruptcy. And earlier this year, he was taken to court by Bank of Scotland who wanted to seize his previous home in Longniddry. East Lothian Council’s decision to allocate a house on the newly built Law View estate to O’Connor, wife Lisa and their three children, has angered some neighbours. Irene Galloway, of Law Residents Group, said: “The area is a lovely, modern council estate. But there’s a lot of anger here that people from outside North Berwick have moved into the home. “Local folk who didn’t get them aren’t happy.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/former-16000-a-week-footballer-garry-oconnor-3663510

NARSA has donated £5,000 towards the cost of a bust of Rangers legend Sandy Jardine which the club is planning to commission. Jardine lost his fight with cancer in April at the age of 65 and his loss was felt by Light Blues fans around the world. Among those mourning him were supporters in North America, who had a terrific affinity with the former right-back. Jardine, an honorary vice-president of NARSA, was a regular attendee at its annual conventions and visited his last one in the Bahamas two years ago. When the association heard the club was looking into creating lasting memorial to recognise the ex-Scotland international’s life, its executive was keen to contribute. Treasurer Bobby Smith suggested an initial donation of £1,000 and a motion was put forward at its annual general meeting yesterday morning in Toronto. There was unanimous agreement and Hamilton Ibrox Exiles RSC president Graham Tait suggested giving five times that amount. An amendment was made and the motion was passed, with an announcement made about the touching decision at last night’s Grand Banquet. Smith explained: “I spoke to Jim Hannah about the idea when I was over in Glasgow in April and we had a conference call about it a week later. “The committee was 100 per cent behind the suggestion so it went to the floor at our AGM yesterday morning. “I was hoping someone might make an amendment to my motion to make it a wee bit more and thankfully Graham proposed that. “NARSA is financially stable and it’s brilliant we’re going to be able to donate to a tribute to someone who meant so much to us. “Sandy’s a man who deserves that. He was a big supporter of NARSA and he was absolutely magic with us so it’s something we were very keen to do.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7030-narsa-makes-sandy-donation

LEE McCULLOCH would love Rangers fans to carry on their journey back to the top of Scottish football next season with the team in a league he thinks will be the best in Scotland. The Light Blues will contest the Championship with a host of clubs including Hearts and Hibernian, both of whom will drop down from the Premiership. An intriguing campaign is shaping up and while Gers will be favourites to claim the title, it’s clear they will be pushed far more than they have in the last two year if that’s to happen. The public sale of season tickets starts tomorrow and McCulloch hopes supporters snap them up to ensure Ally McCoist’s men are given every chance possible of winning the crown. McCulloch was speaking in Toronto at the 2014 NARSA convention, where more than 1,000 fans came together over the weekend. He was joined in Canada by his team-mates Stevie Smith, Lewis Macleod, Luca Gasparotto, Nicky Clark and Fraser Aird as well as chief executive Graham Wallace. Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Rangers Ticket Centre, online at rangers.co.uk or by phone on 0871 702 1972. Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Club captain McCulloch said: “The fans have been brilliant. They’ve kept us going and whether it’s the home support or the away support, they’ve filled stadiums to cheer us on. “The way they get behind the team is fantastic and for us as players, it can give us such a push forward. “We’ve got some young kids in our team and it’s great for them as much as it is for the likes of myself. “We need the fans and everybody knows that. Without them there won’t be a Rangers so hopefully they can keep coming to support us. “They’ve been great so far with us but now things are getting harder and we’ll really need them there by our side. “If they do that, we’ll do everything we can to do the business on the pitch and it’ll make it a bit easier for us in what looks like being a very interesting season. “It’s going to be a great league and with Hibs and Hearts in there as well as the pull of Rangers, it’s a division a lot of people will see as being the most exciting in Scotland.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7032-join-us-on-the-journey

Written by Andy Steel As the globe gears up for the festival of football that is The World Cup, it's good to know that here in Scotland there are people who haven't taken their eye off what's really important. While the Coupe Mondiale deserves the capitalised definitive article, given its planet-bestriding presence, Scottish football's lower case lackeys show no sign of drying up. For once, though, it isn't Rangers we have to thank for a distraction from minor events such as the biggest sporting event on earth; it's the breath-of-fresh-air that is dynastic scion and Corner Shop King, Dundee United's Steven Thompson. For Bluenoses who feared that their club had cornered the market in dimwitted Chairmen and chief executives who pander to their support and are only marginally chastised by being exposed as liars or incompetents, Thompson's scenery chewing performances of late have been a blessed relief. Exposed as fibbing about the SFA over Scottish Cup ticket allocations, he now insists said sad Glasgow club have only two years of history and so aren't due much compensation over the transfer of Charlie Telfer. Since his club's fans tend to tediously complain about Rangers and others economic lack of soul, such fairly blatant posturing to sell season tickets is interesting coming from this source: but then, bullshit has never been in short supply in Scotland. Be that as it may, I would think most Rangers fans are 99.9% concerned at seeing decent youth players leave and, shall we say, 'experienced' names like Kenny Miller come in, added to the rather obvious panting of the Rangers board to get Dundee United (or anyone's) money to keep them going: feeble attempts at closed season advertising on Rangers back are likely some way down their list of worries. Thompson was wrong about tickets, he's wrong about Rangers, and that's about it. I, however, am grateful that Mr Thompson has taken up the slack left by Charles Green as the game's go-to guy for guff. The horror of the unrelenting stream of cobblers coming out of Ibrox has been hard to take, and, the egregious balloon of pomposity that is Turnbull Hutton aside, few others in the game seemed willing to try to match it. Then again, we should be careful. Who knows? While the world settles down to see if Brazil can win on home soil, perhaps Mr Thompson already has his application for Graham Wallace's job in the post...he seems 'Ready' to make the step up. http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/249-a-heartfelt-thanks-to-steven-thompson

Wednesday, 04 June 2014 18:45 Miller Completes Rangers Hat-trick Written by Rangers Football Club RANGERS Football Club has today confirmed the signing of Kenny Miller on a one-year deal, with the option for a further year. The 34-year-old striker is now in his third spell with the Light Blues having joined initially from Hibs for the 2000-01 campaign and returning for a hugely successful period between 2008 and 2011. Miller won three top-flight league titles, the Scottish Cup and the League Cup during Walter Smith’s reign before leaving for Bursaspor in January 2011. Following spells at Cardiff and Vancouver Whitecaps in America he has returned to Rangers, where he scored 67 goals in 147 appearances. Miller commented: “I am thrilled to return to Rangers for a third time. I have enjoyed so much success at this great football club and I am determined to repeat it again next season and beyond. “Rangers is a special football club and we are on the rise again and I want to play my part as we look to get back to the top of Scottish football. I had a number of offers once I left Vancouver but I had my heart set on returning to Ibrox and I can’t wait to get started again.” Rangers Manager Ally McCoist: “We are delighted to welcome Kenny back to Ibrox. He was a terrific player for us in the past, especially his second spell at Rangers, and we have won many trophies together. “Kenny brings experience and pace to our forward line and will be a great influence on our younger players at Murray Park. He is a top class footballer and we look forward to seeing him in a Rangers jersey once again as we look to secure promotion to the top flight next season.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7005-miller-completes-rangers-hat-trick

.......for their silence over FIFA World Cup scandal in Qatar. JIM Murphy MP has called on the SFA to stand up and be counted amid more damaging revelations over bribes. THE SFA came under mounting pressure yesterday to end their silence over the Qatar World Cup scandal. Labour MP Jim Murphy called on Scottish football’s controlling body to stand up and be counted amid further damaging revelations over bribes. A leading investigator who exposed FIFA corruption also called for the SFA to make their position on Qatar clear. But SFA chief executive Stewart Regan refused to say anything when approached by a Sunday Mail reporter on Friday at his home in Glasgow’s West End. Regan would only say: “I’m just on my way out. Thanks very much.” The decision to award the 2022 tournament to Qatar has been embroiled in controversy over labour conditions for migrant workers and corruption. This year, the Sunday Mail exposed the abysmal conditions faced by men building the stadia and *infrastructure. And new evidence linking disgraced Qatari football official Mohamed bin Hammam to bribes have plunged the 2022 event further into crisis. Yesterday, Murphy urged the SFA to break their silence over the slave conditions in Qatar before FIFA’s annual congress in Brazil this week. The shadow international development secretary travelled to Qatar with the Sunday Mail in April to probe the working conditions of migrants. He said: “FIFA is engulfed in scandal. The time for real and decisive action is now. So many people, including UEFA president Michel Platini, the English FA, the British representative on the FIFA board and other football associations around the world have spoken up. “The SFA must now break their silence and stand up for what’s right. “The allegations of corruption must be fully investigated and, if found to be true, Qatar must be stripped of the World Cup immediately. “But FIFA must also seize this opportunity to force real change in Qatar and finally bring the industrial-scale abuse of migrant workers to an end. FIFA has two choices – change or rot from within.” Scots writer Andrew Jennings, who uncovered evidence about vote-rigging and bribery in his book Foul: The Secret World of FIFA, urged the organisation to put their house in order. He claims too many decisions are based on keeping FIFA delegates happy, rather than for the good of the game. He said: “You only have to look at the line-up for the 2014 World Cup to see that there just aren’t 32 great teams in the world. “Who would want to cross the road to watch Honduras, other than those with a Honduran passport? “The more teams you have in the World Cup, the more jollies for the officials. “Your team’s no good but Sepp Blatter looks after you by making sure you get a nice holiday in Brazil. You’ve got all these old guys in their declining years that don’t speak out but get a huge amount of money, World Cup tickets and first-class flights. “That’s the kind of men that Sepp Blatter approves of. “To get rid of him we need politicians and outside agencies like the UN and the European Parliament to get involved.” Jennings has been investigating FIFA for a decade and has been barred from Blatter’s press conferences since 2003. He has also researched and presented a string of Panorama exposés on the organisation including The Beautiful Bung, which probed bribery claims in 2006, and FIFA’s Dirty Secrets, which exposed alleged corruption among executive committee members. Last week, allegations emerged that former FIFA official bin Hammam *controlled a £3million slush fund which was used to buy the support of key *officials for the Qatar World Cup bid. This has led to renewed calls for FIFA to restart the bidding process. Even without the corruption allegations, there have been huge question marks over playing the World Cup in the Gulf state where summer temperatures can reach up to 50C. FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke has admitted the Qatar World Cup will be switched to winter but Jennings says that would have a catastrophic financial effect on Scottish football. He added: “Poor old Qatar were trying to run a clean bid and the crooks of FIFA had their hands out. “Who wants to go to Qatar? The fans don’t want to go because you can’t get a beer. The players don’t want to go and the clubs don’t want to release them. “If you’ve just paid £10million for a fantastic pair of goal-scoring legs, you’re not going to risk them in the hot sands of Qatar. It’s time the Scottish FA and the other three home nations tell FIFA enough is enough.” Last week, documents were uncovered allegedly showing secret payments from Qatar’s top football official to influential figures. It was claimed the leaked papers revealed that disgraced bin Hammam had made *payments to football officials in return for votes for Qatar. UEFA president Platini, who initially supported the Qatar bid, now says the vote should be re-run and sanctions imposed if *corruption can be proved. FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has also said he would be in favour of re-running the vote for the 2022 tournament if the *allegations are proven. Yesterday, the day after we approached Regan, the SFA issued a brief statement on Qatar. They said: “We echo the comments of Jim Boyce. If any evidence of wrongdoing around the 2022 Qatar World Cup bid is proved, we would support a re-run of the bid process.” But Murphy said: “It’s not good enough for the SFA to meekly whisper a one-sentence comment. “The SFA seem to be one of the *quietest football organisations on the planet when it comes to the dreadful plight of World Cup *workers.” Meanwhile, angry Brazilians have launched an anti-FIFA graffiti campaign to protest at the cost of staging the World Cup. Powerful images – many showing hungry children – have been springing up all over venue cities. And the protests have the backing of World Cup legend Romario. Now a firebrand left-wing politician, he is fiercely critical of the staging of the tournament. He said: “There are far more important things that need improving in Brazil – like schools and hospitals – rather than staging the World Cup.” Brazilian police used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up violent protests just days before the start of the tournament Trouble broke out in the city of Sao Paulo where the opening game of the tournament will be played on Thursday. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/scotlands-football-chiefs-savaged-silence-3661362

LEWIS MACLEOD has been back in training for more than a month now and believes he’s on track to rejoin the first-team squad for the start of pre-season. The young Rangers midfielder, 19, hasn’t played since January because of an uncommon reaction to a common virus. There were fears over the youngster’s career and given the great strides he has made at Ibrox since breaking through, seeing it end prematurely would have been a huge setback. Thankfully Macleod is in good health again and is making progress as he goes through a rehabilitation programme with physio Stevie Walker. The teenager is currently on a break from that having put five weeks of hard graft in and he’s attending the NARSA convention in Toronto. Macleod took part in the Davie Cooper Memorial Golf Day yesterday and will meet fans again tonight at the Grand Banquet. A more relaxed figure than he was in the second half of 2013/14, the Scotland under-21 cap is delighted to be moving in the right direction once more. Macleod said: “I’ve been doing more of the same stuff I was doing in the first couple of weeks of training with Stevie and it’s going well. “I’ve been doing lots of running and weights and I’ve just been trying to get myself back to full fitness. “I’m still a wee bit off yet but come pre-season I’ll be ready to go and I’m looking forward to that. “I was always hoping to be there or thereabouts by the time the players came back for the start of pre-season. “With the way it’s going, I should be close to full fitness when they come back and all being well, I’ll be fighting fit and there will be no hiccups now. “It has been tough sitting on the sidelines sitting watching but now I’m back running, I feel a lot better about myself and it will be good to get back into it.” Macleod can’t wait for the forthcoming Championship title race as Rangers look for a third successive promotion which would take them back to the top flight. He has impressive in the previous two seasons but on both occasions he has had his campaign cut short. In 2012/13 he was sidelined by a knee injury before his health issues in recent months and he’s keen to get a full term under his belt this time around. Macleod added: “In the last two seasons, I’ve finished them with two pretty rubbish problems and I’m hoping this year is much easier sailing. “I want to go through the whole campaign without any serious injuries and I’m basically just starting again now. Hopefully I can do that and do it well. “I would love for this season to be more straightforward and if I can get a full campaign behind me I’ll be really happy.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7025-wheels-in-motion

Never heard of him, when I first saw the headline I thought it was Delia Smith.

By Jonathan Sutherland BBC Scotland Attendances at Scottish Championship clubs could double next season and the division's average gates could exceed those in the Premiership, according to a football finance expert. Neil Patey confirmed to BBC Two Scotland's 'Scotland 2014' programme that the second tier was in for a boom. It is a result of relegation for Hearts and Hibernian, plus Rangers' promotion. "It's entirely conceivable attendances in total will be up between 50% to 100% for the bulk of clubs," said Patey. "The biggest single revenue source for Scottish football clubs is ticket sales. “We've actually sold more season tickets up to the end of May than we've sold for last season” Turnbull Hutton Raith Rovers chairman "Just using some pretty conservative figures, you could easily see income going up between £200,000 to £300,000 for the average Championship club. "If you add in additional matchday sponsorship merchandising, it could exceed £300,000 to £400,000, which is a big chunk of income for the average Championship club." As well as the continued absence of Rangers, traditionally Scotland's biggest-supported club along with Glasgow rivals Celtic, the Premiership will be minus both Edinburgh clubs, who potentially have the third and fourth biggest supports. The top flight will have a new city derby after Dundee won the Championship to join neighbours United, but Hamilton Academical's play-off win over Hibs means the two Edinburgh clubs will be face to face in the second tier. "If you look at the composition of the Championship and the Premiership and the teams that are going to be there, there's only about a 700-800 differential in average attendances," explained Patey, a partner with Ernst and Young. Raith Rovers and Rangers players clash during the Ramsdens Cup final Raith Rovers will face Rangers again after last season's Ramsdens Cup final win "So it just needs a small increment in the Championship, or a small decline in the Premiership, and it's likely the Championship will exceed the current level of 8,600, which is the average for the Premiership." For a club like Raith Rovers, visits by Hearts, Hibs and Rangers could result in around 4,000 travelling fans making the trip to Stark's Park six times during the season. The Kirkcaldy club are installing hundreds of new seats to meet the demand and other Championship clubs are following suit. Rovers chairman Turnbull Hutton said: "We've actually sold more season tickets up to the end of May than we've sold for last season and we still have the other surge we expect in July. "So we're looking at probably record season ticket sales for this club for next season. "A perfect storm has come together and we've got three clubs that normally would be expected to be in the Premier League are in the Championship. "And it's not just going to be a blip for the Championship because, with the best will in the world, only two of these clubs can go up - and those of us in the Championship still have ambitions as well." The extra money means a club like Rovers are now able to spruce up their old stadium, install a new PA system and strengthen the squad. It also means the players get a bus to take then to away games next season - in recent years, players have sometimes had to make their own way, while at other times the money to pay for a team bus has come directly from the pocket of the chairman. There is also fresh interest from television companies in screening Championship matches, although that is unlikely to translate into millions of pounds of fresh revenue. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27713955

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7016-ally-continue-your-magnificent-support

Celtic target Craig Gordon but Lennon could be his way out; Hibs give themselves breathing space in play-off with 2-0 first leg win; Hearts eye up new signings and more Celtic mull over Gordon move CELTIC could be poised to jump to the head of the queue for former Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon. It’s understood that the Hoops are plotting a move for Gordon, who spent most of last season training with Rangers in a bid to reach full fitness. Gordon has been without a club since suffering two serious injuries during his time at Sunderland, but has finally shaken off the problems and is looking for a new club. Despite rumours that Ally McCoist was interested in offering the former Hearts No 1 a deal, Celtic look set to nip ahead of both Rangers and Motherwell to offer the 6ft 4 keeper a deal. (The Sun)

Short snippet at the bottom of the article on Scottish Football however it is the part where each televised league game generates £6.5m in revenue for clubs. We bemoan the standards set by Ally, the lack of youth and no scouts, but competiting with EPL relegation fodder for players is our best hope outside of unearthing gems and eventually setting up an effective scouting network. The club needs to seriously up its game. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27667472 Staggering figures for a nation that has only won one major tournament nearly 50 years ago.

SEVEN members of the Green Brigade are to stand trial later this year for allegedly singing a song in support of the IRA. Paul Duke, 37, Ross Gallagher, 29, Christopher Bateman, 28, David Gallacher, 22, Sean Cowden, 21, Kieran Duffy, 19 and Greg Robertson, 28, are charged with the offence. The seven men are alleged to have behaved in a way that “is likely or would be likely to incite public disorder” by singing a song - the Roll of Honour - in support of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at Celtic Park. All of the men maintained their pleas of not guilty when they appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing and the trial was adjourned until November. Duke and Gallagher, from East Kilbride, Bateman, from Irvine, Gallacher, from Glasgow, Cowden from Rutherglen and Duffy from Coatbridge, are accused of singing the song at the champions league qualifier match at a Celtic against Elfsborg match on July 31. Gallagher, Bateman and Robertson, from Glasgow, are accused of singing the song on August 3, at the first game of the season against Ross County. Robertson faces a further charge, with Gallacher, of singing at a home game on August 24 against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/green-brigade-members-face-trial-over-ira-song-1-3425725?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed#.U4YbYHbl5sg.twitter

Rangers fans seek access to season ticket sales figures Written by ANONYMOUS A Rangers supporters' group has called for the club's board to reveal how many season tickets have been sold. The deadline for renewals passed two weeks ago and the rate of sales is critical. Directors have previously admitted that a drop in renewals would affect the business's ability to trade as a going concern. The Union of Fans group has been urging supporters not to renew in protest against the current board. Before the deadline, Rangers admitted that sales were slow and directors even met with members of UoF, a coalition of various different fan organisations, to try to broker a compromise. UoF has been advising fans to pay their renewal money into the Season Ticket Fund, an initiative backed by former Rangers captain Richard Gough and former Ibrox director Dave King. The intention was to only pay the money to the club in return for security over Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park. It was claimed Rangers' chief executive Graham Wallace raised the prospect of the board offering legally binding guarantees not to use the property assets as security for loans or to sell them, but talks subsequently broke down. The Union of Fans have urged Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace to reveal how many season tickets have been sold The Union of Fans have urged Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace to reveal how many season tickets have been sold When the club released their interim results in March, the directors acknowledged that a fall in renewals from last year's sale of around 38,000 would leave the business short of enough income to trade for the next 12 months, although Wallace has been adamant that Rangers International Football Club will not fall into administration. A £1.5m loan from two shareholders - Sandy Easdale and George Letham - is due to be paid back as soon as that amount is raised from season ticket sales, but neither is thought to have received their money back yet. "We urge chief executive Graham Wallace and the board to come clean about how many season tickets they have sold and how much cleared income in the bank these sales have provided," said UoF in a statement. "If and when the cash figure reaches £1.5M, the board, as they announced to the Stock Exchange when the loans were negotiated, must immediately pay Sandy Easdale £500,000 and George Letham £1m. "For the avoidance of doubt, if these loans have not yet been repaid, it means that the board have not yet secured £1.5m of season ticket money or they have broken the repayment terms of these loans. "We would ask the board to make a clear statement of the number of fans who have renewed to the AIM market in order that supporters and shareholders can rely on the accuracy of the figure given. "This is a matter of grave concern for shareholders and supporters alike and we also believe it must be something which is being monitored by auditors, Deloitte. "When we met Graham Wallace on 14 May, he once again reiterated that there was 'no possibility of administration'. "We would therefore ask him to make it clear how the club plans to operate at what we believe is a greatly reduced level of season ticket sales." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/27651399

I posted this in the footie section, but thought it would be better in here?,admin can delete if they think different. COUNTY chairman MacGregor is leading the way in re-engaging with Scottish football fans by making his club's relationship with their supporters a priority. HE owns and runs a business worth half a billion pounds a year and a community football club worth its weight in gold. In the fragmented new landscape of Scottish football, strewn with the detritus of mismanagement, Roy MacGregor should be a guiding light. A man who believes in customer and fan first, everything else a distant second. Who invests in the people of Dingwall and Inverness and reaps the rewards. Who lives within his means despite their limitations. Two hundred miles away from the game’s traditional epicentre, though, his voice remains relatively unheard. A whisper of common sense drowned out by the eternal bickering of the incompetent. As the chairman of both Ross County and the Global Energy Group he doesn’t take it personally. He has enough on his plate. That doesn’t mean what he has to say isn’t worth hearing, though. So when a man of his substance tells you a Scottish game which sees three of its biggest clubs languishing outside the top tier is ripe for reinvention, for re-engagement, someone in the hierarchy should be asking him not why but how. “Scottish football is still getting an awakening,” said MacGregor. “It’s not so much the sport – I see fledgling shoots all over the place, with young players getting an opportunity but the game is still unable to enthuse the broadcasters and the public. “I see it in all areas of our game that we have forgotten either our brand or our customer. “Clubs have to examine their customer, their fan. If you take your eye off that you have questions to answer. It comes back to boards of directors understanding fans. “Clubs have forgotten their fans and in any business you do that at your peril. “It’s not finance. Nothing to do with it. Hibs’ budget was five times mine – it’s about your relationship with your customer. “Football clubs used to have really good relationships but they took it for granted. Now we need to reinvent it – and everything negative that’s happening can have a positive outcome but only if boards and fans groups get their eye back on the right values. “Hearts have done it, Hibs are doing it as we speak. Rangers still have to find whatever it is they’re looking for. Their directors don’t have their eye on their fans.” As we talk in his Inverness HQ MacGregor has spent the morning at his club’s ground, throwing ideas at his admin staff on how to improve the matchday experience for their fans, and, uniquely, the away support as well. He talks free pies, free transport, entertainment, value for kids – anything that is the opposite of standing still. He knows half the ideas might not fly but it won’t stop him stretching his people to try. He sighed: “We don’t market the game in this country. The league body should be 90 per cent PR and marketing and 10 per cent rules and administration – we’re the other way round. “Yet I look at what Man City are doing around their stadium and I want to do it. You’re not just going to a game. You’re going to the Man City Experience. You’re there from lunchtime, eating, drinking, being entertained, engaging with the community around the club. “Today’s pay-as-you-go generation have choices to make. The people are still there, just in a different culture. When we first came in the league we went down to Morton – I’d never been there before and the ground had held 35,000 people at one point. “And you look out and see the shipyards and decay and you imagine the people who worked there and went for a pie and a pint and then went to the football. “Yet there were only 1200 people there that day. “If you fight your fanbase like, say, Rangers are doing, your club will never be right. It’s a dysfunctional relationship. The hierarchy in football is changing for the better but it’s the clubs who need to change. Get real with where they are with their fans, with their stakeholders, with the Press. “I see it happening because of finance but it needs to be in your soul. “I’m here with Ross County because I believe in an area which didn’t get an opportunity in a football sense, a talent sense or a business sense to express themselves as part of the UK or Scotland. “My role is to give people opportunity. I do it with my business and with my football club. And we don’t live beyond our means.” MacGregor is rightly proud of his club finishing fifth then seventh in their first two seasons of top-flight football, less than 20 years on from becoming a senior club and on one of the smallest budgets and fanbases in the country. But you’ll never catch him thinking they’ve become something they’re not. He said: “What’s success for us? To stay in the top division and do well in a Cup. Anything beyond that is aspirational. “Plug your club into that aspiration. Don’t think you can be a top-six club. It’s not possible. It’s a bonus and you have to be exceptional to do it. “So just be real and don’t let your supporters get expectations beyond reality. The biggest thing is for the fans to believe you can be better than what you are. You always try to outperform what you are and the fans will come with you.” MacGregor also refuses to fall into the trap many wealthy football benefactors have. He’s watched Stewart Milne and David Murray make decisions in the game they’d never in a million years have made in business but he said: “I find the discipline of it easy because I worry, if I get expectation beyond reality, I’ll let my community down. “I go through the wringer the same as every other fan. I’ve been watching my team since 1966 but I’m not on an ego trip. “I’m in it for an area which has two Premiership teams and is being recognised at last that it’s part of the framework of Scotland.” Yet not so much part of the framework that he’s ever held office in a game you’d think would be crying out for its best business minds to participate. “I’ve never been asked,” he deadpans. “But then this part of the world is still trying to come to terms with being part of football and being accepted. “We’ve never been accepted as part of the football hierarchy and it’s 20 years on. I’m not complaining. We’re 200 miles away from the mass of football supposedly but this season we’re playing five teams who are nearly home games for us, all north of the Tay. “So it HAS changed. Where the heartland of football was has been rocked. “It’s getting better though. We’ve had some revolution in the SFA, we have the leagues together again and I believe the structure is better. “But selling the game is still a difficult job, especially with three of our biggest clubs out of the top division. “So you need to sell the brand on 42 clubs, not 12, and you need to sell it on the whole nation. You need someone who buys into that. “It’s difficult because we have a devolution debate – are UK wide companies wanting to get into that debate by getting into football? “You have issues with tarnished goods – clubs who can’t manage themselves. That effect is still there. The product is not good. But there’s a lot more sense being talked and it’s out of necessity. Setbacks are opportunities. “The SPFL will have to adjust their TV policy, for example, and if that’s what the fan wants? You’ll have to give them Hearts v Rangers not St Johnstone v Ross County. “Do what the customer wants.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/f...gregor-3632540