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I am hearing that both Keevins and Guidi have been rationalised, let go, elbowed, received their jotters, .................... etc from the Mirror Group. More to follow.

The Rangers board and I issued separate public statements following our meeting last month. I made one correction to the RangersÂ’ statement but the Rangers board saw no cause to correct my statement. The board recommitted to issue the business review within the original 120 day deadline and, importantly, committed that the fans will have access to this review prior to advancing funds by way of season ticket renewals. Despite strong reservations from fan groups I asked the fans to give the board time to honour this commitment. Part of my motivation was that any public company board is bound to act in good faith and that breach of such a share price sensitive commitment would be an ethical, moral, and probably criminal breach. I followed up on this commitment with the board after the recent announcement on season ticket renewals. The Chairman has advised me that the board will now only issue the review at the end of the season ticket renewal period and it will consequently not be timeously made available to fans. Disturbingly, the Chairman has advised me that the true intention of the board had always been to delay issuing the review until funds had been largely collected. I apologise to all fans for wasting time by lending credibility to the board’s false representations. I was wrong to give them the benefit of the doubt. At least we now can no longer have any uncertainty about governance at the club. It is common cause that the club is not a going concern without access to the season ticket loan from the fans. It is also common cause that the season ticket money will only provide partial relief in advance of a more permanent recapitalisation. I have hitherto urged restraint in dealing with the board, however due to this extreme act of bad faith I believe that it is vital that fans now withhold season ticket money from this board and similarly refuse to support the club by way of the purchase of replica kit or any other retail product. An announcement will shortly be made providing details of a bank account that season ticket money can be paid into as an interim measure. The specific terms and conditions of this account will be made available to fans, including the basis on which funds will be advanced to the club and the basis on which funds will be returned to fans. As a minimum, the board must provide the club property as security against the season ticket money. I recognise that fans will have anxiety about “betraying” the club and the risk of loss of a cherished seat at Ibrox. However, the time has come when the trade-off is a potential loss of a seat against the loss of the club. That would be the real betrayal. This board has lost its right to be dealt with on a good faith basis. Richard Gough has agreed to join me as a custodian of the bank account that will be established and fan groups can nominate additional members.

Another injury concern, although Simonsen coming in to play would be too alarming.

http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/321-rangers-hearts-and-the-case-of-wee-thistle

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26959101 Every football club launches a season ticket renewal campaign. No club other than Rangers is likely to find it such a fraught process. Price rises, ranging from between 15% to 25%, were inevitable and had been indicated at the annual general meeting of shareholders last December. For fans, though, the decision on whether or not to renew is complicated by the club's state of affairs. Dave King King believes Rangers need significant investment if they are to challenge for Scotland's major honours Even the timeframe has drawn attention, since the renewal deadline is 6 May, less than four weeks away. In the context of the discontent that has gathered around Ibrox, the sense is of supporters being given little time to make their choice. There is always an emotional element to the commitment, but Rangers fans have generally become more wary, even before the prospect of the Union of Fans - a coalition of supporters groups - opening a trust fund as an alternative for supporters who don't want to renew under the current circumstances. In meetings last month with the former director Dave King, who wants to invest in the club, the Ibrox board had agreed to complete the business review being undertaken by chief executive Graham Wallace before the season ticket renewal process. King will consider the launch as a breach of that agreement and is likely to respond firmly. The results of Wallace's review, and subsequent funding plan, will determine how Rangers approach the attempt to gain promotion from the Championship next season. They will also go some way to determining King's approach. He wants to provide funds to invest in the team and the football infrastructure now, to enable Rangers to return and then immediately compete in the top flight. In his view, this should be done through the issuing of new shares, which could grant him overall control. The board agreed to similar sporting aims, but do not have the money to finance it since the cash reserves have run out. Wallace needs to cut around £3m from the current running costs, and increase the revenue streams, just to bring the business to an even keel, but the season ticket money is also required just to keep the business going. This is the backdrop to the renewal campaign, which is symbolic of the lack of unity that abounds. Wallace announced at the AGM that his business review would take 120 days, which ends on Thursday 17 April, yet in the notes accompanying the interim results last month he indicated that it might be the end of April before the review and report to the board are completed. The business's going concern status was also only signed off on the basis of the price rise and a modest uplift in renewals. Despite Rangers embarking on their bid for promotion back to the Premiership, in a second tier that will contain Hearts but also possibly other leading clubs, it seems a stretch to believe that more than 37,000 will sign up for season tickets. As well as uncertainty about what funding will be available, or if only cuts will be imposed on the squad, supporters have grown weary of the quality of football this season. The defeat by Raith Rovers in the Ramsdens Cup final drew a disdainful response, and there is still a Scottish Cup semi-final against a talented Dundee United side to address. Either through concern about the quality of the football, frustration with the board and the direction of the club, or just a doubt about the club's financial stability when £1.5m in loans had to be sought from two shareholders last February and both Ibrox and Murray Park require maintenance work, the willingness to renew is being eroded. It has previously been a matter of faith, an indication of the supporters' ongoing commitment to their team. It is now a matter of judgement, of trust or otherwise. There is no incentive to renew immediately, and even missing the 6 May deadline would not be critical since there is no waiting list and supporters who hold off could still retain their seats. The alarm for the directors is a significant drop off in numbers, since this would drastically undermine their means to continue, and make it more difficult, perhaps even impossible, to hold off King. Rangers will receive the season ticket income up front, since a finance company will underwrite the options that allow fans to pay in instalments, a common arrangement in football. The first £1.5m raised, though, will be used to pay back the shareholder loans - from George Letham and Sandy Easdale, who is also a director on the football club board. The directors will watch the initial renewal numbers with concern, while some supporters will await the review, and others will wait to see what the general uptake is like. With the money raised from the initial public offering of shares in December 2012, and two tranches of season ticket money, having been spent, wariness is widespread. It is also political, since the future of Rangers - as it stands - would seem to either involve cost-cutting under the current powerbase of directors and a group of aligned shareholders, or King becoming the significant influence. Fans can buy tickets on a game-by-game basis. The season ticket uptake will reflect the mood for change or otherwise, but also go some way to determining Rangers' short-term future.

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THE next crisis is scheduled for just after high noon on Saturday. Ally McCoist faces his biggest on-field challenge yet against Dundee United. Picture: SNS However, Rangers supporters, bloodied and bruised by two extraordinary years of turbulence, will be reminded bluntly about the realities of their club somewhat sooner that the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final with Dundee United at Ibrox this weekend. The season-ticket renewal letters will be sent out tomorrow, with informed sources suggesting an 18% hike. These missives might precipitate a period of reflection among supporters. The crisis at the club is political, financial and professional. It has seeped from the boardroom to the playing field. The crux of the matter in the wake of the Ramsden Cup victory by Raith Rovers appears to be the future of Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager. A simple investigation of "should he go or should he stay" has more twists than Agatha Christie on a Waltzer. Rangers are believed to be in the almost unique position in football of having a manager who can't walk away from a club that can't sack him. The belief is that the board and McCoist are welded together by mutual necessity. Being Rangers, however, it is not as simple as that. McCoist remains determined, even defiant. He has been sorely tested by the events both before and after liquidation. He has made mistakes both on and off the field. But he has become the rallying point for a support who have been introduced to more chancers and comic singers than a matinee audience at the Glasgow Empire. The Rangers manager could be forgiven for deciding that his future lies away from a club that he loves and a job that he craved. His professional abilities have been scrutinised with some rigour in the aftermath of defeat to Raith Rovers. The accusations include: his recruitment policy is and was flawed, his tactical acumen is limited, and his ability to make a game-changing decision is hardly conspicuous. There is a validity in all of this but McCoist is entitled to point out that players were necessarily bought in haste, that his tactics have been good enough to ensure only two defeats all season and who needs to change the flow of a game that your team is already winning? The pressure, though, is growing and is in danger of becoming intolerable. McCoist, famously, cannot do walking away. A personality with a strong sense of self-will and a belief in self-reliance, McCoist must wait on the deliberations of the board, however constituted that may be in the immediate future. The accepted truth is that he cannot be sacked in deference to his place as Rangers legend and as the enduring beacon in the most stormy of times at the club. This is no longer correct. First, there is a loud element of the Rangers support who are looking for change in the manager's office as well as the boardroom. Second, the present board includes those who have little time for McCoist. This disaffection stretches far beyond his capabilities or otherwise as a football manager. McCoist's decision to give the proxy vote on his shares to a supporters' club at the club's annual meeting in December was handled delicately by Graham Wallace, the chief executive. However, it was greeted with some anger by other members of the board. The chance of a united front against the requisitioners was weakened considerably by the manager's stance. This has not been forgotten or forgiven. There are also those on the periphery of power at Ibrox who are not admirers of the manager and have called on him to be sacked. McCoist has had a good relationship with Wallace but there are reports that this has been severely dented, if not fractured, in recent days. If they continue to sing from the same hymn sheet, it is with strained voices. There is, too, a constituency that argues that the sacking of the manager would give the sale of season tickets a necessary and timely boost. More sober voices point out that the level of uptake of season tickets may be beyond any such move given the continued uncertainty in the boardroom and the prospect of competing in the SPFL Championship with a squad that is not considerably improved. There is also the belief that finding a replacement for McCoist may be easy, but that does not mean it carries a guarantee of success on the pitch. "This place is bedlam," said a Rangers insider. "There is no budget, no scouting and no stability. "Who wants such a job? And are they the sort of people who could make it work?" Despite all this, of course, McCoist could be sacked and there would be little concern over any pay-off. "Can you imagine Ally suing Rangers?" said one cynical but acute observer last night. The manager thus prepares for a defining match against Dundee United against a backdrop of severe sniping, unyielding criticism and increasing pressure. He would be forgiven if he remarked with his trademark smile: "So what's new?" This rhetorical inquiry may be answered by Dave King, the South African businessman, who is pressurising the board to accept his plan for an immediate investment of £50m backed by a rights issue. The issuing of the season-ticket book reminders might prompt King to make another verbal intervention as he seeks to persuade fans that he offers the last best hope of a swift re-invigoration of the club. His supporters insist he would provide funds for a strengthened squad for next season's campaign. King would almost certainly also back McCoist, at least in the short term. However, King did not become a multi-millionaire on the back of a penchant for patience and a predilection for backing those who do not give him what he wants. Rangers now stand just more than a week away from the publication of the business plan that will set out the way forward. It is difficult to see how it can satisfy King. McCoist, meanwhile, must select and set up a team to defeat a quick, inventive and increasingly confident Dundee United side. The Rangers manager, ever the optimist, will point out his team are just 90 minutes away from unlikely redemption. Until, that is, the next crisis. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/what-to-do-with-a-man-who-cannot-walk-away.23908867?

Monday, 07 April 2014 14:15 Wallace Injury Being Assessed Written by Andrew Dickson LEE WALLACE is being assessed this afternoon as Rangers try to determine what his chances of facing Dundee United in the Scottish Cup this weekend are. The Scotland full-back was substituted in the second half of yesterday’s Ramsdens Cup final defeat to Raith Rovers at Easter Road with a hip flexor problem. He had initially tried to play on after going down but ultimately had to be replaced by Sebastien Faure with 23 minutes of the regulation 90 remaining. Wallace has been at the club’s Murray Park training base today receiving treatment and he hasn’t been ruled out of the game on Saturday. But it’s remains to be seen just how likely he is to feature against the Arabs and that will become clearer as the game goes on. Jon Daly, Ian Black and Nicky Law all played in Edinburgh despite being pre-match injury doubts and they each stayed on the park until the end of extra time. While they went into the fixture without much training between them in the day building up to the game, they appear to have come through unscathed. Elsewhere, David Templeton will step up his recovery from a groin strain suffered against Airdrie on March 12 this week. He did some running with physio Stevie Walker in the early part of last week but wasn’t fit enough to make the squad in Leith. Andy Little also missed out but he’s working hard to try to get himself in a position where he could participate against the Tannadice outfit. Speaking yesterday on RangersTV, the Northern Ireland international said: “I really don’t know if I’ll make it yet but it would be great if I could. “It’s a cliché but I’m taking things day by day. I had a good week last week and I’m going to try again to run at the start of this week. “We’ll see how that goes. I don’t know either way at the moment but hopefully I can play a part.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6701-wallace-injury-being-assessed

Back in the Cold War, namby pamby lefty liberal types used to put on dramas every so often, depicting the aftermath of nuclear conflict. The production teams involved found it easier (cheaper) to take the deaths of millions as read and focus on small survivor units, depicted against a horribly convincing nuclear landscape. That the Britain of this period accurately stood in for an atomically ravaged landscape ought to tell us something about Britain in general (vote yes!) but the thing I recall best as a small child was the concept of the nuclear winter, a perma-sunless period of years in which nothing could grow or prosper. Grim stuff. Even then, though, the bleeding heart type couldn't resist closing with some hackneyed image of a small plant growing, as life started again without the fell hand of right wing government bringing about the apocalypse this time. There was always hope! No such luck for us, though. We seem to be struggling to take even a single step forward from the dark days of administration and liquidaton. The UK economy is tottering on Bambi legs toward recovery; Libya and Tunisia had their 'Arab Springs', and while Egypt and Syria are hardly the best of adverts for this particular crap analogy, it beggars belief that entire countries and fiscal systems can absorb shocks and recover faster than a well supported football club based in a settled, safe society. I've bored you before with my patented theory about the dark forces who are slowly killing us, but added to that sheer fatigue is doing people in. Many have stopped going due to the abysmal standard of play, others are deflated by online abuse, while some have just run out of steam. We saw over the weekend D'Artagnan packing it in and no wonder: years of firefighting the attacks of other fans and clubs, with no weapons except to point out their own stinking hypocrisy, while the weight of the media is borne down on our club would knacker anyone. But when the feeling grows that the thing you're spending a stupid amount of time defending isn't worth defending you're in big trouble. Not only is the football rubbish but the officials who run our club have been and remain rubbish since Craig Whyte walked down Edmiston Drive, to the cheers of about 40 people who recognised him. He stared killing us slowly from within, Charles continued (continues?) it, while the present incumbents don't bear speaking about, such is my contempt for them. I suppose the fans of other clubs are loving it, but our slow decline is mirrored in theirs. It's not just us going down, it's football as a whole. No amount of Politburo releases from Pacific Quay about the terrific standard and full stands around the country will fool anyone with a grain of sense: as late as the 70's, when I was watching nuclear dramas, clubs had attendances in the tens of thousands. Certainly the decline had set in and to some extent football has been staving off illness for decades, only ocassionally recouperating before falling ill again. I find myself wondering whether Rangers reflects this: since the heyday of European runs and titles in the 60's, it's been a story of boom and bust, staving off decline with some periods of success. That would be normal for a club in a normal country but it isn't normal in Scotland, because firstly about 90% of fans support two teams and secondly without some success for each of them the financial wellspring of the game runs perilously dry. This comes close to the old 'football needs the OF to thrive' argument, and while I think their dominance has hardly helped the game their withering will scarcely revive it, unless we're aiming for a top league with attendances roughly akin to those of Pollok juniors. Many threads on here are becoming increasingly nostalgic, and no wonder. If there's nothing to look forward to, what else can you do? Maybe the bluebells will be out on that grubby bit of wasteground across from Edmiston Drive by the time I fetch up for the next home game, offering the prospect of a new spring ahead. I have my doubts, though: it's more likely a passing fan of another club will have kicked its head off. edit - while a bunch of bluenoses fight amongst themselves and take no action!

I'm not wanting to start an 'Ally bashing' thread as such as right now I don't think there is any point. We could argue all day about decisions, tactics etc. After speaking to/texting all of my mates/family during/after the game yesterday it was clear than NONE of us wanted Ally to remain in charge. And a few of us were complete Ally defenders of late. Some may have been just a knee jerk reaction to the result I'm not sure. Which led me to this, is there anyone that actually wants Ally to stay? And if so why?

I was going through some old stuff at the weekend and came across a folder with the team photos from 1960-61 to 1967-68 (one missing 1963-64) which adorned the walls of my bedroom as a child. I’m going to start with this one of the 1961-62 line up because it is the only glossy photo, the rest are newspaper cuttings. It is stamped on the back “RECORD COPYRIGHT RESERVED” but hopefully it will long since have passed into the public domain. [/img] In those days, the big pre-season friendly, was the First Team v the Reserves and you can see the large crowd it drew. Another reason to start with this one is that the players are not named so you can have some fun trying to put names to faces. (I've played about with it endlessly on Imgur and this is the best size I can come up with that isn't just a small thumbnail or so big only half the picture appears. If Zappa or anyone else in admin can make it a bit bigger that would be appreciated.) The trophies won the previous season are displayed: League Championship (32nd time) League Cup and the Reserve League Cup. The 1961-62 Rangers finished second in the League on 51 points (2 for a win back then) from 34 games in the old 18 team First Division, behind champions Dundee on 54 points. However, we won the League Cup, the Scottish Cup and the Reserves won everything there was to win: Reserve League Championship, League Cup and Second XI Cup. Rangers defeated Hearts 3-1 in a League Cup Final Replay after drawing the first match 1-1 (Jimmy Millar). The regular forward line of the day: Scott, McMillan, Millar, Brand and Wilson broke the Hearts with goals from Jimmy Millar, Ralph Brand and Ian McMillan in the first 21 minutes. At that time the European Cup was a straight knock-out competition for champions only with all matches played over two legs. In the First Round Rangers defeated Monaco 3-2 home and away. The French described our performance beneath the ramparts of Prince Rainier’s palace as “Magnifique”. The second round posed a strange “cold war” problem. The draw sent Rangers to East Berlin to play Vorwarts (pronounce Vorverts) and Rangers returned with a 2-1 victory. However, the Allied Authorities refused Vorwarts visas to travel and it was decided that the game would be played in “neutral” Malmo; actually it was played twice! The first match on November 22nd, 1961 was abandoned at half time due to fog with Rangers leading through a goal from 17-year-old Willie Henderson. The replay kicked off at 9.00 am the following morning and Rangers won 4-1 for a 6-1 aggregate, to bring forward a Quarter Final against Standard Liege. Eric Caldow pulled out of the away leg with an injured toe, 30 minutes before the kick off and was replaced by 19-year-old Bobby King. Teenagers Willie Henderson and John Greig were the right wing pairing (outside right and inside right). Rangers went down 4-1 in a mud bath before a “tempestuous, partisan crowd” (well, what would you expect?). Willie Henderson had been chosen to play again in the second leg ahead of Alex Scott whose fitness was in doubt; but Henderson got caught up in traffic on his way to the ground from Airdrie and did not arrive at the Stadium in time to strip for the match. Rangers won 2-0 but went out 4-3 on aggregate. As a 15-year-old, 28 clubs wanted to sign Henderson, “Manchester United and Aston Villa being the most persistent”; but he signed for Rangers on his father’s advice at age 16 and spent the next 12 years at Ibrox playing 478 times and scoring 36 goals. He won his first Scottish Cup medal in Rangers 16th Scottish Cup triumph when we defeated St Mirren 2-0 in front of 127,940 spectators who paid £17,980 (excluding stands!) at Hampden on 21 April 1962, the first of a three in row cup victories and my own first Scottish Cup Final. This was the legendary Rangers line up of the day: Ritchie, Shearer, Caldow; Davis, McKinnon, Baxter; Henderson, McMillan, Millar, Brand and Wilson. Four of our lads: Eric Caldow, Jim Baxter, Alex Scott (who was still selected for Scotland although he had lost his place in Rangers team to Henderson) and Davy Wilson, played for Scotland in the famous 2-0 win over England at Wembley. Wilson and Caldow (penalty) scored the goals for Scotland, to give us our first British International Championship since 1951. Ian McMillan scored Rangers 5,000th league goal v Raith Rovers at Ibrox on the 14th of October 1961 and I was there! The season ended with an incredible and highly successful three-match tour of Russia: defeating Moscow Locomotive 3-1; Tbilisi Dynamo 1-0; and drawing the last game 1-1 with Kiev Dynamo. Thousands of fans swarmed over the tarmac at then Renfrew Airport to welcome the team home. According to Professor Graham Walker Between 10 and 15, 000 flooded into the precincts of Renfrew Airport to salute the team on their return that June evening, with thousands more stuck in traffic jams on the roads from Glasgow. The fans indeed swarmed on to the runway. One journalist proclaimed that the ‘No conquering army ever received a more vociferous homecoming’, while the late James Sanderson, then a journalist for the ‘Scottish Daily Express’, called it ‘the greatest homecoming of any sportsmen to Scotland – bar none!’ (Rangers Standard) [/img] If this has been of interest I'll publish one season every couple of weeks or so for the next few weeks. Credit: The above account is drawn from Rangers - The New Era (sic) by William Allison, published in 1966.

THE Parkhead striker is at the centre of fresh controversy after new video footage emerges of the Edinburgh born player singing a racist song directed at former Hearts player Rudi Skacel. CELTIC star Leigh Griffiths is at the centre of a fresh video storm today after he was filmed leading a pub in a *racist song about former Hearts hero Rudi Skacel. Mobile phone footage passed to the Sunday Mail shows the Scotland striker standing up in the packed pub to start a massed chant branding the Czech player a “f****** refugee”. Footage clearly shows Griffiths, 23, leading dozens of Hibs fans belting out the hateful song in the Roseburn Bar before the club’s *Edinburgh derby with Hearts last Sunday. Wearing a grey top, he stands up with his hands in the air and kicks off the chant before jumping up and down when others join in. Ex-Hibs player Griffiths has already been fined by Celtic and faces SFA *discplinary charges after he was filmed singing a song about Hearts’ *financial problems in the bar. The *incident led to Celts manager Neil *Lennon warning on Friday that the striker – who has been embroiled in a string of controversies – was on a final warning before being kicked out of the club. But Parkhead bosses – who have vowed to take a hardline against bigotry – face a headache over the clip of their £800,000 star, who signed in January. It will anger fans of the club, who were founded to help Irish *immigrants. A pub onlooker said: “Leigh didn’t appear to have a care in the world. “Even though there were a few people filming him on mobile phones, he just carried on jumping up and down and singing. “He was enjoying himself – and the attention he was attracting. “The pub was packed with Hibs fans who were who were loving the fact one of their former players was leading the sing-song.” Griffiths was dropped to the subs bench for yesterday’s match against Dundee United. But Celtic fans showed support by chanting, “Leigh Griffiths sings what he wants” before he came on in the *second half in the 2-0 win. In 2005, former Hibs star Derek Riordan was fined by his club and forced to apologise to Skacel when he was filmed singing the same offensive song in a pub with other fans. Sung to the tune of Beatles’ hit Yellow Submarine, it features the words: “Rudi Skacel is a f****** refugee.” Like Griffiths, Riordan also went on to sign for Celtic. In 2012, Dunfermline fan Andrew Irvine pleaded guilty to aggravated breach of the peace and was fined £200 when he sang the song during a match against Hearts at East End Park. Last night, Anas Sarwar, deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party and MP for Glasgow Central, called for police to investigate Griffiths’s behaviour. And anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card urged Celtic to send *Griffiths to one of their workshops. Sarwar said: “Intolerance and *racism is not acceptable in society, the workplace or football. “It doesn’t reflect the best of *Scotland, we celebrate our *differences and any racist actions from anyone should face the full weight of the law.” Griffiths facing stronger charges from the SFA over latest incident David Foster of Show Racism the Red Card added: “We want to *eradicate racism, bigotry and *sectariansim in all its forms and we believe the best way to do that is through education. “Whatever action Celtic feel they have to take is an internal matter but we hope that Leigh Griffiths will attend one of our events. “The racist words in this song aren’t acceptable and it may be the case that he isn’t fully aware of the damage they cause. “He is a role model and *thousands of young fans look up to him. “Some players wouldn’t choose that status but it comes with the terrority at a big club so it’s *important he’s aware of his *responsibilities.” Griffiths cheered on Hibs with his mates when his former team took on Hearts at *Tynecastle. He was then filmed singing about Hearts going into adminstration in a pub after the match. SFA bosses later charged Griffiths with a breach of Disciplinary Rule 86: “Not acting in the best interests of Association Football by singing in public about Heart of Midlothian FC in administration.” His case is expected to be heard on April 24. The images also forced Celtic to give him a written warning. Lennon said: “We’ve all been guilty of doing daft things at times but that’s his one strike. “I don’t want him doing any more – otherwise his career at Celtic won’t be as long as he maybe wants it to be.” This isn’t the first time Griffiths has been at the centre of a *racism row. Last year, he was arrested and charged over an alleged racist *comment he made on Twitter. Skacel, who’s without a club and considering retiring, was *unavailable for comment. Last night, a Celtic soure said: “The club will take this very *seriously. “They’ve shown outbursts like this won’t be tolerated by players by how swiftly they dealt with the last footage that emerged.” A club spokesman said: “It would be inappropriate to comment until we’ve investigated the *allegation.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/exclusive-celtic-star-leigh-griffiths-3380576

If they manage to stave off the liquidators that is! Hearts beat Partick Thistle 2-4 today, but St Mirren beat Motherwell 3-2 and Hearts are now relegated....

Friday, 04 April 2014 08:30 A Happy Hunting Ground Written by Andrew Dickson NICKY LAW hopes his unbeaten record at Easter Road stands him in good stead as he returns there on Sunday looking to win the Ramsdens Cup with Rangers. The Light Blues midfielder is optimistic he’ll be fit for the clash with Raith Rovers at Hibernian’s home ground in Leith after training earlier this week. Manager Ally McCoist is equally keen to have the Englishman involved and that desire will probably be enhanced if he looks at the 26-year-old’s record there. Law played in Leith three times with Motherwell in his two seasons at Fir Park and played his part in two hard-earned away wins. In another game the Steelmen could only take a point from the contest but it was the former Sheffield United star who got them it with a leveller nine minutes from the end in a 1-1 draw. There are some concerns about the pitch at the stadium after a long season, with a lot of surfaces around Scotland bumpy at this stage of the campaign. Otherwise, Law is excited about going back to a venue where has done well in the past as he bids to add to the League One trophy with Gers. He said: “It’s a ground I’ve always enjoyed playing at and in my Motherwell days we never lost there so hopefully that continues. “Sometimes you get grounds where you do well at them and Easter Road has been good to me. I’ve managed to score a goal there as well. “It’s one of the better stadiums in Scotland and while it doesn’t have the biggest capacity, there will still be 20,000 people there. “Our fans will generate a great atmosphere. They always do that and it will be no different on Sunday in a tough game for us. “The supporters know they can be our 12th man and hopefully they will be again for us at the weekend.” Rangers are seeking to win the Ramsdens Cup for the first time following their failure to do so last season, when they went out in the quarter-finals to Queen of the South. And Law admits he has noticed an extra edge in training over the last few days as McCoist’s players compete with each other for starting slots. He added: “Everyone’s fired up for the game. This two-week period really defines our season and we’ve a couple of huge games with the Dundee United match in the Scottish Cup too. “The lads are really looking forward to them and they’re really up for them. You can see that in training. “There has been an extra bite in our sessions this week which you’d expect with the matches we have coming up. “There is a real excitement in the group and it’s a different atmosphere at the moment. We have been plodding along a bit in the league but there’s real determination there now. “Looking at their league form, Raith have been a bit up and down but they’ve delivered in some big games and they went to Easter Road in the Scottish Cup and won. “I’m sure they’ll take confidence from that. I saw quite a bit of their game with St Johnstone and although they lost, I thought they played really well that day too. “It could have gone either way in difficult conditions. We know it’ll be a hard game against a full-time team, something we’ve not encountered too much this season. “We need to have everybody right up for the game and it’ll be as tough a match as we’ve had this season but we’re ready for that.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6681-a-happy-hunting-ground

Sad to hear that Police Scotland have told the Bridgeton Loyal they won't be allowed to take in and display their brand new (and expensive) banner despite it meeting all of the safety requirements and having been given the OK by both Rangers and Hibs.

Keeping people safe and discouraging criminal activity will be the focus of Police Scotland’s operation at Sunday's Cup Final between Raith Rovers and Rangers. To ensure the game is enjoyable for fans, officers and stewards will be undertaking searches in and around Easter Road stadium to make sure alcohol isn’t brought into the stadium and that supporters who are under the influence of alcohol are not allowed entry. Specialist search dogs will also be working to detect anyone in possession of fireworks or flares, and those found to be in possession of such items will be stopped from entering, arrested and may be subject to a banning-order. In recognition of the impact the final will have across the city centre, a strict no public drinking ban will be in force supported by local bye-laws. Licensing officers will also be carrying out inspections of pubs and clubs across the city where crowds gather to watch the game. Teams from Police Scotland’s Operational Support Division are also working with local officers and the City of Edinburgh Council to minimise any traffic impact as a result of the estimated 30,000 fans arriving in the city on public transport and coaches. Police officers will be directing coach traffic carrying Rangers supporters to the Regent Road and London Road areas, and Raith Rovers coaches are being directed towards the Leith Links area. Many fans however are expected to make their own way to the match and drivers are being warned that there are no parking arrangements near the stadium. Event Commander Chief Superintendent Mark Williams, who will be directing the operation, said: "The Cup Final is always a great day for fans to celebrate the achievements of their respective teams but it is important to remember that it is a day that should be enjoyable for fans both young and old. “That’s why we have robust plans in place to deal with any minority who are intent on causing trouble. While we know most supporters will be well behaved, my officers will seek out those who are antisocial or who turn up drunk. They will not only be refused entry, but will also be subject to criminal action. Of course, there will also be officers on duty across the city centre to monitor licensed premises and respond swiftly to any reports of disorder or trouble”. “There will undoubtedly be pressure put on the transport network so I’d encourage fans attending the game to make sure they have their travel plans in place early and, because there is limited parking, to try and use public transport wherever possible.” http://www.scotland.police.uk/whats-happening/news/2014/april/221256/

http://kickoff.blogs.lequipe.fr/les-rangers-religion-decosse/ Someone care to translate?

Wednesday, 02 April 2014 13:00 Ready To Listen: Phase 1 Results Written by RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB THE results of the Rangers Ready To Listen fan engagement survey which was launched in February have now been analysed, evaluated and reviewed. An overwhelming 35,265 of our core support took part in the first step of the fan engagement programme which will help shape the future direction of the Club. Participants in the Fan engagement survey included: 50% of adult season ticket holders 83% were matchday attendees 5% from existing supporter groups 10% from overseas With 84% of supporters seeking a review of how the Club engages with fans and 68% feeling the supporters do not have a loud enough voice, it is clear the need for enhanced engagement with the Club should be a priority. One of the key findings and recommendations from the survey is the development of a fan representation board voted for by supporters and representing the interests of all fans including season ticket holders, overseas fans shareholders and families. Indeed, 84% of the fanbase supported the progression of this concept and this is an area we now need to explore further with the wider Rangers support. Fans were also asked for their thoughts on the potential for a membership scheme and 80% were in favour of developing such an initiative. We have listened to the response from fans and are now working on the development of Rangers membership with further fan input for launch over the summer and in advance of the 14/15 season. Supporters identified the top five best performing areas of the business as: Community/Charity Work Club Social Media Club website Safe Matchday Environment Hospitality The five most important aspects of the Club according to fans are: On-pitch performance Youth Development programme Overall direction and management of the Business Fan Engagement Matchday Experience The five most important statements relating to the Club from the list identified are: Proud of its rich history and tradition Open and effective relationship with its supporters Continually strives for sporting success Youth development is key to on-pitch success High standards of integrity and professionalism The most important issues for fans right now are a need for Honesty, Integrity and Transparency going forward, this was made clear in the majority of surveys completed. However, this is not surprising given events at the Club in recent years and the Board is ready to act on that feedback. Graham Wallace commented: "The Club wants to be open about the key issues highlighted in the Ready to Listen fan engagement survey and realises areas of concern like trust, transparency and honesty will not be improved overnight. We understand that trust must be earned and certainly appreciate supporters have had a difficult few years. "There are undoubtedly areas we can improve on and it is clear fans value a greater voice and involvement with the Club. We are listening to these views and will act accordingly. The Club values the feedback received as it will help us shape and ensure a sustainable future for Rangers. "We said at the outset that we wanted to engage with the 44,000 core supporters who attend matches regularly and we were therefore delighted that over 50% of adult season ticket holders took part and 83% of respondents attend games. "We believe that with the Club and fans working together we can impact positively on Rangers future performance and will now move forward into a more detailed phase in a number of areas that were identified." NEXT STEPS More than half of the survey participants advised that they would be keen to participate further in future supporter engagement initiatives to help shape the programme. Supporters were asked if they would be willing to engage with the Club to aid the development of certain areas within the business and the response was again overwhelming. Volunteers for each area are as follows: Ticketing; 6,567 Matchday Experience; 7,876 Hospitality; 3,132 Catering; 4,477 Retail/Merchandise; 6,088 Fan Engagement; 12,289 Club Media; 6,589 Customer Service; 5,409 Membership; 8,723 This next phase of follow-up research will help to define and create a formal fan engagement programme driven by the fans with the support of the Club via a specific fan engagement survey which will be issued next week. Specific communications on other areas of importance to the fans, including those listed above, will also start to be issued from next week and over the coming weeks. Thereafter, more focused face-to-face meetings with fans will be held to engage them on their opinions and insights across these areas with a view to having key initiatives and developments in place for the start of Season 14/15. The Club would like to thank all those who took part in this initial step in the Ready To Listen campaign. Your feedback is invaluable and we look forward to working together on the next steps to help shape the future direction of the Club. To view an infographic of the survey results click here http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6663-ready-to-listen-phase-1-results

ALLY McCOIST has launched a staunch defence of Lee McCulloch after Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal accused him of deliberately injuring him in a match more than two years ago. The Israeli has been quoted as saying he believes the current Rangers captain hurt him on purpose during a Glasgow derby at Parkhead in December 2011. Kayal said McCulloch was ‘very rude about it’ and ‘not the cleanest in the world’ as he admitted he expects his time in Scotland to end this summer. He also made the bizarre claim he had beaten the Light Blues skipper every time they have played each other since when in fact they have never been on the same pitch together again. Kayal was injured in the challenge pictured above, which shows McCulloch’s eyes fixed on the ball as he goes into the tackle. McCoist was asked about the comments at his pre-match press conference previewing Sunday’s Ramsdens Cup final with Raith Rovers this morning. And he was adamant McCulloch – inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame at the weekend - simply isn’t that type of player. McCoist said: “I saw the comments very briefly and I saw the headline. Anybody who knows Lee knows he’s not a dirty player at all. “To be honest, I can’t even remember the incident or the tackle. He certainly wouldn’t set out to deliberately injure someone. “It goes without saying I defend my player and skipper against any comments like that because he wouldn’t do that. “With the greatest of respect to Kayal, I think I’d have the Old Firm games down as being quite tame in comparison to some of the previous ones. “I’m not sure he would have enjoyed playing with Bertie Auld and John Greig in some of those matches. “That might be a wee eye-opener for him. I need to defend my player and my player is not a dirty player at all. “In fact, we’re delighted with the skipper and the way he handles himself both on and off the park.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6660-mccoist-i-defend-my-skipper?

BOBBY Madden has been appointed to referee the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final between Rangers and Dundee United. And the fixture at Ibrox on Saturday week will have a total of six officials. Madden's assistants for the game between the League One champions and the Premiership club will be Graham Chambers and Alastair Mather. The fourth official will be Calum Murray while the additional assistant referees will be John Beaton and Alan Muir. United have sold 10,500 tickets for the semi-final against Rangers. United had previously indicated they would seek up to 20,000 tickets for the encounter. United director Derek Robertson said: "We'll probably have to get back to the SFA in the next couple of days to let them know the numbers. I would urge anyone who has not yet bought their tickets to do so in the next few days." With Hampden Park being redeveloped for the Commonwealth Games, the SFA chose Rangers' stadium to host both semi-finals back in October. Robertson said it would be the biggest support the club had taken to a semi-final. He added: "We're very happy with the numbers so far." United were initially offered 11,063 seats for the match. But the club's representative said that "in order to ensure maximum attendance" United would prefer to only be allocated the 8012-seat Broomloan Road stand. The club had complained about Ibrox being chosen as the venue for the tie. But last weekend SFA chief executive Stewart Regan defended the move. "It was a planning decision," Regan said. "When you're putting a major cup competition together, you spend a lot of time discussing it with your sponsors. "We certainly did that with William Hill. "We needed to take the semi-finals and final to venues that would cope with the demand for tickets." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/six-officials-at-ibrox-semi-final-158049n.23853839

KAYAL has taken an astonishing swipe at Scottish football and at Rangers skipper Lee McCulloch after admitting he is set to quit Parkhead. BERAM KAYAL was the life and soul of the title party as Celtic celebrated three in a row at Parkhead on Saturday. The Israeli midfielder’s selfies, podium pogoing and scarf waving looked the picture of jubilation from a player who has taken the club to his heart. Behind the beaming smiles, though, lay the painful truth this was his last hurrah in the Hoops. Deep down Kayal realises the relationship has run its course and he expects to be moved on in summer when his contract enters its final year. His love affair with the Scottish game has turned sour and he can trace his troubles back to the Old Firm game of December 2011. A crunching tackle from Rangers’ Lee McCulloch – who Kayal swears deliberately set out to hurt him – wiped out four months of his career and began the series of injuries that have blighted him since. The 25-year-old’s status at Celtic has diminished from midfield mainstay to fringe player and he has made just four Premiership starts this season, failing to last the 90 minutes in any of them. It is a far cry from the stunning impact Kayal made when he arrived from Maccabi Haifa in 2010 and attracted interest from Manchester United and Liverpool. There was talk of a £7million switch with the player claiming Sir Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish were both keen to sign him. However, injuries and loss of form have dropped him well down the pecking order and as he eyes a fresh start Kayal has put the boot into the frenetic style of the Scottish game. He said: “Initially I liked this league but after all the injuries I now no longer like it. “There is a lack of technique. The football is played at breakneck pace with power and intensity and it doesn’t stop for a minute. But I’m not in love with this league.” Kayal’s contract runs until June 2015 but he reckons Celtic will cash in on him this summer rather than risk losing him for nothing next year. He said: “A friend of mine, Joe Ledley, was on the verge of his contract expiring and was sold to Crystal Palace. “Maybe this will happen to me because football is a business at the end of the day. “If someone comes up with an attractive proposition to Celtic and me then I’ll go. “In my first season at Celtic a lot of teams came to watch me and tried to find out my price tag. “Kenny Dalglish, who was manager of Liverpool, and Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United had communications with me. “When a lot of teams were interested Celtic wanted too much money – like £6m or £7m. Now because of my injuries the price is much lower. “But my dream is still alive and well, I am only 26 next month.” Kayal might be on his way out of Scotland but it’s not in his nature to go quietly. The tenacious little midfielder was keen to make sure he had a swipe at Ibrox skipper McCulloch, who he will never forgive for the full-blooded challenge that sidelined him for four months with ankle-ligament damage. He said: “The injury didn’t look that bad but I believe he did it on purpose. That player is not the cleanest in the world. “I have not forgotten that for a moment. I was out for a long time and even when I came back I was not 100 per cent. “He was very rude about it. I suppose it’s part of football but I’m happy that every time I’ve played against him since I have beaten him.” Kayal endured another long spell out after being crocked by Kaka during a Champions League clash this season, although he was more forgiving of the Brazilian. He said: “After a difficult time I came back and was enjoying football like never before and I scored in the Champions League against Ajax. I felt my injury problems were behind me. “Then we played AC Milan and in the first minute Kaka caught me. He said sorry a few minutes later and I told him, ‘You have broken my leg.’ “I actually played on for 30 minutes but I couldn’t change direction. That caused me to miss another three-and-a-half months. “After the game he asked for my forgiveness and we exchanged shirts. He didn’t do it on purpose. “I felt like I should be wearing the Mario Balotelli shirt ‘Why Always Me?’ “Every time I get injured it seems to be another four months out. Touch wood, I am fit again now.” While he is almost resigned to leaving Kayal will miss the buzz of Old Firm matches and the Celtic fans – even if he still struggles to understand them despite living in Glasgow for four years. He added: “For me the league is lacking because Rangers are not there. I miss the derby, the noise of the fans. “I went to see Manchester City v Barcelona and the noise in the stadium was nothing like Celtic Park. Even our Champions League nights are nothing compared to Celtic v Rangers. “People do not understand – it is bigger than any game against Barcelona or AC Milan. “I have a great understanding with the fans but I have been in Scotland four years and sometimes I still don’t understand them.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-midfielder-beram-kayal-slams-3338953

When is the 120th day or has it passed? Not sure if we're counting from Wallace's appointment or the AGM. Also, what's the chances of hearing "the review is over and proposals will be out in 4 week" just to keep us hanging on? It's clear the majority of fans don't trust the board so I'm not sure how they can win hearts and minds without making a magnificent gesture which is tangible to us. Even then it'd be viewed with suspicion but our fans are easily led from the Blue Room. Obviously there's talk of a new share issue but is that realistic when they know King might walk in and scoop up the shares, assume control, and go about clearing the decks for his own people? Wallace might welcome this but I highly doubt Easdales and Laxey will. The small matter of BPH and Margerita most likely objecting to their holding and future earnings dwindling is another factor to count in which could scupper any new share issue. Negative loyal!

@ThomAlexWatt 26m Police Scotland conclude investigation on allegations re: abuse of N.Lennon @ LC semi-final at Tynecastle. Insufficient evidence, no charges. Police Scotland’s Football Co-ordination Unit: “enquiry has concluded. Not sufficient evidence to bring charges”. Full story on stv.tv soon

by Gerry Braiden AN appeal by Rangers supporters to the BBC Trust over comments made by one of the corporation's sports pundits Jim Spence has been thrown out. The BBC Scotland presenter was cleared of a number of complaints made against him after he had provoked the ire of hundreds of fans by making references to Rangers as "the old club that died". Mr Spence, who made the comment while discussing attempts to end a boardroom civil war at Ibrox on the Sportsound programme last September, was provisionally cleared of breaching accuracy guidelines by the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU). Many Rangers fans contested the initial ruling by appealing to the BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee (ESC). But it has now issued its decision, clearing Mr Spence of any wrongdoing. The ruling states: "The committee did not believe that evidence had been presented that would lead it to conclude that the output had breached the editorial guidelines. "The committee therefore decided that this appeal did not qualify to proceed for consideration." The BBC received over 400 complaints when Mr Spence, while discussing the possible appointment of the ex-Ibrox chairman John McClelland, had declared: "John McClelland who was the chairman of the old club, some people will tell you the club, well, the club that died, possibly coming back in terms of the new chairman." Upholding the previous decision, the senior editorial complaints adviser said she "acknowledged the strength of the complainants' feelings and noted that this was a matter that was highly significant to Rangers fans". But the break-down of the complaints into six separate issues found the appeals "did not have a reasonable prospect of success". She also noted that the editor of sport at BBC Scotland had acknowledged the comments by Mr Spence could have been better phrased within the live piece and had apologised for any offence caused.

Robert Marshall and his son, Greg, have been heavily involved in the formation of Rangers First. Rangers First is a fan-led membership vehicle that aims to buy shares and achieve greater supporter involvement in the running of the Ibrox club. Matthew Lindsay of SportTimes met the lifelong Rangers fans and season ticket holders to speak about the ambitious project and their hopes for the future. How did you get involved in Rangers First? RM: I was invited up to the Supporters' Direct Scotland offices in Stirling. So I went and listened to two lads speak and I liked what they had to say. I thought: "If it can help Rangers I will give it a go." It was just about helping the club. As a fan, I was in. Then we had a meeting here (The Louden Tavern, Ibrox Stadium) to see if the body of the kirk, if you like, wanted to take the idea further. Richard Atkinson, a volunteer with Supporters' Direct who has been involved at quite a few clubs over the years, spoke to us. We had around 50 people here. And not one voice was dissenting. I think it is important to state that this is not anti-board or pro-board. It is pro-Rangers and pro- Rangers fans. At the first meeting we said: "Leave your egos at the door. Leave the politics at the door. Let's just see if we can do this." GM: We have people who attend our meetings who are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their attitude to the club board. If it is about individuals then it will fail. It is a vehicle that should be analysed on its own merits. What are the objectives of Rangers First? RM: The first target that Rangers First has is to obtain 5% of shares in the club. GM: That gives you powers in terms of calling a general meeting and getting answers to questions. It is all about getting what is called ACT - authoritative consultative transparency. That basically means the fans having a voice and the club having to listen to and engage with us. This is about the board engaging with the fans so that we know what the situation at the club is and we can all move forward together. It is not about getting a fan on the board. Our members would have to vote on having a representative on the board down the line. It has still to be decided. But, personally speaking, I think we would want a professional representing us. GM: The money the Community Interest Company spends must be to the benefit of the Rangers community. We can't just spend money willy-nilly. Initially, we just want to get shares until we can get the ACT. Once we get that then it will be up to the members to decide what we do with the money after that. We can fund specific projects that are and are to the benefit of the club. BuyRangers already exists. Why is Rangers First necessary? RM: By law we (BuyRangers and Rangers First) have to work together publicly because the schemes have the same principles and the same goals. We want to work together. But I think this vehicle could unite fans. GM: The key point about Rangers First is that it is not partisan. It is trying to unite the small groups into a bigger group. We are saying to them: "You are still allowed to have your differences. This is beyond that." There have been lads at the meetings we have had so far whose personal opinions I do not agree with. But their ethos is right. They genuinely want to put Rangers first. We need to engage with a wider fan base - and especially with fans abroad in countries like Australia and the United States. That is one of the advantages of Rangers First - we can accept payments from abroad. A CIC is to the benefit of the Rangers community and the Rangers community isn't defined by geography. It is what we decide the Rangers community is. And the Rangers community is global. It is basically anybody who considers themselves to be a supporter. They can contribute to it from abroad. The main strength of the CIC is its flexibility. For example, my father and I are going to donate our shares to it. We bought £1,000-worth of shares at the IPO. As well as money you can put shares in. A few of us are going to do that. RM: One of our representatives is going to Hong Kong this week to do a presentation to the Rangers Supporters' Club out there. Richard (Atkinson) also did a presentation with Orsa (Oceania Rangers Supporters Association) recently. We are really trying to engage with the ex-pat fans because it must be really hard for them looking in and not being able to do anything. What has the response to the scheme from Rangers fans been? GM: It is still in the process of being put together. But we have 1,000 members already. That is not bad after two weeks. We are due an update on that any day now. We were at a pub in Lanarkshire a couple of weeks ago at which 10 Rangers Supporters' Clubs were represented. Three of them joined up on the spot and seven took it back to their members. Nobody was against it. When people engage with it they say: "This is a good idea." It genuinely is a good idea. But we do need the support of the fans to make it work. At a small level, we could build up a small shareholding. But if we get larger numbers we will get the transparency the fans want. Has the ongoing financial uncertainty at Ibrox increased the interest in Rangers First? RM: I think it does increase enthusiasm for what we are doing. But I am keen for this not to be seen as a criticism of the board. I am not against them. I know they should not have spent the £22million that was raised at the IPO. But, as far as Rangers First is concerned, we are simply for the club. We are there to help the Rangers support. How many members do you hope to attract? RM: We would like to get to 20,000 to start with. Personally speaking, I think we can get 50,000. Now, I know people may laugh at that. But you had 200,000 at the Uefa Cup final in Manchester in 2008. You also have however many thousand abroad who are all desperate to help the club. I think we can have a worldwide membership of 50,000 within two years. How much does it cost fans to join Rangers First? RM: There are three boxes on the website - http://www.rangersfirst.org - you can join for £5 a month, £10 a month or £18.72 a month. There is also a life membership, Club 1872. That entails a £500 one-off payment. You get nothing out of it other than the satisfaction you have helped Rangers. Plus, as a member you get a vote. GM: If we can get 1,872 signing up for a life membership it will give us enough money to buy circa 5% of the club. Dave King has stated he is prepared to put money into Rangers "along with the fans". Could that funding come from Rangers First? GM: It could. Buying shares as individuals has not given us any dividend so far. Individual fans have roughly 12% of the shares. But we don't have anything to show for that. Buying as a collective, through Rangers First, would. RM: There is also a vehicle you can use. Say, for example, Laxey Partners were prepared to sell their 12% stake in the club, but Rangers First did not, at that time, have the money to buy it. We could say to them: "We will pay you for 4% a year." GM: We could provide them with a dividend and take the proxy for their shares and subsequently buy them a few years down the line. That is not something that necessarily is going to happen. But the CIC is flexible and you can do that. The other thing is we can approach the Rangers fans who currently own 12% of the club and ask them to proxy their votes to us. We would need to collect the signatures of the 4,500 fans who have shares before a general meeting. One of our committees is looking at shareholder engagement. Community ownership failed at St Mirren. How can it work at Rangers? GM: Amongst the clubs where this has been tried it has never been exactly the same. There are technical elements which are similar. St Mirren was a wholly-owned club. They had, for some reason, to buy 52% to make it work. They put in a legitimate bid and Stewart Gilmour, as was his perogative, decided not to accept it. There are successes. Dunfermline got over 1,000 members after they had already been saved. Hearts got over 8,000 fans paying in £15.50 a month. We want to achieve ACT at Rangers. The members will decide where we go from there. How optimistic are you about the future? GM: If this kind of vehicle had been about prior to administration I think it could have had a significant influence on the club. Maybe we wouldn't be in the position we are in now. Having said that, I think it will take off now. It may be a slow burner, but I think it will take off. Whoever puts money in can be assured that it will go towards the betterment of Rangers. I think we are getting there as a result of the meetings. We are starting to unite. Very few people want actual fan ownership. They want fan participation. What we are saying to the club is: "Be accountable to us." That is all we want, accountability. RM: We get nothing other than the satisfaction of helping Rangers and the Rangers community. I am not negative at all. I think Rangers are a sleeping giant. A good analogy would be they are a bear in hibernation. It is time the bear woke up. Get Rangers News Alerts by Email http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/it-is-time-to-unite-the-small-groups-and-waken-the-sleeping-giant-157872n.23841953