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Uefa European Championship 2016 draw Venue: Nice, France Date: Sunday, 23 February Starts: 11:00 GMT Coverage: Live video and text commentary on the BBC Sport website Full list of seedings: Pot 1: Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Portugal, Greece, Russia, Bosnia-Hercegovina. Pot 2: Ukraine, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Republic of Ireland. Pot 3: Serbia, Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Norway, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, Poland. Pot 4: Montenegro, Armenia, Scotland, Finland, Latvia, Wales, Bulgaria, Estonia, Belarus. Pot 5: Iceland, Northern Ireland, Albania, Lithuania, Moldova, FYR Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Cyprus. Pot 6: Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Faroe Islands, Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Gibraltar. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26207723

http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/rfc-politics/310-dr-waiton-on-rangers-free-speech-and-sectarianism It's an excellent read (the Spiers part especially), very well done to John.

Somers wrote an open letter to the former director on Monday, summoning him to a meeting as he demanded King explain his recent statements attacking the board. King says he would be "delighted" to meet with the Ibrox boardroom chief but criticised the way the invitation was made, claiming it felt like he was being sent to the headmaster for "a caning". The South Africa-based businessman is expected to fly to Scotland next week for a meeting with fans after he urged supporters to withhold season-ticket cash amid growing concerns about the club's finances. In Monday's letter, Somers said King's "statements and innuendos are very damaging to the club", but the Castlemilk-born multi-millionaire has now responded in kind. He has released his own open letter to the Light Blues chairman in which he said: "Thank you for your email that I had sight of this morning. I also received a copy of your press release stating that I have been "summoned" to a meeting with the board to explain myself. I feel rather like the headmaster is looking to give me a caning. "It is most unfortunate that you have sought wide media coverage of what should really be a private invitation. I feel compelled to respond in similar vein. "I reviewed my two statements in light of your email and don't find anything astonishing in them whatsoever. They neatly and uncontroversially depict the present state of affairs at the club and the ongoing attitude of the board. "Similarly, I can't detect any innuendos. It seems to me that my thoughts are stated pretty clearly and directly. "Additionally, there seems nothing potentially damaging to the club. In fact, the opposite seems to be the case. I accept however that my comments could be perceived as damaging to certain interests that are represented on the board. I don't equate that with damaging the club. The club is much bigger than the present board. "I am delighted to meet with the board to discuss the present funding crisis and can do this on my forthcoming visit. I am not clear what "allegations" you wish me to explain as I can't find any in my statement. It will assist in my preparation if you provide me with a list of specific "allegations" that you want me to address. "Incidentally, the irony of a board that has steadfastly refused to enlighten fans now demanding clarity from others has not been lost on me." Meanwhile, Rangers have appointed Philip Nash as their new company secretary, Companies House has announced. It comes just two months after the troubled Ibrox outfit confirmed they would use the former Liverpool and Arsenal financial consultant's services "from time to time'' as they looked to bring spending under control. In documents lodged with Companies House on Monday, however, it was confirmed Nash was the new secretary, replacing Brian Stockbridge - who also served as the club's finance director - after he resigned his post on January 24. He will now set about helping Rangers solve their money worries on a full-time basis. The Light Blues are losing about £1million per month and the club's share price has fallen to 30.5p per share. Chief executive Graham Wallace is just over halfway through a 120-day review of the club's operations. But after posting a £14.4milllion loss last year, he was forced to accept a controversial £1.5million loan from investors Sandy Easdale and Laxey Partners just to ensure the League One champions-elect could continue to pay their bills until the end of the season. http://t.co/Ra0KkKCj8o

By: Newsroom Staff on 04 Mar, 2014 17:14 CELTIC have called for a review of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Grounds Act to be brought forward and have labelled it ´unhelpful and counter-productive´. The Scottish Government introduced the legislation in 2012 and promised a review after two full football seasons of operation. However, Celtic believe that there is already sufficient evidence of the Act´s ´unhelpfulness and negative impacts´ to justify an immediate review with action to follow. Celtic have all along opposed this legislation which has been used to create a general presumption that different laws should apply to football supporters as distinct from society as a whole. This has inevitably led to a sense of discrimination across Scottish football and has brought the law into disrepute when tested in the criminal courts. It has also acted as a barrier to our own efforts to encourage supporters to behave in a way which is consistent with the club´s proud history and reputation. We believe the Scottish Government should review, as a matter of urgency, the way in which this unhelpful and counter-productive Act is operating. Celtic have always valued a positive relationship with the police and we are concerned that they too have now been put in the position of enforcing legislation which is provocative and does not command widespread respect. The Scottish Government has conceded the need to review the workings of the legislation but we see no need for delay since there is plenty of evidence available, not least from the comments of Sheriffs who have had to deal with cases arising from it. It would be helpful if the new season could kick off in August with these issues resolved so that everyone could concentrate on promoting the best possible environment for Scottish football and marginalising unwelcome influences which attach themselves to it.

More from my good self on TRS today: http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/316-making-your-mind-up

Poland v Scotland LIVE exclusive and free: Everything you need to know about the big match TOMORROW night Scotland will be taking on Poland in Warsaw and our super infographic will tell you everything you need to know about the big game. THE match will be live-streamed here from 7.30pm tomorrow but ahead of the big kick-off check out the history of the game with our infographic: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/poland-v-scotland-live-exclusive-3207510

Seems the board have summoned king to a showdown meeting with the board to explain his statements in the media. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26420403 Hope he tells them to bolt!

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell feels the lack of competition in Scotland's top flight needs addressed. The reigning champions are 21 points clear at the top of the Premiership and are close to a third straight title. Lawwell was speaking as the club honoured the 20th anniversary of Fergus McCann's takeover. "The perceived lack of competition in Scottish football in the league is an issue that we need to find a solution to," Lawwell told BBC Radio Scotland. "There are different challenges, different types of challenge but still big challenges for everyone in Scottish football. "Things have changed over the last 15, 20 years, particularly in media values in the big nations that have gone beyond anyone's reasonable expectations "The gap between the big nations and the small nations is huge and we need to find a solution for Scottish football as well as Celtic in order to bridge that gap in some way or other. "It's put Celtic and other Scottish clubs at a competitive disadvantage in terms of wages and transfer fees." Canada-based businessman McCann rescued Celtic from the brink of bankruptcy in March 1994 when the club's credit facility was recalled by the bank. The club's fortunes were subsequently transformed, both on and off the pitch, under McCann's stewardship with Celtic Park rebuilt and the team winning their first league title in a decade in 1998. McCann sold his stake in the club to current majority shareholder Dermott Desmond in 1999 and Celtic have won eight league titles in the last 15 years. And Lawwell believes the club are now "probably financially in the best position we've ever been in". "We have the best facilities, we have a great management team, we've great executives at the club, the best sports science and one of the best recruitment functions in Europe," he added. "So, we are in pretty good shape, there's no question about that."

Lifted from FF: The Registers of Scotland received the Standard Security over Edmiston House involving Rangers to Alexander Easdale on Friday. They certainly didn't waste their time getting that in. I would imagine the other one over the car park involving Laxey will be put through this week.

James Forrest training at the home of Rangers (Willie Vass) Copyright: 2014 Willie Vass More...

Matthew Lindsay NEARLY 5,000 Rangers fans have committed themselves to withholding season ticket money from the stricken Ibrox club in under a week. The Union of Fans, an umbrella group comprising six supporters organisations, wants to pool the cash in a trust until their demands are met. The controversial move follows a call by former Gers director Dave King last week for supporters only to release the funds on a "pay-as-they-play" basis. It is a radical plan that has sharply divided opinion among the Light Blues support and has been condemned by senior officials at the Ibrox club. Two statements released by Rangers last week called the development "de-stabilising" and "divisive" and claimed that it would "benefit no one". But the Union of Fans have been inundated with pledges of support from fans who are unhappy with the way the SPFL League One leaders are being run. Just under 5,000 of them have contacted the union website since the scheme was announced on Thursday to indicate their intention to withhold their money. Craig Houston, the mastermind behind the Sons of Struth protest group, revealed the number had exceeded the expectations of Union of Fans activists. He said: "The figures are fantastic. I thought we would maybe get close to that sort of figure after a week or so. To get that in a couple of days is amazing. "We have been blown away by the responses we have received in such a short space of time. "We have some initiatives that we are working on that we hope will rapidly increase the number of fans who want to lend their support to the plan." The terms of the £1million loan that Rangers have agreed with Laxey Partners, the largest shareholders in the club, have angered many supporters. The Isle of Man-based hedge fund is set to make a £150,000 profit on the loan when the money is paid back to them in full this September. And the fact the loan has been secured on Edmiston House and the Albion car park facilities also worries followers of the Govan giants. Fans want to have a representative on the club board to look after their interests and are keen to receive guarantees about how the club is run. King released a lengthy statement on Saturday that hit back at the board's response to his call for fans to pool their season ticket money in a trust. He will travel to Scotland from South Africa soon to ensure the trust is set up legally and to help create a fund that secures fans an "influential stake" in the club. He also claimed that former chief executive Charles Green, who led the consortium that bought Rangers in 2012, could still be "de facto" controlling the club. His statement read: "The board wants fans to lend money at no interest and with no security. Rangers fans are loyal but not stupid." lRangers last night rejected internet rumours that the club will enter administration for a second time on Wednesday. A spokesman said: "There is absolutely no truth in these claims."

Retweeted by Frankie Andy Newport ‏@Andythemod9 5m Brief interview with Dave King to hit @PressAssocSport wires soon https://twitter.com/GersnetOnline

Dave King’s war of words with the Rangers Board could cost Scottish football millions. Rangers former director Dave King has ramped up his increasingly volatile spat with the Ibrox directors yesterday by releasing a hard-hitting statement. The South Africa-based businessman last night publicly suggested Charles Green might be the “power behind the throne” at the Ibrox club. And in an emotive response to the current directors’ criticism of him, he claimed they were asking fans to show blind faith in their actions. Promising to fly to Scotland this week for action meetings with supporters’ representatives, he pointedly said Rangers fans are loyal — but not stupid. It has now emerged the uncertainty once again enveloping Rangers could scupper the SPFL’s plans for a lucrative TV contract to cover games in the Championship next season. That is the latest twist in an extraordinary few days of turbulence that have once again brought the very future of the Light Blues into question. Angered at the news Rangers were to take on a “soft” loan with a repayment when he himself would have offered it interest-free, King made his move. He advised fans to withhold their 2014-15 season ticket money, and instead put it in a Trust. However, while that move got the overwhelming support of the official supporters groups, it angered the Board, who accused him of effectively threatening to put the club out of business. Such a move would leave the club in danger of falling into insolvency, which would be as big a blow for the League as it would be for the club. Anticipation of a highly-attractive Championship in 2014-15 has brought interest from broadcasters. With Rangers and Hearts set to involved, and possibly Dunfermline and even Dundee, the SPFL have been inundated with inquiries from a wide variety of media companies. In particular, it is understood a number of broadcasters, including the BBC, have inquired about the possibility of a one-year deal to include both live action and highlights. The League, however, has been trying to sell the rights as a three-year package worth millions over the period. They feel that is the best way to broaden the game’s appeal Now, though, they are concerned the internal strife at Rangers, possibly now just two games away from being the Championship’s biggest asset, will have would-be bidders running scared. Uncertainty is traditionally a major problem for anyone looking to invest in the game. The SPFL know that only too well, having struggled to attract a title sponsor for the new set-up. That has drawn criticism for the Board and Chief Exec Neil Doncaster. Ironically, Rangers’ woes could actually end up making the product more attractive for potential viewers. Were Ally McCoist’s side to go into administration, under the new rules they would pick up an automatic 25-point penalty. A handicap that would negate any advantage they will hold over their Championship rivals next season. As things stand, the League One champions-elect are already warm favourites with the bookies to continue their journey straight through the lower leagues. That is not too surprising, given they are set to go through an entire season in the country’s third tier without losing a single game. The manager, though, is adamant the Championship will be far more competitive and has warned lots of improvement will be required. The combative tone of King’s latest statement would appear to make clear that King has no intention of ever joining forces with the current Board. Having had one unsuccessful meeting with Sandy Easdale, he appears now intent on trying to force the directors out. And in doing so, he has opted for a twin approach. The first is an upbeat message to fans, who would follow him talking of a “watershed moment” in the club’s history. The second is an attempt to call upon the men who currently run Rangers to justify their actions. Whether he succeeds only time will tell. But without question, this latest news signals an escalation of hostilities. Meanwhile, Rangers boss Ally McCoist admits to frustration that off-field events are jeopardising the recent progress made by his team. “I am slightly concerned that, once again, other issues may detract from what so far has been a very successful campaign,” he said. “We are hopeful in the next few games we can clinch the Championship. We have got the Ramsdens Cup Final ahead, also the Scottish Cup quarter-final, with an incredible incentive to win that and get a home tie in the semi-final. “So on the football side, there are, for the first time, positives. But I am not going to get carried away.” http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/ex-rangers-director-king-could-kill-tv-deal-1.248023

Your comments are an insult to fans who have nothing other than the club's interest at heart Mar 01, 2014 16:42 THE Ibrox investor has taken aim at the Rangers chief executive who said that threats to withhold season ticket cash have destabilised the club. DAVE KING has criticised Graham Wallace for claiming the Rangers support have destabilised the club with their threat to withhold season ticket cash - insisting the chief executive's comments are an insult to the Ibrox faithful. In a statement released to Press Association Sport, former director King has taken swipe at Wallace for questioning fans' loyalties to their club. The Union of Fans issued a vote of no confidence in the Ibrox board on Thursday and backed King's bid to lead a fan-based group to secure a major shareholding in the club. They also backed the South African-based businessman's call for trust to be set up that would collect season ticket fees and drip feed the money to the regime controlling the Light Blues week by week. Wallace responded by saying that threat was "damaging" Rangers but King rejected his claim. In his statement, King - who now plans to fly to Scotland to step up his bid for change - said: "Unfortunately, I can only express bemusement at the board's response to myself and the fans. "In what is really a non-response the board states that our statements are an attempt to undermine the club. That is an insult to fans who have nothing other than the club's interest at heart." The latest squabble in the long-running saga surrounding the club's ownership and finances was sparked on Monday when Rangers announced to the stock exchange that it had taken out a £1.5million loan from investors Laxey Partners and Sandy Easdale. The terms of the loan handed both Laxey and Easdale security on the Albion car park and Edminston House facilities near Ibrox, while Laxey stands to make a £150,000 profit. That angered supporters who claim a better deal was available from other shareholders. Wallace, though, pleaded for the fans to trust the board's management but King - who lost a £20million investment when oldco Rangers were liquidated in the summer of 2012 - said: "They ask for trust but don't recognise that trust is a mutual relationship and requires transparency. "What the board is really asking of fans is to have blind faith - not trust. This board has not earned that right and has, in fact, repeatedly demonstrated the opposite." And King raised doubts about who was really pulling the strings behind the scenes. "{The board states] that the current problems can be attributed to previous management (presumably Charles Green etc). That does not explain the ongoing lack of transparency on shareholding and finances by the existing board. "It is quite possible that Charles Green is still de facto controlling the club. Certainly the existing directors have a minuscule equity stake and yet won't disclose the true 'power behind the throne'." Rangers made a £14.4million loss last year and had to take out the Laxey/Easdale loan just to keep the Ibrox lights on until the end of the season. King's statement concludes: "The board continues to treat the fans with disdain by offering mere platitudes. "A more considered and constructive response was appropriate. It is insightful of the board's mindset that it is willing to borrow money from a preferred shareholder at a rate of interest that reflects a high risk to the investor. "In doing so the board has finally confirmed its true view on the parlous state of the club's finances. "What is incomprehensible however is that it then eliminated the risk to this investor (and separately to Sandy Easdale) by providing club assets as security while still paying the high-risk rate. "That highlights that this transaction makes no commercial sense and was not conducted on an arms-length basis. "Paradoxically, the board wants long suffering fans to lend money at no interest and with no security. Rangers fans are loyal but not stupid." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dave-king-blasts-rangers-chief-3196614

.........than Celtic getting Ten In A Row. THE IBROX boss knows that Celtic reaching that much sought after target would hurt, but there's a lot more going on in Govan to occupy his thoughts. ALLY McCOIST insists Rangers have more to worry about than stopping Celtic winning 10 in a row. The Ibrox manager has refused to get caught up in the storm created by Dave King’s decision to go to war with the board. The South Africa-based businessman claimed if the current regime weren’t ousted, Celtic would break through the famous nine-title record held jointly by both clubs. However, while that would pain McCoist, he insists the beleaguered club have bigger issues to address. The Rangers boss is one of only three Gers with a full set of nine medals from their run between 1989 and 1997, alongside Richard Gough and Ian Ferguson. And he said: “Of course it would hurt – but for the next 24 months there’s nothing I can do about it. “In the grand scheme of things our concerns are very much the last 24 months and the next 24 months. That’s the most important thing. “We can’t forget what happened, we can’t let it happen again, and we have to keep rebuilding. “Do we have more to worry about than a statistic? Yes but I don’t want to use it flippantly, as if I’m not doing my job. “Of course I don’t want Celtic to go to 10, it would be crazy to say that. But at the same time I think our club has far more important issues coming up. “We’ll have to improve incredibly to get back because it’s safe to say unless there’s a dramatic change in Scottish football, Celtic are everyone’s favourites for the foreseeable future. “We’re miles away if you’re talking about winning the top flight.” McCoist insists he won’t be involving himself in the politics of the club, despite having done so on several occasions over the past two years. He said: “The last few times of getting involved, we haven’t had a board, we haven’t had a chief executive, we’ve had no real stability or structure. “We have that know so they can deal with the business side of it and I’ll deal with the football. “I know my responsibilities and I know the fans look for leadership. But there are now members of the board who will also have to lead. I think the fans will appreciate that.” But supporters groups issued a vote of no confidence in the board on Thursday and backed King. They also supported his call for a trust to be set up that would collect season-ticket fees and drip feed the money to the regime week by week. Chief executive Graham Wallace responded by saying that threat was “damaging” Rangers but King rejected his claim yesterday. In a statement, King said: “I can only express bemusement at the board’s response to myself and the fans. “The board states that our statements are an attempt to undermine the club. That is an insult to fans who have nothing other than the club’s interest at heart. “They (the board) ask for trust but don’t recognise that trust is a mutual relationship and requires transparency. What the board is really asking of fans is to have blind faith – not trust. “This board has not earned that right and in fact has repeatedly demonstrated the opposite.” King also raised doubts about who was really pulling the strings behind the scenes and claimed former Ibrox chief Charles Green could still be a major player. He said: “It is quite possible that Green is still de facto controlling the club. Certainly the existing directors have a minuscule equity stake and yet won’t disclose the true power behind the throne.” Rangers needed a last-gasp Lee McCulloch penalty to see off East Fife 1-0 yesterday and move a step closer to the League One title. They can now wrap up the championship in their next league game against Airdrie on March 12 if Dunfermline fail to win against Stenhousemuir next weekend. But next up for Gers is a Scottish Cup clash with Albion Rovers and McCoist would take a repeat of yesterday’s poor display so long as Gers go through. He said: “If you offered me the same result next week against Albion I’d take it. There’s less emphasis put on performance in cup games because you only get one bite at it.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ally-mccoist-rangers-far-more-3198056

RICHARD GOUGH from Scottish Sun DAVE KING delivered an impressive statement straight from the heart last week. But as captain of the Rangers team that dominated Scottish football in the 1990s, one section really stood out for me. It was the part about the prospect of Celtic winning 10 in a row ‘— while Rangers ‘‘remain a small club who slug it out for the minor places’’. It stood out for one reason, it focused on football. It focused on the need to ensure Rangers is able to have long-term success on the pitch. Throughout this whole saga, it has often been forgotten that we are talking about Rangers Football Club. This has been a wretched story of dodgy dealings, of boardroom shenanigans and shadowy characters. But we should never lose sight of the ultimate goal ‘— and that is restoring Gers to the top of the Scottish game. I’’ve known King for a long time and share his concerns that unless serious action is taken, Rangers are in danger of being left trailing by Celtic. That can’’t be allowed to happen ‘— but there are countless tales in world football of big clubs who go through difficulties and never truly recover. You want an example? Just take a look at Leeds United’’s troubles over the last decade. I was in Dubai for a few days playing in a Scotland/ England legends match, and Lee Bowyer was in the opposition side. Seeing him reminded me of that great Leeds team from the 2000/01 season that reached the Champions League semi-final. That in turn got me thinking about our own Battle of Britain with Leeds in the European Cup in the early 1990s. They were an elite club back then. Those sides carried on the tradition of the legendary Leeds teams of the 1960s and 70s. Now? They are just an average Championship side who have been out of the top flight for 10 years. Leeds are still a massive club with a huge fanbase and they regularly attract crowds of 30,000 but they have never recovered from their original problems. So many years of mismanagement have hit Leeds very hard. Leeds are a million miles away from challenging for trophies and being a big hitter in English football again. Rangers won’’t languish in the Scottish lower leagues like Leeds have down south. But with the ongoing financial chaos and concerns over the direction of the club, it could be years before Gers can challenge Celtic. Are Rangers going to be the Scottish equivalent of Leeds? King certainly holds that fear, judging by his statement and it’’s hard to argue with him in a week that saw Rangers bank a ‘£1.5million emergency loan ‘— loaded with a crazy 15 per cent interest rate over six months. The Ibrox board claim this was part of a plan. Really? Are the fans expected to buy that? Rangers’’ response to King’’s statement said his comments were ‘‘damaging’’ but could any more damage be done? From the outside looking in, it appears Gers are in a mess ‘— once again. King’’s had enough and it looks as if the fans have as well. But who can blame them? Remember that banner from a few years back towards the end of Sir David Murray’’s reign? ‘‘We Deserve Better’’ it said. It’’s time the Ibrox fans looked that out again. For the last two years, the people running Rangers have taken them for granted. Enough’’s enough. It all has to stop now. This has to be the watershed moment. The fans have backed King. They have responded to his call for season-ticket money to be withheld and pooled. That might seem like drastic action, but why should the fans just hand over millions again? They have already seen a fortune being squandered by the people running Gers. They have watched as mystery shareholders have walked away with a massive profit in a matter of months. With the ongoing uncertainty, the fans have every right to choose to put their money somewhere safe ‘— not in the hands of people they don’’t trust. Nobody wants to damage Rangers. That is the last thing King or the fans want. Their support has been exceptional. But they need full transparency from the board before the hand over yet another huge wedge of cash. Fans are demanding answers and those in control at Ibrox will need to start providing them quick. If they don’’t, then it looks like they won’’t be getting the season-ticket money. That could put them in an impossible position. As for Ally McCoist, the best thing he can do is concentrate solely on football. My old team-mate has been shoved from pillar to post in the last few years. He has had a succession of bosses who have asked for his backing. Right now, Coisty is right to stay out of the politics. The fans look to him for guidance because he is the one man they trust. But the Rangers manager has three trophies to compete for. He has to try to lift the gloom over Ibrox. What better way to do that than by winning silverware? After all, that’’s what Rangers Football Club should be all about.

Till end of season Kyle McAusland ‏@kyle_mcausland · 6m Signed for ayr till the end of the season. Looking forward to get some games. All the best to the boys for the title run in. #Rfc #Aufc

KEITH says it's time for Dave King to prove he can see a plan through to the end and says his actions from here on in will determine his legacy at Ibrox. DON’T know what the equivalent is in South Africa but in Castlemilk, where a young Dave King grew up, the vernacular goes something like: It’s time to p*** or get off the potty. Today, of course, King is a million miles removed from the hard-knock streets of the Glasgow housing scheme he once called home. But those who have stayed closest to him over almost 40 years of sun-kissed exile – and you can count them on the fingers of one hand by the way – insist he has never lost touch with his roots. King, they say to a man, remains steeped in his past. Fiercely proud of his working-class upbringing and crucially, at least where this week’s events are concerned, every bit as passionate about the football club he left behind. He remains, to use another home-grown term, the embodiment of a “Rangers man”. It is this one basic credential above all others that separates King from the succession of fly by nights, chancers and opportunists who have at one stage or another taken on lead roles in this seemingly endless Ibrox narrative. If these supporters cannot place their hopes and trust in one of their own, then all trust and all hope might perish for good. Throughout the past three years of turmoil and the relentless chaos unleashed upon them by the Whtyes, Greens, Ahmads and Stockbridges, King has been viewed by the boots on the ground consistently as the man most likely to save them from their plight. Unlike all the characters above and even former chairman Sir David Murray, who played his part in lumbering them with this list of charlatans in the first place, King shares a lifelong emotional attachment to the cause. In their eyes, the only difference between them are the millions King has stuffed in his bank account. If these people won the lottery tomorrow they’d have Rangers saved by Saturday. So it stands to reason King will one day feel a sense of duty to do the same. Does it not? It may be more pertinent to ask why has it taken him so long to take a stand? Or indeed to question if finally, this time, he intends to see it through to the end? Only King has the answers. What the rest of us do know, however, is his actions from here on in will determine his legacy. He’ll either go down in history as one of the all-time giants of the Rangers story. Or he will fail in his objective and risk being dismissed as a footnote. Either way the real Dave King biography is about to be written. Certainly his sudden re-emergence on to centre stage in the past few days appears to suggest his time is now. By pointing his big guns at the top of the marble staircase and taking on the current regime King has sent out a rallying cry to these supporters. They answered with one voice yesterday. They are with him all the way. This is as clear a case of “them v us” as Fergus McCann quite brilliantly utilised 20 years ago when he harnessed the power of the people to bludgeon down the big doors at Celtic Park. But McCann did more than simply talk a good game. When push came to shove the little man with the big bunnet also proved to have deep pockets and a willingness to empty them for Celtic’s benefit, as well as his own. King can quite legitimately point to the £20millon he previously pumped into Rangers as hard evidence of the colour of his own money. There has been a whispering campaign about this in recent weeks with shadowy suggestions that King quietly recouped around £18m worth of that investment. For the record this has been denied to me not just by King himself but also by Sir David Murray. The two men, incidentally, are no longer on speaking terms and have not been for a considerable time. Apparently, for 20 million different reasons. But even though King has had his fingers badly burned in the past it does seem reasonable to ask why he has remained on the outside looking in on this omnishambles for so long. Occasionally, he has dipped a toe in the water before scamper-ing back up the beach. Late last year for example he even arrived in Britain amid a great flurry of excitement, fluttered a few eye-lashes, held a few conversations and then retreated back to the solitude of his own world without nailing down a deal. King’s doubters, of which there are many, insist he has had ample opportunity to wade into this debacle and to buy his way into a position of power. In other words, to do a Fergus. It is worth remembering here, however, that King’s long-running tax issues first had to be resolved. With that in mind, he has only really become a viable player in this game in the last six months when he settled his affairs by agreeing to write a cheque for an eye-watering £44m. This is in itself creates another couple of issues. Not only does it pose an obvious question as to how much money he has left in the pot but also, King’s critics raise serious morality issues about the prospect of Rangers being saved by a man who was described as a “glib and shameless liar” by a South African judge and who faced a total of 322 criminal charges. Again, they have a point. Had, for example, Whyte appeared on the steps of the front door carrying baggage like this he would have been chased all the way down the length of Edmiston Drive and Rangers might have been spared from all this ignominy and suffering. But this is where King’s standing and status with the supporters kicks in. This, in fact, is what makes him an entirely unique case. King’s supporters remain convinced by his intentions to do only what is right for his football club. And that would be something of a first where this Rangers saga is concerned. They argue, quite correctly too, that there’s hardly a successful businessman to be found anywhere in the commercial world who has not attempted to run rings around the tax man. It is what these people do in order to maximise their profits. King is certainly no different in that regard. But what makes him stand out from the rest is his “Made In Castlemilk” credentials and the inbuilt sense of belonging which still brings his mum and sister to Ibrox every other week. There have been other wealthy good Samaritans along the way, such as Brian Kennedy and Jim McColl – men who clearly meant well but who ultimately just didn’t care quite enough to make the kind of sacrifices which will now be expected of King. This time the strong signals from South Africa really do indicate he is ready and willing to bear this almighty load, that he has now engaged fully into the fight for his club and he will not retreat until the war is won. With King now organising his travel plans and expected to pitch up in Glasgow some time soon the next few days and weeks will determine his fate and that of his football club. The King will either claim his rightful throne. Or abdicate the potty once and for all.

Some of my latest musings on the King/RFC debate on TRS for your persual: http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/313-the-battle-for-rangers-the-120-day-war

taken from FF King offered interest free loan but was snubbed By ANDY DEVLIN Published: 34 minutes ago DAVE KING offered Rangers an interest-free loan and was SNUBBED. The South African-based tycoon was bewildered when Ibrox chief executive Graham Wallace assured supporters there had been board contact with him and he would only invest in Gers if there was a new share issue. King said: “I can’t believe Mr Wallace would have said that. “Mr Wallace has never spoken to me or even attempted to communicate with me in any form whatsoever.” SunSport can reveal King is ready to blow the lid off his dealings with the under-fire Ibrox hierarchy. A planned statement will include the revelation he offered the crisis-hit club a loan of around £1million WITHOUT looking for the £150,000 interest that hedge fund firm Laxey Partners will pocket. The only person King has spoken to is Sandy Easdale and he is NOT a member of the board. The refusal to take King’s interest-free loan will trouble Gers fans. Fans’ favourite King approached Easdale last month and set a deadline of February 7. But he has never heard back from anyone at Ibrox. The suggestion he was in talks over a return was made by Wallace on Monday in a series of interviews designed to allay supporters’ fears over the recent £1.5m short-term loan. Chief executive Wallace claimed the board had been in contact with would-be investor King in recent weeks. Wallace is adamant he can win the trust of the Gers fans. But with continued chaos and confusion behind the scenes, he’s facing an uphill struggle. And the news King’s cash has been snubbed will send shockwaves through the Ibrox support. A joint statement from fans this week condemned the terms of the deals with investors Easdale and Laxey Partners. Easdale has handed over £500,000 in the form of an interest-free loan, whiles Laxey are believed to be demanding 15 per cent APR. Both loans are also secured against Edmiston House and Albion car park facilities adjacent to Ibrox. The cash is repayable by September 1, but Laxey can opt to take repayment in the form of fresh shares at a knockdown price, as long as the club receives the approval of the shareholders. However Castlemilk-born King’s loan would have been interest free and would not have been secured against any of the club’s properties.

...Former director wants board punished for assuming loyalty Dave King will fly to Scotland to spearhead his supporter revolt against the current Rangers board. The South African-based former director released a statement Wednesday urging fans to withhold their season-ticket money unless the current Ibrox regime provides full transparency over the club’s finances. The board responded with a brief, one-line statement, insisting that his comments were ‘potentially de-stabilising and damaging to Rangers Football Club’. However, having been frustrated in his attempts to lead a fresh bout of fundraising via a new share issue, King told Sportsmail he wants to meet fans’ groups face to face after claiming the ‘business is not commercially sustainable in the short term’. Amid anger over a £1.5million loan by director Sandy Easdale and investors Laxey Partners, the Castlemilk-born businessman has warned fans they risk pouring their season-ticket money down a ‘black-hole’ to repay the cash and wants to front a fan-based consortium in the acquisition of shares in the club. Confirming he plans a direct appeal to supporters in the coming weeks, King told Sportsmail: ‘For the moment, I can deal with things remotely. But I do believe it will be necessary to travel to Scotland in the near future to meet with fan representatives.’ King flew to Glasgow in October in a bid to unite the warring boardroom factions prior to the annual general meeting and work out an investment package — but he returned home empty-handed. A direct offer to lead a new round of fundraising via a share issue has been ignored, prompting anger among fans. King has now appealed to them to stop the in-fighting and join him in the battle for the club’s future. ‘The football club is at risk and it will take a united front to overcome the obvious challenges that are ahead,’ he said. ‘The board can continue with its stubborn refusal (to listen) but that would not be a prudent response.’ Repeating a recent warning in Sportsmail that Celtic will ‘shoot to 10-in-a-row — and beyond’ if cuts are made and a substantial one-off investment is not accepted, King said in his statement that Rangers are doomed to compete for ‘minor places’ in the SPFL Premiership without it. ‘The board is focusing on right-sizing the business — cutting costs to match the income,’ said King. ‘It is correct that any club must, over the long term, operate within its means but in the short term Rangers needs a significant one-off financial boost that cannot be met from the current revenue stream. ‘Without this we will not get back to where we should be. ‘If we cut our costs to suit our present income we will remain a small club and Celtic will shoot through 10-in-a-row — and beyond — while we slug it out for the minor places. ‘That is not the Rangers that I grew up with and not the Rangers that we should be passing down to our children and grandchildren.’ King told Sportsmail that claims he offered a £1m loan to the club are inaccurate and rattled Rangers chairman David Somers also issued a statement, saying: ‘I have been in email correspondence with Mr King and suggested that, even though he is not a current shareholder, I would be interested in hearing any proposals he might have. ‘Mr King replied and indicated a willingness to consider participating in any future equity issue that the club might undertake. ‘This has been the extent of the discussion and I repeat that no offer of an interest-free loan has been received from Mr King, or anyone else, apart from Mr Sandy Easdale.’ Chief executive Graham Wallace is in the middle of a 120-day review of the club’ s finances in a bid to cut the spending that saw Rangers post an operating loss of £14.4m last season. Wallace has also instigated a survey of supporters on the running of the club. Convinced an unaccountable board are only interested in using fans as a cash cow, however, King says season-ticket money should not be used as a crutch for a failing business. ‘I would like to lead a fan-based initiative to acquire an influential shareholding in the club,’ he continued. ‘If the board does not provide disclosure to the fans then it is time to draw a line in the sand.’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2568814/EXCLUSIVE-Dave-King-issues-call-arms-Former-director-wants-board-punished-assuming-fans-loyalty.html#ixzz2uTQYwxMm Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Hi All,: As many of you may have heard, SDMC Productions is producing a Feature Length Documentary charting the Extraordinary story of Rangers Football Club - Still the most Successful Domestic Club in the World ! This was originally to be a SDMC & BBC project; however, due to the relationship between Rangers/The Fans and the BBC we have decided to fund this ourselves. We are now opening a project to include the Fans and Supporters in this feature and will then screen in Cinemas around Scotland. Please check out the link below to our project page and support if possible - Please also pass to Friends, Family and fellow supporters and help us get this project completed! Link: Thanks guys! Niraj. -- Niraj Dave |Researcher SDMC Productions Limited Email: niraj.dave@sdmcproductions.com Office: http://www.sdmcproductions.com [​IMG] Disclaimer: The contents of this e-mail are confidential to the recipient to which addressed. It may not be disclosed or used by anyone other than addressee, nor may it be copied in any way. If received in error, please contact SDMC Productions Ltd @ mail@sdmcproductions.com quoting name of sender and addressee. PLEASE DELETE FROM SYSTEM Please note that neither SDMC Productions nor any Employees or associates accept any responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan the e-mail and attachments (if any). No contracts may be concluded on behalf of SDMC Productions Ltd by means of e-mail communication.

Stand back and survey the scene. The institution that once believed itself to be Scotland's premier football club; a national monument, an establishment-protected icon, a pillar of excellence and endeavour, is in disarray once again. The red brick Ibrox facade hides a multitude of sins and an array of secrets. The Old Lady is a bank of opportunity for hedge funds and a safe haven for overpaid, bonus-ridden, bean-counters. Its fading grandeur reflects the impoverishment of its host, and like a stately home with a leaky roof and a never-ending list of repairs, the old ground has an uncertain future. The Old Lady is a victim of the disease of avarice. As she struggles to hide the scars of neglect, a succession of carers has swanned off into the sunset with money-laden suitcases, and now a crisis loan is required to pay bills and keep third division players on top division wages. Rangers' problems have not gone away. Maybe they never will. As smaller football clubs receive public sympathy for their financial difficulties, Rangers, uniquely, stands accused of depriving schools and hospitals of income. As football minnows wallow in victim-status, Rangers is in the dock, roundly condemned by press comment and regularly vilified by public opinion. The world has changed: Scotland has changed: the political establishment has changed. Rangers has become a misfit. In modern Scotland, the club has few friends and even less powerful allies. The club has been so denigrated in recent decades that it taints reputations merely by association. As the club flounders and falters, there is an almost unspoken hope in polite society that its final act will be to disappear altogether. To Rangers fans, this is an unpalatable prospect, but there are people across Scotland - not just Celtic fans - whose most fervent wish is that Rangers goes away: permanently. To them, Rangers represents intolerance, sectarianism and bigotry, and in this hypersensitive and politically correct age, the club is perceived to be an anachronism that has outlived its usefulness. They want it to wither and die because only hardcore bigots and sectarian morons will mourn it. Decent people, in their eyes, will be glad to see the back of it. Beleaguered Rangers fans can attempt to deflect blame, point the finger elsewhere and proclaim innocence, but no-one is listening. The jury has already made its mind up. Rangers has lost the respect of a nation and edged towards the precipice. It has become the black sheep of Scottish football. Administration and liquidation didn't kill the club, but they highlighted something that should be deeply concerning to a support which aches for a leader to look up to and respect. Within the million-strong Rangers fanbase, there is a noticeable lack of people who have the means to rescue the club and the willingness to actually do so. When David Murray bought Rangers in the late nineteen-eighties, it seemed like a marriage made in heaven. Scotland's biggest club had been taken over by a young businessman who had the means, the cojones and the ambition to further the Rangers cause, and enhance his own reputation along the way. From being a well-known business figure, Murray quickly became a household name, and he relished the fame that was part and parcel of being owner of Scotland's establishment club. In time, he became Sir David Murray - a dream come true for a man whose ego matched his not inconsiderable bank balance. Would a thrusting young Scottish businessman buy Rangers today, or would he prefer to duck the opportunity and steer clear of the hassle that being custodian of Rangers brings? Given that there are no budding David Murrays knocking on the Ibrox front door, it would appear to be the latter. What respectable businessman or woman would want to take on an ailing institution that has incinerated millions of pounds at an alarming rate and now has to borrow to keep the wheels on the wagon? What entrepreneur needs his name associated with a club whose existence is played out while the spectre of sectarianism still haunts it? What hard-won reputation wants to take a chance on a club that habitually pays out too much money for too little reward? What business type would enjoy being the man or woman to sack the club's management team and bring in new blood more appropriate for the task ahead? Would the young David Murray be as quick to buy Rangers in 2014 as he was in 1988? Rangers Football Club is a bloody mess. The team plays dreadful football, the club spends exorbitant sums in the process, it makes the undeserving rich, it is owned by people whose God is greed; it has a reputation that will take years to repair, it can't afford to look after its stadium, and its fans excuse incompetence out of a misguided sense of loyalty. The Rangers support, for the most part, doesn't welcome soul-searching and reflection. It prefers to talk itself up and believe that a full recovery is not only possible, but likely, and this is a mistake. Rangers urgently needs to be re-born. In a relatively short time, the club has descended from being the centre of the Scottish football universe to become an outcast within the sport - and a much-ridiculed laughing stock within the country. The Rangers support has played a minor role in the club's downfall, but it will never fully recover until it plays a major part in its recovery. Fan ownership has to be the future for Rangers. Nothing else will return it to where most fans believe it should be. Only a revolution - a people revolution - will save this club now.