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19 December Rangers International Football Club plc ("Rangers" or the "Company") Appointment of Chief Executive Officer Existing Board member Derek Llambias has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Rangers with immediate effect. Derek joined the Board on 2 November 2014 as a non-executive director. In line with the cost cutting exercise announced on 12 November 2014, Mr Llambias's remuneration will be significantly lower than previously offered for this position. Additionally, David Somers will now revert to his previous role as non-executive Chairman. Commenting on the appointment, David Somers said "I am delighted that Derek has agreed to step up to the Chief Executive role. This is a successful outcome to the process, announced on 27 October 2014, which involved interviewing a number of high calibre candidates. Derek has impressed us with his grasp of the issues since joining the group and brings a wealth of experience, particularly from his time at Newcastle United, which we feel confident will be invaluable to Rangers. ************** " which involved interviewing a number of high calibre candidates" Did it f@ck.
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http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/rangerscomment/mccoist-set-to-face-the-music-but-rangers-fans-will-have-little-to-192156n.114751404? McCoist set to face the music but Rangers fans will have little to sing about AND now the end is near ... Christopher Jack Sports Journalist Wednesday 17/12/2014 and so he faces the final curtain.. Ally McCoist likened his appointment as Rangers manager to taking over the mic from Frank Sinatra. Today, he will face the music. McCoist has taken the blows and did it his way at Ibrox, but his time in the spotlight is coming to an end, and he will soon exit the stage. Whether it comes in the aftermath of his meeting with Derek Llambias and Sandy Easdale today, at the end of the season or in 12 months' time, the day when McCoist is no longer Rangers manger is approaching. Like all matters at Ibrox in recent years, money is at the heart of the matter and the crux of the discussions. McCoist is due several hundred thousand pounds if the board wish to dispense with his services before the end of his notice period, but with an £8million black hole in their finances, they seemingly have no way to pay the 52-year-old off. He will leave with a cheque, but there is unlikely to be a thank you for his efforts. Whatever figure is settled on, McCoist will be due every penny for what he has done for Rangers, the fights he has had to fight, the controversies and characters he has had to deal with and overcome. However a deal is struck, whether it is in cash now or later or even shares, it will be a fraction of the multi-million burn that has seen Rangers blow their chance of financial stability and a platform, on and off the field, to go on and establish themselves at the top of Scottish football once again. It is only a matter of time before the most remarkable managerial reign in Rangers' illustrious history comes to an end - but it will solve few problems. McCoist's abilities as a coach and tactician have been called into question for some time. The argument for not having him as manager can be fairly easily made and stacked up and many fans will be pleased there will be new methods on the training pitch at Murray Park and instructions from the Ibrox dugout. Against a different backdrop, he probably wouldn't have lasted as long. But McCoist's ethos and approach to the game, the failings of his side and embarrassing results, are not Rangers' biggest problems. Defeats to Hearts, Alloa and Queen of the South have piled the pressure on his shoulders but football, even with the Premiership in sight, is of secondary importance once more. The heart and soul of Rangers is up for grabs. The proud, distinguished club, Scotland's most successful, is a shadow of its former self and another cornerstone is about to be removed when McCoist departs. There is a different feel around Rangers these days as supporters, battle-scarred and weary, turn their back on the club in their thousands. Familiar faces have gone, standards have fallen and bonds have been broken. Where past generations could put their faith in Bill Struth, Willie Waddell or Walter Smith, the fans of today have a far different proposition. Some of those who have made their way up the marble staircase in recent years and do so today are not of the same calibre. They don't appear to hold the same values or share the love of, and commitment to, the club. Fans may not want McCoist the football man, but they need McCoist the Ranger. His rallying cry of 'we don't do walking away' during the dark days of February 2012, became the motto of Rangers' fight for survival and his most famous soundbite. McCoist may leave the club, but it won't signal the end of his service as he goes back to simply being a fan, and surely a concerned one at that. His departure will be welcomed by those whose only focus is football, but some fans will once again miss the big picture. Having fought so hard to save the club, his club, during its fight for survival, and been instrumental in the battle to retain their titles, McCoist has seen the face of Rangers change significantly in the last couple of years. Colleagues have been punted out the back door in a bid to save thousands of pounds while millions are haemorrhaged through bad business decisions and 'onerous' contracts. Friends have lost their jobs just weeks before Christmas, and left the club without the golden handshakes awarded to so many who have given nowhere near the same level of service. It should serve as a warning of what has been and what is coming that McCoist feels he is now better off out of Ibrox. There may be better people available to manage the team, but there is nobody better than him to manage the club. McCoist will become the third Light Blue legend to say enough is enough at Rangers. John Greig continues to stay away from the club, as does Smith, and McCoist has now decided he doesn't like what he sees behind the famous red brick facade. Smith removed himself from a 'highly dysfunctional environment' when he stepped down as chairman in August 2013, yet there has been little progress made since then to resolve the myriad of issues facing the club. The faces in the boardroom may have changed but the problems remain, the questions stay unanswered and the fears are very much justified. McCoist's decision to step down should set alarm bells ringing once again. The savage cuts, the headlines, the in-fighting and politics have taken their toll. In truth, he is probably better off out of the place. But Rangers will not be in a better place with him out of there. With McCoist gone, who do the fans turn to and put their faith in? Who can they be sure is acting in the best interests of Rangers? Would they trust Easdale, chairman of the football board, to hand-pick the right man to lead the club back to the Premiership and oversee that journey? Or would they rather Mike Ashley, the man who has bulldozed his way to control and has the club's merchandise channels tied down in his favour, continue to call the shots from afar? Whoever has the final say, the outcome for McCoist will be the same and the future for Rangers will be uncertain. There will surely be few fans who will be glad to see the back of McCoist, the man they remember as a nine-in-a-row hero, their record goalscorer, Super Ally. He has been let down by a series of chairmen and chief executives, seen promises made and broken. He has been let down by too many of his players, with performances abject and faith not repaid on the pitch. He deserves better than the hat-trick being completed with the fans letting him down and deserting him at the end, too. -
Ashley wants us to "celebrate" reaching the semi of a diddy cup we've won many times. New from Sports Direct = a commemorative semi-final T-shit. £8 and it yours, What a total effing embarrassment . Hopefully no-one buys it - of course, if they don't we'll have to pay him even more (and he'll have to loan us the money secured on something to do so) and be left with even more unsold tat in our basement. What next - a commemorative cup, a DVD of how we got there, half and half semi final scarves, a book on our Petrowhatever Cup run? PS Sorry for missing "h" in title. Perhaps a boy stole it?
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I never thought he really wanted to sell Newcastle? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11295462/Mike-Ashley-could-control-Rangers-and-Newcastle-United-within-weeks.html
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UoF Statement on Retail Deal - 75p in every £10 goes to club "Since the release of the accounts for RIFC PLC, the focus has rightly been on the almost immediate requirement for more cash simply to pay bills and also the board’s wish to raise £8m in equity finance despite recently turning down a valid, fully funded offer for £16m. However, having had the accounts analysed by qualified accountants, we feel it is important to bring Rangers fans' attention to the absolutely disgraceful reality of the retail deal which has been entered into with Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct. We have become accustomed to David Somers', Comical Ali style proclamations about our club. He stated recently that Rangers "make quite a lot of money" from the Sports Direct deal but that is not how the accounts read in our analysis. In fact, despite the loyalty of the Rangers fans seeing £7.6m spent on retail in the year covered by the accounts, the club's share of that spending is a paltry £590k. That means that for every £10 spent by Rangers fans on merchandise, the club receives only around 75p. The accounts also reveal that Rangers Retail has an obligation to purchase stock at a higher price than it is able to be sold at. In the second half of the year covered by the accounts it appears that the portion of profit due to the club is an unbelievable £2k. For comparative purposes, the much maligned JJB agreement, our previous retail deal, made the club a minimum of £4.8m a year over the term of the deal, over 8x the amount we are making from Sports Direct. Crucially, it is also not clear whether the club has yet received a penny of the £590k it is due or whether it is still retained within Rangers Retail. Indeed, from inception it would appear that the club has only received £100k in dividends from the venture with Sports Direct. Mr Ashley has loaned money to strengthen his stranglehold over our commercial operations, whilst funds due to the club through Rangers Retail, over which Sports Direct has effective control, are retained. We have always feared that the deal Charles Green did with Sports Direct was dreadful for Rangers. Mr Somers' ridiculous defence of it, on behalf of this discredited and incompetent board, can be added to the list of reasons why he, the Easdale brothers, Norman Crighton and Derek Llambias are rightly distrusted by the vast majority of our fans. In light of the information revealed in the accounts we urge fans to stop buying merchandise from club stores, which are now under Mr Ashley’s full control or being shut down, and Sports Direct. Your loyalty is being abused and the club is not benefiting from the money you are pouring into Mr Ashley's pockets."
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Ex-Rangers star Jamie Ness opens up on being Ibrox 'rebel'...
ian1964 posted a topic in Rangers Chat
...and why dad's cancer battle forced him to quit club. THE Stoke City midfielder is currently out on loan at Crewe and opens up about his departure from Rangers and his dad's battle with cancer for the first time. CHAOS and carnage at work. Tension and trauma at home. All of that, as well as having to make the biggest decision of his life. That was the predicament Jamie Ness found himself in three years ago at Rangers. A talented midfielder who hadn’t reached his 21st birthday. With a dilemma which could affect the rest of his career. In the end, Ness chose security over loyalty. And who could blame him? Rangers fans still haven’t forgiven him for deserting the club in its hour of need in favour of a move to Stoke City. He refused to join Charles Green’s new regime following the club’s administration and subsequent liquidation. Along with the likes of Steven Naismith, Allan McGregor and Steven Whittaker, Ness bailed out – uncertain if Rangers would even have a league to play in. He has kept his counsel since leaving Glasgow. Well aware of the strength of feeling that still exists from supporters towards the Rangers ‘rebels’, Ness has stayed quiet. Until now. For the first time, the Scot has revealed why he felt he HAD to quit Ibrox – and spoken about the abuse suffered by girlfriend Heather as a consequence. What people don’t know is that, aside from the anguish he was suffering at Murray Park, Ness was also dealing with a crisis at home. His father Graeme was diagnosed with cancer at the same time, which turned the youngster’s world upside down. Thankfully his dad has now made a full recovery but Ness admits it was the toughest period of his life so far. In a perfect world, he would have stayed at the club he supported as a boy. But in reality, a move to the English Premier League – and job security – was too much to turn down. In his first major interview since leaving Rangers, Ness told MailSport: “It was a crazy time. No other club will go through what Rangers did at the time. “I couldn’t get my head around it. I still can’t. It was such a massive decision and I was only 20 when Rangers went into administration. “It all happened so quickly and I didn’t really have a chance to think about all the factors. For me, it was just about security. At one point there was talk about Rangers not being allowed into any league, never mind the old Third Division. “And it was a difficult period for my family because my dad had also been diagnosed with cancer. “So everything was a mess. In my mind, the most important thing was to look after my family and give them security. “Transferring my contract over to Rangers was something I couldn’t risk. Who knows what may have happened? “It was too big a gamble not to accept Stoke’s offer. We’ve been very lucky because my dad has been given the all-clear now. “My parents were great, they never pushed me. They were always there if I needed advice. But for my own peace of mind, I needed security. Especially after the injury problems I’d had at Rangers. “A top English club were in for me so it was a huge decision. I’d have loved to stay at Rangers for a long time if the administration hadn’t happened. But that’s football and life. Things change so quickly.” In the aftermath of his defection, Rangers fans reacted with fury. Team-mate Whittaker was in tears at a press conference as he tried to explain exactly why he left for Norwich City, alongside Naismith who was Everton-bound. Ness knew what was coming his way but tried to keep his head down. He treasures his family’s privacy but confessed partner Heather couldn’t escape vile abuse from internet trolls. And despite everything that has happened, the 23-year-old HASN’T ruled out pulling on a light blue shirt again. He said: “Naisy and Whitts got hammered after it. So I was wary of the backlash. We could have said anything and still got pelters. “At that time everything was still raw and emotions were running high. “After leaving, I was worried about the impact it might have on me and my family. “Now I realise there will always be people who judge me without actually knowing me. “It’s water off a duck’s back now. I didn’t have a Twitter page so the criticism wasn’t too bad for me. But I felt for Heather because she took a lot of abuse on social media. “That was hard for her because she’d never experienced anything like that before. “We were down in England so we were out of the way. But I knew all sorts of stuff was going on up the road. “Everyone was so emotional around that time. I know the fans absolutely love that club, it’s their life. “When that’s happening to Rangers they’re always going to look for someone to blame and lash out. “But I would never rule out playing for Rangers again. It will be difficult for any of the players who left to go back. However, I wouldn’t rule it out. Right now, I just want to get back playing for Stoke. I want to be a Premier League footballer and showcase my talent in the best league in the world.” Ness is now on loan at Crewe and will return to Stoke in January aiming to impress gaffer Mark Hughes. Since bursting on to the scene at Rangers in 2011 – and scoring a wonder goal against Celtic – he has been plagued by injuries. But having grown up at his boyhood club, he’ll never forget how it felt to fulfil a dream at such a young age. Ness said: “That period when I broke into the Rangers team was just a whirlwind. I was training with the first-team but not getting a sniff. There was talk that I’d be going on loan to Clyde. “Then I made my debut in an Old Firm league game. I remember walking out at Ibrox and the atmosphere was just incredible. “It’s something I will never forget. I grew up as a Rangers fan and I’d been at the club from the age of 14. “I know how much the club means to the people who support Rangers. “That’s why it was amazing to actually play and score in an Old Firm game. “My goal was in the first two minutes against Celtic. And to this day, that’s the best feeling I’ve had, along with my daughter Molly being born. “When I went into the Rangers team, I was fearless. I knew if I did what I was capable of, I’d be good enough to stay in the side. “But I picked up an injury and it derailed me a bit. It knocked my confidence as well. “That’s what it’s about now. Getting back to being the player I know I can be. “It’s all starting to click into place again and I don’t think it’ll be too long before I’m putting in the kind of performances I know I’m capable of. “It has been hard to watch what’s happened to Rangers since I left. You sit down here just hoping that someone will take control and sort things out. “I just hope one day that it all gets sorted out but it’s difficult to see that happening at the moment.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ex-rangers-star-jamie-ness-opens-4807812 -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/11292997/Mike-Ashleys-Rangers-regime-admit-it-is-very-difficult-to-win-over-fans.html ' Mike Ashley’s right-hand man at Ibrox has admitted that overcoming the Rangers support’s lack of trust in the board will be “very difficult”. Derek Llambias, formerly managing director at Newcastle United, has imposed an austerity regime at Ibrox which has seen long-standing staff axed, a factor understood to have contributed to Ally McCoist's decision to work his 12-month notice period as manager unless the directors find the cash to pay off him along with his backroom staff. Unhappiness with team performances has grown – Rangers are nine points behind Hearts in the Scottish Championship promotion race and lost 2-0 to Queen of the South on Friday – but the greatest source of disenchantment is with the directors. The decision by the Rangers plc board to favour a £3million loan from Ashley over a £16million takeover bid from former director Dave King has alienated many fans from the owner of the Sports Direct chain, which markets the club’s merchandise. Rangers’ most recent accounts confirmed Telegraph Sport’s disclosure that Rangers had lost more than £8million in the last financial year. At the annual general meeting on Dec 22 the board will ask for approval for an £8million share issue but, more immediately, cash flow is threatened by plunging gates, with the club admitting to a 19,000 attendance for the visit of Cowdenbeath last weekend, although insiders say that the crowd was actually not much above 15,000. “We need to re-establish credibility with the fans, which is going to be very difficult,” Llambias told the most recent meeting of the club’s Fans Board. “What is obvious is that we need cash to stay in the club and not go elsewhere. We are cutting back as much as we can and put it onto the park “We’ve cut as much as we can. Our strategy is that we’re not affecting the playing area. We’ll be looking to review pricing of match day and season tickets to ensure we’re as competitive as we can be. Pricing and value are two key areas that we’re focusing on.” Llambias also revealed that Rangers had made several attempts to secure a deal with Charlie Telfer, the 19-year-old midfielder whose move to Dundee United cost the Tannadice club £204,000 development compensation. “He went for less money because he wanted first-team football,” said Llambias. “Four different offers were made throughout Charlie’s contract term, all of which were refused.” Sandy Easdale, chairman of Rangers football board – who is another target for disaffected fans – revealed that live match fees could not make up for the slump in attendances. “Match attendances are down UK-wide right now,” he said. “We’d rather fill the stadium than broadcast live as we don’t make as much money. Rangers TV costs us money – a lot of money as it stands right now. The club is subsidising this. This is not as big an issue when we’re back in the Premier League.” Telegraph Sport revealed that the board had been wrong-footed by McCoist’s decision to hand in his notice. At the meeting with the Fans Board, which preceded the manager’s shock announcement, Easdale said: “As far as we’re concerned the management team will remain in place. We had a good meeting with the manager today and we will continue to have ongoing dialogue with the management.” The Fans Board was told by Easdale that Rangers have a financial dividend coming at the end of December from Sports Direct but that the club shops in Belfast and Glasgow Airport had lost £600,000 between them. He added that Rangers get £10 per shirt sold by Puma and have leveraged Sports Direct to get a better deal. Easdale assured the Fans Board that they would be the club’s means of communication with supporters “as exclusively as possible”, a policy that sets the board on a collision course with dissident groups such as the Rangers Supporters Trust who, along with the Union of Fans, are intent on securing five per cent of the club’s shares, so that they can requisition extraordinary general meetings. Meanwhile, McCoist is due to meet Llambias and Easdale on Wednesday to discuss his future at the club, with the bookies already quoting odds on Terry Butcher and Stuart McCall as possible successors. However, the problem remains that Rangers do not have the £15million required to pay off the manager and his backroom staff'. Yikes, Ally's on more than we thought !
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According to Sky Sports News......
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The Blue shirt is here! From the same team that brought your the Red and Black shirt and the Fernando shirt. Due to popular demand we have taken the decision to produce a shirt in blue in time for Christmas. The shirt is produced on a Nike base with the Lion proudly emblazoned on the breast. We have 500 in stock and ready to roll in time for Christmas. Each buying option online is linked to a stock control system which means we can’t oversell a size. You can buy safe in the knowledge that every penny of profit will go to buying a shares stake for fans in the club. For overseas purchasers - click on the button where it says UK £32.74 and a drop-down menu will appear with the various delivery zone options. The shirts are available from http://www.TheLionBrand.co.uk
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http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/299-an-open-letter-to-ally-mccoist Also available in the print edition of the Scottish Daily Mail (5/12/2014)
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Union Bears As you will know, the group took the very difficult decision back in May not to renew our season tickets due to the selfish, malicious and borderline illegal actions of our club’s current and previous incumbents. This was a decision echoed by nearly 15000 season ticket holders and the crowds at Ibrox so far this season have reflected the feeling of many Rangers supporters. We watched with hope and expectation as Dave King submitted his £16 million offer of funding in exchange for a majority stake in the club. We then watched with resignation but not shock as Mike Ashley and his friends within the Board room blocked this move and instead pushed through Ashley’s £2 million emergency loan secured against Rangers assets and on the premise of complete Board control. Like all other supporters, we wanted a clean break from people like Charles Green and his murky investors, but it is clear this isn't going to happen. It therefore brings us to a crossroads, as a group and as individuals. Mike Ashley has his grip firmly on the throat of our beloved club and nothing and nobody will make him remove it, as has been demonstrated in his time in charge of Newcastle Utd. It has thrown up a pertinent question which must be answered by not only us but every Rangers fan. Do we maintain our boycott for potentially years in the hope that someone saves us? Or do we elect to support the team on the park and explore other ways of enforcing change at Rangers? After much discussion we have elected to follow the latter path. As of 03/01/2015 we will be returning to the stands on a permanent basis. This is not a gesture of support for those now in charge of our club, nor is it an admission of defeat. It is simply a change of tactic. As a passionate group of supporters whose best attributes lie in what we achieve in and around the stadium on a matchday, we feel hamstrung by our absence and therefore the group needs to go back to being present within Ibrox. We have tried to boycott, to fall in line with other fan groups who have done their level best to encourage change within the club. But in reality all that has taken place over these past few months is a strengthening of Mike Ashley, Sandy and James Easdale, David Somers and many others’ positions within Rangers. It’s the sorry truth. We would like to make it clear that we will not be attending the League Cup semi final as a group, and feel it would be wrong to take tickets ahead of fans who have been attending games on a weekly basis. As we won't be attending as a group, it will make it impossible for us to pull off a display. We would therefore ask all Rangers fans to do their bit by making our end as colourful as possible, with flags, banners, streamers and anything else they can. We will however be planning more displays between now and the end of the season, and look forward to bringing some noise and colour back to Ibrox. Although we return to Ibrox on a permanent basis we won’t be doing so as supporters of the regime. Yes our money will be going towards their bonuses and onerous contracts in the short term, but the Union Bears will throw our weight behind another path towards long term change and that is fan ownership, and more specifically Rangers First. Rangers First is a Community Interest Company which was established at the beginning of this year with very simple goals; to gather together the financial clout of the Rangers support, purchase shares in the club and ultimately put it back in the hands of those who matter. Rangers First already owns over 500’000 shares in RIFC (roughly 0.6%) without any real offline publicising. As a group we hope to support them in the ways that we do best as they move forward towards greater awareness and support for fan representation and ownership. Of course we urge all those who stood with us in BF1 over the years to ask themselves the same question we did and decide what the future holds for you with regards to match attendance. But we will not try and influence your decision in any way. It’s an individual’s choice to make. What we do urge every singly Rangers supporter to do is visit http://www.rangersfirst.org, learn about the initiative and sign up. Put the money you used to spend on Rangers merchandise and funding Ashley's empire of zero hour contracts into something worthwhile. The strength of our support should not be measured or remembered by how many of us turn up at Ibrox or elect to stay away in protest, but rather by the lengths we will go to right the wrongs of those before us and stand shoulder to shoulder with one common goal; delivering the Rangers we all deserve. We owe it our children and grandchildren. If you would like to join the group in BF1 for the second half of the season then please send the following details to transfers@unionbears.co.uk or as a message to the Union Bears Facebook page: Full Name: Address: Date Of Birth: Contact Number (Mobile & Landline): Rangers Number: Do you have a season ticket already? (Yes/No): Union Bears
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A minute's applause will precede Scotland's friendly against England on Tuesday in tribute to the Scotland fan who died following their victory over the Republic of Ireland on Friday. Nathan McSeveney, 20, died when he fell in a Celtic Park stairwell. Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan said: "We have all been extremely saddened. "It is fitting that Scotland supporters have an opportunity to pay tribute to one of their own at Celtic Park." The tribute was announced after consultation with McSeveney's family, from Cumnock in Ayrshire.
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RANGERS defender Darren McGregor admits he has been impressed with how Hearts have performed in the SPFL Championship. Robbie Neilson's team has gone undefeated in the second tier this season and currently sits four points clear at the top of the table after 12 games. But McGregor has questioned how the Tynecastle club's young players will cope when the pressure on them grows in the weeks ahead. And the stopper has vowed to turn up the heat on the capital club by helping the Gers overcome Alloa in today's league match at Ibrox. "Hearts have had a great season so far," he admitted. "I can't say they've not done well - they've done amazingly well. "The nucleus of players who were involved for them last season have now bedded in. "I played against them with St Mirren and I think they are a better team this season than last with the experience they have brought in. "In the summer they signed the big defender Alim Ozturk, who has a decent shot on him, while former Dundee United player Morgaro Gomis has settled it down for them in the middle of the park. I really do think they've done superbly. "But my question would be about when the pressure starts increasing and their points advantage gets smaller - can they handle it?" McGregor added: "The lead Hearts had at the top of the league was up to nine points at one stage and now it's four. "And if we beat Alloa it will be down to one point before they kick-off their match away to Falkirk at 5.30pm. "All we can do is win games and apply the pressure. We know that we want to be at the top of the table and we will do everything to get there. "People will tell you that they don't look at papers or their closest contenders but the first thing you do after a game is look to see how your opposition have done. Hearts will be no different. "This will be the first time since the start of the season that they will really feel the pressure if we get their lead down to a single point. "It's a totally different ball game when the pressure is on. "It will be interesting to see how they deal with it." McGregor came on as a late substitute for Rangers in their 2-1 loss to Hearts at Ibrox on the first weekend of the league season back in August. However, he insists that Ally McCoist's team has improved massively since that game and has a good chance of avenging that disappointing result when they take on Neilson's side at Tynescastle next Saturday. THE 29-year-old Light Blues ace said: "The momentum we have gathered over the last eight games means that confidence is high. Any player will tell you that's massive. "We're training well, scoring and keeping clean sheets. That just builds confidence. It will be a great occasion next week. "I think some people have just found their feet here. We have built up this momentum of scoring goals and also not conceding them and now it's about keeping that going." McGregor, though, is focusing fully on today's match with part-time Alloa that Rangers need to win to stay in touch with the league leaders. He said: "For me, this game against Alloa is just as big as the Hearts one. We need to take the three points and apply the pressure. With Hearts kicking off after we've finished, it gives us a chance to do that. "But Alloa proved in the last game we played against them at their place that they are a good team. Whether that's also the case away from home we will have to wait and see. "We're looking forward to it. We have applied ourselves in training this week and we're on a good run just now." McGregor has established himself as first-choice centre- half during Gers' eight-game winning run and has helped them keep out the opposition's forwards for the last six games. He said: "Half a dozen clean sheets in a row is good. I have built up a good partnership with Lee McCulloch. "The manager has told us that we set the tone and lead from the front. "We know that if we keep a clean sheet in games we'll win them because we have guys up front who will put the ball in the back of the net." ALTHOUGH he is delighted to be playing now in his preferred position in the heart of the defence, McGregor does not resent having to begin his Rangers career at full-back. He said: "Centre-half is my position but I played right-back at the start of the season when Richard Foster was injured. "I enjoyed it even though I felt that I wouldn't fulfil my potential there. Playing right back gave me the grounding I probably needed in a Rangers shirt as it was a position where there maybe wasn't as much expected of me. "It settled me down so it was a blessing in disguise." Meanwhile, McGregor has praised the role Kenny Miller has had in Rangers' winning run since returning to the side. He said: "Kenny is a great leader in the dressing room and on the field. You can see a lot of younger guys looking up to him. He inspires them. He's a great asset. "I've seen him doing a bit of analysis on TV and he's great at that too. He demands the boys do everything the right way and I've no problem with that. "It's not as if he moans for no reason, he does it because he wants the best. That includes giving me a hard time for not dropping back and taking the ball off the keeper. "I have to put my hand up and say, 'Okay, Kenny, I'll do it next time.' "He has the experience of playing at the highest level. "You need to absorb all the information he has. You'd be stupid not to. I love all of that." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/darren-wonders-how-hearts-will-cope-when-rangers-turn-up-title-188735n.25877703
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I was “invited” to attend a meeting at Ibrox today with Rangers’ Director of Communications, Irene Munro and Jim Hannah, Supporters’ Liaison Officer. I had to ask three times by email about the nature of the meeting and eventually was told only that it was “to discuss complaints raised against you by other fans board members”. I asked to be supplied with the details of the complaints before the meeting but this was denied. At the meeting I was told that as a result of two complaints by colleagues on the Fans Board and one complaint from a member of the public, I was being removed from the Fans Board. The complaint from the member of the public was in connection with or as a result of information that I posted about the Rangers Fans Fighting Fund. I was not told the nature of the complaints by members of the Fans Board. These are the relevant sections of the Constitution: 17.Conduct of members of the RFB 17.1 The Elected Representatives shall, in exercising his/her functions as a member of RFB, act in the interests of the Club and RFB; and, in particular, must (a) seek, in good faith, to ensure that RFB acts in a manner which is in accordance with its objects (as set out in clause 3 this constitution); (b) act with the care and diligence which it is reasonable to expect of a person who is managing the affairs of another person; and © in circumstances giving rise to the possibility of a conflict of interest between RFB or the Club and any other party (i) put the interests of the RFB and the Club before that of the other party, in taking decisions as a member of the RFB; or (ii) where any other duty prevents him/her from doing so, disclose the conflicting interest to the RFB and the Club and refrain from participating in any discussions or decisions involving the other Elected Representatives with regard to the matter in question. (d) If, in the opinion of the Club, any Elected Representative is in breach of paragraphs (a), (b) and © above, or in the opinion of the Club, brings the Club into disrepute, the Club shall have the power to terminate that individuals Membership and remove them as an Elected Representative with immediate effect and without notice. There is no right of Appeal. The Fans Board had agreed an interim Code of Conduct which includes up to three warnings but this was not applied because it provides for complaints to be referred to the Office Bearers and there are no Office Bearers in place at this time. I was told that in the opinion of the Club I have not been acting in the interests of the Fans Board and that my position was not tenable, so I was being removed. I was given the opportunity to resign, which I declined. I was then told that Rangers would issue a statement saying that I had “left the Fans Board” but I asked that if they were removing me they issue a statement accordingly.
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Found this on twitter this morning - apparently this can be purchased from Burtons. https://twitter.com/theZhangx/status/533173253448417280/photo/1
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...as he reveals his part in Brian Kennedy's failed 11th hour Ibrox bid. THE former Ibrox boss vented his anger at chief executive Charles Green in a scathing attack on the Rangers boardroom chaos. GRAEME SOUNESS last night revealed he was part of Brian Kennedy’s failed 11th hour bid to stop Mike Ashley seizing control of Rangers. And the former Light Blues manager branded former chief executive Charles Green a “pr**k” during a scathing assessment of the never-ending boardroom chaos at Ibrox. Souness has told for the first time how he teamed up with old pal Kennedy last month when the Sales Shark owner launched a £3million rescue package after being approached by former chief executive Graham Wallace – only for the rest of the current regime to rubber-stamp take a £2m funding deal from Ashley instead. That setback came two-and-a-half years after Souness and Kennedy’s Blue Knights thought they had managed to get through the Ibrox front-door, only for disgraced Yorkshireman Green to grab control. Souness is angry about what has happened at his former club and concerned over Rangers’ future. But he reckons that would not have been the case had he and Kennedy got their way. When asked if he was also involved in the latest move, Souness said: “Yes. I had a week with Brian in Majorca three weeks ago. But if it’s not to be it’s not to be. ”It never got beyond a bid. And they never wanted Brian’s money this time either. “When we met a couple of weeks ago, we never went into detail because, the last time, we believed we had it. Brian believed he had it only to be let down and deeply disappointed. We even came up to watch a Rangers and Celtic game because we believed we had it. “I think this time around he was always thinking the worst. “Given the structure the way it is now I would think that’s it finished now. ”I’m angry about it and saddened by it in equal amounts because a lot has been allowed to happen. “I don’t want to get into being involved in a libel case. “All I would say is that if we had got it the people there would have had the club for the right reasons.” Souness believes the club has missed out by turning Kennedy down and added: “They certainly did the first time around. “It would have the right people running it for the right reasons. “That would have been Walter [smith] and I and the right person as the owner. All of us there for the right reasons. ”I don’t know how Brian feels right now but I think his attitude to it has changed now the other folk are involved.” Souness launched a scathing attack on Green as he revealed the Yorkshireman’s attempts to get him on board days before he completed his £5.5m buyout of the club’s assets back in the summer of 2012. He explained: “What is it? Two years since that prick had it? “The guy who knocked on my door one night asking me if I would get involved in it, with him. Charles Green. “Late one night about 11 o’clock, my answer was no. “I got a phonecall about an hour before that saying he was coming to see me. I had been asked to see him and I had refused. “I got a call an hour before to say he was on his way to see me. We went for a cup of tea at a hotel around the corner. “You’ve got me angry now… “Who knows what would have happened if we had got in? But I’ll tell you, the stadium would still be full.” Souness has no idea what the future holds now for Rangers under Ashley but said he had done a tremendous job with Newcastle. He said: “I don’t want to end up in court. “I wouldn’t be critical of Mike Ashley. He is a fantastic businessman who saw an opportunity at Newcastle and it’s very hard to be critical, having worked there myself. “I think he has done the right thing there. “What I worked there the largest shareholder was under enormous pressure to make changes too quickly. “He lived in the city. Mike Ashley doesn’t live in the city and has not listened to any fans forums or phone-ins. “He has stuck with his manager and it looks like he is getting the rewards of that. “That’s what it needed. It needs a strong owner and that’s what he is. Someone who has been supremely successful in anything he has touched. “I think in terms of Newcastle supporters they should be counting their blessings rather than being critical.” Souness also aimed a blast at those who celebrated Rangers’ demise when he said: “ All I would say is that all the people who enjoyed their demise, if they had their time again, would they have voted the same way? “Celtic getting gates of less than 20,000? I think it has damaged football, hopefully not beyond repair. “Football goes in cycles. Over a 10-year period, they say if you lose a support, it’s very hard to get that back. “I don’t know if it will get back. “Rangers will get back to the SPL, the Old Firm games will be enormous affairs again and the passion will remain the same. “But will it ever get back to where it was six or seven years ago? I very much doubt it.” Meanwhile, Rangers fans have written to stock market bosses urging them to investigate Ashley’s Ibrox power grab. The Rangers Supporters Trust has also raised a number of concerns about the current board’s handling of the League One champions, accusing them of a operating with a “reckless and irresponsible attitude to going concern status”. Newcastle United owner Ashley holds just under nine per cent of the cash-strapped Glasgow giants but has been effectively pulling the strings since the club was forced to accept his offer of a £2million loan. The terms of that crisis credit line allows the Sports Direct billionaire to name two directors to the Ibrox board. Former Magpies managing director Derek Llambias was Ashley’s first pick with the second yet to be revealed. Ashley also runs Rangers’ retail division – a deal which hands him 49 per cent of the club’s shirt sale profits – and owns the naming rights to the stadium following an agreement he struck with former chief executive Charles Green for just £1. Hampden bosses have already written to both Rangers and Ashley seeking “clarification” on the 50-year-old Londoner’s involvement. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/graeme-souness-vents-anger-gers-4611416
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Wearing an IRA pin badge whilst in Wigan FC tracksuit.
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The Rangers Supporters Trust today announced that it has formed Fleshers Haugh Limited to produce a range of merchandise whose profits will be used to purchase shares in the club. Trust Chairman Gordon Dinnie said – “For a number of months now we have been selling red and black shirts but it’s obvious from the demand that fans also want other forms of merchandise. We set up Flesher Haugh to develop a range of quality merchandise which will be a credit to the club’s traditions and generate funds which will enable fans to buy more shares and make the club stable.” “I’m asking for fans with experience and skills in merchandising, design and manufacturing to come forward to help us build an enterprise which provides a real fans alternative.” More information to follow. http://www.therst.co.uk/latest-rst-statement/ -
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by Alex Oliver | Contributor Dave King’s statement tonight launched a scathing critique of what he believed to be obstructions in his attempt to seek control of Rangers Football Club. Something which jumped out at me more than anything was the following part: "...given the present concerns from supporters that Mr Ashley is using his shareholder status to put pressure on the board to alienate the rights and trade mark of the club in favour of his personal interest." It got me thinking, something in this area has changed since the beginning of the season. The observant will have noticed the 'scroll crest' has now taken precedence over the traditional 'Ready' crest. Given all that has gone on and various whispers of image rights and naming rights being sold for a pittance, it would surely be naïve to suggest that it is simply re-branding. I have collated several examples of where things have changed. CONTINUE READING... http://www.thecoplandroad.org/
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Apologies for posting but I would to mention a couple of things. If it is true that Rangers will not earn anything/negligible from merchandise, then surely it presents an opportunity for the two organisations who are buying shares on the fans' behalf. Maybe manufacturing their own (classic style) unofficial (but official quality) Rangers tops could provide a serious income stream for the organisations. I would imagine that a football top could be manufactured for circa £5 either in UK or China. 30,000 tops at £30/£35 each would provide around £750,000 profit(after further costs) to be used to purchase shares with. Surely every website and supporters club could get behind such an initiative and drive sales. Given two or three cycles, a serious share position could be built by the fans. Well done last night.
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Dave King's talks with Sandy Easdale ended without agreement. If this surprises anyone then it shouldn't.
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By Chris McLaughlin & Richard Wilson BBC Scotland Rangers were 48 hours from going into administration until a £2m loan was agreed with Mike Ashley, according to one senior Ibrox source. Prospective administrators had been contacted by the Ibrox club. Newcastle owner Ashley put forward a financial package, which includes the option of a new share issue, on Friday and it was agreed on Saturday morning. And, as part of the agreement, chief executive Graham Wallace will follow director Philip Nash in stepping down. The arrangement could be finalised early next week. English businessman Ashley, who owns 8.29% of the Glasgow club's shares, had called for the removal of Nash and Wallace as part of his offer. Under Scottish FA agreement Ashley is not allowed boardroom influence or a shareholding of more than 10%. But his possible underwriting of a share issue could take his stake above that threshold if there is not enough buy-in from other investors. An alternative option could be further loans. The SFA plan to write Rangers next week seeking clarification on the loan agreement with Ashley. Rangers need a financial injection to cover wages beyond November and Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy became a surprise latecomer in the battle for control with a funding package offer of his own. In response to the news that Ashley's offer had been accepted by the board, Kennedy said he was "disappointed for Rangers" but would not be commenting further. Former director Dave King had also offered fresh funding to Rangers but could not agree a deal following talks with key shareholder Sandy Easdale and the board. Before returning to his South African business base on Thursday, King issued a statement saying that his group's offer remained on the table and that he was hopeful it would be accepted. Ashley, who already has control of Rangers' shirt sales and retail division and owns the naming rights for Ibrox Stadium, refused to back King's proposal. Sandy Easdale, who controls a 26% block of shares, also declined to agree to King's proposals. While Ashley is demanding two representatives on the board, King also wanted to choose its chairman. Nash, the former Arsenal and Liverpool executive, had been employed as a financial consultant by Rangers before joining the board in July. Wallace, currently on a family holiday in Greece, and Nash had been supportive of the bid by King's group, which includes fellow Scottish businessmen George Letham and Paul Murray. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29761396
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Mike Ashley moves into pole position to take control at Ibrox as Dave King bid fails http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-power-battle-mike-ashley-4499365
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Mike Ashley has been energised by the battle for Ibrox in a way that he never has by challenge of making Newcastle United competitive. On Saturday afternoon Newcastle United have their eighth crack at winning a Premier League match this season. If they swing and miss, it will be their longest winless run in the Premier League era: worse than the ill-starred 2008/9 relegation season and more desperate than the year that brought Sir Bobby Robson to Tyneside. Throw into the mix an undercooked team light on experience of a relegation battle and there can be little doubt that this is a time for minds to be focused. Even at this early stage survival appears the priority, but that cannot be taken for granted. And where is Mike Ashley? The owner’s scrutiny is not trained on the lame duck manager who is only ever one defeat away from losing further ground with a sceptical support but instead it is in a messy, protracted and potentially long-running takeover of Rangers. The Newcastle owner blew his own cover on Ibrox weeks, months or even a year or so ago. By dodging the share issue and banning a journalist who had speculated on his intentions towards Rangers, he tried the owner’s equivalent of an Ali shuffle – but the knockout punch has not yet been delivered. Rangers is going to be a slow burner for Ashley. Unlike Newcastle – where he found an owner willing to make a quick sale – there are messy and protracted battles to be fought at Ibrox with groups who are not going to relinquish their grip on a potential goldmine anytime soon. The motivation for investing in a fallen club that needs plenty of work is the promise of a potential route into the Champions League. Ashley’s mistakes have made that path impossible for Newcastle for a generation or so, but Rangers’ size and the impoverished standard of the competition give him a chance north of the border. And the Champions League gives him even greater profile than the Premier League in a sportswear market that he fancies a crack at: Europe. There are obstacles to be vaulted, of course: not least rules that state he cannot own majority stakes in clubs in both Scotland and England. But that is a hurdle to be clambered over when the time comes: the important thing is to elbow out the other prospectors sifting through the wreckage at Ibrox. Rangers is time-consuming for Ashley. It has caused him to take his eye off the ball at Newcastle and the consequences of that could yet be catastrophic for a club that appears rudderless, leaderless and entirely without hope at the moment. Ashley gutted Newcastle of people who would answer back to him. Managing director Lee Charnley owes his career to Ashley, and is hardly likely to stand up to him. We all know that Pardew will acquiesce if required. That is the way the owner wanted it – him dipping in and out of Newcastle when it suited him. Ever since Rangers became a serious interest for him, the dynamic has changed. Ashley may be more visible at Newcastle – naming himself as chairman over the course of this year – but he has not been as involved as he was before. A source I spoke to said his greatest hope was that people would run it for him, keeping it ticking along for a while. He simply doesn’t have time for Newcastle anymore. There is a shiny new toy north of the border and the fight for control at Ibrox has energised him much more than the battle to make Newcastle United competitive has. And what is unfolding north of the border is very, very messy indeed. For those still in any doubt, it is worth taking a quick journey through the coverage of Ashley’s actions north of the border. Festering worry about his intentions has given way to outright disgust at the way he has operated in the last couple of months. Just like he has with Tesco and Debenhams, Ashley has struck at a moment of weakness. That is savvy strategy from a sharp businessman, but it doesn’t mean that Rangers fans should be happy about what is happening. Not that many are, despite claims from a couple of Old Firm icons this week that Ashley might be the man to return the club to its perch. The Daily Record’s Michael Gannon wrote a withering editorial two weeks ago challenging that belief: capturing the scorched earth policy of Ashley and his unquestioning acolytes perfectly. Warning that sometimes the devil you know can be worse than the devil you don’t, he wrote: “He is simply out to bag a quick buck at Rangers.” It is a familiar theme when the subject of Ashley and the Ibrox club are brought up: money is the reason he is hanging around. Not necessarily money that will be made directly off the club’s success but more the reflected perks of owning an institution that can reasonably challenge for the Champions League in a couple of seasons with pretty minimal investment. Gannon summed up his latest power play in a couple of damning sentences. “He could have sunk in money at last month’s share issue and it would have gone to the club,” he wrote. “Instead he waited and bought out Hargreave Hale. It strengthened his position and rubbed the board’s face in it after they refused to cave in to strict demands in return for a loan.” It is Ashley to a tee. Stubborn, obstinate and looking entirely after number one. The worry is that Newcastle United’s Premier League status will become collateral in the battle for Newcastle United. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-become-collateral-damage-7943767
