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PUT it down to a conspiracy. Put it down to intimidation. Put it down to global warming, the credit crunch or Haringey social services if it makes you happy. But this morning, I�m putting it down as pure, bald fact. Celtic have now had FIVE blatantly wrong refereeing decisions go their way this season. And it�s driving managers, players, directors and fans of every other club round the twist. That�s not Celtic�s fault. They are the same as everyone else, happy to accept the breaks when they come along. It�s just a pity for the rest of us they come along so often. If you�re a Rangers fan, you�ll be convinced the SFA are deliberately trying to stop your team winning the league. You�re wrong, though. Fact is, we�re all suffering from Gordon Strachan�s rub of the green. We�re all feeling like they have 12 men on the park. In 15 games, Celtic have been handed crucial freebies against St Mirren � twice � Dundee United, Falkirk and Hamilton. August 10: Eddie Smith sent Saints defender Will Haining off for an offence he didn�t commit and gave a match-winning penalty they weren�t due. August 17: Charlie Richmond denied United a stonewall penalty when Gary Caldwell brought down Roy O�Donovan in a game that finished 1-1. August 24: Iain Brines allowed a Stephen McManus punch into Falkirk�s net to stand as a goal. November 16: Steve Conroy showed Hamilton defender Martin Canning a straight red AND gave a penalty for a foul on Cillian Sheridan that was two yards outside the box. And now we have Willie Collum. The SFA�s golden child. Personally mentored by Hugh Dallas. Off soon to handle his next big European tie. Giving a yellow card to Artur Boruc for racing out of his box and straight-legging Craig Dargo in the thigh. I�d have more sympathy with Collum had he missed the incident altogether. Because to see it and decide it wasn�t violent conduct simply makes him look incompetent. I�ve written plenty times that Collum�s the worst kind of referee, one who knows the rules inside out but doesn�t have a clue about the game. But don�t take the huff, chief. Because you�re far from alone. Five different whistlers have given Celtic those five vital calls and plenty more have supplied evidence to suggest this is the worst batch in our game�s history. Back in August, the hugely experienced Stuart Dougal missed James McArthur handling the ball into the net for Hamilton against Dundee United. Two weeks later, linesman Billy Baxter convinced ref Craig Thomson to disallow what would have given Rangers a last-minute winner at Aberdeen for an offside that never was. Our old pal Smith drove both sides crazy in the 1-1 Edinburgh derby in October, first by ruling out a Christian Nade goal for a shove on keeper Yves Ma-Kalambay no one else saw and then denied Derek Riordan what looked an obvious penalty. Mike McCurry sent off Aberdeen left back Charlie Mulgrew against Hibs and gave a penalty when the correct decision should have been offside against Steven Fletcher. For his next trick, he then gave Falkirk a penalty at Killie when Graham Barrett clearly cut across Jamie Hamill and went down without being fouled. Kris Boyd�s second goal in a 3-1 win at Hamilton last month was offside � to everyone bar referee Dougie McDonald and his officials. And in the 90th minute of last week�s Challenge Cup Final, with Airdrie and Ross County locked at 1-1, Callum Murray and linesmen Mark Doyle were the only people in the ground who didn�t see Diamonds defender Marc Smyth handle in his own box. Smyth would have been sent off, County could won the trophy. Instead, the Irishman rubbed salt in their wounds by scoring the winner in a penalty shootout. Though we only got that far after Doyle gave County scored their second from a corner when one of their OWN players clearly toed the ball out the park. In that final, I watched fourth official Crawford Allan spend two hours chasing Airdrie boss Kenny Black up and down the touchline. On Saturday, he refereed United against Hamilton in exactly the same way. Never in control, not seeing the incidents he needed to see, only the reaction to those incidents. That�s a recipe for failure. That�s why he booked nine and sent one off � yet didn�t deal with constant timewasting by Accies keeper Tomas Cerny or punish dreadful challenges on him by Jon Daly and Lee Wilkie. He was off the pace. Out of his depth. Chasing the game like a giraffe trying to catch a beach ball in a hurricane. I�ve listed plenty of clear-cut decisions here. Haven�t even touched the dozens more that have been debatable, the free kicks that go the wrong way and lead to goals, the fair tackles that lead to sendings-off. That should be incredibly worrying for the SFA, the SPL and the SFL. They should be moving heaven and earth to improve the standard pronto, to give the Collums and Allans of the world a crash course in how football�s played in the real world. Instead all we get is mumblings about how the more pressure we lump on, the more mistakes they�ll make. Well you know what? If they can�t take the stick, they shouldn�t be in the damn job. It�s time they toughened up, wised up and bucked up. But there are two chances of that happening. Oh sure, they want respect. In fact, they demand it. But did they ever think to try and earm it? Or maybe try to show some? Don�t be silly, son. This relationship�s a one way street, all take and no give. And right now, what they�re taking is the p**s. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/columnists/billleckiesports/article1962219.ece

From John McGarry in Aalborg, 22/11/2008 ALLAN KUHN has sensationally branded Celtic LUCKY and off-form. The stand-in Aalborg boss cranked up the heat ahead of Tuesdayââ?¬â?¢s make-or-break Champions League clash with the Hoops in Denmark with his blast. The stakes could hardly be higher with the winner almost certainly guaranteed UEFA Cup football. But despite Celtic racking up 11 straight SPL wins since losing to Rangers in August, the man who stepped up from No2 when Bruce Rioch was sacked feels his side are facing Celtic at just the right time. He said: ââ?¬Å?I know people are saying this is the game Celtic will end their bad away run in the Champions League but thinking like that could be their main problem. ââ?¬Å?We have a much better team than we did when we drew 0-0 at Celtic Park. ââ?¬Å?They will still be favourites coming here because they have the experience in Europe. But so far they havenââ?¬â?¢t used that to get a win away from home. I think against Celtic itââ?¬â?¢s 50-50. They are a bigger name than us but thatââ?¬â?¢s all. ââ?¬Å?I saw they beat the team who are bottom of the Scottish League just 2-1 last week. ââ?¬Å?I think they were very lucky with the penalty and scored with just four minutes to go. So I think theyââ?¬â?¢re struggling a bit at the moment.ââ?¬Â Despite a lack of superstars in his side, Kuhn believes his players can achieve the result that guarantees them European football in the New Year and will perhaps earn him an extended stay in the dug-out. He added: ââ?¬Å?The club have told me Iââ?¬â?¢ll be in charge for six weeks then Iââ?¬â?¢ll probably be back as No2. But you never know what can happen in football. ââ?¬Å?Of course, it would help my case if we could beat Celtic or Manchester United but itââ?¬â?¢s not all about those two games. ââ?¬Å?We donââ?¬â?¢t fear anything. Our guys played in Europe last year against the likes of Spurs and Sampdoria so they have learned how to play. Thatââ?¬â?¢s why it didnââ?¬â?¢t surprise me when we got the draw in Glasgow. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re not afraid of Celtic because we have a lot of international players who have been involved in big games. ââ?¬Å?If we make third in the group and the UEFA Cup it would be a massive achievement. At the start, we knew if we had the scenario of Celtic at home with everything still at stake, it would be a great opportunity. ââ?¬Å?Now weââ?¬â?¢re there and we want to take it. We know if we beat Celtic weââ?¬â?¢re through and weââ?¬â?¢ll do everything we can to do it. ââ?¬Å?It would be great to go into the winter training, in the cold and snow, knowing weââ?¬â?¢re in the next stage of the UEFA Cup. Itââ?¬â?¢s a massive match for us.ââ?¬Â Kuhn only hopes his next experience of European football against a Scottish side is better than his first. He said: ââ?¬Å?I played for Lyngby against Rangers in 1992, trying to qualify for the Champions League. I didnââ?¬â?¢t play in the first leg at Ibrox because I was sick. ââ?¬Å?I was back for the return but we lost 1-0 in Copenhagen. I managed to get Ally McCoistââ?¬â?¢s shirt that night. ââ?¬Å?It was a great tie to play in and great experience for me as a youngster, going up against players like McCoist and Mark Hateley. ââ?¬Å?Rangers were even bigger favourites to beat us then than Celtic are now so it wasnââ?¬â?¢t too much of a disappointment to lose. ââ?¬Å?Thatââ?¬â?¢s the only time Iââ?¬â?¢ve played against a Scottish team, as a player or coach. But we know Scottish football well in Denmark, we always get the Old Firm games on TV. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve seen a few of Celticââ?¬â?¢s games recently and our scout was at the St Mirren match, so we know how theyââ?¬â?¢ll play. Even with a few injuries they still have a strong team. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve never won away from home in the Champions League and this could be our chance.ââ?¬Â Aalborg have steadily climbed away from the foot of the Danish league since Kuhn took charge and the 40-year-old said: ââ?¬Å?It is incredible how quickly you learn in this game. ââ?¬Å?In the first week you feel the adrenalin and youââ?¬â?¢re stressed, but after that you cope, you have to. We were second from bottom in the league when I took over, so it was important to move up. Weââ?¬â?¢re doing that now and weââ?¬â?¢re in the semi-final of the cup. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve not lost yet since I took over and I can feel the confidence coming back into the squad.ââ?¬Â http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/82146/Aalborg-brand-Celts-weak-and-lucky.html

Bastard Boruc. He just hacked a St mirren striker outside the box and it was a total straight red yet he only got a yellow.

SPL leaders Celtic visit St Mirren for a busy Saturday's early kick off. More...

Nearly More Crucial Points Dropped I canââ?¬â?¢t quiet believe what I witnessed at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon and I believe that I am entitled to expect more from my football team than we were served up, especially after the promising start to the game. Having surged into a 2-0 lead after 10 minutes whilst playing some very attractive football, instead of ramming home the advantage, we took our foot off the accelerator and thankfully, St Mirren didnââ?¬â?¢t respond to our lacklustre display until the final 10 minutes. Even given St Mirrenââ?¬â?¢s reluctance to capitalise on our growing deficiencies, they almost claimed a point from the game. Some of the ââ?¬Ë?footballââ?¬â?¢ I witnessed from Rangers in the 2nd half was amateurish in the extreme. We are unable to retain possession from throw-ins, we insist on bringing every player back for corners (which encourages teams to thro more men forward which in turn results in more pressure and when we clear the ball, it comes straight back at us ââ?¬â?? no out ball), we contrived to miss chance after chance (Miller and Novo being most capable), then for long periods of the game, we were unable to string 2 passes together. All this resulted in our opponents growing in confidence and realising that we were there for the taking. The game should have been over as a contest in the first half. If we had continued in the same vein as we started the game, we could have destroyed St Mirren and avoided those nervy scenes as the end. We must improve significantly for our upcoming fixtures. We must learn to put games beyond our opponents when we are on top. We have Aberdeen at Ibrox, Hearts at Tynecastle and DUFC at Tannidice looming on the horizon and if we offer them the chance to take points from us, they will gladly oblige. As our next game as against our foes from the frozen north, I hope all Rangers fans that make their way to Ibrox on Saturday take their singing voices with them. This is one of the few remaining games that guarantees and generates a decent atmosphere and undoubtedly, Sheepy will regale us with their vile Neil Simpson and Ibrox disaster songs. Lets ensure that we drown them out and sing our heroes onto victory. Beyond Inept, Bordering on Corrupt So once again Celtc are the beneficiaries of a dubious decision on Sunday that enabled them to defeat a plucky Hamilton side who looked ââ?¬Ë?untroubledââ?¬â?¢ until the refereeââ?¬â?¢s assistant intervened and convinced the referee that it would be a good idea to award Celtc a penalty for a foul committed clearly outside the penalty area. If this wasnââ?¬â?¢t a serious issue, it would be laughable. Celtc are now getting these types of decisions on a weekly basis, and whilst this is obvious to one and all, the SFA, SPL or referee supervisors are doing NOTHING about it. In fact, they appear to be happy with this level of incompetence, or given the level of ââ?¬Ë?incompetenceââ?¬â?¢, then they appear to be happy with this level of corruptness. Now, we understand that officials get things wrong ââ?¬â?? they are only human after all. However, to continually get these decisions so wrong, then there is something else afoot. As I said above, I believe that Celtc have benefited from a dubious decision in almost every SPL game this season (whether its them getting a penalty, a dubious goal or the opposition being reduced to 10 men, having a perfectly good goal chopped off), and we have been on the wrong side of these type of decisions in almost every SPL game weââ?¬â?¢ve played in. This hasnââ?¬â?¢t been happening just this season, there was evidence of this at the business end of last season as well. As well as the footballing authorities reluctance to highlight / investigate these ââ?¬Ë?one wayââ?¬â?¢ dubious decisions, our unbiased press have also decided to stay shtoom (for a change). In the run up to Helicopter Sunday, Rangers were awarded a penalty at Tynecastle that TV replays proved was a correct decision. After this game, the media asked for everyoneââ?¬â?¢s comments on the decision, including Celtc manager Martin Oââ?¬â?¢Neill. One commentator even went as far as to state that the SPL title was ââ?¬Ë?tainted by the stench of cheatingââ?¬â?¢. Thatââ?¬â?¢s right folks, after one correct decision, the SPL titled was tainted by cheating. The assistant referee involved was hounded for days and weeks. His family were attacked in the street, his personal details were posted on internet sites, there were double page spreads on the ââ?¬Ë?red topsââ?¬â?¢ and Celtc demanded that said official wasnââ?¬â?¢t to officiate any of their games. Isnââ?¬â?¢t it amazing that after the furore that surrounded this ONE decision that nothing has been said or printed about the weekly decisions that are now going Celtcââ?¬â?¢s way? Sir David Murray / Martin Bain Given the evidence of the above, you, like me, may be surprised that SDM or his lap-dog Martin Bain havenââ?¬â?¢t entered into this debate and asked the relevant bodies, the relevant questions. OK, that was slightly tongue in cheek, as we all know that unless either of their names has been tarnished, or if they are asked to blacken our reputation any further, theyââ?¬â?¢ll not say anything to anyone. I still canââ?¬â?¢t fathom how both still have the support of the majority of Rangers supporters after asset stripping of our beloved club. However, if the rumours reaching me are correct, January might just be the month that reverses that support. Given our dire financial state, coupled with our failure to reach a European competition on this season, we desperately require to raise some money in January. We are likely to receive bids for Mendes (Redknapp wants him at Spurs and Mendes has a release clause in his contract ââ?¬â?? yip, well done again Mr Bain), Marseilles will bid for Bougherra and I believe that Mr Redknapp may also bid for McGregor is his bid to land Shay Given from Newcastle fails. If you are as sceptical of our custodian as I am, nothing will come as a surprise in January. If you arenââ?¬â?¢t as sceptical as myself, well, youââ?¬â?¢ve been warned. Cammy F ââ?¬â?? Support The Dublin Loyal - WATP

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/scottishpremier/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/11/17/SOCCER_Rangers.html&TEAMHD=scotspremiership Rangers striker Kenny Miller is doubtful for the visit of Aberdeen on Saturday after pulling out of the Scotland squad with a calf injury. Miller took a kick during Saturday's 2-1 win over St Mirren and the swelling on Sunday night forced him to withdraw from Wednesday's friendly against Argentina. The 28-year-old has been undergoing treatment at Murray Park this morning as the Rangers medical team bid to get him fit for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash. Rangers manager Walter Smith is hopeful of having Madjid Bougherra back for the Dons game after he missed the St Mirren victory with a calf injury. The Algeria defender has joined up with his international team-mates for their African Nations Cup qualifier against Mali but Rangers do not expect him to play. I know some dont like the lad but I actually think he will be a loss - he has done a lot of good work for us this season.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_news/74130/Acid-attack-on-Gers-stars-car-Kenny-Miller-Rangers.html RANGERS striker Kenny Miller was left fizzing after his Ã?£132,000 motor was trashed by mindless vandals. Thugs drenched the Ibrox starââ?¬â?¢s Bentley Continental GTC with battery acid, leaving the carââ?¬â?¢s expensive paintwork ruined. Kenny, 28, bought the 6-litre supercar just FIVE MONTHS ago but woke up yesterday to find it had been attacked overnight. He now faces a hefty repair bill of up to Ã?£30,000. And one of the starââ?¬â?¢s pals admitted: ââ?¬Å?Kennyââ?¬â?¢s pretty gutted right now. That car was his pride and joy.ââ?¬Â The car had been parked outside the playerââ?¬â?¢s home in Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, when the yobs struck. Itââ?¬â?¢s thought the 195mph convertible will need a full respray to repair damage to the bonnet and driverââ?¬â?¢s side. Our source added: ââ?¬Å?The car was tucked away behind a wall and a gate so it looks like whoever did it knew exactly where to find it. But it looks like thereââ?¬â?¢s been more than one person involved ââ?¬â? theyââ?¬â?¢ve lobbed acid from every angle to make sure they didnââ?¬â?¢t miss. ââ?¬Å?After he discovered what had happened, Kenny drove it straight to the garage which is just a few miles from his house. ââ?¬Å?The paint was still peeling it off as he drove. He had to get a lift to the game yesterday.ââ?¬Â The damage to his beloved motor seemed to be on the Ã?£2million aceââ?¬â?¢s mind once he got to Ibrox. Fans saw him miss a sitter during his sideââ?¬â?¢s 2-1 clash with St Mirren before ballooning a pass and hitting the bar in the 73rd minute. His Bentley ââ?¬â? which does 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds ââ?¬â? isnââ?¬â?¢t the first car belonging to a Rangers player to get trashed. Last month vandals wrecked two cars owned by goalie Allan McGregor. Vile sectarian slogans were etched into McGregorââ?¬â?¢s Bentley Continental GT and a Range Rover Sport. The Ã?£60,000 Range Rover, which was a present for McGregorââ?¬â?¢s fiancÃ?©e Leah Shevlin, had the words ââ?¬Å?cowââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?IRAââ?¬Â scraped along its side. The silver Bentley had ââ?¬Å?Holly Goalyââ?¬Â scratched on its bonnet in a badly-spelt reference to Celtic keeper Artur Boruc. In March McGregor, 26, was left raging when thugs poured acid on the Bentley. It cost Ã?£10,000 to have the vehicle repaired following that incident. Last night our source added: ââ?¬Å?Kennyââ?¬â?¢s not been given an exact price for the repair bill yet ââ?¬â? but he knows itââ?¬â?¢s not going to come cheap. ââ?¬Å?The car was a complete and utter mess. Itââ?¬â?¢s sickening to think they put so much effort into it. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s undoubtedly been a premeditated attack.ââ?¬Â

Rangers host St Mirren at Ibrox in one of five Scottish Premier League fixtures on Saturday. More...

By Andrew Dickson PEDRO MENDES is confident he and Barry Ferguson can strike up a partnership to remember at the heart of the Rangers midfield. The duo started alongside each other for the first time in the 0-0 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday night. Barry FergusonThey showed in spells that they can be a big hit as a pairing, despite the fact Gers were held by the Steelmen in the end. Whether they get to team up again when St Mirren visit Ibrox tomorrow is unclear, with Walter Smith still to decide if he will risk starting Ferguson. It could be that after five months out with an ankle injury, the Light Blues and Scotland skipper is put on the bench instead so that he isn't rushed into playing too frequently. Either way, Mendes is sure they can gel over time and make a big impact as the Ibrox men challenge for the SPL title. The Portuguese star said: "Barry is a fantastic footballer. I've seen him at Murray Park in the last three or four weeks as he has come back to training. "Now it is all about him getting his fitness up because he has been away and out of the team for a while. "It is very good to have him back and I don't think him and I gelling is going to be an issue. "There has to be an understanding between all 11 players on the pitch and everyone must be aware of what they have to do. "If you are talking about Fergie and I, we, as midfielders, know what our jobs are so it's not a problem. "We are an attacking team so if we both like to press forward, that's not a bad thing. Besides, a team such as Rangers can't drop off and wait for other teams to come at us.Pedro Mendes "Barry and I just need to play together. It was our first time against Motherwell and the understanding will come. We will get even better and it's just a matter of time." Mendes is not worried by the fact Rangers trail Celtic in the league table despite beating them 4-2 at Parkhead in August. Indeed, he is perfectly relaxed about the situation and remains confident the deficit is something he and his team-mates can overcome. The former Portsmouth and Spurs star added: "There is a four-point gap but there is still a long way to go. "We are not happy with dropping some points lately, even though Dundee United and Motherwell played well against us, but there is plenty of time left. "A lot of games have still to be played, including three between us and Celtic, and everything is still very open. "In my opinion, we are playing very good football and we just need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal and tighter defensively. That will come."

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/311110867?-11344 After another 2 points dropped at Fir Park last night, our team’s dreadful inconsistency has to be examined. Why do we struggle to go on any kind of winning run? Why does our form spike then drop like a Blackpool roller-coaster? Who is and isn’t taking responsibility for our patchy form? Right away, we see the same questions being asked again and again of our club. Let’s try and look at why another title challenge seems to be fading before our eyes. First of all, I’d like to raise the issue of leadership. From the very top of the club right down to the dressing room, there seems to be a complete absence of people capable of standing tall, and leading our club to the SPL title. We have an owner desperate to sell the club as soon as he can while apparently preferring to slag off his own fans instead of looking in the mirror and asking how his contribution is affecting the status quo. Next Sunday will see Sir David Murray’s twentieth anniversary at the club. Twenty years since he bought Rangers FC and started the Murray era. Are we any further forward since then? Should he be judged on his first ten years in charge where he oversaw an ambitious (and largely successful) attempt at dominating Scottish football, or should we concentrate on the second ten years where that dominance and ambition has largely disappeared? No matter our opinion of Murray’s tenure, the fact is we now lack a leader at the top and that immediately affects the whole club’s outlook. Of course the chairman will point to the funds he allocated to the manager during the summer and that brings us neatly to our next problem. Quite simply, as it stands, that money appears to have been gambled on players that have so far had little effect on being able to increase our quality and achieve winning consistency. Madjid Bougherra, Pedro Mendes and Steven Davis have all done reasonably well so far but the latter two especially don’t appear to be the type of player who can lead from the front when the going gets tough. The rest of the money was then spent on Kyle Lafferty and Maurice Edu – two young players with little experience of top quality football and the pressures therein. As such, the manager doesn’t appear to trust them to justify their fee by playing them ahead of injured or off-form players. Indeed, if we look at Smith’s other signings – Lee McCulloch and Kenny Miller to name but two, there has been a lot of money spent on players that one doubts can really change our fortunes. When the going gets tough we simply don’t appear the have the inspiration to change games effectively. That goes for the manager and his selections as well as the players who shirk responsibility when it’s most required. Nonetheless, our form hasn’t been that bad. I’d contend the football is better than it was last year and that we’ve deserved to win most games out with the dreadful losses to Kaunas and St Mirren. A combination of bad luck, good goalkeeping, defensive errors and awful officiating means we shouldn’t be too downbeat about the season so far. Surely the slightly better football will soon be accompanied by more goals, stronger defending and linesmen doing their job? Unfortunately, I don’t think it is as simple as that – and that’s where the article title applies. Too often over the last couple of years there have been false dawns. Several excellent wins – home and away – versus Celtic and passionate defensive displays to deliver a UEFA Cup final contest would have most people thinking our players would be oozing confidence and brushing their SPL opponents aside. But no, as soon as we get a good result, the merest hint of things going against us has shoulders stooping and heads dropping before more points are lost. We also seem to lack motivation at times and the urgency and pride to win games is often missing until it’s too late. Or even worse, it doesn’t appear at all. Who’s to blame for that and who can change it? Well, we all can of course. The fans – as usual – will be unmatched as they follow follow their team all over the country. It’s time the players, manager and chairman acknowledged and matched that commitment in the way they approach their contribution. Let’s make it very clear. Second best is not good enough. Not against Lithuanian teams. Not against provincial Scottish teams. Not against Celtic. And definitely not losing the SPL title four times in a row. I shouldn’t need to quote Bill Struth but it is time a few people at the club were reminded of his words and asked themselves if they are really welcoming the chase or are they hiding from it.

Aberdeen host St Mirren in Tuesday's SPL match. More...

St Mirren threaten to ban a supporter who taunted Hibernian's Dean Shiels about the loss of his eye. More...

WALTER SMITH has urged the Rangers paymasters to give Kirk Broadfoot the new improved deal he deserves. Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s Ibrox contract runs out at the end of next season. But Smith wants the full-back, left, tied up NOW to keep predators away. Birmingham City are keeping tabs on his situation and SunSport revealed this week they are preparing a Ã?£2million swoop. But Smith admits the former St Mirren skipper has earned a pay rise. The gaffer said: ââ?¬Å?An improved deal? In all probability that will come. ââ?¬Å?Kirk had a really good season last year and has cemented that this year. ââ?¬Å?In the past he was inconsistent, but heââ?¬â?¢s settled down now.ââ?¬Â SunSport also revealed this week that Stevie Smith feared his Ibrox career was over. The left-back thought he wasnââ?¬â?¢t wanted, but Smith insisted: ââ?¬Å?I spoke to Stevie and he might have misunderstood what I said to him. ââ?¬Å?He is playing reserve games and thatââ?¬â?¢s doing him no good whatsoever. ââ?¬Å?I spoke to him about going out on loan and getting games under his belt ââ?¬â? then weââ?¬â?¢ll all have a better chance to judge where he is and whether he can return to the team. ââ?¬Å?In my 20-odd months here heââ?¬â?¢s managed just two games and he wasnââ?¬â?¢t match-fit for them. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve never seen the best of the lad, so the idea was to get him on loan and let him play.ââ?¬Â Smith also insisted he does NOT want to sell midfielder Kevin Thompson in January, with West Brom boss Tony Mowbray keen on his old Hibs star. Smith added: ââ?¬Å?We have two months before the transfer window opens up ââ?¬â? I donââ?¬â?¢t have a thought yet about what will happen. ââ?¬Å?I want our good players here and we need them for the future when the number of games will hopefully increase. ââ?¬Å?A few players may leave, but it wonââ?¬â?¢t be the ones I see as being capable of taking us forward.ââ?¬Â Rangers face Caley at Ibrox today, with skipper Barry Ferguson set for a top-team return. Smith canââ?¬â?¢t wait to team him with Pedro Mendes in a dream midfield. He said: ââ?¬Å?Barry is in our thoughts. Heââ?¬â?¢s ready after a reserve game. Itââ?¬â?¢s just up to me now to decide how best he should be introduced. ââ?¬Å?We have five games in the space of a couple of weeks and we want everyone involved. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ll be able to get Barry back to full match fitness quite quickly. ââ?¬Å?The midfield is an area where I want players who are all good at keeping the ball. I am looking forward to seeing how they all gel. ââ?¬Å?Barry and Pedro are good midfielders and both have the capability of being attacking players or they can drop deeper. ââ?¬Å?I have no fears about them complementing each other. ââ?¬Å?I always feel that Kevin ââ?¬â? although he doesnââ?¬â?¢t get the write-ups ââ?¬â? also does very well for us in there.ââ?¬Â Kyle Lafferty, meanwhile, has been urged to remain patient. The young Northern Ireland star was signed as a striker, but has been forced to play in midfield. Smith added: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s been a sticky start for Kyle in the sense that injuries have upset his rhythm. ââ?¬Å?I hope he settles down now and weââ?¬â?¢ll see a lot more of him in the future. ââ?¬Å?Although he has played most of his football wide on the left for us and Burnley, I still see him as a central striker in the longer term. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢d like to see him get more experience there.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/article1880563.ece

By Andrew Dickson BARRY FERGUSON could start against Inverness tomorrow - but Walter Smith has warned he won't necessarily stay in his Rangers side. The skipper is poised to return to the first team after four months on the sidelines with an ankle injury. But while he might lead the side against the Highlanders, Gers are keen not to push him too much as they tackle a heavy schedule of matches. As well as Caley Thistle, the Light Blues will play Dundee United, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and St Mirren in the next fortnight. Smith knows that having been without his captain for so long, asking him to be able to play in each fixture over that period could be expecting too much. He said: "We're certainly thinking about starting Barry tomorrow. He played in the reserve game on Wednesday so we'll look at that between now and tomorrow morning. "He is ready to come back but we have five games in the next couple of weeks so there are plenty of opportunities to get him involved. "Barry is a really good footballer and the more of them that we have in our team, the better. "At the same time, when someone is coming back from injury after a long time, asking them to play on Saturday, Tuesday then Saturday is not a good thing. "Barry needs to get back to match fitness and it is a matter of how we best go about doing that. "With five matches in a fortnight, after the spell he has had out, he'll not be able to play in them all. "But we would hope to get him the number of games in that period that get him back to full fitness." Brahim Hemdani and Steven Naismith are the only injured players at the club now and Christian Dailly is suspended this weekend. Young full-back Steven Smith won't be risked either as he lacks match sharpness after the best part of two years out. While it seems he will be sent out on loan in January, there are other players waiting in the wings to come back into the team. Amongst them are Lee McCulloch, Steven Whittaker and Chris Burke and Smith says they will all get opportunities at some point. He added: "Some of our players are needing more matches to get up to the proper level of fitness. "Just like Barry, there are plenty of chances for the likes of Whittaker and McCulloch to come in again."

BIRMINGHAM are weighing up a shock Ã?£2million swoop for Rangers star Kirk Broadfoot. Former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish is ready to pounce for Scotland defender Broadfoot when the transfer window opens in January. He has now established himself with Gers since quitting St Mirren two years ago. But the 24-year-old is understood to be unhappy about his current deal which sees him take home Ã?£3,500-a-week basic. That has alerted Blues boss McLeish who is ready to lure versatile Broadfoot south with a bumper Ã?£10,000-a-week package when the window opens. Big Eck is desperate for a centre half and believes Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s ability and physique make him perfect for the demands of the Championship. Broadfootââ?¬â?¢s contract expires in the summer and Gers boss Walter Smith is desperate to keep hold of the defender ââ?¬â? who is enjoying his best form for the club. Despite arriving at Ibrox as a squad player, he has filled the void left by Alan Huttonââ?¬â?¢s Ã?£9m move to Spurs ââ?¬â? but there have been no moves by Gers to offer him a new deal. After winning his first two caps for Scotland against Iceland and Norway, the defender believes he should be brought into line with other top-earners at Ibrox. But now McLeish is ready to lure Broadfoot ââ?¬â? who would prefer to stay at Gers ââ?¬â? with a massive wage hike. Meanwhile, former Ibrox favourite Peter Lovenkrands has pleaded with Rangers to put an end to his Schalke hell. The Danish hitman sees no future for himself in Germany after being frozen out by new coach Fred Rutten. The 28-year-old said: ââ?¬Å?There is no future for me at Schalke. Hopefully something will happen in January. ââ?¬Å?There was a lot of talk about me returning to Rangers last summer. ââ?¬Å?It didnââ?¬â?¢t happen, but I would love to go back there. ââ?¬Å?Of course, if the opportunity arose again I would be delighted.ââ?¬Â http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article1867756.ece

St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson is named Clydesdale Bank manager of the month for October. More...

By Andrew Dickson WALTER SMITH is hopeful Barry Ferguson will return to the Rangers line-up for this weekend's SPL clash with Inverness at Ibrox. The Light Blues skipper returned to action in the reserves last Tuesday against St Mirren after four months out with ankle injury. Ferguson is working with the group of players who have been selected in the squad for tomorrow night's home League Cup quarter-final with Hamilton. But he is highly unlikely to feature in the game and will instead play in Wednesday's second-string fixture against Dundee United. Should the 30-year-old come through that match unscathed, he will then come into contention for the meeting with Caley Jags. Smith said: "Barry will get another game on Wednesday and I'm hopeful that if he gets through that match without any problems, he'll come back in at the weekend. "I don't mean that in terms of his injury because that's okay now. If the after-effects of playing in midweek aren't too severe, we would look at him coming in on Ssaturday. "It is natural people are anxious now to get him back. I'll involve Barry in the pool of players for the Hamilton game but that game might be a bit early for him. "He will play against United's reserves and after that, I'd hope he'll become more gradually involved with the full side. "Barry played at St Mirren and did all of his training last week then had a recovery day yesterday so we'll see how he is at training today. "He is itching to get back playing again but he has an awareness of his injury now, as we do. When he makes his comeback, he'll be ready for it."

Craig Levein is glad he did not let down Dundee United's late chairman by failing to beat St Mirren. More...

WALTER SMITH will not give in to temptation and recall Barry Ferguson for tomorrow's SPL trip to Hamilton. The Rangers skipper made his comeback after four months out injured on Tuesday when he played 62 minutes of the 3-0 reserve win at St Mirren. Ferguson looked comfortable at Love Street and has continued to be heavily involved in training in the latter part of the week. But given the amount of time he has spent on the sidelines, Smith is adamant he has no intention of using the 30-year-old at New Douglas Park. The manager said: "Barry played in the reserve game the other day but he has been out for four months now and it'll take him a while to get ready. "We've got another reserve game next week and hopefully we can fit in a bounce match as well. "I'm sure after he gets two - maybe three - games under his belt, we can start looking at getting him back into the first team. "It's important for us to get all of our best players back and he has been a big factor in our team so we look forward to him returning. "But we have a squad of players there and it is not necessary to rush him back. We'll make sure he is right this time. "With that, I mean fitness-wise. His injury has totally cleared up and there's no problem with it now. It's just a matter of getting his fitness ready." While Ferguson won't be involved, Lee McCulloch is pushing for a return after scoring in his latest second-string appearance in midweek. Chris Burke is another who is hoping to be in contention after a fine goal and an impressive performance against the Buddies. Steven Whittaker and Steven Smith are also back in full training but are unlikely to make the trip to Lanarkshire. Smith added: "We've got a selection headache now as we've got a large group of players available and it's down to me to select the right ones to win games. "There is good competition and that's a great thing. We've got quite a number of players coming back into the squad now. "Lee is fit again, Barry's on his way and Steven Whittaker and Steven Smith returned into the group this week. I've got a lot to choose from."

Craig Levein expects Dundee United's players to be motivated against St Mirren as they return to action after the death of their chairman. More...

0 - 3 McCulloch scored a header from a corner. Burke scored the second Team is. G.Smith McMillan Dailly McCulloch Smith Burke Edu Ferguson Adam Loy Vellicka Ferguson played 64 minutes and yes, that is Steven Smith at left back!

Putting him in against Hamilton is a mistake i feel. He should play a few reserve games first.

IBROX No.2 Ally McCoist insists Barry Ferguson is so desperate to get back playing that the coaching staff have to hold him back in training. The Rangers captain hasn't played this season after undergoing ankle surgery in the summer. But the midfielder is nearing a return to first-team action and will step up his rehabilitation when he turns out for the reserves against St Mirren on Tuesday. McCoist said: "Barry is looking great but he wants to run before he can walk so we have to monitor him. "He's desperate to play and hopefully will get an hour in the reserve game." Ferguson (right) also wants to pull on a Scotland shirt again and help our push for a World Cup place. McCoist said: "I'd love Barry to play at a major championship because he deserves it. He can't wait to get back."

Hadnt heard of this conspiracy theory before but how ridiculous is this!? Liking Broadfoot more and more and glad he has the belief in himself and continues to prove his doubters wrong.

By Andrew Dickson MARTIN BAIN has urged SPL clubs to accept the merits of the 5% away ticket surcharge implemented on them by Rangers and Celtic this season. The Old Firm announced their intention to impose the handling fee for the distribution of their fans' tickets at other grounds on behalf of opposition clubs in the summer. While some agreed to the plan, others have added to the price of away seats to supplement the new expense or begun selling the briefs themselves to avoid paying it. Gers chief executive Bain has stressed the levy was introduced to lessen the price of following Rangers and Celtic for supporters when they go on the road. While it has had the opposite effect in some cases, he still believes it is a scheme clubs that are currently against it could soon go along with. Bain admits a rethink may be needed to bring the situation to a satisfactory conclusion which suits all parties. But for the moment, he is intent on persevering with the Old Firm's stance as he feels it is one which is best for all concerned. Bain has previously stated he would be happy for other clubs to charge the same cost to the Old Firm for selling away tickets at Ibrox and Parkhead on their behalf. Speaking at the club's AGM today, he said: "The 5% levy was introduced and promoted by this football club to advantage Rangers supporters, not disadvantage them. "A total of �£2.5million worth of tickets is sold (by Rangers) on behalf of other SPL clubs which benefit them and their economy. "Rangers supporters, in recent times, have paid for that by way of a booking fee and it was our sole intention to alleviate that cost to our supporters. "We also want to make other clubs in the SPL wake up and smell the coffee and realise this football club and our supporters will not subsidise them without recognition. "SPL clubs do not recognise what the number of travelling Rangers supporters bring to the economy. "It is about time they did and it is my intention to make sure they stop disadvantaging our supporters by putting prices up.Martin Bain "If they can't recognise that is not the way to go, they need to have a long, hard think to themselves. "At the weekend, for St Mirren to put prices up for Rangers supporters with a difference of �£6 or �£7 to other parts of the ground was shocking. "You have my absolute assurance that I'm trying to hold firm with the other clubs on the 5% levy. "I have spoken to the SPL about this issue and to many other directors of other football clubs. "Now I am sitting at the juncture where I either persevere in the hope clubs recognise what I've set out to do or have to revisit the 5% levy in relation to prices. "It is all very well at the start of the season when the weather is a little better and clubs can sell debt to our supporters. "But when the winter comes and our supporters don't have the convenience of a ticket delivered to their doorstep things could change. "These clubs could then look at numbers and a possible drop in sales - which I hope doesn't happen - and they'll then realise the 5% levy is a good deal." Bain also promised to look into the allocation of tickets for major matches following questions about the distribution of UEFA Cup final seats.