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Table topping Rangers make the short journey to Paisley to face bottle of the table Cowden....sorry St Mirren in Sunday's live TV game. Danny Lennon's men have picked up all 8 of their points at home this season, only losing once in 5 games. Last time out they won 2-1 to Aberdeen with on-loan Watford midfielder June Travner scoring an injury time winner. We go into this game looking to get back on track after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Inverness and of course, Tuesday nights 3-0 reverse in Valencia. Saturday's game against Inverness showed us that we cannot afford to go into these games half heartedly. We may be better than the opposition in every aspect of the field but we have to match their desire and application. With that in mind and given the run of games we are currently in the middle of, I expect a degree of freshening up on Sunday. I may be wrong and we may go 100% with tried and trusted, but I'd like to see something a little like this. McGregor Broadfoot Bougherra Weir Papac Weiss (if fit) Davis McCulloch Wylde Naismith Lafferty I think Miller, along with Whittaker and Edu would benefit from the rest as they are 3 players who rely on near peak fitness to allow them to perform. Young players such as Wylde & Weiss are ideal for games such as these. They provide a freshness and an excitement that can be invaluable coming off of a midweek European game. I'd be hoping at least one of them would start and would also expect John Fleck to continue his rehabilitation by playing some part in the game. We played and defeated St Mirren 4 times last year in the SPL and to me, they look weaker this time around. Danny Lennon has brought a few players in from Cowdenbeath and they don't look to be of the standard required to survive in the SPL. As I mentioned above, they sit rooted to the bottom of the table with 8 points from their first 10 games. It would, however, be silly of us to think they will be a pushover especially when you take into consideration the energy sapping 90 minutes we endured on Tuesday evening. With all of that in mind, I'm going for a nervy 2-1 win for The Rangers.

Despite best efforts of referee, Rangers re-assume SPL lead after comfortable victory against St Mirren. http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=334:st-mirren-1-3-rangers-player-ratings-and-mom-poll&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67 :kl: Big man has had a improved season so far this term and he brought a much needed urgency to our play yesterday.

The phrase "stop start" doesn't quite do justice to the ups and downs in the nascent career of John Fleck. Having only turned 19 in August, Fleck seems to have been around the scene at Rangers for ages, having made his first-team debut in a pre-season tour at 15, his league debut at 16, and set a record as the youngest ever player in a Scottish Cup final when he came on for the last five minutes of the 2008 win over Queen of the South, aged just 16 years and 274 days. So much was expected of him that Fleck appeared to be overwhelmed by the hype, which included being nominated as Scotland's Wayne Rooney, only for him to suffer a disappointingly long spell off the boil. It must be mentioned that he had some extra-curricular problems that would have been normal teenage activity - a tantrum here, an illicit pub visit there - except for the fact that he lives in the Old Firm goldfish bowl where all such misdemeanors are exaggerated into grand felonies. In retrospect, was that early introduction to the big time a hindrance rather than a help? The lad himself is uncertain. "I thought it was great being involved," said Fleck, "but maybe it was too early. I'm not so sure myself, but I just did my best and got out of it what I got out of it. I just tried to let (all the hype] go past me, but obviously there was a bit of pressure on my shoulders with everybody expecting me to do probably a lot more than I did. But I just tried to get on with it myself and do the best that I could." Season 2010-11 was supposed to see Fleck put all that behind him and make the impact which his undoubted talents demand, only for the player to injure a hamstring during a pre-season friendly with Clyde. He made his belated return for 45 minutes against Inverness last week and looked fit again. Fleck explained: "It was just a wee tear of my hamstring at the start, but I did it another twice when I came back into training. It was obviously very disappointing because I just wanted to get back as quickly as I could. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do. "After the last time I did it I had a few weeks off, and that's me back fine to full fitness now." He is trying to break into a team that is unbeaten in the league as Rangers prepare to face St Mirren today in the final match of the opening third of the season, and as such he is realistic enough to know an early return is no gimme. "The team's been doing well, so you can't expect to go straight back in," said Fleck. "You just have to take your chance when it comes. "Everybody's fighting for their places just now, you can't complain because they can't get left out with how well they've been doing." That includes the Champions League matches he sorely misse I felt bad for myself, but the boys did great, which is the main thing that matters here. It's not more important than any other season to me, but the more games I get the better it's going to be for me." His manager Walter Smith has mentioned the possibility of a midfield role for the youngster. Fleck said: "I like playing behind the strikers, but I'd play anywhere really to try to get a shot. "I've played centre-mid, on the left and just off the strikers. I feel comfortable in any of the positions. Wherever I'm put in, I'll just do my best. I'm an attacking player, but I have been working on defending. When you've not got the ball, you've got to get back for the rest of the boys and not let them down." Many Rangers fans thought that Fleck being handed the No.10 jersey for the season after signing a three-year deal was a sure sign that he would be a regular first choice player, but it has not worked out that way. "There's a lot of people keep saying that to me, how did I get the No.10 jersey, but it doesn't bother me. I could wear No.50, it's not a problem to me. If anybody else wants the number, they can take it. "It was Nacho Novo, he said to (kit man] Jimmy Bell to give it to me. Obviously I was happy, but any number is good to me." Fleck will be in the squad for today's match at St Mirren Park, and Smith is delighted that the player's career could soon be back on track: "He started the season really well in Australia, but the injury has gone on for two months. I hope this season he will get more playing time and have more influence on games. His attitude has always been good and there is more of a realisation in him now about what he has to do to make the step up from youth football." The prospect of a fit John Fleck back to his best would have the fans drooling at Ibrox, but this time around, everyone concerned about his future for Rangers and Scotland should perhaps resist hyperbolic urges. "Give the boy time" is the message. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Interview-John-Fleck-Rangers-player.6615898.jp?articlepage=2

Our 100% record that is? Next few fixtures: 30/10 Inverness (H) 07/11 St. Mirren (A) 10/11 Hibernian (H) 13/11 Aberdeen (H) 20/11 Kilmarnock (A) 28/11 Dundee Utd (A) Before anyone starts shitting bricks, I know "take it one game at a time" etc etc. Just a wee bit of fun. Potentially our next game where you might expect us to slip up is not until the end of November at Tannadice. Prob means dropped points in an "easier" game like St Mirren or Killie then.

WHEREVER you are, whatever you are doing, and whatever opinion you are free to express, we are once again approaching the time of year when we remember those whose sacrifice grants us the freedom to do all of those things. Of course chosing what football team to support and going to watch them and encourage them in their efforts is just one of the many freedoms - however trivial - we and the people of so many other countries enjoy. And take for granted. Which is why it is correct that as a week of Remembrance approaches and we prepare to wear our poppies, not only with pride, but also with humble gratitude, football should play its part in giving thanks. In the past though, any request for a simply act of Remembrance and homage to the fallen, has somehow sparked off controversial debate and protest in Scotland. No wonder, as some of my buddies will testify, I often refer to my homeland as a dark wee country. South of the border they do things differently, and in England football joins the rest of this nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in remembering the fallen. Television pictures from all the matches in the Premiership show crowds of up to 75,000 falling silent for a minute. Up here though, that is not always the case. Four years ago, when Celtic played St Mirren at the old Love Street on Remembrance Sunday, there was no silence. The St Mirren chairman, Stewart Gilmour later said it was an oversight. Let us just think about that crass admission for just a moment or two. A quiet moment or two. In the midst of all those poppies, the night after the Festival of Remembrance from the Royal Albert Hall had been shown live on television, and following the Queen leading the nation in an act of Remembrance at the Cenotaph - also live on television - Stewart Gilmour forgot it was Remembrance Sunday. Clearly, by his actions, we will FORGET them is Gilmour's mantra. Celtic are due to visit St Mirren's new ground on November 14this this year, Remembrance Sunday, in a match which will be broadcast live by ESPN. Gilmour remains the St Mirren chairman. Perhaps this year someone will remind him of the day's significance. There have been other occasions too when things have not been right. Such as two years ago when Celtic played at home and, according to the club tannoy announcer, the crowd were asked to show their appreciation in what he described as the "Celtic Way" by joining in a minute's applause. Let me state right here, that I was not the only journalist in the press box who chose not to applaud, but to stand in bare-headed silence. And let me also make it clear also that there were plenty of Celtic supporters in the areas around the press box, season ticket holders and corporate backers, who did likewise. Maybe their personal memories were off a dad or grandad, an uncle or brother who, had first taken them to watch Celtic when they were small, and who had fought in either of the 20th century's two world wars. Or perhaps they were thinking of a son or a daughter, a nephew or niece, a brother or sister, a friend, or the son or daughter of a friend, Celtic fans all, who have fallen more recently, or who are still serving on the front line. Or maybe they were just giving their own quiet thanks for their freedom to be at Parkhead and support Celtic. A freedom won by the fallen they were honouring. Whatever their personal thoughts, they vastly outnumbered the small group of protestors, away to the right of the main stand ,who had objected to Celtic, in common with all other SPL clubs, wearing a poppy on their shirts. Both sections though were even more vastly outnumbered by the 50,000 or so who followed Celtic's official instruction and applauded. Last year, on Remembrance Sunday, Celtic travelled to Falkirk, and according to one highly informed source, who is close to the Falkirk boardroom, chairman Martin Ritchie understood Celtic would have liked Falkirk to ditch their preferred minute's silence in favour of a round of applause. It is to his, and his club's eternal credit that Falkirk chose to attempt to honour the fallen in a quiet and dignified way. That they could not, and that the silence was broken by booing and singing from travelling supporters, was Scotland's Shame, and one of the reasons why I often despair of the land of my birth as a dark wee country. It was also Sky Sports' shame that they masked the sound of this shameful episde by muting the it, though the booing could be clearly heard on foreign channels and on BBC Radio Scotland. Sky then tried to explain this piece of blatant censorship by claiming they did not want to offend anyone. Sky Sports and Sky News are both in the business of journalism. Censorship is what all news organisations and all journalists should fight against, not collude in applying. Remember the horrific picture from the Vietnam war of the little girl running naked and in pain and terror from wounds from the napalm bombing? I DO! It was offensive, but it did much to heighten people's understanding of what was going on, giving power to the aruguments of those who wanted it stopped. Therefore, should the silence be broken at any ground this year, we, the nation, have a right to hear it, and all media organisations, be they television, radio or newspapers, have a duty to report it. However, let us hope that on Saturday November 13 and Sunday 14th, when at Ibrox, where Rangers meet Aberdeen, at Tannadice, where Dundee United face Kilmarnock, at Hamilton, where Inverness are the visitors, at Easter Rd, where Motherwell visit, at McDiarmid Park, where St Johnstone face Hearts, and in Paisley, where Celtic travel to play against St Mirren, in a match beamed live on ESPN throughout Britain, silence falls for a minute for an act of Remembrance. It would be Scotland's Shame - yet again, - if anything other were to happen. http://davidleggat-leggoland.blogspot.com/2010/10/remembrance-and-football.html

WALTER SMITH has urged the SPL to follow Fifa's example by scheduling fixtures to assist leading clubs with their Champions League commitments. Rangers return to domestic action with a noon kick-off against Hearts at Tynecastle today, some 62 and a half hours after the dust settled on their 1-0 win over Bursaspor at Ibrox on Wednesday night. It is the first of five successive away fixtures the Scottish champions will play in the SPL immediately after being in Champions League action, with trips to Celtic, St Mirren, Dundee United and Inverness following their remaining Group C games. Having seen a benefit from Fifa's decision to switch international 'double header' qualifying matches to Friday and Tuesday evenings in order to allow players more recovery time ahead of their clubs' next games, Smith believes the SPL should consider offering similar dispensation to those teams representing them in Europe. "I don't want to get into fixture arguments with anyone," said the Rangers manager, "but, setting aside our own situation at the moment, they should have a look at the overall situation in regard to Scottish clubs playing in Europe to see if they could move games back a day. "Valencia, for example, have managed to get their league game at Barcelona moved back a day before they play us in the next Champions League fixture. They seem to be able to do that whether it is televised or not. "For us to play at Aberdeen last Sunday, then in the Champions League on Wednesday and now practically on Saturday morning certainly gives us a test, especially when other Scottish clubs are playing Saturday to Saturday with no midweek games. "You have to ask an awful lot of players to get the same intensity into their game. The same applies with international games when the boys go away for what are normally high-intensity and high-profile matches. Coming back from that is not easy. "From that point of view, it has been a big help having the international games a day earlier. It gives players time to recover for the following weekend with their club. That is recognition that something can be done to help clubs. "I would hope in the future the SPL would do what they can to help any team in Europe. It would help all of the clubs." Smith previously locked horns with the SPL on the issue at the end of the 2007-08 season when Rangers played their final six league matches in a 19-day period prior to the Uefa Cup final. He dismissed the prospect of asking the SPL to make any changes to Rangers' schedule over the coming months. "We asked previously and were knocked back," added Smith. "I don't want to make a big fuss about this as it is done. The fixtures are out and five of our fixtures after Champions League games are away from home. "Circumstances like the ones we face this week are awkward but we just need to get on with it. Our games at Tynecastle are always high tempo and I'm sure this one will be the same. So it's a matter of us making sure we play in the same manner we have done in our last three or four games." Smith's immediate concerns ahead of today's match lie in defence where both Madjid Bougherra and Kirk Broadfoot will be assessed this morning after suffering hip and foot injuries respectively against Bursaspor. Andy Webster returns to the squad as a potential replacement for Bougherra. Nikica Jelavic, ineligible for the Champions League, is one player who will be untroubled by the presently hectic nature of Rangers' fixture list. The Croatian international striker is building what looks like a formidable partnership with Kenny Miller who spoke in glowing terms of his new team-mate yesterday. Miller, who was named Clydesdale Bank/SPL Player of the Month for the second month in a row, said: "As much as we miss Nikica on the European nights, it's good to have him eager and hungry to get back on the pitch when the weekend comes around. "He has settled in really well and got off to a good start. I feel the two of us have a good understanding already. I've been among the goals and he's scored a few already. I think the partnership can get even better. "The type of player he is, he will find the SPL easy to settle into. Goalscoring is his main strength but he is also good technically and holds the ball up really well. "Look at my second goal against Dundee United a couple of weeks ago, when he went through at 3-0 and no-one would have blamed him if he'd tried to score himself. "But he picked the right option, cut the ball back and gave me a tap-in. I don't think Kris Boyd would have cut it back to me in that situation, although he'd probably have scored, to be fair. But it can only help me to play up front with someone like Nikica." http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Walter-Smith-says-SPL-should.6561908.jp?articlepage=2

Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot makes Celtic favourites to win this season's league title. Can someone kindly quote me where Kirk even remotely implied timmy's favourite? He said they have an advantage through not being in Europe, but where's his concession that they are ahead in the title race?

Before and after this midweek�s 7-2 destruction of Dunfermline I have been discussing the impact of the domestic cup competitions on our biggest target, league trophies and European football. As a Ranger; fan, player or manager, we demand success in every competition. In every match. We have reasserted domestic superiority, winning 6 of the 9 trophies Smith and his management team have been able to compete for and this season we are chasing three-in-a-row. Our record in the domestic cups has been almost flawless since Walter Smith and Ally McCoist returned home and restored Rangers to our rightful position in Scottish football. Having rejoined a club already knocked out of both domestic cups and trailing in the league, it was not until his first full season (2007/8) back in charge that Smith could compete for silverware. And what a season it was, a European final, two domestic cups and narrowly missing out on the SPL title thanks to a lack of integrity of the league�s governing body and other member clubs. In the following season (2008/9) Nacho Novo secured Scottish Cup number 33 to sit proudly in the trophy room with the SPL title. We were unfortunate to lose out on a domestic treble with an extra time defeat in the league cup final. Earlier this year in March we regained the League Cup trophy continuing our dominance of that competition, once again completing a league and cup double last season. Our defence of the Scottish Cup was unsuccessful, losing out to Dundee United after a quarter final replay; leading on to the inspiration for this piece. Under the guidance of Smith, or McCoist (it is not entirely clear who has been in charge throughout these competitions), we have 2 Scottish Cups, 2 League Cups lost one league cup final and one Scottish Cup quarter final replay. But that is only half the story. In that phenomenal 07/08 season we contested a mammoth 68 competitive games, including a 5th round Scottish Cup replay against Hibs, a Quarter Final replay against Partick and a Semi Final eventually won on penalties after extra-time against St. Johnstone. The League Cup was also only won against Dundee United following penalties. In what could have been an unrivalled season we quite rightly cast accusations against the SPL and its member clubs for the way in which were hamstrung in our attempt to win a European trophy and regain some pride and recognition for our national football. We must, though, also accept that taking our eye off the ball in the Cups and often against lower league opposition did not help our own cause. It has been a worrying trend in Walter�s second tenure. The following season, 2008/9, we required extra time and a fantastic Pedro Mendes� strike to finally see off Partick Thistle at Firhill. Once more stuttering against lower league opposition, if not quite as apathetic as the season past. A worrying lack of concentration and adherence to the task at hand continued last season. Hamilton Accies took us to a replay at Ibrox in the 4th round of the Scottish Cup. Again in the 5th round we edged out St Mirren in a replay with a solitary Boyd strike in the 86th minute. Perhaps it is an inability to take the Cup seriously that finally caught with the players as Dundee united knocked us out at the quarter final stage, despite having led 3-1 in the original tie. Costing us a shot at a treble for the second time in consecutive seasons. League Cup success was achieved more straightforwardly and of course with just 9 men as a fine Kenny Miller strike returned the trophy home to Ibrox. So, in spite of our current dominance of the domestic scene, I was sweating over whether or not to include Rangers in a midweek coupon. Could we be trusted to dispose of lower league opposition in the regulation time limit? Would we need a replay? Penalties? Would we succumb to shock defeat? Recent seasons have taught me not to dismiss lower league opposition, not least the Pars (who defeated Rangers in Durrant�s only game in charge and are a match for much of the SPL). Nine goals later and you make think "what are you worried about"? Was Tuesday�s game a sign that we are no longer treating this competition lightly? Our team selection might suggest otherwise. Smith has been loath to throw many youngsters into these so called lesser competitions or to juggle his selections too much. Often the meat of the SPL and Champions League team has contested the cup competitions too. As has been the case these past few seasons, we have been told to expect more squad rotation and more reliance on youths. It has, however, not always been forthcoming. It was, therefore, a pleasant surprise to see the likes of Kyle Hutton shine in midfield, many fans man of the match. Andy Little played from the start at right back and young Greg Wylde got a late run out. Fringe men such as Kyle Lafferty, probably not part of our strongest first XI, staked a huge claim with a hat trick. So what was the difference this midweek? A more professional approach from players and management alike? Walter Smith taking over control of first team affairs once more and no longer delegating to McCoist? A more sensible approach to squad rotation? Plain old lady luck? Perhaps only a sustained run in both the League and Scottish Cup will tell us more; however I will be keen to see us continue to dismiss lower league opposition without the embarrassment of routine replays, extra time and penalties. As stated at the outset, we have a more then enviable record in the past 3 seasons. Indeed it is success akin to our NIAR dominance of Scottish football. So once again, you may be asking why the fuss? However, as alluded to earlier, all these additional games, the energy sapping extra-time midweek in between testing SPL fixtures, can prove detrimental to our league title challenge and quest to ensure CL football in successive seasons. League trophies are critical to our future. To ensure we continue to reign as top dogs in Scotland, to maintain our reputation and to grant us entry into the Champions League providing us with the prestige of competing against Europe�s elite and the financial bounty it provides. If we want to avoid the fixture pile up of 07/08, contributed to in part by our inability to see of inferior, lower league opposition at the first attempt then we must continue with the attitude and team selection that served us so well against Dunfermline. We must make the fullest use of our squad, admittedly made difficult by the lack of experienced numbers and blood the impressive youngsters we have desperate to make the breakthrough at Ibrox.

GERS begin defence of trophy More...

Nothing about this on the official site yet.

James Forrest has paid tribute to Neil Lennon after he was handed his first home start against St Mirren. More...

Everyone thinks Rangers are skint and boring but Celtic are making all the right moves in pre-season. Sound familiar? by Alexander Anderson on 13 August 2010 As the new SPL season dawns, why can everyone be sure Rangers will ensure this season finishes the same as last? Because we have exactly the same situation as at this point last year. Rangers are champions, Celtic are chasing. There's a new man at the helm at Parkhead with all sorts of romantic notions having pushed his installation, there's Walter Smith still at Ibrox. There's lots of money being spent on new Celtic signings, there's none being spent at Ibrox. But there's also the small fact that yet again Celtic are out of the Champions League group stage, Rangers are already in it and therefore the big UEFA TV money will be coming to the blue half of the city. Rangers are settled, disciplined and cohesive. Celtic are a team of under-pressure strangers. And we all know how both clubs fared from this start point in 2009. Only a last-minute goal in a replay at the home of Scotland's new third force prevented The Gers completing a domestic treble. Instead they had to "settle" for a second straight SPL title, won at an absolute canter, and an historically sensational CIS League Cup final win over a St Mirren side with a two-man advantage when they fell behind. A few days later, as Rangers made that Scottish Cup exit to a destiny-fuelled Dundee United, news came through that St Mirren had coped surprisingly well in their first match after their Hampden tragedy. The Paisley Buddies played against a full Celtic side for 90 minutes in the SPL, and stuffed them 4-0. Tony Mowbray, the man who'd come to Parkhead as the new guru of glam at the outset of 2009/10 was gone within 24 hours. It was a season where even the bad stuff had great repercussions for Rangers fans. The Gers went crashing out of the Champions League with three straight home hammerings. But the fact they conceded only one goal per away game, losing only one of those games, vindicated the defensive formation which took them to the 2008 UEFA Cup final with a series of home draws. There'll be no more blind calls for Rangers to aimlessly cede possession against European opponents at Ibrox. Furthermore, the unnecessary fan backlash after the freakish 4-1 loss to Unirea Urziceni sowed the seeds for Walter Smith's best tactical move of the season. In a radio interview a few days later he played The Rangers Supporters Trust off against the Lloyds Banking Group to make two organisations he dislikes to create the media storm which took all the pressure off him and his players. Neil Lennon's next big game is the Europa League play-off. It may actually benefit Celtic to have drawn Utrecht, whose home ground's atmosphere makes it the Tynecastle of Holland. This way the green-and-white hooped ones can go crashing out of Europe altogether and not see continental competition become a further drain on their slim domestic chances, as it did last season. Celtic need the confidence from a Europa League group place but the money they'll gain is negligable in comparison to what Rangers will make in the big boys' competition. And the greater long-term gain is to be made in qualifying for next season's Champions League. The financial disparity between the two clubs will soon be closed. Skint Rangers may be, but only by their own standards, only by Champions League standards - this does not mean they can't lay on the excitement in Scotland. Last season Rangers won both Old Firm games at Ibrox. They went down at Pittodrie but that just set in motion a run of form which blew the league away. Within the space of a few December days Rangers beat Dundee United by an aggregate of 10-1, home and away. Having gone a man then a goal down before coming back to beat Hearts at Tynecastle in August, The Gers returned there in spring to win 4-1. They claimed the title with a second win at Easter Road, the first one being achieved with a 4-goal backlash after Hibs scored the fastest goal in SPL history. And for those who think defending like an open barn door is a more "honest" form of football, what about the champions' 4-1 loss at St Johnstone? Doesn't get much more "stylish" than that. Neil Lennon has endured two meaningful games as Celtic manager, in terms of competition. He lost both spectacularly. But if we take Braga and Ross County out of the equation, Lennon has enjoyed one win in his short tenure which Celtic fans will see as significant. Beating Rangers 2-1 last season long after the title was in Ibrox hands. Basically, Rangers lost the last derby of the season at Parkhead in exactly the same style they'd won the first one at Ibrox. But the reaction couldn't have been more different. Celtic had more of the ball at Ibrox, had a penalty claim turned down, lost 2-1 and then all hell was let loose in the media as refereeing conspiracies and those nonsensical accusations about "style" came flooding out the away dressing room. Nothing was mentioned of the fact Rangers lost three key players in the 24 hours leading up to the game and two more before half-time. At Parkhead in springtime, Rangers had more of the ball than during any trip to the home of their biggest rival in the last decade. Kenny Miller was sensational, scored a great goal and was denied a stone-wall penalty. Rangers lost 2-1 as Celtic burst out of their strait-jacket twice to score. No one at Ibrox complained. Rangers people understand football. They understand the breaks do indeed even themselves out and, most of all, they know that winning football - as long as it doesn't involve outright cheating - is the most stylish football of all. Everything else is just window dressing. And that's all Celtic's 2010/11 campaign is. Their new management team, their striker signed from Scunthorpe, their belief Rangers are lucky and their idea that Neil Lennon - who played for the club for half a decade - is some sort of "through and through Celtic man" or that that has anything to do with his ability to manage: All just window dressing. The ribbons will be staying at brox, on the handles of the SPL trophy. http://www.sportingo.com/football/a14023_why-parlous-rangers-will-trump-celtic-third-successive-spl-title

Midfielder Sean Lynch has become St Mirren manager Danny Lennon's ninth signing of the summer. More...

CHAMPIONS unfurl flag against Ayrshiremen on August 14 More... Full list here: http://www.scotprem.com/content/

Donald Findlay back in football at the helm of Cowdenbeath Published Date: 15 June 2010 By ANGUS WRIGHT DONALD Findlay, who was forced to resign as vice-chairman of Rangers in 1999 after he was filmed singing sectarian songs at a supporters function, last night returned to football when he was named the new chairman of Cowdenbeath. Findlay, a leading Scottish QC, was vice-chairman of Rangers when was filmed at a post-season party in Glasgow after his side won the 1999 Scottish Cup singing The Sash. Findlay was forced to resign from the Ibrox board, stand down as rector of St Andrews University and was fined �£3,500 by the Faculty of Advocates. He later admitted to contemplating suicide. He said at the time his "conduct was not acceptable" and added in his resignation letter: "I regret any harm done to the club I care about deeply. I apologise unreservedly for the offence caused to anyone. I will continue to be the Rangers supporter I am." But after 11 years out of boardrooms in Scottish football, 59-year-old Findlay will return next season as chairman of his native Cowdenbeath. The Fife club, newly promoted to the First Division, have gained his support after months of turmoil which saw them fighting a battle for survival following two years of heavy financial losses. The club's position was stabilised by promotion to the First Division and the active involvement of the Cowden Action Group of fans which led to last night's announcement of a new board of ten directors including five supporters' representatives. A club spokesman said: "We are delighted to announce our new board of directors with the eminent Scottish QC Donald Findlay, who was brought up in Cowdenbeath, as chairman and prominent Edinburgh businessman John Lints as vice chairman." He added: "The new business model will involve the talents and experience of club supporters working in partnership with the majority shareholders, Alex and David Brewster in preparation for the eventual community ownership of Cowdenbeath FC. The immediate and medium term existence of the club is assured but there is still much work to be done to secure its long term future." The first task of the new board when it meets tonight will be to draw up a shortlist from 12 applications for their vacant manager's job following the departure of Danny Lennon to St Mirren. http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Donald-Findlay-back-in-football.6361719.jp

Newly-appointed St Mirren boss Danny Lennon has made David van Zanten his first signing. More...

from RM reiterating what we always knew here. Serious question....what exactly was Smith up to and why, was he spittin the dummy because Muir was advising against giving him to much money to waste, or was he firing bullets for another takeover faction, whatever it was Smith owes Donald Muir an apology at the very least and the supporters an insight into his allegations. It's the evening of Saturday the 13th of February 2010. Placards are being readied; banners are being kept under lock and key, their contents a matter of whisper. Flurries of internet activity, text messages and phone calls being exchanged on an hourly basis, the preparations are nearing completion. A section of the Rangers support was ready to protest. The night before the day when lovers the world over are preparing to reach their arms around their significant others and remind themselves of the affection and love they have in their shared bond. In the world of Rangers, it was the eve of one of the most important games in the 2009/10 season. The midweek before, we had endured a stuffy draw with Motherwell leaving the supporters frustrated at not being able to capitalise on the hapless and deteriorating performances of Tony Mowbray's Celtic. Come Saturday however, Celtic drew with Aberdeen in an epic eight goal encounter leaving Rangers with the impetus to beat Hibs on Sunday and surge the club to a ten point lead over our greatest rivals and potentially onward toward a second successive league title. Purely on the football pitch, Valentine's Day was to be a pivotal moment in the season; however, this was also being echoed off the pitch amongst supporters and the tone was certainly not of free love blowing through the Govan air. Ever since the turn of the year there had been speculation brewing from many different quarters about the financial circumstance that Rangers was perceived to be in - swimming against a tide of debt, facing a future stripped to a skeleton. Forty days to find a buyer or face an existence on par with St Mirren was the whisper that became the 'news'. Troublesome noises were reverberating from a Scottish media with a taste of blood in their mouths; threads and articles were being scrawled with haste from commercially run forums acting as judge, jury and executioner, cynically you could say to profit from advertising hits; 'fan chiefs' were popping up on the radio to offer their views on the turmoil yet, the default position adopted by almost all Rangers fans was one of bewilderment and a genuine thirst to just be told the truth. Rangers were being portrayed by both friend and foe as a pauper on the street corner, crippled by financial pressures being ramped up by Lloyds Bank, waiting for its remaining possessions to be stripped almost personally by the devil incarnate; the so called "enemy within", Donald Muir. Donald Muir was appointed to the Rangers board without much fanfare in October 2009 and introduced as having "more than 25 years' experience of strategy implementation and business transformation activity internationally in a variety of industry sectors". He has a bulletproof reputation in the city as a turnaround specialist and therefore he undoubtedly had the confidence of the bank to make a positive impact on the club. He was brought in by Sir David Murray who at the time was subject to mounting rumours of a badly recession-hit MIH; however we were told publicly that he was not appointed by the bank and does not get paid by them. But of course that doesn't stop conjecture and speculation - after all, never let the facts get in the way of a good story. I digress; let's get back to the narrative. So there we stood in the few days running towards the weekend of Valentines day; staring into the void of uncertainty and muddied waters - with rumour of financial meltdown aided and abetted Lloyds with Muir cast as the treacherous puppet master. Pressures were being ramped up by media sources across the country through a number of mediums. Some of the Rangers support decided to get proactive. Tired of waiting for answers, a group of fans decided to get out there and make things happen for themselves and by proxy, for everyone else. A protest was hastily arranged. Despite reported investment, public relations at Rangers has been poor for a long time, there's no doubt about it. In many respects, the Rangers' Board deserved the Protest that was hashed together first over the internet and then by a thrown together steering committee with bears from different walks. Had there been a bit more involvement of the support, a bit more openness, a bit more clarity from the club, there would have been no need for the support to seek answers through these pound the street means, as these, to me at least, have always whiffed of the unwashed. The spreading wings of the protest could have been clipped with ease however, nipped at the bud. Our incumbent Chairman could have done the type of televised interview that our former Chairman was sometimes so adept at when it came to the crunch and he decided to pull his head above the parapet. But that didn't come. Johnston is the strong silent type and is almost always straight down the middle. Even a dampening official press release would have put some minds at rest. But that didn't come either. So the supporters decided that they had no other option but to take to the streets. However, somewhere along the line the plans for the protest became distorted, a machine gun style quest for answers from everyone, someone, became more focussed and Muir became the target once again for many. One of the Rangers forums going as far as to invoke a filter making the phrase "enemy within" automatically appear whenever his name was typed - their eggs were placed firmly in their basket on this issue. Message boards were awash with arguments about the motivation of the protest. Some arguments carried old baggage, yet most inquisitive minds just wanted clarity about what exactly the protest was aimed at, never mind what was going on at the club. Petty swiping became prevalent; with different 'camps' emerging with people who were for a protest and some that felt it was unnecessary. One the eve of the protest these camps were at a standstill, the protest was to carry on regardless, as was their prerogative and the people who thought it unnecessary got on with preparing to head to Ibrox to support the team as they did week in week out. However, it was at this precise juncture that two articles appeared on this website. One entitled "Rangers Protests ââ?¬â?? Donald Muir, the Saviour Within?" and another given the title "State of the Rangers - This is the truth, the whole truth, & nothing but the truth". In all honesty, the protest went largely un-noticed, all the bluster soon was yesterdays news; a damp squib with some predictable and pointless banners alongside some genuine and impassioned requests for clarity. One thing that did happen was that the authors of both of the aforementioned articles were immediately given treatment by fellow Rangers supporters that Muir had became accustomed to ââ?¬â?? their characters being sniped at from faceless internet assassins whose identities, allegiances and motivations were easily unmasked from behind their monikers. The "State of the Rangers" article contained the assertions of one of the staff members of this site and the information obtained was completely contradictory to the narrative that had been pushed by the media and by some factions of the dissenting Rangers support. In summary, this article pointed to the following bullet points of information: ââ?¬Â¢ Rangers will not be downsized next season and the bank doesn't run Rangers. There is a business plan agreed and the bank will be serviced with a repayment of Ã?£1 million per year towards reducing the debt ââ?¬Â¢ The budget for player's salaries will be the same next season as it is this season. ââ?¬Â¢ Contract offers have been made to Boyd, Novo & Broadfoot and, if they wanted to, they could sign them tomorrow. ââ?¬Â¢ If Rangers win the league and therefore qualify for the Champions League there will be a budget for the manager to strengthen the squad, but at the moment he cannot buy players until he sells to keep in line with the business plan. If we take a cursory look at the statements made in the press recently by Alastair Johnston, Martin Bain and Walter Smith since the end of this season - every one of these four key assertions has came to fruition. In fact, it reads much like a summary of the news that has came from the club in recent weeks. The million pound repayment was not news to some at the writing of the article as it had been outlined in the end of year accounts a matter of months before. The bank were, and still are, satisfied with this agreement; the doubts that this was not the case and that the bank were going to call in all the debt at once was only ever a rumour - hearsay designed to cause mischief and to worry our support when the facts of the matter were there for everyone to see. What of the budget for next season? Well an exact figure has not been outlined, presumably as there is no such thing as a fixed budget for Smith to work from. It's all relative - spend more on wages and new contracts, have less for transfer fee's and visa versa - common sense really. But in terms of a ballpark figure, Ã?£5 million seems to be the universally agreed banding that Bain and Johnston confirmed which is based on a percentage of the guaranteed Champions League monies. As predicted. For clarity; "We have agreed with Lloyds that we can spend some of the Champions League income and we also hope to maintain wage levels as they currently stand and reinvest any transfer proceeds that we might have." Martin Bain (26/05/10)

New St Mirren manager Danny Lennon is confident he can bring success to the club following his appointment. More...

St Mirren have confirmed the appointment of Danny Lennon as the club's new manager. More...

Excellent participation in this and the User Awards (which will try to collate tomorrow) so thanks to everyone who took part. Next year, I think we'll charge you a �£1 by SMS + your operators standard message charge... Anyway, some interesting results and it is always fun to gauge reactions at the end of the season! So without further ado: Gersnet Football Award Results The Gersnet Rangers' Player of the Year Winner: David will be presented with our beautiful Gersnet crystal later in the summer. I spoke to him by phone last night and he was absolutely delighted with our prize and thanks all Gersnet users for their continued support of the team. Runner Up: :sd: Rangers' Young Player of the Year Winner: :wilson: Rangers' Most Improved Player of the Year Winner: :sw: Runner Up: :lm: Rangers' Unsung Player of the Year Winner: :lm: Runner Up: :sp: Rangers' Worst Player of the Year Winner: :kl: Runners Up: :kt: Rangers' Goal of the Season Joint Winner Kenny Miller (v St Mirren) [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnYU0WzmhxY]YouTube- Kenny Miller Vs St Mirren - Co-operative Insurance Cup Final (21.03.10).avi[/ame] and Madjid Bougherra (v Dundee Utd) [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMCngeKCVPE]YouTube- Bougherra Madjid vs dundee unitad 7-1[/ame] SPL Player of the Year Winner: Runner Up: :sd: SPL Young Player of the Year Winner: :wilson: Runner Up: David Goodwillie (Dundee Utd) Most Hated SPL Player Winner: Aiden McGeady (Celtic) Runner Up: Robbie Keane (Celtic) SPL player would you sign for next season Winner: David Goodwillie (Dundee Utd) Runner Up: Anthony Stokes (Hibernian) SPL Manager of the Year Winner: Walter Smith Runner Up: Derek McInnes (St Johnstone) Most Hated SPL Manager Winner: Neil Lennon (Celtic) Runner Up: Mark McGhee (Aberdeen) Best Team Achievement of the Year Winner: Ross County for reaching Scottish Cup Final Runners Up: St Johnstone, Rangers and Dundee Utd Biggest Gaffe of the Season Winner: Tony Mowbray (various) Runner Up: Signing of Robbie Keane Favourite Game of the Season Winner: Rangers 7 - 1 Dundee Utd Runner Up: Rangers 1 - 0 Celtic Thanks to everyone for taking part! :spl: :robbo:

St Mirren have announced they will name their new manager by early next week. More...

Rangers player Kirk Broadfoot was arrested in connection with an alleged assault in a seaside town, it emerged on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Scotland international was stopped by police after an incident in Gartferry Court, Ayr, on Sunday. He will appear at Ayr Sheriff Court later this month. A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: "A 25-year-old is the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with an alleged assault and breach of the peace following an incident at Gartferry Court in Ayr on Sunday." Rangers did not want to comment on the matter. Broadfoot signed for Rangers in 2007, moving from St Mirren

. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/8709639.stm

Found this Do The Bouncy article and thought it might be worth posting for those that don't go on Newsnow.

The record according to Screebs: