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NICKY CLARK today warned fit-again Kenny Miller he has a fight on his hands to win back his place in the Rangers first team. Miller returned from a spell out injured in the SPFL Championship match against Queen of the South at Ibrox on Saturday. And the 69-times capped Scotland internationalist came off the bench and netted a well- taken goal in a thrilling 4-2 victory. The experienced star will now be looking to renew his partnership with Kris Boyd when Rangers play Raith Rovers at Stark's Park on Friday week. But Clark, who was picked to play up front when Miller was out injured, is hoping he will be able to retain his berth in the starting line-up. "I have definitely got some confidence in how I am playing at the moment," he said. "It is always good for a striker to get off the mark early in the season and I have done that. "I am sure Kenny will be keen to get into the side now that he is fit once more, but my job is to make it as difficult as possible for him. "I want to give the manager a headache and I will work as hard as I can in training and in the matches I am picked for to do that. "I have no doubt that Kenny will be doing exactly the same as me. There is a lot of competition for places at the club just now and that is healthy. "I am sure that Big Jon (Daly) will be back soon and it will be even more difficult to get a game in the team in one of the forward positions. "But that is the way it should be at a massive club like Rangers. I am enjoying my football and am hoping to play my part in the rest of the season." Many Rangers supporters predicted Clark would struggle to get a game when Boyd and Miller arrived on free transfers during the summer. However, he has been nothing short of a revelation for Ally McCoist's men in his appearances during the 2014/15 campaign. The former Aberdeen and Queen of the South player has netted two goals against Falkirk and Dumbarton in five competitive outings. He has, though, contributed much more than just goals for the Glasgow giants in the league and in the cup competitions this term. Clark has shown an impressive work rate and has laboured tirelessly to carve out scoring opportunities for his team- mates. He failed to hit the target as Rangers came from behind to triumph against his former club at the weekend - but was still named as Man of the Match. Slowly but surely, the man who was the leading goalscorer in senior football in Britain two seasons ago is starting to prove his doubters wrong. The forward only hit the target for the Light Blues on eight occasions last season and often failed to impress supporters. McCoist feels the arrival of proven goalscorers Boyd and Miller has actually helped Clark and the striker concurs with his manager. HE said: "Playing with guys like Boydy and Kenny and Jon Daly as well can only help to progress my career. They have got a wealth of experience. "They talk to me in training and they talk to me in games. To be honest, I'm absolutely loving playing with all three of them." Clark knows how difficult it can be for a new player to adapt to life at Rangers after failing to produce his top form last season. So he has been greatly impressed with how former Cowdenbeath and St Mirren defender Darren McGregor has acquited himself in the past month. The centre-half has played in all seven of his new club's matches this season and has been utilised out of position at right back while Richard Foster has been sidelined. Clark said: "Darren has done really well for us. He would prefer to play at centre-half, but you will play anywhere for Rangers when you are asked. "But he has taken it all in his stride and is playing some good football. He is defending well and getting up the field as well. I am delighted for him." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/clark-ill-make-it-hard-as-possible-for-kenny-to-get-in-rangers-178668n.25212530
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Bill Leckie; Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. If they don’t heed those words as the vultures circle Ibrox once again, then hell mend them. First time their club went to the wall, they manned the barricades to protect it from a big, nasty outside world. For that, no matter what other thoughts you have on the matter, their loyalty surely deserves to be applauded. But now? Two-and-a-half years on? If, despite being given a second chance to repair the horrendous mistakes of the past, a club with this level of support goes into administration AGAIN? Sorry, but if it was me I wouldn’t give them another penny. On Saturday, once more, thousands turned up brandishing red cards to express their unhappiness at the way the love of their lives is being mismanaged. And, once more, those responsible for the mismanagement laughed up their sleeves at the pointlessness of the protest. Because to brandish those red cards, you have to pay your money to get inside the stadium. Which hands yet more cash to the people you’re protesting at so they can go ahead and waste it. Listen, what do I know? They’re not my club and the one I do follow has never been to the heights Rangers have reached to suffer such a humiliating, disorientating fall. I’m just someone looking in and wondering how the hell, in all good conscience, Bluenoses can carry on regardless if and when the accountants take over the asylum once more. Actually, don’t answer that. It’s not a can of worms that’s worth opening, this We-Are-The-People, Rangers-Till-I-Die, stick-your-fingers-in-your-ears-and-sing-Follow-Follow mindset. So, for what it’s worth, let me instead pass on my suggestion for what they should do if their club re-enters the abyss. Sod it. Turn their backs on it. Give it, as a man on the other side of Glasgow once said, not one more thin dime. And instead, invest in the future of Scottish clubs who DO run their affairs honestly and who DO have respect for those who click the turnstiles. Go and back your old skipper Barry Ferguson as he tries to make things happen at Clyde. Go and see what another ex-player in Gary Bollan’s doing with Airdrie. If you’re from Fife, go and watch East Fife or Cowdenbeath. If you’re in Angus, hand your tenner to Arbroath or Brechin, Forfar or Montrose. If you donÂ’t want to give up your wee jaunt over from Northern Ireland, get off the ferry and stroll up to Stair Park. There’s been a school of thought among some these last couple of years that Rangers being forced to do the grand tour of the colonies meant the lower divisions should have been grateful for the gate receipts and the TV handouts. For me, this always got it the wrong way round. It was those inside Ibrox should have been thankful that they were in still in business and ABLE to head for Elgin and Berwick and Stranraer. Now, as fresh financial catastrophe looms, I’d put it to Rangers fans that they could do far more good for far more people if they stopped pouring money into what has long since ceased to be “their” club and started drip-feeding it to those who genuinely are the game’s lifeblood. Why? I’ll give you three good reasons. One, those halfwits in your directors’ box shouldn’t be trusted with the remote for the telly, never mind your wages. Two, that 30,000-odd of you spread among the country’s 20-odd part-time clubs would not only create better atmospheres but also help to cement football in communities for the long term. And three? You might just get to relax and enjoy the game, rather than always being angry and stressed about it. Watching Ayr United play Stenhousemuir might just extend your life. The alternative to this is a simple one. Stand your ground and, by your very presence, condone the halfwits in the directors’ box. Two-and-a-half years on from that first administration and the liquidation that followed, these halfwits need to scramble together £4million in a matter of days to keep their heads above water. To achieve this, they may need to flog their saleable players before the transfer window closes, which will hamper your hopes of promotion back to the top flight. If they don’t raise the money, they stand to suffer a 25-point deduction as punishment for a second spell in administration, all but ending those promotion hopes. How, with the wages they pay and the crowds they attract and the sheer intimidatory force of their name that is a two-goal start against far smaller opposition, can this possibly be? How the lumping hell can the people running a club the size of Rangers be handed the chance they were to start again, to build sensibly, to tool up for their return to where they want to be, and yet fail so utterly miserably? How? The clue is in the word halfwits. So maybe I’ve got this all the wrong way round. And it’s those Ibrox directors who should be sent to the outposts of the footballing empire instead. Maybe Graham Wallace and the Easdales and whoever else is a player in this embarrassing saga are the ones who need to go out into the real world and see how real football people operate. Trust me, if a month shadowing the treasurer at Albion Rovers didn’t shame them into living within their means, liquidation’s too good for them. -
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Ibrox critics don't know the full story - Gus MacPherson
der Berliner posted a topic in Rangers Chat
ET Says a few truths in there and a bit more dignity from some quarters is very much missing. Maybe we should one day also consider him for a scouting role in Scotland, as he does the reasonable thing and scans the Junior football folk. -
ALLY McCOIST is confident there will be some ins and outs at Rangers before the end of the transfer window. The Ibrox boss added four players to his squad earlier this summer. McCoist has been granted permission by chief executive Graham Wallace to sign former keeper Lee Robinson as back-up to the injured Cammy Bell. The manager said: "I am very, very hopeful there will be a bit of activity in the next nine days or so, and it will probably be both ways. "In an ideal world I'd like to get some of the youngsters out on loan. "The club has a good history of doing it. The likes of Allan McGregor and Charlie Adam did themselves no harm in going to St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Ross County and St Mirren before they made their breakthroughs here. "I'm a fan of loan deals. We did it last year with Barrie McKay and Calum Gallagher. "So if that opportunity arises and it suits all the parties then we would do that again." McCoist will go into today's Championship clash with Dumbarton at Ibrox without Richard Foster and Fraser Aird, who are carrying knocks. But the Rangers gaffer has had some positive news on Bell's shoulder injury. He said: "The scan was encouraging. The specialist was as happy as a specialist could be. "He's told Cammy he will need to build up the shoulder for the next couple of weeks or so. "Fingers crossed, he could and should be all right after that." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/mccoist-expects-more-in-and-out-at-rangers-177409n.25123288
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After a successful meeting with Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland today it would appear that subject to a few little details our application for a procession to Ibrox on the 19th July will be passed as acceptable. We will require the following volunteers from within the support to fulfil some council requirements. - Experianced marshals - Volunteer marshals - First aiders - Expectant numbers. I would love to hear from pipe or accordion band with a repertoire of Rangers songs In their play book. If you can help with any of the above or will be in attendance can you please let me know on this post or via PM Thanks Craig SoS https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfStrut...al_comments=14 L
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Rangers midfielder Nicky Law promises his form won't dip this season now he is over his Ibrox learning curve. LAW admits it has taken him a year to understand what it takes to play for the Light Blues but he is now fully primed to shine for the entire campaign. PHYSICALLY tired. Mentally shot. Nicky Law admits he failed to hack a whole season’s pace at Rangers last term. But the midfielder is back refreshed and ready to go the distance this time around now he fully understands the strains of being a Light Blues player. Law confesses the second-half of last season was the biggest learning curve of his career. Superb for the first five months of the campaign, he was subdued and struggling for the next five as he lost the sparkle that had lit up his initial spell. Ibrox boss Ally McCoist had warned Law when he signed from Motherwell last summer it can take a full year to come to terms with the demands placed upon a Rangers player. Yet only when he experienced for himself the intense pressures could he fully understand. The Mancunian needed the summer to recharge. But he’s back and ready to see it through in the Ibrox side’s bid for the Premiership. Law said: “We played Dunfermline in the final game of last season on the Saturday and I was away on the Monday. “I had 10 days just to relax and do nothing. I needed it. The season dragged on with the league being won so early and everyone needed a break. “There was a lot going on, which has died down, and it was a strange season. “Everyone seemed to fire at the start. We showed what a good side we were scoring goals freely and not conceding. We were 15 or 16 points clear at Christmas. “In the two years I was at Motherwell, every single week was competitive and that brings the best from you. “I had my two best seasons as a player there form-wise and took it into the season at Rangers until Christmas. “I dropped off. I didn’t want to, I just didn’t hit the heights. I knew it myself but I just couldn’t get it back. “People expect the best and when we did dip, the fans are not stupid and they see it. “They think: ‘What’s happened to him from the first half of the season to the second half?’ You have 45,000 people on your back because they expect better and rightly so. “It is difficult, of course, and we laboured in games when we should have done a lot better. “The manager said to all of the new boys it can take a year to get used to everything. “That went for a lot of us with nine or 10 new boys not just in the squad but starting the matches. We were learning together when usually, it would just be one or two. “Did I learn more in six months than I have in the rest of my career? Definitely. “Rangers is a massive club. I told Stephen Craigan we’d more fans in Holland and Germany than we’d take with Motherwell down the road to St Mirren.” Law was in sprightly form during Rangers’ Highland Tour and is champing at the bit for tonight’s North American opener against Ventura County Fusion. The midfielder believes the entire squad is energised not just by the summer holidays but by the signings of the manager. Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd are back and Law reckons the injection of class and experience has lifted the troops. He said: “I felt back to my old self in the two matches and with the new lads coming in it’s given everyone a lift. “Linking up with Boydy and Kenny is great and you could tell straight away they know the game so well. “You can tell the standards set by the experienced ones who have been here before. “Even in the game at Brora, we were 1-0 down and it could have been more but Boydy and Kenny are onto you telling you it is unacceptable form, even in a pre-season game. “Ian Durrant says it before every match. There are no friendlies at Rangers. Even in the couple of weeks we’ve been back, you can see the change those two have brought. “Everyone is fresh and bang on it for an exciting league that will be much closer than last season.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-midfielder-nicky-law-promises-3862329
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RANGERS Football Club can this afternoon confirm the signing of Marius Zaliukas on a two-year deal. The Lithuanian defender joined Ally McCoist’s squad in Brora last week and during his second trial spell with the club he impressed both in training and in a 45-minute run-out against Brora Rangers at Dudgeon Park. Having successfully completed his medical he will now travel with the League One champions to North America tomorrow. Zaliukas came close to agreeing a deal with the Light Blues last September but after training at Murray Park he moved to Elland Road instead. Prior to that the 30-year-old centre half spent seven years in Edinburgh with the Jambos and captained the club Rangers will face on the opening day of the Championship season at Ibrox. In total he played 220 times for Hearts following his move from FBK Kaunas in his homeland and scored on 14 occasions. Manager Ally McCoist has already added one central defender to his pool this summer with ex-St Mirren stopper Darren McGregor putting pen-to-paper on a one-year contract on June 11. With Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd also returning to Ibrox last month, Zaliukas’ decision to join Rangers is another boost for the manager and the club as the preparations continue for a massive year in Scottish football’s second tier. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7183-zaliukas-joins-gers Hopefully an end to Jig at the back, thank goodness. Zaliukas will surely be the No. 1 choice CB with Faure but more likely Mohsni.
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Dont know if this has been covered or not , but who exactly is paying for this tour , we are taking a playing squad of 25 plus management and backroom teams , there must be the bulk of 40 plus in the party , yet we are playing basically junior teams by Scottish standards , so given we are struggling financially , the question is who's footing the bill for this little extravaganza
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well a few weeks with no rangers games and old compo is lost and to make things worse the world cup has wetted my appetite for footie I just hope we at ibrox play a passing and free flowing type of game something that will have the fans begging for more , lets hope .
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Don't think we've had a discussion on Boyd before. Certainly haven't had on whether I have been pro-Boyd. Long time posters on here will know I was his biggest critic. However this season I think we've seen a different player and I cant believe I would ever say that if we are being linked with him Id like him to return - mainly due to the position we are in. I still think he is a poor 'footballer' as such but he is a good poacher / scorer. 18 goals this season has kept Kilmarnock in the league until the final day and I wouldn't bet against him scoring today against Hibs. Looking at some of his goals from highlights and pictures I think we have got a guy who has matured late and realised what being a professional is all about. Ive no doubt his ventures in England, Turkey and USA (all of which were poor) has developed the 'person' Kris Boyd. I thought we wouldn't see him play again but to be edging towards a Scotland call up shows the hard work he has put in and he also looks far more fitter and stronger. Perhaps he thought he had made it when he came to Ibrox first time around and being part of Fergusons gang made him feel untouchable. If we was still a top flight team challenging for titles this wouldn't even be a thread but if we ever needed someone WANTING to prove his worth and banging the goals in the championship it might be Boyd now. If Ally could only find some tactical knowledge then playing Templeton, Macleod, Shiels and Law in creative positions then Boyd would score 20+ goals in the championship. But then again if Ally had tactical knowledge we maybe wouldn't need Boyd as Clark, Little and Daly may have got high tallys this season also and we'd be happy with them going into next season. I reserve the rights to retract this statement.
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.........and share the 1914/15 league title. By Gary Ralston GARY says that the Premiership champions have an opportunity to lead the way on behalf of Scottish football this summer by requesting a fitting tribute to the Hearts players who made the ultimate sacrifice. HEARTS start the new season in the Championship and it would be an act of graceful benevolence from Celtic if they end it with a top-flight title. The Premiership champions have an opportunity to lead the way on behalf of Scottish football this summer by requesting a fitting tribute to players who made the ultimate sacrifice. It would be a touching act of remembrance if Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell approached the SPFL in the coming weeks and asked for the 1914-15 championship to be retrospectively shared. The new season kicks off on August 9, five days after we pause and reflect on events 100 years previously when World War One was declared. It is estimated total casualties from the conflict was 37 million, including three million alone from Britain and the Commonwealth. It was a slaughter of innocents from all nations that lays bare the great lie of sport’s tragedies, usually uttered when a millionaire fails to score with a free shot from 12 yards. The real tragedy for Scottish football was the deaths of James Speedie and James Boyd, aged 21, Henry Wattie and Duncan Currie, 23, Tom Gracie, 26, and Edgar Ellis and John Allan, just 30 years old. It was the compromised career of Paddy Crossan, gassed and wounded twice at the Somme, and Alfie Briggs, who returned from war and never played again, suffered from severe depression and died in 1950 with two machine gun bullets still embedded in his back. They were among the 16 who signed up from Hearts for McCrae’s Battalion soon after the outbreak of war, foregoing their careers to play for a bigger team and a greater goal. They were not alone, of course, as McCrae’s Battalion attracted players from Hibs, Falkirk, Dunfermline and Raith Rovers, all following Lord Kitchener’s fickle finger of fate to the killing fields of France. No football team in Scotland was unaffected, including Celtic, where players also signed up, and who, in 1918, won the Navy and Army War Fund Shield, played to raise money for the families of those who had fought in war. Seven former Celtic players died in World War One. And William Angus, who won the VC for outstanding bravery, was wounded 40 times and suffering the loss of an eye during a daring rescue of an injured pal on the edge of German trenches. But no team suffered more than Hearts during a period when the SFA were under pressure to postpone the season all together, with Airdrie chairman Thomas Forsyth declaring: “Playing football while our men are fighting is repugnant.” At the start of the 1914-15 season Hearts won eight league games on the trot and hopes were high they would win their third title and their first in 18 years. However, the strain of the war effort told in the end as exhaustion from their army commitments took hold to such an extent even trainer James Duckworth suffered a mental breakdown under the pressure. As a result of innoculations, non-availability and additional military training, their form inevitably crumbled. Hearts led the league for 35 out of 37 weeks but eventually succumbed and defeat to St Mirren and Morton allowed Celtic to overhaul them to win the championship by four points. Striker Tom Gracie topped the scoring charts with 29 goals but played the closing weeks of the campaign with leukaemia. His body broken, he died in a military hospital the following year. Jimmy Speedie was killed at Loos in September 1915 and Currie, Ellis and Wattie all fell at the Somme, that repugnant slow march to death ordered by their own generals. Hearts would not hit such grand heights in football for almost another half century, with the last of their four championships won in 1960 after earlier success in 1958. The season after they came so close to the championship they finished fifth and on one occasion could not even raise a team to travel to Morton. A shadow of the club they once were, in the 1916-17 season they finished 14th, used 46 players and were in such a state they finished a match at Ibrox with only 10 men because Fred Gibson had to leave early for work. Hearts fans have never forgotten the bravery of their men and every November they gather at Haymarket for a service at the memorial erected by Edinburgh’s city fathers to mark their sacrifice. In recent years, a cairn has been established at Contalmaison and a bronze plaque was also recently unveiled at Tynecastle, 100 years old this year, to recognise their heroism. Scottish football, led by Celtic, have the ideal opportunity to do the same. It would be a poignant gesture if they asked for the history books to be rewritten and that one campaign shared. Players come and go in Scottish football but this squad of 16 deserves always to be remembered. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gary-ralston-celtic-should-honour-3773982
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Information from a few journalists now suggesting he will undergo a medical for us today after turning down a move to Hearts...
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RANGERS directors were locked in showdown talks in London yesterday as they attempt to stave off more financial chaos. Record Sport can reveal brothers Sandy and James Easdale travelled to meet with representatives of shareholders groups Blue Pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings before staging further discussions with the rest of the Ibrox regime yesterday afternoon. Talks will continue at 10.30am today at an official board meeting to be held in the offices of the club’s financial advisers, Daniel Stewart. The Easdales flew out of Glasgow yesterday on a morning flight to the docklands’ City Airport. Coincidentally on the same flight were the club’s shamed former finance director Brian Stockbridge and axed PR guru Jack Irvine. Rangers sources insisted last night that Stockbridge’s presence was ‘purely coincidental’ although all four were spotted chatting together in the departure lounge before boarding. On arrival in London, Stockbridge was seen heading for a train while the Easdales left in a taxi cab. But it’s understood the brothers were then involved in talks with the same mysterious investors who helped fund the £5.5million takeover which saw Charles Green, Stockbridge and Imran Ahmad seize control of the club’s assets two years ago. Blue Pitch and Margarita are now supporting the Easdales and sources claimed last night they will be willing to plough more money into a fresh share issue if, as widely expected, the club requires an urgent injection of cash after a dramatic slump in season-ticket sales. It’s understood chief executive Graham Wallace later met with the Easdales after flying back to Britain from a supporters convention in Canada. Wallace declined to answer fans’ questions when asked how many season tickets have been sold. Sources close to the board insisted last month 20,000 fans had renewed. Meanwhile, generous fan George Letham, who stumped up £1m in emergency cash to keep the club out of trouble in February, has still not had his loan repaid. Under the terms of his loan the money was supposed to be returned as soon as sufficient funds had dropped into the club’s account from season-ticket sales. And with June’s wage bill still to be covered at the end of this month, the regime’s need to secure fresh funds seems increasingly urgent. But before jetting back across the Atlantic for yesterday’s London talks, Wallace insisted on the club’s website that Rangers finances are not a cause for alarm. And he insisted fans can expect to see more new signings soon. Meanwhile, it has been revealed accountants and lawyers have raked in a staggering £2m in 12 months as the bill for winding up oldco Rangers continues to soar. The figures have been detailed in the latest six-month report from insolvency experts BDO who were appointed liquidators of the Rangers Football Club PLC after it failed to emerge from administration following Craig Whyte’s ruinous 10-month reign. And the unfathomable strategy adopted by Whyte is further highlighted by the fact almost half of this latest bill has been covered by the final instalment of the £4.5m deal which saw Nikica Jelavic sold off to Everton just two weeks before the club was plunged into financial chaos in February 2012. The BDO report, which was completed at the end of last month, reveals a cheque for £975k is expected to arrive from the Goodison Park club ‘shortly after 31 May 2014’. But that won’t come close to covering the spiralling costs – as BDO gear up for a potential multi-million pound courtroom battle with Collyer Bristow, the law firm who advised Whyte during his takeover in 2011. In total, more than £1m has been spent on legal fees and outlays with more than £650k of it going to solicitors Stephenson Harwood, who are preparing the case against Collyer Bristow. The report says a trial date is ‘currently set for the beginning of 2015’ but it is anticipated a deal could be negotiated and an out of court settlement agreed. BDO are also carrying out a probe into the conduct of administrators Duff and Phelps, who sold the club’s assets to Green for a knockdown £5.5m. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-directors-hold-showdown-talks-3668192
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CASH gates will be in operation at tonight's Youth Cup final at St Mirren Park. Gordon Durie's under-20 side will face Hearts with the Youth Cup trophy at stake and you can back the side tonight in Paisley. The youths are aiming for success in the first final appearance for the club in three years. Tickets for the match, which kicks off at 7.30pm, and will go to extra-time and penalties if necessary, will be available at turnstiles this evening. Priced are £5 for adults and £2 for over-65s, under-16s and full-time students. http://rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6954-cash-gates-at-youth-final
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Im glad he is employed so he doesn't make the available list for future Rangers manager. Worst Scotland manager of all time! Even though Locke wasn't great and Im no fan it does seem a bit harsh on him. Sounds a bit like 'thanks for getting us through the season when nobody else would but jog on"
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Danny Lennon: St Mirren decide not to offer manager new contract Manager Danny Lennon has left St Mirren after the club decided not to offer him a new contract. The Paisley outfit's board met on Monday to discuss the future of Lennon, whose contract expires this summer. And they have confirmed Lennon has not been offered a new deal. "Decisions like this are never easy, however we would commend Danny for his professionalism and the dignified way he carried out his duties during a very challenging season," the club said. Lennon was named manager of the Buddies in June 2010, following a two-year spell in charge of Cowdenbeath. The 45-year-old led the Paisley side to League Cup final success last season with a 3-2 win over Hearts at Hampden. St Mirren struggled for spells of this term but Lennon defended his record at the club after securing Premiership safety. A club statement read: "The board of directors have today decided not to offer Danny Lennon an extension to his contract that expires in June 2014. "Danny and his players gave our club one of its finest days on 17th March 2013 and they will always be remembered by the club for that wonderful day. "The board would like to thank Danny for his service to the club over the last four years and wish him every success in the future." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27371495
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Good results last night see's Hibs slip into the play off spot. If Kilmarnock get a draw at Easter Road on Saturday then Hibs will be in the play off. If Hibs go down then its a wet dream for Doncaster and Co, how jammy can they get! Rangers v Hearts 4 times, Rangers v Hibs 4 times, Edinburgh derby 4 times. A top flight league of 18 is a must.
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The First Annual Gersnet Dinner will be held at Malaga Tapas, 213-215 Saint Andrews Road, Glasgow G41 1PD on 26 April 2014 at 3.00pm for 3.15pm till 7.00pm. NOTE NEW TIMES DUE TO EARLY KICK OFF V STRANRAER http://www.malagatapas.co.uk/ The restaurant is currently ranked in the top 20 in Glasgow on Tripadvisor http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186534-d1087980-Reviews-Malaga_Tapas-Glasgow_Scotland.html MENU FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL GERSNET DINNER (THE BEARS PICNIC) Primer Plato (First Course) Selección del chef de varias tapas, por ejemplo (Chefs Selection of Various Tapas e.g.): Pescados (Fish) – Pescado en Adobe ( Spanish Marinated Fish in a combination of paprika and spices) Fritura de Pescado (Fried Mixture of Fish & Seafood; king prawns, squid & white fish, served with garlic mayonnaise) Carnes (Meats) - Albondigas en tomate (meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce) Pinchos Morunos (Authentic Spanish Skewers of Sizzling Pork, marinated with cumin, garlic & red wine) Verduras (Vegetables) – Pisto Manchego (Mixture of roasted vegetables: peppers, potatoes, eggplants and onions mingled with tomato sauce) Bravas con salsa Picante (Malaga Tapas own take on the quintessential Spanish patatas bravas) 3 tapas per person Segundo Plato (Second Course) Paellas: Marisco (seafood), Valenciana (mix of chicken & seafood), Montana (chicken and dry-cured chorizo); Verduras (vegetarian) (the selection on the night will depend on numbers) Postres (Deserts) por ejemplo (e.g.): Crema Catalana (Spanish version of crème brulee fired at the table!) Copa Malaguena (Ice cream, honey coated peanuts, raisins and topped with Pacharin liquor) NB: The above are examples from Malaga Tapas’ current menu (see web site); as the owners import a high percentage of the ingredients from Spain, the actual dishes available on the night may vary from the above. £18.00 por persona (per person). All those wishing to attend please post in this thread. I am proposing to collect a deposit of £9/10 per head and in order to avoid any possible suggestion of impropriety, I intend opening a bank account with two signatories, specifically for that purpose. Frankie has approved the opening of a Gersnet Dinner account with me and Andy Steel as signatories. I'll PM the details to all those who sign up when I get it organised.
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Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 5m 46' - Play gets underway again with #Rangers looking to regain the lead after Gallagher's goal was cancelled out by Erwin's penalty. 1-1 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 19m HT' - Gallagher's opener gave Gers a lead they merited by a foul by Hegarty on Erwin gave him the chance to level from the spot and he did Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 20m HT' - The whistle goes and it's a frustrating first period for #Rangers as they dominate, take a lead and are then pulled back. It's 1-1 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 26m 40' - Goal for Motherwell after a foul on Lee Erwin in the box, He takes the penalty and scores, despite Liam Kelly going the right way. 1-1 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 43m 22' - Robbie Crawford crossed from the left & Gallagher got above his man to steer home a magnificent header at the far post. 1-0 #Rangers! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 44m 22' - It's the breakthrough #Rangers have been wanting and one they merit for having the bulk of the play early on. Calum Gallagher scores! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 45m 22' - GOAL RANGERS! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite Rangers Youth @RFC_Youth 1h 0' - Referee David Lowe gets the game underway in bright sunshine as #Rangers look for another three points to keep their title bid on track https://twitter.com/RFC_Youth?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gersnetonline.co.uk%2Fvb%2Fforum.php&profile_id=351838853&tw_i=461200012358471681&tw_p=embeddedtimeline&tw_w=382261353282412544
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CRAIG HALKETT’S goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute gave Rangers a vital win in the SPFL Under-20 League as they edged out Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. The Light Blues were struggling to get the victory they needed to keep their title challenge on track when the defender was thrown on with little over quarter of an hour to go. Utilised in the striking role he played in when he was younger, Halkett’s introduction was a masterstroke as he nodded into the net in his first passage of play. And that was enough to ensure the points went back up the M77 as Gers applied pressure to the teams above them in the standings. Hibs still lead but Celtic are looking like being more likely championship rivals and with them beating Falkirk, it was crucial to keep pace with them. The Murray Park kids have done that and with four games left, they remain a point behind their city rivals with a game in hand over them and a derby between the two to play. In a further boost, Andy Little returned from a thigh injury and he played 63 minutes before he was replaced by winger Scott Roberts. Gers were deprived of teenage pair Calum Gallagher and Charlie Telfer after manager Ally McCoist decided to list them on the bench for the first-team fixture with Ayr. But Gordon Durie was able to compensate for losing them by bringing in senior players Little, Ross Perry and Chris Hegarty and all three of them started the contest. It was a good start for Gers too, just as it had been last week at Dumbarton as Partick Thistle were beaten 4-0. Having gone ahead inside four minutes then, the visitors took a lead 60 seconds quicker this time as Jamie Burrows found the net. He did well to burst clear on the left and cut inside, keeping the ball in play as he crept inwards along the touchline. The Jersey-born forward attempted to cut back for a team-mate but having made good progress towards goal, his clip hit off keeper Antonio Reguero and dropped in instead. Killie tried to respond and they did so with a positive approach as they settled and enjoyed a lot of possession. But William Gros was wasteful for them in attack, pulling one shot wide and sending a cross from the left too deep as it drifted out beyond the back post. The Light Blues also got lucky as Ross Davidson’s free kick took a touch off Perry and beat keeper Liam Kelly but thankfully the ball ran wide for a corner rather than in. Durie’s side didn’t offer too much in attack for the rest of the half and when they did come forward, their final ball was often too heavy or lacking direction. That proved to be costly seven minutes before the break when Killie – themselves a little lacklustre coming forward at times – grabbed a deserved leveller. Durie will have been disappointed by the way it came about, with the hosts capitalising on a breakdown in communication at the back. Perry, Hegarty and Kelly all thought someone else was going for a loose ball and their hesitancy let Dean Hawkshaw take control. He did well to clip into the mix before he ran out of play and he managed to find Gros, who stroked in a rising effort from eight yards to make it 1-1. Burrows almost restored the lead within seconds as he wormed into the box at the second attempt and fired towards goal. But after getting lucky against Reguero earlier in the game, the keeper got down well to palm his attempt behind this time. There was one more opportunity before the midway point but Luca Gasparotto’s header from an Andy Murdoch free kick sailed over and the was nothing between the sides at the break. Rangers almost got a lucky break in the opening moments of the second half when Reguero charged out of his goal to claim a loose ball and failed. Murdoch robbed him and pushed play wide but when he tried to lift into the net from distance an opposition leg did enough to divert his ambitious effort behind. Nevertheless, Danny Stoney had been introduced at the restart for Ryan Finnie and suddenly the away team had more purpose and energy. Little headed just wide from a Hegarty cross then Burrows’ pace very nearly created an opening but forced a corner instead. Gers’ renewed impetus faded and play evened out again, with more of the game being played in the midfield area as time wore on. But with the pace the likes of Stoney and Burrows were displaying, they looked dangerous and with 16 minutes to go they forged in front again. Halkett had only been on the park for a couple of minutes when he and Stoney scampered upfield on the break. Killie did enough to stem the tide momentarily but the visitors piled bodies forward as they could sense a goal. And when Stoney centred from the right, Halkett rose highest to steer home a magnificent downward header inside the keeper’s near post. Predictably, the home side tried to hit back in the closing stages and there were a couple of near misses for Rangers to deal with. But they had done enough to keep their title challenge on course and next up for them is an SFA Youth Cup rehearsal against Hearts in Newtongrange on Friday night. RANGERS: Kelly; Perry, Gasparotto, Hegarty, Sinnamon; Dykes (Halkett 72), Murdoch, Gibson, Finnie (Stoney 46); Burrows, Little (Roberts 63). SUBS NOT USED: A Smith, Pascazio. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6831-u20-kilmarnock-1-2-rangers
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Rangers manager Ally McCoist has admitted major shareholder Sandy Easdale’s description of the Ibrox club’s finances as “fragile” is a significant concern ahead of today’s publication of a 120-day business review. Rangers manager Ally McCoist has admitted major shareholder Sandy Easdale’s description of the Ibrox club’s finances as “fragile” is a significant concern ahead of today’s publication of a 120-day business review. McCoist was visibly taken aback when he heard Easdale had already given an interview to BBC Scotland yesterday, ahead of the manager’s own press commitments before tomorrow’s final home league of the season against Stranraer. Although Rangers will be presented with the League 1 championship trophy after the game, it is today’s long-awaited business review, prepared by chief executive Graham Wallace, that dominates the agenda at Ibrox. Staff at the club are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the review and whether it will impact on their jobs amid fears of further cost-cutting. McCoist said that the welfare of employees was of paramount concern. “Nothing’s changed in my opinion with regards the livelihoods of the staff,” he said. “That’s arguably the most important thing. Obviously the future and health of the club is of vital importance, but without doubt the people within the football club and their livelihoods are extremely important.” Easdale, who is also chairman of the club’s football board, yesterday admitted Rangers were “at a crossroads”. The businessman urged supporters to keep buying season tickets. The most recent set of interim accounts published by the Ibrox club saw accountants Deloitte note that “the company has made key assumptions in relation to the timing of season ticket monies”, adding that uncertainty over the receipt of season ticket income indicated “the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern”. Compromising the club’s plans is a strategy of some fans, backed by former Ibrox director and potential investor Dave King, to withhold season ticket money in a fund. The sum will only be released when certain conditions are met by the board. Season-ticket sales to date were described as “slow” by Easdale. Also concerning for McCoist was the major shareholder’s sopinion Rangers could not survive another administration. “In 140 years, the club’s gone into administration once,” said Easdale. “I don’t think it would survive a second one. So I would ask every loyal Rangers fan – and I pick my words correctly in saying ‘loyal Rangers fan’ – supports the club at this time and gives it a chance.” It was this kind of rhetoric McCoist admitted was troubling, although he had not yet been fully briefed on Easdale’s comments. “He told the BBC that?” asked McCoist. “That’s news to me. I wouldn’t react to it until I had time to digest it to be honest. But if that’s what he’s said then that would be a little bit concerning.” The manager, who had a series of meetings yesterday with club hierarchy, was cautious when asked to comment on what he expected would be the contents of the review. “I would be hopeful of non-negative news,” he said. “We will react accordingly to the news we get. I don’t want to pre-empt this. There is no point in guessing what might or might not happen.” Earlier in the day Easdale had admitted he was uncertain what the future held for Rangers. “At the end of the day, the club is at a crossroads at the moment and a fragile position,” he said. “It can either go forward with a strategic view, with a long-term view, steady as she goes, or be pulled apart in other directions.” The bus tycoon also outlined his concern over season ticket renewals. He said: “I don’t actually know the figures but I think there are a couple of situations there; we’re a couple of weeks early. People are waiting for a report. At this moment in time, ticket sales are slow.” McCoist, meanwhile, is braced for being told there are limited funds with which to strengthen his current squad, who have gone through the current league season unbeaten. He said that being challenged to win the Championship title next season with an equal or even lesser budget would “go with the territory” of being Rangers manager in the current times. “It’s not a concern because I accept it,” he shrugged. “Whether I like it or think it’s right or wrong is immaterial – I accept it. It goes with the territory and I’ll have to handle that. “The budget has dropped in the region of 70 per cent of two or three years ago and it’s dropped again this year from last year. But what everyone needs to realise is that I don’t set the budget. I didn’t give the new players their wages, I had nothing to do with that, that was the previous regime, so you’d have to ask any questions relating to that to them. I was only working within the parameters that were given to me. I wasn’t the one who offered them x amount of thousand pounds a week. That wasn’t my gig. I just wanted to play them and thankfully I got the players.” McCoist is relieved that at least his options, if he has any, will become clearer by the end of today when it comes to the matter of signing players. The club have been linked with moves for Motherwell defender Shaun Hutchinson and St Mirren midfielder Kenny McLean, as well as Gavin Gunning and Kris Boyd, of Dundee United and Kilmarnock respectively. More crucial, McCoist pointed out, is the need to sort out the futures of players nearing the end of their contracts. “I’ve still only spoken to two players but in the crazy situation we are in, I haven’t been able to offer them anything,” he revealed. “If I get the go-ahead we would be interested in talking to them. “That’s all I can say to them,” he added. “It’s anything but ideal. My priority is to speak to the guys here at the club first. That’s the very least they deserve.” The Union of Fans, a coalition of Rangers supporters, issued a statement last night hitting back at Easdale’s comments. It said: “The financial position of the club is not down to lack of support or loyalty from any of our fans, it is down to two years of mismanagement and the squandering of huge sums of money. “We would like to know why Mr Easdale is being pushed out to speak on behalf of a PLC board he is not part of. Mr *Easdale’s comments about the financial position of the club are share-price sensitive, as are his comments about possible *administration. “These comments directly contradict those of the CEO, Graham Wallace, who is on record as saying that a second administration is not a possibility. “Once again huge question marks are raised over corporate governance at Rangers by Mr Easdale’s role at the club, which has never been clarified.” http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/mccoist-frets-over-fragile-rangers-1-3388199
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RECORD SPORT can reveal the league’s top brass have ordered an urgent investigation into an alleged rule breach in Killie's 3-0 defeat to Celtic at Rugby Park last month. KILMARNOCK could be plunged into crisis with the SPFL set to probe a claim that a staff member forged a player’s signature in order to play him against Celtic. Record Sport can reveal the league’s top brass have ordered an urgent investigation into the alleged rule breach which relates to the champions’ 3-0 win at Rugby Park last month. And, if found guilty, Killie could be hammered with a range of sanctions including a possible points deduction which could condemn Allan Johnston’s team to a nerve shredding relegation play-off. It could also provide a Premiership lifeline to St Mirren, Ross County, Hibs and Partick Thistle and save them from going down. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster refused to comment last night when Record Sport contacted him about the dramatic developments. But we can confirm Doncaster has been briefed about the accusations of foul play and has personally ordered a full-scale inquiry. The SPFL have not yet established which player is at the centre of the allegations. It’s understood the SPFL probe will consider a claim that a Kilmarnock office worker witnessed another staff member forging the player’s signature in the lead up to a game against Celtic last month that the champions won 3-0. It is alleged that the SPFL contacted Kilmarnock to alert them to the fact that a player’s signature was missing from a page of paperwork and that, unless it was submitted, the player could not be registered in time for the game in question. It’s then claimed the missing signature was added but not by the player. And – if this accusation is proven to be correct – then Kilmarnock could face the prospect of a points penalty which would almost certainly tip Johnston’s team into the dreaded play-offs. The SPFL’s rule book demands that member clubs act in the utmost good faith at all times. But Doncaster’s team will also investigate whether a more specific rule break, relating to registration of player’s regulation 72 which states: “Any Club which, in the opinion of the Board, unfairly traffics or deals in the Registration of any Player or otherwise abuses in any way the Registration, transfer, or Compensation systems shall be dealt with as the Board may determine.” A source told us: “A wide range of sanctions, ranging from a slap on the wrist to expulsion, would be open to the SPFL board if these allegations are found to be true. But in this instance a points deduction would be one of the more likely outcomes. “Points deductions would normally be considered if a club played an ineligible player – even if it was simply down to an honest mistake with paperwork. “But in this case, it could be argued that the club not only fielded an ineligible player but also that a deliberate attempt was made to deceive the SPFL office bearers. If that were to be the case then it would be treated as a very serious matter.” It’s understood the complaint was also made to club chairman Michael Johnston who pledged to carry out an internal investigation. Record Sport attempted to contact a spokesperson for Kilmarnock but no-one from the club was available to comment. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kilmarnock-scottish-professional-football-league-3449000
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More or less just an excercise and food for thought: Rangers Top Signing Targets for the Championship Written by - Jonny McFarlane After the disappointment of defeat in the Scottish Cup semi-final, it’s inevitable that with little left to play for on the pitch the focus of the fans and the media will return to Rangers corporate governance. That will be covered in great detail elsewhere, but with the football department having been arguably as poorly run as the business it’s also important to reflect on where the playing squad currently stands and whether it is strong enough to win the Championship. After a sober assessment of the team, most will feel that with a rejuvenated Hearts, signings will have to be made to guarantee safe passage into the Premiership. Assuming that Rangers will be operating on a smaller budget next year and working with what’s made available by the departure of the likes of Andy Little, Kyle Hutton and Emilson Cribari when their contracts expire, I have limited my suggestions to players currently based in the SPL and out of contract. I don’t think it is realistic to expect Rangers in their current predicament to pay any kind of transfer fee and free agents from the English game are also likely to be financially untenable given their high wages. I have identified three areas of improvement in Rangers current squad: 1. Goal scoring threat 2. Strengthening the Centre of Defence/defensive midfield 3. Creation of Chances Goal scoring threat Kris Boyd (30, Kilmarnock) Surely, Rangers number one target. A club legend and a goal machine. It’s so easy and obvious it feels daft to argue for it. I wasn’t Boyd’s biggest fan in his previous stint but this is a very different time and place. His talents are ideally suited to the current predicament and his very presence will be a big boost to the beleaguered support. His game has improved in his nomadic years abroad. Still as predatory as ever, he is better in the air and in his link up play outside the box. It seems like the penny has finally dropped that to be a great striker you have to do some hard work as well as bang in the goals. Boyd be as good as a guarantee of 25 goals in the championship. Strengthening the Centre of Defence/defensive midfield Jim Goodwin (32, St. Mirren) A natural leader on the pitch Goodwin is the St. Mirren captain. A tough tackler that opposition fans love to hate, he is equally adept in central defence or midfield. At 32 he’s no spring chicken but would add a bit of steel to Rangers weak central defensive area where Ian Black has underperformed. Gary Miller (26, St. Johnstone) Versatile and extremely pacey, St. Johnstone’s Miller knows the Championship well from his time at Ross County. A Rangers fan, the 26 year old could offer significant options having played at right back, central defence and midfield in his career. A steady-Eddie who gives consistently solid performances, Miller would provide squad depth across a few positions and would add that rare commodity, serious pace at the back. Kevin Thomson (29, Hibs) Leaving Rangers in 2010 after a successful spell in the engine room, Thomson’s career has dramatically stalled. Three years of injury and poor form have curtailed the development of a player that five or six years ago many predicted to be better than his good friend Scott Brown. Unwanted by Terry Butcher due to his introduction of a more direct style, Thomson would be a superb addition to the Gers midfield especially if he could be secured on a pay if you play deal to cushion the burden from injury problems. Jamie Hamill (27, Hearts) Hearts best player this season and their midfield general, Hamill has shown a rare combination of steel and ability. A deadball expert that guarantees goals from free kicks and penalties Hamill works his backside off from the first whistle to the last. Taking on the responsibility of being the most senior player in the Tyncastle dressing room, anyone watching Hearts can see that it is Hamill, not captain Danny Wilson that bosses his team. Gavin Gunning (23, Dundee United) One of the Premiership’s best central defenders, Gunning has been a lynchpin for Dundee United’s successful season. Still young at 23, he has plenty of room for further improvement and could be a real asset for Rangers in the years to come. Physical and good in the air, he is also a threat in the opponents box and can chip in with the odd goal. His organisational abilities have helped bring out the best in his 17-year-old defensive partner John Souter and has shown maturity beyond his years at the heart of an inexperienced but exciting team. Creation of Chances Alexei Eremenko (31, Kilmarnock) A player of immense talent, Emerenko lit up the SPL in his first spell and was nominated for Player of the year. Quick feet and an even quicker brain he is a terrific passer who can thread the ball through tight defences. Another whose career has stalled, Emerenko would represent a gamble, and Rangers would have to play around his inability to defend but he would add a potent attacking weapon to the teams armoury. A fit, mentally attuned Emerenko has the talent to be playing in a major European league, at only 31 surely the challenge to get him back there wouldn’t be beyond Rangers coaching team. James McFadden (31, Motherwell) A player who has seen his career fail to take flight in recent years, McFadden’s return to Scottish Football has been a disappointment with only fleeting glimpses of his old self. A maverick in the Ted McMinn mould, a move to a massive club like Rangers could just be what the doctor ordered for this big game performer. Able to play on the left or through the middle McFadden gives attacking options to any manager that coaches him. A player sure to excite the fans with his wonderful natural ability, McFadden would be a big gamble but one that could pay off as a creator and scorer of goals. Paul McGowan (26, St Mirren) With the tumult of a recent court case behind him, McGowan can now concentrate on the footballing career that has seen him hailed as one of the most naturally gifted attacking midfielders Scotland has produced in recent years. Comfortable in central or attacking midfield, McGowan is an accomplished chance creator with an eye for goal and a blistering shot. Rangers Report
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Big game for the young guns in their U20 League title race tonight! ________________________________________________________ Wednesday, 16 April 2014 12:00 Kids Look To Capitalise Written by Andrew Dickson RANGERS will seek to make the most of slip ups from their rivals in the SPFL Under-20 League yesterday when they host Partick Thistle in Dumbarton tonight. The Light Blues went into this week’s round of fixtures as underdogs after finding themselves behind Hibernian and Celtic in the standings. That’s still the case ahead of the clash with the Jags but both of their fellow title challengers failed to win their games and that has opened the competition right up again. Hibs, leaders of the 16-team division, could only draw 1-1 with Hamilton Accies at Livingston’s Energy Assets Arena. And although they are eight points ahead of Gordon Durie’s men, they have played four times more and have just two fixtures remaining now. A more notable result was perhaps Celtic’s as they lost 2-1 to Hearts in Newtongrange, where Gers will go themselves next Friday night in an SFA Youth Cup final dress rehearsal. The Parkhead team was sitting second before it took on the Jambos but with the chance to overtake Hibs if they won their games in hand. That’s still a possibility but their loss at New Victoria Park means Durie’s men could now theoretically leapfrog everyone. The Murray Park kids are four points off Celtic with two games in hand over them plus a derby against Stephen Frail’s side still to play. Tonight’s encounter with Partick sees Rangers come up against a team it beat 3-0 at Firhill back in November. With six games remaining in their own league campaign, this will be the Light Blues’ final designated home fixture. The other five matches will be away to Hearts on April 25, Motherwell on April 29 and to Kilmarnock, Celtic and Falkirk on provisional dates which have still to be confirmed. Rangers go into this tie off the back of their SFA Youth Cup semi-final win at St Mirren on Sunday, which set up the meeting with Hearts. A date, kick-off time and venue for that match has still to be determined but it is likely to be early next month. Midfielder Darren Ramsay scored an extra-time winner in Paisley at the weekend and he’s hoping the result there can boost Gers going into tonight’s game, which starts at 7pm. He said: “Our results have dipped a bit in the league lately but hopefully we can pick things up again against Partick and get back to winning ways there. “Hopefully beating St Mirren can kick-start us. We’ve got games in hand of Celtic and Hibs so hopefully they drop more points and we can put them under a bit of pressure.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6781-kids-look-to-capitalise
