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WALTER SMITH is predicting that Kevin Thomson and Stevie Whittaker will become key players for Rangers in the new campaign. As he prepares to face Schalke in the Veltins Arena this afternoon, Smith reckons the former Hibs pair will raise their game to a higher level. And he also feels Lee McCulloch can offer more have established himself at Rangers now. Smith said: "Not just because Barry is injured but I think in terms of his own progression Kevin can move forward and be a terrific and important player for us this season. "It always takes a bitKevin Thomson of time to make the transition from, for example, Hibs to Rangers and settle in. "I think he did that last season, when he played exceptionally well in parts for us. This season I am looking for more maturity and consistency in his play. "He is ready for that and Steven Whittaker is exactly the same; I hope he too can come to the fore a bit more. "I do not think he has been inhibited by Barry's presence I just think it is a natural aspect of coming to Rangers and Celtic and playing with that higher expectancy week in, week out. "It is different if you are talking about a player at 28 who has been around a bit but at 22 and 23 it takes a bit longer to settle. "Steven is a right back it was just last season, with him capable of playing in other positions, that circumstances dictated. At the start, we had Alan Hutton and I felt Steven could work well in front of him wide right. "Lee is another in that bracket. He is slightly more experienced but he has had that year behind him now and is also quite adaptable. He is another who will have an influence this season, I have no doubt about that." Smith has no doubts that Schalke will represent a major test for his side as he tries to find the right formation for the vital Champions League qualifiers.Steven Whittaker Carlos Cueller, Kyle Lafferty and DaMarcus Beaasley will all miss out along with Allan McGregor and it will be interesting to see who Smith chooses for the front places. He said: Schalke will be a good team. I think they came close to the title two years ago but won only one of their last four games and lost out to Stuttgart and they finished third last season "They have spent money again this summer to try and take it that one step further so they will be a good test. ahead of our Champions League matches, "They have changed quite a bit since last season and are maybe not totally at the stage they have been at." Meanwhile, Smith has revealed that he has arranged three closed door games for next week in addition to the friendlies against Clyde and Raith Rovers to give match action to all of his squad.

Rangers just about to start their first friendly against Munster, hope we dont see this starting 11 at all this season. Alexander,Whittaker,Dailly,Weir,Papac,Beasley,Thomson,Adam,McCulloch,Darcheville,Miller. Normally pre season is quite exciting , hearing how the new signings get on. We've only got a couple of new faces and only 1 of them is in the squad. Still early days i suppose

Whats everyone hoping to see in 6 weeks time when we line up?? Jon and Johnny definatly want Boyd playing. (infact what was that Bros song in the 80s that Jon likes - Boys boys boys are looking for the good time......Boyd Boyd Boyd haha But for me, we once again have a lack of midfielders who can turn it on. Id be interested to see if Buffel and Hemdani stay. If they do and got there 'A'A game every week then they would be in my team. Keeper - Hopefully the Shagger stays as he is a hugely improved keeper. Defence - Carlos will stay!! But il be interested to see who partners him. The full back positions will be interesting. Midfield - Still no player who havs that magic, but is it vital in the SPL??? Its more of a battle sometimes and Thomson and Ferguson will surely do that. Forwards - We've been very active here and our front line could look totally different this season. Velicka, Miller and Lafferty all some in - will they start or will we still see the likes of Adam... Currently im hopig for a bit of this with the likes of Novo and Beasley to play big parts: ______________________McGregor________________________ Whittaker__________Carlos_________Webster___________Smith __________?????_______Ferguson(*)________Thomson_______ ___________Miller________Velicka_________Beasley__________ ???? - Possibly Davis * - Last chance saloon

Not seen to much of him other than the Utd game but there has only ever been good things said about him and his attitude. I'd love the likes of Furman and Fleck to feature a bit more, despite their ages. Weather WS will do that or not, I dont know. He doesnt really have the best track record giving youth a chance. Durrant is probably the most glaring example, but Im certain that it was Sounedd who saw the potential there and gave him his start and made him a regular. As I said, we have the possibility of th=wo gems there and they really need a chance.

Will keep these posts separate from the main thread as the thrust is linked directly with Gersnet... http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=649&Itemid=1 Tennis, golf and RFC supporter group splits boring you? Time for The_Insider to tell you of the latest info he's heard regarding any comings and goings at the club. It's all good, clean fun so please don't get too excited (or more likely depressed) at the gossip we bring you in this light-hearted look through the transfer window... As usual we'll start with the players Rangers are interested in. Despite downmarket red-tops claiming war-chests of Ã?£20million, the money currently available to Walter Smith is nowhere near that amount. As it stands, despite raking in around Ã?£30million last season (from Hutton/Europe) the manager only has Ã?£6million to play with ââ?¬â?? plus any income from players who do leave. Kenny Miller has already arrived ââ?¬â?? much to the disappointment of many Rangers fans ââ?¬â?? so around Ã?£1.6million has already been spent. Because of this arrival Peter LÃ?¸venkrands will now definitely not be coming back to Ibrox. Not sure that will cheer up those of us still depressed at the return of Miller but I donââ?¬â?¢t think weââ?¬â?¢d have coped with two average ex-players coming back in one summer. Moving on, as he was in January, Kyle Lafferty is still very much in Smithââ?¬â?¢s sights. Able to play wide or in attack, the big Northern Irish player may be beyond Rangersââ?¬â?¢ current budget though. Rangers have offered Ã?£2.2million but Burnley are holding out for around twice that fee ââ?¬â?? with Celtic and Wolves the other clubs seriously interested. Rangers are also now monitoring the Dundee Utd midfielder Morgaro Gomis. The former Montpellier and Chelsea youth player has risen up the ranks quickly from spells in English lower league football before being signed by the Tayside club from Cowdenbeath. Impressive displays in three games against Rangers means the club may put in a modest offer for the Frenchman whose contract runs out next summer. Utd are also interested in a couple of Rangers fringe players so a swap deal may please both parties. All the above are hardly rumours which will excite the support so the pressure will be on the club to move on as many fringe players as possible to maximise the budget available to the manager. Several players are available and, while the club donââ?¬â?¢t want to lose prize asset Carlos Cuellar, The_Insider has heard the Spaniard actually has a Ã?£10million release clause in his contract. The player himself doesnââ?¬â?¢t want to go but after the Hutton debacle, who knows what his future will hold. Allan McGregor is another asset whose future is in doubt. Rumours have been abound for many months now that the Scotland international goalkeeper is interested in a move to Spurs. Gersnetââ?¬â?¢s information is that Smith will allow the keeper to leave for around Ã?£8million although Spurs prefer a stepped deal from around Ã?£5million. Despite paper talk of interest from various English clubs in Kevin Thomson the club have not had any offers for the player. However, the lad is looking to sign a new, improved contract and who can blame him a considering he also did his skipperââ?¬â?¢s hard work for much of the campaign. Rangers would do well to instil a disciplinary clause into any negotiations and save themselves some money ahead of his inevitable bookings next season. The strongest link out we have heard in recent days is that Jean-Claude Darcheville will be on his way in the summer. A Ã?£1.5million fee has been agreed with an as yet unnamed continental side so it appears the likeable French strikerââ?¬â?¢s Rangers career has finally been hamstrung. Thatââ?¬â?¢s all for this week, so if you can bear the excitement and tension, keep an eye on the site (and forum) for all the latest transfer gossip concerning the Rangers. :box:

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=648&Itemid=1 After last weekââ?¬â?¢s playing staff report cards, itââ?¬â?¢s time to move onto some analysis of the management team. Walter Smith is certainly the main man here so, while Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall have played their part and deserve to share in any praise/criticism, Iââ?¬â?¢ll concentrate on Walter. First off, I think we have to give praise where praise is due. When Smith took over in January 2007, the club were struggling badly, hadnââ?¬â?¢t won a trophy in over 2 years and the dressing room appeared split under the disastrous Paul Le Guen reign. The new manager identified the immediate problems and via some important signings begun the task of re-building. When he took over Smith was always at pains to say this would take time. He wanted to make the team difficult to beat first and foremost then move forward from there. In the latter part of season 2006/07, he did that ââ?¬â?? beating Celtic twice ââ?¬â?? and generally giving the fans something to buy into last summer. Further investment in the playing squad to the tune of Ã?£12million meant the chairman was also buying into this second Smith tenure in a way he didnââ?¬â?¢t with Le Guen. The signings Smith did make were greeted with conservativeness by the bulk of the support. Thomson and Weir (who arrived in January), followed by Beasley, Darcheville, Cousin, Gow, Broadfoot, Carroll, Whittaker, McCulloch, Cuellar and Naismith were interesting signings but none really captured the imagination of the support. Nonetheless, a large number of players did come in and the squad did look an improved one ââ?¬â?? if lacking in an immediate sense of excitement. The season started well. Championsââ?¬â?¢ League Group Stage qualification secured meant the risky financial gamble on MIH revolving credit facilities had been a successful one. A strengthening title bid and a decent CL campaign resulting in European football after Xmas suggested the club was back on the right track. What would 2008 bring? The answer was a European run none of us would have dreamt of, followed by the kind of disappointment that means the fans are once again nursing their depression during the close season. The Scottish Cup and CIS Cup wins were scarce reward for a roller-coaster season. Is our depression warranted then or should we concentrate on the positives ââ?¬â?? difficult as it may be after such a mentally exhausting season? A bit of both is how Iââ?¬â?¢d like to approach Smithsââ?¬â?¢ rating. Letââ?¬â?¢s concentrate on the negatives first. Despite the obvious problems with fixture congestion in the latter part of the season, it was a crushing blow to not win the SPL title. To lose a ten point lead in little over 6 weeks is unacceptable and Walter Smith must share responsibility for that. His inconsistent approach to team selection, personnel rotation and an overly defensive playing style meant while we were securing fine results in Europe, at home we could barely beat teams home or away. Quite simply because we were so defensive in Europe, we couldnââ?¬â?¢t switch to a more attacking frame of mind domestically when required. This resulted in the dropping of points which was unsustainable if we were to win the league. Essentially, as we did in Europe, Smith tried to defend his SPL lead as opposed to develop it via a fresh approach in terms of players and system on return from our UEFA Cup duties. Add in doubtful loyalty to under-performing players such as Broadfoot, Ferguson, McCulloch and Cousin then we had a team that was stumbling from game to game as opposed to striding through them. The style of play was bland, uninspiring, easy for opposition teams to play against and generally not good enough. Walter Smith canââ?¬â?¢t take the sole blame for losing the title thereafter but neither can he hide from it. What was obvious as the season went on was the distinct lack of creativity quality in the side. Injuries to our creative players (Beasley, Naismith and Burke) meant our direct style would be the norm despite indications earlier in the season that we could play attractive attacking football. Some fans advocated the return of Buffel or the introduction of Gow, Furman or Fleck to bring back some flair to the side but the fleeting glimpse in the less important games was our lot. We paid with this absence of a creative edge with the loss of the title. Of course there are mitigating reasons for Smithââ?¬â?¢s reluctance to be flexible. The number of games was unprecedented and unexpected. The fringe players available were hardly match-sharp, reliable or experienced. Changing the system too often could result in even more problems. We were still getting some positive results so why drop players? All these points are valid and should be considered when one questions the manager. We can also add in all the positives from the campaign. There are manyââ?¬Â¦. Walter Smith takes a lot of criticism for not being the type of manager who bloods younger players. I think that last season blew that theory out of the water. While we may not be playing the real youth per se - guys all 24 or under have formed the bulk of the team for large parts of the season. Broadfoot, Hutton, Davis, Whittaker, Thomson, Burke, Adam, Beasley and Naismith all played important parts in the squad while Smith also introduced Furman and Fleck into the first team. Even players like Cuellar, Papac and McGregor still have their best years ahead of them. The future of the squad is bright and Iââ?¬â?¢m confident that if a player is good enough, theyââ?¬â?¢ll play no matter their age. The next positive is one that has been missed in certain peopleââ?¬â?¢s haste to give our team the ridiculous anti-football label. Sure, at times we were too defensive and deserved criticism for that. However, every football team has to play to its strengths and our strength last season was our defence by far. Losing Alan Hutton and Alan McGregor reduced that effectiveness but the manner in which we defended in Europe is worthy of great praise. For many years people have wanted Scottish teams to be more mature, measured and intelligent in their approach to European matches and thereââ?¬â?¢s no doubt we achieved that to a reasonable extent last season. Add in some of the impressive results we did have last season - wins against the French and German champions, wins against other first class European opposition, wins against Celtic and our domestic cup successes means Smith can deliver in key games. The platform is there. All in all, I think we have to be measured in our analysis of the manager last season. I certainly donââ?¬â?¢t blame anyone for being wary for the future. Many of us remember Smithââ?¬â?¢s stubbornness and loyalty causing friction in his first spell at the club. Smithââ?¬â?¢s sides will always be more workmanlike than glamorous. Will he really ask difficult questions of Sir David Murray to ensure the club move forward again? Can he recover from the loss of the SPL title? To conclude, Walter Smith has achieved what he set out to do 18 months ago. Rangers are a difficult side to beat and we are now winning things again. The next stage is now even more important. Smith must bring genuine quality back to the first XI. Yes, weââ?¬â?¢ll need a small turnover of squad players (hence Kenny Miller) but we still require 3 top level signings on top of that - another defender, a creative player (wide or central) and a striker. If Smith can provide those imperative additions to the team then perhaps some of the recent criticism of what was still a decent season will be tempered somewhat. If not, then I doubt many fans will tolerate another season of defensive route one play with no title at the end of it. Neither would I blame them. Thus, the jury remains out then. Itââ?¬â?¢s up to Walter to show us he is the man to take us forward. We should get behind him to ensure that does happen. Walter Smith - 7

Going to try and break this lengthy article down into the next 5 posts lads... :box: http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=646&Itemid=1 Gersnet is quite unique in an online sense, in that we try to offer an ongoing analysis of every game via pre and post match debate ââ?¬â?? not just in terms of discussion but via our archive of results, appearances and man of the match awards. Using our archived man of the match awards and weekly player-by-player ratings, we can then look back on every playerââ?¬â?¢s contribution. In the following article, you can read our findings. First off, using the man of the match awards (decided by all Gersnet users ââ?¬â?? main site and forum), we can immediately see who our best player was in season 2007/08. ââ?¬Ë?Kingââ?¬â?¢ Carlos Cuellar, I hear you cry! And youââ?¬â?¢d be right of course but interestingly it wasnââ?¬â?¢t as clear cut as one would think. Weââ?¬â?¢ve also had other players mentioned throughout the campaign as either important contributors worthy of transfer interest (eg Hutton, McGregor and Cousin) while some players also attracted criticism for their less than excellent input. As such, weââ?¬â?¢ve decided to list the top five players in terms of man of the match awards received as well as go onto to take each player in the squad and rate their individual performance. Feel free to disagree! Gersnet Player of the Year: Carlos Cuellar (11 MoM Awards); Joint Second Place: Barry Ferguson / Kevin Thomson (6 MoM Awards); Fourth Place: Allan McGregor (5 MoM Awards); Fifth Place: Steven Davis (4 MoM Awards); The choice of Cuellar is an obvious and well deserved one but it wasnââ?¬â?¢t actually until later in the season he really moved away from the other players above. Indeed, up until March, several players were in contention (including Darcheville and Cousin) while Davis made an immediate impression on his arrival. This shows until then the squad was doing its job. After this point, few other players challenged Cuellar for any award which accurately describes the drastically falling player standards of that period. In a positive sense, as seen below, there was a fair spread of good performances so even some of the less supported ââ?¬Ë?squadââ?¬â?¢ players have shown they can contribute to the required level. What is needed is improved performance over the whole campaign but given the fixture congestion of season 2007/08, one feels there will be less pressure in that regard next season. Onto individual ratings then where you can also find out what players did manage to win awards as well as their Gersnet rating for season 2007/08. [Continued on Page 2]

Whats everyones realistic ideal XI next season including signings? We'd need to choose a formation. I cant see us getting a class creative player to move things to a 4-4-2 so id expect a 4-4-1-1 or 4-5-1 (which can be 4-2-3-1 aswell). Firstly I hope McGregor stays. Alexander is good back up but I wouldnt be over happy if he was our no.1 In defence we are all praying for Carlos to stay and I think he will. But with Weir not prepared to be a back up we need a new centre half. Webster could be the man but he has a lot to prove. At left back Papac and S Smith are fine here, hopefully we get the same from Papac as this season plus it would be great to see Smith get his pre-injury form back. Right back is a bit troubled for us. Lowing has never really came on and Whittaker gets preferred in midifield. Id start Whittaker and give him a run of games there. Broadfoot is a tryer but simple not good enough. Midfield - Hemdani looks to be on his way out so we can rule him out. Dailly is expected to stay so should be good cover. Thomson needs to take 1 step further next season but we need a player to compliment him. Barry Ferguson is on last chance saloon with some bears. Its not good playing superb 1 game then below average for 7 games, also he seems blameless and an auto pick whatever - something i dont like! If we could get someone better id be happy. Steven Davis may sign on which would be fine. In the wide positions id make Beasley first pick on the left with McCulloch as his back up. Adam would be 3rd choice. Novo would start on the right as we just dont have anyone else for that role at the moment. Strikers - Darcheville will currently be first pick with Boyd as his back up. Cousin and Sebo will be off the books and Naismith is injured. So we now need a striker or 2. Youngsters - I hope to see Furman, Lennon and Fleck step up and get more first team action next season. If you are good enough you are old enough, but I fear WS wont play them too much. Signings - Hopefully we dont need a keeper. But we possibly need a right back along with a centre half in defence. We need a central midfielder who knows how to break a defence down and a right sided player. 2 strikers will be needed aswell. Injured - Naismith and Burke will be out until 2009 So we can have a couple of teams like the following: ____________________McGregor____________________ Whittaker_____(Webster)_______Cuellar_________Papac Novo_________Ferguson________Thomson_____Beasley _______________________(Lovenkrands)_____________ ____________________Darcheville___________________ Back up: ____________________Alexander_____________________ New__________Broadfoot________New____________Smith New________Davis/Furman________Dailly__________McCulloch/Adam ___________Boyd/Fleck______New/Lennon____________ Obviously if we get players in who havent been mentioned they will fit into that systems, the above is just possibly realistic.

I am sick to the stomach at last nights outcome after the sheep put in there 2nd goal i had to leave the room as couldnt keep my composure any longer we gave it to the tims on a plate. Who is to blame the SPL who could not afford us 1 measley game off against Dundee Utd in fear of offending the Mopes in the east and the conspiritors. causing us to play an unamaginable amount of games in the shortest period of time , i tell you if the sock was on the other foot and timmy was in the same situation there would be cries from the rooftops too get games postponed. Walter Smith ??? We have heard enough about 4-5-1 but his indesicion on making subs during games drives me up the wall he leaves it far too late bringing them on. His persistance in playing D.Cousin - this guy is not a Ranger and does not deserve to pull on the jersey - get him shipped out asap. Sticking with the same team week in week out and not giving youth a chance. I think Walter and co have done a great job and is the right person for Rangers but he is not without his faults The Players. I cannot really fault our players as the games they have had to play must have been gruelling and energy sapping but not everyone gave 110% all the time chasing lost causes and winning 2nd balls, winning 50-50's apart from a select few Cuellar,Weir,Thomson,Novo,Fergie,JCD i thought the rest could have given more to the cause in the run in. I think it is a mixture of all of these , i will never forgive the SPL for this season they showed their colours well and true, all Rangers fans should boycott every away ground next season and hit them were it hurts IN THE POCKET see how the SPL like it then. Hopefully with a few quality signings this summer we will be back stronger next season and win the Title on our own terms. Bitterly Dissapointed but in a No Surrender frame of mind W.A.T.P

Can we question his decision to start with Hemdani in the centre, Davis on the right (who is non-exsistant there) and not start our inform scorer Nacho Novo?? Fair play to Darcheville who works his socks off up there on his own but the guy needs better support. If Cousin had the same attitude as JCD we could see a pretty darn good partnership. For me Ferguson and Thomson are always going to sit in the middle but id rather see a attacking man (Buffel) infront of them causing the opposition problems than a defensive man (Hemdani) doing extra tidying up and passing backwards.

Just been reported on SSN that he is fit for the final. Great news, he would have been a massive loss !!!

Well done Kev. Most improved player this season? Squad Gordon (Sunderland), Marshall (Norwich); Anderson (Sunderland), Berra (Hearts), Caldwell (Celtic), Dailly (Rangers), Hutton (Tottenham), McManus (Celtic), McNaughton (Cardiff), Naysmith (Sheff Utd), Whittaker (Rangers); Fletcher (Man Utd), Hartley (Celtic), Morrison (West Brom), Rae (Cardiff), Robson (Celtic), Thomson (Rangers); Boyd (Rangers), Fletcher (Hibs), McCormack (Motherwell), McFadden (Birmingham), Maloney (Aston Villa), Miller (Derby).

UEFA CUP TICKET ALLOCATIONS European away tie terms will apply to this fixture, therefore tickets will be allocated as follows:Ally McCoist and Kevin Thomson celebrate 1. All Travel Club members will automatically be allocated a ticket: - For those members for whom the Club holds current payment details, payment will be taken from Saturday 3 May using these payment details and they will be contacted to confirm such - Members who we do not have current payment details for will be contacted with details on how they can obtain their ticket Nacho Novo celebrates2. Season ticket holders on the credit card mandate scheme who have signed up to priority for semi-finals and finals will be entered into a ballot for the remaining tickets. Those allocated a ticket will be notified by letter w/c 5 May - payment will be taken from Saturday 3 May. Please note that as European away travel rules apply there will be no juvenile tickets available Rangers will only offer the option of postage where special delivery is selected. Uplift facilities will be available Fri 9 May - Mon 12 May from Copland Road portacabins. Season ticket holders on the ccm scheme for priority on finals who are not allocated a ticket will be placed on a reserve list and allocated any additional tickets which become available. Tickets will be priced between �£35 and �£75 and are non transferable. All supporters clubs members who are part of the Travel Club will receive a ticket therefore there will be no separate allocation to supporters clubs. Thomas Cook, our official travel partner, will be operating travel packages to the match. Those successful in obtaining a ticket will be communicated to with regards to contact details on how to purchase these packages.

Linky Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist says David Weir still has a slim chance of playing in their Uefa Cup semi-final second leg against Fiorentina. The Glasgow club had confirmed the defender's absence on Tuesday with a groin injury, but he flew to Florence with the squad on Wednesday morning. Yet, despite making progress, McCoist concedes Weir is still 'extremely doubtful' to make Thursday's match. Allan McGregor, Lee McCulloch and Charlie Adam are definitely out. Steven Naismith, Chris Burke and DaMarcus Beasley are also on the long Ibrox injury list. But Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson return from European suspensions. Weir limped off injured during Sunday's Old Firm defeat and, although scans showed no muscle tear, the club ruled him out of Thursday's crucial match. However, McCoist revealed that the management team still had not given up on the Scotland international. "It would be a fantastic boost if Davie was fit, but that remains to be seen," he said. "He's still feeling his groin so he is extremely doubtful and there's no magic wand." ------------------ Ooh err missus. Lauren, being the resident physio, can you shed any light on this new technique?

Found this on the BBC, don't know what to make of it... Everyone knows he should have won POTY, but someone else had one good game against a very poor Aberdeen... and so the mhedia got to work on this campaign as their previous attempts to get it awarded to Brown failed when he played even worse than when he started... It would be good to see Weir make it, been a rock this year and thought he was excellent in the 1st leg! If not, King Carlos will keep whoever he plays alongside in check! Edit: link to article. Was correct as of 9am in case it gets changed...

I hope the big man is correct!! Keeping a clean sheet in the first game could be what wins it for us.

Rangers fear Allan McGregor may be out for season Apr 22 2008 By Keith Jackson INJURY-RAVAGED Rangers are bracing themselves for the bombshell news today that Allan McGregor's season is over. The keeper will report to hospital this afternoon for a second opinion on the ankle injury he sustained in last week's Old Firm defeat at Parkhead. But while McGregor is praying for good news, manager Walter Smith is all but resigned to losing his keeper for the rest of the campaign. McGregor has damaged ligaments so badly Smith doesn't expect him back in training until July when Rangers begin their pre-season preparations. It means Neil Alexander - the hero in Sunday's penalty shoot-out win over St Johnstone - will be placed in the firing line as Rangers' season goes down to the wire. Smith will be without seven top-team players on Thursday against Fiorentina in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final. Lee McCulloch, Charlie Adam, Steven Naismith and Chris Burke are also injured while Kevin Thomson and Barry Ferguson are suspended. Rangers did receive one piece of good news last night when it was revealed Burke could be back sooner than expected after fears he'd broken his ankle on Sunday in a challenge with Saints skipper Kevin Rutkiewicz. Doctors believe Burke's ligaments would have been severely ruptured had they not already been loosened by previous injuries and he could be back in action in a fortnight. But Smith admits Burke and his other weekend casualty Naismith are definitely out of the mouth-watering clash with the Serie A side. He said: "Naismith and Burke have no chance of playing on Thursday and I think they will miss our next three games at least. "We will wait and see what the specialists say but at this stage they look unlikely to feature in either of the Fiorentina games or against Celtic on Sunday." As I said before, thank God we replaced Roy Carroll.

I know it's pretty bad that Burke and Naismith were crocked yesterday. However, the eight changes to the first team resulted in two of our fringe players being injured rather than two of our mainstays. So the changes kind of paid off. Pity that MacGregor, Adam and McCulloch are already out as well as Fergie and Thomson suspended. Some will be pleased at the omission of a few of these but our stuttering results in the cup with second string teams have shown that we miss our top players when they are not there. Who does that leave us? Our goalkeeping solution is obvious and our usual solid defence probably picks itself. The three central midfield players will also be picked by default. Up front it's a straight choice between two. So that just leaves the wings where we're short. Players missing from there are Burke, Adam, Naismith, McCulloch and Beasley - which is pretty unlucky. Davis is also missing as he'll be taking over Bazza's role. However we still have Novo and Whittaker that can fill these positions and the question is as they are both right footed, is which side to play them on? I'd go for Novo on the right as Whittaker seems to be reasonably comfortable on the left. To me the team almost by default has to look something like: ___________Alexander___________ ___Broadfoot Weir Cuellar Papac___ Novo Dailly Davis Hemdani Whittaker ________Cousin/Darcheville_______

So we've crawled into the Scottish Cup final, we can put that on the back burner until the near end of May and concentrate on the big 2 - the SPL and the UEFA cup. Everything was going so well but all of a sudden we have players dropping like flies and a few suspensions to deal with. Naismith and Burke are the latest 2 to join McCulloch and McGregor on the sidelines. And we have Ferguson, Thomson and Cuellar with pending suspensions. The squad is really going to be tested especially the centre and left side of midfield. On the right Novo and Davis can still fill in and we still have Darcheville, Cousin and Boyd upfront plus Buffel who made a rare appearance yesterday. The match yesterday should have been played on Saturday to allow us an extra day to prepare for Fiorentina. Less than 72 hours after that game we go over to Parkhead again for the last Old Firm Derby of the season. Even with 3 games in hand, getting something in this game is needed to reduce any growing pressure of having to win our all 3 games in hand. Walter must be scratching his head about the change in fortunes in injuries which have been quite kind all season. At least for the Celtic game Ferguson will have had the best part of 10 days off and should be re-charged a bit. But Im a little worried about personel for Fiorentina. At least both Cuellar and Weir are available for this one meaning Dailly can sit in midfield again - probably next to Davis and Hemdani. Time to really dig deep!!!

Alexander Whittaker Cuellar Dailly Smith Burke Hemdani Thomson Naismith Cousin Novo

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rs...98&Itemid=2 This year is the centenary of the birth of Sam English who remains with 44 league goals in a season a club record holder despite achieving this over 70 years ago. Samââ?¬â?¢s Rangers career was prematurely cut short when he had to move to England following the John Thomson tragedy and the hate campaign he and his family suffered from ghouls who blamed him for the young Celtic keeperââ?¬â?¢s death. Itââ?¬â?¢s the intention of the Sam English Commemoration Committee to mark Samââ?¬â?¢s life and achievements with a variety of events and the creation and presentation of a cup in his memory. Samââ?¬â?¢s own story has been somewhat overshadowed by the Thomson tragedy - but his life did not stop then - his marriage was blessed with three daughters and numerous grand-children; he played with distinction for a number of other clubs - Liverpool, Hartlepool,Queen of the South; and he returned to Clydebank to coach his local team Duntocher Hibs. We hope to be able to tell the whole Sam English story in the coming months. The central focus of the commemoration will be on a dinner at Ibrox on Saturday August 16th where a specially commissioned cup will be unveiled. We have engaged the services of a Northern Irish silversmith - Cara Murphy - to produce the cup. - You can view Caraââ?¬â?¢s work on her website by clicking here. The cup will not simply be a trophy but also a work of art befitting the stature of this remarkable Ranger. To produce the cup in silver will require a reasonable expenditure of funds - around Ã?£8,000 - and hence we are asking fans to support the Commemoration by participating in events and making a donation. DONATE AND PARTICIPATE! - DONATE - all donations over Ã?£25 will receive a special certificate of thanks. This can be done securely via the Trust website facility ââ?¬â?? click here. Please ensure you mark your donation with 'Sam English Fund'. - BADGES - Ã?£3 UK, Ã?£4 overseas. Design is being finalised and will be available in 4-6 weeks. Buy via PayPal by clicking here. - RACE NIGHT - Friday 9th May - venue tbc - entry Ã?£3. Buy tickets via PayPal by clicking here. - 5-A-SIDE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT - Ã?£50 per team - Sat 17th May @ Five on 5 (Paisley). Contact the Trust directly for more information on entering a team. - DINNER AT IBROX - Ã?£50 per seat. Ã?£500 per table. Buy tickets securely via PayPal by clicking here. We shall also shortly announce the details of a golf day and dinner in Samââ?¬â?¢s native Northern Ireland. All our plans have been fully discussed with Samââ?¬â?¢s surviving daughter. The committee will also produce a commemorative menu - brochure and are very keen to make contact with fans who have information on Samââ?¬â?¢s early life and memorabilia/photographs.

DAVIE WEIR and Celtic's Gary Caldwell are facing potential suspensions after angry scenes at the end of tonight's 2-1 defeat at Parkhead. A series of altercations broke out at the final whistle and players had to be restrained by team mates and officials. It is understood that Weir and Caldwell were called to referee Kenny Clark's room after things had calmed down. It also believed that another Celtic player was spoken to by the referee. Weir and Caldwell could now miss their clubs' next matches - St Johnstone and Aberdeen respectively - but would be clear to play in the next Old Firm game in 11 days' time. Carlos Cuellar is already out of that match after his red card tonight while Kevin Thomson is also missing as he completes his two-match SPL ban.

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - JJB Sports Plc, the sports retailer and health clubs group, said it plans to close 72 stores as it reported an expected 28.5 percent slump in full year underlying pretax profit. For the year to Jan. 27 2008, the group, which currently trades from about 410 UK stores, made a profit before tax and exceptional items of 33.8 million pounds -- in line with analysts' consensus forecast but down from 47.2 million pounds last time. After taking a 25 million pounds restructuring provision for the proposed store closure programme, pretax profit crashed 71.9 percent to 10.8 million pounds. JJB issued its second profit warning in less than six months on Jan. 14, blaming the alert on aggressive price-cutting to clear old stock, hitting gross margins. Full year revenue was up 0.2 percent at 811.8 million pounds, while the gross margin was up 250 basis points to 50.0 percent. Despite the profit fall the final dividend was maintained at 7.0 pence, making a maintained total for the year of 10.0 pence. Basic earnings per share fell 63.2 percent to 4.07 pence. JJB said total revenue for the seven weeks to March 16 (pre Easter) was 3.5 percent lower than the comparative period and was accompanied by a fall in gross margin of 'less than 100 basis points.' Shares in JJB closed Tuesday at 113-3/4 pence, valuing the business at 281 million pounds. A joint venture between chief executive Chris Ronnie and Icelandic financial group Exista hf owns 29.9 percent of JJB's equity. How will this affect Rangers,if at all ?

ALLAN MCGREGOR wrote his name into the history books on March 29 when he became the first Rangers keeper to record four consecutive clean sheets against Celtic but he doesn't want to stop there. Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor show their thanks to the fansThe club's No. 1 will travel to Parkhead tonight for another crucial clash against Gordon Strachan's men and would love nothing more than to increase his remarkable run to five as Walter Smith's side look to put one hand, or glove for that matter, on the SPL trophy. Keeping Celtic at bay in front of 60,000 fans in green and white is easier said than done but Greegs is confident his team can once again do the business in the world's greatest derby. When the clubs last went in to battle it was the men in Light Blue that gained a vital psychological boost with a stunning 1-0 victory. This game will be remembered for Kevin Thomson's majestic goal but few will forget the fingertip stop which denied Andrius Hinkel a second-half equaliser. When the German right-back cut inside and unleashed a dipping shot from 30-yard the Celtic fans in the Broomloan Stand were already off their seats ready to raise the roof. McGregor had other ideas and his save brought back memories of Andy Goram's unbelievable stop to deny Pierre Van Hooijdonk at the same end of the ground during the nine-in-a-row era. It was another moment of magic from the 26-year-old who has been inspirational in Rangers quest for an unprecedented quadruple this season. Allan McGregor celebrates at the final whistle Although Carlos Cuellar may be the early favourite to scoop the country's Player of the Year awards for his terrific consistency Allan must also be in with a fighting chance of picking up a few gongs. Winning individual honours, however, will be the last thing on his mind right now. The SPL takes centre-stage this evening in Glasgow's East End and Allan is hoping it is his opposite number Artur Boruc that is once again picking the ball out of his net. He said: "Obviously I would love to keep another clean sheet against Celtic, that would be a dream scenario but as long as we get a result that's all that matters really. "All the boys will be right up for the game and we have to be quietly confident of getting a result although it will be very hard. "They will be fighting for their lives and have a league title to retain while we are trying to win it for the first time in three years. "Both Celtic and ourselves need to be on our toes right now and try to take three points from every game we play in. "That is what happens when you are with the Old Firm and tonight's game is no different. "I think we will need to play better than we did in our last two wins over them at Ibrox but hopefully we can come out on top." Allan McGregorRunning out in front of a packed Celtic Park would have a lot of players quivering in their boots but Allan can't wait to get out on the pitch and strut his stuff. "I actually quite enjoy going to Parkhead and I think a lot of lads say that. It's a challenge and if you can come away with a win it's the best feeling in the world. "To be honest I am not too bothered about the atmosphere at away grounds and that's the same at Parkhead. "Once you are out there you just get your head down and concentrate on the job at hand. "I have no doubt that tonight's game will start and it will be frantic for a while and it usually settles down after that. "It will be up to our players to get on the ball and take the game to Celtic. "We want to win the game, that is our main priority and obviously my aim is to keep a clean sheet again but if we come away with a draw it is perhaps not too bad a result."

STEVEN DAVIS is relishing the prospect of making his first trip to Parkhead as a Rangers player tonight and is desperate to make it two wins out of two against the club's greatest rivals. Steven DavisSteven made his Old Firm debut in the 1-0 win at Ibrox on March 29 and once again put in an industrious performance that Stuart McCall would have been proud of in his heyday. Having played in massive Premiership games with Aston Villa and Fulham and also come up against some of the world's best players on the international stage Davis has already proved that he thrives on the big stage. The 23-year-old has been outstanding in Rangers quadruple quest but admits that it does not get any bigger than playing against Celtic in the East End of Glasgow. Having watched his boyhood heroes in action at Parkhead on TV and get three points Steven hopes he can also achieve this and help Rangers get a victory which will take them one step closer to the championship. He said: "Old Firm games are always very tough game and there is a lot of importance on this one. Stecven Davis "If we can win it will put us in a great position but, on the other hand, if Celtic get three points they will get a massive lift. "So we all know what will be at stake going into the match but hopefully we can do the business on the night. "I got my first taste of an Old Firm game at Ibrox and it was a great feeling to come off the pitch at the end with a victory. The atmosphere at Ibrox was exactly what I expected. "I had watched the games on TV before and it was great to be involved in one. "Obviously I am now looking forward to going to Parkhead to play. "It will be hostile but I am sure that is something all our players will thrive on." Kevin Thomson was the Rangers hero when he scored a stunning goal to sink the Celts at the end of March and Davis would love nothing more than to hit the net tonight. Davis wins the ball from HartleyHis only goal in a Light Blue jersey so far came against Werder Bremen at Ibrox on March 6 but he is desperate to add to his tally as soon as possible. "Everybody dreams of scoring the winning goal in an Old Firm match, that would be unbelievable. "Thommo got the last one at Ibrox and I was delighted for him. It is unfortunate that he is now suspended this week. "But we have a lot of quality players in the squad and whoever is involved will be desperate to get a good result."