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That Was The Week That Was As we motor into the business end of the season, it gets tougher and tougher to dismantle the previous weeks results and performances, and I donââ?¬â?¢t know about you, but you require a degree in statistical analysis to understand and programme what games we have pending in any given week. Hence, please forgive me if my memory plays tricks on me and I review the wrong bloody week! Last week saw us chalked up two consecutive 2-0 away victories and whilst both were welcome, one did outshine the other. Looking for words to describe our performance in Lisbon isnââ?¬â?¢t hard, but if I had to use just one word to describe the performance and result, it would be AWESOME. What we witnessed against Sporting was an unbelievable performance and one which we witnessed happening AGAINST us on so many European occasions. We dictated the tempo of the game, we passed the ball brilliantly, defended stoutly and converted our chances when they presented themselves. I canââ?¬â?¢t be the only one who still canââ?¬â?¢t quite grasp the fact that we are in a European Cup semi-final, with a very decent chance of progressing. Now, Iââ?¬â?¢ll say this upfront, I donââ?¬â?¢t think we will win it, but we have a great chance. We will NOT change or personnel, tactics of formation for the semi-final. We will look to stifle the game at Ibrox with the priority not losing an away goal. Sunday saw us progress into the Scottish Cup semi-final with a ââ?¬Ë?regulationââ?¬â?¢ victory over Thistle. We deserved our victory and hats off to the fringe players who came in and produced a decent performance and result. I would also like to take the opportunity of offering my congratulations to Queen Of The South after their brilliant 4-1 victory over the Abergreen on Saturday. They deserved their victory and what about the JCD-esque celebration after the winning goal? Hopefully weââ?¬â?¢ll meet QOS in the final as I would like to thank them for knocking out Abergreen and Linlithgow Rose (in an earlier round)! So Whatââ?¬â?¢s On The Agenda This Week So after last weeks drama of UEFA and Scottish Cup quarter finals, this weeks fixtures throws up the little matter of an Old Firm SPL game at Parkhead on Wednesday evening and a Scottish Cup Semi-Final against St Johnstone on Sunday. We will know what to expect in both fixtures (lets not forget that St Johnstone knocked us out of the CIS Cup last season ââ?¬â?? at Ibrox) and we will have to be at our best to secure victories in both games. As the fixtures are coming think and fast, Walter and his staff may be thinking of altering the starting 11, but I canââ?¬â?¢t see much tinkering for the Old Firm game. Thomson is suspended which will be a big loss, but Hendami will slot into his position. I fully expect all the ââ?¬Ë?big-gunsââ?¬â?¢ to be back and the only position that isnââ?¬â?¢t cemented at the moment is whoââ?¬â?¢ll play the ââ?¬Ë?lone strikerââ?¬â?¢ role. In my opinion, JCD will start with Cousin replacing him ala Sporting on Thursday. As long as we come out of the 2 OF games ââ?¬Ë?levelââ?¬â?¢ (i.e. 2 draws or a victory and defeat ââ?¬â?? at worst) then we will have taken a huge step in securing the title. Letââ?¬â?¢s hope that we go for it as we have shown that we know how to defeat the forces of evilââ?¬Â¦..! Sunday may be the fixture that has the potential to trip us up on our quest for the quadruple. I know that may sound silly given that we have an OF game on Wednesday but I feel that if we get the desired result on Wednesday, WS will tinker with the team ahead of the St Johnstone game. That is not a bad option, but we mustnââ?¬â?¢t underestimate St Johnstone and we mustnââ?¬â?¢t not make the SCF given that we have gotten so close. As I said above, I canââ?¬â?¢t believe that the quadruple is so close, it is tangible, you can almost taste it. We MUST strive to win all 4, but the league is the priority. I know its greedy, I know its almost impossible, but please, please, please Rangers, lets make history, lets win all four!! Cammy F ââ?¬â?? Support The Dublin Loyal - We Are The Peopleââ?¬Â¦.

STEVIE SMITH is in a Rangers team for the first time since December 2006 for today's Scottish Cup quarter-final replay with Partick Thistle at Firhill. The full-back has not featured since the 1-1 draw with Celtic 16 months ago because of a long-term pelvic problem but finally makes his comeback against the Jags. Kirk Broadfoot's one-match suspension allows the 22-year-old to return and he is one of seven changes to the team which beat Sporting 2-0 on Thursday. Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, Jean-Claude Darcheville, Steven Davis, Sasa Papac and Brahim Hemdani have also dropped out of the first XI. In their places come David Weir, Chris Burke, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo and Steven Naismith in a 4-4-2 formation. Euro hero Steven Whittaker also starts the game at right-back. Following Queen of the South's semi-final win over Aberdeen yesterday, Rangers have a real opportunity to claim their first Scottish Cup for five years. Another First Division outfit - St Johnstone - await the winners of this tie in the last four and Walter Smith is fielding a strong side to give Gers their best chance of going through. RANGERS: McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Cuellar, Smith; Burke, Dailly, Thomson, Naismith; Novo, Boyd. Subs: Alexander, Ferguson, Cousin, McCulloch, Furman,

By Julian Taylor "When Rangers limped off after a Champions League capitulation at home to Lyon in December, few thought that just four months later the same players would be eyeing a European final. The dejected Glasgow club were parachuted into the Uefa Cup and now only Fiorentina stand in the way of an appearance at the City of Manchester stadium on 14 May. It would be a remarkable achievement and long overdue for a club who have not tasted continental success since a European Cup Winners' Cup victory in 1972. HOW HAS SMITH SUCCEEDED? One of the main criticisms of Smith's first spell in charge was that, for all Rangers' domestic domination, he could not adjust his teams to the European arena. Ironically, this time around, the Light Blues have fewer resources, and their Uefa Cup run has been the result of Smith's greater experience and pragmatism. His approach has been to play with just one striker up front, with Jean-Claude Darcheville carrying the responsibility, with the prolific Kris Boyd featuring just once, against Panathinaikos. This hasn't always been popular with the fans, but the former Scotland manager's persistence has paid dividends, as Rangers have conceded only two goals in six games ahead of the semi-final clash against the Italians. Rangers looked comfortable for long periods in Lisbon, with a maturity to their possession play in midfield. Darcheville simply delivered when opportunity arose. Smith admitted earlier that the prospect of Uefa Cup football was firmly down his list of priorities, with the SPL title the main item on his agenda. But now, with each passing success, confidence and excitement has grown, with Rangers supporters eager for their club to emulate Celtic's run to the 2003 final. THE SCOTTISH FACTOR Smith's experience with the national team has helped - his emphasis on Scottish-style industry has transformed Rangers. The 60-year-old's success with Scotland - particularly when plotting the famous Hampden win over France - will no doubt have imbued him with the belief that, as a manager, he can outfox the biggest names at the highest level. Central to the Uefa Cup campaign has been the form of key Scots such as goalkeeper Allan McGregor, veteran defender David Weir plus Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson. McGregor's performance away to Werder Bremen was quite outstanding, while captain Ferguson has always looked comfortable in any European company. Weir's partnership with the exceptional Spaniard Carlos Cuellar - who has a rugged, traditional Scots style - has been one of the major reasons why Smith can rely on a solid backbone in pressurised situations in Europe against quality sides. RANGERS' NEW EUROPEAN RESILIENCE On several occasions the Ibrox side have answered a stern test of their character. The second leg of their tie in Bremen saw the German side dominate. Yet Rangers prevailed, thanks to McGregor, Smith's organisation and a fair slice of good luck. A tricky tie in Athens was negotiated when Nacho Novo netted a priceless late away goal against Panathinaikos, and Steven Whittaker's sublime finish against Sporting crowned a deserved win. Curiously, it could be argued that the Uefa Cup adventure has been a relatively relaxing diversion from the SPL title battle with holders Celtic, with the season set to reach another edgy conclusion. The fact is that the prospect of actually winning the Uefa Cup is only now beginning to dawn on Rangers, taking even Smith by surprise. The manager will continue to claim that winning a 52nd Scottish championship will be the main priority. However, a serious tilt at the Uefa Cup now gives Rangers a profile in Europe they certainly would not have dreamt of earlier in the season. "

Just dwelling on a few posters mentioning Davis' worst game for us since he has joined. This is after a few also said he didnt have his best game against Celtic last weekend either. The ulsterman had a great start to his gers career and IMO its no coincidence that the reason for poor performances in the last 2-3 games is a result of a) being shifted out to the right to accompany others and b) the return of K Thomson to fitness. Dont get me wrong Im now a fan of Thomson who won me over after a slow start to his own Ibrox career. But IMO you shouldnt try to fix what is not broken - hence the team was doing fine with a central trio with Davis in there. Id has benefitted bring Thommo back in the OF game for instance but whats happens with the fans now if Davis continues to play well in games now - the support will turn against him and be wanting him out of the team. So this makes me think how fast the support were to praise the guy by shouting for his permanent signature and how easy it is for fans to change opinions. Im not for one minute expecting this to happen - i think Davis will eventually move back into the inside right creative role and play well again. I think Lee McCulloch is another example of this - he was raved about early in the season but is on a very poor run of games. But it got me reversing my thinking about others players and those who are unpopular and given the chance could they reverse the fans thinking and do the team good. Im talking about Faye, Buffel, Sebo, Gow and even Boyd to an extent - all who have been highly talked about. The only way to conclude these arguments is by giving them time on the pitch - so with a few of our players looking very drained at the moment giving these players game time may not be such a bad idea, plus everyone of them has impressed at some point in there footballing careers.

(Before I start, cheers for the title idea Cammy) With all the fixture chaos of this incredible season; caused by the Scotland - Italy game, Europeam runs, the weather and one very mournful passing, Scottish football enetered the business end of the season with Rangers holding a slim lead in the SPL and chasing silverware on four fronts. A succession of games called off meant that there were not as many games over the usually hectic New Year period and it became increasingly difficult for Scotland's governing bodies to fit in all the postponed fixtures. Rangers were to enter an incredibly congested period the press dubbed mad March, with a narrow lead over our city rivals. We contested a massive 9 fixtures in one month, the most in any single month this season. As the manager has pointed out though, this fixture headache is a good one. It's the sign of a succesful team. The self appointed authorities on football in Scotland declared that we would stuggle with a fixture backlog and saw it as ideal opportunity for Celtic to put the pressure on us in the title race. Celtic's defeat to Hearts in the CIS cup meant they were already competing on one less front than us. And us they crashed out of competitions left right and centre during Mad March it meant they had more time to concentrate on the main prize, the SPL. The only fixture any Rangers players got off was the international midweek when some stars carrying knocks took the opportunity to rest up and recover. So how did Mad March shape the run-in for this season. Rangers began the month with a tricky home league tie with Aberdeen. Goals from Adam, Boyd and Dailly's maiden Rangers strike continued our impressive run of league victories since we last dropped points, ironically at Pittodrie. Next up was the home tie against Bundesliga cracks Werder Bremen. Heavy bookies favourites for the tie and the pick for many to lift the trophy. Another first goalscorer from the Bears in Ulsterman Davis, added to Cousin's long range opener, gave us a commanding lead to take to Germany. Domestic duties resumed with the cup replay against Hibs. In what has recently been a troublesome fixture for the Old Firm, Rangers went to Easter Road to claim a hard fought draw, when arguably we had our minds on bigger things. In the replay we made no such mistakes though, progressing to a quarter final with Partick Thistle. The following mid-week saw our only defeat of Mad March and our first since the heart-wrenching loss to Lyon. However Bremen's single strike was not enough as we shocked Europe to progress past the strongly fancied Germans to tonight's quarter final with Sporting Lisbon. A further fixture was postponed as we had our first Hampden appearance to contend with since the Coop final. Neutrals and Arabs alike will be bemused as to how they left with only credit for an impressive performance. However an awesome substitute display by Scotland's deadliest maksman meant that trophy number 108 was decekd in red white and blue. Kris Boyd scored another perfect "hattrick", with a late equaliser, a late extra time equaliser and a thumping winning penalty in the shootout as we sealed our first trophy in 3 years. Bouyed by that success we entertained Partick Thistle in the aforementioned Scottish Cup quarter final. Arguably our only slip up in Mad March, Boyd again came to the rescue as we came from behind to seal a replay. This author was concerned that replays against the "wee" teams, whilst keeping us in the competition, might harm our chances in our hunt for other silverware. So far I have been proved wrong. In the penultimate fixture of the month we entertained Hibs in the 5th meeting of the teams this season. A 2-1 victory, much more comfortable than the scoreline suggests, maintained momentum going into the biggest Old Firm since Celtic "won the league at Ibrox" in the infamous Helicopter Sunday season. At last a midweek off for our "toiling" stars. Whilst Boyd and Davis gained international caps, the likes of Ferguson, McGregor and Weir, who have played almost 50 times this season, rested injuries and aching muscles. Amazingly at the end of Mad March, just the second Old Firm of the season was contested. Rangers fans, players and management went into the tie full of confidence on the back of 3 victories under Smith, with McGregor's goal yet to be breached under the guidance of Smith and McCoist. Celtic had the better of the first half, but Thomson capped an excellent personal display with a suckerpunch of a winner right on the stroke of half-time. Despite Celtic's relative inactivity and our grueling schedule as we mounted an attack on four fronts we showed great physical strength and mental toughness to further extend out lead in the SPL and put one hand on the trophy. So despite warnings of Smith's fledgling team being unable to contend with such a punishing shedule. And protestations that we had no winning pedigree, nor the winning mentality of our East End rivals, we survived Mad March. In fact we positively flourished. Mad it may have been. But not for the fixture chaos. Rangers fans had many a "mad" party in March as we celebrated a CIS cup victory, progression in the UEFA cup and Scottish cup, with continued interest in both, and finally a strengthening of our league position atop of the SPL pile. If that was the worst that Mad March could throw at us, bring on Madder April, with cup quarter finals like tonight's tie with Sporting to be savoured. A further Old Firm on the 16th and the opportunity to put the final nail in the coffin of the Cetlic title challenge.

EURO specialist Brahim Hemdani is set to return to the starting line-up as Rangers take on Sporting Club in the first leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final on Thursday night. The French-Algerian has been a key man on he European stage and having recovered from a groin strain, he is set to be given a major role against the Lisbon side. Hemdani, who has only missed one of Rangers' 14 games in the Champions League and UEFA Cup this season, was injured in the CIS Cup Final against Dundee United but he is fit again now. Similarly, Kevin Thomson has been passed fit for the vital first leg against the Portuguese men after hurting his shin in Saturday's Old Firm triumph in whicb he was the goal-scoring hero. Boss Walter Smith said: "Brahim Hemdani will be fit again. He has had a groin injury for the past couple of weeks which has ruled him out of the games. "Kevin should make it. It was a knock on the shin which was a rather painful one but he will be fit for Thursday."

After the old firm defeat on Saturday, Gordon Strachan was quick to defend his players. During the game Rangers defended them easily as well. Strachan has been seen nosing around the ladies underwear department in the Rangers store. He is looking for a rangers slip. Celtic fans are blaming Thomson for diving and simulating injury. In the second half their whole team lay down and played dead.. Rangers players may be accepted into the magic Circle. Every time they play Celtic they make Nakamura disappear. Wee Gordon said after the game the communication between the two strikers failed by an inch. Jan is a Fannygoer and Georgios would rather Sam your ass. Samaras dodged his national service which he will have to do if he returns to Greece after his career. Seems he hates leading the front line . Over the last few years Rangers have come a cropper from Nil by mouth. Wee Gordon has changed things around for us by bringing in Nil by Choices. What do Celtic fans do after an old firm victory? They turn off the Play Station. What is the difference between Cinderella and Artur Boruc? Cinderella gets to the ball! It was reported that Richard Branson was considering sponsoring Celtic? Apparently, he pulled out because he didn't feel it was right have 'Virgin' written across the shirt of a team that gets focked every Saturday. Taxi!!!!!

Old Firm Reaction Well another Rangers OF victory and another case of Masonic Conspiracy. Read any of the unbiased Scottish media today and youââ?¬â?¢d believe that Rangers cheated their way to victory with the help of another Brother In Black. I havenââ?¬â?¢t had time (nor the inclination really) to refer to my various oracles and on-line search engines, but I can take a guess at this, I do wonder if any Rangers OF victory has been met with a simple, ââ?¬Ë?Yip, the best team wonââ?¬â?¢? I would say it was highly unlikely. The latest OF game wasnââ?¬â?¢t particularly a great game of football but it encapsulated so much of what makes the OF game an OF game. Celtc got beaten and try to lay the blame at everyone elseââ?¬â?¢s door assisted by their lap-dogs in the media. I hear that Robert Mugabe is lining up Peter Liewell as his PR machineââ?¬Â¦. Anyway, the officials have a hard job and canââ?¬â?¢t get everything correct Ã?© Tommy Burns in a recent interview after Celtc benefited from a dubious refereeing decision that saw them steal 3 points from Love Street. But, I suppose, Timââ?¬â?¢s being Timââ?¬â?¢s this is only true when they benefit. IF anyone else does, its obviously a conspiracy. Saturdays officials werenââ?¬â?¢t the best, but I canââ?¬â?¢t see how anyone can claim that they were ââ?¬Ë?anti-Celtcââ?¬â?¢. It was heartening to hear Rangers finally praising the supporters groups who turned Ibrox into a sea of red, white and blue on Saturday. A lot of people put a hell of a work into designing banners, placing flags and cards in designated areas and this is sometimes a thankless task. So, hats of to TBO, CDL, EE and UB. Some people have talked about amalgamating all the different supporters groups, but I think Ibrox benefits from having supporters groups in different areas. One thing that I would like to see is the club helping these groups with displays, banners, finance etc ââ?¬â?? maybe something for the RST to champion? Some of the banners were outstanding and none more so that the ââ?¬Ë?voodoo no workyââ?¬â?¢ banner. This has gotten Timmy in a right tizz and some online forums are pleading with the SPL to deduct points from us due to the ââ?¬Ë?sectarian contentââ?¬â?¢ of said banner. This is even below their usual ââ?¬Ë?bottom of the barrelââ?¬â?¢ petitions ââ?¬â?? they mustnââ?¬â?¢t have any ambulances to chase this week - http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/200...ident-at.shtml - maybe they should stick to weeding out the sectarian, ââ?¬Ë?politicalââ?¬â?¢ and offensive songs sung by the vast majority of the patrons of the Broomie on Saturday. Back to the game, and whilst it was fantastic to claim our 4th successive OF victory without conceding a goal, we still have some major work ahead of us if we are to claim our 52 title. We have the distinct prospect of having 7 of our remaining 9 games played away from home and have the distraction of the UEFA and Scottish Cup as well. There is no doubting we have come a long way in a relatively short space of time but having come this far, me must ensure that we wrap up the title. It is ours for the taking, you can sense the expectancy and one very comforting thought is that WS and his backroom staff have reinstalled the famous ââ?¬Ë?Rangers ethicââ?¬â?¢. Our players give us all and there is an obvious togetherness about the squad at the moment (which had been missing for sometime it has to be said). So there is no time to bathe in the plaudits or rest on their laurels, they have a job to finish. Question: Heard someone say that in his managerial career with Rangers, Walter Smith has faced Celtc 37 times and lost only 7 ââ?¬â?? anyone know if that is true? Mad March Gives Way To Madder April So its good-bye to mad march and hello to madder April as we welcome Sporting to Ibrox on Thursday for the UEFA Cup Ã?¼ final first leg. This game will bring the usual and unique European atmosphere that only Ibrox offers. It is thought that Sporting donââ?¬â?¢t travel well and that the home leg offers the best opportunity for us to progress. However, I would be surprised if Walter Smith alters his tactics or formation for this encounter. I donââ?¬â?¢t think there will be many, if any, changes from Saturdays starting 11. Maybe Papac for SW ââ?¬â?? that is all the change that I can foresee ââ?¬â?? I fully expect ST and SD to shake of their injuries and start on Thursday. After Sporting, we have a wee jaunt to Tannidice to play DUFC. I fully expect this game to be a sell-out considering the amount of DUFC fans at Hampden recently declaring their undying love, devotion and support of the tangerine terrors. OK, that was tongue in cheek, but at least we know after Hampden that this will be a very tough game and weââ?¬â?¢ll have to be at our best to collect another priceless three points in our title quest. Scott Brown Whilst I donââ?¬â?¢t usually write about opposition players, especially Celtc ones, I thought that Iââ?¬â?¢d give you some insight into the current mental state of Scott Brown (no jokes please). Super Ally his written a fantastic article comparing Scott Brow and Kevin Thomson (http://www.gersnetonline.net/vb/showthread.php?t=6578) and hopefully this can add some further information to SAââ?¬â?¢s opinion and thoughts. I have a friend who I like to call ââ?¬Ë?The Hibee In The Knowââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬â?? he is a life long Hibee and has a friend who is on the Hibs board and he lets me know if / when any Hibs players are linked with Rangers and vice-versa. Anyway, he told me that it was 99% certain that SB would follow KT to Ibrox in the summer and a price and been agreed. Come the summer, the Hibs board decided that the agreed price wasnââ?¬â?¢t enough and spoke to SBââ?¬â?¢s agent and informed him to ââ?¬Ë?auctionââ?¬â?¢ the player. SB was raging as he had his heart and mind settled on a move to Rangers. Rangers rightly played hardball and refused to budge on price and wages and lost out to Celtc. Now, SB is convinced that he has made the wrong move going to Celtc and is currently looking for an escape to the EPL in the summer. If Birmingham stay up and West Brom as promoted then SB will have two EPL managers looking to purchase him. SB hasnââ?¬â?¢t shown his true potential this season (for varying reasons) and If my ââ?¬Ë?Hibee In The Knowââ?¬â?¢ is correct, Celtc and SB are ready to cut their ties in the summer. Would SB still fancy a move to Rangers and more importantly would Rangers consider a move for SB? Well, never say never as I am led to believe that Rangers and WS in particular donââ?¬â?¢t have an issue with SB. However, the price and wages would need to be attractive to Rangers. Cammy F - Support The Dublin Loyal

Daily Record

When Kevin Thomson acrimoniously departed Hibs last January many expected his close pal to follow him along the M8 from Easter Road to Ibrox. During the following summer Scot Brown did indeed follow Thomson along the M8, but instead ended up at Celtic Park. The media took great delight in ridiculing Rangers as being the new owners of the biscuit tin as we were seen as being unable to compete with Cetlic's package to take the young Scottish international to Parkhead. Were Rangers unwilling or unable to match the �£4.5 million pound fee plus �£25k per week in wages? The two midifelders complimented each other well in an exciting Hibs team which regularly chalked up victories against both half of the Old Firm, stimulating the bidding war to take the two youngs stars to Glasgow. Brown took many of the plaudits from those who are not quite as appreciative of the nuances of effective midfield play as his all action combative style and marauding runs were more easily noticed. Keener students of the game tried to educate that Thomson was the better of the pair, with a more cultured game. Rangers won round one as Walter convinced Thomson to become one of his first signings as he rang the changes in Govan following the disastrous Le Guen experiment. Round two was given as a resounding victory to Celtic. Many in the media felt it was a knockout blow in the summer transfer duels. Brown was hailed as a "blue chip" signing along with other players such as Donati the former AC Milan player. So Thomson has had an extra half season to settle on the West coast. The Scottish press, and indeed some fans, were underwhelmed by his early contributions. A waste of �£2 million was the consensus. However towards the end of the season and most notably in the 2-0 Old Firm victory Thomson showed promise as Rangers dominated the mdifield contest. His ex partner in the youthful Hibs midfield then made to many the suprising choice of joining the green half of the city. Celtic fans and many journalists revelled in the bloody nose Celtic had dealt Rangers in securing his services. As Thomson said "It's Scot's decision, he'll have to live with it". Prophetic words as Thomson turned in a man-of-the-match performance scoring the only goal of the game after an incisive run and one-two with Darcheville put Rangers on course for victory at Ibrox on Saturday. Whilst in the early part of the season Brown's uninspiring performances had him bizarrely singled out as the best midfielder plying his trade in the SPL, murmurings of discontent about Thomson continued from the stands and on the back pages. It was only really once Thomson was kept out of the side through injury that those with an active interest in Scottish football and particularly Rangers fans appreciated what he brought to the team. Tenacity, aggression, tough tackling and a great engine. Our midfield looks a lot stronger with the young Scot in it. Conversely as the season drags on, the tide of opinion has turned on Scot Brown. A waste of �£4.5 million according to the disgruntled Celtic fans who watched in agony as he wasted several good chances as they succumbed to another crushing defeat to Smith's Rangers. Again failing to find the net. Yesterdays game could prove pivotal in the two player's Old Firm careers. As Thomson goes from strength to strength, Brown increasingly comes udner fire from those of the green and grey persuasion. As Thomson continues to grow into a true Rangers midfielder the fans demand more and more. And Thomson delivers. He has begun to step out of his captain's shadow. Fans now suggest he should be getting forward and providing some kind of goal threat. And what better time for a Rangers player to bag his first goal for the club than against Celtic. How he has yet to join his more illustrious team mate and club and national captain in the Scotland set up is beyond this fan. Before those from the east end cry bias at this peice let me be frank. Brown undoubtedly has the talent to be a top class midfielder. Not many Rangers fans can honestly say they did not want him at Ibrox. However the focus of this peice is to honestly assess the contributions of the two players many thought joined at the hip. Thomson did not move solely for the cash. He came to Ibrox to play beside and learn from the best Scottish player of the last decade, and maybe more, and under the guidance of possiblhy the most dominate coach in Glasgow. In an era in which Celtic have prided themsleves on the fine business conducted both on and off the field, you have to ask yourself how they allowed themselves to pay an inflated fee for Scot Brown when his more effective former team mate was signed for less than half the price and most likely wages. Ask yourself, would you be happier with Kevin Thomson at �£2million pounds or Scott Brown at �£4.5 million and �£25k a week. Yet again the wily Walter Smith appears to have gotten the upper hand on Celtic. And whilst it has taken most of the media the best part of 7 or 8 months to realise this, it is unlikely Smith was ever in any doubt about who was the more prodigious talent. Hopefully Thomson's first goal for the club in this powderkeg fixture will see his somewhat meteoric rise continue and identify himself as potential successor to the current Rangers captain. A role that many fans worried would be impossible to replace when Rangers number 6 hangs up his boots. Edit: Touched up the typos and a few errors to save Frankie a job before he posts it. Hope there's none left.

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=185&Itemid=1 Without wishing to trigger a sense of deja vu amongst the Fanzone's loyal devotees, Rangers won at the weekend without playing particularly well. I really do wish I had a pound for every time I'd said that this season. On the positive side, Thomson and Papac were outstanding, and Thomson's return to form could prove very useful with Dailly picking up an injury. Kudos to the Chairman for an excellent gesture by cutting juvenile season tickets (and the freeze on adult tickets was welcome too.) Scottish football as a whole doesn't do enough to attract the next generation, so credit where it is due to Murray for leading the way. Can't say I was quite so impressed with the gesture to buy the away tickets for Lisbon. The cynic inside me says that has been paid for and more by the over-the-top price rise for the home game. Still, overall, a decent week on and off the park. So, the small matter of the Old Firm game. While it would take a braver man than I to predict the outcome, I'm happy enough with our place and form going into this game. And after last season, that'll do for now! And, who knows, we may even be talking about the football after the match rather than the ref/fans/goalkeeper antics! How great would THAT be? David Edgar

Its been over a month since we dumped Hearts out of the CIS Cup in the semi-final, but at long last we're on our way back to Hampden for a cup final. OK, so its only the league cup which is often called a "diddy" competition, but every club outwith us and Dundee United would still rather be there and not. As well as being a great day out for the fans, its the chance to win the first silverware of the season and in our case, hopefully, the first of many. It will also be the first chance for many of these players to win a trophy with Rangers. Many won't have played in a final at Hampden before, so I don't think that factor should be underestimated either in the team's desire to win. Since that semi, the team has gone from strength to strength. While the fans have often made it clear that they don't always like Walter Smith's sometimes negative approach to games, you can't argue with results and we've now gone 20 games undefeated in the SPL. Meanwhile, Craig Levein has undoubtedly improved United this season and they're looking a much more resilient side, a fact which is underlined by their recent draw at Parkhead, not to mention the fact they're sitting in third place. While we got in to the game as favourites, we all know that you can't take anything for granted, especially in one-off matches like this. Coming off the back of the UEFA Cup success in Bremen, Smith doesn't have his troubles to seek in terms of team selection up front. Daniel Cousin is out with a broken jaw, Nacho Novo is suspended following his stupid dismissal against Hibs in the Scottish Cup, while Steven Naismith is cup-tied. On top of those, Jean Claude Darcheville will do well to make the bench given his continued hamstring problems. Thankfully the rest of the team gives Smith much better problems to deal with, the main one being who to leave out of his starting XI. The back four will probably remain unchanged from Bremen and its remained fairly constant for the last while now. Davie Weir and Carlos Cuellar will continue their partnership in the centre of defence, with Sasa Papac at LB and Kirk Broadfoot at RB. While neither Papac or Broadfoot are natural full backs, both have filled in admirably this season, with Papac in particular looking very impressive at times. Broadfoot meanwhile seems to be improving in every game and is making the most of the opportunity to show what he can do, although there's no doubt he looks like he could do even better in his preferred centre back position. Special mention must go to Alan McGregor who is another homegrown player who has had to work hard to win over sections of the support. This season he's gone from strength to strength and put in arguably his best performance for us against Bremen. Goalkeepers tend to improve with experience, so the only way is up for McGregor now and its also great for the team that we have a settled goalkeeper who has age on his side, so we can hopefully build our defence for the next 5 years around him. Smith will probably stick with his much maligned 4-5-1 formation. While it can be seen as negative on paper, he's quick to point out that it can be quite an attacking line-up when it needs to be, particularly if you play guys like Novo and Naismith out wide. However, with these two missing, it will be interesting to see who makes up the midfield 5. Given we were on the ropes for much of the 90 minutes in Germany, Smith might choose to freshen things up in the midfield 5 and he certainly has options. But he also doesn't like to change the team un-necessarily, so don't be surprised to see the same line-up on Sunday. Barry Ferguson is a natural pick and Steve Davis has shown that he might be the perfect player to complement our captain in the middle, although he has been playing a bit further out on the right to balance the look of the team. Behind those two, Christian Dailly could retain the holding role that he's done so well since joining. Another one of Smith's signings who were maligned before playing, he's looked like exactly what you'd get when you sign a player with over 60 caps and a couple of hundred EPL games under his belt. While he looks like one of our fittest players, he might need a rest after Bremen, so maybe Kevin Thomson or Brahim Hemdani could replace him? If Dailly does play, then Hemdani will probably slot in alongside Ferguson. While he's been preferred by Smith for European games, the fact that we've so few choices up front might mean that he starts this one. Meanwhile with Charlie Adam suspended, that leaves another space in the midfield which could be filled by any one from McCulloch, Thomson, Whittaker, Burke.... The list goes on and on, which is a far cry from our threadbare squads of the last few seasons. Walter could shuffle his pack in any number of ways to fill the midfield slots. Which brings us to the forward line. I say line, but really its just one man. I think all Gers fans now realise that Kris Boyd just doesn't have the attributes to play up front on his own. Despite putting in some good shifts recently in that position, he's much more effective when playing with a strike partner alongside him. So that points to Smith playing Lee McCulloch up front. While he's not done much to impress in that position, he's showed that if we resist the urge to just play long balls up to him, he can bring more to the team. So below is the team I expect to see start the game, going on recent selections. However, don't be surprised to see Walter shake things up a bit, particularly after the grueling trip to Bremen. Given that we're missing Novo and Naismith, the 4-5-1 on this occasion might be overly defensive, with less mobility from the wide players, so maybe Smith will play a more traditional 4-4-2 lineup with Boyd and McCulloch up front. Whatever the lineup, its just great to see us back in a cup final at Hampden and gives us an early opportunity to celebrate the turnaround in our playing fortunes since Walter Smith returned to Ibrox, not to mention add another trophy to the collection. ____________________McGregor__________________ Broadfoot______Weir____________Cuellar______Papac ______________________Dailly____________________ Burke__________Ferguson_______Hemdani______Davis ____________________McCulloch___________________ 5 Subs from: Alexander Boyd Thomson Hemdani Whittaker Buffel

Fergie was so poor tonight and couldn't pass water. Maybe time for Davis to run the show and Thomson to do the work beside him?

RANGERS are through the semi-finals of the Scottish Youth Cup after John Fleck's goal gave them a 1-0 win over Hearts at Riccarton today. The 16-year-old's strike after an hour means Billy Kirkwood's Light Blues have reached the last four having scored 24 goals and conceded none in their defence of the trophy. It was a hard-fought encounter in Edinburgh and after an entertaining 4-2 Gers win against the Jambos at the weekend, defences were on top on this occasion. The visitors could have gone ahead as early as the second minute, when Steven Kinniburgh's cross hit the bar. Andrew Shinnie also had three good opportunities for Kirkwood's kids before the break but couldn't find a way past the home side's 14-year-old goalkeeper Shaun Thomson. It wasn't until after the interval that Rangers broke the deadlock and within minutes of Andrew Little's introduction as a substitute they went ahead. Giorgos Efrem crossed low from the left and Fleck took a touch before sliding the ball inside the keeper's post to give them an advantage. Hearts tried to hit back and stuck the woodwork themselves through striker Gary Glen as they pushed for an equaliser. The Gorgie side couldn't level though and Gers now progress to the semis, with their tie against yet-to-be-determined opponents due to be played on March 30. RANGERS: Gallacher, McLachlan, Kinniburgh, Wilson, Harvey, Stirling, Kindbendiksen, Shinnie, Bagci (Little 55), Fleck, Efrem. Everything looking promising. Not conceding a goal yet having scored 24 is a wonderful record.

So, in a fantasy land where you get to pick the first team, going on what you've seen from players this season, what would your first XI be? This isn't a knee-jerk reaction to last night, just interested to see how far away from Walter's selection we'd all be. It doesn't matter if players are currently injured, let's assume they're all fit and ready and your selecting them is based on how you feel they've performed when they've played recently. Doesn't matter who the opposition was or how long they got on the pitch, pick someone if you think they've shown they have potential or might bring that something different to the team. My first XI is below and I have to say, there's a few variations on that selection, with a few players who would probably be ahead of players who are actually in those positions in the real world. My team would be playing a 4-4-2 and trying to play the ball on the deck. _____________________McGregor___________________ Whittaker_____Broadfoot________Cuellar________Smith ____________________Thomson____________________ Burke________________Gow______________Da Beasley _____________Boyd_________Naismith______________ Broadfoot has looked good at RB so could do a job at CB which is his preferred position. But then so could Webster who has impressed me whenever I've seen him play, albeit when he's played for us its only been a fleeting glimpse! I'd also have Papac at CB ahead of Weir in my new regime as I think Weir is just too slow now. We're defending much deeper than we should be to compensate and while we're still fairly solid, I think our defence is looking more shaky than it has done since Weir came and with the other players we have, I think its more shaky than it needs to be. Which is the same for Gow. I think he's worth a punt given the flair & confidence he showed in the cup. You could of course swap his name for Buffel if you think he deserves another chance. And there's a very good argument for his inclusion given that he's often been played out of position when he has played for us. You could even argue that Fergie should be in there, but I still think he is far too inclined to drop deep and that his insistence on everything going through him has a negative effect on the rest of the team. Burke and DaBeasley both bring pace and width to the wings. But you could just as easily put McCulloch on the left if you wanted to shore things up a bit more. Boyd and Naismith would flourish in that formation as they would complement each other and unlike most of our strikers, they have actually played together at Killie. They also linked well at ICT when they were both played together up front for a while in the second half. But the truth is I think you could play a number of combinations of front pairing from our list of strikers and they'd score goals. But that's assuming we don't play with three defensive midfielders, a system which really seems to limit the amount of good chances being created. I think we've got a very strong squad just now with options all over the place, but I'm baffled as to why we're not actually using these other options we have. We should be able to experiment a bit in the SPL while still having more than enough to win games. Otherwise, why have we signed many of these players in the first place? But then I'm not a manager, I'm just a fan with too much time on his hands who thinks he knows more than WS

Kevin Thomson, Andy Webster and Steven Smith will all be in action this afternoon when Rangers reserves play in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Dunfermline at East End Park. The trio are all on the verge of making a welcome return to the first-team squad and today's game will give the club's coaching staff another chance to gauge if they are back to full fitness after their recent injury problems. Walter Smith is expected to travel to Fife and will be hoping all three some through the 90 minutes unscathed as Rangers prepare for 8 games in 29 days in the month of March. Alan Gow and Thomas Buffel will also feature against the Pars along with some of the club's best young talent including Jordan McMillan, Dean Furman, Steven Lennon and Rory Loy. The game will kick-off at 1.30pm.

KEVIN THOMSON will return to action tomorrow afternoon when Rangers Reserves take on Hearts at Forthbank Stadium. Kevin ThomosnThe midfielder has made a speedy recovery from a double hernia operation and has looked fit and sharp in training at Murray Park. With the first-team squad travelling to Athens tomorrow Thomson will stay behind to face the Jambos along with Amdy Faye, Andy Webster and Steven Smith. Manager Walter Smith confimred this morning that the Gretna game would probably come too soon for Kevin but hopes he may be available for the club's home clash against Aberdeen on March 1. He said: "Kevin has made a very good recovery and he trained well last week. "We are looking forward to getting him back again and are hopeful he can start to play sooner rather than later. "I think Sunday will come too early for him but we will see how he feels after Tuesday's match." The match at Forthbank will kick-off at 2pm.

Broadfoot- Thought he played well but no Hutton going forward.Centre-back looks like a better option. Cuellar- give him a new contract now he could be the mainstay of our defence for years. Davis- thought he played well but we obviously can't play Davis, fergie, Hemdani and Thomson, so i don't know where he will fit in.

Rangers will formally appeal to the SFA to have Allan McGregor's sending off in the Scottish Cup 5th Round tie with Hibs at the weekend overturned. McGregor was red carded after referee Craig Thomson judged that he had fouled Dean Shiels on the edge of the box with minutes to go in the pulsating cup tie. The keeper clearly felt the decision as incorrect, claiming he reached the ball ahead of the Hibs man, and having reviewed video footage of the incident, the club have moved to have the red card rescinded. The SFA will make a final decision on the matter, with normal practice involving a video review panel consisting of former referees, players and coaches who analyse any available footage. If the ordering off is overturned, the Rangers number one will again be eligible to take his place between the sticks when the two sides meet again to replay the tie, on a date yet to be fixed by the SFA.

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=590&Itemid=1 The morning after the night before, eh? Iââ?¬â?¢m sure Iââ?¬â?¢m not the only football fan nursing the equivalent of a hangover this morning as the hype of January transfer window closes for another season. Internet forum server issues, ridiculous radio-phone rumours and around-the-clock satellite sports news excitement ââ?¬â?? coupled together they make for quite a cocktail of commotion and emotion. Hence the hangover this morning; especially when our team havenââ?¬â?¢t been as pro-active as weââ?¬â?¢d all like. Despite my article of Tuesday morning warning all Rangers fans of the unlikelihood of substantial investment in the wake of the Alan Hutton transfer, movement occurred nonetheless and it seems we werenââ?¬â?¢t far off securing the services of Italian striker Andrea Caracciolo from Sampdoria while we did manage to sign the Fulham and Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis on loan from the Premiership. Davis is actually a decent signing and although Iââ?¬â?¢m not personally a huge fan of loan deals, he will provide the kind of genuine back-up and depth required for Barry Ferguson and Brahim Hemdani as Kevin Thomson sits out for another two months. Obviously the Ã?£4million deal for Caracciolo was the most exciting rumour of the day and every Rangers fan waited with baited breath as we heard Walter Smith and Martin Bain were in Italy. Unfortunately (or as it may have turned out ââ?¬â?? fortunately) the huge striker chose to stay in his homeland and drop a division to Serie B to play with his former club Brescia. Itââ?¬â?¢s ironic that in the week one Rangers player leaves to realise his ambitions what seems to be our main transfer target lacks the same aspirations in his career to move to the UK ââ?¬â?? instead blaming a lack of self-confidence and the weather for his decision. Hardly the mental and professional discipline you want to hear from a player you want to spend the total of around Ã?£7million on! A lucky escape then perhaps? Unfortunately what this debacle does highlight is the further incompetence of our Chief Executive. Martin Bain quite simply is not up to the job. I bear the man no ill-will and in his Rangers career (over 10 years now) heââ?¬â?¢s done some good work in the face of constant criticism and financial downsizing while being the stereotypical lamb to the slaughter while his boss relaxes in France. A well paid ââ?¬Ë?yes-manââ?¬â?¢ nonetheless though and the way weââ?¬â?¢ve conducted our business this January (and in the past) shows just how out of his depth he is. To avoid any confusion Iââ?¬â?¢m not criticising the club about not spending the ~Ã?£10million from the Hutton/Cousin deals per se. As I wrote the other day, not spending it is understandable to a degree and Iââ?¬â?¢d much rather we were prudent and efficient in our dealings. However, if there was around Ã?£5million to spend, surely the old adage of not keeping all your eggs in one basket applies here? Weââ?¬â?¢re told that the club have scouted Caracciolo for months, yet we leave it to the absolute last minute to try and negotiate our way through the confusing world of the Italian transfer system ââ?¬â?? three clubs involved directly, other clubs interested, translators required and agents hovering with their claws as sharp as ever. Yet, ex-catalogue model Bain is deemed to have the tactical nous to navigate his way through such a tough deal ââ?¬â?? all in a few hours!? I certainly donââ?¬â?¢t pretend to be some sort of finance guru or transfer expert but time was never going to be on our side so instead of wasting time taking last minute flights to Genoa, we should have moved onto our next target. We do have one Ewan Chester, donââ?¬â?¢t we? Or was Willie McLies too busy hawking wee Broon again to furnish us with his usual brand of short-term client information? Certainly Martin Smithers and his merry band of under-achieving assistants are not justifying their inflated wages while the rest of us pay for the privilege of watching them let us down time after time. But, and this is the crux of the article, all the above does not mean we have a convenient get-out clause for not winning the league (or the other competitions weââ?¬â?¢re in). Yes, we should have strengthened while Celtic have done so (to a degree) but we still have more than enough talent at Ibrox to compete on all fronts. Losing Alan Hutton is a big blow and Daniel Cousin (if he does actually leave ââ?¬â?? more crazy dealings by our staff given the obvious FIFA rulings) is a similar loss. However, we have deputies more than capable of taking their place. Steven Whittaker has shown he has the game to develop into a fine player while a fit Darcheville and a determined Boyd would keep out most strikers out of many teams anyway. Christian Dailly and Neil Alexander may not be the most glamorous of signings either but both will provide competition for places and much-needed experience as we proceed towards our goals. As such, despite all the valid criticism aimed at the likes of Bain and despite all the obvious disappointment of not capturing another player or two, itââ?¬â?¢s vital we keep our eyes on the prize. A four point lead is a good one and should be able to defend this over the coming months with the existing squad. Three Old Firm games in two months will be the ultimate decider but we have nothing to fear in that regard either. So, confidence should remain, support for the players and manager should remain and no excuses will be accepted. The SPL is attainable and nothing less will suffice.

Now that's a promising looking signing. A 23 year old midfielder with Premiership experience, Northern Ireland internationalist and a Bluenose too. Hopefully his loan is just the start of a long & successful career here.

Much can be debated about Walters tactics in SPL / Euro games and his choice selections. But I wonder how he feels being back at Rangers with the club being ran totally different. He no longer can buy multi million pound players and has to pick and scrape from the bottom end of the market and the club are a selling club if the opportunity comes around - although in Cousin's case our hands are tied as he wanted the move - but in Alan Hutton's case the player wants to stay at lease until the end of the season. TBH he hasnt done too badly so far with some buys in certain areas. He's done well with McGregor in goal and brought him on to be a fine keeper. Cuellar at the back has been a bright spark for 95% of the season, I just hope we can hold onto him. Davie Weir has been solid throughout but needs a break at the moment. In midfield McCulloch and Thomson have been popular. McCulloch was a preferred signing of mine and got off to a great start this season but went off the boil for a few games but I expect him to be back to his best soon. Thomson remains a popular player with the fans. We'll see a bit more from Naismith soon IMO and hopefully Darcheville can stay clear of injuries for a while. In the last 12 months we have went from being a disaster to title challengers. Dont get me wrong Celtic arent a top club - they have some on field problems at the moment in the SPL - but I think credit can be given to Walter for putting us in the situation we are in again and playing in 4 competitions as we head towards the end of January. We can only ask for a bit more attractive football and that may take a little bit longer but should come.

Four points clear again then. After a couple of unconvincing but completely imperative away victories, is the league in the bag or are some bears counting their chickens a little bit too early? Certainly I can understand why some will be feeling confident. The wins achieved last week were the kind of games we just havenââ?¬â?¢t secured three points in recent years. All too often we drop points in games against so-called lesser opposition in matches where more brawn than skill is required. As such, while weââ?¬â?¢d all like to see silky soccer and three goal wins, sometimes one just has to settle for keeping possession and relying on our strikers taking their chances when they come. Thus, although we could easily have dropped four points against Gretna and Caley, the team should be praised for working hard and securing wins in these difficult matches. Especially when one considers our enforced fortnight break which was always going to affect our sharpness and fluency. The next month will be huge in terms of determining our success this season. We have matches in all four competitions and the outcome of these games will show just how capable we are of competing on all fronts. For most Rangers fans the SPL title will take obvious precedence over the UEFA and domestic cups. At the same time though, weââ?¬â?¢ve not won a thing for nearly three years so we should rightly be looking to win everything. That may not be realistic (especially in European terms) but our ambitions should be high and when we have played well this season we have competed with the very best Europe has to offer. To be able to do this weââ?¬â?¢ll need a strong squad with reserve players capable of coming in. Losing the outstanding Kevin Thomson for the next 6 weeks is a big blow and we can ill-afford further injuries in central midfield. Barry Ferguson has not had his best season but has shown signs of a return to form lately. Similarly, Brahim Hemdani offers a composed holding player and his class shines through on most stages. Losing either of these players in conjunction with Thomson could be a fatal blow even if Dean Furman is impressing at reserve level. As such, with ten days to the closure of the transfer window, Iââ?¬â?¢d be looking for Walter Smith to strengthen this area. Rumours are rife about who is leaving and who may be joining. Hutton, Cousin and Buffel all said to be on their way out while Larsen and Moore apparently close to coming in. All things considered, continuity must take precedence over money but if Hutton especially is to leave, this bear would like to see a significant portion of any transfer income invested into a new creative midfield player. For most of the season weââ?¬â?¢ve lacked such a player so if we could secure one (even better if theyââ?¬â?¢re left-sided) that could not only provide the spark the team needs but the depth talked about above. Similarly, Ugo Ehiogu has moved back south, so another centre-half is still appealing. Carlos Cuellar has proven a snip at Ã?£2.3million so if we could spend this kind of cash on another similar player, this would bode well for our title challenge. Davie Weir has done very well but has also shown glimpses of poor form, while his lack of pace and deep positioning does affect the team tactically. If Andy Webster can prove his fitness then he could save us money but relying on him is rather risky given his record and contract problems. The reason Iââ?¬â?¢m perhaps being overly analytical here is that I genuinely feel we are only two or three players away from having a real decent side. Considering the average age of the squad, the relative inexperience of some, the Scottish backbone and the potential to improve, a reasonable financial investment into the team could yield real dividends. Ã?£12million was spent in the summer ââ?¬â?? a fair amount in todayââ?¬â?¢s SPL financial climate ââ?¬â?? but if we could spend some more now (but only on the right players) such a gamble could bring the SPL title home to Ibrox and provide the foundations for more success to come. To conclude, we are more than capable of winning the SPL (and more). However, we should not rest on the laurels of a four-point gap and if SDM is serious about the clubââ?¬â?¢s long term future, further investment is required to maximise our chances of bringing the successful times back. Public sound-bites and moonbeams about regeneration and stadium redevelopment may be exciting and ambitious but first and foremost I want to see Barry Ferguson lift the SPL league trophy in May. Then we can decide on how to build further on this and finally take Rangers FC into the new millennium. http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=581&Itemid=1

A year is a long time in football, as all connected with Rangers will testify. Last January, the Ibrox club were coping with the turbulence of Paul le Guen's shock departure, amid clashes with Barry Ferguson. A French revolution was in the air, but the former Lyon boss failed to take flight in Scotland, much to the surprise of many observers. The Glasgow club were disjointed, low in confidence and lacking purpose when Le Guen left, and chairman Sir David Murray - not a man to hesitate in a crisis - sent for his old friend, Walter Smith. Having enjoyed a successful spell with Scotland, Smith clearly saw the attraction of coming to Rangers rescue. And he appeared immune to any risks, as the man who made his reputation in leading the Light Blues to a golden nine-in-a-row era previously. From inheriting a mess at international level from Berti Vogts, the task facing him at Ibrox was of a similar magnitude. It was a move generally welcomed, for Smith's knowledge of the club, from his first spell in charge between 1991-1998, in addition to an upbringing steeped in Rangers' traditions, ensured that a sense of stability would become his priority. The new boss, and assistant, legendary striker Ally McCoist, returned to the top of the Ibrox marble staircase on 10 January. And the Scot swung into action with decisive effect, as results improved immediately, Dundee United the first to be accounted for in a 5-0 hammering. Celtic had cast a 17 point Scottish Premier League shadow over their old rivals and, with Rangers in danger of missing out on second place they eventually, however, took the runners-up spot with some ease. Major surgery has taken place in all areas, and the capture of players such as Jean-Claude Darcheville, DaMarcus Beasley and Daniel Cousin were imaginative. But Smith's number one priority was to reshape the defence, which was particularly brittle under Le Guen, who had been accused of underestimating the physical nature of Scottish football. Julien Rodriguez and Karl Svensson left, and the acquisition of the experienced David Weir proved to be a masterstroke. Since his arrival from Everton, the Scotland international has enjoyed an Indian summer, bringing some organisation to the rearguard. Weir's partnership with Spaniard Carlos Cuellar has a composed look to it overall, despite their exposure by the Lyon attack in the disappointing 3-0 home defeat which killed off the Light Blues' Champions League ambitions in December. Indeed, Smith's experience of the blue riband competition ended in disillusionment, the limp exit to the French outfit the most notable failure of his twelve months in charge. It was all the more disappointing, given that Rangers were in pole position to qualify for the last-16. Furthermore, the presence of Celtic when the Champions League resumes will have done little to douse the frustration of Rangers supporters, and an upcoming Uefa Cup tie against Panathinaikos will be a hollow consolation. That said, the capture of the Scottish Premier League title remains the key objective for Smith this season. And Rangers started 2008 in good form, beating Dundee United at Ibrox. Intriguingly, the first goal, supplied by the rejuvenated Chris Burke - who has relished his top team recall - and executed by Steven Naismith, hints at a bright new era, with the two young Scots rewarding Smith's faith in their ability. So far, the manager's reshaping of Rangers has cost �£10m, with Smith himself admitting his surprise at being able to spend so much in a relative era of downsizing at Ibrox. Rangers fans have witnessed more cosmopolitan squads over the years, but since taking over, the manager has placed his trust on a mainly Scottish core. The veteran Weir is the exception to a crop of young talent, with Naismith, Burke, Kevin Thomson, Alan Hutton, Steven Smith, Lee McCulloch, Steven Whittaker and Kris Boyd augmenting the vital presence of captain Ferguson. While there appears to be question marks regarding the prolific Boyd's long term future, Smith was undoubtedly boosted by Hutton's decision to reject a lucrative move to Tottenham Hotspur. Although the �£9m on offer could have helped fund a January transfer spree, the Scotland full-back's loyalty to his club's title chase is to be admired. Smith has yet to taste defeat against the green and white half of Glasgow, and there is no doubt that record will be put to the test when Rangers visit Celtic Park on 23 January. For his second coming to be considered a success, this most shrewd of operators must deliver the SPL title - which would be the first trophy in the Ibrox cabinet since 2005. With a watershed 60th birthday approaching and his reputation under scrutiny, Smith must ensure Rangers' new year elevation to the top of the table will be the shape of things to come. Walter's Way Scottish Premier League: P34 W24 D5 L5 CIS Cup: P2 W2 In Europe: P14 W6 D3 L5 Total: P50 W31 D8 L10

I don�t know if anyone else was due to do this or Gribz will be back on but if so then feel free to scrap it. Rangers V Dundee Utd After our unexpected rest during the festive season the first big issue on Saturday will be a one minute applause in respect of Phil o�Donnel. A directive from the SPL has asked all teams to hold the applause before the kick-off. Reading through other forums the last few day�s this seems to have split the Rangers support with many refusing to applaud and preferring a minutes silence. Rangers have no choice in this as the SPL made the decision probably projecting the wishes of the family. This is not a time to make a political stand in my opinion so hopefully everyone will show their respect and put there hands together and clap. Apart from the only long term injury steven Smith, Lee Mc Culloch is doubtful and probably be out for three games now as he has a two match ban kicking in after Saturday. Charlie Adam and Nacho Novo are available for selection again. Rangers had a much improved performance at Hibs last time out and the chances will be that Walter Smith will keep the same starting line-up. Adam replacing Hemdani is also a possibility judging on Walter not playing Hemdani in the SPL games. Dundee Utd bounced back from a run of defeats with an impressive victory against Hearts on Wednesday but an undisciplined performance by Hearts saw them reduced to eight men. Going with past performances United will come in the hope to smother the midfield and play a 4-5-1. Barry Robson has been in fine form of late and could be rewarded with a move to celtic(at least in wages) so he will be looking to impress. He does have a good goal tally for the season but most have come from penalties or free kicks. We certainly have to worry about giving stupid free kicks away around the 20 yard area. Rangers squad:: McGregor, Hutton, Weir, Cuellar, Whittaker, Burke, Ferguson, Hemdani, Thomson, Cousin, Darcheville, Naismith, Carroll, Adam, Broadfoot, Boyd, Furman, Novo. I think walter will keep the same team as against Hibs and that was: McGregor Hutton Cuellar Weir Whittaker Burke Ferguson Hemdani Thomson Naismith Cousin