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Published on September 2nd, 2013 by Andy Muirhead With all eyes on Rangers football club currently, due to the continued ‘political’ infighting between shareholders and the fan base, public relations for the club is needed more than ever. However, even the PR company used by Rangers – Media House – has come under much criticism and increasing calls from Rangers supporters to be sacked due to comments attributed to Jack Irvine, executive chairman of Media House. Scotzine editor Andy Muirhead caught up with Jack Irvine, amid a busy schedule for the PR guru, to discuss his time at Rangers and those who are criticising him. AM: When did you start working with Rangers Football Club? JI: 2006. There had been huge sectarian issues and the football authorities were going to hammer Rangers. There was a danger the team would be playing in empty stadia and face crippling fines. We worked with the legal team to articulate the initiatives from Martin Bain’s management team to curb the sectarian excesses which in turn lessened the possible draconian punishments. AM: We heard from Sir David Murray that he was duped by Craig Whyte in purchasing Rangers from the former Rangers owner – from your point of view and of working with Craig Whyte would you agree with Murray’s statement? JI: Yes I do agree with Sir David. He was led to believe that Craig Whyte was worth in the region of £80million and he had no reason to doubt that. The Bank of Scotland and their boardroom representative saw no problem with Whyte as a buyer and, in fact, couldn’t get the club sold quickly enough. Craig Whyte appeared to be the answer to all of David Murray’s problems. AM: You represented Rangers under Craig Whyte’s tenure at the club which ended with it going into administration and subsequently liquidation – looking back what are your thoughts on your role and Media House’s role during that time? JI: It was a surreal time. I tried to explain to Craig Whyte that he couldn’t possibly run the club himself and I even introduced him to the former Newcastle United Chief Executive Freddie Fletcher who was also a former Rangers man. Freddie would have been magnificent but Craig decided he could do the job himself. Like many businessmen he was totally consumed by The Blue Mist the minute he walked into the boardroom. Media House’s role was what it had always been. Represent the club and its board and attempt to present the good side of the club to the media and public at large. Of course the bad started to outweigh the good very quickly and it was like pushing water uphill. AM: There has been allegations made that Media House and Rangers used friendly journalists to publish positive stories about Rangers and Craig Whyte in particular hiding the truth about the Motherwell businessman – what do you have to say about those allegations? JI: Of course we promoted positive stories – that’s what PR people do the world over. However it didn’t take long for my old newspaper colleagues – and more importantly certain influential bloggers – to find out the truth about Craig Whyte and tell the world. There is no way I could have covered that up or would even have tried to. The dam had burst. AM: Many Rangers fans are now seeing Media House and yourself as culpable in the demise of Rangers under Whyte and are against your continued involvement at the Ibrox club – claiming that you are not there to represent the club but elements on the board? What is your take on this – what is your role at Rangers? JI: That is utter nonsense. We can only work with the tools we are given. Craig Whyte ran the club into the ground although you would have to say he inherited a pretty leaky vessel. Our role at Rangers is crystal clear. We carry out the wishes of the board in an attempt to help the business survive and prosper. However much I sympathise with the agonies the fans are going through, and I speak as one of the original Bond holders, it is not they who instruct me. It is the board. It is naive to think otherwise. AM: A twitter account called Charlotte Fakes has been publishing emails and other correspondence involving you, Whyte, some journalists and Rangers officials – which seem to paint all parties in a bad light. What is your take on what this person is doing? JI: It is illegal. It is a breach of the Data Protection Act and the perpetrator faces serious consequences when he is caught. It is frightening some of the stuff that is going on nowadays on the web. I often wonder what it would have been like in the early 90s when there was the coup to unseat the Celtic board. How would social media have treated that? Would Fergus McCann with his bunnet and squint been given a chance to mount his brilliant strategy or would he have been slaughtered by the fans with laptops? AM: Rangers fans have claimed that the ‘dignified silence’ approach was perpetrated by the likes of Media House and that instead of keeping quiet, you should have gone in all guns blazing. Making demands, threatening legal action etc. What was your approach during Whyte’s reign when negative articles were published? JI: I seem to remember we banned the BBC and if you knew me at all you would know that I am not slow to tell editors and journalists when they are talking bollocks. Lawyers were regularly involved . Do I go out and announce this in the Copland Road to the fans? What do you think? I worked with or trained a lot of the current crop of journalists. I’m not going to publically traduce them although I will make an exception for some of the more stupid ones. AM: Whyte met with several Rangers supporters groups and bloggers who were very friendly to him and backed him to the hilt during his reign at the club – they have now turned on him as if he is the anti-Christ. What is your take on this u-turn by said prominent groups and bloggers? JI: I presume you have certain groups in mind. I can’t think who you are talking about but let’s be fair. The fans loved David Murray then grew to hate him. Ditto Craig Whyte, Ditto Charles Green. So it’s not only bloggers who changed their minds. The economist John Maynard Keynes is alleged to have said, “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” If that concept was good enough for him I hardly think we can criticise the bloggers. AM: Given the amount of flak, hassle and abuse you have taken – if you could do it all again would you still represent Rangers and Craig Whyte? JI: I have taken flak, hassle and abuse since May 1987 when I launched The Sun in Scotland. I thrive on it and the more I get the stronger it makes me. The answer to “Would you still represent Rangers” is obviously yes as I have just signed up for another season. I come from an East End Rangers family so I guess I’m stuck with it. Would I represent Craig Whyte? Not if I had known what I know now but it’s easy to be clever after the event as I keep reminding certain fans and journalists. Hindsight is a wonderful gift . AM: If you could stand in front of the Rangers fans today and talk to them what about the club and the way it is working and those wanting to take over – what would you say? JI: Give the board a chance. The Chief Executive has sunk a million of his own cash into the club. Fellow director James Easdale and his family have put in even more. Let’s all be mature. I know Frank Blin and Paul Murray are passionate about the club but to quote Mr Churchill: “To jaw jaw is always better than to war war.”

Here is a link to an article by Stefan Szymanski in the Soccernomics blog. http://www.soccernomics-agency.com/?p=529 He presents some data, about the relationship between homegrown talent and success, that may surprise a few people. It is taken to be axiomatic among many that we need to develop home grown players to improve our lot. Is this just received wisdom with no basis in fact?

... you know, someone had to do it! I'll write and update a list of targets in the first post. Signed: - Nicky Clark (QotS, free, compensation, 3-year deal signed) - Jon Daly (DU, free, 2-year + 1-year extension deal signed) - Cammy Bell (Kilmarnock, 4-year deal signed) - Nicky Law (Motherwell, free, 3-year signed) - Steven Smith (free/Portland, 2-year-deal apparently signed) - Arnold Peralta (Vidal, free, 4-year-deal signed) - Ricky Foster (free, Bristol City, 2-year deal) - Biliel Mohsni (free, 2-year deal) - Kenny Miller (free/Portland, resigned) - Lee Robinson (QotS) - Tom Hateley (Motherwell, free) [ - Chris Humphrey (Motherwell, free, was in talks) signed for Preston North End] Gone: - Neil Alexander (end of contract) - Kane Hemmings (end of contract) - Kal Naismith (on loan, Accrington Stanley) + + + From FF ... Links galore ... The Express

MOST football fans in Scotland do not support Celtic. The majority are not Rangers fans either. MORI and Gallup do not exactly do polls on this sort of stuff so there is no way to be scientific about it, but maybe each of them has about 35-40% of the people who follow a team and the rest are shared around all the other clubs. What those of all allegiances are coming to terms with - whether they rejoice in the fact or resent it - is that Celtic have turned the Scottish game into a one-party state. For most of its history the league title has been an endless tennis rally between Celtic and Rangers, the championship switching from one to the other every year or two. Only now and again has one of them emerged into the clear daylight of a sustained period of dominance. Celtic won six in a row from 1905, Rangers five from 1927. In the late 1960s and early '70s there were times when it looked as if Jock Stein had built a force that would never be caught. When Rangers emulated Stein's nine consecutive titles - latterly buttressed by the bountiful revenue stream of the Champions League - it felt as if Sir David Murray, Graeme Souness and Walter Smith had moved the Ibrox club to a position of power which would obliterate any competition. And what happened? The Lisbon Lions era was built around Stein's individual genius and when his powers waned Celtic were drawn back into the pack. In the late 1990s Rangers grew old and tired, and misspent their resources, to the point a rebuilt Celtic got back among the titles. Currently the record books show only two consecutive league wins for Celtic but that is the equivalent of taking a snapshot of Usain Bolt in the early stages of a 100m race. Everyone can be pretty sure of what is coming next. At Tannadice on Saturday there were the latest renditions of a tune that the Celtic support has been singing for quite a while: "Here we go, 10 in a row." It's part-celebration, part-triumphalism, part-threat to you-know-who. There are 40 clubs which have long grown accustomed to the idea of having no real chance of being Scottish champions any time soon, and one which has a demanding fanbase unused to being denied anything for long. It is common these days to hear people talk about how Celtic have the potential to begin a period of unprecedented domination "if they use their money wisely". What they mean is that if Celtic keep running themselves prudently, employing the right manager and players, staying out of debt and always having money to spend to replenish a winning squad, it is going to take an almighty effort for Rangers to ever catch them. The apocalyptic scenario for Rangers is that Celtic keep getting into the Champions League group every year. They secured £20m in Uefa money alone last season and now they have another £16m this season. That is almost twice as much dough as Rangers raised from a one-off share issue. If Celtic pull off another two qualifications in 2014 and 2015 that would amount to around £80m washing into the club before Rangers even have the chance to take them on in the league. Given that all the fundamentals - season-ticket, commercial and sponsorship income - are otherwise broadly comparable between the Glasgow clubs, the long-term difference between them will be Champions League income. And that means that when a player's agent tries to bring a talent to Glasgow (the same player is often offered to both clubs at the same time), Celtic should be able to pay higher transfer fees and wages every time they both want the same man. All of this is a chilling thought around Ibrox. Horrifying, in fact. The Uefa golden goose that was once Rangers', and then shared, is now exclusively Celtic's. They can thank David Murray and Craig Whyte for that. It used to be the rest of Scottish football that was excluded at one or both of the Old Firm's expense; now Rangers are out in the cold too. Rangers have been in the Champions League group stage 10 times and Celtic are about to play in it for the eighth time. At a very conservative estimate (Champions League income has grown over the past 20 years) that is about £180m of Uefa money the Old Firm have enjoyed, in addition to their already vastly superior regular income. Last season Motherwell made around £195,000 from Uefa, and Hearts and St Johnstone £75,000 each - a tiny fraction of Celtic's £20m. The champions' excellent campaign also meant £100,000 in "solidarity" payments from Uefa for all other top-flight clubs, but that amounts to (welcome) crumbs. The Champions League embodies the concept of a self-perpetuating elite in which the rich get richer. When I spoke to a couple of SPFL Premiership club directors about how they reacted to Celtic generating Uefa income on a scale which makes it impossible for them to be given anything more than the odd bloody nose over the course of a season, one said: "It almost doesn't concern us. We're resigned to them always winning the league now and our competition is to finish second. Most clubs are happy for them to get into the group because it means a bit of Uefa money for us. It's probably very different for Rangers." Every empire falls eventually. The eras of Stein and Souness/Smith came to natural ends. Rosenborg show that even monopolising a country's Champions League access does not guarantee permanent rule. But Celtic's position of strength, and their advantages, are greater than any board of directors have known since Scottish football began. By Michael Grant (Herald)

JOHN GREIG and Davie Cooper are two of Rangers’ all-time greats, legendary figures in the history of the club and idolised by the club’s supporters. Both players had blue blood running through their veins. In terms of their sheer devotion to the Ibrox outfit, they were identical. But, in truth, they were different characters all together. So much so that, in the early 1980s, with Greig as manager and Cooper playing under him, they ignored each other as a simmering feud threatened to boil over. It’s a notion most Rangers fans find difficult to understand. But the relationship between the pair at that time was a strained one – as is revealed in Neil Drysdale’s book, Coop: The Life of Davie Cooper, Scottish Football Hero. Quite simply, the winger didn’t fit into the style Greig wanted his team to play and was regularly left on the bench. That frustrated Cooper who, admittedly, took his omission to heart. He wasn’t dubbed the Moody Blue at Ibrox for nothing. That led to an impasse which was only made worse by his refusal to join Brighton in the summer of 1980. That was partly stubbornness but Cooper also couldn’t bear the thought of leaving his home in Hamilton and, more importantly, the club he loved. In Drysdale’s book, he examines the stand-off and, ultimately, the wing wizard’s acceptance that he failed to give Greig total commitment during his time as Rangers boss. He writes: “It was an indication of how relations had soured between Greig and Cooper that when the 24-year-old got the chance to leave, after an approach from Brighton boss Alan Mullery, he should end up staying while Gordon Smith headed south for a record transfer fee of £440,000. “Cooper was reluctant to leave his roots but there is pride in origin and then there is stubborn obstinacy. “Mullery wanted both Smith and Cooper but was told by Greig that he would only sell one of the two. Given how little subsequent use he found for Davie in his plans, it beggars belief the Rangers boss wasn’t ready to move him on if the price was right. “Greig made it clear to Cooper he would be well advised to contemplate expanding his horizons and – considering the money on the table – putting himself into the shop window with a switch to Brighton. “However, that cut no ice with the player who glanced at the map, calculated he wouldn’t be able to get home to Hamilton very often, and so wasn’t interested. “To some extent, one can see why a proud Ibrox man wouldn’t be overly delighted at the prospect of joining the likes of Brighton. But if he had gone and shown his abilities under Mullery, there would surely have been more enticing offers for him in the years ahead whereas he knew that as long as Greig was his gaffer, he would be spending more time keeping benches warm than playing. “Smith said: ‘Alan had been keeping tabs on both Davie and myself and wanted to sign the pair of us but John would only let one go. ‘I don’t believe Davie had any regrets about not going, but I wonder what might have happened if he had. There is no doubt he had more than enough natural ability to make a success of it in England. He could have ?tted in anywhere. ‘But you have to understand that Davie was living the dream and he loved the club, it was as simple as that.’ “It was now obvious that Cooper wouldn’t be wooed away from Rangers and had to accept he was a peripheral ?gure in Greig’s plans. And for those who cherish thrilling football this was a waste of one of the few genuine entertainers on the Scottish domestic circuit. “But while Greig could be faulted for his dearth of ?exibility, especially given the mediocre results attained by players he did select, Cooper wasn’t blameless. “As the months passed he fell into a slump exempli?ed by a lack of intensity at training and unwillingness to scrap for a place in the team. It might be he had concluded there was no merit in battering his head against a brick wall. “But that didn’t excuse his attitude and he subsequently conceded he should have battled harder rather than resort to the dumb insolence which typi?ed the dialogue – or absence of it – between him and Greig. “Cooper started turning up a few minutes late for training, then, once changed, went through the motions. It was childish and he knew it. Davie said: ‘I grew sloppy and the more frustrated I became, the less inclined I was to push myself on the training pitch. Then, when I found myself on the bench, I don’t think my attitude was all it might have been.’ “It was a stalemate which couldn’t have a happy ending. He and Greig were chalk and cheese and only one of them was cracking the whip. “Cooper’s disenchantment increased the more he found himself sidelined. It was an unhappy situation but one which had been brewing for 18 months. “Davie felt isolated, even unwanted at Rangers, even though he refused to take the easy option of demanding a transfer. But a decade down the line, he admitted: ‘I was out of sorts and took it out on John. It was unprofessional and I wish I had shown more application because we needed all the help we could get at the time. ‘John offered me a second chance but I couldn’t get it out of my head that he had given me a raw deal. ‘I look back and wish I’d realised it wasn’t personal. It was just the two of us were different. That didn’t mean either was right or wrong.’” Greig’s spell as Rangers boss ended in 1983 when he was replaced by Jock Wallace. He had won just two League Cups and two Scottish Cups in five years. But his place in the hearts of the supporters was never in doubt and they named him the Greatest Ever Ranger in 1999. Cooper, before and after his death in 1995, was similar to Greig in terms of the fans’ adulation of him. After Greig left, he shone under Wallace and Graeme Souness after that. He became a Rangers legend which, despite that spat with Greig 33 years ago, was all he ever really wanted.

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Tech/uefaorg/General/01/80/54/10/1805410_DOWNLOAD.pdf I know it has always been stated that you must have 3 years of audited accounts to enter a UEFA competition, however does the above provide the SFA an option to present us an "extraordinary" application if we were to win a domestic cup competition (or place second)?

Noticed this in a Terry Butcher article: When Butcher first arrived in Scotland in 1986 to play for Rangers it was at the grasping height of Thatcherism and an accompanying wave of anti-Englishness – four years later even Scotland's middle classes folded up the tartan travelling rugs to stand up and boo the National Anthem at Murrayfield. Butcher played for Rangers, the "loyalist" club, a club that outside its support is disliked more strongly within its national locality than any in Britain. He ticked the boxes of reasons to be detested (in that, as Donald Rumsfeld might put it, rational irrationality of the football fan). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/the-last-word-terry-butcher-the-archetypal-englishman-is-making-waves-by-the-tip-of-loch-ness-8792453.html

PLENTY of players are let go on transfer deadline day but this may be the first time an entire club feels a sense of release. For the past year, Rangers have been subject to the registration embargo, an imposition that has prevented Ally McCoist fielding all of his summer recruits. With restrictions on the number of trialists that can play before the embargo expires at midnight tonight, it has created an artificial start to the season with the majority of Rangers' prospective signings spending matchdays in the stand, ineligible to take to the field. From tomorrow, however, they will be free men once more, It means that this afternoon's SPFL League 1 match against East Fife takes on added significance. It is the last day for the likes of Stevie Smith and Richard Foster to watch from the stands and also the final opportunity for those who have started the season to show they deserve to hang on to their jerseys once McCoist has his full squad to choose from. It is a nice position for the manager to be in. There is an argument that a club like Rangers should not need such a spread of resources to win the third tier of Scottish football but McCoist wonders aloud whether a lack of competition for places last season was one the reason for the team's inconsistent form. He is excited by the idea of having the option of flooding his team with eight new signings but also challenged the incumbents to show they deserve to hang on to their place. "I firmly believe that if you're in the team and playing well then you deserve to stay there," he said. "It goes without saying that we've brought in good players who will benefit the squad but if you're in the team on merit you've got to try to stay there. Competition for places is one thing we didn't have last year. Whether that was the reason for the lack of consistency I don't know. It might be in your mind that you're going to play every week, which can't be a good thing. But certainly this year we feel we've got boys in the squad, when they're not playing, will push the boys that are." The Scottish Football Association has elected to close their transfer window this evening, rather than extending it until Monday to acknowledge the deadline falling on a weekend. Had Scotland followed the lead of England, Germany, Italy, France and others by allowing the clubs to do transfer business for a further two days it would have afforded Rangers with the chance to sign players on Sunday and Monday, thus calling into the question the effectiveness of their embargo. McCoist had been unaware of the potential loophole but admitted his surprise. "It's unbelievable," he said, of a decision that the SFA claimed was taken because Saturday is a "working day" for them. "It would be worth asking why they went against UEFA because it is a little bit strange not to go with the other associations. If we'd had those extra two days it might have changed things for us." Kenny Miller falls into the category as someone who could, in theory, have been signed had the window been extended. McCoist has spoken about the possibility of bringing the striker back to Ibrox for a third spell and plans on revisiting that possibility in January. "I just feel a player of that type would be great, for Nicky Clark especially. A lot of people might wonder why [we are considering signing Miller] but we feel that a player like that would help us on the training pitch as much as anything else. "He's under contract, and has just extended it another six months, so that avenue is closed to us at that moment in time. But we'll re-assess it in January. You could make a real argument that he's the best striker the country's got at the moment so it would be ridiculous of me not to pursue it if we could." McCoist confirmed Herald Sport's story that he is considering a salary reduction as part of the club's cost-cutting reduction. He also welcomed the investigation by Craig Mather, the Ibrox chief executive, into an email apparently sent by one of the club's media advisors denigrating John Greig and hoped the man voted the Greatest Ever Ranger would be back at the club soon. "I wasn't aware of the email until this morning," McCoist said. "It would be wrong of me to comment on something that Craig is going to have a look into. That said, he's the Greatest Living Ranger as voted by the fans and I think the world of John and what he's done for me and the club. I'd love to see him back. I've said all along John Greig, Sandy Jardine, Walter Smith . . . that's the line right through the club for me." http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/one-window-closes-another-one-opens-for-mccoist-as-embargo-ends.22019764

Has a bit of me. me, me running through it/

Friday, 30 August 2013 12:40 Queens Date Confirmed Written by Andrew Dickson RANGERS’ Ramsdens Cup quarter-final with Queen of the South will take place on Tuesday, September 17. The match has been moved from next weekend due to the Light Blues having a number of players called up for international duty in the first few days of next month. Arnold Peralta meets up with the Honduras squad on Sunday and Lewis Macleod will represent Scotland’s under-21s in Holland this coming Thursday. Fraser Aird is also one of four youngsters who have been involved in the first-team pool this season who are in the Scottish under-19 pool for a friendly with Iceland on Wednesday. The absence of all of these players in the build-up to the weekend has been a strong enough reason for the fixture with Queens to be moved by the SPFL. Delayed coverage of the match, which starts at Palmerston Park at 7.45pm, will be shown on BBC Alba. The Light Blues lost to the Doonhamers in the last eight of the competition last season and they’ll be keen to make amends for that in Dumfries. They’ll go there with a full squad available due to the fact the club’s transfer ban and registration embargo will be over. But moving the tie means Ally McCoist will now have all of his new signings in his squad for the first time in the home match with Arbroath on Saturday, September 14 at Ibrox. . This article is from the official Rangers site - http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/4936-queens-date-confirmed

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has admitted he is keen to lure veteran striker Kenny Miller back to Ibrox. The Scotland striker is currently under contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps until the summer of 2014, and McCoist has yet to hold any talks with the player. Rangers remain under a transfer embargo and can recruit only free agents on September 1, and under the terms of Miller's contract with the MLS side, McCoist would not be able to sign him until January at the earliest. But speaking after a 2-0 win over Berwick in the Ramsdens Cup, McCoist said: "Kenny would certainly interest me, I would be lying if I said he didn't interest me quite a lot. "If there was an opportunity to get Kenny, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't explore that. We will have to wait and see. "I keep in touch with Kenny, but I haven't spoken to him since the day after the England game. In terms of the possibility of him coming here, I haven't spoken to him about that. "I wouldn't rule it out. I'll certainly be making enquiries in the next wee while. If it's a possibility, it's an avenue we would look to possibly pursue. "I don't know if Kenny would want to come, if we could afford him. There are millions of questions but I do think we need another forward." McCoist also expects some of his players to depart the club before the current transfer window closes next week. He added: "That's a possibility. There have been one or two enquiries made about one or two of our players. "But it would be unfair of me to mention them because the players don't know yet and it's miles away from anything concrete happening." Goals from Barrie McKay and Andy Little secured victory over Berwick and McCoist said: "I thought it was a solid performance and a well-deserved win." http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11788/8892872/ally-mccoist-keen-to-bring-kenny-miller-back-to-rangers

So it shuts on Saturday night at 11pm a full 2 days before the rest of europe. Apparently they ignored UEFA's recommendation of 2nd September which is 2 days after our transfer embargo expires http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/st-johnstone/237781-scottish-fa-set-saturday-transfer-deadline-against-uefa-recommendation/

I see TLB's poop troop got beat 2-0 by Shakhter Karagandy over in Kazakhstan earlier.

In times of trouble, the crown fits old Rangers King - The Herald 'IT would be reasonable to suppose that the Glasgow experience of John Barnes would have been enough to make the former Liverpool player shrink at a Scottish accent and positively bridle at the mere mention of the game north of the border. However, Barnes speaks of his brief tenure as Celtic manager with some insight and maintains a strong connection to the Scottish game through his role as a media pundit and his friendship with Dave King, the Scottish businessman and former Rangers director based in South Africa, who has been vocal in the unfolding turmoil at the Ibrox club. Barnes travels the world in his role as a football analyst and met King in South Africa, where the former England internationalist comments on both Barclays Premier League and Champions League matches. He believes strongly that King has a role to play as the power struggle continues at Rangers. The businessman lost £20m when the club was owned by Sir David Murray and has warned they could be in administration by Christmas. Barnes believes he was a victim of that high-spending Rangers, too, with his coaching career bludgeoned by the reality that he was facing greater resources at Ibrox. He also insists King could be the leader who rescues Rangers from in-fighting and brings the club back to the top league and to financial stability. Barnes lasted from June 1999 to February 2000 as Celtic manager, with a Scottish Cup defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle precipitating his demise. "I was not there long enough to learn a lot," he says, his sunny demeanour failing to disguise the disappointment of a opportunity that proved short-lived. Barnes was part of a "dream ticket", coming to Celtic Park in tandem with Kenny Dalglish, his one-time manager at Liverpool. He dismisses any notions he was an innocent thrown into the jungle of Scottish football. "Nothing happened there that I did not expect. I knew the expectations were high. I knew we were second to Rangers and if that continued it would mean that it would not work out." Standing in the BT studios in London where he is about to give his opinions on the English game, he pauses to reflect on the state of Scottish football then and now. "I think a lot of people are now looking at the dynamics of the game north of the border and saying it is not as easy at it seems. In those days it was very different. In those days David Murray was spending a lot of money. Rangers had better players and much more money than Celtic. They were signing such as Joerg Albertz and Michael Mols to join the good players they already had." Barnes was consumed by the imperative to defeat Rangers but with lesser resources. "It is strange to see how it has gone with Celtic and Rangers," he says. "The dynamic is different and it shows the way Celtic were doing things from a financial point of view was the right way and the necessary way to do it." He states bluntly: "Rangers are paying the price for that period." His friendship with King has given him the inside story on his rivals when he was manager of Celtic. King, who took up his role as a non-executive director in March 2000, began his formal association with Rangers as Barnes was ending his with Celtic but King and he have become close after regular trips to South Africa. "He tells me stories of what it was like back then," says Barnes, now 49 and travelling to the Middle East and elsewhere to talk football. "He tells me of the money Rangers were spending and that has impacted on where they are now. It is shame because they're a huge club." In March, King announced his intention to sue Murray, stating: "I seem to be one of the few people who actually invested cash into the club. I have made a claim of £20m the basis of non-disclosure by the then chairman, David Murray, of Rangers' true financial position as far back as 2000." Murray said he would vigorously contend any such claim if and when it was lodged. The past at Rangers is thus clouded with much animosity for King, but Barnes is optimistic on the club's future if his friend becomes involved. "He would be good for Rangers because he is a fan. He wants what is right for Rangers. It is a huge brand that can be hugely successful and it will be successful once again. It may take a few years but the more they can have people like him involved from a footballing perspective the better. If you are a football supporter, you want people like him to involved in football." Barnes, too, would like to become more closely involved in football. He managed the Jamaican national team for a season, taking them to first place in the 2008 Caribbean Championships, and then joined Tranmere Rovers in June 2009, lasting just five months before being sacked. "I would love to get back into management but it is hard. There are a lot of ex-managers who want to get back in. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to do TV work but if something came up I would definitely look at it again." And what of a return to Scotland? Has his experience at Celtic soured him? "It was fantastic up there," he says. "Obviously, the politics were not great but the football was good. I loved it, " he says.' ______________________________________________ Excuses excuses Barnes. Not like those associated with the dark side to revise history is it?. There's no denying we spent a lot of money overall during the DA era. However, lets take a look at transfer activity of the season in question.... The Poor Wee Souls Players In Stiliyan Petrov £2.8m Ian Wright - Free? Rafael Scheidt - £5m Eyal Berkovic - £5.75m Olivier Tébily - £1.25m Players Out Craig Burley - £3m Phil O'Donnell - Free Simon Donnelly - Free Darren Jackson - Free Total loss = £11.8m Us Dirty Cheats that Bought Our Tainted Titles Players In Dariusz Adamczuk - Free Michael Mols - £4m Tero Penttilä - £0.3m Thomas Myhre Loan Billy Dodds - £1.3m Tugay Kerimoğlu £1.3m Players Out Theo Snelders - Retired Jonas Thern - Retired Luigi Riccio - Released Stephane Guivarc'h - £3.4m Charlie Miller - £0.45m Antti Niemi - £0.4m Derek McInnes - £0.3m Ian Ferguson - Free Gabriel Amato - £3.75m Colin Hendry - £0.75m Paul McKnight - Nominal Total profit = £2,150,000 Except Albertz had already been with us for 2 seasons at that point. The simple fact of the matter is that we had a good team and good manager while they had John Barnes who was about as shite as Scheidt.

MOHSNI has high ambitions but before then he can't wait for the club's registration embargo to end next week so he can finally make his competitive debut for Ally McCoist's side. RANGERS star Bilel Mohsni admits he’s dreaming of steering the Ibrox club back to the Champions League. The French-Tunisian stopper has been counting down the days until Saturday when the transfer embargo will be lifted and he will finally be free to play a competitive match for Gers. Mohsni sampled a taste of the big time during the 1-1 pre-season draw with English top-flight side Newcastle. And the 26-year-old has been stunned by the attendances at Ibrox for a team in the third tier of Scottish football. When Ally McCoist showed an interest in signing the stopper this summer he was initially sceptical. But he’s now convinced he has made the right decision to join a famous club and insists it won’t be long before they are challenging for Europe. Mohsni said “When my agent told me Rangers were keen and they were in the third tier of Scottish football, I wasn’t sure it would be that good. But this is a massive club and I want to be part of its history. “It would be great to help them back to the top and perhaps into the Champions League again. “I was in France when Rangers had our first league game against Brechin and when I saw there were 44,000 fans at the game it was unbelievable. “Everyone in the squad is looking forward to playing together.” Mohsni admits it will take time to get match sharp but can’t wait to get cracking. Speaking on the Rangers website, he said: “It’s one month since I signed and I am looking forward to playing again. “I was match fit after the friendlies but I probably need two or three games again to get that back. I’m definitely fit because we have been doing a lot of running. I just need to do a bit of work to get my sharpness back.” Keeper Scott Gallacher could be heading out on loan just as Mohsni makes his entrance. But the 24-year-old is hoping he can follow a similar path to stardom as former Ibrox No.1 Allan McGregor. McCoist wants Gallacher farmed out so he can offer a deal to former Stoke and Dundee goalie Steve Simonsen. And Gallacher is happy to agree after watching McGregor benefit from spells at St Johnstone and Dunfermline early in his career. Gallacher, who played during Tuesday’s Ramsdens Cup win over Berwick, said: “Allan had to bide his time before his breakthrough. “He had to wait behind Stefan Klos which was hard but I’m working hard with our goalkeeping coach Jim Stewart and he’s keeping my confidence up. “Allan got a huge benefit out of his loan spells. Hopefully if I go out on loan it will work out the same. “I have spoken to Allan briefly about it but it’s more about watching him as a top keeper. Allan just gave me general information about catching the manager’s eye.” McCoist is keen to offer a deal to Simonsen but admits midfield trialist Sam Kelly might be a luxury addition to his squad. A stopper and a forward are McCoist’s priorities ahead of midfield, where Republic of Ireland youth cap Kelly plays. But the former Norwich and Everton player has made a big impression since his arrival. McCoist said: “Steve knows we would like to offer him something if we can get Scott out on loan. “Sam has showed up well too in training. I will need to see if there’s a possibility we could maybe offer him something. He’d be a luxury but a nice one to have.” McCoist, meanwhile, has confirmed the contract of Darren Cole has been terminated. The defender was recently asked to stay away after he failed to report for a reserve friendly with junior outfit Cambuslang Rangers. The Ibrox boss said: “Darren’s contract has been terminated and he goes with our best wishes.”

EXCLUSIVE: Emilson Cribari rejects chance to quit Ibrox EMILSON CRIBARI has rejected a move to Greek side Xanthi – leaving Rangers boss Ally McCoist in a sweat over any late transfer activity at Ibrox. By: Scott Burns and Michael Baillie Published: Mon, August 26, 2013 The cash-strapped Light Blues were willing to let the Brazilian defender, below, go to free up wages to help bring in Bosnian international Boris Pandza and keeper Steve Simonsen. Xanthi’s offer was relayed to Cribari’s agent but the player made it clear he is happy to remain at Rangers, where is one of the higher earners, to help the club progress up the leagues. There is still interest in the 33-year-old from across Europe and he could yet be persuaded to leave if the right deal comes up before the close of the transfer window on Monday. The League One leaders are trying to move out some of their fringe players and are even willing to loan out younger members of their squad to free up money. McCoist remains determined to strengthen his defence and has been on the trail of Pandza for much of the summer. Rangers chief executive Craig Mather has been in discussions with the 26-year-old’s representative over a possible deal. McCoist said: “I know Craig spoke to the agent. I haven’t spoken to Pandza for three weeks. “We just need to get a bit of activity in players going the other way, as I think that would probably help. There are one or two players I would like to bring in. McCoist, who has already spent all of his summer budget for new signings, is keen to bring in another striker, and Express Sport understands his interest in bringing Kenny Miller back to Ibrox is not dead. The 33-year-old, above, recently penned a six-month extension with Vancouver Whitecaps but the Ibrox club have kept in contact with the player’s agent and are confident of forcing through a deal if they find the funds. Vancouver are desperate to keep Miller but the player himself could force any deal through as he is keen to return to Scotland over the longer term. The former Hibs, Wolves, Celtic, Derby, Bursaspor and Cardiff frontman retired from Scotland international duty last week. http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/424798/EXCLUSIVE-Emilson-Cribari-rejects-chance-to-quit-Ibrox

There is still work that Ally McCoist would like to carry out on his Rangers squad. He continues to monitor trialists, is keen on a centre-back and a centre-forward and there is interest from other clubs in "one or two" of his players. These are the routine tasks of a manager, but they also provide a refuge for McCoist. When he talks about the off-field issues at Ibrox, he has increasingly been referring to fatigue, among the fans, among the football community, perhaps even for most of those involved. Every week tends to bring a further development on the boardroom saga at the club. Since answering back to the criticisms of Charles Green when the former chief executive returned, briefly, as a paid consultant, McCoist has maintained the stance this his business is the team and his players; what happens in the boardroom is down to the directors. He returned to that theme yesterday, acknowledging that the continue drama at Rangers needs a conclusive ending. "Being a fan, ex-player and now manager, I just want what's best for this club," he said. "Everyone is reaching the stage where we're saying 'let's get this sorted and move on'. When I talk to Sandy [Jardine], wee Willie Henderson, big Tam Forsyth, everyone is of the same opinion: 'C'mon, let's sort this out and go forward'. If that's ex-players talking, it'll be echoed one thousand times by the supporters, but I'm optimistic that the off-the-park stuff can finally be sorted out." It is likely to be six weeks before the club holds its annual general meeting, at which a group of disgruntled shareholders will also table five resolutions seeking significant changes in the boardroom. The accounts are due to be published in the meantime. McCoist has become well-versed in financial issues that most football managers would not expect to encounter - "it's opened my eyes to a lot of avenues I'd never have imagined I'd go down," he said - but it will be a measure of his own progress if the exploits of the team do not add to the commotion. The season is in its infancy, but Rangers fans have taken heart from the performances of their side. The loss to Forfar Athletic in the first round of the Scottish League Cup will continue to irk them, but otherwise Rangers have shown signs of a stronger mental attitude, more variety and dynamism to their play and, crucially, a more emphatic sense of purpose. Airdrieonians were eventually swept aside last Friday night, with the kind of ruthless intent that McCoist has been demanding of his squad, and even if one game is not emblematic, the general sense is of progress. "We've miles to go and we've had one great second-half against Airdrie, so no-one's getting carried away," said McCoist. "The squad's getting better with the players we've brought in. People have to remember we lost £40-50m worth of talent [last year] and brought in free transfers, but we're delighted with the progress we'll make this year." Steve Simonsen, the former Dundee goalkeeper, and Sam Kelly, the 19-year-old former Everton midfielder, have extended their trial period at the club, while McCoist retains an interest in signing the Bosnian defender Boris Pandza. Negotiations are continuing between Craig Mather, the Rangers chief executive, and Pandza's agent. Several clubs are also keen on taking Scott Gallacher, the Rangers goalkeeper, on loan, with McCoist keen for the player to gain regular first-team experience. Cammy Bell, the former Kilmarnock goalkeeper, is one of the eight players who have agreed to sign as free agents on September 1, when Rangers' registration embargo ends. He could even feature as a trialist in Saturday's match with East Fife at Ibrox, after which McCoist will be able to choose from a full squad of players. The visit of Berwick Rangers in the Ramsdens Cup tonight is not incidental, since McCoist wants to foster a hardened winning attitude within his squad. It is also an opportunity for some players to prove their worth before potential replacements are eligible to play from September 1 onwards. "If you're Berwick Rangers, you're delighted we're not allowed to play any of our new players," McCoist said. "But I'm more looking forward to the game than having any worries because the boys that will play, those that didn't play on Friday, will know that's what expected." http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/miles-to-go-but-mccoist-confident-of-moving-on.21981607

Analysis: is Blue Knight Paul Murray fighting a losing battle? Hugh Macdonald Wednesday 21 August 201 THE shifting quicksands of the Rangers saga have consumed a variety of personalities. Charles Green, the bluff Yorkshireman from central casting, joined the ranks yet again of those who have been banished from the drama on the south side but a more significant character now has a leading role in what will happen at Ibrox. The name of Paul Murray was absent from a Rangers statement in the wake of the dismissal of Green as a consultant but it does not require the combined skills of Interpol to deduce that he forms a block to any immediate resolution to the boardroom problems. To summarise the plot so far, if somewhat crudely: there is a move from outside the boardroom to remove Brian Stockbridge, Craig Mather and Bryan Smart and replace them with Frank Blin and Murray. A club statement last night read: "This board has been working tirelessly to find an intelligent solution to the request for a general meeting and all of the directors are open to sensible and reasonable additions. For instance, the board are not against Frank Blin becoming a director but do have reservations about other proposals.'' When it comes to Murray, some on the board have more reservations than the Apaches. There was a feeling of relief that Green had gone, a belief among his opponents that a metaphorical stake had finally been placed through the heart of the significant shareholder, but there was also an anxiety about his almost diabolical powers of recovery. The most pressing difficulty for Rangers, however, centres on Murray. The opposition group could make a compromise by suggesting Blin, former executive chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Scotland, is joined on the board by A.N Other. Jim McColl, part of the outside group, would not consider such a role but the more intriguing aspect is the willingness or otherwise of Murray to relinquish his attempt to join a board that needs stability. The indications last night were surprising concrete given the fluidity of events at Ibrox. First, it seems there exists a strong aversion to bringing in Murray from among existing board members. Second, there was no sign of Murray issuing any sort of statement saying he would fall on his sword to facilitate peace, at least for the present. The objections are believed to be both personal and on matters of business. The accountant was part of the board before Craig Whyte bought the club and is seen by some as part of the problem rather than part of the solution. One City source said: "Murray had his chance to influence matters when he was on the board and then had his chance with the Blue Knights. There is no mood among some on the board to bring him back into the fold.'' The private concerns are shrouded in claim and counter claim. The Rangers story has been extraordinarily messy with dirt thrown in all directions. Information has leaked steadily. Murray, rightly or wrongly, has been suspected as one of those who have used media outlets to his advantage. If true, he would stand in a crowded dock as the briefings have come from almost every source, every faction. However, the fog of war has cleared just a little over Ibrox. Green has been sacked, disposed of by an increasingly frustrated and determined Mather. There is now an opportunity for compromise and even, heaven forfend, resolution of the boardroom struggle. This could come in a variety of forms. Two options are most likely. The first is Murray stands down and the McColl group is allowed to bring in Blin and an unspecified ally. The second is that Murray, backed by McColl, stands his ground and maintains his attempt to come on to the board. This eventuality would be fast-tracked by the approval of a vote at the extraordinary general meeting. The crux of the matter is this: if the McColl group is sure of the support of a group of shareholders, it will feel it has no need to sacrifice the candidature of Murray. McColl and his cohorts will flex their muscle and the Blue Room will undergo yet another change of cast. Mather, it must be presumed, would not wait to be pushed and Stockbridge and Smart would face a limited future. There are a couple of possible twists, of course. This is a Rangers story, after all. The first is Murray could step aside temporarily, peace could break out and he could then be brought on board at a later stage. The second is that the present board finds enough support to win any vote. There is also the possibility of hearing the less than dulcet tones of Green joining the increasingly raucous debate. He may be gone but no one will be surprised at another scene-stealing interruption from the former chief executive. However, the narrative is now about Murray. Will he walk away or will he pursue his ambition to be on the board? History suggests it be latter option. The arithmetic will decide whether the erstwhile Blue Knight finally lands his prize. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/analysis-is-blue-knight-paul-murray-fighting-a-losing-battle.1377061992

Dundee United will challenge a compensation order of 230,000 euro for former player Damian Casalinuovo at a hearing on Thursday. Fifa previously ordered the club to pay the sum to Argentine outfit Vélez Sarsfield, the striker's first club. The figure has already been reduced from 400,000 euro by a Fifa tribunal. United chairman Stephen Thompson and lawyer Rod McKenzie will appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. Casalinuovo made 25 appearances for the Tangerines and it was United's understanding that no transfer fee was due as the player was a free agent. And the Tannadice club will present evidence and paperwork to that effect at world sport's highest court. After leaving United in 2010, Casalinuovo joined Hamilton and then Raith Rovers http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23788004

On Saturday, not long after the Stranraer match, the club published a statement entitled, “For the Avoidance of Doubt”. The article was written under the tag, ‘Rangers Football Club’, although almost everyone acknowledges that it was probably penned by the club’s Director of Communications, James Traynor. Although the statement was generally well received by Rangers fans, it was more noticeable for what it didn’t say, rather than what it actually did say. Whilst the statement is welcome, it is long overdue, and I doubt if it will have any substantive or meaningful impact on the serial Rangers haters who constantly misrepresent and malign our club. I suspect that most Rangers fans consider the statement to be much too terse, and would have preferred a more comprehensive, robust and forceful statement. Certainly given the nature and content of the statement, it is noticeable for its failure to comment on the serial offenders at Rangers who consistently utilise the local anti-Rangers media to further their own agendas, or censure those Rangers bloggers who are aligned with one side or another in the current Boardroom wars, and who often give interviews to the local rags, including the Daily Record. In fact it fails to confront the leaks that are clearly emanating from Ibrox, and it doesn’t ‘sit well’ with the fact that our board of directors, club officials and employees regularly utilise the local rags for their own ends. Fine words from James Traynor – but actions speak much louder than words! It is for that reason I have penned an alternative version of “For the Avoidance of Doubt”. For The Avoidance of Doubt (Alternative version) “Rangers Football Club is aware of wildly inaccurate stories circulating on various websites and would like fans to know that these flights of fancy will be monitored by our lawyers. Where it is considered necessary, we will instruct our lawyers to initiate legal action against the owners and administrators of any website, or any other media vehicle, that publishes (or disseminates by any other means) material that is inaccurate, libellous or misrepresents the club’s position in any way. The club will keep fans advised of any action initiated as a consequence of this monitoring process and will provide regular updates on the club’s official platforms. In particular, our lawyers are examining a malicious piece which seems to suggest that the club does not own its facilities. That suggestion is, of course, utter nonsense, and the club wishes to make it unequivocally clear that the club owns all of its facilities in their entirety. We urge Rangers fans to treat these idiotic and lumbering articles with the contempt they deserve. Better still, ignore them completely. However, we acknowledge that many fans may wish to analyse and assess them and, where appropriate, respond to their misrepresentations by means of their own websites and blogs. Indeed the club recognises the very practical assistance provided by the fans in monitoring these articles and responding in circumstances where the club is, either, unable or unwilling to do so. But we must also stress we cannot waste time responding publicly to every blog or ridiculous claim against the club, although we acknowledge the magnificent work that has been done by Rangers fans in challenging the reprehensible Rangers Tax Case blog; BBC Scotland’s consistent misrepresentations and its inaccurate and biased reporting; the vindictive and malign blogs of those such as Alex-Thomson of Channel 4, Phil Four Names, Paul McConville and, of course, those journalists in the mainstream media such as Graham Spiers, Tom English, Keith Jackson etc. who continually misrepresent, and unreasonably, attack our club. There is also a dangerous proliferation of anonymous obsessive’s on various social media sites and we will not give them any credence, although we will continue to monitor the material they publish and seek to identify the source of any leaks, particularly where specific material is proven to be genuine correspondence emanating from Rangers Football Club. In such circumstances we will take appropriate action against any director or officer of the club who is found responsible for leaking confidential information including, if necessary, precautionary suspension and summary dismissal. Nor can we react to every journalist and publication that appears to pursue an anti-Rangers agenda; publications such as the Daily Record which today boasts yet another headline which does not accurately reflect what manager Ally McCoist said in his press conference yesterday. The paper’s intent is clear, and we urge our fans to see it for what it is, as we urge those prominent bloggers who are closely aligned to the Club, and prepared to give interviews to the Daily Record, and provide them with information relating to the business of our board, its shareholders and the club’s operations, to desist forthwith. In this regard, the club will make every effort to ensure that no member of its board, any shareholder, club official or employee will provide information to, or give interviews to, the Daily Record or any of the other recognised anti- Rangers media. If Rangers fans want the truth they will find it only on the club’s official platforms, and we will make every effort to ensure that, from this point onward, there is substantive and meaningful information available to fans on the club’s platforms in relation to current anti-Rangers news stories, statements that misrepresent the club’s stated position and those that are causing significant concern to the fans. This is particularly relevant given the current boardroom upheavals. Finally, Jack Irvine of Media House does not speak for this Club, although we can confirm that he and Media House currently represent the interests of the Easdale brothers who are major shareholders in Rangers Football Club.”

MYSTERY still surrounds just what sort of a dodgy deal disgraced former commercial director Imran Ahmad struck with the even more disgraced and totally discredited Craig Whyte in order to get his hands on the former owner’s Rangers shares. However, by the admission of Imran Ahmad’s front man, Charles Green, we do know that some sort of shady back street deal was struck between Imran Ahmad and Craig Whyte. We know it was more than just the “stringing Whyte along” tactic claimed by Ahmad and Green. We know because Charles Green revealed it in a letter to the Scottish Football Association in which he wrote that in July last year, after liquidation, Imran Ahmad was given the task of getting his hands on Craig Whyte’s shares. The reason, again according to Charles Green in the same letter, was that this was necessary in order that a name change could be effected from Sevco Scotland to incorporate the words, Rangers Football Club. What Charles Green insists Imran Ahmad did not do, again the Green claim is made in his letter to the SFA, was make any form of legal commitment in relation to remuneration or compensation for the shares. So, just how did he get them? For we know, according to the gospel of Charles Green, what Imran Ahmad did not do. What we do not know is just what sort of deal – which did not involve any form of legal negotiation – Imran Ahmad actually did cook up with fraudster Craig Whyte. And that is something which will surely thwart any outrageous plans Imran Ahmad may be making to return to Ibrox , despite the fact he has now sold almost all of his Rangers shares and made an obscene profit. And Charles Green’s close association with Imran Ahmad and his unwillingness to make the nature of the Imran Ahmad-Craig Whyte stitch up known, will also bar his way to the Blue Room. For the Scottish Football Association have already pounced on this latest gaping hole and inconsistency in the letter Charles Green sent to them in April when he was still chief executive. By the time the SFA replied to Rangers, Green had been booted out of that role, therefore the reply was sent to then chairman Malcolm Murray, now, of course, no longer on the board. In the letter, the SFA said they were a little bemused by the events of July 2012 in relation to securing Craig Whyte’s shares, as the understanding was by that time the Ahmad-Green Consortium had indicated to Whyte that he would not be part of the structure in the future and that once the asset transfer had gone through they had essentially severed their connections with him. The SFA further added that in that context it seemed curious Whyte was willing to co-operate with Ahmad to transfer shares and to facilitate the passing of name changing resolutions. Then, quite properly, the SFA asked what arrangements had been entered into at that point to procure Whyte’s co-operation. The SFA also pointed out that the Administrators had appeared to have insisted on the release of the debenture relating to shares earlier than July 2012. Finally, the SFA asked why this did not enable the Consortium to take control of the shares? Why indeed? It seems, once again, Charles Green has indulged in his old tactic of believing bullshit baffles brains. And once again been caught out. With still no real clarity as to what the real relationship, as late in post liquidation in July 2012, was between Imran Ahmad, Charles Green and Craig Whyte. ..... AND...... I am looking forward to meeting The People at a special dinner at Ibrox to launch the first ever biography of the great Bill Struth. The event, on Saturday September 7th, is being organised by Simon Leslie, the man behind the successful tribute dinner to Iron Curtain goalkeeper Bobby Brown which celebrated his 90th birthday last April. Further details of the Struth celebration are available on the Follow Follow site or by contacting Simon at sie1872@googlemail.com

An advert in which Rangers described itself as the "most successful" club in Scotland, prompting complaints to the advertising watchdog, is to be reviewed by the body. An advert in which Rangers described itself as the \"most successful\" club in Scotland, prompting complaints to the advertising watchdog, is to be reviewed by the body. Custom byline text: Martin williams The move follows the intervention of a retired top civil servant who is now a senior Advertising Standards Authority executive. If the review concludes the advert is misleading, Rangers may be forced to stop describing itself as the most successful club in Scotland. The advert had initially been cleared by the ASA after there were 78 complaints about ads which said: "Join Scotland's most successful club at Ibrox (stadium)" as part of a promotion on season tickets. Taken from the Herald....

Laxey Partners now hold a 6.53% stake in Rangers, confirmed by London Stock Exchange. http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=11682127

Kostas Mitroglou and Andreas Tatos were both watched by Neil Murray at the weekend. Greece international duo Kostas Mitroglou and Andreas Tatos have been given a glowing recommendation by Rangersâ?? chief scout Neil Murray. Murray was in Greece taking in a number of Super League fixtures over the weekend and was impressed with both players, who turned out for Athens-based club Atromitos in their 1-1 home draw with Levadiakos. Striker Mitroglou, who is on loan from Olympiacos, has scored five goals in nine appearances this season and was on target for his side at the weekend. Tatos, an attacking midfielder, has been with Atromitos since 2008 but signed for Olympiacos in the summer, before being loaned back for the season. Mitroglou, 23, has represented Greece at full international level, earning nine caps. He started his career with Borussia Monchengladbach, before returning home in 2007. Tatos, who was born in Albania, was in the Greek squad for a friendly against Bosnia in August but is yet to make an international appearance. â??He [Mitroglou] has good technical ability, performs good runs, but his team in this game did not utilise him as they should,â? Murray told Greek newspaper Goal, in which he also described 22-year-old Tatos as the "best player in the matchâ?. Murray, who also took in AEK v Asteras Tripolis and Olympiacos' derby with Panathinaikos, said of his trip: â??I want to have an overall picture of the players and the level of the Greek league.â? http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/281096-rangers-scout-greek-international-duo/

NEWCASTLE UNITED are poised to snatch Scott Brown for free as the Celtic skipper comes to terms with the prospect of being forced out of Parkhead. The midfielder has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with chief executive Peter Lawwell and had hoped to sign the deal which would have tied him to the club until the summer of 2016. But talks have broken down over a row about a fee due to Brown's advisers - and now Alan Pardew's Premiership high-flyers are hoping to cash in by landing the £4.4 million man for nothing on a Bosman transfer. Record Sport can also reveal that Dutch outfit Feyenoord and Bundesliga big guns Hamburg have been alerted to the player's situation and are weighing up offers. But Newcastle - whose stunning early-season form has catapulted them into the mix for Champions League qualification - are understood to be at the front of the queue. And they are ready to offer the 26-year-old a lucrative pre-contract in a bid to lure him south next summer. Brown was linked with a move to Tyneside at the end of last season, shortly after lifting the Scottish Cup - his first trophy success as Celtic captain. But he moved quickly to insist in an exclusive interview with Record Sport that he saw his future in Glasgow's East End and that his heart was set on signing a contract extension. He said then: "I've heard all the stuff about Newcastle but I haven't paid the slightest bit of attention to it. "I'm captain of Celtic, why would I even think about going anywhere else? "A few weeks ago I had the privilege of lifting my first piece of silverware since being given the armband 18 months ago. "I have a hunger to win more trophies as Celtic captain so that I can look back at my time with the club and consider myself to have been a success. "The club know how I feel and as long as the manager wants me here, then I don't see a problem in working out a deal." Manager Neil Lennon has also made it clear that he wants Brown signed up but there is no sign of an agreement being reached between Celtic and the player's advisers. In fact, sources close to the talks last night described them as "having hit a brick wall". Daily RHebel