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Not sure what to think of this, but Coisty will be spending a chunk of the summer as an ESPN pundit for the World Cup... http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-136716.html

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

Andy Webster has hailed the news that Rangers manager Walter Smith is staying at the helm for another season. More...

Eastern promise in bid for Rangers! Arabs ready to fund fresh takeover EXCLUSIVE By John Greechan Last updated at 1:02 AM on 22nd May 2010 Comments (0) Add to My Stories Interested: Businessman Andrew Ellis The battle for control of Rangers has taken a dramatic shift to the Middle East, with investors in the Arab state of Qatar being asked to bankroll a fresh takeover bid for the Scottish champions. Sportsmail believes that former Leeds United chairman Chris Akers has been working hard to gather funding aimed at securing Sir David Murrayâ��s controlling stake in the Ibrox club. It is understood that Akers is close to negotiating the financial package needed to push ahead with the �£33million deal â�� just as London-based property developer Andrew Ellis prepares the finishing touches to his own drawn-out approach. A number of significant hurdles remain to be cleared as the Ibrox club reach a potential turning point. Manager Walter Smith is due to make an all-important announcement on his future next week. There remains the possibility that Ellis and Akers could pool resources. But, with the latter actually landing enough cash to buy out Murray and satisfy the bankers, it would remove one major obstacle to concluding a protracted saga. Rangers and Murray have been kept in the dark over the financial package being put in place by possible bidders. Waiting game: Rangers boss Walter Smith is about to settle his future It has led to frustration regarding Ellis, whose reluctance to back up talk with action forced Ibrox chairman Alastair Johnston to publicly express his scepticism earlier this week. Senior figures at Rangers continue to stress that any deal would have to be rock solid before Murray agreed to sell. The majority shareholder has made it clear he will only move on if convinced that the new owners have the will and wherewithal to take the club forward. It is understood by Sportsmail that Akers, having failed to secure investment from sources in Dubai, moved on to Doha, where he met with a far more receptive audience. The former City analyst sold Sports Internet, a business he founded with just �£25,000, for over �£300m in 2000. By that stage, he had already masterminded a �£16m takeover of Leeds, although he was replaced by Peter Ridsdale after three years at the helm of the clubâ��s parent company. During a long career in the sports investment business, he reportedly tried to persuade Time Warner to take over Manchester United â�� and his most recent ventures reportedly include securing consultancy rights in Formula One, golf and tennis. Ellis remains bullish about his chances of concluding a deal with Murray, insisting he is still in pole position to take control of Rangers. However, Akersâ�� late arrival on the scene may yet scupper that. Dave Kingâ��s hopes of at least providing competition to the Ellis bid appear to be in tatters, with Sportsmail having revealed yesterday that the businessman had been hauled into a South African courtroom on charges of fraud and racketeering. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1280373/Eastern-promise-bid-Rangers-Arabs-ready-fund-fresh-takeover.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0oe4JzHHp

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

Rangers' David Weir is against saying whether Walter Smith's future will affect his decision to stay. More...

Interesting to read in the Herald today about one of Scotlandâ��s oldest house-builders being forced into receivership by the Bank of Scotland*. Juxtapose that with the ongoing challenges of our own 138 year old institution, it perhaps lends weight to the claims that the financial issues at Rangers are problems that may result in the bank foreclosing on their facilities resulting in claiming the �£20million+ debt they are owed back quicker than the currently agreed ~20 year term. Indeed, a cursory look across the community again finds sources warning of the pressure that is about to me brought onto the club by a bank eager to get out of our football club at the first opportunity. Of course, them increasing their liabilities in our parent company (cross guarantees or not) suggests this premise may not be quite as hasty as some suggest. Unfortunately, a stand-off remains between the club message of the status-quo; i.e. prudency by way of reasonable cost-cutting and increased efficiency - and the stark warning of no investment; i.e. mass sales of key players and concrete/mortar assets with no replacement. Once again then, as a result of this polar argument, the average supporter is left in a quandary - do we believe a club eager to maintain our financial investment or do we see the wood for the trees and buy into the hysteria precipitated by our manager, competing buyers and other alleged 'credible' sources? Perhaps the middle ground is the best position to adopt? After all, I don't think anyone denies the influence of the bank is a worrying one. It is just the extent of their influence and their associated potential actions that can be debated. The problem we have is that it doesn't help the situation when people spread rumours about the situation one day, then change their mind the next - be it Walter Smith, potential buyers or whoever else is involved in spreading misinformation in this whole charade. Even if people do believe the very worst of scenarios put to us, what do those informing us of this message honestly expect us to do without proper guidance and leadership? 1. Not renew/buy season tickets? Deadline for existing holders has passed and renewals are supposedly in line with last year while new sales are expected to also mirror recent seasons. Success brings its rewards and I'm also unsure not providing the club with one of its invaluable revenue streams would encourage the bank to invest more of non-ticket money such as CL income or transfer fees. 2. Direct protest The bank AGM last week was as good a place as any to embarrass the bank publicly and effectively. Did the people feeding Darrell King and associated fan groups/forums attend and ask questions? Did they protest outside with existing banners? Or did they allow only one person to attend and ask the kind of question much better coming directly from a big-hitter? 3. Gauge fan support Have those interested in buying the club and/or those worried about the influence of the bank attempted to gauge support for their concerns (and bids) by stimulating debate in a positive, constructive fashion - e.g employing club legends, celebrity fans, existing club staff, fan groups, website owners to help run a positive campaign of information sharing, fund-raising and lobbying? Surely if the evidence was clear that the situation was so bleak, this would be easy to find support for? Compare the above different levels and type of effective lobbying and leadership with the drip-feeding of information via confused journalists and anonymous posters on the internet with the club chairman and his representatives organising meetings with high net worth fans, fan groups, the bank and potential owners; then it isn't a surprise the average supporter is inclined to go with the club message (which isn't all that fantastic by the way) as opposed to believing people in it for vested interests. Now, asking valid questions doesn't always mean flying banners at Ibrox Stadium. As I posted above there are much better and more constructive ways of doing this which can involve every supporter while removing the negativity and hearsay from the debate. In my opinion, that has not happened effectively enough which only weakens the stance of those suggesting the bank are the devil incarnate. Therefore, as the John Dickie Group are forced into administration this week by the Lloyds Banking Group, just how long are those predicting a similar outcome for Rangers FC going to wait before coming out into the open? Or will they continue to use rumour and counter-rumour on internet forums instead of genuine leadership which we can all buy into? * http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/corporate-sme/bank-blamed-as-john-dickie-is-forced-into-receivership-1.1027074

The record according to Screebs:

When is someone going to call time on these fukers.

More rubbish probably, but I'd rather keep Thomson at Ibrox to see if he recapture his best form. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2010/05/11/boro-boss-gordon-strachan-lines-up-swoop-for-rangers-ace-kevin-thomson-86908-22249947/ GORDON STRACHAN is ready to launch a shock raid on Rangers for midfield lynchpin Kevin Thomson - as the crown jewel of another huge recruitment drive from the SPL. Record Sport can reveal the Middlesbrough manager has placed Thomson's name at the top of a six-strong list of transfer targets based north of the border and believes the financial carnage at Ibrox may help him land his man. Strachan is aware the 25-year-old is about to enter into the final season of his contract and with the crisis-hit SPL champs unsure about future budgets Thomson, left, has still not been offered an extension. That means Rangers could face losing one of their most valuable assets for nothing in 12 months' time and Strachan plans to exploit the situation by offering Thomson a bumper long-term deal on Teesside. Long-time admirers West Brom are also monitoring Thomson's situation but Strachan has jumped to the front of the queue in his rush to prepare Boro for next season's Premiership promotion push. He is also interested in Hearts winger Andy Driver, Morgaro Gomis of Dundee United, Hibs defender Sol Bamba, Celtic full-back Mark Wilson and has already opened contract talks with Thomson's Ibrox buddy Nacho Novo. But, in Thomson, Strachan believes he could land himself the bargain of the summer for a fee of less than �£3million - around half of what Rangers boss Walter Smith would expect to rake in for the player in normal circumstances. Thomson, who recently became a dad for the first time, has already made it clear he wishes to stay at Ibrox and sign a new four-year contract . However, Rangers might be unable to offer any kind of long-term security unless a new owner takes over the club this summer. Six of Smith's squad - Davie Weir, Novo, Kris Boyd, DaMarcus Beasley, Stevie Smith and Kirk Broadfoot - are already out of contract but Thomson is one of another group of key players who, with only 12 months left on their deals, are also looking for clarity. And a source at the Riverside told Record Sport: "The manager has made it clear he plans to go in heavy across the border this summer because he believes the players are of a higher quality than in the Championship. "Novo could be the first to arrive but there is no doubt landing Thomson would be a major coup for the club. Gordon is working on putting something together and trying to take advantage of the uncertainty off the field at Rangers . "He knows he can offer the lad the kind of security Rangers simply cannot get close to."

CLUB OWNERSHIP Andrew Ellis has held talks with Donald Muir (the enemy within) (the enemy within) and with Sir David Murray and has provided proof of funds. However, the Chairman indicated that the Board has, as yet, received no firm details of the Ellis proposals or indeed had any discussion with him. Any proposed buyer has to negotiate a purchase price with the seller and, if a bid is made, it will be reviewed by the Independent Panel (made up of five of the current Directors) who will assess the bid against a set of parameters and criteria then make a recommendation to shareholders. The panel cannot block a bid as such and with Sir David Murray being the majority shareholder, he effectively holds the call on any bid. Whilst there has been speculation about other interested parties, there has been no formal approaches other than Andrew Ellis. CURRENT FINANCES A meeting was held today (Monday) with the Bank to agree the budget parameters for next season. Donald Muir (the enemy within) (the enemy within) feels the Club are going into that meeting in a better position than last year and he is optimistic that the outcome will enable the Club to be able to strengthen the playing squad albeit not significantly. There is no money specifically ring-fenced by the Bank to help clear debt - there is a credit facility the Club cannot exceed and there are plans being presented to the Bank that will enable the Club to operate within that limit. There is no requirement to sell players for financial reasons. A key enabler for the business plan is season ticket income and it is vitally important that continues. We pressed strongly for the Champions League income to be assigned Walter Smith as a reward for his record of achievement. The baseline financial plan assumes Europa League participation so there will be additional unplanned income and we said we hoped that could be used to strengthen the squad. MANAGEMENT AND PLAYER CONTRACTS Walter Smith is in a similar position to the fans. He requires clarity and information to help decide his future. Hopefully, following the outcome of the meeting with the Bank today, he will be able to decide his future - we stressed our desire for him to stay, his leadership role at this difficult time and the positive impact of him deciding to stay on and being able to strengthen the squad. Some of the out of contract players have been made offers that equal or better their current deals. As yet, none have decided to accept a new contract. Martin Bain said they are all playing their cards close to their chests. He did say that any money there is to spend has to be balanced between freshening up the squad and/or improving the current contracts. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE We stressed that the admission package for the home matches must be realistic and fair and we must learn from last season. Martin Bain agreed and indicated that the current budgeted prices will be less than last season. We questioned whether that was irrespective of the draw and he stated that he hoped that it would be as fans had dug deep and they had to be fair in the current economic climate. PRE-SEASON It is likely that there will be a pre-season visit to Australia comprising of three matches in Sydney and there is planning underway for home (Newcastle Utd) and away (Stoke City) friendlies - they are not confirmed as yet but hopefully details will be available soon. MEDIA Following the meeting, I was interviewed by Sky Sports News, Radio Scotland and Radio Clyde. I gave a factual account of the discussions and stressed the message that fans should buy season tickets and ensure that we maintain our support. I said we were all desperate for Walter to stay and that he would have some funds to strengthen the playing squad. I reiterated that the ongoing uncertainty was a big worry for fans and, the longer that continued, the more restless fans would become. ANDY KERR Interesting reading. I guess it all boils down to whether you think Murray/Muir is telling the truth or not.

Mission Impossible... the Rangers takeover attempt by Ethan Hunt Ibrox stadium Martin Williams Share 0 comments 12 May 2010 It always looked to be a Mission Impossible when the consortium set out its Ã?£50 million plan to buy Rangers Football Club. But when one of the key advisors involved in the takeover bid was revealed to be Ethan Hunt, the namesake of the leader of the Mission: Impossible team, it appeared the assignment might prove too tough. The fictional Ethan Hunt ââ?¬â?? played on the silver screen by Tom Cruise ââ?¬â?? and his team often used intricate disguises and forged paperwork to crack their mission. But it was a fake proof of funding document from a Belgian bank that led to the collapse of the real Mr Huntââ?¬â?¢s bid to take control of Rangers. Now The Herald can reveal that Ian Anderson, the leader of the consortium behind the takeover bid and the business partner of Mr Hunt, is currently banned from being a company director in Britain. Rangers and majority shareholder Sir David Murray had been in discussions with Mr Anderson, head of Spanish investment firm Protocol International, which claimed to have a multinational consortium of investors ready to take over the football club. Mr Hunt is described as Protocolââ?¬â?¢s trade and operations adviser. This week it emerged that the deal collapsed through due diligence after Rangers found a proof of funding letter from Belgian bank KBC ââ?¬â?? the 18th largest in Europe ââ?¬â?? was fake. Sir David and Rangers then discovered that Mr Anderson, who had led the talks, had been banned from holding any directorships in the country until 2013 after a previous investment company took millions in fees without providing any funds. The development has been reported by Sir David to the ethics and fraud unit of KBC and an investigation is expected. Mr Anderson had insisted proof of funding for the Rangers takeover had been provided to Lloyds TSB and there were plans to meet the bank this week. Mr Anderson claimed the consortium involved three investors from Spain ââ?¬â?? himself ââ?¬â?? Holland and Italy and they wanted to spend Ã?£20m to Ã?£30m over three to five years on players. They claimed they wanted to take 91% of shares but retain Sir David as president and Walter Smith as manager. However, The Herald can reveal that Mr Anderson was one of two directors of the Victoria Fintrade investment company that took more than Ã?£3m in processing fees and insurance deposits over four years from numerous clients without every obtaining funding for them. When winding up proceedings commenced against Victoria Fintrade in July 2003, they owed more than Ã?£3.5m and left behind a trail of defunct multi-million pound development projects. A spokesman for Murray International said: ââ?¬Å?I can confirm an approach was made and due diligence was carried out on both the parties involved and the information presented and it became clear that the information was absolutely not genuine. The decision was obviously taken not to pursue the approach.ââ?¬Â Mr Anderson, from Nottingham, is president and chief executive of Protocol, which is based in Mojacar, Spain. His website profile describes him as Dr Ian P Anderson and says he is a member of the worldââ?¬â?¢s largest anti-fraud organisation, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. His online Linkedin CV claims he was national sales and marketing manager at First Finance (Bristol), that he was area and regional marketing manager at National Westminster Bank and had various roles within HSBC. What he does not divulge is his involvement at director level of some 20 companies which have dissolved, including his time with Victoria Fintrade. Protocol has the slogan well-known to Rangers supporters: ââ?¬Å?We are the people.ââ?¬Â A source close to Sir David said: ââ?¬Å?There is thankfully no question of any money changing hands. Sir David does due diligence on both the source and the parties involved. Proof of funds is the first thing that is normally done. ââ?¬Å?It would not be difficult to go to the bank to confirm that the letter was genuine and authentic. Thatââ?¬â?¢s a first step. We donââ?¬â?¢t understand how they think they could get away with it.ââ?¬Â http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/mission-impossible-the-rangers-takeover-attempt-by-ethan-hunt-1.1027050

Another fine article from Andy_Steel - enjoy! http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=269:walter-and-me-in-the-garden&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67 A beautiful, sunny weekend saw me stride confidently toward the garden, planting out some vegetables (I know it's too early, but needs must sometimes) tidying up the last of the daffodils, exhorting my raspeberries on with words of encouragement, and scowling at my gooseberry bush, which refuses to die despite my best efforts. Anyone who has ever 'enjoyed' a gooseberry crumble or tried to prune the spiky plant in question will understand my hatred for it. Another chore was the pruning of my honeysuckle, which was wildly out of control. Luckily, with this sort of Lonerica, one can hack it quite brutally and the plant will recover in 18-24 months or so, producing a fine new growth and flowering shortly thereafter. As I stood there, lopping shears and secateurs in hand, my recurring obsession with seeing life in terms of football kicked in once again. How like Walter Smith I am, I mused, as I cut back here, trim there, and await the new shoots that I can enjoy in years to come. But will Walter, or his successor should that be the case, be able to cut back hard and recover? That's plainly an unanswerable question. Only the coaching staff of our reserve and youth teams will know if we have a crop of players similar to Manchester United's all those years ago. Even they can hardly give a definitive reply! But we all know well enough that the pruning will happen. A question we can answer is, how do we deal with it? Listening to the radio this week, a theme which has cropped up often has been the impending exodus, mostly to England, of the best of Scottish football this summer. Reynolds, McArthur and so on are expected to head to the Championship while their predecessors, Adam, Dorrans and the like, aim for the Premiership. And the adjective which has been used to describe this is usually 'sad'. Apart from the fact that the resumption of this trade - for so long the lifeblood of our teams - will provide a welcome source of income, and exposure for our players, we have to view it as an opportunity. As the older, better players move on, they leave a gap which needs filled; and for once, for the first time in a long time, they will not be replaced by European players of no great ability, other than that of drawing a handsome salary. It will be Scots players who get the nod; players who know what the fans want, since they were fans only a few months ago. Not all of them will make the grade, I suppose, indeed most of them will end up doing the rounds of the lower leagues here and in England, while some will drop out of football altogether. At Rangers, we can at least hope that some of our young replacements will be of a standard that gives them a fighting chance of succeeding. John Fleck, Jamie Ness, Greg Wylde - I'm no expert on Rangers beyond the first team and so offer no comment on the strengths and weaknesses of these and others lads. But I'm willing to give them a chance to shine, to grow and to blossom into the superstars we all hope for. Maybe, when I'm looking at my honeysuckle in the summer of 2012, admiring it's star shaped flower and enjoying the sweet scent, I might think of the players who have delivered title 55 to Rangers, and remember when they first emerged into the first team. And no doubt if they have, they too will be contemplating a move to sunnier climes, and the internet fan will be thinking about who is coming through next. In the garden of Rangers everything is not always rosy; how can it be? But I console myself with the thought that the soil is fertile, there are plenty of willing helpers, and that so long as that remains true there will be seeds waiting to be sown. We may see a brutal summer, but it may lead to a bright future after all.

The league flag will be unfurled tomorrow as Rangers are crowned champions for the 53rd time, a world record. It is two-in-a-row for Walter Smith's men and in many ways, perhaps the most remarkable of the the 9 championships he has delivered as Rangers manager. Rangers do not have their problems to seek off the field. A debt estimated circa �£25-30m, restrictive business plans imposed upon the club and an ongoing takeover saga. On the field, Rangers have not forked out a transfer fee on any player since August 2008. The squad has slowly eroded over that time with only loan deals supplementing the squad. The season began with a new Celtic manager in Tony Mowbray. High quality, high tempo, attacking football was promised. It is, after all, "The Celtic Way". Sadly, the Monkey Heid lasted only until March. By then, the league was lost and only pride was left to play for. Rangers though, stumbled toward the finishing line, but reached it with 3 games to spare. It may not have been pretty for much of the season with a number of results ground out through sheer belligerence - but given the circumstances, what more could we realistically expect? The close season holds plenty of fears and poses many questions. Will someone take over and wipe out/ drastically reduce our debt? Will that person(s) have Rangers best interests at heart? Will the manager have funds to strengthen the squad? Who will be our manager? Which players will move on to pastures new? Nevertheless, it is a time to celebrate. To rejoice at the achievements of a team who have stood firm against forces that would have floored lesser men and lesser teams. You can never quite get enough of that winning feeling, and lets hope we finish the season with three points. Motherwell showed on Wednesday night that they are capable of scoring goals and with the Rangers players no doubt looking to put on a champions performance, there could be some good entertainment on offer. The team that plays may prove difficult to guess correctly but I'd like to see one or two young players play a part. I'd go for the following: :na: :sw::kirk::sp: :nn::kt::sd::jf: :kb: Prediction: Rangers 3-2 Motherwell

DANNY WILSON will seal his dream switch to Liverpool in the next week. SunSport understands the Kop giants will table a fresh bid for the Rangers superkid after their first move was knocked back last week. And skint Rangers boss Walter Smith will be forced to give up his fight to hang on to the �£3million-rated defender. Liverpool last week offered �£1.5m plus a glamour testimonial at Anfield as they tried to lure Wilson south. Gers insisted they wouldn't part with the 18-year-old stopper on the cheap. But Wilson has made it clear he does not plan to sign a new Ibrox contract - and Anfield insiders believe the deal will be done after the final day of the season tomorrow. We exclusively revealed in February the Premiership outfit were leading the chase to sign Scotland's Young Player of the Year as they begin a rebuilding programme. Tottenham were also keeping tabs on Wilson's situation, but have now conceded defeat. Snaring the Scotland Under-21 starlet is regarded as a major coup at Anfield. Wilson will be handed a bumper wage rise and the promise of a chance to make the grade among English football's elite. Kop boss Rafa Benitez wants Wilson to sign this summer so he can have three years at the club before the age of 21. That would allow him to be regarded as 'homegrown' in the eyes of UEFA for future Champions League tournaments. New UEFA rules demand competing teams have a certain percentage of players who were developed by the club. Meanwhile, Gers boss Smith revealed he'll forge ahead with the bank's Plan A limited spending budget if Gers don't find a buyer by the end of next week. Businessman Andrew Ellis is still in the frame to take over the cash-strapped SPL champions. And Smith hopes any buyout would hand him a bigger transfer kitty for new players. However, the Gers gaffer is fearful no takeover deal will be done and he has revealed he can't wait forever before starting to revamp his squad. Six players could be on their way out of the club after tomorrow's final league clash with Motherwell and Smith has identified possible replacements. He said: "The situation is just the same at the present moment. "But that is not the club's problem, if you follow me. "That is the least of the problems, when you consider what we have to prepare for in the coming season. Advertisement Click here "I hope we have a clearer picture, within the next week or so, on which of the paths we're taking. "As long as we know which one it is, that's the main thing. "I've not been able to do a great deal of planning, so that's a little logistical problem we have to get over. "We've been doing enough in the background to keep us up to speed with what we need and what we want - effectively what we can get. "Although our scouting department was cut back fairly dramatically, we've still been active in that area and we have a fair idea of some of the targets we would want for next season." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2964840/Danny-Kops-it.html#ixzz0nKDVKffn

Rangers manager Walter Smith has revealed that he will sit down and consider his future at Ibrox. More...

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/walter-smith-needs-assurances-if-success-is-to-continue-1.1026091 Analysis by Darrell King Share 0 comments 7 May 2010 Walter Smith will receive the silverware this Sunday, but will he get the answers? The weekend ahead promises to be one of the most crucial in Rangersââ?¬â?¢ history, as a behind-the-scenes search for clarity on the future goes on, against the backdrop of the clubââ?¬â?¢s first home SPL trophy presentation day in seven years. Smith is becoming an increasingly frustrated figure, and justifiably so. None of us, try and probe as we might, are likely to find out the full extent of the fires heââ?¬â?¢s been fighting in the past year or so. But the clock is now ticking on the most important issue at any football club ââ?¬â?? just who is the manager going to be? Unless Smith is given guarantees in the next few days that there will be funding to repair a squad that has been hacked at and systematically downsized over recent transfer windows, then he is almost certain to walk. And who could blame him? He has been happy to operate without a contract from the end of January until now, just in case a new owner arrived and didnââ?¬â?¢t fancy him, thus removing any compensation bill to bring in a new man. But isnââ?¬â?¢t Smith entitled to now put himself first over club politics? After everything heââ?¬â?¢s given to Rangers, over many years and not just this second spell, he has earned the right to be treated in a far better way than this. He knows the problems and the issues. In fact, he is the man who has brought many of them into the public domain. More than that, Smith has continued to drive the message in bold red warning letters to the heart of the supporters ââ?¬â?? many of whom still appear to be in denial ââ?¬â?? much to the annoyance of faceless men who have barked orders behind the scenes that he should be silenced. He was one man they could not control, and they dared not push him too far given the chaos that would have ensued had Smith departed during Rangersââ?¬â?¢ title defence. But his patience is now being tested. And if he does go as a result of more financial restrictions being imposed ââ?¬â?? and as of yet budgets have still to be agreed between Rangers and Lloyds ââ?¬â?? then there could be an almighty backlash from a support which holds him in as high esteem as they have done at any time in his two tenures. For instance, last Friday ââ?¬â?? after a week in which the club was again rocked by in-fighting in the wake of revelations that a tax investigation was being conducted with regard to payments made into playersââ?¬â?¢ off-shore accounts ââ?¬â?? Smith met the press to reiterate the need for investment and a plan to take Rangers forward. Almost as he was speaking, Sir David Murray was announcing to the BBC there would be a ââ?¬Ë?limitedââ?¬â?¢ budget for players, which was in stark contradiction to his successor Alastair Johnstonââ?¬â?¢s revelations days before that they still had to meet Lloyds to discover what the business plan would be, a process that will begin next week. With those kind of mixed messages, what chance does Smith have? He has pencilled in 16 players for next term, including the injured Andrius Velicka, two goalkeepers, and two kids in Danny Wilson and John Fleck. He knows that will simply not do. The business plan must identify what will happen to the Ã?£55,000 per week that would be freed up from the possible exits of six out-of-contract players ââ?¬â?? Davie Weir, Kirk Broadfoot, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, Stevie Smith and DaMarcus Beasley. Smith knows he needs at least six new players. Does he get that money? Does he get hard cash for transfer fees? And how much? What level of player is he pitching at? These are the issues he must have resolved before any call can be made on what he does next. In the midst of all this, Smith also had to cope with the revelations attributed to would-be buyer Andrew Ellis, who was forced to break cover when the content of his chance meeting and blether with a Sky TV presenter ended up becoming public knowledge. Smith would be offered a new three-year deal, Ellis said in a hurried public declaration, adding that he would offer a life presidency title to Sir David should he gain control ââ?¬â?? which he hoped would happen in three to four weeks. Clearly irked, Smithââ?¬â?¢s response to this was that ââ?¬Å?maybe the chap concerned should speak to me first before speaking about meââ?¬Â. Given the men have never shared a conversation, just what was Ellis thinking about? That episode has only added to Smithââ?¬â?¢s frustration. But there are two key situations at Rangers right now. Firstly, the immediate future of the manager and the budget for next season with, as we have revealed, senior figures inside the club still fearful of what conditions the bank will try to impose when Johnston meets them face-to-face at the start of next week. Secondly, the ownership issue, which is no further forward. As we stated last week, there are many inside Ibrox who simply do not believe Ellis will follow his interest through, unless there is some hidden business going on behind his proposed takeover that has yet to be unearthed. Time will tell on that, but he has no plans to meet Johnston in the immediate future according to his people, which does appear strange. As does his lack of urgency in calling Smith. Ellis, in fact, is close to being bracketed in the ââ?¬Å?put up or shut upââ?¬Â category that was outlined by Murray in reference to other interested parties last week. But will any of them? The ownership issue, however, is of less immediate concern to Smith. Assuming the budgetary issue is resolved to his liking, then the matter of finding a new owner would be no more than a sideshow, a bearable distraction. It would have no material effect on his day-to-day running of the team, as long as he has the appropriate financial plan laid out, guaranteed, and is allowed to manage without interference. Smith simply wants to know what Rangers 2010 will look like ââ?¬â?? then he can make a decision. While he wants to see the clubââ?¬â?¢s long-term future resolved as much as anyone, itââ?¬â?¢s what he will have to play with in terms of his team for next season that holds the key right now. Undoubtedly, people like Johnston, chief executive Martin Bain and the supporters want to see Smith given the resources to rebuild and strengthen a team that has won six trophies in three years. Unfortunately, they donââ?¬â?¢t hold the key to that. The bank do. And given their actions over the past 18 months, will they sanction what Smith needs? If they donââ?¬â?¢t, things may be about to get a lot messier ââ?¬â?? and the most important man of all could be lost in the fall-out.

DAVID Weir arrived at Ibrox as a stop-gap central defender on a short term salvage mission. It has turned into a quite remarkable three-and-a-half-year extension of his top flight playing career which will see him savour both collective and individual glory on Sunday. In the afternoon, the Rangers captain will step forward to collect the SPL trophy after the final match of the champions' season at Ibrox against Motherwell. A few hours later, Weir will be the centre of attention at a gala awards dinner in Glasgow when he receives the Scottish Football Writers' Association's Player of the Year honour. Weir, who will celebrate his 40th birthday on Monday, has earned the grateful and enduring affection of Rangers supporters for his contribution to the on-field success they have enjoyed over the past three years against a backdrop of financial uncertainty. His longevity and consistency has defied logic. The veteran defender has missed only three SPL matches since Walter Smith recruited him from Everton on an initial six-month contract back in January 2007. Six major trophy wins and a Uefa Cup final appearance later, Weir continues to shrug aside talk of retirement. "I'm keen to play on and enjoy it," he said. "But it would have to be right for me and not just for the sake of it. Until something is put in front of me, I can't give a definitive answer. "I genuinely don't know what will happen in terms of staying at Rangers. The manager has been asked the same question about his own future and I don't think we are in a position to answer. No-one knows how the land lies at the club or how it will lie. It's a case of wait and see. "There are six players out of contract, including me, along with the coaching staff. It's a strange circumstance, but that's the way it is. I would imagine it might be quite late in the summer before a decision is made about me." Weir may not be short of alternative options. He is close to completing the full set of coaching badges and is sure to be regarded as a suitable candidate for a step into management. While he maintains his policy of never trying to anticipate what the future holds, however, Weir is fairly certain he will not seek to combine playing with a coaching role. "I don't think player-manager is doable for me," he said. "It's a hard job. Playing is hard enough without being a boss too and having to compromise on both jobs. I'd never close any doors, but I'd say it is unlikely. "I just hope to stay in football. It wouldn't be through choice if I found myself out of the game. I love the game, whether it is playing it, watching it or talking about it. But there are a lot of people out of a job in football and chasing just a few posts. "Football is changing and you have to be realistic as a lot of people want jobs. I've done well out of the game, so I won't feel hard done by if I don't get a job. But I hope to stay in football one way or another." Wherever his career path takes him, Weir will always cherish the time he has spent wearing the colours of the club he supported as a boy. "It has exceeded expectations, without a shadow of a doubt," he added. "I just came to Rangers for a few months, to try and help stabilise the club. The target back then was just to make sure we finished second in the SPL. By Rangers' standards, what we were aiming for was not high. "So to go from that to winning championships and cups has been incredible. You can't underestimate the achievements here over the last three years and how the manager has turned the club around during difficult times. "You don't really get time to savour things here, because there is always another story breaking about Rangers and another game to get ready for. But maybe when the season ends on Sunday, we can take in just how big an achievement it has been to win the title again. "I don't really think about winning the league on a personal level, but I am looking forward to Sunday and the trophy presentation. It is a massive achievement. Retaining the trophy was huge for us. We won it last year after chasing Celtic all the time. "That was a massive sense of joy, but this year was a new challenge and a bigger test. It was a relief to win it because it was harder. I'm proud of this, because good Rangers teams in the past haven't won championships. Hopefully this means the current crop will be remembered as a good team." Weir's coronation as Scotland's top player at the age of 39, the oldest winner of the award, may be regarded as evidence of a lack of quality among his younger colleagues. He insists, however, that the Scottish game has cause for optimism. "I genuinely don't think we are in too bad a shape," he said. "I watched Sunderland against Manchester United last week and two Scots, Craig Gordon and Darren Fletcher, were the best players on the pitch. Then you look at the Championship, where guys like Charlie Adam are outstanding every time you see them play. "There is still Scottish talent out there, just maybe not the strength in depth of it that there used to be. But we do have people coming through, like Danny Wilson and John Fleck at Rangers. There are a lot of good things happening in Scottish football." While Weir was typically self-effacing when informed of his Football Writers' Association's Player of the Year award, he was clearly thrilled to see his name added to a star-studded roll of honour stretching back to 1965. "I must admit, I did look up the previous winners and that's when it strikes home what it means. It goes all the way back to the likes of John Greig and Billy McNeill, so to be in that company is great." :spl: http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Evergreen-Weir-not-ready-to.6279136.jp

Rangers FC secured another league title against Hibernian at Easter Road, breaking our own world record taking our tally to 53 SPL title wins, with Kyle Lafferty scoring the only goal of the game with a fine finish to start the party for the travelling fans,having the League Cup already safely in the Ibrox trophy room the double was achieved in what has to be one of the toughest seasons for Walter Smith and his team. It would be understandable then if the players switched off for the rest of the season and start thinking about their Holidays with their families. Not this team, they went up to Tannadice with nothing to play for and the fans travelled up to continue the party that was started at Easter Road. WS took the opportunity to rest several first team players and give some of the fringe players a run out. Despite this fixture being a tricky one normally during the season they could have been forgiven if they drew or even lost, however Rangers went out and attacked DUTD from the start and were rewarded when King Kris scored his 100th Rangers goal within two minutes, a feat that he has to take a massive amount of credit for proving he has no challenger in the SPL when it comes to finding the back of the net, and the whole team showed what they are made of with a great performance and effort gaining another 3 pts when wee Nacho scored with a good run and neat finish, special mention to young Fleck who was involved in everything good that Rangers did. Onto the OF game tonight at the piggery. Is this a meaningless game???, I think if you asked the fans the answer would be not a chance, beating the BHEASTS at any time is a must and under no circumstances do we want the wee bigot getting a first win of the season in an OF game,I want to piss all over them in their own midden and shut all the moaning MOPES up for another season at least, let's have a party and let them know WATP Ask the same question to the Rangers players and I'm in no doubt the answer would be the same,well maybe not the '' wee bigot '' bit . However this team have shown over the course of the season that they are made of stern stuff, the kind that makes CHAMPIONS :spl:. Make no mistake here regardless of what we hear from our players there is no way they are going to allow this greeting faced piss poor team take anything from this game as I'm sure they will have read all the crap spouting from some of the C****c players,past & present,and will want to go out and show what CHAMPIONS :spl: are made of and I for one think we will come out of the midden with a convincing win.I have a feeling this game is going to be quite an explosive event with the BHEASTS doing everything and anything to beat the CHAMPIONS:spl:, which of course includes diving,fouling and cheating at every chance they get, as they always do,and expect the ref to have a busy night and have no doubt the wee bigot will have them wound up into a frenzy, but I have faith in this group of players,they know what it takes to win games and that is why we are simply the best. However should we get beat we will still be having a party at the piggery as CHAMPIONS:spl: As for the team that Walter Smith will put out??, again as has been all season who knows what players will take up the fight but I'm pretty certain it will be the strongest team we have and one that WS will be confident of getting another win against the BHEASTS, after all he is the daddy in these fixtures. BHEASTS 1 CHAMPIONS:spl: 2

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/8654665.stm Sir David Murray insists "limited funds" are available for Rangers boss Walter Smith to purchase new players. The former chairman, who controls 90% of Ibrox club, told BBC Scotland that directors are planning to help the club through its wait for a buyer. He said the sale of his stake is the remit of chairman Alistair Johnston. Murray insisted it was "obvious" that Smith will require investment after reducing the squad to ease the club's finances with a reduced wage bill. The delay in Murray selling his stake in Rangers continues, while London-based Andrew Ellis carries out background research and mulls over a bid reported to be worth �£33m. Murray was commenting as he filed the accounts of his company, Murray International Holdings, which control of more than 90% of Rangers as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Murray's company reported a �£175m loss, mainly through write-downs in its property portfolio, and also through the price of metal falling sharply during the 17-month accounting period to the middle of last year. Rangers suffered a �£12.7m loss and saw its debt rise to �£31m during the year to June 2009. There's no truth to the bank wanting to ring fence the season ticket money Sir David Murray However, Murray is confident it will turn a profit in the current year and next, having just re-qualified for European competition next season and Smith will be in a position to add players to the Ibrox roster. "There are limited funds available to strengthen the team, which is necessary, and Alistair Johnston and the board are drawing up a business plan for that," said Murray. Murray has denied there was any cross-guarantee of funding between Rangers and other parts of his business empire. However, he has had to disentangle the cross-guarantees used between other divisions. Rangers debt levels are being reduced under pressure from Lloyds Banking Group and are expected to be closer to about �£20m by June. The former Ibrox chairman firmly denied reports that the bank is insisting on using ticket sales revenue to pay down any of the club's debt. "There's no truth to the bank wanting to ring fence the season ticket money," he said. Responding to reports that Rangers are under investigation by HM Revenue and Customs, the former chairman said the club would respond robustly. He added: "Lots of football clubs and other businesses are in a similar situation."

Walter Smith is playing down Nacho Novo's critical comments of arch-rivals Celtic ahead of Wednesday's Old Firm clash. More...

IBROX misfit Filip Sebo has told born-again Kyle Lafferty to seal his transformation from embarrassing flop to fans' favourite at Celtic Park on Tuesday. Then become the most unlikely Rangers cult hero since himself! Lafferty's highly-publicised gaffes on and off the pitch left Gers fans dismayed at the �£3.25million signing from Burnley. But Sebo reckons Lafferty - for so long the butt of fans' jokes - resurrected his reputation last month with crucial goals against Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs. Those three games saw Lafferty hit more SPL goals than Sebo managed in a calamitous 12-month Rangers career under Paul le Guen then Walter Smith following his �£1.85m transfer from Austria Vienna. However it didn't prevent Sebo becoming the darling of the Light Blues brigade three years ago as they took the Slovakian striker to their hearts. Now Sebo says Laff must seize the opportunity to do the same against Celtic. Sebo, now at French club Valenciennes, said: "The club spent a lot of money on Kyle, almost double what they paid for me, but it's fair to say he's found it hard to justify that price tag. "I have more sympathy for him than anyone because no one knows better than me how difficult it is trying to make a career at a massive club like Rangers. "I didn't find it easy. I was a new player, I was young and inexperienced and the club had a new manager in Paul le Guen. "The fans were amazing towards me, but they were not blind. They could see it just wasn't working and I wasn't scoring a lot of goals. "I know the rules when you are a striker - it's only about the goals. People can talk about the work you're doing for the team, how unselfish you are. "But the bottom line is you have to score goals and I only scored two. "That was it. I was finished. I don't look back and blame Walter Smith, Paul le Guen or anybody else. "It's the law of football, the way it is. "Fortunately Kyle looks as if he is overcoming his problems. He has scored some big goals recently, against Aberdeen and Hearts. "More importantly he scored the goal against Hibs which delivered the title - the Rangers fans won't forget that goal for a long time. I have one thing which Kyle would love to have "Now he has the opportunity to create an even stronger bond with the fans if he can score or produce a great performance against Celtic. "If the fans take to him the way they did with me he will have earned something very special indeed." Sebo says the greatest thing about achieving cult status with Rangers fans is it's a lifetime award! He said: "I have one thing which Kyle would love to have - the Rangers fans will never forget my name and that's special to me. "They gave me strength when I was in Scotland. I didn't bring my best form to the games, but the fans were on my side every time, cheering my name. "Even now, three years after I left Scotland, the fans send me lots of emails and messages. They still keep in touch and that is amazing. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to play for a big club like Rangers. It didn't work out and it didn't last much more than a year and yet the fans still keep in touch with me. "I feel I have a special bond with them. Don't ask me why we hit it off, you would have to ask the Rangers fans. "But in my opinion it was because I tried to give everything I had for them. I didn't leave one part of myself out on the pitch at the end of a game. "Even if I was only given five minutes on the park I wanted to give everything I had for them. In return they sang my name and encouraged me when they could just as easily have turned against me." Gers fans did turn on Lafferty after he failed to impress in a wide left role, then bragged about his lifestyle, earnings and his Bentley car in a misguided attempt to dismiss stories he couldn't pay an overdue debt. Sebo's approach on his website is rather different - saying he drives a company car! With Lafferty's Ibrox career finally showing signs of taking off, Sebo says the most important lesson the Northern Ireland striker can learn is to keep his feet on the ground in future. He said: "I do have a company car - from our club sponsors Toyota. "Of course I have my private car as well, but I don't speak about it because that is my private life. "I prefer to be modest. It's just the way I am. "I don't like to boast and talk to the press about money, about cars about houses as Kyle did. "We all have the right to a private life and footballers are fortunate because a lot of us enjoy a very good lifestyle. "Maybe we enjoy the lifestyle a little too much at times! "But I don't think it's nice to speak publicly about things like this or show them off. "It's not my way. So when I was in Glasgow I had my club Honda, here in Valenciennes I have my club Toyota, and I'm happy with that. "Kyle has probably learned the hard way that it's better to be modest because we do have a lot of privileges some fans will never be fortunate enough to share. "In football the bigger the club, the bigger the pressure and Rangers is a very big club. "If you can't provide success for the club there has to be change. "At big clubs you don't have time to adapt and get there eventually. You have to make things happen right away. "The pressure's the same for a striker or any big-money signing as it is for a manager. "If you are not successful immediately then don't be surprised if you're asked to leave." http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/801270/Filip-Sebo-says-Gers-ace-wont-be-Laffing-stock-for-much-longer.html

Andreas Hinkel lit the blue touchpaper ahead of the final Old Firm derby of the season by insisting Celtic will prove to a global audience they are better than champions Rangers. The German defender cannot envisage the prospect of completing the SPL campaign without a win over Walter Smith's side. Instead, he claimed Celtic will be inspired by their feeling of frustration about the three previous Old Firm matches, which have all featured controversial decisions in two home wins for Rangers and a 1-1 draw at Parkhead. 'It is always an important game against Rangers and we want to prove we are better than them,' said Hinkel ahead of tomorrow night's game. The league is finished but we can show all of Scotland, and all of the world, that we are the better team. 'When you see the three games we have had against them this season, then think about it. Even the game we lost in the last minute, we deserved a draw. We were very unlucky.' Rangers striker Nacho Novo revealed last week that the Ibrox players had laughed in the face of Celtic's weak challenge this season. Celtic have lost 14 games in all competitions, while Rangers have lost seven. 'I did not read anything from Nacho Novo,' said Hinkel. 'To be honest, I don't think about things like that and don't care what Novo says or thinks. He is not that important to me. It is always important to beat Rangers. It is the biggest game in the city and there is so much history attached to the fixture. 'It does not matter if the league is finished or not. It's one game but we want to beat them. 'We cannot turn around the season and the league is now finished but we would still love to beat the champions. 'I can't say in a few words why we are the better team, but just watch the previous Old Firm games. 'The last time we played them here, we scored only one goal but we made so many chances. We just let in one late goal for a 1-1 draw. 'Not taking our chances and conceding too many cheap goals has been our main problem for the main part of this season. 'We dropped too many points because of that. 'I don't want to talk about the (refereeing) decisions in the Old Firm matches but you can see them. We are frustrated about all three games against Rangers. 'I don't know if beating them would do anything psychologically for us for next season. 'But, if you think about the three Old Firm games so far, we deserved to win at least one of them. 'Actually, we dominated the first one at Ibrox and also the one here at New Year. 'We will give everything we can on Tuesday to get at least one win over them in the season.' Hinkel has 12 months left on his Parkhead contract, with Schalke 04 believed to be keen on taking him back to his native Germany. 'Everybody knows the situation - I have one year left on my Celtic contract,' he said. 'People are saying: "Is Hinkel staying or going?" I can only say that if a club like Schalke is being mentioned, then it shows my performances here have been noticed. 'They are a big club in Germany. But I have not spoken to them. 'Celtic have not spoken to me, either, about my contract still having a year to run. 'It's a good sign to be linked with a big club. You have to ask Celtic what they want to do.' :fish: :spl: :robbo: Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1270864/Celtic-defender-Andreas-Hinkel-Were-better-Rangers-prove-derby.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0moj4gTuW

Steven Davis, Danny Wilson and Walter Smith all scooped prizes in Scotland's PFA end of season awards. More...

. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/169635/Ibrox-takeover-will-sway-Boyd