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The title might lead you to thinking that you're about to read something satirical, but I can assure you that you aren't. With just over a week of the summer transfer window remaining, some Rangers fans are rightly beginning to wonder whether Ally McCoist still has the transfer kitty which our new owner Craig Whyte promised a few months ago. It's actually been quite an interesting summer for us in the transfer market and not too many fans will be saying they're seriously underwhelmed by the business the club have done so far, but there's one thing that people are all too aware of and that's that the club haven't actually spent very much money. Some people are saying that it's prudent in the current financial climate for the club to be thrifty and not to spend much money, especially if it's money that the club doesn't actually have or in other words, borrowed. Others though, are brushing off their calculators and adding up what the club has actually spent in comparison to what it's received or due to receive. Without going into specific details and listing all of the transfer fees, it would appear that so far the club has only spent approximately �£1.5 million of the promised �£5 million transfer fund when you take the incoming money from the sales of Madjid Bougherra and Charlie Adam into account. Craig Whyte also said that more than �£5 million could be made available to the manager if necessary, but lets just concentrate on the basic five big ones. So..... the big question is: Does Ally McCoist still have �£3.5 million to spend before the end of this transfer window? I'm not trying to give anyone a dose of the runs here. It's a serious question and one which I'm sure a lot of people are keen to hear an answer to. Over to you Mr. Whyte... It was only a few weeks ago that we were in a situation where the club had a �£2 million accepted bid for Carlos Cuellar on the table and were also simultaneously bidding over �£5 million combined for David Goodwillie and Roland Juh�¡sz. That's over �£7 million that we were led to believe was being made available. After our chaotic Champions League exit at the hands of Swedish club Malm�¶ FF, I'm sure nobody in their right mind thinks Ally McCoist might still have anywhere near �£7 million at his disposal, but where's the remaining �£3.5 million of the promised budget? Did someone leave it in Malmo?

They're saying 3 weeks left of the transfer window, which has now been opened since early June iirc. We all knew our squad was paper thin, and that numerous reinforcements were most definitely desired. Our business so far is Spanish 29 year old winger Ortiz for �£500k, Scottish left back (24) Lee Wallace for �£1.5M, Romanian 28 year old central defender Dorin Goian for �£800k, and 24 year old American midfielder Alejandro Bedoya on a pre contract who will join us in 5 months. Forgetting what we arguably still need, what are our verdicts, given what we've seen of them, of the signings we've made up till this point?

LIVERPOOL are set to make a shock bid for Celtic star Paddy McCourt. McCourt's stunning individual goal for Northern Ireland against the Faroes last week was seen by scouts all over Europe. Kop boss Kenny Dalglish has already spent over �£100million this year as he tries to turn the Anfield club in to English title contenders. Now he is ready to open the chequebook once more to try and net the Celtic winger before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. Liverpool are understood to have made a tentative enquiry about the player's availability last Thursday morning - just hours after his wonder strike. They were given little encouragement by Hoops bosses but a formal bid is expected to be lodged within the next few days. It now remains to be seen whether they will offer enough to persuade boss Neil Lennon to part with the player. Wolves and Blackpool are also interested in the 27-year-old but the chance to become part of King Kenny's revolution is likely to tempt McCourt Liverpool's way. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3752188/Kenny-eyes-up-Paddy-McCourt-bid.html#ixzz1V3PRCVFX :sowsuser:

I guess this will open the way for a Wilson deal to get put in place. No complaints here if it does he will be an excellent addition. If we loan him to xmas we could bring in Carlos in January. We could even be cheeky and offer Liverpool 1.5 million for him.

Tottenham striker Robbie Keane is closing on a move to MLS side LA Galaxy, according to reports. Keane is unwanted by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and said last week that he expected to tie up a move before the end of the transfer window. The Irish international played in a friendly on Wednesday night against Croatia in Dublin, but is believed to be flying to LA to sign a contract worth a reported $9 million over next two years. Keane was linked with a transfer to the MLS 18 months ago, with wife Claudine quoted as saying: "Would I like to see him play for a team like LA Galaxy? Yes, I would love that, but it changes all the time." The striker's departure would open up room for a loan move for former Arsenal frontman Emmanuel Adebayor, who has also been told that he has no future at Manchester City. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/942960/tottenham-striker-keane-heading-to-galaxy---report?cc=5739

The Thoughts and Ramblings of DarcheVinny There is a hefty rumour circulating the forums and social networks I visit - as you all know - regarding Gregg Wylde's alleged contract rejection and even a 'bust up' with our manager. Looking at the squad selection from the Chelsea game with Wylde's absence and it appears these rumours may well be more than rumours. Are we about to lose another very promising talent before we've seen him become a first eleven regular? He had a good run as a regular last season, I was hoping he would play a full term for us on the left this season. Sadly, I don't think we're going to see it. In a pre-season transfer window where again we see players we're linked to go elsewhere for better pay packets, to now potentially lose an exciting talent for the same reason, is a sore one. I could sit here and write about our financial situation in Scotland, Rangers' policies on contract offers and so on. However, I want to talk about the modern day players themselves. Is there anyone left that plays purely for the love of the game in the top leagues? Anyone? Do players like Boyd, Miller, Bougherra, Whittaker and now seemingly young Wylde realise what you or I would give to play for The Rangers? Anything, is the answer. There are many things ruining scottish football, the thirst for money - and lots of it - is the biggest factor for me. I do genuinely fear for the future of the game as more and more players opt for higher salaries than the privilege and honour of being a Ranger, not to mention the success, medals and memories to go with it! The world is still struggling economically as just last week we saw America up its debt limit by however many trillions. In no way are we fully safe from a world economic crash, collecting your wages for the day in a wheelbarrow and so on. Hypothetically, the worlds' economy crashes, money no longer exists. Who do you honestly think from our current squad would still step up and play the next saturday?

Published on Thursday 4 August 2011 11:51 POOL are being linked with a Rangers wonderkid labelled one of the game�s rising stars. The Seasiders are understood to have made an enquiry about attacking midfielder John Fleck, who made his first-team debut for the Glasgow giants at the age of 15, four years ago. Fleck has made 37 appearances since. He is a big part of Rangers� long-term plans and signed a new three-year contract last year. But Pool are hoping to land the teenager on a loan deal and have made contact with Ibrox. Ian Holloway wants to add players with an eye for goal before the transfer window closes at the end of the month, especially with DJ Campbell on the verge of finally leaving. The striker is close to completing a move to QPR, though there has been a hold-up as he waits to see if Aston Villa come in with a late bid. Campbell has not been training with Pool. http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool_linked_with_rangers_midfielder_1_3646378

by Lindsay Herron RANGERS have clinched a deal to bring Kyle Bartley back to Ibrox - and he could face Chelsea on Saturday. The official site can reveal that Arsenal have agreed to let the young defender join Rangers on loan for the season and he will arrive at Murray Park tomorrow. Bartley, of course, had a loan spell with the Light Blues last season when he arrived in the January window and played an important role in the early months of the year, He scored a vital goal at New St Mirren Park when Rangers were struggling with injuries and he also played in the Europa League. Unfortunately he suffered a knee injury against PSV Eindhoven which put him out for the rest of the campaign. However, he fully recovered and took part in Arsenal's pre-season campaign. Ally McCoist made no secret that he was keen to land his man and now the 20-year-old centre back is returning to Ibrox. There is still some paperwork to tie up but all things being equal Bartley will be involved against Chelsea on Saturday. Some good news at last

RANGERS chairman Craig Whyte has defended his transfer market dealings since taking charge of the club, insisting the criticism levelled at him in the wake of their Champions League elimination is "completely unjustified". Whyte has come under fire for the failure to sign more players ahead of the third qualifying round tie against unseeded Swedish side Malmo which Rangers lost 2-1 on aggregate to drop into the Europa League play-offs. Since buying Rangers three months ago, Whyte has overseen the recruitment of just three new players with Juan Manuel Ortiz, Lee Wallace and Dorin Goian arriving at Ibrox for a combined outlay of around �£2.5 million. With Madjid Bougherra poised to make a �£1.7 million move to Qatari champions Lekhiwaya and Rangers in line to receive an �£850,000 sell-on windfall from Charlie Adam's �£8.5 million move from Blackpool to Liverpool, Rangers will effectively recoup what they have spent on transfers so far. Rangers have failed with bids for a series of other players, most notably David Goodwillie who completed his �£2.8 million move from Dundee United to Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday. Whyte says Rangers offered more up front for the Scotland striker but claims United simply did not want to sell him to another Scottish club. The Rangers owner has promised to add more players to manager Ally McCoist's squad before the transfer window closes on 31 August and believes his dealings compare favourably with those at the club during the same period last year. "Look, we are speaking here on 4 August," said Whyte. "What had Rangers signed this time last season? Nothing. They signed James Beattie on something like 13 August and they signed Nikica Jelavic on around 20 August. We've had an earlier start to the season this year, but Rangers have done much, much more this time than in any season before. So I think the criticism is completely unjustified. "We are all working really hard to make this work. That is the bottom line. "We've got offers in for players. Sometimes you get them and sometimes you don't. With David Goodwillie, for example, we offered more than Blackburn offered, but Dundee United didn't want to sell to us. That is their prerogative. "I think the Dundee United people will tell you the same thing, that we offered more up front money than Blackburn. They said they might get more in extras from Blackburn, but basically, Dundee United didn't want to sell to another Scottish club. That is the bottom line. There is nothing sinister in it. I don't know why people make a thing out of it. There is nothing sinister in it at all. "We've got offers in for quite a few players at the moment. We have also still got the spine of the side that won the championship last season. I've done what I said I would do. I've extended players' contracts. We have so far signed three new players. We have got five or six other players who we have re-signed, which is just as important. I've delivered everything that I said I would deliver. That is the message I want to get across, and I will continue to do that. We will absolutely have a strong squad in place by the end of August, of course we will. "Ally and I sat together on the plane home and had a positive discussion about our signing plans. I fully understand the fans' frustration at the transfer speculation we have seen in recent weeks but the reason we lost in the Champions League is not due to a lack of signings. Ally himself has said publicly that we are a good side that only recently won the league championship." Rangers now miss out on income of around �£15 million which participation in the group stage of the Champions League would have delivered. Whyte, speaking on the team's return from Malmo where they finished with nine men on the pitch following the dismissals of Steven Whittaker and Bougherra in the 1-1 second leg draw, appeared determined to remain upbeat. "It was unfortunate but we are looking forward," he added. "Of course it is frustrating to go out of the Champions League. It's frustrating for all Rangers fans. I'm a Rangers fan myself and I know how it feels. "I thought the team played well in Malmo, I thought they played their guts out. There were a couple of unfortunate decisions, and it was unfortunate that we got a couple of players sent off, but we played well. "I think Rangers were the better team, I think everyone saw that." http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Craig-Whyte-comes-out-fighting.6813237.jp?articlepage=1

You could palpably sense the collective groaning when the news broke that the venerable David Weir had signed yet another one year contract with Rangers, at the ripe, old, pensionable age of 41. There may not have been any actual disgust considering his well received contribution to the amazing success in the trophy department from an underfunded Rangers team in the closing years of SDM's ownership: but you could feel the dread that this might be one year too far for the, up to now, rock-solid veteran, and the disappointment of not signing a younger replacement lingered as the obvious train of thought pulling out of the station and quickly gaining momentum. However, with the management having fingers in a few pies in the transfer market but taking a frustrating amount of time to bear any well cooked plums; and with the shaky look of the defence with the deputies we already possess; you've got to bet many Bears are looking forward to Weir (in Homer Simpson fashion) settling his bum into the perfectly matching, indented shape in the position he has made his own during an amazing 162 appearances for the Rangers defence, in a mere four and a half seasons. The thinking may now change to warmly welcome him to the team for the start of the season while we hammer out the details of transfer fees and wages, and wait on the decisions of others before someone (anyone?) signs for the centre half position - maybe (hopefully) while Cuellar works on coming back to fitness before possibly donning the Royal blue shirt in a second spell at the club. So if another year could be too far, how about another few months for the guy who only just nine weeks ago, stood on the Ibrox pitch, holding aloft the SPL trophy for the third time in a row, the 54th title - this time as a legendary captain of the world record holding club? With Bougherra still at the club, the familiar, well matched and reliable defensive duo will probably be a welcome sight to the tens of thousands in blue, when the Swedish champions, Malmo, come to grace, and be graced by, the freshly spruced up, five star, Ibrox stadium. It will give the defence a look of solidity it needs until some much needed business is hopefully completed well before the transfer window slams shut. The man dubbed "Sir David" by the fans, seems like an insurance policy that many will hope we won't have to call on too much after a new first choice partnership has gelled at the base of the traditional solid spine of a Rangers team. The prevailing opinion of the fans seems to be that a coaching role role would be the preferred primary task for the popular player who has defied the ravages of time and extended his career in top class football, way beyond what is traditionally considered possible. After that, his presence on the pitch will probably be most appreciated during the traditional, mid-season injury crises as fans await a new era of team rebuilding at the club - using players significantly younger, even if they turn out to be slightly the "wrong side" of thirty. If they can emulate the staying power of player they replace, it would mean they would still have another decade left in the peak of their career and when you consider that, a 31 year old would seem like a relative spring chicken. So let's hope the still current captain can continue his amazingly consistent form for the next couple of months while we try to build a solid start to the championship defence as well as negotiate the tricky qualifying rounds that bar our way to the riches of the Champion's League - a place where if Weir is allowed to play he will be the second oldest ever to grace the blue ribbon competition. At the moment he's like our bridging loan, but many hope he turns into an accruing investment, if he can effectively coach his amazing ability to read the game to our emerging young talent at Murray Park - and don't forget the insurance policy already mentioned. For all that, he seems well worth the premium we've paid for the annual renewal.

.... so we may as well start celebrating now :cheers: -- Explain to me how Rangers are going to square their oncoming tax bill and I'll wager you could teach us how to nail jelly to a tree. Frankly I still don't quite comprehend how the Ibrox club's takeover has built a jigsaw puzzle picture of a sunny future. But then why listen to me? I never thought Craig the Whyte knight would get his hands on the club in the first place. So off we jolly well go into another season which has already fired up more questions than answers, with its embarrassing hiccupping start as the Old Firm take their sabbatical before the term has learned to walk. Of course I understand the desire - requirement, maybe - for the big clubs to go big buck hunting, but I still find it humiliating for the SPL that the big kick-off is followed by a couple of weeks of damp squibs as Celtic then Rangers throw the other clubs a deaf one. It's like getting married then bodyswerving your own reception. Rangers fans can't be full of the joys of life. All window shopping in the transfer market, but no real spirit of the shop to drop. Sure, they've been linked with more big names than Piers Morgan�but headlines don't mean signings. Ally McCoist once compared taking the baton from Walter Smith to accepting the microphone from Sinatra and of course he was right. But it strikes me that Nelson Riddle has just taken the orchestra off the stage too. He took the job because ultimately he had no option. But privately he must reflect that somewhere down the line there might have been a better time. Like Neil Lennon timed his run, for example. After the Tony Mowbray shambles, the only way was up. No fence sitting from your old reporter. I'll be stunned if Celtic aren't champions by the time autumn and winter have blown their last and dear spring is in the air once again. Rangers were champions last year because they deserved to be, not because of Celtic's spectacular trip at Inverness as they toddled to the finishing line. A title race is a distance event and it is never won or lost on any given Saturday afternoon or Wednesday night. But this time at Parkhead, I suspect the lesson will have been learned. Mind you, to be fair there hasn't been a run on the ink at Lennoxtown. Signings there too have been a collector's item. But the difference is the depth of squad already on the employment register. Atlantic deep: Rangers meanwhile have to set sail in a puddle. What we need them both to do is progress in Europe in their respective competitions, to ensure a little midweek action in the Champions and Europa Leagues. That would put a little light in our lives. And talking of a little brightness, why do I have a good feeling about St Mirren? It's a worry. This time last year I was insistent that they would be relegated and if not quite gloriously wrong then I looked like being spot-on for a fair few months. Scotland coach Craig Levein faces crucial Euro 2012 qualifiers But the signings of Gary Teale, Nigel Hasselbaink and Stevie Thompson and a general something in the air over Paisley - and maybe the strong drink - has me think better days are coming. And here's a thing as I juggle my feel good factors: Scotland - I think we might make it to Poland and Ukraine although hopefully not Donetsk, quite the dreariest place I have ever been. There, even the birds cough. Certainly the play-offs of the European Championship qualifying group beckon at least, where Lithuania's turning over by Liechtenstein opened the door for Scotland and a straight two-way fight with the Czechs for second prize to World Champions Spain. So let SPL battle commence, earlier than ever but still too late. We should have been back three weeks ago thereby allowing our European representatives some run-up to their ties and freeing up some time for the inevitable winter back-log of postponed games. And maybe even a January shutdown� Hey, but I'm not one to spoil a bright new dawn with a bit of mumping. But watch this space. �SPL champions: Celtic �Second: Rangers �Third: Hearts �Relegated: Kilmarnock �Scottish Cup winners: Hearts �League Cup winners: Dundee United

With several weeks still to go until the transfer window slam's shut , we seem to be getting ever more desperate to sign a player , any player will do or so it seems , at least here in internet land . The reality is that we have been slaves to the mismanagement of Murrayand the previous board/bank and are paying the price short term , the fact that the spine of the team has been signed up long term seem's to have been totally missed by all ,these players would and should have been long gone if it wasn't for Mr Whyte's takeover. We are actively seeking new players , the fact that we are not just paying what the selling club wants seems again to byepass most in internet land , does anyone really think that our new manager wants to fail , or that we as it stand are not good enough with the present first team at our disposal to beat Malmo . I am not for a second saying that we are good enough to go through the season ahead with the squad as it stands , but the internet and forums other than this , also twitter ,are fast becoming no go areas such is the despair that seems to engulf us with every passing hour that CC or A N Other hasn't signed . Lets all just chill out and await the next few weeks and see what transpires if players are not brought in by then , then I will be the first to start PANICING but until then lets look forward and not back tothe bad old days when we accepted every and any rubbish bid for what ever player another team wanted . We are after all ............:spl::spl: , and dont anyone forget it

If Kirk Broadfoot thinks he should be playing every week as a first choice regular, he's dumber than someone who microwaved an egg.

Right. With CW physically telling Jim Traynor he is giving Ally �£15M to spend he has now committed himself, this is actually the first time (as far as i'm aware) he has told anyone how much money he is making available for players. I have defended CW to the hilt and will continue to do so. BUT, if we don;t have at least two solid signings by the Hearts game my confidence in him will drop a bit, if we don;t have 5 signings (minimum) including three first team players by the close of the transfer window i will be pissed off, unless it is proves we could not compete with the team the the player goes to. �£15M is a big number, but remember, ALL, EPL teams can spend that on two players with out breaking sweat. I know a lot of us are going to think we can sign Messi now, we can't but it will mean we can pay the �£2M for Goodwillie (i think he's worth �£1.5) but it does give Ally room to manoeuvre. I think we should all still exercise caution and keep our feet on the ground. But make no bones about this, this is a huge boost for The Rangers and us fans

I think it's safe to say that regardless of how we feel about preseason friendly results, and performances, we are all united in pretty significant displeasure at our club's rather woefully inadequate performance in the transfer market this window. We have made just the one solitary signing, the promising looking Juanma, in the tricky slot of winger, so it's safe to say that Weiss has been replaced. But elsewhere we appear to be going sideways. We've failed to bring in any strikers at all, with failed attempts at getting Hemed and the on-going soap opera that is Goodwillie. Now we've turned our attention to Kenny Miller, which looks like the easy option. And I understand Ally has a personal friendship with Miller which may explain his interest in getting him back. This isn't the end of the world - we have the best SPL striker in Jelavic, the well-rated Naismith, the enigmatic Lafferty and the potentially effective SPL goal getter in Healy. Which isn't appalling. We also have Beattie too but best to gloss over that one eh? Midfield hasn't fared too well either, with links to Wanyama, Livermore, and Danns coming to nothing - leaving us looking like, bar Juanma, going into the new season with pretty much the same midfield as we had last year. This isn't a total travesty, because again, we're quite well endowed in this area - Ness, McCulloch, Edu, Davis - it's not Xavi and Iniesta but it's not bad. I guess the area we're all most worried about is defence, and it's clear Ally is too. At present we have Whittaker as a cert for right back, and it's becoming clear why Ally was so desperate to hold onto him - we wouldn't have been able to find an adequate replacement. In the middle we have the seasoned veterans Bougherra, Weir and Broadfoot - none of whom really inspire confidence despite being more or less ever present 3 seasons in a row. And at left back the honest but limited Papac, something of a cult figure but only because a really good wing back these days costs a bomb or requires a lucky find in some South American league *cough* Izzaguirre *cough*. It's for this reason we have been linked significantly to around 7 defenders - Cuellar, Wilson, Bartley, Rodriguez, Khomalo and Wallace. And appear no closer to signing any of them, having had an apparently paltry bid for Rodriguez rejected by his parent club Espanyol. Bids for Cuellar and Wallace were also dismissed out of hand and it's pretty clear that bringing in players is a hell of a lot harder than it used to be. It does help having money - Walter Smith during his second spell had to fix the side and was able to buy players like Naismith, Thomson, Whittaker, Davis et al - guys who cost 2M a pop easily. Nowadays, even under this new ownership and a new era, we simply don't seem to have the cash to splash out on players the club desperately need. It's not easy to sign a player - the negotiations can go on for a long time, other clubs can hijack deals, and ultimately a bid is rejected. But it's clear Smith, Ally and Whyte have to up the ante to bring in players otherwise this increasingly rusty team is going to break. Especially at the back - 7 defenders we are currently in negotiations over, which appears to be like a lucky dip - you take what you can get. Well we have to hope we get something good, and soon.

Right I know many people have either overreacted or are completely underwhelmed in regards to this years pre-season but I find myself asking the question... is this a blessing in disguise? I mean at the start of the transfer window Ally probably thought he needed a number of squad players and maybe 1 or 2 first team players, now after the last few results (although I doubt you will here him say it aloud) he finds himself in a position where he must have realised that this squad needs a major freshen up. I really hope that now he not only talks about signings but actually goes out and makes some.

ALLY McCoist is hopeful Steven Davis will be next to pledge his future to Rangers following long-term deals awarded to Allan McGregor and Steven Whittaker on Monday. Rangers goalkeeper McGregor penned a new six-year deal while defender Whittaker has signed up for five and McCoist is keen for Davis - in the final year of his contract - to extend his stay in Govan. McCoist, who was last night hoping to secure Spanish midfielder Juan Manuel Ortiz as his first new signing since becoming Ibrox manager, told Rangers TV: "Hopefully Steven Davis will follow Allan and Steven. "I don't want to tempt fate, but contract negotiations are continuing with Steven and his representatives and I would be very hopeful that we could get something organised with Steven as well. "He certainly comes into the same category as Allan and Steven. He has been a top player for us and instrumental in the spine of the side. "I'm thrilled that Allan and Steven have signed new deals with the club that keeps them with us for a long time. "They are smashing lads and great players who have been part of the success that we have been lucky enough to enjoy in the last three years and hopefully there is more to come. "There were clubs looking at both players and that was not a surprise because they are valuable assets to the club. "When you have players of their quality then they do attract interest from elsewhere. "They had to weigh up their options and they had important decisions to make. "I think we all feel - and they do too - that they have made the right ones. "It was well documented that Bursaspor were after Steven and there were one or two clubs sniffing about Allan which is no surprise because he has been nothing short of sensational in the last few seasons." McCoist spent time in South America over the summer checking on targets and returned believing that he has an excellent core of players at Ibrox already. He said: "I was in Argentina over the summer watching about eight or nine games and I saw some good teams and some good players. But the best thing to come out of the trip was that it reinforced my belief that we have some very good players at this club. "Sometimes you look about, but the grass is not always necessarily greener on the other side." As well as the Whittaker and McGregor deals being signed this week, striker David Healy, utility man Andrew Little, left-back Sasa Papac and winger Salim Kerkar had already penned new one-year deals. And Whittaker expects more new signings to arrive before too long. "There is a long time to go before the window shuts and I'm sure we will have some new faces in before it does," said the defender. "Deals can be done very quickly and I'm sure he (McCoist] is eyeing up the right people to bring in. He obviously doesn't want to kind of panic buy and I'm sure he will bring in the right faces." Rangers head to Germany today for an eight-day training camp which will also involve games against Sportfreunde Lotte tomorrow, Bochum on Saturday and then Bayer Leverkusen on 13 July. McCoist said: "We are off and running. It doesn't seem so long ago that we were dancing about Rugby Park and then at Ibrox, but that's history now. We have to go and retain the championship. "We are off to Germany and it has a place that has been very good to us in the past. The facilities are very good, the games are ideal and the people are great." http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Ally-McCoist-hopeful-Steven-Davis.6796613.jp?articlepage=2

HOME is where the heart is. And right now for Mancunian Kyle Bartley that feels like Ibrox. Arsenal star Bartley took to Rangers from day one after arriving on a short-term loan close to the shutting of the January transfer window. The calm and collected centre-half made an immediate impression for the champions on and off the pitch. So much so that the popular Bartley is now being treated like part of the Rangers family. His Gers pals are desperate to see the ex-England youth ace return to the club for the 2011-12 campaign. Bartley knows that because they are forever texting him to see what's going on - and if Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will grant Ally McCoist's wish to again borrow a player of real potential. The 20-year-old - with one game for the Gunners in the Champions League against Olympiakos in 2009 - doesn't hide the fact he'd jump at the chance to sign for the Gers again. Bartley, to be fair, also stresses he still sees his long-term future at the Emirates. But Rangers made a huge impression on him. And he'd love to return to win medals - having suffered the agony of injury robbing him of Co-op Cup and title glory. Bartley opened his heart to Scotland's No1 paper and said: "I was only at Rangers for a short while. But I've got so many good memories. I couldn't have been treated any better by the people there, from Walter Smith and the coaching staff to the players and everyone behind the scenes. "I loved it at Rangers and if I was to get another opportunity to play there it would be fantastic. "I'm a professional and Arsenal are my club. I'm under contract and it will be Arsene Wenger who decides what's best for me. "But it's no secret that the idea of another loan spell with Rangers would be very attractive. "The only negative for me was the knee injury I suffered which cut short my season. But I'm recovering well and I hope to get the all-clear from the specialist to step up my rehab work. "The target was always to be ready for the start of pre-season training - and I feel I'm on course for that. "Whether it's at Arsenal or Rangers, I'm determined to be 100 per cent fit. "But even when I was sidelined for Rangers I was made to feel a part of everything. "The scenes after the League Cup Final victory and the championship success were AMAZING. "I can't thank the Rangers fans enough for their best wishes and comments. They played such a big part in my experience in Scotland being so good. "I've made a lot of friends among the other players and they will remain so even if I've to stay at Arsenal. Vladimir Weiss, Maurice Edu, Kyle Lafferty, David Healy, Allan McGregor - they have all been texting me to see how things are and if I'll be coming back to Rangers. "Even Davie Weir's kept in touch. I learned plenty from him. He's a great guy. It's like I'm part of the Rangers family and it means a lot to me." New Rangers chief scout Neil Murray is understood to have handed manager McCoist a detailed list of five potential transfer targets for every position. Of special interest is defenders - and Bartley is top choice among them. Intriguingly, as SunSport revealed, Liverpool and Scotland teenager Danny Wilson is also a candidate for an Ibrox return less than a year after leaving But Bartley is a key name McCoist has been willing to go public on - underlining his desire to persuade Wenger to commit to another deal. The rookie gaffer appreciates that man-management will be a critical aspect if he's to successfully follow in the footsteps of legend Walter Smith. Bartley added: "Ally made a point of talking about me and I appreciated that. "That he's so keen to get me back to Rangers has given me a great boost. "But I also don't think it's a case of Ally just trying to sweet-talk me. "I honestly feel he's the kind of guy who would've done it anyway. "Ally was brilliant for me at Rangers after I arrived and I'm certain he's going to prove a great manager. "Only time will tell if I'm going to play for him. We'll see. "The bottom line is I'm an Arsenal player and it's also a special club with a top manager. Whether or not I head back to Rangers is out of my hands." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3629093/Im-one-of-the-family.html#ixzz1OqnseUAu

Our transfer window in Scotland doesn't open until 1st July while it's already open down south, so they can sign players from Scottish clubs while we can't sign theirs, right? Obviously we can sign free agents outwith the window, but in the case of contracted players from down south, would we be able to sign them before 1st July without actually registering them and just register them with the SFA when our window opens up here? What about the youth players being brought in for the U17 and U19 squads like the two Norwegian lads? Do they not have to stick to the same transfer window period for registration? No doubt we've covered all this before, but my memory is terrible.

CRAIG WHYTE, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ new majority shareholder, has responded bullishly to the demands made by deposed chairman Alastair Johnston that he must ââ?¬Å?walk the walk and not just ââ?¬Å?talk the talkââ?¬Â by reiterating his financial commitment to the club. Johnston, axed on Monday night along with director Paul Murray after the pair refused to resign, had called on supporters to ââ?¬Å?remain vigilant and continue to exert pressure on Mr Whyte to support the club financially as he has publically committed to doââ?¬Â. In a statement yesterday on the clubââ?¬â?¢s website, however, Whyte confirmed that Rangersââ?¬â?¢ debt to Lloyds Banking Group had been cleared, and insisted he remained committed to backing new manager Ally McCoist financially with a view to improving the squad. ââ?¬Å?It is a huge privilege and honour to have become the majority shareholder at Rangers Football Club,ââ?¬Â he said. ââ?¬Å?My commitment to take the club forward is unwavering and, like all Rangers supporters, I want to build on the tremendous success achieved by the team in recent years. ââ?¬Å?I believe most Rangers supporters understand that, as a result of the takeover, the clubââ?¬â?¢s debt to the Lloyds Banking Group has been cleared and I have repeatedly stated to the board my intentions to invest in the team. ââ?¬Å?I have had discussions with Ally McCoist regarding his ambition to secure players already playing for the club and also to bring new faces to the squad. These discussions will resume when Ally returns to Ibrox this week. ââ?¬Å?These are exciting times for Rangers and the clubââ?¬â?¢s supporters. This past seasonââ?¬â?¢s achievements were truly great and I am determined to continue that success for Rangers and our supporters around the world.ââ?¬Â As well as removing Johnston and Murray from their positions, Whyte has also suspended Martin Bain, Rangersââ?¬â?¢ chief executive, and Donald McIntyre, the finance director, pending an internal investigation. Whyte, who assumed ownership of the club on May 6, would not expand on the reasons behind their suspension, but tried to assuage supporters that changes were always inevitable following upheaval on this scale. Fears that Bainââ?¬â?¢s removal from office, and Whyteââ?¬â?¢s inexperience in running a football club, would leave Rangers rudderless with the transfer window set to reopen shortly, were dismissed by a source close to the new owner. ââ?¬Å?It is business as usual,ââ?¬Â said the source. ââ?¬Å?He has a team around him who are more than capable of dealing with contracts, financial matters and any other immediate business.ââ?¬Â Whyte will send a document to all 26,000 club shareholders before a deadline of June 6 explaining the background to his takeover, the financial commitments and other crucial details. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/whyte-reiterates-his-unwavering-commitment-to-invest-in-rangers-1.1103530

Chelsea have sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti after he ended his second season at the club without a trophy. He was dismissed following the 1-0 loss to Everton, as the west Londoners finished second in the Premier League. The 51-year-old had one more year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge. A club statement read: "This season's performances have fallen short of expectations and the club feels the time is right to make this change ahead of next season's preparations." Speculation had been mounting that Ancelotti would be sacked following Chelsea's first season without a trophy in three years. They missed out in the Premier League as Manchester United clinched their 19th top-flight title last week, further compounded by exits in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup during the season. The Blues, who were Premier League and FA Cup holders at the start of the campaign, finished nine points behind United and only ahead of third-placed Manchester City on goal difference.Ancelotti axed as Chelsea manager Former manager Avram Grant suffered similar treatment when Chelsea finished second in the domestic table and lost the Champions League final in 2008 on penalties. Carlo Ancelotti's dismissal as Chelsea manager immediately after the season's final game is ruthless even by Roman Abramovich's standards And ambitious owner Roman Abramovich, who bankrolled an audacious �£50m move for striker Fernando Torres during the January transfer window, will now start the search for a successor capable of recapturing the Premier League from Manchester United, while also guiding the club to the much-coveted Champions League trophy. "Chelsea's long-term football objectives and ambitions remain unchanged and we will now be concentrating all our efforts on identifying a new manager," read the club statement. Ancelotti had reiterated his ambition to remain at Chelsea, but insisted the decision was entirely down to the club's demanding hierarchy. "I am now on holiday - but I am not sure how long my holiday will be," he said in his post-match media conference shortly before he was sacked. "We haven't arranged any meeting but I think in the next week, now the season is finished, the club can address my job and they will take a decision. "I have to wait and see what happens. I don't have to say anything to the club - they can judge me on my job for two years." Ancelotti had been coveted by Abramovich after spending eight years in charge at AC Milan, guiding the Italian giants to two Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007. He signed a three-year contract in June 2009, taking over from interim boss Guus Hiddink, who had guided Chelsea to the FA Cup before returning to take charge of the Russia national team. Ancelotti's first season in English football began in spectacular fashion, winning the Premier League and FA Cup - sealing the former with a thumping 8-0 victory against Wigan on the final day of the 2010 calendar. But his second year in west London proved significantly more challenging as he was twice thwarted by Manchester United domestically and in the Champions League, where Chelsea suffered a quarter-final exit to Sir Alex Ferguson's team. Ancelotti's progress was hindered when lassistant manager Ray Wilkins left the club in November after they decided not to renew his contract. The Blues had been top of the table but the former England midfielder's departure coincided with a poor run of form, losing 3-0 to Sunderland before a 1-0 reverse against Birmingham during a six-match winless league run. Defeats by Wolves and Liverpool followed at the start of the year before a late-season renaissance revived their title hopes. However, a 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford on 8 May effectively sealed Sir Alex Ferguson's 12th Premier League title. "Last year was really good, this year was not so good," added Ancelotti. Chelsea's attentions will now turn to finding Ancelotti's successor, their seventh manager in the eight years since Abramovich took control of the club in 2003. Porto's highly rated Andre Villas-Boas, Hiddink and former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard are all in the frame. Dutchman Hiddink, who has a close relationship with Abramovich, revealed he still has an advisory role at Stamford Bridge. "Since I left two years ago I've been advising the club on things concerning the squad," he wrote in De Telegraaf on Saturday. "Sometimes I become a sounding board. It costs me very little time and I can combine it well with my position with Turkey. There is no conflict at all." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13494528.stm

Today�s reading comes from the book of Trophies chapter 54 verses 1 to 38. 1. Tis the season�s end in the year of our Lord 2011 2. And it came to pass, that once more, the leader of The Timmites found himself at the gates of the kingdom of our Lord. Leh�none, for it is he, chosen amongst his hordes to lead them out of the wilderness and into the Promised land. 3. For they are delirious and misguided and sons of the fools of Erin. 4. Though many could nay point at the place on a school map. 5. Verily did Leh�none beat upon the gilded door of the Kingdom and waited for his audience with the Lord. 6. In time, after leisure and several sherbets did the Lord open the window of the door to his Kingdom and bade the caller to reveal his identity and his purpose. 7. Leh�none cowered in his cloak of green nylon and spaketh to the Lord his request. 8. I come, Lord, as leader of the Timmites and ask that thee grant us entry to the Kingdom of the Lord and the trophy of the league known as Espeeyell. 9. The Lord, furrowed his brow in anger and didst raise his voice at Leh�none. 10. Not once but thrice now have Timmites come to these gates these past 3 seasons to request the trophy of the league known as Espeeyell. 11. And twice before I have sent thee away empty handed. This temerity to ask once more has angered me beyond belief. 12. For thrice I tell thee that the there is no place in the Kingdom of the Lord and certainly no trophy hast thou merited this season either. 13. Leh�none, not deterred.did demand that the Lord taketh into account that the Timmites are the only right and just tribe to be awarded the league trophy of the Espeeyell. 14. Leh�none didst tell the Lord that all the other tribes in the land hath plot against the Timmites who were gentle and kind and good subjects and that the rest of the tribes, needest to look at themselves and not the Timmites. 15. Leh�none didst also say that the Ibrox were the worst of all tribes and that their sort included evil doers like Diouf of el Hadj and Lafferty of Kyle. 16. The Lord�s voice was now thunderous and anger and smoke spilled from his lips like the lava from an Icelandic volcano. 17. Thou hast the temper of a cat with its testicles in a vice, Leh�none. Thou hast the brain of a mollusc on eccies. Thy people have chosen thee well. I will concede that thee are a true representative of thine tribe. 18. But did I not send the Angel Walter down 20 seasons ago to smite thee and teacheth thy Timmite hordes a lesson? 19. Didst thou not learn then? 20. Did I not also send the Angel Gabriel of Amato down to teacheth thee a sound lesson as to thine place in the hierarchy of tribes? 21. Though hast to learn that the Timmites are the lowest of all Tribes and should never have ambition to reach exalted ground. 22. For verily I sent the Angel Walter down a second time and still thou est will not learn that ye cannot walk upon Walter. 23. For the Angel Walter has taken the trophy of the Espeeyell thrice in a row and to prove my point I have restricted the Ibroxi Tribe�s resources to zero. And still they thrash you like a dominatrix does a high court judge. 24. And Leh�none fell to his knees, cupping his hands to his ears. Intent once more to refuse to hear the words of wisdom from the Lord or his chosen people the Ibroxi. 25. The Lord looked down upon Leh�none as a tiger to his fallen prey. 26. I am merciful Leh�none. Have I not allowed the Timmites to reach 42 leagues and to dwell like pikeys in the wilderness? 27. Thou must always lag the Ibroxi, for it is written, they have reached 54 leagues and yea, still they are marching and counting. 28. Leh�none was defeated. But he believed he may have but one chance to enter the Kingdom of the Lord with a trophy. 29. And as Leh�none was about to leave the gates of the Kingdom of the Lord to re-join his hordes of Timmites in the City of Breezeblock the Lord called after him. 30. And don�t think that thy will victor as yea taketh thine horde to the Well:- The Mother of all wells, for there is no trophy there that ye will claim. That trophy will be saved for the McCall of Stuart and his people for they have served me well. 31. Thou are but a git of sadness Leh�none, be gone with you. 32. Leh�none was angered by his failure once more and didst kick the water bottles that had lain beside the gates for travellers to quench their thirst. 33. The Lord closed the window of the door of the gates of the Kingdom and returneth to his throne once more to hark the angels recite the Penny Arcade. 34. And lo, Leh�none, totally lacking in gorm didst return to the city of Breezeblock to inform his people that once more he had failed to bringeth them access to the Kingdom of the Lord and the trophy of the Espeeyell. 35. And the hordes of Timmites did listen to his whining and gathered in a huddle to decideth his fate. 36. The hordes didst agree with the Lord�s view that Leh�none was truly well chosen as a leader and representative of the Timmites 37. Then there came much wailing and gnashing of teeth and Leh�none was verily duffed up and left for the Wolves (after McCarthy gets the sack). 38. Here endeth the lesson By kind permission of Eddy Smyth, a good Bluenose.

RANGERS star Kirk Broadfoot last night told of his joy after being cleared of an assault charge. And the Ibrox ace, 26, thanked QC Paul McBride - who has represented Celtic and the club's boss Neil Lennon - for his help after a not proven verdict. The Scotland defender had been accused of attacking businessman Andrew Nicol, 31, at a flat in Ayr last May. After being cleared at the town's sheriff court delighted Broadfoot said: "I'm just glad the truth has come out. "I've had this hanging over me for over a year. I am obviously relieved it's all over. "I'd like to thank my legal team of Paul McBride and solicitor Liam O'Donnell." Nicol, who runs a steel components firm, claimed Broadfoot was one of a group of men who confronted him outside his girlfriend's flat at 3am. He claimed he was pushed and shoved, and added: "After that Kirk Broadfoot swung for me and hit me on the face." Mhairi Hepburn, 35, said she slapped the footballer in the face after watching him assault her boyfriend. Her friend Kerry McKenzie, 27, said she also saw the footballer punch Mr Nicol. And all three witnesses said they heard Broadfoot threaten to "get" Mr Nicol, his girlfriend, his car and his house. But when cross-examined by Mr McBride, they couldn't explain why they omitted to mention the threats in their initial police statements. Broadfoot told the court he'd been a victim rather than villain. He explained he and five pals had gone to the house because they thought there could be a party there. He said Mr Nicol ran out of the flat to confront a pal who had "chapped" the window. The player claimed Mr Nicol had been drinking and was being aggressive. Broadfoot told the court: "He said to me, 'You come back when you have one of them.' He was pointing to his Porsche. "I replied, 'I have got one of these, wee man. That's your daddy's car anyway.'" Broadfoot said it was during this "banter" that Ms Hepburn punched him on the nose "out of the blue". He then called Mr Nicol a "fat wee b******". Ms Hepburn received a warning letter from the fiscal after she was charged with assaulting the star. Returning a not proven verdict on Broadfoot's assault charge, Sheriff Norman McFadyen said he had found it "significant" all three Crown witnesses had failed to mention the specific threats to cops. He found Broadfoot not guilty of a breach of the peace charge. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3586097/Broadfoot-Im-so-glad-assault-rap-was-Kirked-out.html#ixzz1MetgXXoi

It's no secret to Rangers fans these days that our club has enemies literally intent on destroying it. While using the word 'enemy' to describe our bitter rivals might seem excessive to some people, it doesn't seem so to me and it doesn't seem so for many other Rangers fans who see our club being attacked week after week and year after year. The word 'rivals' is a thing of the past, a thing of the 20th century. This is the 21st century and it seems that gone are the days of two heavyweights fighting fairly with legal gloves and everything above board. It seems that gone are the days of pugilism where the referees are respected and their decision is final. Gone are the days of the governing body of the sport having ultimate power and being respected despite their failings. The gloves are off. Unfortunately our enemy took their gloves off first and a good number of years ago at that. They've now managed to land some crushing blows with their bare-fisted uppercuts (see the definition of 'underhand tactics') and they've undoubtedly thrown 'sporting integrity' out of the window for good despite their regular use of the term. Referees are now frequently accused of bias by Celtic and recent weeks have seen our governing body accused of the same, but this is all part of an ongoing and wider campaign. It's taken what seems like a long time for our club and fans to realise (or certainly admit) that this campaign exists despite many people along the way being fully aware of what was going on around us and in some cases actually trying to point it out, but it might just have finally clicked en masse that this isn't a sparring match. Even the club are now accepting that it's all out war with our CEO recently making official statements regarding the concerted campaign against Rangers. When I say 'all out war' I'm not referring to these recent parcel bomb threats. Very few people in this world condone terrorism, although our enemy has a fairly large number of terrorism supporters in their midst. No, this war is a war of words, a war of right and wrong and a war about fairness and equality. It's a war that's being fought in a very special politically influenced ring called the media and the ropes don't meet regulation standards, so it's time for the ropes to be changed in accordance with the unwritten rules of REAL sporting integrity. A few dirty blows below the belt and sneaky uppercuts that catch your opponent off guard don't win a fight because a strong fighter who doesn't surrender will keep getting up and at some point he'll fight back. In the meantime, box clever and don't put any bricks in our enemies' gloves tomorrow.

The Rangers Supporters Trust have called on Lloyds Bank to make clear their plans as Craig Whyte's takeover bid hangs in the balance. The �£33million deal will see the Scottish tycoon take over 75% of Sir David Murray's shareholding, with London-based property developer Andrew Ellis becoming a 25% partner. However, it is understood the bank's desire for an 'exit payment' of more than �£1m is just one of the key stumbling blocks and patience is fast running out. Whyte has targeted Thursday for the deal to be concluded by which time Rangers supporters are expected to be told the club's debt has been slashed to around �£21m from the �£27.1m figure announced in June. RST chairman Stephen Smith said, in these fraught circumstances, the Light Blues fans deserve to be informed of Lloyds' position. "Lloyds Bank can be a convenient whipping boy," Smith said. "It is very easy to paint them as the bad guy in this situation and there are some who may feel excuses are being put in place for the deal not happening. "However, our main concern is with the way that the bank is treating Rangers "We are living in extraordinary financial circumstances where Lloyds Bank have been kept afloat by the taxpayer. "Yet it appears they are refusing to accept a deal which will give them all their money back. "It just doesn't make sense. "If anything, it appears that the bank is trying to devalue the club. "So we would like Lloyds to tell us about their strategy. "We are not talking about breaching commercial confidences, or asking them to come out with figures and percentages. "We want to know their plans for the club and for them to confirm that they are operating normal commercial arrangements with a company the size of Rangers with the turnover of �£50m plus. "They should be able to do that but we have asked on a number of occasions and have been met with a wall of silence. "But as Rangers fans and taxpayers, we are surely entitled to know what's going on. "Anything else is not acceptable in the 21st century." Smith admits the rank and file of the Rangers support have grown tired of the takeover saga. "People are weary with it all," he said. "It has been dragging on for around nine months. "There have been various deadlines which come and gone, the first being in December when there was talk of Walter Smith getting money for the January transfer window, with another being in February. "But meanwhile, it seems the bank's restriction have been detrimental to our abilities on the pitch. "We have had to go with five loan players in our squad, while fighting in all three domestic competitions and in Europe. "Now we are down to one competition, the title race, and that might come down to fine margins. "And if Rangers lose out then Rangers fans will not forgive the bank." No one from Lloyds was available for comment. http://www.teamtalk.com/rangers/6839240/Supporters-chief-wants-answers