Rangers will be forced to live in Celtic’s shadow for generations to come

[ian1964 10,409]

Neil Cameron

 

BEING a Rangers supporter for most of the 1990s, especially the first of half of that decade, must have been quite good fun.

 

The Ibrox team dominated at home, if not abroad, and some of the club’s greatest ever players – the likes of McCoist, Goram and Gough – were in their prime. Trebles and doubles were collected and, just to add some icing to an already sweet cake, Celtic were a mess.

 

To concentrate on the Walter Smith years, which ended with nine league titles in a row and many, many cup final wins, Rangers lorded it over the rest. Triumphalism was the word of the day down Ibrox way, while their old friends across the city looked at one stage that they would out of business.

 

Back then, when Celtic were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Falkirk and Wayne Biggins was considered a footballer, those who wore green and white had only two things which prevented them from walking out to the back shed with a service revolver.

 

Every so often they would win an Old Firm game and, on a few occasions, Rangers would take a doing in Europe.

 

That was it. That’s how low it got for Tims everywhere. It's why I found it hilarious when some fans, the younger ones, called Ronny Deila’s team the “worst Celtic team ever” when beating Motherwell in Britpop time was viewed as something of a triumph.

 

Celtic were hopeless, but in Paul McStay and John Collins, they had two fine players who, on their day, could inspire their otherwise hapless team-mates to a win over Rangers, which usually closed the gap at the top to 15 points. In October.

 

Even the less than sensational Lou Macari won an Old Firm game, and at Ibrox as well, it was his first game as manager, and he even got a draw at the home of Rangers when Celtic fans were banned from the match.

 

Rangers, of course, won more often than not and there were a few easy wins in there. But there were as many 1-0s or 2-1s with Goram at one end and McCoist at the other proving the difference in a genuinely tight contest.

 

And then there were the Champions League nights. You know you’ve hit rock bottom as a football supporter when the highlight of any season is watching your biggest rivals on the biggest stage losing a game your own team would have been lucky to score nil in.

 

But that’s where Celtic were in the 1990s and, for a long time, the football club looked done.

 

However, everyone did know how to solve the problems. The old families had to be shown the door, a new owner with money brought in, a move to Hampden so Celtic Park could be rebuilt, a share issue needed to be held, and some quality players signed.

 

Fergus McCann paid for all of this, along with the punters, but the grand plan was hardly his because it was the obvious thing to do.

 

But times have changed and this, now, is Celtic's time to hog the limelight.

 

For those of a Rangers persuasion, the 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain might just be the best thing to happen to them this campaign.

 

Unlike Celtic of 25 years ago, this Rangers team aren’t winning any Old Firm games and don’t appear capable of laying a glove on their oldest rivals any time soon.

 

Not only that, but unless I’m missing something, there is no grand plan to turn things around. Not again. The plan, thus far, has been to get Dave King in and then appoint a man who couldn’t win a league in Qatar.

 

King is Rangers’ McCann, to a degree and there are rich fans in the boardroom, the finances are okay again, but they are as far away from Celtic as Celtic were pre-bunnet.

 

Pedro Caixinha is not the man for this movie. I will be stunned if he survives this season. His best and only hope is that he can get enough of a tune from his players to the extent they win the Betfred Cup, but you would get long odds on that.

 

It’s hard to say how much money was really spent in the summer but in fairness to King and the board, they did provide funds, it’s just that they were wasted and I don’t think Caixinha will disprove this.

 

Rangers are as far behind Celtic as they were ahead of the time when every goal for the home side was greeted with “sack the board” for those who had bothered to turn up.

 

And sacking them did work. But this isn’t a road Rangers will go down. Who would take over from an ousted board? Which means this club will be forced to live in Celtic’s shadow for generations to come.

 

And another thing . . .

 

WELL done to the Celtic fan who thought it was a great idea to take, and then throw, a flare at Ibrox.

 

Some might say that it was the act of a ned for whom reading a book without pop-up pictures is a challenge but he, and will be some wee guy, will fight their corner in an articulate manner.

 

It would go something along the lines of: “No pyro, no party, bud.” Sighs.

 

Celtic as a club are heading for trouble. There is a real unsavoury element among the support these days who seem hell bent on getting fines and bans.

 

The pro-IRA crap still gets belted out, as if that has any relevance to 21st-century Scotland.

 

And for those Rangers fans trying to take the moral high ground, it wasn’t just few singing about Paedos, Bobby Sands and the Billy Boys, which I am sure is still banned.

 

And yet nothing will be said about it. This wee country of ours is brilliant, but a few of the citizens need to simply grow up. I won’t hold my breath.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/15558534.Rangers_will_be_forced_to_live_in_Celtic___s_shadow_for_generations_to_come/?ref=mr&lp=2

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I can't say I disagree with that much, in fact it's a decent and accurate article of the way things are, sadly.

Edited September 29, 2017 by cooponthewing

[Gonzo79 13,582]

It's our job to fix it.

 

Revelling in victimhood is a Timmy trait and one I don't subscribe to you. Our board, players and management need to stand tall and put the plastics in their place.

[Rousseau 9,359]

I'm not sure throwing money at the situation constitutes a "grand plan". We were also throwing money at the situation, and that didn't work out too well.

[StuGers 477]

It's bollocks to say we are as far away from Celtic just now as we were under the old board. I'm not saying we're close but that statement is a lot of tosh.

[der Berliner 3,234]

That is a hymn about the Scum, no more, no less.

 

Fergus ... uhh ... ahh .... oops, isn't that splitting of companies a nifty thing to hide and cut losses? Not mentioned, of course. Any info about the ultra-soft ultra-long term loans with the CooP bank which elsewhere might be called financial doping (like the naughty EBTs)? Not a whisper on that, of course. Any word about the Scum cashing in on European millions due to Rangers' absence and thus were able to throw money like confetti (in Scottish terms) at quality players while the rest of the Scottish teams courted admin and financial ruin?

 

Ain't it a bit heinous to say that a team that is 30m pounds (on the field) ahead of anyone else bar us (3m last season, 10m now) is running the show ... because they are soooo good? That said team has SFA and SPFL well staffed with their lapdogs?

 

In any case, much like the rubbish "lightyears ahead" claim, this "generations" (mind the plural) stuff is complete bollocks. They are "on the crest of their wave" right now, and fair enough. You woud have expect them to sweep anything when we fell, but they didn't. And yure not solely because of Deila. Right now they have a secent team, decent manager, and they are clicking. A generation though last roughly 30 years in real life, in football terms perhaps 10. We all have been around long enough to know that such dominance in football is utter dross, as they are three or four injuries, suspensions or player sales away from being average by normal standards. Still solid enough to beat nigh anyone, but sure not as dominant. And rest assured, if Sinclair, Roberts and Griffiths "make their mark in Europe", teams will come and hand the Scum serious money ... which they would have to invest wisely - which isn't a given either.

 

We do have a lot of work at hand and probably need a couple of windows with quality freebies et al more, but you don't need millions more to beat the Scum and one would hope we'll do it at the Scumhut first. The howls of anguish will make the moon turn green ...

Edited September 29, 2017 by der Berliner

[pete 2,499]

Stopped reading after 3 sentences. Filed as Celtic propaganda.

[RANGERRAB 3,254]

Written by Neil Cameron. Say no more.

[26th of foot 5,827]

The use of the word, 'forced' in the headline will have Neil and his fellow Sellik supporters in a state of tumescence. Of course, Neil wants to sound reasonable, thus mentions a flare thrower.

 

Here's the thing, on the front page of the Herald this morning, there is another story about L;atvian bank, 'Rietumu Banka'. This is the third front page piece in five months on the bank that is partly owned(a third) and managed by ra Sellik's majority shareholder, Dermot Desmond. Today's revelation is the bank has provided a front for the Russian Government's organisation of crowdfunding the invasion/partition of areas of Ukraine. Previously, the Bank has been accused of aiding tax evasion in France and providing a platform for North Korean money laundering.

 

When Neil does a piece on the morality and legality of dearest Dermot, then I will consider him reasonable. Neil might have to be, 'FORCED'?

[True_Ger_1872 2]

The issue with points raised in this article is that it goes beyond the playing field. Considering all aspects - Celtic are miles ahead and that gap, in my opinion, seems to be getting larger.

 

I have to say, I feel rather let down by the performance of the board and I cant say I feel that we have progressed at the rate i had hoped since King took control. I understand the results on the pitch might take a while given the massive job to turn things around from Ally to winning title 55. But the other aspects (scouting, stadium, engagement, merchandise) are really poor.

 

Take someone who doesn't know about Rangers & Celtic and show them both clubs and its clear to see who would come out as the winner. I hate saying this but there are so many things about the club that make us look second to them - not something a lot of us supporters can accept.