RANGERS F.C. Thread

[J]

Don't do threads, But if the DID!......
Rangers Fans are born , not manufactured
we do not choose , we are chosen ,
those that don't understand don't matter.
those that understand need no explanation.

"Rangers F.C. Do not enter unless you are ready to put yourself second - and that should be the one and only time second is good enough for you" - Walter Smith


RANGERS legend Derek Johnstone has been taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack.

Pundit Johnstone suffers suspected heart attack - Herald Scotland | News | Home News

Get well soon bigman

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RANGERS and Dundee United may be forced to play four league games in eight days so that the SPL split can take place on April 16.

The SPL faces a fixture backlog as a result of both sides falling victim to match postponements, cup replays and Euro ties.

Rangers boss Walter Smith and United chairman Stephen Thompson, have been warned by the SPL about the threat of chaos.

Rangers must fit in a game against St Mirren - forced off by burst pipes at Ibrox on December 18 - as well as rescheduled visits to Pittodrie, Tannadice and McDiarmid Park. United have played fewer matches than anyone else in the SPL due to the big freeze.

An SPL spokesman said: "We're doing everything we can to avoid four games in eight days.

"We could use bank holiday weekends to play on Friday and Monday."

A lot will depend on how far Rangers progress in the Europa League. Sporting Lisbon aren't the force they were and it's not unreasonable to expect Smith's side to reach the last 16.

SPL secretary Ian Blair has asked the SFA to help in future by scrapping Scottish Cup replays.

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Lee McCulloch has not given up hope that he can play again for Rangers this season.

The midfielder saw a specialist in London on Tuesday after finally succumbing to the pain of a knee problem that has troubled him for months.

McCulloch will undergo surgery next week to clear up a cartilage problem and, depending on what the surgeon finds, his campaign may be finished.

But the 32 year-old said: “Fingers crossed I can get back before the end of the season. It will all depend on how it goes next week, as the surgeon won’t be able to put a timescale on it until he sees how the operation goes and the full extent of things.

“It’s a massive blow for me personally to be facing up to a spell on the sidelines at such a crucial time with so many huge matches in different competitions, but I am a positive person and I am in good hands. We’ll wait and see, but I hope there is a chance I can return for the run-in to the season.”

McCulloch has scarcely missed a game for Rangers this term, but was due to miss the next three SPL matches through suspension after going through the disciplinary points threshold.

And with Walter Smith’s side battling for honours on four fronts, the midfielder’s loss could be keenly felt.

A statement on the club website read: “McCulloch visited a specialist on Tuesday when it was confirmed that he would require an operation to clear up the cartilage problem.

“It is planned that this will take place next week and it will be when the procedure is under way that the surgeon will know the full extent of it.

“Rangers are bracing themselves for Lee missing the rest of the campaign but there is some hope that this might not be the case.”

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RANGERS' trip to New Douglas Park in April has been switched from Saturday to Sunday for live TV broadcast.

The game, originally scheduled for Saturday April 9, will now take place on Sunday April 10 with a 12.45pm kick off.

Sky Sports will now carry the fixture live as Walter Smith's side fulfil their penultimate match before the scheduled split in the SPL.

[J]

Lafferty - Doesn't have Glandular Fever


From twitter


Just a case of tonsillitis instead for KL, has chance of playing in #Rangers v Motherwell on Sat but needs to improve a little more first...

[J]

Kris Boyd - Is this the worst excuse he's made yet ?

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Middlesbrough striker Kris Boyd has revealed that speculation surrounding his future has affected him following his summer move to the Riverside.

The 27-year-old arrived from Rangers in July, having scored 101 goals in 143 league appearances in Scotland, but has since netted just six in 26 for Boro.

"I've been constantly linked with a move away and it wasn't easy for me to take," Boyd told BBC Tees.

"My head's been all over the place, but I'm not making excuses."
Boyd added: "I know myself that I need to do more and hopefully I can get my head down and start banging in goals on a regular basis."


The Scotland international's immediate future at Middlesbrough has been secured until the summer, with the end of the January transfer window.

And Boyd is confident that reassurance can help him to settle on Teeside between now and the end of the season.

"You try things [when frustrated] and you probably get to the stage where you over-try," Boyd continued.

"I know I haven't been good enough on the football park and it's up to me to get my head sorted.

"I feel that it's out of the way now the transfer window is shut, I can now concentrate solely on football from now on in."

Boyd, who has 18 Scotland caps, began his career with 63 goals in 153 league games at Kilmarnock, before a move to Rangers in January 2006.

[snapman]

McCulloch hopeful on injury

Rangers' Lee McCulloch is hopeful his long-standing knee problem does not curtail the remainder of his SPL season.

The midfielder has been playing through the pain barrier for months and was forced out of their recent 1-0 home win over Hearts.

McCulloch missed the weekend draw with Celtic and is now set to undergo surgery after visiting a specialist on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old, who has been a key player for Walter Smith this term, is hoping he can feature again between now and the summer.

Fingers crossed

"Fingers crossed I can get back before the end of the season," he said in the Evening Times.

"It will all depend on how it goes next week, as the surgeon won't be able to put a timescale on it until he sees how the operation goes and the full extent of things.

"It's a massive blow for me personally to be facing up to a spell on the sidelines at such a crucial time with so many huge matches in different competitions, but I am a positive person and I am in good hands.

"We'll wait and see, but I hope there is a chance I can return for the run-in to the season."

Source: Sly Sports

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[sparky2k1]

Jamie Ness wonder goal,

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpr8trzHuPM]YouTube - Glasgow Rangers v Celtic 6th Feb 2011 Jamie Ness wonder strike[/ame]

[snapman]

Perfect passer Jamie Ness is cut from same cloth as past master Bobby Russell...

Bobby Russell today backed protege Jamie Ness to handle being a midfield lynchpin for Rangers during the title run-in – and in their crunch Europa League games.

Russell worked closely with Ness during his time as the Under-17 coach at Murray Park and is not at all surprised at the impact he has made since forcing his way into the Gers first team.

In fact, the Ibrox great is amazed it has taken the 19-year-old until now to become a key member of Walter Smith’s side.

“When I was helping coach the Rangers kids, Jamie was one who definitely stood out from everybody else,” he recalled.

“He had a good variety of passing, could score goals, was a big lad and was aggressive. In short, he had everything he needed to make it in the game in his locker. He was one you definitely thought would go on and be a good first-team player.

“He is a good kid as well. I didn’t have one bad moment with him when I was coaching him. I never had to reprimand him once for being cheeky. He had a good attitude and always worked hard in training.

“To be honest, I thought he would have had some sort of run in the Rangers side long before now.

“He had an ankle injury which perhaps curtailed his development. I am glad he has put that behind him. He hasn’t looked out of place in any of the games he has played in.”

Russell has no fears whatsoever that the Scotland Under-21 starlet will be able cope with being one of the main men for the champions in the weeks ahead in the injury-enforced absence of Lee McCulloch.

A great deal is going to be demanded of the Troon lad with McCulloch missing and a punishing run of games – including than four Old Firm matches and at least two European clashes coming up.

However, Russell feels that with the help of the older members of the Rangers squad, he can continue the hugely encouraging start to his career in senior football and progress even further as a player.

And the Easterhouse-born former midfielder is speaking from experience, having broken into the Rangers team at the start of the 1977/78 season, at the tender age of 20, and played a huge part in Jock Wallace’s side claiming their second Treble in three seasons.

He said: “I was helped considerably by having a lot of senior players around about me. I had seasoned professionals, international players, like Alex MacDonald, Tommy McLean, Sandy Jardine and John Greig, among others, alongside me in the team.

“I am sure that Walter will be looking for the likes of Steven Davis, Davie Weir and, even though he will not be on the park, Lee McCulloch to give Jamie advice and encouragement. The management team will look after him too.

“But I suspect Jamie will just get better as he plays more games and gains more experience. He will grow in confidence enormously as a result of scoring his first goal in the Old Firm game last Sunday too. It was not a bad effort!

“He will definitely score more goals for Rangers. Any player who is a good passer will score goals and Jamie is certainly a good passer. That is one of his biggest assets.”

One criticism which has been levelled at Ness since he made his first start for the Rangers team in the SPL game with Celtic at Ibrox last month is that, after starting games brightly, he tires noticeably towards the end of the 90 minutes.

But Russell, who is now a coach with the Aurora Stingers Youth Soccer Club in Ontario, Canada, feels that trait is entirely understandable for a player of his age making his first steps in the professional game and will soon disappear.

He explained: “You have to remember he is just 19. He will get stronger and develop physically the more games he plays. He has still to broaden out a bit too. When he does, Rangers are going to have some player on their hands.”

Many of Russell’s finest moments in a Light Blue jersey came when he played in Europe and he is still remembered by Rangers fans for the winning goal he scored against Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven in the European Cup in 1978.

The skilful midfielder netted a sublime strike, which was later awarded the Goal of the Season by the BBC, late in the second half to propel Greig’s side into the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club tournament.

He predicts Ness will also flourish in continental competition where he will be afforded more time and space to utilise his array of talents than he is in domestic football.

He said: “European football is totally different from the hurly-burly of the SPL. But, if anything, that should suit Jamie. When you are a good passer then top- class European sides tend to give you respect and stand off you a bit more. It should suit him.”

Source: Evening Times