Rangers FC Thread

[surfbum]

The Bigot On Sunday

The Rangers Fightback appears to be working and you only have to read today’s Sun to see it.

For it is on the pages of The Sun – a Rupert Murdoch paper – that you can read possibly the most blatant piece of propaganda you are ever likely to read – a puff piece on Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, otherwise known to Rangers fans as Three Names or Phil McGobbler.

We are told in this “story” that Phil Three Names is feart for his life after receiving “threats” from extremists in the west of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Phil Three Names believes this is down to his investiigative journalism, exposing the financial indiscretions at Rangers.

This twit of a man – a joke figure even among his fellow Celtic fans – is notorious for waging a hate campaign of his own – against Rangers FC and its supporters.

What is interesting, however, is that this PR spin story from The Sun comes only a few days after Phil Three Names was outed once more for being an extremist sectarian bigot of the most despicable kind when David Leggat released to a much wider audience the disturbing contents of a blog “story” by McGobbler.

You can read the sick rantings of Three Names here. leggoland

McGobbler has obviously pulled a wee favour in from his sympathising contacts in the Scottish media to retort this outing by Leggat. This only goes to show that the Rangers Fightback is hitting where it hurts.

Over the coming weeks and months we can expect more of the same as the cabal that has corrupted Scottish football is further exposed. Their machinations in slowly but relentlessly developing a culture of Rangers-hating in Scottish society are now being brought into the light – and they don’t like it.

The one thing it is difficult for these people to argue with is the economic power of Rangers FC. This power is not actually in the hands of the club but in the hands of Rangers fans.

Put simply, if Rangers fans impose a boycott on your team, product, brand, newspaper or TV station, you are on a massive loser.

That is the power that Rangers fans have and they should be reminded of it more often.

You want Rangers fans to turn up at your stadium? Don’t employ a Rangers-hater to do your tannoy announcements.

You want Rangers fans to tune in to your TV station? Don’t sponsor a corrupt cabal of Rangers-despising clubs.

You want Rangers fans to buy your newspaper? Don’t fill your rag with off-the-scale propaganda and one-sided journalism.

This last bit of advice is something obviously not being followed by management at The Sun. If there are any Rangers fans still buying this newspaper, they can kiss those fans goodbye from today.

The massive support of Rangers FC has had enough. Rangers fans are mobilising and taking revenge on the club’s detractors and persecutors. This Fightback is growing in strength and firm resolve daily.

It is important to point out that this Fightback does not involve nor in any way endorse the deployment of violence or threats of violence toward Rangers’ enemies.

Such criminal behaviour is not part of the Fightback, though it has to be borne in mind that many of Rangers’ detractors are very adept at counterfeiting things to pin the blame on Rangers supporters.

In respect of whether or not this supposed threat on Phil McGobbler was such a counterfeit or a genuine communication from a so-called Rangers fan, I couldn’t possibly comment.

What I would say in reply is the real story of the piece – buried, as it so often is, at the bottom of the article – this being a quote from a much more trusted source than The Sun or Phil McGoobler i.e. Stratchclyde Police:-

“There was insufficient evidence and no arrests were made.”

Says it all, really.

The Bigot On Sunday « Bill McMurdo's Weblog

 

[RAB - P]

Rangers 5 Elgin City 1

AS superheroes go they couldn’t be much different in stature, but in Lee McCulloch and David Templeton Rangers fans have found two men to worship for different reasons.

Both grabbed a brace against Elgin City in a match that marked both Templeton’s debut for the club and McCulloch’s first as club captain.

McCulloch’s position as captain and Templeton’s as a new member of Ally McCoist’s squad were both secured less than 48 hours prior to kick off.

And while the captain has already won a place in Rangers fans’ hearts, on this sort of form it won’t take the new recruit long to hold a similar spot.

For all their heroics though it was Dean Shiels who got Rangers going, levelling after Jamie Duff had put the visitors in front after 15 minutes.

The signs in the early stages were good for Rangers as they seemed to start brightly in front of a crowd that once again topped the attendance charts in Scotland this weekend.

However it was the visitors that were celebrating first when Duff’s curled effort beat Neil Alexander and found the back of the net.

It was reward for his persistence as he chased down a wayward corner to keep the ball in play and a neat one-two opened space for him.

There were claims for offside from the home defence, but Ally McCoist will be more concerned that the Elgin defender found so much space despite the full Rangers team being back to combat the set-piece.

If there were grumblings of frustration growing around Ibrox they were calmed by a speedy response from Shiels.

He adjusted his feet quickly to latch on to a deflected effort from McCulloch and tuck the ball home from close range.

That brought the home side level after 24 minutes and set the stage for debutant Templeton and new skipper McCulloch to make the difference.

Winger Templeton was clearly eager to make an early impression on his new fans and he could barely have asked for a better start.

If his turn and finish were clinical, the work from Ian Black to open up the space for him was equally so.

A superb shift of the feet from Black allowed him the time to thread a pinpoint pass to his former Hearts team mate.

From there it was down to Templeton and he made no mistake with his cutback inside and right footed finish.

That clearly lifted his mood and he almost added to his tally three minutes later when he collected the ball from another former Tynecastle team mate.

Lee Wallace found the winger a little more central than usual and when he span away from one defender he found the space to curl a fine effort that was well saved by John Gibson.

He tried his luck again on the stroke of half time and when Gibson again parried well McCulloch was on hand to tuck the ball home to mark his 100th career goal.

The strike was welcomed by a blast of the Superman theme from the Ibrox PA system and a chorus of “Super Lee McCulloch” from the Ibrox faithful.

It set the tone for the second half and if McCulloch and Templeton were feeling competitive about claiming the headlines on Monday morning they didn’t show any sign of letting up in the second half.

The half was only a few minutes old when Templeton showed great reactions to stab home as the ball bobbled loose from Shiels’ corner.

And not to be outdone Jig was back in the mix before the hour mark, showing great composure to slot home from Andy Little’s cut back from the right.

Templeton’s withdrawal 15 minutes from the end, replaced by Kevin Kyle, signalled the end of his chances of a debut hat-trick.

McCulloch seemed determined to find a third to outdo the new arrival, but despite his, and his team mates’ best efforts, it wasn’t to be.

So neither left with the match ball but both certainly earned the adulation of the home support.

Rangers: Alexander; Argyriou, Perry, Cribari, Wallace; Macleod, Black (Faure 67); Little (McKay 62), Shiels, Templeton (Kyle 76); McCulloch.

Subs: Gallacher, Crawford.

Goals: Shiels, Templeton (2), McCulloch (2)
Booked: Black

Elgin City: Gibson, Cameron, McMullan (Leslie 63), Crighton, Duff, Niven, Gunn (Beveridge 81), O'Donoghue, Wyness, Nicolson, Moore.
Subs: Black, Millar, MacLean.

Goal: Duff
Booked: Niven

Referee: David Somers
Attendance: 46,015

 

[J]

Just back from the game the atmosphere
Was brilliant ,right next to the blue order
In fact that picture of jig was right infront
Of us.
I have to applaud the Elgin fans also
They stayed right to the end supporting there team.

 

[surfbum]

the Elgin fans looked like they took a bigger support than any spl team ever did lol

J at the game lol


the piper in the pic is on here

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[J]

the Elgin fans looked like they took a bigger support than any spl team ever did lol

J at the game lol
View attachment 68510

Seen him lol
The blue order where crowed surfing
Today, try find it on YouTube
I wonder how long it will take that groin brigade
Mob to copy it.

 

[RAB - P]

 

[RAB - P]

BBC Sport - Highlights - Rangers 5-1 Elgin City

 

[J]

League cup draw. Bring it on murderwell

Motherwell have been drawn to face Rangers in the third round of the Scottish Communities League Cup.

Raith Rovers, who beat Ross County in the previous round, face a trip to Celtic.

Stenhousemuir have a home tie against Inverness Caledonian Thistle after knocking out holders Kilmarnock in round two.

And Queen of the South face Dundee United at Palmerston, while Queen's Park travel to St Johnstone.

Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts, Motherwell and St Johnstone enter the tournament in round three because of their involvement in European competition.

Third -round draw for Scottish Communities League Cup

Celtic v Raith Rovers

RANGERS v Motherwell

St Mirren v Hamilton Academical

Queen of the South v Dundee United

Hearts v Livingston

Dunfermline Athletic v Aberdeen

St Johnstone v Queen's Park

Stenhousemuir v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

* Ties will be played on Tuesday 25 or Wednesday 26 September, 2012

 

[bigbadblue05]

Just back from the game the atmosphere
Was brilliant ,right next to the blue order
In fact that picture of jig was right infront
Of us.
I have to applaud the Elgin fans also
They stayed right to the end supporting there team.

Must admit it looked brilliant the broomloan ,from my seat in the Copland road end, it sure was bouncing.

 

[phezo]

ian black and temps look good together. bring on the celtic,lol.

 

[Ibrox]

The good thing here if there is a good thing in Rangers present position is that we will be the underdogs now in every cup game (apart from 3rd div teams) especially against an S P L team and we have nothing to lose in our present form.

 

[J]

LEE McCULLOCH has enjoyed some fantastic moments as a Rangers player but September 2, 2012 is a date he will remember for the rest of his life.

The stalwart star realised a childhood by becoming the official club captain and made it a double celebration when he shot through the 100 career goals barrier in the 5-1 win over Elgin City.
The 34-year-old was the obvious choice to take the armband on a permanent basis and he is honoured to be following in the footsteps of some great Rangers players.
McCulloch told RangersTV: “It was a day I will remember for a while. The gaffer told me on Saturday that he was going to make me the official captain and I haven’t been able to stop smiling since.
“I didn’t train on Saturday and went home to bed. I had a bit of a virus and I didn’t get up until mid-day yesterday.
“I didn’t feel the best but after the gaffer told me I was going to be captain there was no way I was going to miss it.
“It’s one of the proudest moments in my life to be made captain.
“I have played with some great Rangers captains like Barry Ferguson and Davie Weir and Richard Gough was at the game yesterday. I’ve got their numbers so I can give them a call if need be.
“To lead the team out in front of nearly 50,000 at Ibrox is something you dream about as a kid.
“It’s a dream to play for the club but to become captain? That’s something for the grandkids.”
McCulloch’s joy was doubled when he scored the 100th and 101st goals of his career through Motherwell, Wigan and Rangers.
It gave him his second double in the space of four days after helping to eliminate Falkirk from the League Cup and that is now eight for the season in total.
He said: “I’m delighted to get my 100th career goal. I was regretting telling people I was on 99 because I put pressure on myself.
“The first one was the type of goal the gaffer used to score and the second goal was all about great play from Andy Little to pull it back and I managed to put it away.
“I have said before I don’t see myself as a prolific goal-scorer and I’m not setting any targets. Playing well and winning is all that matters.”

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headli...to-be-skipper?

 

[surfbum]

Phil Mac Giolla Bhain found out for what he is, a dirty rat bigot.

Never bullied, just honest

THE Scottish Sun has never been afraid of controversy.

Throughout the years, we have never shied away from tackling difficult subjects. We have never taken the soft option, the easy route, the quiet life.

Yesterday, we ran an interview with Phil Mac Giolla Bhain in which we described how he’d been given death threats for his role in uncovering the financial scandal that was to engulf Rangers.

We knew he was a controversial figure, but it was clear from the book he had written that he had a story to tell.

And we felt it was a story that needed to be told to you, so that you could make your own minds up. So that you had a chance to read the behind-the-scenes details about the downfall of Rangers.

So that you had a chance to see where the blame lay for the collapse of the club.

On Sunday, many Rangers fans contacted the paper.

Most were reasonable, and wanted to point out some of the other material that the author carries on his website.

Others, many of whom had clearly not read the interview, immediately engaged in the kind of disgusting abuse that sadly infects some of Scottish football’s blogs and forums.

Let’s make one thing absolutely clear. We will never be bullied into not publishing stories simply because they upset some people.

We pride ourselves on having the finest journalists in the country who are totally and unequivocally impartial.

But Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is not one of our journalists and his blog undermines the entire industry.

THAT is why we have decided not to carry the serialisation of the book.

NOT because of the social media backlash.

NOT because of the internet bullies.

But because the author — previously unbeknown to us — is tarred with a sickening sectarian brush.

We believed Phil Mac Giolla Bhain to be a proper and sound journalist. Channel 4 News chief correspondent Alex Thomson obviously agreed and wrote the foreword in the book.

He was wrong and so were we.

The Rangers story has gripped the entire nation and it is one we will continue to tell.

We will tell it truthfully, honestly and without fear or favour.

That is a promise to every football fan and to every one of our army of loyal readers.
The Scottish Sun Says | The Sun |Scottish News|Scottish Sun Says

 

[surfbum]

Phil Mac Giolla Bhain – “Tarred with a Sickening Sectarian Brush”

By Chris Graham

I was as amazed as anyone when I was made aware of an article in yesterday’s Sun newspaper, by Simon Houston, regarding Phil Mac Giolla Bhain. The article itself was almost entirely comprised of fantastical allegations with no apparent basis in fact, but even more concerning was the news that the Sun was to serialise a book by Mac Giolla Bhain about Rangers.

Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is well known to many as a fanatic who has regularly engaged in hate speech about Rangers fans. If you are not aware of this work you can read about some of it here.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and how the Sun could be unaware of the bigotry and bile which pours forth from this man on a regular basis is beyond comprehension. I applaud the many bears both individually (and collectively as part of fans groups) who contacted the Sun to show their displeasure. The club and Charles Green should also take enormous credit for ensuring these concerns were treated very seriously. It should not however have taken the very real threat of a boycott for the Sun to do proper due diligence before engaging this man.

Simon Houston, who wrote the offending article and who was presumably involved in the decision to serialise the book, has many questions to answer. It is clear from his Twitter account, which is now closed, that he is a Celtic fan. This does not necessarily mean he agrees with Mac Giolla Bhain’s vile rhetoric - as many Celtic fans do not - but it does mean he is much more likely to be aware of his previous work. He was also prepared to write an extraordinary piece in which he allowed Mac Giolla Bhain to claim he had been subjected to threats - the heavy inference in both the headline and the article being that these had come from Rangers fans. Only at the very bottom of the piece do we arrive at the truth that there is no evidence of these threats having existed. This work of fiction has now been removed from the Sun website.

The Sun statement today in which they acknowledge that Mac Giolla Bhain is “tarred with a sickening sectarian brush” is accurate and welcome. It also leaves many unanswered questions. Will Simon Houston be reprimanded? Has Mac Giolla Bhain benefitted financially despite the decision to stop the serialisation? There is something ironic about the self-styled “Rebel journalist” taking the coin of Rupert Murdoch and being so desperate to be acknowledged by the “mainstream media” he professes to have such contempt for. Seems Phil is ready to set aside his principles for a pay day. Still, I think we can be clear that he won’t be appearing in the ‘mainstream media’ again – his reputation, such as it is, now lying in tatters.

The Sun has acknowledged they made a grave mistake. Sadly Alex Thomson of Channel 4 News refuses to do the same. Thomson has been given an out by the Sun. He is mentioned in their statement as also having mistakenly endorsed Mac Giolla Bhain but remains associated through writing the foreword for this book.

The Sun had this to say, “We believed Phil Mac Giolla Bhain to be a proper and sound journalist. Channel 4 News chief correspondent Alex Thomson obviously agreed and wrote the foreword in the book. He was wrong and so were we.” Well Thomson doesn’t think he was wrong. It may be arrogance or stupidity but Thomson wishes to stand shoulder to shoulder with this man.

Watching Thomson on Twitter over the past 24 hours has been painful. He is desperately trying to justify his involvement as an endorsement for the book and not the author. He is also peddling the line that people complaining are publicising the book. This ridiculous notion ignores the fact that the more people know about the extremist views of Mac Giolla Bhain, the less likely they are to mistakenly purchase it thinking that it is a Rangers book. I can assure Alex Thomson that those complaining and those they know will not be buying this book.

So, does Alex Thomson condone hate speech? Why is he endorsing the book of a man who writes this type of bile? Do ITN feel it is appropriate that Mr Thomson supports the work of a man that the Sun has now distanced themselves from because of his extremist views? Thomson can repeat his mantra of “how can you comment on a book you haven’t read” as much as he likes. The point is he IS endorsing the author despite being aware of his past. This has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with Thomson lending what little credibility he has left to a man who has none.

It may also be of interest to Thomson that Mac Giolla Bhain is accused of being the co-founder of the ‘Tiocfaidh Ar La’ fanzine, named after the IRA’s ‘Our Day Will Come’ slogan. TAL is a publication which lionises the Provisionals and their campaign of sectarian murder and terror. In the August 2011 (Edition 3.1) of TAL's E-zine, in a piece called 'Rebel No More', 'Talman', the nom de plume of co-founder and Editor Steven Lees, has a serious pop at his former comrade Mac Giolla Bhain. He says “this from the person who was one of the two co-founders of the TAL Fanzine (I was the other) and who was responsible for writing many articles in support of republican militarism.”

Alex Thomson is endorsing a man who not only peddles constant hatred against Rangers fans but who also allegedly endorses “republican militarism” to the extent he co-founded a fanzine about it.

Mac Giolla Bhain’s online chums are, purely by coincidence no doubt, peddling a line incredibly similar to Thomson. They are trying to pursue the idea that those who complained have fallen into their cunning trap of giving the book publicity and that this somehow equates to being a more effective form of spreading the word. The notion that a serialisation in the Sun equates to less publicity than being “tarred with a sickening sectarian brush” is novel but obviously inaccurate. Unless of course the target audience for the book are those tarred with the same brush? People who, like Mac Giolla Bhain, have an all-consuming hatred of everything to do with Rangers?

Paul Brennan of CQN takes the lie one step further by stating that the Sun approached Mac Giolla Bhain and not the other way around. It is touching that these friends and regular stage companions at talks, in Celtic clubs, about Rangers, are sticking up for each other. It is also desperate nonsense. The book was due to be serialised, starting today. The interview appeared yesterday. Imagine if Rangers fans had not mobilised so quickly and the book had actually been serialised – what a disaster that would have been for the cunning PR plan of the East End’s very own Baldricks.

The NUJ also have questions to answer about why they allow this militant to sit on their Irish Executive Council and allow him to hold the position of Editor of their own newsletter “The Irish Journalist”. They have been made aware of his poisonous ramblings. Do they condone them? Do they have sympathy with “republican militarism” too? The Rangers Standard will return to these questions in the future.

The desperate back peddling from Mac Giolla Bhain and his useful idiots will continue but yesterday was a victory for Rangers fans. The days of accepting a role as a punch bag for extremists like Mac Giolla Bhain are gone. He is now utterly discredited and completely toxic to any serious media outlet. As a club and a fan base we should be prepared to accept measured criticism from all quarters when it is deserved, but we won’t allow ourselves to be targeted by people like this. This decision shows what can be achieved when we present a united front. Long may it continue.

Phil Mac Giolla Bhain

 

[surfbum]

The setting Sun, and the dawn of the new era
by Bill McMurdo | CRO contributor | @williammcmurdo |

The decision by The Sun to pull the scheduled serialisation of arch Rangers-hater Phil Mac Giolla Bhain’s spiteful book on the Rangers crisis is not only a victory for decency but it also heralds a new era in Scottish society.

The Sun is a newspaper in Rupert Murdoch’s stable and Murdoch is much more used to shaping popular thinking than being shaped by it.

Murdoch’s agenda to turn Scotland into a bitter wee republic on the outside of both Britain and the wider global neighbourhood has meant that the people of Scotland have been molded into a cloned copy of his British-hating self.

This agenda necessitates the transforming of Rangers and their fan base into cultural pariahs, reviled and despised for their ridiculously old-fashioned loyalty to Queen and country.

For way too long, Rangers supporters sucked such disrespect and abuse up, preferring to retreat into their traditional manly stoicism and just let the team get on with the business of humping all opposition on the pitch.

Then the collapse of David Murray’s empire and the Craig Whyte fiasco happened.

Rangers were left lying bleeding in the ditch as enemy after enemy lined up to take savage kicks at the club.

The years of anti-Rangers propaganda eventually created a culture of Rangers-hating that is endemic in Scottish society. Being a Rangers supporter became something socially undesirable and offensive, so effective was the relentless stream of propaganda directed at all things RFC.

But recently it has all changed.

The turnaround at Ibrox since Charles Green took control of the club, coupled with the indestructible spirit shown by Ally McCoist, have galvanised Rangers fans into a rampant fighting force once more.

Rangers fans are no longer taking a kicking, so to speak, they are looking to dish one out. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

The Fightback has well and truly begun.

Rangers fans are becoming more and more media savvy and wakening to the enormous power of their collective economic punch.

In a nutshell, people and organisations that dis Rangers are starting to fear the devastating consequences of a boycott by the club’s increasingly-militant support.

Rangers won’t take anything lying down ever again.

No newspaper likes to get egg on its face or be seen to have to back down in the face of public opinion.

But in a few short hours the wrath of Rangers fans has forced just such a climb-down upon The Sun.

Now it won’t stop Rupert Murdoch’ s plotting and scheming to turn Scotland into his personal fiefdom. But it will make him think again before doing something that incurs the outrage of the large constituency of bluenoses.

But, great victory though it is, it should not lull Rangers fans into a false sense of feeling the war is over.

Whilst it is likely that The Sun won’t be the last media outlet to feel the fury of a revived Rangers support, it is very likely that there will be more and more such battles to be engaged in.

There will be a feeling that Rangers and their troublesome fans need to be put back in their box.

You can expect the fight to get very dirty from here on in.

The fight is not just about the football, just like Rangers is not just about the football.

Maybe that’s what old Shankly was getting at...
The setting Sun, and the dawn of the new era. Article

 

[surfbum]

More Questions Than Answers
Posted on September 4, 2012 by billmcmurdo

In the comments section of yesterday’s blog there was a great post asking some searing questions of the man known to Rangers fans as Phil Three Names.

I have been thinking for a while of asking some questions here myself.

Now I am aware that Rangers supporters and others have been asking probing questions for quite some time of the officials at the SPL and SFA – with those same questions all too often met with a stony silence.

But there’s one thing for sure.

Those officials don’t like hearing the questions.

And journalists hate the questions too, because they remind them of the job they should be doing but are prevented from doing by their editors. Some journos hate the questions because they know the answers and have a vested interest in not going there.

But here are some questions that Rangers supporters – and others if they are so inclined – could be asking:-

1) What exactly was the relationship between Stewart Regan and Peter Lawwell prior to Regan’s appointment as CEO of the Scottish Football Association? Was there a friendship? Did Peter Lawwell have any part in the appointment, either by suggesting Regan’s name or facilitating the approach to him?

2) Who owned the company that became the company that runs the SPL? Why was this particular company chosen?

3) What is the logic that sees Rangers ineligible to receive monies due for finishing 2nd in the SPL because the old company that ran Rangers has been replaced but still demands that the old company’s debts be paid by the new one? Can the SPL show precedent for such twisted logic in the more mainstream business world? If, to use their own terms, oldco is no more so can’t get the SPL prize money it is due, how can oldco be expected to pay what it was due? More to the point, why should newco pay oldco’s debts but not receive oldco’s prize money? Would anybody in the SPL like to admit that, in effect, they are extorting money out of Rangers in this way?

4) Why was Harper McLeod chosen to be the law firm that conducted the investigation into EBTs at Rangers? Was Peter Lawwell involved in this decision in any way at any time? Moreover, when the media reports of a possible clash of interest by Harper McLeod’s appointment came out, was there any review inside the SPL of this appointment and if not, why not?

5) Has every director at every club in the SPL undergone and passed a fit and proper person test? If so, who conducted the investigation and what criteria did they use? If no such test exists why not and when will one? How can the football authorities know that every director is a fit and proper person without testing them?

6) What exactly constitutes bringing the game into disrepute? Would it include criminal activity by club officials or the covering up of criminal activity by club officials such as in the recent Penn State case in America? E.g. if a club official was dealing in drugs or committed a serious crime, would that bring the game into disrepute and if not, why not?

7) Did Harper Macleod lawyer Rod Mackenzie rise to his feet at an SPL meeting and scream at Charles Green, “You bastards have cheated US for 11 years!” and is this the same Rod Mackenzie – well-known Celtic fan – involved in investigating Rangers? Or is this just an internet rumour?

8) Is there any investigation into off-book payments at clubs other than Rangers by the SPL and/or SFA? I am talking about side letters, offshore payments, brown envelopes, “bungs” and other non-contractual payments. Do such side letters exist, signed by directors of clubs other than Rangers? Did any other team employ EBTs or other tax avoidance schemes to pay players? What about taxable perks? Is there a thorough and ongoing investigation into all these matters conducted on every club?

9) Is the SPL itself solvent?Can it meet its obligations and pay its creditors? Would it fail its own tests for solvency?

10) In relation to activity undertaken by a football club that is either criminal or gains that team an unfair advantage, how far back would the SFA or SPL go to investigate and punish that club? Obviously the SPL has only existed since the 1990s but the SFA is much older as is the SFL. Could teams found in breach of SFA and/or SFL rules 25 or 30 years ago have punishments handed down if those breaches were brought out into the open today?

These are just ten questions for Rangers fans and others to mull over and perhaps ask of the relevant people in their own words. I have many more, as do others.

My own opinion is that, just as Rangers supporters are learning how to be an offended people, they should also become an inquisitive people.

You are always learning in this world and you do that by asking questions.

Sadly, in the case of the corrupt cabal running the game today, there are at present way more questions than answers.

But that shouldn’t deter nosy, inquisitive Rangers fans and others who want the answers to the questions they are asking.

To them I say, keep probing and digging and look under every rock.

You never know what you will find.
Bill McMurdo's Weblog

 

[surfbum]

McCoist Hits Back At Critics

ALLY McCOIST has hit out at critics who are “annoyed” by the response of the Rangers fans and he cannot believe the flak aimed at some of his signings.

The manager is of the view that certain people are upset by the remarkable support despite the new environment Rangers find themselves in since the tortuous administration process.

And he is far from happy at the unjustified criticism some of his signings have received for daring to join Rangers in SFL 3.

Speaking to RangersTV, McCoist said: “It’s bizarre. I have noticed that in some sections people are annoyed at the way our fans have reacted.

“We are where we are. We said we would accept it. The fans wanted it and the fans got it.

“The support that they have shown this club is absolutely remarkable.

“I will maybe give people out-with this club the benefit of the doubt for being a little bit surprised by what has happened.

“The criticism that some players have had for signing for us is absolutely ridiculous.

“I do respect the vast majority of journalists. You don’t always agree with them but you take their opinions on board.

“But it’s interesting to note that the vast majority who had a go at David Templeton for coming don’t know the club and have never played the game.

“Now I’m not saying you have to have played the game to know the game.

“But the point I’m trying to make is if you have played the game at a high level and you do know this club then it is more understandable that these decisions have been made by good players.

“They have been accused of going for the money which is absolute nonsense. And even if it was the case they are quite entitled to do so because in any other profession or walk of life you would look after your family.

“But there is a lot more to it than that. Anyone who would question people coming to this club were perhaps not at the game last Sunday when there were 46,000 reasons to come to this club.”

 

[phezo]

Bairns Beaten Again
Written by Andrew Dickson

FRANCESCO STELLA scored in his first outing in a Rangers shirt and Kevin Kyle struck too as the Light Blues beat Falkirk 3-1 in a closed-doors game this afternoon.

Australian midfielder Stella was in the right place at the right time to put the hosts ahead in the first half at Ibrox.

He had a quiet game otherwise but contributed to a victory as Gers filled their gap in play due to the international break with a worthwhile friendly.

Ally McCoist fielded an experimental team against the Bairns and deployed his starting line-up in a 3-4-3 formation.

Kamil Wiktorski joined Sebastien Faure and Emilson Cribari in defence, with Lee McCulloch joined in midfield by Robbie Crawford, Artemis Argyriou and Stella.

Kyle spearheaded the attack, with Barrie McKay and latest signing David Templeton either side of him.

There was no sign of Dean Shiels, Andy Little, Chris Hegarty or Andy Mitchell as all four are on international duty with the full and under-21 Northern Ireland teams.

Lee Wallace also sat the game out due to a knock which stopped him from joining the Scotland squad while Ian Black and Fran Sandaza were also missing.

Stella nearly struck inside 70 seconds when he started a move which led to him being in on goal but being beaten to the ball at the last second by the keeper.

Kyle then headed past the post and McKay had a chance to shoot but made the wrong choice when he set up Crawford instead and he missed.

Falkirk got forward well in the first half and Lyle Taylor, their most threatening forward, shot wide as the visitors tried to respond.

He drilled past the post though and that was the cue for Stella to break the deadlock at the other end with a close-range finish from a deep right-wing cross.

Back came Falkirk through Taylor once again and he hit the bar as the Westfield side came close to an equaliser.

Templeton should have made it 2-0 after taking advantage of a defensive lapse to get past the last defender but his effort was straight at the keeper.

And in their next attack the First Division side drew level as substitute Kyle McAusland fouled Taylor in the box and he sent Scott Gallacher the wrong way from the spot.

Rangers rallied and eventually went in front once more with 19 minutes of the match remaining.

Replacement Kal Naismith did really well to break away from two opponents before playing the ball to Kyle on the 18-yard line.

He then flicked the ball on to Tom Walsh, whose shot was screwing across goal and wide until it deflected off a defender and into the net instead.

Fraser Aird could have added a third late on with a rasping drive from 30 yards but it was stopped on the line.

And instead it was Kyle who sealed the victory seconds from the end when he nodded in a Walsh cross at the back post after a short corner from Naismith.

McCoist will have been pleased the forward, along with Faure, Crawford and Hutton, got valuable minutes under their belts.

He’ll also have been happy McAusland came through his return from a hip injury unscathed and that youngsters Walsh, Murdoch and Naismith showed up relatively well.

RANGERS (3-4-3): Gallacher; Wiktorski (Murdoch), Faure, Emilson (Pascazio); Argyriou (McAusland), McCulloch (Hutton), Crawford (Aird), Stella; McKay (Walsh), Kyle, Templeton (Naismith).

 

[J]

The Divided Land « Bill McMurdo's Weblog

 

[surfbum]

He who laughs last. Article

by Andy McGowan | CRO contributor |

How fleeting the high ground can be, having celebrated three-in-a-row it was only a few months later Rangers fans were left to try and comprehend the tumbling of the biggest club in Scotland.

Despite years of rumour and half facts about EBT’s and fines it never seemed possible.

In the end of course this is not what brought down the club, rather the ill-fated reign of Craig Whyte is what sent Rangers reeling into SFL3. Even as events unfolded in February it was difficult to fathom what was to come.

“Only a matter of weeks” they said.

“HMRC will blink” they told us.

“We will agree a CVA” they shouted.

Sadly these hopes from club and fans alike were dashed and it was left to Charles Green’s Sevco consortium to step in on Rangers, and after a month of leaderless talks, threats and negotiations--which bordered on the side of blackmail than reasoned give and take--Rangers were admitted to the SFL and reunited with their SFA membership which was until then held by the old company.

All the while fans of the other clubs in Scotland’s top division watched on in greater numbers than had ever attended a match at their chosen clubs , sneering, laughing and putting the boot in.

No one has enjoyed the Rangers saga as much as the SPL onlookers, the hate directed toward Rangers fueled by jealousy, or bigotry as Charles Green had suggested, or perhaps simply because misery loves company.
But those smiles, laughs and taunts however have quickly turned to frowns, anger and threats.

These so called fans had envisioned a scenario in which Rangers would become one of them – a small club with a small following, who would never darken their door in the same manner again.

A club condemned to life in Division 3 who would never again return to its former glories.

The first blow to this fantasy came relatively quickly, delivered by Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan in their threats to their own member clubs in an attempt to shoehorn Rangers into SFL1, a move that was blocked by the resilient SFL clubs who have in the past few months put the so called Premier clubs to shame.

When a new SKY and ESPN deal was announced it was taken as another victory against Rangers. They’d gotten rid of us and kept the cash. They didn’t need us!

Of course the deal is still heavily dependent on showing Celtic and Rangers, with one of the conditions of the SPL agreeing to our transfer of membership being that they retained the media rights to Rangers matches.

How must it feel to know that neutral fans would rather watch a club in Scotland’s bottom tier than one of its Premier League clubs?
No matter though, as the club was still to suffer on the pitch: ‘Rangers will be left with no players, no money, and no fans and we’ll have the last laugh.’

Yes, the club did lose many first team players over the course of the summer, every instance no matter the circumstances met with a predictable, “I thought you didn’t do walking away?”

But this was to be the real turning point for the onlookers so enjoying Rangers troubles.

As the season gets underway Rangers fans have galvanized behind the club, selling more than 35,000 season tickets. Tto put that number in perspectivem nearly 70% of Ibrox capacity and it is more season tickets than sold by Manchester City – the reigning English champions.

On a weekend where fans of SPL clubs had campaigned to sell out their stadiums in a show of unity, only Rangers managed a sell out and in doing so had a higher attendance than every game in Scotland combined. Amazing, since all those Rangers supporters who had abandoned their “local teams” were supposed to go flocking back, leaving Ibrox a barren empty shell.

‘No matter, it’s just Rangers fans being defiant. No one will watch them on TV.’

Viewing figures released earlier this week however show that more tuned in to watch Rangers travel to Berwick than had done so to watch Celtic – the SPL champions, take on Inverness, in Scotland’s 'premier' division.

Slowly the laughter had been turning to displeasure as Rangers began to thrive, and to do so while signing players from none other than the SPL.

Indeed Dean Sheils turned down an improved offer from Kilmarnock, and in doing so turned down the chance to play for his dad Kenny who is the Killie manager, such is the continued pulling power of Rangers.

The displeasure finally boiled over and turned to anger as David Templeton, arguably Hearts best player last season (or was it Ian Black?) and certainly their biggest prospect was sold to Rangers on deadline day.

This was the final, sickening realisation that despite all that had happened in the past seven months Rangers are, and always will be, bigger than the clubs currently inhabiting Scotland’s top division.

Templeton went on to score a debut double on a beautiful day at Ibrox, a day which saw Rangers yet again produce a higher attendance than Champions League bound and champions of the SPL Celtic.

It’s safe to say that as Motherwell threaten to boycott Ibrox in the upcoming League Cup last 16 match the laughter and enjoyment has turned to anger and fear.

No longer will Rangers fans put much needed money in the coffers of these clubs week after week, and in such perilous financial positions as some find themselves in this may prove to be a real issue.

Judgement day may be coming a lot sooner than many would like it to be. The SPL, Sky, and Neil Doncaster have all remained tight lipped on the details of the new TV deal, with no party comfortable allowing the fine print to be read, despite the last deal.

Is there perhaps something in the contract that might further anger these fans who have enjoyed the last seven months so?

A look at the situation would very much suggest there is, with Rangers not only signing SPL calibre players, but players who they have been linked with and in some cases made bids for in the past.

Following the tranfers in and out of Ibrox it seems highly unlikely that Rangers are planning for life in SFL2 next season.

And with the revelation in July that Sky would not tolerate more than one season without its money spinning four Old Firm fixtures, which will now be more precious than ever, it seems unlikely that Rangers will be given the opportunity to work their way through the divisions as should be the case.

Signs continue to point to Rangers being forced into a move that again suits the small term thinking of incompetent SPL chairmen, a move that will leave no one other than club accountants happy.

Whatever is to come in the next 12 months, the one thing that we appear to have finally seen off is the enjoyment of our off field troubles. The attention of those fans so bitter toward Rangers has finally been turned on their own clubs and they don’t like what they see.

And so begins what is sure to be one of the most enjoyable periods for the Rangers supporters as they welcome a new chapter, a fresh start, and simply enjoying a game of football once again, while clubs in the Premier League toil and, one supposes, in some cases face their own battles with finances and solicitors. Maybe the BBC will even give them their own documentary!

And I am sure Rangers fans will be nothing but sympathetic to those clubs and fans… This is fun! as the saying goes.