On the front and back page of every newspaper in Scotland the saga of the Rangers crisis is the main news. There are hourly updates on internet sites and the crisis appears to be deepening.

The situation is so complex and has dragged on for so long. It's impossible to give a comprehensive synopsis of events. If you've not followed it already. But this good Daily Mail article covers the main points.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2154209/Rangers-face-huge-obstacles-fortnight.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Where we are at right now.....

Charles Green is in charge of a new company - newco The Rangers. He appears to be in this for a fast buck with no long term plans for the club. Rumours that Charles Green can't afford to pay wages this week

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/show-us-the-money.17769614

The SPL clubs are going to vote that Rangers be expelled from the Premier League as they are a newco. That means no Old Firm games next year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18284888#asset

Uncertainty as to what divison the newco join. First Division which has clubs complaining already about it as it would deprive them of promotion or the Third Division with part timers.

Certainly - no European football for three years having gone bust.

The most recent update - players refusing to be part of the newco, becoming free agents and walking away from the club.

http://sport.stv.tv/

No application to join the SFA lower leagues has been submitted, this has a deadline of Friday. Which will include background checks on Charles Green.

Walter Smith and senior players leading a consortium to oust Charles Green.

The possibility of restructuring the entire Scottish lower leagues into two divisions. To assist in Rangers return to the top flight and the TV money and gate receipts that insures.

Total chaos ! :scotsflag:

Lets buy Bury's registration and start at the bottom in England. Get out of Scotland. Unfortunately that plan seems to have gone off the radar... :unionflag:

Ibrox legends urge fans not to buy season tickets. Does Charles Green really own Rangers ? Who is he a front man for ?

Today's Sun:

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4397031/Icons-Snub-season-tickets.html

It's looking pretty bad for Rangers. Only 2 of your team have agreed to transfer to newco so wherever you end up playing, you may not even have a team. The fact that players can walk for nothing means you're not going to be able to replace them easily either.

Sad times, especially for a team with so much history.

Was talking about this yesterday and it seems possible that a team called Rangers playing at Ibrox won't happen anymore

It's possible Rangers might not play football this coming season at all. No league to play in. Out the SPL, the Bury bid rejected, lower leagues don't appear to be too keen on Rangers joining them. I think joining Division 3 in Scotland is on the cards but anything could happen.

With a surname like Green he's most likely a shyster.

Green is another Craig Whyte just in this for a quick buck for himself. He might even be a front man for Craig Whyte, it's possible Craig Whyte is still lurking in the background. The John Brown led bid is the one to follow for Gers fans imo. Demonstration at 7pm at Ibrox tonight. I can see it descending into trouble. I hope so ! :unionflag:

I know I'm in a minority south of the border, but I would allow Rangers into the English leagues. What about taking over Colwyn Bay? Swap one non English team for another.

money talks and some deals will be cut before any deadlines are enforced the tv money will be the clincher for any deals done, as much as celtic like seeing rangers in this mess they need them to generate interest in themselfs and keep funds rolling through there tills, will be a strange couple of seasons whatever the SFA decides to do, seems to me there's alot been done behind closed doors for to long thats how they got into this mess and still trying to keep things from the fans will we ever know the truth behind whats happened/happening,

Todays latest.. Ibrox and the Murray Park training academy are up for sale. The idea being to be leased back to Rangers by whoever buys them. This has now been denied at Ibrox.

IN response to a story that appeared this afternoon on the STV website, the Club has released the following statement.

A spokesman for The Rangers Football Club said: "Yet again, ignorant and ill-informed journalism has caused alarm to Rangers supporters.

"For the avoidance of doubt, Ibrox and Murray Park are the property of The Rangers Football Club, which at present is registered as Sevco Scotland Ltd until a name change is given formal approval.

"Sevco Scotland was formed to ensure that if the formation of a new company was required in the event of a CVA being rejected, then the Club's corporate entity would be a Scottish registered company as it has always been.

"It is as straightforward as that and this kind of reporting is further evidence of ill-informed journalists seeing shadows where there are none."

I know I'm in a minority south of the border, but I would allow Rangers into the English leagues. What about taking over Colwyn Bay? Swap one non English team for another.

The Bury proposal was rejected by the Bury board and later denied by Rangers. But it would be great if it could happen. As things stand it is total uncertainty as to where the team, or what's left of it, will play next year.

Groundsharing at Parkhead at this rate

John Brown's speech outside Ibrox. Who owns Rangers ? Is Craig Whyte still involved ? Who knows ? The saga rolls on...


http://a.yfrog.com/img542/7771/6h0.mp4


Interview with Bomber Brown !

http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/108240-rangers-crisis-ibrox-and-murray-park-hived-off-to-separate-newco/

The governing bodies try and get Rangers into Division 1...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18625293

but 75% of teams need to agree, so 2 objections and that's a non starter. Falkirk, Raith and Greenock Morton set to object. So is it going to be Divison 3 ? Who knows. :lol3:

Officially no more SPL football...

http://www.rangerstv.tv/viewfree.php?it=10386&c=News&r=236678734985

Fair enough but now the SPL have tried to bully the other teams into Rangers going into the First Division. They realise the loss of TV revenue :suicidal: and don't want a divison three scenario threatening to create a SPL 2...

http://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2012/07/04/4137/

Chairman Donald Findlay added – “Speaking for myself, and myself alone, it is clear to me that people at the highest levels of our game have tried to hold a gun to my head and the heads of my colleagues. That will never work. But I have a long memory and will not forget what they tried to do and the way they tried to bend me, and this Club, to their will. That will never be allowed to happen”

Bring on Divison Three, let's do it ! :unionflag:

:cheers:

SFA refusing to release players contracts too. Are they not aware of employment law? :huh:

These Rangers players, some of whom have been out for lengthy injury spells or had hefty payments when re-signing contracts last summer. Like Naismith and Davis, might have had the decency to be sold but they've gone for every last penny for themselves. I don't blame them for that, as it's a short career. But, what pisses us off here is they're saying Rangers are not the same club. For that and that alone... they are rats, who will never be forgiven. It is the same club just a different holding company... complicated lol

Well tomorrow is supposed to be the big day when the SFL clubs decide if Rangers go into Division 1 or Division 3. There has been huge pressure put on them to agree to Division 1 so Rangers can hopefully get straight back into the SPL and save the Sky TV deal. If they don't vote for the Divison 1 proposal the threat is to create a SPL second division and freeze them out. Again so Rangers can get back in one year. I feel sorry for these clubs.

If Rangers should go to Division 3... this is what the bottom tier of Scottish league football looks like for those of you unfamiliar with it.



http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad113/GaryMcPattaya/f5dba088.jpg



Scottish football has a strange league set up with big junior teams, semi professional outfits, getting higher gates than the bottom tier of the SFL league.

I don't care anymore. No European football for three years anyway. Lets go to division three and watch the rest of them suffer.

The ripples have already started...


The current uncertainty within Scottish Football surrounding central sponsorship money has put St.Mirren Football Club at risk of having to make severe cost cuts across the whole football club in the immediate future.

As announced by the Board last week, the Club could face a revenue drop in the coming season forecast to be in the region of as much as £400k to £600k should the SFL member clubs vote only to allow the Newco Rangers to enter the league hierarchy in the bottom tier. The SFL clubs will meet this Friday to vote on the issue.

At worst the board of directors have told the fans and shareholders of the club that it could be faced with offloading star players, making forced redundancies or even facing administration if costs cannot be cut sufficiently to meet with reduced income from central sponsorships.

This level of uncertainty has also postponed our own planned purchase of the majority shareholding of the football club. We are unable at present to proceed with our offer but similarly we do not want to stand idly by and watch the football club we love struggle to meet it's obligations, or lose key staff, due entirely to a crisis that was not of it's own making.

Gonna be a massive shock having such a one sided league if you go into the 3rd Division :whistling:

Gonna be a massive shock having such a one sided league if you go into the 3rd Division :whistling:

LMAO

I'll miss the Old Firm games though !

Wouldn't that be a great windfall for the 3rd division clubs though?
Getting lockout crowds every time they played Rangers?



Assuming the Rangers fans left anything standing after their visit.....:bash:

Division 3 it is then. Will Scottish football survive Sky pulling out?

That's what BBC Live are saying - division three. No official statement yet. The SPL could still try and create a SPL 2 league and scupper it. Who knows what will happen, still up in the air...

Can Scottish football survive without Sky, in a word - no. It will be in meltdown.

One positive... if Rangers do into Division Three we could become the only club in Scotland to have won every league ! There's a Challenge Cup thing for the shit teams too and we've never been in that before lol dancing

The Rangers websites and forums are updating by the minute... apparently a league restructure is guaranteed to avoid this.

The Rangers situation changes by the hour.. so I've not bored you guys with all the shit. But here is breaking news or at least a rumour from a credible source.

So far... Rangers have been offered a licence to play in the SFA, divison 3. Rangers need the SPL to agree to transfer their licence. The SPL want a cut of TV money... even when Rangers aren't in their league. That is up to the SFA/ SPL to agree on.

Anyway, Rangers have been threatened with having titles and cups stripped off them. They have apparently agreed to all terms and conditions to join SFA divison 3, apart from this.

From a Rangers facebook page -

Apparently the membership has been agreed and offered to us to sign, it's us that are refusing UNTIL they agree to drop this dual contract investigation.

I know that's maybe not so ground breaking, but it's a new wee twist on things in my opinion and I back our clubs stance on this 100% ... I appreciate it's a risk and we are playing Russian Roulette to an extent, but we can't give them carte blanche to remove titles from us, especially from a bunch of jealous and irrational SPL chairmen. They would like nothing more.

I could always accept the transfer embargo starting on Sept 1st, as that gives us time to get people in and I don't think it's a major issue for the 3rd division anyway - however the titles and honours is a massive thing and would be the final nail in the Scottish football coffin for me. I can and have accepted administration, liquidation, players leaving, 10 point deductions, no Europe for 3 years and relegation to the fourth tier of Scottish football - but not title stripping. Never.

Keep the poker face Rangers.



Now this rumour that is set for tomorrow....

Please guys, don't shoot the messenger - the guy Grant from STV has Tweeted that tomorrow the powers to be will confirm that there's no more Rangers in Scottish football. He says from 6pm tonight all trace of us has been removed at Hampden.

No idea if it's a joke or scare tactics or the truth or plain lies. Tomorrow by 4/5pm we will know one way or another it seems.

Again, just repeating what the STV guy said. I don't know if it's credible.


This is the best source of Ranger's information imho -

http://www.facebook.com/Ibetwecanget1000000people.that.love.the.Rangers

No more Rangers.... :unionflag:

The tweet:

Grant Russell @STVGrant rangers will be informed in the morning its a no go and no show .no sanctions and time has ran out sfl/spl/sfa remove all trace of rangers out of hamden at 6pm tonight

Apparently removed from the SFL website now..

The S.F.L. @OFFICIAL_SFL

Please note the scottishfootballleague.com website is being updated at the present time. League tables fixtures etc are therefore not complete.

Gaz, I wonder if you caught up with what happened to the Melbourne Storm in the Rugby League down here.
They are an expansion team in a League dominated by NSW and Queensland.

They won one title back in the nineties when they first started up, and that was fine.

Then after several years of just being a good team, they started winning everything. Probably had the best four or five players in the country on their books. Took the title in 2007 and 2009. Then in early 2010 they were found guilty of massively breaching the salary cap. Got stripped of those two titles, and the points they had to that time in the 2010 season...and were forced to play out the year in 'dead rubbers'. ie, Any team they were drawn against were awarded the two points, regardless of the result of the match.
Bizarre.
But surprisingly they continued to win games, much to the embarrassment of the administration.
Officially now, all the players in those premiership squads are recorded as having never played in the champion side. The league records show no team won the comp. I believe it has been completely gutting for those guys.
To think all those great Rangers players ( even to a green and white lad like me) could have their history re-written is totally out of order. It reminds me of a Ray Bradbury or George Orwell story, power-brokers changing written history to suit their own version of political correctness.

I hope it's met with fiery torches and battleaxes, and blue painted faces. :kenshin2:

Fork, I wasn't aware of the Melbourne Storm certainly some parallels between what happened to them and what some people would like to happen to Rangers here.

Jealous rival chairmen that run the game would like to strip Rangers of titles and cripple them forever. Ex Celt Jackie MacNamara gave an interview yesterday and he was saying if he was posted two Scottish Cup medals now, it would mean nothing to him, having lost two finals to Rangers. Others are less charitable like Neil Lennon. Saying that Rangers 'financial doping' cost managers jobs and rival players win bonuses etc.

One interesting story to come out of this is that the Rangers goalkeeper at the time, Stefan Klos was paid more than David Beckham was getting at Man U at the same time. Madness and no wonder Rangers are in crisis now.

It won't come to it, I don't think but I'd back Charles Green to fight this, even if it means no football next year.

Daily Telegraph is a credible source, their link to the story. I'm off to work now... no doubt hear what happens there.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9429885/Rangers-go-to-the-wire-haggling-over-SFA-membership.html

If someone is deemed to have won by cheating then whatever they have won is taken away , happened quite a bit over the years.

Hope Portsmouth lose their FA Cup because they cheated like fuck by having a team of players they couldn't legitimately afford to win it.

Hope Portsmouth lose their FA Cup because they cheated like fuck by having a team of players they couldn't legitimately afford to win it.

Which means Cardiff were the winners dancing

Which means Cardiff were the winners dancing

Then again maybe Pompey can keep the cup :cuckoo:

ALLY McCOIST STATEMENT

"48 hours from now, we are supposed to start the season with a game at Brechin and, as I sit here today, I don’t know exactly what our status in the game is, where our players, that we have, should be registered - and what the future holds for us going into next week.

"It's a ludicrous situation - and I owe it to our fans - to make my views known on it.

"No one is denying that Rangers were badly mismanaged for 10 months. Nor are we disputing that we should be punished for that. We have been. We accept that punishment and want to start putting the past behind us and move forward.

"But that is not being allowed to happen - and I have to ask myself why?

"In recent days, I have been in a number of meetings with Stewart Regan, Rod Petrie and other senior SFA figures - and despair at the lack of leadership shown.

"In my years in professional football, I have not always agreed with everything the SFA did or said. But, no matter what you thought of their decisions, there was no doubt they ran the game firmly and robustly.

"I can only imagine Ernie Walker looking down on us now and shaking his head in disbelief at the sad state of affairs and the way they have been mishandled.

"As for the SPL, they seem determined to pursue as hostile an agenda as possible towards Rangers.

"They kicked us out of the SPL - which was their right- and we acknowledge that - but that doesn't seem enough for Neil Doncaster and some of his board.

"Not only as they withholding our SPL prize money for last season - they won't tell us how much it is but we reckon it to be about £1.3million.

"And having said they don't want us - they do want a bigger share of the TV money that our presence will bring to the SFL and its clubs. Never mind sporting integrity - where is the moral integrity there?

"And there is no line to be drawn in the sand. Rangers have not been punished enough in their eyes and along with one or two people who have a vested interest within SPL clubs, our right to past titles will be challenged. They want what we and our fans bring, yet seem determined to strip us of every bit of our dignity. It has to stop.

"Sadly, only one Scottish football body has offered us any help or assistance - the SFL and I would like to thank David Longmuir, Jim Ballantyne and 29 of their 30 member clubs for inviting us into the SFL.

"We are grateful for the opportunity. We are looking forward to the challenges ahead, making new friends in the months ahead and having a positive impact on the SFL.

"It is now over five months since Rangers went into administration. It is time to start playing football again - and I am not alone in thinking this.

"In recent days I have bumped into Celtic, Hearts and Motherwell fans, and they were saying the same thing – “It’s time to stop kicking Rangers and start getting Scottish football looking forward not back”.

I still think Rangers should start again in the English leagues.

This whole situation is getting as ridiculous as the politicians up there who are trying to gain independence. It is about time the Scottish people kicked out these people who are tuning there country into a laughing stock.

Fascinating Updates.

Erasing the history reminds me of what the Chinese did in the Cultural Revolution, destroy everything that was before, hence it didn`t exist.

Only you can`t erase history and it will come back to haunt.

Pedantic alert but why should new Rangers get any prize money from last season ? That club doesn't exist anymore

Pedantic alert but why should new Rangers get any prize money from last season ? That club doesn't exist anymore

In the eyes of any football fan they do and will always exist. Try as they will, all of these self interest people who try and take the game and it's history away from the fans will always fail.

Pedantic alert but why should new Rangers get any prize money from last season ? That club doesn't exist anymore

It's the same club but a different holding company. Originally Rangers were founded in 1872 and the first holding company wasn't put into place until 1899. Celtic have changed their holding company three times in this period. Most recently under Fergus McCann. No one is saying that they are a different club. Same club, same history.

Fascinating Updates.

Erasing the history reminds me of what the Chinese did in the Cultural Revolution, destroy everything that was before, hence it didn`t exist.

Only you can`t erase history and it will come back to haunt.

This is the biggest soap opera Scottish football has ever had. This is front page, back page news up here every day and has been all year. Every day brings a new twist and turn. There's a long way to go yet.

It's the same club but a different holding company. Originally Rangers were founded in 1872 and the first holding company wasn't put into place until 1899. Celtic have changed their holding company three times in this period. Most recently under Fergus McCann. No one is saying that they are a different club. Same club, same history.

Like Aldershot Town is considered the same as Aldershot FC which went bust in 1992 and still plays at the same ground but the prize money from last season is not 'new' Rangers money as that cash should go to the creditors of the old club that went bust.

I still think Rangers should start again in the English leagues.

This whole situation is getting as ridiculous as the politicians up there who are trying to gain independence. It is about time the Scottish people kicked out these people who are tuning there country into a laughing stock.

Starting again in England in the lowest league would be a dream come true. For me anyway. Scottish football is finished imo. No TV money to attract the top players.

As for the independence thing, just madness. It won't get through in 2014 I wouldn't think. But it will never go away now. They'll keep trying.

Like Aldershot Town is considered the same as Aldershot FC which went bust in 1992 and still plays at the same ground but the prize money from last season is not 'new' Rangers money as that cash should go to the creditors of the old club that went bust.

That's a reasonable point R. I don't know what is planned for the money that's withheld by the SPL.

Starting again in England in the lowest league would be a dream come true. For me anyway. Scottish football is finished imo. No TV money to attract the top players.

As for the independence thing, just madness. It won't get through in 2014 I wouldn't think. But it will never go away now. They'll keep trying.

I'd like to see Rangers start in League 2 as it would give a boost to the teams there and help them out with their finances. Couldn't do it this coming season but in the future ?

Me too, Rangers apparently looked into buying Burys registration but the Bury board didn't want to kill their team and have it move to Glasgow. Maybe another struggling teams board might do in the future. It's an unlikely option though at the moment.

Sorry Gaz, as much as I hate to see this happen to teams, Pompey too, I don't think Rangers should be allowed to move to the English Leagues, and I think Swansea and Cardiff should be kicked out too fwiw...... (hides from Gonzo)

Is Maine Road still vacant? Rangers would be an improvement there....

it's had houses built on most of it.... but it may suit Rangers, the roads have been painted blue :clapping:

it's had houses built on most of it....

we call them 'slums.':toilet:

you may have slums, that part of town looks ok now to be fair.

I'm just watching the April derby again :thumbsup:

Sorry Gaz, as much as I hate to see this happen to teams, Pompey too, I don't think Rangers should be allowed to move to the English Leagues, and I think Swansea and Cardiff should be kicked out too fwiw...... (hides from Gonzo)

Bill, talk of a move to England has disappeared. I don't think it's an option, at least not just now.

Motherwell are in the Champion League qualifiers representing Scotland. I'd be surprised if, off the top of your head, you could name any Motherwell players. You can see now why I'd like a move to England !

England doesn't need the Old Firm. The Police wouldn't like it either. Whenever there are preseason friendlies with English teams, there always seems to be trouble. Sky TV might like it but they don't have enough power to get it through.

At this moment in time, Rangers are weak and miles off the standard of top flight football in England. They do however have a massive support and I'd think in time if given the chance they could rise in England to be an outside contender. Would you not like to see the Old Firm in England ? In Scotland Rangers can pull in 50,000 and Celtic 60,000 for home games and that's just against the pish up here. If it was Man U, City, Liverpool etc coming up here they could be massive.

Bill, talk of a move to England has disappeared. I don't think it's an option, at least not just now.

Motherwell are in the Champion League qualifiers representing Scotland. I'd be surprised if, off the top of your head, you could name any Motherwell players. You can see now why I'd like a move to England !

England doesn't need the Old Firm. The Police wouldn't like it either. Whenever there are preseason friendlies with English teams, there always seems to be trouble. Sky TV might like it but they don't have enough power to get it through.

At this moment in time, Rangers are weak and miles off the standard of top flight football in England. They do however have a massive support and I'd think in time if given the chance they could rise in England to be an outside contender. Would you not like to see the Old Firm in England ? In Scotland Rangers can pull in 50,000 and Celtic 60,000 for home games and that's just against the pish up here. If it was Man U, City, Liverpool etc coming up here they could be massive.

If you ever come to English football, and I have shifted position a bit after talking to friends, you should start in the evostick league or whatever it is these days.

I agree that it would be good for you lot to be here in the English Leagues, but with your country trying for independence (which I would grant you immediately by the way) I can't see how it's going to happen.

Again though, I would HATE to see Celtic and that vile ginger cunt Lennon (who happens to be a City fan I will add) prosper. I despise everything that club stands for.

I will add I think it's rancid the way some owners fuck the fans over.

pompey, stockport, rangers, few more will go that way soon too.

If you ever come to English football, and I have shifted position a bit after talking to friends, you should start in the evostick league or whatever it is these days.

The bottom league is all Rangers are good for just now. I don't even know what sort of team will turn out against Brechin tomorrow in this Ramsdens Cup, lol. As a new team the bottom is where you go...


I agree that it would be good for you lot to be here in the English Leagues, but with your country trying for independence (which I would grant you immediately by the way) I can't see how it's going to happen.

Scottish independence isn't something most people really talk about here or want. I think the referendum will show that. It's crazy. If you have any assets - a house, savings, etc. Why take the risk of starting some new country. If you have none of these things then, wa-hey, freeeedom ! Jeremy Paxman crucified Alex Salmond on Newsnight this year. Scotland would run at a deficit every year and be a Zimbabwe style economic disaster. It's a non starter.


Again though, I would HATE to see Celtic and that vile ginger cunt Lennon (who happens to be a City fan I will add) prosper. I despise everything that club stands for.

Lets say you hate Celtic, it would still be good to see them playing your team. Playing them is the highlight of our season !

:cheers:

Richard Gough in The Scottish Sun on Sunday..

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/4460523/Its-joke-to-strip-Gers-of-titles-and-Neil-knows-it.html

JUST who is Neil Lennon trying to kid?
The Celtic manager has come out and said that my old club should lose their championships.

But he knows himself that you can NEVER take away the feeling of winning the SPL — or even walking up the steps of Hampden to lift a cup.

People seem to want to take yet another kick at the club and I agree with Ally McCoist that enough is enough.

Everything has been agreed to get Rangers their SFA membership but there is still talk of taking the titles away if an investigation goes against them.

It would be a symbolic move but what’s the point? What does it achieve? NOTHING.

When you win a title or lift a Scottish Cup it’s all about the memories and that’s something that can never be erased.

You can’t turn back the clock and tell people they didn’t win something even though they got their hands on the trophy.

You can get the Tipp-ex out and change the record books but what you can’t do is take away from the supporters the way they celebrated on those occasions.

And the players who won those titles won’t suddenly feel like losers because a bit of paper has been changed to say they haven’t won it after all.

For me those titles were won fair and square.

I saw someone compare it to drugs cheats in the Tour de France but that’s rubbish.

What Rangers are accused of is trying to dodge the taxman, not cheat the opposition on the park. It would be a different story if it was match fixing like we saw in Italy — but this was nothing to do with the team, it was accountants and lawyers.

Having a tax scheme in place didn’t make the players run any faster or shoot any straighter, they still had to go out and beat the opposition.

The titles issue seems to be the thing that held up Rangers’ SFA membership and I would expect Ally to continue fighting the SPL if they persist in wanting to take anything off the club. Ally wasn’t happy on Friday night and he has made his feelings known.

I completely agree with where he’s coming from.

It’s time the SPL stopped taking cheap shots and for everyone’s sake get back to focusing on football again.

Because of financial problems the club has been sent to Division Three, has lost a lot of the top players, has a transfer embargo coming up, has been fined and have been denied their prize money from the SPL last season.

Is that not enough?

The Rangers fans have been suffering and what did they do wrong? Nothing.

The supporters have turned up in big numbers every week, supporting the team at home and away — which also swells the coffers of the other clubs.

They have not been to blame for what’s happened at Ibrox but they are the ones seeing their club given a doing when its down.

And even after all the punishments handed down to Rangers the SPL still want to feed off the TV money they’re going to bring in.

Rangers are a massive club and will always attract huge interest.

The SPL know this and although they said they don’t want the club in their league they still want to live off the back of them. It’s hypocritical.

The level of interest will be shown at Brechin today where news crews from all over Europe will be present to see the club start this new chapter.

It’s going to be strange to see a club the size of Rangers playing at that level but that’s the way it is and that’s what most of the Gers fans wanted.

It’s time to get on with it and start playing football again. I’m sure that’s what Ally and the players are desperate for.

Turning up at Glebe Park today and putting that blue jersey on will be a huge release for everyone at the club and for 90 minutes at least they will be able to forget about everything that’s been going on.

The players will be determined to show the fans — and everyone else — that Rangers are ready to fight their way back.

It doesn’t matter what the company is called — Ally is the manager, the club is playing at Ibrox and the fans are the same. It’s still the same Rangers.

The supporters are wary, and rightly so.

I think the right thing for them to do is to back Ally and the players by going to the games — but pay at the gate.

But until the fans are sure about the direction the club is being taken in then they’re definitely right to hang fire on buying season tickets.

^

As an outsider looking in, his points make a lot of sense.


What has HMRC( the taxman) done for football in Britain?

Overall received a lot of money from it.

Having Rangers join the English leagues is one thing, but I would say no to Celtic. After witnessing the moronic anti English behavior of their fans at a friendly against Leicester, I would think the last thing they would want is to have to follow their team to England once a fortnight.

As for Alex Salmond, did you see Jeff Randle take him apart last week? I really dislike Salmond, but actually felt embarrassed for him. He is fast becoming a figure of fun, and I would think the last person any self respecting Scot would want to be associated with.

Dodge paying their taxes means more money to spunk on wastes of spaces like Flo etc and is cheating so yes if they admit to that then any trophies won should be taken away.

Financial cheating is just as bad as drug cheats as it is not a level playing field and anyone who says it is only the taxman then I just hope that one day you don't have to use the NHS or anything else funded by taxes.

^

As an outsider looking in, his points make a lot of sense.


What has HMRC( the taxman) done for football in Britain?

Overall received a lot of money from it.

As someone who doesn't live in this country you can condone cunts like that but I can't as my taxes go to pay for my NHS and if people don't pay their share then others pay more.

Hope they take every cup they ever won now and melt the fuckers down as they are worthless

I'm sure that fenian cunt lennon will run into some pissed off Rangers fans 1 night and pay for his opportunism, then we'll have to put up with him playing and being portrayed by the liberal left as the innocent martyr in "the ugly side of Scottish football"

And Lennon is just as bad dodging his taxes but luckily he has been done and look at that cunt Hartson, lets the NHS save his life then dodges paying his taxes.

Truly sickening.

As someone who doesn't live in this country you can condone cunts like that but I can't as my taxes go to pay for my NHS and if people don't pay their share then others pay more.

Hope they take every cup they ever won now and melt the fuckers down as they are worthless

What a complete and utter crock of shit that is Roland.

Methinks you are on a wind up as that is complete and utter bullshit.

What a complete and utter crock of shit that is Roland.

Methinks you are on a wind up as that is complete and utter bullshit.

Any trophy that was won when they were cheating the tax man to buy and pay for players was by cheating so they should be taken away from them. Might only be a gesture but the same should be done to any team including Portsmouth who won their FA Cup by cheating too.

Man u got caught chesting the ta man again ,but nothing wa done about it. Thay have suddenly found the club shop profits have never been included for years.

Rangers haven't been found guilty of dodging tax. The case of the Employee Benefit Trust's which HMRC was bringing to court has never been heard. When David Murray sold Rangers to Craig Whyte for £1. The case was hanging over the club. But David Murray said that his legal advisors and accountants were 'optimistic' that they would win the case. Craig Whyte has since taken Rangers into administration for not paying tax on players wages. There was the 'Big' tax case and the 'Small' tax case. The 'Big' tax case has never been heard. It was the 'Small' tax case that finished Rangers.

The EBT's were in Rangers accounts which were signed off by the SFA every year when they gave Rangers a licence to play football. So they can't say they weren't aware of them. What they are saying now though is that these are 'dual contracts' which are against their rules. But they let Rangers use them without query for years. They were never a secret in the clubs accounts.

Now the people wanting to strip Rangers of titles and honours are the football organisations themselves.

Look at John Terry for a moment. I was talking to a lawyer about him in the gym before his trial. He thought going to court was better than an FA hearing. In a criminal case in court the burden of proof was not sufficient for a conviction. Had it been an FA inquiry the same burden of proof wouldn't have been required as in a court of law. So he would have been punished.

No way are some kangaroo court of SPL/ SFA chairmen and muppets that work for their organisations like Regan fit people to judge Rangers. No chance, not without all this going to a proper court and the HMRC case being contested.

Someone sent me a link to this, an interesting documentary I thought.

cggTbCcbcNA

Good documentary Gaz

As someone who doesn't live in this country you can condone cunts like that but I can't as my taxes go to pay for my NHS and if people don't pay their share then others pay more.

Hope they take every cup they ever won now and melt the fuckers down as they are worthless


Where do you draw the line between sport and money?

An Olympic runner up complained that the winner had an unfair advantage as their nation provided a better diet, more beef, I kid you not.

Should the winner be stripped of their title?

Should an entire football club and it`s supporters suffer due to the apparent misdemeanour of one, perhaps in collusion with others?


Can history be wiped out that easily?

I don`t even really follow football, which was behind my " insider looking in "comment rather than my residential status.


Your taxes might just be going to fund wars in which we have no right to get involved in.

Also to provide housing and NHS care for those that have never contributed to this country, one I`m proud to be a citizen of.

Your taxes might also be going towards the £300 million revamp of the Houses of Parliament a couple of years back.

It also provides for those who find it too stressful to work and would rather live on benefits.


Maybe some need to take control of their own lives.

You obviously rate the NHS, I don`t, fair enough, yet have made no effort to stop paying for it whilst being unlikely to benefit from it.

Can I have a refund?

Where do you draw the line between sport and money?

An Olympic runner up complained that the winner had an unfair advantage as their nation provided a better diet, more beef, I kid you not.

Should the winner be stripped of their title?

Should an entire football club and it`s supporters suffer due to the apparent misdemeanour of one, perhaps in collusion with others?


Can history be wiped out that easily?

I don`t even really follow football, which was behind my " insider looking in "comment rather than my residential status.


Your taxes might just be going to fund wars in which we have no right to get involved in.

Also to provide housing and NHS care for those that have never contributed to this country, one I`m proud to be a citizen of.

Your taxes might also be going towards the £300 million revamp of the Houses of Parliament a couple of years back.

It also provides for those who find it too stressful to work and would rather live on benefits.


Maybe some need to take control of their own lives.

You obviously rate the NHS, I don`t, fair enough, yet have made no effort to stop paying for it whilst being unlikely to benefit from it.

Can I have a refund?

Stop talking sense Roamer, Roland doesn't understand it.

:thankyou:

Rangers have now cleared their debts in Scotland...

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/charles-green-revealed-rangers-debts-1257144

The Peterhead game and lucky 2-2 away draw is a wake up call. Even though the team didn't have a proper preseason and some new faces are settling in, this is going to be a long miserable campaign ahead.

:unionflag:

Rangers at war with the SFA and SPL... here we go !

Rangers chairman, Charles Green addresses fans queuing for season tickets.

Charles Green has accused Scottish football's authorities of pursuing an agenda against Rangers.

The chief executive, addressing fans queuing to buy their season tickets on Tuesday, said he intended to continue to defend his club, even if it meant incurring the wrath of the Scottish FA.

Green is already facing a charge for claiming the decision to place Rangers in the Third Division was partly driven by “bigotry” but says he won't stop speaking his mind.

“We're not having, excuse my French, people taking the pee out of us anymore,” said Green. “It's finished.

“I will give you an example. This morning, I had a phone call from the SPL telling us we can't put our old games on the website because we don't own the archive rights.

“'And by the way, Charles, don't get angry. You shouldn't think we are being vindictive, it's just what the agreement says".

“Tell me how I took that? I was walking on the ceiling. I think there is an agenda.

“There's still battles to be won. I shan't let you down. I said to someone earlier that when everyone was against us, we stayed. People are now warming to us and we are staying.

“But if we leave fans to one side for a moment, while ever that lot are against us, I'm not leaving. There's no-one spoke for this club for three or four years. It's not had anyone standing up.

“I am going to get fined every week, I suspect, or I will get banned.”

Rangers were issued a Notice of Complaint by the Scottish FA late last week regarding Green's comments, having been accused of bringing the game into disrepute for his remarks.

He said before his side's Challenge Cup tie with Brechin City: "Some of it has been driven by bigotry, some of its been driven by jealousy and some of its been driven by all the wrong motives."

As fans queued for season tickets, Green said their contribution would directly affect the amount of money available to manager Ally McCoist to bring in new players.

"I made a promise to Ally the other day," he said. "You can't see it but there is a sign up there and I said 'While the queue for tickets is this side of that line, we will keep signing players he wants to sign for the club."

In response to Green's comments about Rangers being unable to use SPL archive footage on their website, a spokesman for the league told STV: "Rangers were indeed informed this morning that, following their exit from the SPL, they do not currently have permission to use SPL-owned media content.

"However, during that same conversation, Rangers were also invited to meet with us to discuss the future use of that content. We look forward to meeting with them."

http://sport.stv.tv/football/149577-charles-green-there-is-an-agenda-against-rangers-in-scottish-football/

Here's a diagram for you to illustrate what Charles Green is talking about...

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f367/lingsagotlan/fb260747.jpg

Guys if I'm boring you. Tell me to stop ! Anyway here's a little trivia fact for you... Rangers are poised to break a world record tomorrow. A record that has been held by Crystal Palace since 1961.

RANGERS are set to smash the world attendance record for a fourth-tier league match when they host East Stirling tomorrow.

The Ibrox side are confident of pulling in more than 40,000 punters for their first home Third Division fixture – which would shatter the previous highest for a fourth-tier game set by Crystal Palace in 1961.

A crowd of 37,774 watched their English Fourth Division clash with London rivals Millwall but that is expected to be dwarfed by Gers fans heading to Govan for the historic occasion.

A crowd that could be in the mid-to-high 40,000s is already being anticipated by Rangers.

And the final figure could present an embarrassment for the SPL whose combined attendance for last weekend’s five-game fixture card was 40,383.

The Ibrox club are bracing themselves for a bumper crowd and a spokesman said: “We will comfortably get past the 40,000 mark and the attendance could be in the mid-to-high 40,000s.”

Ally McCoist’s side have already smashed the 30,000 season-ticket barrier and are also threatening to better the world record attendance for a third-tier match.

That feat was achieved in 1979 as 49,655 fans turned up to watch a derby game between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.

Punters have been queueing at the Ibrox ticket office all week and an afternoon of history against the Shire is on the cards both on and off the park.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-set-to-shatter-fourth-tier-1265251?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

It's not REALLY a fourth tier match tho is it mate?

I mean, Palace v Millwall was a genuine league match from teams in their rightful place... if you get what I mean?

btw, good luck for the season, really hope you have 3 great years and piss off them green fuckers.

Well I'd say it is a fourth tier match really. Rangers are in that divison now. Actually Bill all this talk of world records etc doesn't half wind Celtic fans up lol They really don't like it ! It's great. Wonder what Palace v Millwal was like back in the 70's. Bet that was some atmosphere, better than Rangers v East Stirling that's for sure.

Might go to the annan game next month gaz...... Few lads from doom going apparantly

Enjoy the game if you do go. I'd love to go to some games but I work every weekend so it's a no-go for me.

:cheers:

Thanks for the info' soi 2, keep it coming, we are not getting a true account of thinned down here.

Not something I`d usually follow but finding it a really interesting saga.

Keep it going and Good Luck.


:cheers:

Making heavy weather of it again

I heard it was quite funny. Charles Green came to give a quick speech and rev the place up. The atmosphere was supposedly amazing, kick off.. East Stirlingshire go up the park, get a penalty and score.. cue.. silence !

The Celtic anoraks have been busy searching for fourth tier football facts and unfortunately todays attendance isn't a world record.

http://www.soccersanchez.com/apps/blog/categories/show/1409749-brazil-serie-a


It is hard to believe that a fourth tier football match anywhere in the world could attract a mass crowd to any fixture during a season, but when you hear that just under 60,000 people in Brazil took their seats for such a game you probably wont be too surprised. This was the case when in a Serie D promotion play-off between Santa Cruz and Treze.

The first leg finished 3-3 and important away goals for Santa Cruz, they had come back from 3-1 down to draw level and knew they would get huge support from their fans in the return leg. They weren't disappointed.

The official attendance was 59,966, an amazing turnout for two lower league clubs in Brazil and with the second leg finishing 0-0, it was enough for the Pernambuco side, long regarded as one of the best supported in the country.

Despite the fact Santa Cruz play in such a low division they regularly attract big crowds and are now set for the dizzy heights of Serie C. Oeste and Missaoi were also promoted.


Finished 5-1 and 2-1 back at half time so not too bad overall.

Today's victory was an attendance of 49, 118. The SPL had a combined total attendance of 32,487. I'll take that. :smoke:

And Rangers top player a Brighton reject dancing

Who's the Brighton reject ?

Who's the Brighton reject ?

The one who minces down the touchline ?

Who's the Brighton reject ?

Frank Santana

Oh right, Sandazza I didn't know he was rejected by Brighton. He'll do for this divison ! He's our top earner on 5 grand a week.

Oh right, Sandazza I didn't know he was rejected by Brighton. He'll do for this divison ! He's our top earner on 5 grand a week.

We had him for one season, I rated him but we let him go back to Scotland

2 points dropped and lucky not to get beat today at Berwick, not as easy so far as everyone though

The away games are going to be tough. Tight little parks and the teams are up for it. The home games are a different matter as these teams freeze in front of big crowds and the playing surface is a lot bigger. I can see Rangers losing an away game this year.

Remember Rangers have lost a few decent players. The rats like Naismith, Davis and Whittaker who didn't recognise the 'new club' and left for nothing despite having had lengthy spells out injured or big signing on bonuses in the case of Davis. Gotta laugh at Whittaker who left to win things and for European football.... then joined Norwich. At least guys like Edu had the decency to allow themselves to be moved on for a nominal fee for the club.

I take it you don't have Naismith or Whittaker in your fantasy footy team then mate? :msn_wink:

I watched the game on ESPN today and all a bit surreal, good news for the smaller clubs though as they are making a fair bit of cash out of it and for some a difference between survival and going under.

I take it you don't have Naismith or Whittaker in your fantasy footy team then mate? :msn_wink:

No... lol. I always used to bung in an ex Rangers player for a laugh but not this year !

I watched the game on ESPN today and all a bit surreal, good news for the smaller clubs though as they are making a fair bit of cash out of it and for some a difference between survival and going under.

Yeah good luck to the smaller clubs. If it keeps them going and makes life a bit easier for a year or two that's great.

There was some rumour going about that if Rangers drew an SPL club in one of the cups. Charles Green was going make the tickets £1 and the programme £14 and you had to buy a programme as well as the ticket. The SPL club they were playing only got a share of the ticket money... brilliant if possible. But I believe both clubs have to agree on the price of tickets.

Even worse news now Celtic have drawn Barcelona whilst Rangers are playing East Stirling, the financial gap between the 2 is going to be hard to ever get back on a level playing field

Rangers will be back in five years or so. It'll take a couple of seasons in the SPL again to gather a team together and move forward.

Champions League group stage money is nice but it's not going to change everything in Scotland. Rangers and Celtic will still be in the shadow of the Premier League and even the big Championship teams when it comes to spending power. Champions League prize money is fuck all compared to Sky TV money.

Rangers will be back in five years or so. It'll take a couple of seasons in the SPL again to gather a team together and move forward.

Champions League group stage money is nice but it's not going to change everything in Scotland. Rangers and Celtic will still be in the shadow of the Premier League and even the big Championship teams when it comes to spending power. Champions League prize money is fuck all compared to Sky TV money.

It will make the SPL the worse competition, if you can use that word , in football, Celtic first the rest nowhere for a few years, who is going to be interested in watching that ?

The only interest for us neutrals was watching Celtic & Rangers kick lumps out of each other 4 times a year for Sunday lunchtime entertainment.

The SPL is shit already. I haven't watched one game this year, I'm not interested.

You're right though it's going to be even worse. So bad in fact that I'd think Celtic will suffer too in the next couple of seasons. When Celtic have the league won by the end of November, who's going to bother spending an afternoon shivering watching Celtic thrash Dundee etc. ? I can see Celtic playing in front of some low gates soon.

The SPL know this, they're not daft and are trying to restructure the leagues here. So there is an SPL 1 and SPL 2 of 16 teams each and this will cut Rangers journey back to the top flight by a year.

True, no competition, no fans so in the end Celtic may get a short term financial boost but in the end will suffer the same as every other team.

Trouble is what could they do ? Not punish Rangers ?

The SPL really wanted Rangers to go into the First Division. Not have premier football for one year then come back. Unfortunately for them the other clubs in the SFA didn't see it that way and insisted a club joining them starts at the bottom. Shows the stupidity of a small country having multiple governing bodies.

One of the Italian teams, was it Juventus ? Got done for match fixing and they only went down one league. Something similar would have been an adequate punishment I'd have thought. Even though the problems with Rangers finances (which were signed off every year by the games governing bodies) do not in my opinion come close to the blatant cheating and dishonesty of match fixing.

Speaking of which, Del Piero has just signed to play for Sydney.


Appropriate, really.

Looking at facebook today and the Serbian flags and good luck Serbia messages are out in force on people's pages. This is different, really different for a Scotland game.

http://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/the-divided-land/

THE DIVIDED LAND

September 8, 2012 · by billmcmurdo · in Uncategorized
On the day of Scotland’s first World Cup qualifier of the new campaign, the country is divided over the issue of whether to support the team.

This is the legacy of recent bitter battles between the Scottish Football Association and The Rangers FC; however, it is the culmination of years of alienation of Rangers fans carried out by certain sections of the Scotland support.

The recent booing of Rangers player Ian Black summed up the rancid hostility felt by the Tartan Army toward Rangers and its players.

Of course, Rangers Football Club has a bigger active support base than the Tartan Army will ever have.

This is why Scotland is divided on this sad day.

Even Rangers fans who remained loyal in their support of Scotland over the past couple of decades have had enough.

And Rangers manager Ally McCoist’s noble, if misguided, attempt to point out to Rangers supporters that the SFA and the Scotland team are not the same entity has fallen on deaf ears.

For my part, I grew up supporting Rangers and Scotland. My dad would take me to Scotland games and it would be like he and I were the only ones singing the national anthem amid a wall of boos. This was when Scotland sang the real national anthem – the days before a Kenny Rogers look-alike in a kilt took to the field after singing a rebel song and shouting “Come On Scotland!” in what can only be described as a camp Braveheart takeoff.

I stopped supporting Scotland a long time ago. When I did, there were only a few, it seemed, felt like I did among my fellow bluenoses.

Now it’s an army of us.

For me, as for many others, there is only one team in Scotland. I am content to think that the team I support represents both Scotland and Great Britain. That is the great thing about Rangers – it is more than a club, more than a football team. It is the very expression of national pride and identity.

I confess to having a wee laugh at the rabid bunch of English-haters and mockers of the British Throne who infest the ranks of Scotland supporters. They are cheering on a team with the most ancient and venerable of Royal emblems on their shirts – the Lion Rampant, which is the Royal Flag of Scotland.

Those who have politicised Scottish football by targeting Rangers as a bastion of Unionism, thus creating the awful rift that divides, not only the football-supporting public in Scotland but the nation at large, have a lot to answer for.

Their attempts to polarise Scottish society are now clearly distinguished in footballing terms, with people supporting the nationalist team of Scotland or the British team of Rangers.

A divided land – exactly their aim.

Only Rangers fans are not buying it. Most do not see being Scottish and British as mutually exclusive but as a both/and concept.

I myself am fiercely Scottish and proudly British. Scottish by birth and British by choice.

I won’t be supporting Scotland today, nor will I feel any guilt about it.

My own preference now, very much bolstered by the recent Olympics, is for a Great Britain national side.

Great Britain is the nation I live in.

That is why I no longer refer to Scotland as the national side.

As the Tartan Army keep telling us when they belt out their anthem of hate – Scotland is not a nation.

For once, I agree with them.


Personally I'd like to see Scotland do well but I'm starting to hate the Tartan Army. :bigfinger

Thanks for that soi 2, a good read including the comments from others.
Geographically how many areas (I assume mainly in the west) would be 90% plus in favour of remaing in the Union? And, if the vote for independence was yes, would we see civil disturbances similar to those in Northern Ireland?

if the vote for independence was yes, would we see civil disturbances similar to those in Northern Ireland?

There'll probably be a right dummy spit by that fucktard Salmond when we point out he can't have access to Trident and we won't be accepting Scottish bank notes anymore.

The new import duty on scotch eggs is what'll really fuck him up though.

Salmond thinks it will be okay to keep Sterling as the currency thus having the Bank of England as lender of last resort. You could'nt make it up.

It'll never happen anyway, Buckfast is brewed in Devon, we stop that crossing the border and Salmond's head will be on top of the flagpole at Edinburgh castle.

Thanks for that soi 2, a good read including the comments from others.
Geographically how many areas (I assume mainly in the west) would be 90% plus in favour of remaing in the Union? And, if the vote for independence was yes, would we see civil disturbances similar to those in Northern Ireland?

Thanks, just to put this article in a wider context. The author was the football agent responsible for bringing Mo Johnston to Rangers. Chat at the gym today, is he is a well known after dinner speaker at sportsman dinner events. Particularly popular with Rangers supporters clubs.

The thing is, this isn't about Rangers punishment. It's wider there's a lot going on. The independence referrendum is polarising society. Are you British or are you Scottish ? Are you both ? The national side support has been hijacked by an increasingly political Tartan Army. One of my mates is a Tartan Army diehard and here is an after match facebook post -

'Holy fuckin campaigns ruined on 1st day again! Theres absolutely no chance now (unless super rhodes is unleashed!) so lets look to a brighter, non orange, unionist-free and flourishing Scotland as an independant free state! Bring on the referendum 2014 and a fresh outlook to international fitba where we'll start fae scratch wae the worlds top goal scorer, shining in Euro 2016 with the hosts, our friends, (The Auld Alliance). Alba gu brath.'

What the fucks all that got to do with the national team ? This is why Rangers supporters are turning their back on it. It's not our team anymore.

I don't think the referendum will be for independence. I couldn't imagine Northern Ireland style trouble erupting if it went through. There isn't enough hatred !

It'll never happen anyway, Buckfast is brewed in Devon, we stop that crossing the border and Salmond's head will be on top of the flagpole at Edinburgh castle.

The crackpot Scottish Parliament had some bill lined up to ban alcoholic drinks with caffeine in them. It came to nothing but that would have killed Buckfast imports. I read somewhere there's the same amount of caffeine in a bottle of Buckfast as eight cans of coke. That was their sneaky plan to get rid of the scourge of the tonic wine !

The quest to change history is gathering pace now. The Celtic propaganda machine and their puppet journalists are firing on all cylinders. This is the start of the Lord Nimmo Smith inquiry. Should Rangers be stripped of league titles and honours ?

Charles Green the Ranger's chairman's response -

http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=270%3Acharles-green-statement


The Rangers Football Club Limited will not attend tomorrow’s hearing (Tuesday, September 11) of the SPL-appointed Commission investigating the circumstances surrounding the use of Employee Benefit Trusts by previous owners of the Club. The Club cannot continue to participate in an SPL process that we believe is fundamentally misconceived.


Neither the SPL, nor its Commission, has any legal power or authority over the Club because it is not in the SPL. For that reason it has no legal basis on which to appoint its Commission. The Club ceased to be subject to the SPL’s rules when it was ejected from its league. Our lawyers have made that point repeatedly to the SPL in correspondence and yet our requests for an explanation from the SPL have been completely ignored. The SPL’s silence on these issues is deafening. The outcome of the SPL’s process will have no legal effect.

Furthermore, we ask the question genuinely. Why did the football authorities do nothing to address an issue that was public knowledge for at least two years, and was reported in the Club’s accounts for several years, before the Club went into administration and was subsequently taken over by new owners? HMRC contacted the SPL regarding EBT matters in October 2010, they met to discuss what documentation the Club had lodged with the SPL. Did the SPL launch an investigation? Did they appoint a Commission? Did they ask to see EBT correspondence? Did they ask any questions at all? No. They did absolutely nothing.


Why is the SPL rushing to judgement now when it has been sitting on the matter for 2 years? Their haste is particularly difficult to understand when the tax tribunal judgement is imminent. The factual issues in both cases are identical. We have to ask why is the SPL so anxious to issue a judgement in this matter before the tax tribunal’s findings are made public. The position is even harder to understand when one of the reasons the SFA did not pursue any form of disciplinary charge on EBT matters following Lord Nimmo Smith’s April report was because it was felt unwise for the SFA to pursue the matter when the tax tribunal judgement had not been made public. Nothing has changed as the judgement still has not been made public. Why is the SPL rushing ahead when in April the SFA felt it unwise to do so?

Rangers was not the only club in Scotland to use EBTs yet nothing was done and little has been heard about it. Also, Rangers stands accused of achieving sporting advantage unfairly – yet there is little debate over the fact in all the years EBTs were in existence at Ibrox, the Club often failed to win either the league title, or the main cup competitions. Furthermore, the period concerned saw a significant downsizing of the playing squad both in money spent on transfers and players wages.

This is a good article on Follow Follow... one of the best on the subject I've read.

Honours withdrawal would be legitimatized cheating.

http://www.followfollow.com/feat/edz8/honours_withdrawal_would_be_legitimatized_cheating _750318/index.shtml



On three consecutive days Scotland’s newspapers carried interviews with Andreas Hinkel, Tom Boyd and Neil Lennon that were thinly-veiled excuses to publicise demands Rangers should be stripped of all silverware accumulated over the past decade.The perennially boorish Lennon has gone as far as comparing Rangers’ use of Employee Benefit Trusts with drug-taking cyclists at the Tour de France. That Scottish football writers facilitated this shameful exercise should come as no surprise. However, there must be concern that pressure is being exerted on football authorities by forces which have already succeeded in making their influence tell.

In response to the torrent of cant and disinformation, it should be emphasised that the SPL inquiry is simply addressing whether Rangers made payments that were not declared in players’ registration forms. The ‘cheating’ angle is a red herring. Many clubs in England use tax avoidance schemes. Players, managers and senior officials of Celtic have used tax avoidance schemes too. Celtic used an EBT for Juninho and did not declare it in his registration form. While this alone demonstrates the brazen hypocrisy of Rangers’ antagonists, the argument related to ‘gaining a financial advantage’ is specious in any case. Were HMRC to have accepted Rangers’ use of EBTs as valid, then the club would have done nothing wrong. Alternatively, were HMRC to have clamped down on the use of EBTs at an earlier stage, then, due to punitive penalty charges and interest rates, Rangers would have faced a financial disadvantage far exceeding the money originally saved, although the club would have survived. However, action by HMRC seems only to have been launched belatedly and the mere threat of a forthcoming bill was sufficient to force the club into administration and, finally, liquidation. Most would accept that the club has paid the ultimate price and now faces years of relative penury.

The issue of whether Rangers consciously broke the relevant football rule governing remuneration is a moot point which cannot be ascertained until the outcome of the First Tier Tribunal is published. Rangers will have argued that these disbursements were discretionary loans while HMRC will have asserted that they are really contractual payments. Should Rangers have included the payments in SFA/SPL documentation the club would be admitting that tax was due, thus rendering EBTs pointless. There is really no way round this problem which every other club using EBTs will also have encountered.

While the club effectively admitted early last year that the EBTs related to Flo and de Boer were operated incorrectly and offered to settle with HMRC, the SFA only launched an inquiry (subsequently passed on to the SPL) a fortnight after the club entered administration. The pretext for doing so raises worrying questions. Ostensibly, Stewart Regan acted in response to a muddled newspaper interview with former director Hugh Adam which contained several wild allegations and contradictory claims; it was clear he knew very little about EBTs. In contrast, the SFA report into ‘corporate governance’ at Rangers casually dismissed as inadequate several public statements by former directors warning about Craig Whyte.

At the root of this issue is the unmistakable whiff of humbug. The rule on the declaration of payments is in place primarily to safeguard players’ interests. Former Rangers players are hardly complaining and it is hard to see who has been disadvantaged. Moreover, senior football officials will have known all too well about the questions related to EBT use. The authorities did not raise these matters with Rangers until it was far too late for remedial action and the club’s hierarchy had been decapitated. The suspicion arises that the SFA and the SPL essentially tolerated EBT use in regard to player registrations and have performed a U-turn due to pressure from the media and vested interest groups.

There is nothing wrong in principle with insisting that Rangers are punished for genuine wrongdoing. However, in order to be credible, punishment must be in proportion to the crime and bear comparison with that imposed by other football authorities. It is therefore worth considering why it is being demanded that Rangers are penalised far more severely than clubs south of the border which found themselves in similar circumstances. The Rangers support has largely accepted the swingeing penalty of demotion by three divisions for setting up as a ‘newco’, although Leeds, Middlesbrough and several other English clubs were treated far more leniently. However, no reasonable person could possibly tolerate a situation in which Rangers were stripped of league titles and Scottish Cup wins in light of the fact that, quite rightly, no action whatsoever was taken in regard to Arsenal FC which achieved corresponding success when it operated EBTs or, indeed, any other English clubs in the same position. Furthermore, league titles have only been removed previously within UEFA as a result of grave offences involving bribery and match-fixing.

The sheer vindictiveness of the witch-hunt directed against Rangers has been astounding. Therefore, we cannot rule out attempts to rewrite history using the flimsiest of excuses. That Rangers FC is provisionally languishing in Division 3 with a devastated squad, facing a registration embargo and a succession of financial penalties is surely sufficient retribution for alleged ‘offences’. Rangers’ enemies, though, want far more than their pound of flesh.

Enough is enough. Any decision to withhold trophies on the basis of a technical legal debate surrounding paperwork would be tantamount to legitimatised cheating on a massive scale and lose Scottish football any remaining credibility.

I despise that evil little toad Neil Lennon.
Have I mentioned that before?

Rangers 54 titles, Celtic 43 titles, wonder if that has anything to do with it!!

I'm starting to hate the Tartan Army. :bigfinger

Get with it mate, I have hated them for decades pissedme

Going on the piss in annan tomorrow,and rangers are playing there

Charles Green's statement today... interesting reading.

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/2291-charles-green-statement

CHARLES GREEN, Rangers' Chief Executive, issued the following statement today:

He said: "Lord Nimmo Smith, chairman of the Commission set up by the SPL, has highlighted an extremely important issue in his recent judgement regarding the Commission.

"Lord Nimmo Smith has said that Rangers FC is a recognisable entity which continued in existence notwithstanding the change in ownership.

"He also stated that Rangers FC, the club, includes its owner and operator. The Commission has in effect ruled that Rangers and its history did not die on 14 June despite numerous reports to the contrary.

"This means that Rangers FC and its owner, i.e. me and my consortium, remained a member of the SPL even after the change of ownership.

"The bemusing part is that no-one at the SPL or SFA appeared to realise that. The SPL made the club (including its owner and operator) reapply to be a member of a league that the Commission says it was in already.

"If the Commission is right then the change of ownership was frankly irrelevant to SPL status. Nevertheless we duly applied and that application was rejected.

"We were also informed by the SFA that Rangers FC had never in its long existence been a member. That really left us scratching our heads because pride of place in the Boardroom at Ibrox is a framed and mounted certificate of membership signed by Jim Farry confirming that "Rangers FC is a full member of the Scottish Football Association".

"So taking the Commission's reasoning and our newly acquired framed membership certificate you would have thought, not unreasonably, that Rangers FC and its owners were in the Scottish Football family.
"You would have thought wrong. No we were told. We needed to apply for oldco's membership! The SFA didn't officially recognise Lord Nimmo Smith's recognisable entity.

"That recognisable entity, Rangers FC, then re-appeared suddenly when the SFA demanded that we pay oldco's debts despite there being no legal obligation to do so.

"The SPL then wanted Rangers FC and its new owners to admit guilt in relation to EBT breaches that had never been framed and accept five stripped titles.

"Rangers FC suddenly vanished again when UEFA informed the SFA that Rangers FC were due in excess of 300,000 euros for player participation in the Euro 2012 qualifiers, the SFA have refused to confirm that the monies are due to Rangers FC despite obligations placed on them from UEFA that these monies should be distributed to member clubs.

"If the Commission is correct about this recognisable entity then the SPL and SFA must be wrong in making that entity apply to join bodies it was already in.

"Maybe they should both appoint Lord Nimmo Smith to form a Commission to investigate and tell them who their member is.
"In our view the Commission chaired by Lord Nimmo Smith has been placed in an invidious position by the SPL.

"The establishment of the Commission is the most striking example of the chaotic way the fate of Rangers has been handled by the football authorities.

"As we stated previously, it is impossible for us as a club to participate in a process we firmly believe is fundamentally misconceived.

"We believe that most people would not think it right that a football authority that was willing to horse-trade league titles and cups for league status, should then embark on the course of action it has chosen in setting up a Commission. There is no clearer case of moving the goalposts."


This is the proceedings he's commenting on.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19702547


Meanwhile, Rangers v Montrose in the Scottish Third Divison pulled in 45,081 punters. Slightly more than Liverpool v Man Utd 44,263. Which I think makes it the highest attendance in the UK last week. Down a bit from the 49,118 that turned out for East Stirling though. :thumbsup: The novelty is going to wear off though...

Charles Green's tour of Northern Ireland... meeting the First Minister, Ulster Unionists and talk of the return of the orange away top lol

http://vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=287%3Arangers-till-i-die-ni-statemnet

Key Points

1: Charles Green stated quite categorically that although it was not ALL Clubs in the S.P.L that he had a problem with, his main problem was with The Leadership and running of the S.P.L.

He said the Agenda from the S.P.L against Rangers F.C and their fans and their constant attacks upon our Club will not be forgotten.

He then stated that whilst things are the way they are, the onslaught continues AND as long as he is C.E.O of Rangers F.C, Rangers will NEVER play in the S.P.L again.

This was met with a round of applause from the Audience.

2: Charles then brought up the question of Rangers Shares.

He explained that Rangers Shares will ONLY be available direct from Rangers F.C.

They will be sold at first to Rangers Fans and Rangers Fans only, as in Season Ticket Holders registered Supporters Clubs and Members of the Rangers Family.

No other option for buying shares will be available.

A shortened Q&A then took place and was as follows.

Q1: What is happening about the money that is owed to Rangers by the S.P.L etc ?

C.G: "The S.P.L are refusing to hand what is due to Rangers and the fight against these disgraceful decisions was still ongoing"

Q2: Would Rangers Consider putting a Team back into the N.I Milk Cup ?

C.G: "This had already been raised by the Youth Team Coach and would definitely be looked at in the future"

Q3: Would Rangers consider bringing out an Orange Top?

C.G: "Yes, they have a number of designs and are coming near agreement with Adidas"

Q4: Will you continue with the fight against all Rangers enemies out there as you have been doing ?

C.G: "Absolutely and with everything in my body, I wasn't a Rangers Supporter when I came here but I am now"

Q5: Would Rangers Consider flying the 4 Home Nations Flags alongside the flags already above Ibrox ?

C.G "I dont see why Not as the contribution and dedication of Rangers Fans throughout the U.K and the world is second to none and should be recognised"


He know's how to work a crowd, I'll give him that.

Had a discussion with a jock at work today:

Me: did you see Kompanys goal last night? What a finish!

Him: ah get fucked will ye, we were unlucky

Me: did you actually watch the game? You got hammered!

Him: get tee fuck did we

Me: whatever mate, you should know you are shite by now, just accept it and move on, I'm a Manchester City fan, we were nearly as bad as Scotland once

Him: I don't follow the national team any more anyway, too many protestants

Me: are you a fenian twat then?

Him: raging bright red face and stomped off to the sound of my laughter

Pretty one sided game. As might be expected I suppose. The Belgians have some great players just now. No shame in losing away to them and they certainly did look like winning the game all the way through.

I don't want Scotland to do badly, I just hate the football association and the fancy dress clowns that go to the games.

Wonder what the odds are of Scotland coming last in that group ? This is as dismal a bunch as I can ever remember.

mate Belgium have a GREAT crop of youngsters coming thru. Kompany is only 25ish for fucks sake.
Hazard
De Bruyne
Miralles (sp?)
Bentake
Vertonghen

with the right coaching, they could become a very useful side indeed.

Pretty one sided game. As might be expected I suppose. The Belgians have some great players just now. No shame in losing away to them and they certainly did look like winning the game all the way through.

I don't want Scotland to do badly, I just hate the football association and the fancy dress clowns that go to the games.

Wonder what the odds are of Scotland coming last in that group ? This is as dismal a bunch as I can ever remember.

agree totally there. more of a case of 'Look at me in my skirt' than supporting the team, sadly.

btw Gaz... easy to get tickets for home games now, you fancy doing one this season? I'd come up for a game if you do mate

btw Gaz... easy to get tickets for home games now, you fancy doing one this season? I'd come up for a game if you do mate

Hi Bill, I'd be up for it but I work every weekend.. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday are my main work days, that's my week. The gym like their pound of flesh for giving me a few months off. It would take a bit of planning for me to get a weekend off. Nice idea though.

Queens Park v Rangers at Hampden for the original Glasgow derby this weekend. 4,000 tickets left at Hampden. Going to be another busy one.

Let's hope Ally McCoist can get it right this time.......

Breaking news... Rangers won the Big Tax Case.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-20414804


The former Rangers Football Club has won an appeal against a tax bill over its use of Employee Benefit Trusts.

The club, which is now in liquidation, used the scheme from 2001 to 2010 to make £47.65m in payments to players and staff in the form of tax-free loans.

HM Revenue and Customs had challenged the payments, arguing that they were illegal.

Rangers disputed the bill and a First Tier Tax Tribunal (FTT) has ruled the payments were loans that can be repaid.

In its ruling, which two judges endorsed, with one dissenting, the FTT concluded: "This was a lengthy appeal, heard over 29 days and set down over an extended period.

"The majority view reflects the argument that the controversial monies received by the employees were not paid to them as their absolute entitlement.

"The legal effect of the trust/loan structure is sufficient to preclude this. Thus the payments are loans, not earnings, and so are recoverable from the employee or his estate.

"The dissenting opinion adopts the approach set down by the decision of the House of Lords in Ramsay in 1981.

"By giving regard to the intentions of the parties entering the arrangements, and in the absence of commercial reality for the loan structure, the monies received by the employees via the trust constitute earnings for income tax purposes.

"At the request of parties, the tribunal agreed to anonymise the published form of the decision."

Old Rangers was under the control of Sir David Murray when it began using EBTs.

He sold the club for £1 to Scottish businessman Craig Whyte in 2011, while the tax liability was in dispute.

The FTT, before a judge, concluded in February, the same month as the old Rangers, now under the control of Mr Whyte, was forced into administration by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over non-payment of tax totalling about £14m.

HMRC subsequently rejected proposals for a creditors agreement that would have allowed the old club to continue.

Administrators Duff and Phelps then negotiated a sale of assets to a consortium led by Charles Green for £5.5m.

He has since formed a new club, now playing in the Scottish Football League Third Division.

So Rangers did nothing wrong... forget stripping league titles and honours. :hugehug:

Celtic dummies will be out of their prams when they hear this. Let's hope they get them back in time so they can chuck them out again after a stuffing in their beloved Lisbon.

Nice one, Old Crust.

Fuck Neil Lennon and his 'financial doping' nonsense. The Celtic minded SPL and their kangaroo courts.

Rangers did nothing wrong. HMRC practically destroyed Rangers for this. If only that crook Craig Whyte hadn't appeared...

Front page news of every paper in Scotland today. Rangers won.


Triumphant Tuesday

“Where were you when you heard Rangers had won the Big tax Case?”

I am sure that will become a question that bears ask each other down through the years.

http://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/triumphant-tuesday/


:beautiful:

pBRnjBw8NEw

Great article from Jim Traynor in the Daily Record.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/after-rangers-biggest-ever-win-1447935

RANGERS have had many massive triumphs in their time, especially the 3-2 win over Moscow Dynamo in the 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup final.

But yesterday’s result will surely go down as the most significant in their history. It wasn’t even played out on a pitch.

This victory came inside a stuffy office somewhere along Edinburgh’s George Street.

But even though no one kicked a ball, Rangers’ 2-1 win in the First Tier Tax Tribunal represents one of their greatest successes.

And it should bring an end to one of the longest and, given the behaviour of so many mean spirited and malicious individuals, certainly one of the most shameful tax cases in Scottish history.

Murray Group Holdings and Others were contesting a potential tax liability of £87million (made up mostly of penalties) and if there is to be a bill it will come to no more than £2m but probably even less.

This will be in combined penalties against individuals who may be guilty of minor breaches of technicalities.

But the point is Rangers were brought to their knees by a debt which was never real.

And they became victims of a case which should not have been allowed to run in the first place. Long and complex, it has cost something like £5m in legal fees. But at the end of it all there remains one unanswered question: Why?

What was the point and what were the real motives behind the zeal with which some in HMRC, and the media, tackled this case? This is not to say the Revenue shouldn’t try to reclaim money when they believe it’s due. It must be stressed they should but there are aspects of this case which deserve to be scrutinised closely and perhaps they will, if some of them people denigrated and wronged decide to take legal action.

This case has been about money but there has been a greater cost.

There has been a heavy human cost, too. Innocents, Rangers fans, for instance, have been damaged and so have former directors, especially Martin Bain.

And what was his crime? He inherited the EBT controversy but managed to hold his club together at a time when it seemed the entire country was pounding at the red facade of Ibrox. But there was no gratitude. Bain, and others, were wrongly accused of malpractice. They, Rangers, were all guilty. Fact.

Their persecutors, an alarming number of other clubs and their fans, should be hiding in shame this morning, or breaking cover only to apologise. Fat chance.

Blind hatred and poison has saturated this case which could actually have paid off for HMRC. They were offered £10m two years ago to settle but refused, probably because they wanted a trophy win to set a precedent which would allow them to pursue hundreds of other companies for untold millions.

But they failed. Yesterday two of the three judges ruled Rangers’ EBT system was a form of loans and not taxable after all.

And yet, because the tax man insisted Rangers owed them £50m, a catastrophic chain of events then unfolded.

No one wanted to touch a club with a potential bill of that size hanging over them and eventually Rangers fell into the wrong hands, the hands of a man who really didn’t pay tax and who then caused one of Europe’s biggest clubs to slide into liquidation.

But let’s be clear on this, the Revenue’s demand for payment, which it has now been declared invalid, started Rangers’ slide towards the precipice. Companies who sell cups of coffee and mobile phones can escape payments for hundreds of millions but Rangers?

No chance. They were chased and backed into a corner for piddling amounts by comparison. Amounts they didn’t even owe. Of course David Murray is responsible for selling but he was being pressed by a bank, who wanted rid of the club. They didn’t like the bad publicity their squeezing of Rangers attracted and Donald Muir, their man on the Ibrox board, wasn’t about to let Craig Whyte’s offer pass by.

The rest is history but it is a bitter and twisted chapter in a story which shines a light on a side of this country which should embarrass us. So many people wanted Rangers shut, or at least cut down and now they know there was nothing illegal in what was done with EBT payments they should take a good look at themselves.

Sadly, they just wanted to believe Rangers were guilty and it became popular belief that this lot really did owe almost £90m in tax. People spoke matter of factly about Rangers being tax cheats and there was such a groundswell against the club few were willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The facts were trampled as the crowds rushed to dance on Rangers’ grave.

Even people who should have known better were swept along in the rush to accuse and condemn Rangers or anyone who dared say, ‘hold on, shouldn’t we wait until the real financial experts rule.’

But now we all know the truth, although we haven’t a clue as to the identities of those at the centre of this sorry saga.

Bizarrely an anonymised form of the tribunal’s ruling was published yesterday revealing that evidence had been delivered by Mr Red, Mr Purple, Mr Turquoise, Mr Yellow, Mrs Scarlet and other colourful people.

Neither Quentin Tarantino nor the makers of Cluedo could have done a better job of disguising characters yet the identities of those who had received loans in the form of EBT while at Rangers were leaked routinely to
journalists and bloggers.

But the Revenue didn’t want the names of any of their people out in there in the public domain. Why? Because we’d then know who had rejected the £10m? Or was it felt they had to be protected for other reasons?

But there are names on various emails and documents in circulation and maybe one day soon there will be greater transparency as a case which has brought so much strife to the game is finally put to rest.

We can argue until the end of time about whether the Rangers in question still exist or whether the history with all its glories, defeats, highs and lows remains intact. But one crucial truth cannot and should not be lost.

Rangers, we know, were stricken, taken down by a fantasy tax bill. They were declared guilty before trial.

Rangers, as a brand, was tarnished because HMRC said they owed tax on EBT payments which the club had always argued were loans. Yesterday two of the three judges agreed. So HMRC, who had insisted an initial tax and National Insurance bill of £37m, which climbed to £87m, be paid, were left with nothing. They say they’ll appeal but it could be argued they’ve caused more than enough damage.

Besides, even if they’d won their case yesterday they still wouldn’t have got anything out of the Rangers they had pursued. They were forced into liquidation, remember.

And the real bottom line in all of this? Rangers’ closure was all so unnecessary and the turmoil and upheaval caused could have been avoided. Despite accusations Rangers did nothing wrong. Pity the same can’t be said of all those self-proclaimed experts, bloggers and journalists.

Rangers will be clobbered they had said. The verdict will be damning. Rangers will be shown up as cheats, they squealed.

It’s clear now who the guilty parties are and Rangers are not among them.

Isn't there an appeal by the taxman going on so maybe a 2-1 win may yet be shafted in injury time ?

I think this is a saga that may go on and on for years.

Thing is ROLAND, Rangers 'oldco' are finished. If the taxman was to appeal then they would get nothing.

In some ways this is a hollow victory. HMRC have already destroyed Rangers with the case making them unsellable and the threats of however many millions of fines. The only good thing is that as Rangers have done nothing illegal, the allegations of cheating have to stop.

If that crook Craig Whyte hadn't bought Rangers we could have been playing Champions League football this week.

That's true, maybe if they hadn't have panicked and sold up to the shyster then they wouldn't be in the mess now and neither would the SPL.

I suppose all they can do is look forwards now and not back.

That's true, maybe if they hadn't have panicked and sold up to the shyster then they wouldn't be in the mess now and neither would the SPL.

I suppose all they can do is look forwards now and not back.

It was Llyods Bank that forced David Murray to sell. I feel sorry for him to a degree in all of this. His reputation has taken a battering. While he was responsible for some of the spending excesses of the past. He had no choice but to sell and with the uncertainty of the outcome of the tax case hanging over Rangers, only Craig Whyte was prepared to make an offer. What an incredible mess !

good news even if the pill leaves a bitter taste upwards and onwards gers

Hi

Quite probably in the club or general news but happened to read this in a newsletter I receive ( AIM stands for Alternative Investment Market, a junior division of the London Stock Exchange)





"Rangers International Football Club (RFC) listed on AIM, raising 22.2 million pounds before expenses. The firm issued 65,096,056 shares at 70p, giving an initial market capitalisation of 45.6 million pounds. The proceeds of the placing will be used to upgrade the club's Ibrox Stadium and to fund the acquisition of land around the ground. It is hoped that the admission will act as a springboard for the club to return to its glory days of dominating Scottish football after being demoted to the third division following administration earlier in the year. The shares closed at 76p."


Some more chat here ( IPO stands for Initial Public Offering) :


"Fans of Rangers’ IPO trot out that old million pound chestnut: it is different. The fat has been cut out and what remains is pure protein. Rangers’ die-hard supporters regularly turn up to fill the Ibrox stadium close to its 51,000 capacity. There is no debt, the expensive players have gone, leaving a team still well able to beat its rivals. Imagine, say followers, what Rangers could earn in sales of tickets and football shirts when it takes its rightful place in Scotland’s top league in a year or so.



At this point, the group’s backers become all misty-eyed and talk about cup wins, playing in Europe’s lucrative Champions League, selling TV rights for millions and juicy sponsorship deals.



Charles Green, Rangers’ far from dewy-eyed chief executive and a veteran of Sheffield United, reckons he can raise Rangers up without borrowing or overpaying for new talent. He has promised to cap the payroll at a third of revenues. That will be easy for the next year while Rangers is banned by the Scottish Football Association from transferring players.



However, it will be hard to hold the wage bill back once Rangers starts playing top-tier football where pay averages two-thirds of revenues. Soccer’s governing bodies may be pushing for greater financial discipline and player fees may come down, but it will take time.


Mr Green can only be sure of keeping his promise if he makes more of Rangers’ brand and revenues soar. Fans should brace themselves for a rise in ticket prices. The new merchandising deal signed with Sports Direct – whose owner, Mike Ashley, owns 8 per cent of Rangers – could really spice up revenues."




Someone else, obviously a Rangers fan was very quick to point out that Rangers market capitalisation( one measure of value) was already higher than Celtic`s.

:kid:

Someone else, obviously a Rangers fan was very quick to point out that Rangers market capitalisation( one measure of value) was already higher than Celtic`s.

:kid:

Good trivia fact I will make sure and drop that into conversations with twisted up Celtic fans at the gym. :goldtooth:

The club have put a good spin on events. Less fans bought shares than it was hoped. But more corporate investors bought in. So the logic follows - big business thinks Rangers are going to do well.

Is Ashley allowed to own that sort of percemtage of a second Club ?

8% may not seem a lot to some people but actually it is

Seems to be Jake. Maybe because it's not another English club it's ok ?

They are not allowed to be in the same UEFA competition I think, other than that, no restrictions.

There was talk of league reconstruction to speed up Rangers return to the SPL but now in a bizarre turn of events. A new convoluted league format has been proposed. That will see Rangers stay in the bottom tier should they win the league. You couldn't make this up....

http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/aberdeen/208928-scottish-clubs-to-vote-on-league-reconstruction-proposals-within-weeks/

The plan is to implement a top flight "Premiership" of 12 clubs, a 12-club "Championship" beneath and a third tier "National League" of 18 clubs.

After two rounds of games, the top two tiers would split into three sub-leagues of eight teams. The top eight would contest the league title and European places with the middle eight settling promotion and relegation.

That middle league of eight, made up of SPL1's bottom four teams and SPL2's top four, would see their points reset. They would then play 14 matches, facing each other both home and away, with the four highest placed sides at the end of the campaign playing in the subsequent season's top division.

Supporters have voiced their unhappiness at the plans, which were unsuccessfully experimented with in both Austria and Switzerland in the late 80s and early 90s.

:shs:

Three leagues each splitting up and merging top and bottom clubs... total madness, no country in Europe does this. Another nail in the coffin of Scottish football. Lets hope Sky can influence things.... because as it stands Rangers would be in the new larger bottom tier of 18, playing all the same clubs again for another year !

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/3092-gers-should-quit-scotland


CHARLES GREEN will recommend to the Board that Rangers try to find an escape route from Scottish football if the 12-12-18 reconstruction plans are pushed through.

The Chief Executive knows that in the current political climate it is difficult to play anywhere else, but he firmly believes that Rangers should explore all options as he is firmly against the proposals being hurried through.

In an exclusive interview with RangersTV, Green pulls no punches as he criticises a set-up which he feels most supporters don’t want.
He says the new set-up will render the remainder of the season meaningless and he insists it is only cash that is driving the adoption of the plan.

He said: “If this does happen what is the point of us finishing the season? Why should we send players out to get broken noses – like Ross Perry last week – or have players getting surgery when no-one can get promoted and no-one can get relegated.

“We might as well have a winter break now til next August. I can’t see any point in carrying on with meaningless matches.
“In what league do you win a division and then end up playing the same teams again the following season? There is no meaning to it, in reality.

“I haven’t read anything other than what is in the press and if that is what we have sat here eagerly awaiting to transform Scottish football, my advice to the board of Rangers is the quicker we can leave Scottish football the better.

“I can’t see anything that is going to transform the finances, the status or the excitement.”

Green knows that there is resistance by the European and World authorities to clubs playing in other countries, but there is strong feeling for a ‘Beneliga’ involving the top 12 teams in Holland the top eight in Belgium.

And Standard Liege have threatened to try to join Ligue 1 in France if permission for the Beneliga is not granted.

Green added: “On first glance, of course, there is nowhere for us to go because FIFA have made their feelings known on cross-border leagues.

“However, we have noted the comments of Standard Liege recently and what Peter Lawwell said at his AGM a few weeks ago when he discussed the changes in Europe.

“Hand on heart today there isn’t an option but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start looking for an option.

“If all we have to look forward to over the next four years is more madness then we would be failing as directors not to explore the alternatives.”

Agree with the point about the leagues, what is the point of winning League 3 and knowing next season you start in League 3 and also must be a doubt on the legality of changing the rules halfway through the season.

I also see a Bosman ruling coming up here and one of the clubs taking UEFA/FIFA to the European Courts citing free trade and movement and how the present rules prevent this.

I think they should take over Colwyn Bay FC and enter the English leagues. It would be difficult to ban them because they are not based in England.

Wodger you make two good points here. Both touched on today in interviews by manager Ally McCoist and chairman Charles Green.


Agree with the point about the leagues, what is the point of winning League 3 and knowing next season you start in League 3 and also must be a doubt on the legality of changing the rules halfway through the season.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/209385-ally-mccoist-if-rangers-win-the-league-then-we-should-be-promoted/

Ally McCoist believes Rangers will be denied promotion under plans to restructure the Scottish football league which he says "lack sporting integrity".

The Ibrox boss believes the "small minded" proposal, which would see the current four-tier format change to three leagues, would unfairly penalise his side and render the current season meaningless.

Under the plans, Rangers would take up a place in the third tier of the league, a step up from their current position in tier four.

Although they would move up if they can clinch the Third Division title this campaign, they would be joined by every other team currently plying their trade in the bottom tier.

McCoist instead believes a way should be found for his team to be advanced out of the proposed new bottom tier.

"I don't think reconstruction can go through," he said. "It lacks sporting integrity. I don't think you can change during a season.

"All we are looking for is continued fair play. If we win the league then we should be promoted, in my opinion."

Speaking at his traditional Friday news conference, McCoist said he believed a combination of "time, legality and sporting integrity" should hamper plans to push through the planned change for the start of the 2013/14 campaign.

The manager also expressed his unhappiness at Rangers having no vote on the proposals, a circumstance of their admission to the Scottish Football League as associate members in the summer, saying it was a "slap in the coupon" to supporters.

Chief executive Charles Green had spoken earlier in the week of finding a way out of the Scottish league structure if reconstruction plans went ahead.

"Ideally the top league in this country would perfect," added McCoist. "There has been a lot of information coming out in the last week or so but all we want to do is get back to the top league in this country.

"I know Rangers and Celtic have explored avenues to play in different leagues and I would think they would continue to do that.

"But where I'm sitting at the moment, I'd settle for the top league in Scotland.

"Charles is doing his job in the respect that he's exploring avenues for other leagues.

"I can totally understand his dislike for the potential new set-up. If it goes ahead, I would imagine the biggest sufferers again, in my opinion, would be the Rangers supporters."

I also see a Bosman ruling coming up here and one of the clubs taking UEFA/FIFA to the European Courts citing free trade and movement and how the present rules prevent this.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/209386-charles-green-no-to-cross-border-league-would-be-sex-discrimination/

Rangers chief executive Charles Green has claimed that he could take UEFA to court under sex-discrimination laws and says Cardiff and Swansea shouldn’t be in the EPL if Rangers aren’t.

Green is opposed to current plans that would see Scottish league football reshaped into a 12-12-18 structure. He said that he would be recommending to the Rangers board that options to quit Scottish football should be explored.

In a radio interview, he claimed that there was a precedent for cross-border leagues in the women’s game and that he would pursue equality in court.

"As the structures stand now, there are not many options [to leave the Scottish league],” Green told Talksport. “But I'm not one for hiding my light behind a bushel.

"People say you can't go into England because you are not allowed cross-borders (leagues).

"Well there is now a cross-border (league). You have a UEFA-sanctioned professional women's league in Belgium and Holland, so we have a precedent there.

"If there was an opportunity to join a cross-border league and that was challenged by UEFA, I would go to Strasbourg and challenge the sexual equality."

UEFA’s Executive Committee did sanction a cross-border league in Belgium and Holland, beginning in 2012. However, the competition was only permitted on a trial basis and will be reviewed after three years.

The European governing body told STV that there are no plans for other regional leagues until that trial is finished and none would be sanctioned until its outcome has been evaluated.

Green also said that a route into the English league set-up should be available to Rangers. Citing Swansea City and Cardiff City as examples, he said they should be removed from the English league if Scottish sides aren’t permitted to join.

"People say you are not allowed in the English league - well let's then kick Cardiff and Swansea out, because they are playing in a different country,” he said.

"People are saying Wales is fine but Scotland is not.

“We cannot have a situation where one of the Union is annexed by the football bodies but Wales can join.

“It's rubbish."

Was reading that Wales is a principality like Monaco so their clubs are allowed to compete in their parent countries league whilst Scotland is a country.

That said I can see a new league set up with Scandinavian teams, Scottish and maybe Irish and then would be a legal fight with UEFA if they didn't sanction it.

Berwick Rangers play in Scotland, and I remember Gretna being in the English leagues. I hope a way can be found to help Rangers play down here.

Berwick Rangers play in Scotland, and I remember Gretna being in the English leagues. I hope a way can be found to help Rangers play down here.

I don't , prefer them to play in Kazakstan

As much chance of playing in Kazakstan as in England it seems. Talk of an escape bid from Scottish football is wishful thinking I'm afraid.

For a long time now Scottish football has been dying a death with the old firm games being the only meaningful fixtures and then for the SFA to exact that type of punishment on Rangers was a massive faux pas IMO.
I know the principle was correct and if it was any other team outside of the two Glasgow giants no one would have battered an eyelid but to destroy any outside/International interest in the Scottish game and eliminate a vital stream of substantial income was just so wrong.

With the latest restructure hopefully Rangers shall push hard to resign from the SFA & join one of the English lower leagues with its long term ambition being a place in the Premier League south of the border, that would create some mouth wartering fixtures with Celtic certain to join them within a few years.

Sad to see complaints about Remembrance Day events at Rangers, what a strange country we live in, where something like this generates complaints...

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/rangers-remembrance-day-parade-branded-1558062

MILITARY chiefs have criticised Remembrance Day events organised by Rangers.

Top brass branded the half-time parade during a match against Peterhead in November as inappropriate.

Fans watched Royal Marines abseil from the stadium roof and a howitzer was fired from the trackside to signal a minute’s silence.

But following complaints, Major General Nick Eeles, General Officer Commanding Scotland, met Navy and RAF chiefs and they agreed to ban a repeat.

Instead, he has said just a minute’s silence would be a more appropriate way to mark the contribution of those who served in the two world wars and other conflicts.

In a letter to one person who complained, the Army secretariat wrote: “The General Officer Commanding Scotland has now had the opportunity to review the events that took place at Ibrox Park with the other service heads in Scotland.

"They share your view that the format of the half-time event and the conduct of those taking part in it was inappropriate for Remembrance weekend and will take steps to ensure that such events are conducted with appropriate solemnity in the future.

“They believe that the minute’s silence before the match was the correct way to mark the occasion and Army commanders will be directed to restrict future Remembrance events to this type of activity in the future.

“The focus of Remembrance activities must be on the fallen, not on those who are serving in the Armed Forces today.”

More than 400 members of the Army, Navy and RAF were invited to Ibrox as guests of honour.

Veterans supported by Erskine Hospital were applauded by the 48,407 crowd.

Rangers players wore special poppy strips during the match and fans displayed a poppy mosaic before kick-off. Servicemen were given footballs by subs from both sides and took part in a half-time kick-about.

But in future, servicemen will only be allowed to participate in a minute’s silence during Remembrance weekend.

The Ibrox parade was organised by the Rangers Charity Foundation to raise cash for ex-servicemen and their families.

The club have regularly honoured the Armed Forces on match days over the years. In 2009, they welcomed marines from 45 Commando on to the pitch at half-time against Hearts after the troops finished a tour of Afghanistan.

Scots Guardsman Gary Jamieson, who lost both legs in Afghanistan, was guest of honour during a match in 2010.

A spokeswoman for the Army said: “Half-time events such as this one will no longer happen at Remembrance Day matches and we apologise if anyone was offended by what they felt was inappropriate behaviour.

“Those from the Army who attended the match were invited as a thank you from the club as they wanted to show support for the job they do and raise money for Poppy Scotland.”

A Rangers spokesman said the club have a close relationship with the services and will continue to mark Remembrance Day with proper respect.

He said: “No one from any of the Forces has been in contact with us other than to thank us for our support and help.

“Our Remembrance event proved to be the single largest memorial event in Scotland last year."

On a lighter note... Dundee United fans plan to wear Craig Whyte masks in the upcoming match that Rangers fans are boycotting.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-fans-angry-at-dundee-united-1552600

RANGERS fans have accused Dundee United supporters of trying to spark trouble by wearing Craig Whyte masks during their Scottish Cup clash next month.

An Arabs fan group have created replica faces of the shamed former Ibrox owner in a bid to poke fun at the Division Three club a week on Saturday.

But John McMillan, Rangers Supporters Association general secretary, slammed the stunt as provocative and liable to lead to violence.

The Ibrox club are boycotting the fixture but around 200 Gers fans are expected to defy the ban and attend the clash.

However, McMillan insists the masks are not funny and urged the Tayside club to ensure their is no goading of any Rangers fans who travel.

He said: “I was anticipating the United supporters doing something but I didn’t think they would stoop to this.

“It’s out of order and Dundee United as a club should do all they can to prevent their fans from carrying this threat through.

“The majority of Rangers fans will not be at the game and observe the boycott but unfortunately I’m certain some of them will go to Tannadice so this is a recipe for trouble.

“It’s inflammatory to wear these masks and it’s disgraceful to even be thinking about it.

“This game is already raised tensions and I fear any move to mock our support could have serious consequences.”

United supporters club the A90 Arab Society are behind the masks. They posted on their Facebook page: “In tribute to the nemesis of the now defunct Glasgow Rangers we want 10,000 Arabs wearing a Craig Whyte mask at the Sevco Scottish Cup game.”

The post has been removed and vice-chairman of the Federation of Dundee United Supporters Clubs Scott Innes insists it’s a bit of harmless fun.

He said: “It’s just a wee bit of jovial banter that’s just done as a wee bit of a wind-up to Rangers fans. I don’t think it’s intended to cause any problems.

“They are meant to be boycotting anyway and I think the ones that are coming are just making mountains out of molehills. I don’t think there’s any ulterior motive.”

United fan Billy Hoon insisted that wearing the masks would be in the name of good humour and hit out at Rangers supporters who are refusing to attend in protest as United’s stance of refusing their club to be voted into the SPL last summer.

He said: “Rangers are being a bit naive doing this boycott.

“If they were playing Celtic there would be no problems because they would want to go to that. The masks are just a laugh. I don’t see any harm in it.”

Dundee United director Derek Robertson distanced his club with the stunt but admitted it will be discussed during a pre-match meeting with police.

He said: “This page is unconnected to the club and we therefore have no control over the content.

“It does not appear to be a serious attempt to organise such a display or to deliberately cause a safety issue.

“However, as we have already organised a meeting between supporters’ groups, our safety officers and the police to discuss all aspects of this match, I expect the matter will be raised then.”

The MP for Bradford West... an IRA, PLO, Saddam Hussein lover... the one and only Mr George Galloway.. has tabled this :bigfinger

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/913

RANGERS TAX LIABILITIES

Session: 2012-13
Date tabled: 14.01.2013
Primary sponsor: Galloway, George
Sponsors: Campbell, Ronnie Hopkins, Kelvin McGovern,

That this House notes that the owners of the club now playing in the Scottish Third Division called Rangers claim that it is the same club with the same history as the liquidated club also known as Rangers; further notes that 14 million in VAT and PAYE was withheld in the run-up to administration by the previous Rangers; further notes that the club is now cash-rich through a share issue which raised in excess of 20 million; condemns the use of insolvency laws to avoid paying tax owed; and calls on the Government to take steps to reclaim the outstanding monies from Rangers and to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent clubs and companies sidestepping their liabilities through liquidation and then carrying on trading with effectively the same name and in exactly the same business.

Do the constituents of Bradford West give a fuck about a Scottish football club ?

Having watched Bradford City in their recent cup games on the tele', I didn't see any evidence from the crowd scenes that the locals of Bradford West give a fuck about their own club.

Rangers victory ! Lord Nimmo's verdict is in.

No titles stripped and still.... the most successful football club in the world. 54 league titles. :bigfinger


http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/215802-key-points-from-lord-nimmo-smiths-ruling-on-rangers/

Hi

This cuts from their Interim Results, which were out yesterday :




Season ticket sales in excess of 38,000, one of the highest levels of season ticket sales achieved by any UK club

· Average home league attendance of 45,363 during the period; fifth highest ranking UK football attendance

· New retail arrangement signed with the UK's largest sports retailer, Sports Direct

· New kit manufacturer agreement signed with one of the world's leading sport-lifestyle brands, Puma

· New shirt sponsor, Blackthorn Cider, for season 2013/14

· Acquisition of the Albion car park and Edmiston House for future ventures to enhance match day experience in January 2013"



"Charles Green, CEO of Rangers, commented "This has been a significant period in the Club's history, in which vital steps were taken to ensure the survival and rebuilding of one of the UK's most venerable football institutions. The priority for the Company to date has been to stabilise the business and put in place solid financial foundations for the future. To this end, revenue streams have been enhanced, and costs cut. In addition, important strategic steps have been taken, such as the agreements now in place with Sports Direct, Puma and Blackthorn Cider. These achievements have been made whilst retaining the important fabric and structure of the Club.



"We will continue to execute our growth plan, and investors and supporters can have confidence in the development of operations as the Club progresses. Undoubtedly, challenges lie ahead but the Club is now well equipped to meet them successfully. Above all, the Club and its supporters are resolute in the belief that, both on and off the pitch, Rangers can look to the future with confidence and pride."




I noticed investors who bought in 7 months or so ago have done OK.
Shares issued at 70p, now trading around the 79 p mark, after having touched 93p or so late Dec/early Jan.


:cheers:

"The MP for Bradford West... an IRA, PLO, Saddam Hussein lover... the one and only Mr George Galloway.. has tabled this..."




I guess there are no more pressing problems in Bradford for him to address than snipe at laws that Parliament itself passed.

They( politicians) don`t object when those same laws work in favour of their friends and supporters.

Chicken feed compared to :

"The final cost of the Scottish Parliament building was £414.4m."

When the London Houses of Parliament were refurbed, it seems that it was not possible to have trees and plants from the UK used, they had to be imported, at great expense.

More recently :
"Under one proposal, the Commons would abandon its Victorian premises and set up temporary home at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre, about half a mile away, to enable a £3bn refurbishment."

£3 billion.

A more two faced bunch of tossers than politicians it would be almost impossible to find.

It had all gone a bit quiet on the Rangers front and now time for an all new crisis... hate figure Craig Whyte is back and demanding back ownership of Rangers. :suicidal:

http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/220306-craig-whyte-plans-legal-action-to-claim-back-rangers-ownership/


Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte is believed to be planning to launch legal action to secure the club's assets from Charles Green's consortium.

The former owner of the Ibrox club, who purchased an 85% stake in the 'oldco' from Sir David Murray for £1, has instructed London-based lawyers to serve Rangers with a writ demanding the assets are handed over in the coming weeks.

His legal action centres on the £5.5m deal which saw the club’s assets, including Ibrox stadium and the Murray Park, transferred from Rangers oldco to Sevco Scotland Limited.

Sevco Scotland Limited, which was later renamed The Rangers Football Club Limited, was created by Mr Green and his consortium. Title deeds for the club’s property indicate that the assets were transferred to Sevco Scotland on June 15 last year, the day after the oldco failed to secure a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) route out of administration.

Rangers previously stated that Sevco 5088 Limited, which administrators had identified as the pre-determined 'newco' for the club, transferred the assets to Sevco Scotland Limited to ensure that "the club’s corporate entity would be a Scottish registered company as it has always been."

However, it is believed Mr Whyte’s legal action is based on his claim to have been the man behind Sevco 5088 and in control of its assets.

His lawyers issued the current regime at Ibrox with a letter in December ahead of the £22m stock market flotation of new parent firm Rangers International Football Club plc, which warned that he would take Mr Green’s consortium to court over the deal as they had not received permission from him to the transfer of assets to Sevco Scotland from Sevco 5088.

The only director listed at Companies House for Sevco 5088 Ltd is Charles Green, while he signed off on a proposal to have the firm dissolved at the end of 2012, although it has not yet been struck off.

'Completely discredited'

In a strongly worded response, Mr Green branded Mr Whyte's claims as "delusional" and said the former Ibrox owner was "completely discredited".

Mr Green said: "Once again Craig Whyte has made serious allegations against the people who have committed themselves to rebuilding a Scottish institution which, almost single-handedly, he dragged towards the brink of oblivion.

"That he, after all he did to damage Rangers and the Club’s vast and loyal support, should attempt to denigrate those who stepped in to pick up the pieces and begin what will be a huge restructuring of the Club at all levels is deeply disappointing but predictable.

"We all need to be absolutely clear on what is happening. These are distorted and malicious allegations coming from a man who is completely discredited and now under police investigation."

Read the full text of Charles Green's statement in response to Craig Whyte's claims.

The Crown Office ordered Strathclyde Police last June to launch a criminal investigation into Mr Whyte's acquisition of Rangers in May 2011 and his financial management of the club.

Mr Green said there was no question of Mr Whyte being offered a route back into Ibrox or that he was in any way involved in the Sevco consortium.

"Mr Whyte wanted to be part of our group and wanted to invest £6m, which of course we would never have taken, but instead he went from that to demanding £1m in perpetuity from us plus six seats in the Directors’ Box and six in the Members’ area," Mr Green said.

"This was demanded in return from him giving us his shares. He was told in no uncertain terms that this was ludicrous and since then he has continued to try to derail our work at Ibrox which includes massive redevelopment plans."

He went on: "We cannot understand why Mr Whyte keeps going to the media rather than the court. He has threatened to take Duff & Phelps to court, the SFA to court and now Charles Green and Imran Ahmad. We suggest he gets on with it.

“If he wants to go to court we would be delighted to see him there. It is a shame Mr Whyte keeps trying to destabilise the Club he very nearly destroyed."

Previously, Mr Whyte issued a writ against BBC Scotland in February 2012 over a 2011 documentary in broadcast in which it was revealed that he had been banned as a director for seven years in 2000. However, no court hearings took place and his lawyers, Bannatyne Kirkwood France and Co, reached an out-of-court settlement with Mr Whyte over an alleged unpaid bill.

The Motherwell-born businessman also threatened to sue the Scottish FA after it banned him from any formal appointments in association football for life, although no legal action has occurred.

I'm surprised Whyte is still alive, he certainly seems to have a death wish.

I'm surprised Whyte is still alive, he certainly seems to have a death wish.

Seems that way