JCDBigBear

Jim Baxter was a good friend of mine and I seem to recall him telling me that story one evening in the lounge at Paisley Road Toll. It certainly rings a bell but to be fair, I was single then (pre-1980) and we had partaken of a fair amount of alcohol, so the exact wording is hazy. He loved the Gers though, a real True Blue.

Goram was a fantastic goalie but that era is over. The legendary status may tarnish if he continues to be credited with writing such utter rubbish. Andy Goram hasn't a clue what has been spent by Craig Whyte and on what or whom. He is merely annoying the Rangers fans by allowing himself to be seen as a critic of what is happening at Ibrox. On the issue of the £9m "bid" for Jelavic, no-one at Rangers has been quoted about this. A "source" said "blah, blah, blah". If I was a journalist, I would want a bit more evidence than the source (who is probably the groundsman's aunty's grannys' next door neighbour's paper boy). Nowhere have I seen that RFC has confirmed such a bid. In fact, the wording of said "source" was along the lines of " an agent called to inquire if RFC may be interested in selling Jelavic if the price was £9m". That is significantly different from a bid. An enquiry is not a bid. I have previously stated on another thread that £9m for Jelavic is not unreasonable in consideration of Crouch going for £12m. As the window neared closure, it is not beyond the realms of fantasy to believe that agents were not hedging their bets by making enquiries on a number of players in case their preferred deals collapsed. Look at the Arteta deal. Crouch was a very late one as well. What if the Crouch deal was hitting the buffers, can anyone say for certain that (for example) Stoke were not to be offered Jelavic as a late replacement at (only) £9m? I'm not saying that RFC did or did not get such an enquiry and unless RFC make a statement on the issue, no one will no for sure. What I will say, however, is that our Club's PR department is non-existent.

Gentlemen (and ladies) have you checked this link? Just copied this link from BBC News web site. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14757090

6 names posted further back. Ehiogu Spackman etc.

Just copied this link from BBC News web site http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14757090

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14757090 Just copied this link from BBC News web site.

The present squad should have beaten Malmo and Maribor (possibly at the same time !!!) They were two poor teams and we messed up big time. Lafferty, Jelavic and Naismith all missed a hatful of sitters (and Healy's) in the two matches at Ibrox. The players pressed the self-destruct button in the two away games. The manager should have made tactical changes but didn't or if he did, they didn't work. It certainly wasn't Craig whyte's fault.

I must have been asleep all day or something, what is this about RFC accounts being frozen? Nothing on BBC website that I can see and nothing on press websites. What the heck is going on? Can anyone quickly explain please??

Just copied this from Sheffield United website. Wilson has also given the latest news on John Fleck and Kyle Hutton from SPL champions Glasgow Rangers: "There is still a problem with the Football League and the timings of paperwork. I wouldn't have thought there should be a problem, but there seems to be. "They technically aren't our players so they aren't in Sheffield because we couldn't do that. If we can get it sorted though they are coming here to play. "They have had experience at such a young age in the SPL and the Champions League so that says a great deal about them. Walter Smith had no fear playing them both against no less than Manchester United, so they have been tested in the past and are trusted. "We think because of their versatility they can be very useful additions for us and do two or three jobs in the team.

Depending on the songs and if it was to protect Rangers FC, then yes, Mr Struth would encourage fans to point out those who would harm our Club. The term "grass" is usually used by people who have done something wrong or illegal. Sensible people would call them witnesses.

It is not unreasonable to believe that an agent enquired very late on about Jelavic and a £9m deal. Crouch went for £12m just before the deadline. It was probably an agent primed to act if some particular deal was to hit the buffers. I'm willing to wager that we were not the only club asked by the same agent. Just someone keeping their options open. I don't rate Crouch as highly as Jelavic so in that respect £9m is not unreasonable. The paranoid tims just refuse to believe that any of our players are worth more than theirs. It appears that some of our own fans are just as sceptical. As for the criticism of Craig Whyte, I find it unbelievable after only 3 months. Changing things around at Ibrox cannot be done overnight. Some things take time. I'm more worried about Ally as manager, after losing out in Europe to two teams we should have beaten. The players we have should have been good enough.

Apparently the deals did not fall through and Fleck and Hutton are now on loan to Sheffield United. I am not surprised that Little and Fleck are going on loan but am very disappointed that Hutton is away for a while. I rate him much better than Edu and the useless McCulloch. I despair at Ally and his "loyalty" or whatever it is towards McCulloch in particular. His best position is on the treatment table. He also sticks with Edu and Broadfoot. Then he re-signed Weir and (Mr no goals) Healy. I hope the three on loan get some match practice and come back better players.

I think it is far too early judge Whyte. He doesn't pick the team or sign the players nor does he decide on tactics. I think that Ally is on a probation period and may not get beyond Christmas if things go badly. We don't have enough information to make proper judgements on what money Whyte has put into the Club at this time. We do not know how much it has cost to sign 7 new players, re-sign 2 and give improved deals to half a dozen others. I think we would all be surprised at the total cost.

Where would Rangers be if Whyte hadn't bought the Club? Ally signed 7 players and re-signed Weir and Healy. Whyte didn't decide on them, that was Ally. I don't disagree with everything you say (eg Ortiz) but we need to give Whyte more time. It is Ally who needs to improve his act.

Where would Rangers be if Whyte hadn't bought the Club?

Broadfooot , McCulloch, Edu, Ortiz, Beattie are useless. Hard to believe Ally had Ortiz watched as you never see him in a game !! Why did Ally re-sign Weir and Healy? What a waste. Can't see Bendiksen and Kerkar ever making the grade. Those out on loan (Hutton, Little, Fleck) get more game time and will hopefully come back ready for our first team. I think Hutton is good enough at present and certainly better than Edu and McCulloch. I find the criticism of Craig Whyte mystifying at this stage. He is only just in the door (3 months) and change takes time. Surely the doubters appreciate that he has let Ally bring in 7 new players, let Ally re-sign 2 who were out of contract and let Ally give improved and extended contracts to half a dozen others. I have read on RM that some people are accusing Whyte of lying about the Club's debt as there is debt due by the Club to Whyte instead of to Lloyds Bank. That is technically correct but before criticising him about this you need to be aware of the circumstances. The outstanding HMRC case is the only reason that the debt to Whyte exists on the Club's books. Rangers are confident that they will win the case but (and it is a BIG but) just in case HMRC wins, Whyte is a preferential creditor and can get his cut before HMRC. That would allow him to step back in later should the financial manure hit the fan. Whyte has stated that if Rangers win the HMRC case then he will write off the debt to himself. That all seems pretty fair to me. Only problem is that if Rangers win (round 1) HMRC will probably appeal and if HMRC win (round 1) then Rangers will definitely appeal. This case will not be settled in the near future.

Whyte said he would put up money for the team. He has allowed Ally to bring in 7 new players. Whyte didn't scout them. Ally must have given his backing to these signings. Dundee Utd said they would take £2m for Goodwillie but changed their minds probably due to pressure from their bank as they owe a fair amount and have no cash. If the rape issue hadn't been in the background Goodwillie would probably be at Ibrox for less than £2m some time ago. In the end, Utd decided to sell him to Blackburn as they pushed the player in that direction. Ally re-signed Healy and Weir. Extended contracts given to a fair number of players which will probably include significant lump sum payments. If Whyte hadn't bought the Club exactly where do you think we would be if Lloyds were still holding the purse strings? Improved contracts for players? Yeh right!! Davis, McGregor and Jelavic would have been sold to pay off debt and probably at bargain prices. Others may have followed particularly as Ally managed to get us out of Europe twice in one month. I think Ally is on probation and if things go badly he will be replaced at Christmas and some cash will be made available for the replacement to use in the January transfer window.

I don't totally disagree with you but feel we paid too much for Wallace. We need to be less desperate when negotiating. As for Goodwillie, I don't think United ever wanted to sell him to us. He also has too much "other baggage" with him. He apparently still has a serious assault charge to face and there is the likelihood of a civil action for rape. Whittaker's re-signing saga was poorly handled but his agent was definitely stirring things as well. I would have gone for Weiss as well. We could have made money from that deal in the future. With Ortiz we couldn't give him away at present. He gives us absolutely nothing. You don't even notice him on the park. We need 2 strikers (but please not a Healy or Lafferty or Beattie).

Hutton should be given a chance. He played well against Man Utd and I thought he played pretty well in his few other first team outings. I am in agreement with most other fans, he is better than Edu and McCulloch. As with any player, if you are having a bad spell you get dropped. That should be the case but McCulloch and Edu appear to be the manager's favourites. McCulloch is a liability in every game. He has no ability whatsoever. Edu sometimes looks a bit better when pushed further forward but he lacks concentration throughout 90 mins. Sometimes he actually looks startled when the ball comes to him. Davis has too much to do in midfield on his own. Ortiz is useless. Did anyone actually go and see him in Spain? I would rather we had Naismith, Davis, Hutton and Ness as my midfield 4 from the current squad. Bedoya and McKay may give us some options but it is obviously too early to comment on them. Wylde shows some potential but needs to work on the final ball/cross into the box.

I'm not getting at you but I could have told you Naismith was going to Gers as it was hardly a surprise or a secret at the time.

Why do you give any substance to a rumour from work????

I think if we had other strikers we would all take the cash and put it to better use by adding a couple of players. The panic is simply due to the fact Jelavic is the best striker we have at present. Personally, I don't think he is particularly good as a Miller or Boyd replacement. He doesn't score nearly as often as he should given the opposition we face. He isn't a bad player but I never thought he looked worth £4m. If he does go then we must get at least one replacement. As for the criticism of Craig Whyte, without knowing the facts of how the signing decisions are made then we can only speculate. If McCoist is unhappy with the players signed then he should say so and leave. I loved Ally as a player but find it difficult to believe he was handed the job as manager without any significant experience. I feel the same about half the backroom staff to be honest. We place the future of our Club in the hands of the inexperienced and untried simply because they are Rangers men. Great players yes, but should that be the only criteria for getting the job?

Do you mean only one cap or do you mean one or more?

Yes, I remember that goal as well. Was only a boy and went with my uncle and grandad. An early goal on a really cold night 3 March 1965. I'm looking at my ticket in a frame on the wall as I write this. 7 shillings and 6 pence which was a lot of cash in those days.

Who would think it a good idea to try to redevelop a football stadium in Glasgow part of which is a listed building, in a credit crunch when there are numerous other more suitable sites. In Govan as well!!! Can you imagine anyone wanting to pay top dollar for a house there? Look at the surrounding area, it is only Ibrox that makes it look anything. The release to the shareholders also states that they have no intention of moving. As for him at QPR and Northampton, he apparently saved the latter club from liquidation. Moving QPR from Loftus Road may not have been a bad idea as it is very cramped. Far too many people press the "panic button" without actually considering the facts and likely impact of such rumours. It must be a Scottish trait to always look for the worst in people without having any idea what they are like or what their intentions are. We are such a parochial and narrow-minded country which is depressing.