Only in Scotland can you get hacked everyweek and get told to "deal with it".

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

THE treatment some Rangers players have received this season has, on quite a few occasions, been excessive, with teams looking to win the physical battle knowing that McCoist's side will have far more quality when on the ball.

On Saturday, it was David Templeton's turn to take the kicks as Stirling kicked him up and down the park.

As long as challenges are not being made to hurt Gers stars, there is nothing wrong with using brute force to attempt to get a foothold in the game.

Physically will be a feature of most Rangers' fixtures this term and it is something McCoist's players will have to learn to deal with because refs cannot give the Light Blues special treatment. Any lunges that could cause injury should, of course, be dealt with swiftly and harshly, though.

Some Ibrox players may not like it but there is no doubt the tactic will continue to be used by their Third Division rivals for the remainder of the campaign.

STAMP IT OUT says MATTHEW LINDSAY

THE referee at Ibrox on Saturday did not shy away from booking Stirling Albion players for rash challenges.

Mike Tumilty showed Mark McCulloch a yellow card in the first minute for his assault on David Templeton and booked several more thereafter.

Despite that, the match official did not prevent the visitors from clattering the Rangers players time and time again. Ally McCoist insisted afterwards his team's full-time status and superior fitness were largely responsible for the late challenges.

But the reasons for the fouls are an irrelevance. As an incensed Neil Alexander pointed out to one ref earlier this season: "A foul is a foul."

Unless whistlers and their assistants take firmer action against the culprits, and make an example of them by dishing out straight reds, the problem will continue.

And more Rangers players will sustain injuries and spend time on the sidelines – something the Glasgow club can ill afford.

[BlueThunder 8,653]

I thought you meant the website, given the title!

[cushynumber 25,178]

I agree with your sentiments, but we are just going to have to man up in the short term. We will be out of Div 3 soon enough.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

On Sat the ref booked 4 of their players in the first 30 min - sent one of them off later on - we have had a number of sendings off from teams playing against us recently - I dont see how refs can do much more ?

[Blue Nosed Babe 21,537]

Credit to Davie Templeton for just getting on with it and not responding, or diving like some other players would.

[toolongawake 1,275]

Other than not hesitating to put a name in the book early in the match to stamp their authority, as happened on Saturday, their is little more the referees can do. My only main gripe with the refs this season has been the treatment of Black (both in booking him harshly and for failing to punish some pretty bad tackling against him) and the lack of protection given to our keeper in a couple of matches.

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

On Sat the ref booked 4 of their players in the first 30 min - sent one of them off later on - we have had a number of sendings off from teams playing against us recently - I dont see how refs can do much more ?

Im not talking about the refs. I'm talking about fannys in the media, who say deal with it. But i remember a few years back when the media were asking refs for protection of Nakamura and McGeady etc.....

[El Carpintero 546]

The most persecuted people in the land take another pounding and still we stand strong.

[montana100 335]

Im not talking about the refs. I'm talking about fannys in the media, who say deal with it. But i remember a few years back when the media were asking refs for protection of Nakamura and McGeady etc.....

I agree with you.

I'm sick of the mhedia telling RFC players to man-up, this is the same mob that asked for scum players to be protected.

N/S

[thedarvelmarvel 795]

after watching dundee derby on sunday i just dont get it wierd decisions ...

[californiadreamin52 339]

And they wonder why our football is so bad when it is getting kick to death and our younger players are no longer as skillfull as there foreign counterparts. Obviously our sportswriters are part of the problem with comments such as this

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

And they wonder why our football is so bad when it is getting kick to death and our younger players are no longer as skillfull as there foreign counterparts. Obviously our sportswriters are part of the problem with comments such as this

No it's only when Rangers players are moaning they say stuff like this.

[Dutchy 1,200]

The media does have an effect on the continuing hatred of other fans towards Rangers.

I went to see the Elgin game in a pub, my first this season, and the barman shouted madly that an Elgin player was booked for a tackle was never a booking, he never touched him.

I turned round to him and said he was booked for lunging at the Rangers player, which was dagerous play, even though he did catch him on the bridge of the foot, it wasn't for the contact, it was for the intent.

He reckoned that would never have happened in the old days, but I recounted the story of a HIbs player making a swipe at a Rangers man, didn't even make contact, by at least a yard, but he was sent off as his intentions were clear.

Later on in the game a Ranger player was booked for clattering into an Elgin player and he piped up with, now that is a booking.

3 pints later I just said it the ref says it is, it is, as I had said at the end of the first debate.

I never thought to mention Durrant's career ending tackle and Simpson only getting a yellow as it might have strengthened his arguement.

Doubt I'll be back in his pub to watch the next Scottish Cup game, but they're all the same really.

I do like a pint of cask though and there's another pub opening up soon with Cask Ales on the outside. Can it be a bigot free zone? Ask the Papers!

[El Carpintero 546]

Nakamura, McGeady and Maloney were never told to get on with it, they were all protected, well protected. Players were terrified to smash them because they knew they would be punished.

[Dutchy 1,200]

Nakamura, McGeady and Maloney were never told to get on with it, they were all protected, well protected. Players were terrified to smash them because they knew they would be punished.

Even if they didn't smash them they were punished.

[papaguy51 941]

I don't buy all this 'man up' and 'you need to expect' it sort of stuff.

It's assault, no more and no less. That first tackle on Templeton wasn't a leg breaker - no, in more modern terms, it was a 'tendon snapper' and the lad should have walked.

I don't care if they're Third Division players or not, shin to knee high challenges are reckless. Sadly, the biggest thing I've noticed since coming to the lower leagues is the standard of the refereeing. It has been rank rotten, and it seems that teams are allowed a couple of red card challenges before anything is done about it.

Should the referee be applauded for his performance on Saturday? No, he shouldn't, because he had no option other than to book/send off the players he did, and no-one should ever be applauded for a run-of-the-mill job.

[El Carpintero 546]

I don't buy all this 'man up' and 'you need to expect' it sort of stuff.

It's assault, no more and no less. That first tackle on Templeton wasn't a leg breaker - no, in more modern terms, it was a 'tendon snapper' and the lad should have walked.

I don't care if they're Third Division players or not, shin to knee high challenges are reckless. Sadly, the biggest thing I've noticed since coming to the lower leagues is the standard of the refereeing. It has been rank rotten, and it seems that teams are allowed a couple of red card challenges before anything is done about it.

Should the referee be applauded for his performance on Saturday? No, he shouldn't, because he had no option other than to book/send off the players he did, and no-one should ever be applauded for a run-of-the-mill job.

What about the sheer adulation aimed at our manager?

[papaguy51 941]

What about the sheer adulation aimed at our manager?

That's a whole new thread.

Saturday wasn't as good as run-of-the-mill, sadly.

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

Credit to David Templeton for getting up and getting on with the game. But............I thought when the so-called tackle went in the first minute or so that it was a straight red card for assault. I've looked at it again a few times on RTV and still come to the same conclusion. Notwithstanding the spate of yellows to Stirling Abion players in the first 30 mins it was having no real effect on moderating their raw meat approach to the game. The Stirling management team must take some responsibility for this - they set their players up for the game and it was evident to me they had been told to put themselves about and to push the referee's tolerance to the limit. There have been a number of so-called tackles on Rangers players this season that are more like premeditated assault. And I don't readily subscribe to the 'it's down to mis-timing' excuse.

[papaguy51 941]

Credit to David Templeton for getting up and getting on with the game. But............I thought when the so-called tackle went in the first minute or so that it was a straight red card for assault. I've looked at it again a few times on RTV and still come to the same conclusion. Notwithstanding the spate of yellows to Stirling Abion players in the first 30 mins it was having no real effect on moderating their raw meat approach to the game. The Stirling management team must take some responsibility for this - they set their players up for the game and it was evident to me they had been told to put themselves about and to push the referee's tolerance to the limit. There have been a number of so-called tackles on Rangers players this season that are more like premeditated assault. And I don't readily subscribe to the 'it's down to mis-timing' excuse.

It certainly was a game plan.

Their no-mark manager Greig McDonald was absolutely infuriated with every yellow card, even though the most balanced of viewers would say they get off lightly for at least two of them.

[El Carpintero 546]

That's a whole new thread.

Saturday wasn't as good as run-of-the-mill, sadly.

True on both counts.