Walter Smith on Radio O'Scotland tonight

[Number6 252]

Yup just listened there and he did - another case of (this time STV) bulletins and headlines being inaccurate was just about to post this off my own back until I seen your quote

I think everyone is a on edge about who is in what camp, myself included, but there's a danger of writing off some really good people that could be useful and also someone who deserves his say and his legendary status at the club.. We need this to end to keep us all sane.

[Guardian 4,281]

I don't think he was employed in that capacity and therefore probably didn't know too much about it.

A tad unfair there as Walter was the one who ran to the papers bleating "The banks are running Rangers"

I'm not anti-Walter in any way, but in the interests of fairness here he ranted against the bank and Donald Muir, which now makes him look rather foolish as time has proven them absolutely correct.

It was reckless spending by Walter with Mintys consent that got us into debt. Now I know some will say a manager will always ask for the moon and its the boards responsibility to control things but IMO Walter still cops a wee bit of the blame.

Having said that, the debt was well under control and had little to do with how we ended up here. That was down to HMRC.

[minstral 5,375]

What good do you think Walter running around saying that Rangers are bust would have helped us?

We will never agree, but Walter was well looked after by Murray, and will not have a bad word said against him.

[Dutchy 1,200]

A tad unfair there as Walter was the one who ran to the papers bleating "The banks are running Rangers"

I'm not anti-Walter in any way, but in the interests of fairness here he ranted against the bank and Donald Muir, which now makes him look rather foolish as time has proven them absolutely correct.

It was reckless spending by Walter with Mintys consent that got us into debt. Now I know some will say a manager will always ask for the moon and its the boards responsibility to control things but IMO Walter still cops a wee bit of the blame.

Having said that, the debt was well under control and had little to do with how we ended up here. That was down to HMRC.

I'm not anti Walter either, nor anyone else for that matter. Even posters on here, but it's easy to turn it around and say that Walter did say something about the running of Rangers, and he was proved right also in his assertion that the banks were running the club, and weren't happy with what they were getting and called in the loans, which started the downward spiral.

[Dutchy 1,200]

We will never agree, but Walter was well looked after by Murray, and will not have a bad word said against him.

Fair enough. I wasn't looking to start feuds with anyone, I merely wanted to hear what he had so say and thought others might like to hear it as well.

[TheCutch 4,340]

As far as I remember, during Walters first spell as manager our books were always pretty healthy.

It was only when Advocaat took over that we ran up considerable debts.

So I don't see how Walter could have spoken out when he was not involved with the club.

By the time he returned, cost cutting measures were already in place and we all knew we were in a fai amount of debt.

[Jimfanciesthedude 25,034]

As far as I remember, during Walters first spell as manager our books were always pretty healthy.

It was only when Advocaat took over that we ran up considerable debts.

So I don't see how Walter could have spoken out when he was not involved with the club.

By the time he returned, cost cutting measures were already in place and we all knew we were in a fai amount of debt.

wrong im afraid, murray cleared all but a couple of million of rangers debts by the time PLG arrived, after PLG the debt was reportedly under 10mill iirc, what busted us was walters spending pre and post manchester and that god forsaken tie against kaunas, the 08/09 season we spent the best part of 20million, built up a first team squad of nearly 30 players all on a decent wedge, and had not a drop of euro income that season

walter, murray and the HBOS gaffers were all reckless, when Lloyds came in they seen how bad it was (18mill loan, 15mill overdrafts all spent iirc) and incomings a lot less than outgoings

[stewaj3 1,446]

I think Walter smith is entitled to air his opinions whenever he wants to whoever he wants and to be fair, the beeb probably spend more time covering Scottish football than any other tv station.

Note I didn't say they covered it well!

To suggest it sours his relations with us are nonsense. He has our best interest at heart and if someone asks him a question, he's going to answer it honestly. If you see his comments today, I don't think many will disagree with them.

As for the aligning with his buddies part. He's a friend of jim mccoll, I think he will always back mccoll, mccoll seems to have removed his call for change after meeting Mather. So whatever mini Murray is calling for has sod all to do with smith and mccoll.

The man worked wonders for us, cut him some slack.

[stewaj3 1,446]

wrong im afraid, murray cleared all but a couple of million of rangers debts by the time PLG arrived, after PLG the debt was reportedly under 10mill iirc, what busted us was walters spending pre and post manchester and that god forsaken tie against kaunas, the 08/09 season we spent the best part of 20million, built up a first team squad of nearly 30 players all on a decent wedge, and had not a drop of euro income that season

walter, murray and the HBOS gaffers were all reckless, when Lloyds came in they seen how bad it was (18mill loan, 15mill overdrafts all spent iirc) and incomings a lot less than outgoings

That's bullshit, the 'Murray's clearance of our debt' was just a facade, at the time we had issues which weren't resolved, despite the press release that we were almost debt free. It was nonsense. Murray did it to try and attract investors and failed. we were in trouble before Walter returned.

Also if you remember rightly we were lambasted for not spending prior to the Kaunas game, we then spent money after selling cueller. But hey don't let the facts get in the way of your Pish

[RFC55 110,262]

So what did he say on the radio?

[Dutchy 1,200]

So what did he say on the radio?

Not a lot really, the teams winning well, the board are doing an OK job but there's still too much turmoil about. it's wasn't very long and sounded more like a press conference. Or maybe they button holed him in a corridor.

[gogzy 31,195]

Spiers was up to his old club new club pish again today.

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

Why the fluck is he speaking to the Rangers haters.

This......cubed

[RFC55 110,262]

By the sounds of it they lifted it from the interview he done earlier. He never gave an "exclusive" to them

[1st_Jan_1994 4,868]

By the sounds of it they lifted it from the interview he done earlier. He never gave an "exclusive" to them

Aye that was defo the case

It was made out to be some sort of exclusive interview but was just a general press conference

[tannerall 25,935]

Walter's a symbol of the past unfortunately. Not the future.

No problem with that by the way, one of the Rangers' greatest.

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

wrong im afraid, murray cleared all but a couple of million of rangers debts by the time PLG arrived, after PLG the debt was reportedly under 10mill iirc, what busted us was walters spending pre and post manchester and that god forsaken tie against kaunas, the 08/09 season we spent the best part of 20million, built up a first team squad of nearly 30 players all on a decent wedge, and had not a drop of euro income that season

walter, murray and the HBOS gaffers were all reckless, when Lloyds came in they seen how bad it was (18mill loan, 15mill overdrafts all spent iirc) and incomings a lot less than outgoings

That's just a blatant lie.

[Dutchy 1,200]

Spiers was up to his old club new club pish again today.

I switched it off when that annoying Ahole came on, but if he is talking like that, the BBC should be hauled up again, they're treading on very think ice these days.

[MayboleLoyal_atb 3,772]

The interview was not an exclusive to the BBC. Threads like this is how shit things like that start. Couple of weeks down the line someone on here will be bashing Walter with the " aye but he ran to the BBC" when he clearly hasn't.

[gogzy 31,195]

I switched it off when that annoying Ahole came on, but if he is talking like that, the BBC should be hauled up again, they're treading on very think ice these days.

he said

"Old club, new club, revamped club. Whatever you want to call them"

Or words very close to that.

[stewaj3 1,446]

That's just a blatant lie.

Said the same myself on the last page. I remember Murray with the headline that he was writing off 50million and then we had the 'amazing' jjb deal.... But these were all just for the papers. If that dude thinks our difficulties started when Walter took over second time round he's so far out its laughable.

I don't think even the most die hard of our fans could argue with the fact that sdm allowed advocaat to vastly overspend. Great football at times, but It was excessive. That and Walters last season in charge first time round! If it weren't for those... Maybe we'd have never had scumbag whyte near our club.

[NixonRFC 1,473]

Walter Smith has the best interests of Rangers Football Club at heart like we all do, he may not have the same views as many on here on whats the best way forward for the club but that shouldn't sour any relationship between him and the fans.

[Jimfanciesthedude 25,034]

Said the same myself on the last page. I remember Murray with the headline that he was writing off 50million and then we had the 'amazing' jjb deal.... But these were all just for the papers. If that dude thinks our difficulties started when Walter took over second time round he's so far out its laughable.

I don't think even the most die hard of our fans could argue with the fact that sdm allowed advocaat to vastly overspend. Great football at times, but It was excessive. That and Walters last season in charge first time round! If it weren't for those... Maybe we'd have never had scumbag whyte near our club.

you do realise that after wee dick left, rangers went on a massive cost cutting exercise, coupled with eck getting us 2 champions league revenues and a UEFA cup group stage revenue meant we eroded the reported 70-80mill debt

Murray's paperwork cleared the debt prior to PLG arriving,

this is boss' post earlier in september (with regards to Paul Murray)

Net debt at 30 June 2007 £16,542,000

Paul Murray appointed director 20 September 2007

Net debt at 30 June 2008 £21,559,000

Net debt at 30 June 2009 £31,118,000

Net debt at 30 June 2010 £27,074,000 (last audited accounts)

Sometimes facts are annoying.

smith returned to the club in january 2007, we got to manchester 2008, we lost to kaunas august 2008

so you wanna pin the blame on wee dick for the debt jumping 15mill after we sold the likes of hutton, cuellar and other bits and bobs

[stewaj3 1,446]

you do realise that after wee dick left, rangers went on a massive cost cutting exercise, coupled with eck getting us 2 champions league revenues and a UEFA cup group stage revenue meant we eroded the reported 70-80mill debt

Murray's paperwork cleared the debt prior to PLG arriving,

this is boss' post earlier in september (with regards to Paul Murray)

smith returned to the club in january 2007, we got to manchester 2008, we lost to kaunas august 2008

so you wanna pin the blame on wee dick for the debt jumping 15mill after we sold the likes of hutton, cuellar and other bits and bobs

That's not correct though. Regardless of the accounts. That was with Murray underwriting 50 million of debt and also the jjb deal. So it's not accurate at all. Plus I'd love to know what loan repayments were prior to Lloyd's coming in and putting pressure on is.

Our issues started way before plg. Dick advocaat overspent as did Walter in his last year first time round. Murray was reckless and if you honestly think that Walter over spent in his second spell but dick advocaats spending was absolutely fine, then your are deluded.

[stewaj3 1,446]

Also, you need to consider that big eck took us to the last 16 of the champions league in his last year, so generated large revenues from that, but he also finished 3rd so the next year was always gonna be a loss as we didn't have champions league money.

There are so many factors which you haven't even looked at. You've just picked the headline and ran with it.