loonapick

Tapping was injured in the warm-up. Don’t know yet what happened to him, but given the state of the pitch, it could have been a groin strain. As to the paucity of comments, the few of us who made it there (easier for me as I’m based in Glasgow) have a long journey back, so may or may not comment in time. Forfar were the better side overall, but both teams served up an entertaining game despite the state of the pitch. The ref had considered calling the game off, but the players told him to bolt as they didn’t fancy a midweek jaunt to Stranraer (at least, that’s what Marc McCallum said). The Forfar goals were all good ones, although there was a bit of luck about the goalkeeper’s sclaff in the run up to the third goal. The quick thinking at the corner for the second was fantastic. Three valuable points, but injuries to Tapping and Burns add to the already considerable injuries list.

Week 1 - Raith Rovers

He was unplayable, I agree, but unless he learns to pass the ball occasionally, he'll just be an annoyance rather than a threat to opposition teams. There were at least two occasions in the second half where a pass across the front of the box could have led to us getting a decent shot away, but instead he turned away from his team-mates and ran into the box, where he was eventually crowded out. He's not a prolific scorer, so I don't know why he insists on trying to get a shot away himself when he could use his ability to take defenders away from (and thus create an opportunity for)someone else like Hilson, who is a much better finisher. Don't get me wrong, I really rate him and he's a joy to watch, but he can sometimes be really frustrating too.

£21 for a first round diddy cup match? The League Cup match at Raith on Saturday was a tenner, and that's a proper cup!

Wasn't there some money withheld by someone (prize money?) which when added to the £500K MAY be enough to have paid off the outstanding debt? Sorry to be so vague, but I can't be a**ed going back over the details, and could be wrong.

I'm curious. HAVE any The Rangers fans been asking "Where'e the money coming from?" Or are they just swallowing the propaganda again? Because if they are, then if and when The Rangers follow their predecessors into administration and liquidation, The Rangers fans cannot plead that they are victims in the way that those poor Rangers fans did.

From the BBC Live Scores: Football previous day Tue 7 Aug next day Show me: Scottish Communities League Cup Page updates automatically All times UK Match score Match link View all Scottish League Cup fixtures | View all Scottish League Cup results View all Football fixtures | View all Football results Rangers v East Fife 19:45 at Ibrox Stadium Preview Results of each team's last 5 matches across all leagues and competitions Rangers last 5 matches (most recent first): 29/07/12 (a) Brechin 1-2 W East Fife last 5 matches (most recent first): 28/07/12 (a) Peterhead 1-2 W 05/05/12 (h) Arbroath 1-3 websiteL 28/04/12 (a) Airdrie Utd 2-0 L 21/04/12 (h) Stirling 1-0 W 14/04/12 (h) Albion 1-2 L Interesting - Rangers have no history according to the BBC Sports

This is what I got as a response. Can't believe David would lie. Forfar Athletic were one of the 25 clubs who voted against the package offered to accommodate Rangers in SFL1. Not without a lot of thought and soul searching I can assure you and we are worried about the financial implications moving forward. Season tickets are available by postal application. Thanks. David McGregor Secretary

Can you provide evidence of Forfar voting YES, because I was assured by the secretary of the club in a e-mail that they voted NO, so if they did vote YES, I'll be looking for a refund on my season ticket and turning to rugby instead?

That's it - I'm scunnered and I give up. I can't bear the thought of the Buns signing SPL standard players and playing them in the Third Division, but if they can afford it, what the f**k can we do about it? If they can't, they'll go out of business. I know that jealousy is part of the reason why I feel let down, because I know that we will never be able to pay players a tiny percentage of what Shiels, Wallace, Goiam etc are on, but I have three choices: - keep throwing the rattle out of my pram, and keep grumbling in vain at the sheer unfairness of the whole situation (pointless and soul-destroying) - give up on football altogether (can't do it, and anyway it's not Forfar's fault (well, I suppose they could have voted to chuck the great unwashed out of the league altogether, but then only one team did that) - keep supporting the Loons, and ignore the cnuts. I'm going to opt for the third option. So long BRA/L thread and the 3rd Division forum - think I'll be sticking to the 2nd Division forum. It was fun while it lasted, but the b**tards have won. I'm looking forward to Forfar doing well in the League, and maybe having a wee cup run.

And there's what's wrong with Scottish football - what I hoped was a balanced post, and I'm a closet bun . And as for Forfar lying down... League Cup Semi Final 1977-78.................2-1 up with 7 minutes to go, and needed extra-time to be beaten Scottish Cup Semi Final 1981-1982............they needed a dodgy decision and a replay to stop us knocking them out Scottish Cup 1982-83..................................1-0 up at half-time at Ibrox before losing 2-1 Skol Cup 1986-87........................................they needed penalties to beat us I appreciate that they have stuffed us a few times since, but not many "diddy" teams have been that close that often to beating them.

I'm honestly in two minds about Sevco. I don't THINK I want TCFKAR to die. I do want them to pay for their transgressions. I want them to learn from their mistakes, and to approach the future with humility, dignity and a rational approach to their new status as a Third Division side with an appropriate level of expectation and budget. I want them to live within their means, and if by doing so, they become a great club again, then good on them. Especially if they lose a few bigots along the way and the new breed of Rangers fan does what it can to obliterate sectarianism from Ibrox. I used to like McCoist. He was a cheeky chappy with a habit of scoring for Scotland. Now, I think Sevco have allowed "Rangers" men like McCoist and Jardine to bring their club to the edge of oblivion. If the club had a manager with less emotional attachment to the club, this would have been resolved ages ago. Many of the fans would have been disappointed, but the club would have held its hand up to its misdemeanours, possibly even with some humility and pride going forward. Instead, McCoist's posturing and WATP stance has alienated the footballing authorities and ourselves, as well augmenting the Rangers fans' misjudged feeling of persecution. The less rational part of me (a part which, like my waistline, is growing and becoming uncomfortable) says, "f**k 'em". They don't want to change; they can't accept where they are and how they got there; their "history" is more important than football; and they don't give a toss for Scottish football outside the love/hate relationship they have with Celtic. The current arrogance of Sevco in trying to "negotiate" their punishment is the final straw, and is the factor that is contibuting most towards the scale inside my head beginning to tip towards expuslion and death of the club. Whatever happens today, this will be a sad day for Scottish football. The death of any club, even an arrogant sectarian one is sad, because not all Rangers fans were bigots and knuckle-draggers, just as not all SFL fans are paragons of sporting virtue. My best friend, my brother-in-law, my wife's best friend, many of my colleagues are "bluenoses" born and brought up in the South West of Glasgow and entiteld to claim Rangers as their "local team" even if one of them now lives in Swindon and another in Paisley, but they are decent people who accept that Rangers were makers of their own problems, and I am sure there are thousands of others just like them. BUT if Sevco get their way and have their history retained without all of the punishment due to them being passed on to the newco, then that will be equally sad as it will demonstrate to the rest of Scottish football that when push comes to shove, Rangers and Celtic will always be treated differently from the other member teams. Actually, even if they do lose their history, they are still being treated favourably as any provincial club who had transgressed to such an extent would have been kicked out and their place taken by a non-league team. As an aside, no-one can take away the legitimate titles won by Rangers pre-EBT and that history will still exist, just as the history of Third Lanark exists. A new history begins for the new club, that's all and Sevco start from scratch. Rangers will still have 49 titles, it just won't be "54 and counting" any more. Those titles and cups won by Rangers during the EBT period should simply be recorded as "stripped" from Rangers, or "not awarded". That way a reminder will exist in the records which may act as a warning to other clubs who want to follow such a path in future.

The New Saints Welsh champions ETA: Oops, beaten to it.

Could they not just cadge a lift off of one of the thousands of bluenoses who'll be heading up there. Some of them must have cars of their own.

Unless the secretary of the club is lying (and I would not believe that to be the case), then Forfar voted NO. I have an e-mail from him to that effect.

Swankie has signed for Forfar, who are now a bigger team than Sevco...

I agree - I don't get to many home games, but had considered buying a season ticket in a show of support for "diddy teams". I won't be going to any Forfar games, home or away, if they don't vote against the division 1 proposal. And just for clarity - this is not to do with money, and the possibility of "earning" from Rangers should we be in the same league in 2013/14. It is simply down to sporting integrity. I have supported Forfar for nearly 40 years, even though I have not lived in the area since I was 18, and it has cost me a fortune in petrol/diesel costs following them across the lower leagues. I wouldn't change my allegiance to another club - I'd be lost to Scottish football altogether. I may only be one voice, but if enough "one voices" together, we will form a choir that Scottish football cannot ignore. I'm drafting a letter to the chairman which will be in the post tomorrow.

Thank you for that wake-up call. I was hypnotized by all the ellipses...

I'm confused - are you saying I am unemployed? What makes you think that? Is it the way that I spell words properly? Is it my correct use of grammar? Is it because I have not felt the need to lower myself to crass insults?

So Rangers have won no titles...the individual players have...watch them go to Ibrox and empty the trophy room!

How dare Jim Traynor accuse those fans who want to see Rangers taken down a peg are two of dispaying "mock outrage"? I don't support an SPL team and even I feel outraged. Obviously, apart from beating us a couple of times in Cup matches, they have never done us any direct harm. Indeed, we gained from the home games being televised. BUT this has nothing to do with what they have done to my team. It has to do with what they have done to my sport. Football is and always has been my favourite sport, and I have felt pride (when Scotland beat France home and away, when my lowly team have beaten the likes of St Mirren or Motherwell in cup ties), disbelief (Levein's tactics against the Czech Republic, some of Dick Campbell's signings), sadness (Forfar being relegated, Scotland's inability to get through group stages or latterly even to qualify) but I have never felt the level of "outrage" that I feel now towards certain people within the sport. I'm angry with Rangers for bringing the game into disrepute - for their arrogance, lack of humility and dignity, for their inability to accept the reason why supporters of clubs across the country hate them. They (and to a slightly lesser extent) Celtic have slowly bled the game of any semblance of competitiveness, fair play and equality of opportunity over the last 30 years. Rangers have operated outwith their means to "cheat" the rest of Scottish football out of ever having a chance of competing with them on an even playing field. I am not talking about my club here by the way. Despite the achievements of my team in the 80s, we are never likely to grace the SPL unless it is extended to 18 teams, and even then we'd occasionally flit around the bottom for a season or two before being relegated. I am talking about clubs like Dundee, Airdrie, Partick, Falkirk etc who have been forced to bankrupt themselves by playing by the rules while Rangers signed players on dual contracts or "stole" the cream of Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen etc and left them sitting around on the bench, destroying the career of some players and certainly harming my beloved Scotland team as promising players didn't get the opportunity to develop their game. I am angry with gloryhunting Rangers fans - not those born or brought up in Ibrox like my brother in law or my best friend (I feel sorry for them). But the ignornat bigots who post on RM, the WATP brigade, the great unwashed who use their affiliation to a football team as a "justifiable" reason for looking down on the rest of us. I am angry with the game's administartors for not getting their finger out and doing something about it. The SFA showed some teeth with their sanctions; it is now time for the SPL and the SFL to do the same and refuse Rangers entry to either of their leagues. In an ideal world, the SPL would fold and come back under the auspices of the SFL, but... I am angry with the so-called journalists who have kept Rangers fans spirits up with stories of signing Black, Gatusso, Petrov while the club are not even in a postion to outbid us for a third-rate SPL player. I am angry that so-called reporters have actually become repeaters, only printing stuff that has been fed to them by Old Firm PR people. Traynor's job is to find out the truth and expose it to the nation, not just feed from the scraps sent to him by Ibrox and Celtic Park. The same goes for Keevins, Young, Guidi, etc. The only radio reporter I trust is Jim Spence. I am angry with Green for further bringing the game into disrepute, for trying to blame everyone else because he was incapable of doing any homework or research on the plight of Rangers or on HMRC's likelihood of accepting a CVA. His incoherent, ill-informed rants are cringeworthy, and I can't believe that any businessman worth his salt would believe a word that anyone from Duff and Phelps has told him. As I said, I don't even support an SPL club. I can't imagine the outrage some of you are feeling, but I'm sure none of it falls under the heading of "MOCK outrage".

Sorry, pc playing up so can't do a quote, so forgive the "cut and paste" from #39726 HAPPENING Rangers players getting their back pay (this/next week?) This bit isn't happening - there is no back pay due to them - they took wage cuts, not deferrals. The RFC announcement about season tickets says that the money will be put into a secure fund to help run the club next season - I hope that someone has pointed this out to creditors, as if I were one of them I wouldn't accept a CVA knowing that there is more money yet to come in that I won't get my hands on.

The date on that report is March 6 and Rangers players were still PROPOSING a deferral. They were desperate not to be out of pocket. The BBC article linked a few posts ago confirmed that the players took cuts. Check this link for more confirmation My link