Ric

That is all a wonderful sentiment, even if it does sound like you are chastising me for my natural cynicism (hardly surprising considering the OF get all the breaks, all the time) however the basic facts remain that Rangers removed from the equation will not repay everyone's debt, and one that is kept as a going concern will. Add together the will of those in power within the game in Scotland openly wishing for Rangers to remain as is and I cannot see them disappearing. The comment about the English is a little bizarre as they have nothing to do with it, as do the Austrian or French FA's, but I do see the point you are making, albeit I feel it will be of little relevance in the grand scheme of things. I also don't believe, as you, that UEFA would somehow punish other Scottish teams if the SFA or SPL were to bend over for Rangers. In fact I can't actually see any legal justification for it unless the government got involved as, as far as I can see, Rangers haven't actually broken and UEFA rules. They have of course broken the laws of the land but that is an entirely different jurisdiction and one with UEFA have no bearing on. I am really not sure if you follow a team in the SPL or not (you seem disinclined to reveal any club associations on your profile) but the last paragraph is certainly odd as I felt we had passed the point at which the Scottish league is viewed as being trustworthy or creditable some time ago. You are right in the sense that something needs to be done, and that there has to be an example set, but for me I still see that situation amounting to "Now we have seen what trouble Rangers are in, we'll make sure no other club is capable of doing so in the future" rather than Rangers being used as an example themselves.

I think gents, and I do hope I am wrong here, but the SPL, the SFA and the Scottish Government all seem consider Rangers too important (for differing reasons, fair or otherwise) to disappear. In that sense we will see them retained in the SPL whether under the current guise or as a newco, and if a newco it will be accepted open arms into the SFA and in turn given Rangers' old berth in the SPL. The chairmen of the diddy clubs will hum and ho about it but will bend over in order the television money is retained, no sanctions will be placed on either Rangers or the newco. Sure there may be new rules put into place so that no other club can do the same but in reality this won't affect Rangers. In fact it'll probably end up hurting the clubs lower down when some sort of income/expenditure rules are put into place. Ultimately the people who are owed money will be told that a going concern will benefit them and their coffers far more than killing the club, and on that basis some sort of structured payment will be worked out. This may leave them trailing Celtic in the finances department but they will still be head and shoulders above their nearest rivals below them. The final indignity will be the sight of completely ingrained supporters claiming that the whole world was against them and that they have rightfully triumphed over the evils that lay in their path utterly oblivious to the real situation that has seen them bailed out not because of what they did but who they are and who their friends are. It's sickening to think that this will be the outcome, but I think it's clear by the way things have been going that Rangers have been given the benefit of the doubt on countless occasions where other teams wouldn't have been. This will continue and the gap at the top which has shortened a little for now will grow once more.

Am I the only person looking at this and thinking that nothing will happen to Rangers, they will get their knuckles rapped by the HMRC, the SPL will bend over to take them back in should they form a newco, the television companies will insist on the OF continuing in it's current form and those in positions of power are as likely to be fans than not so will make every effort to ensure there is no lasting negatives from what is, pretty much, basic cheating on a grand scale. If that happens, then as someone has already said, there is no point in even following a team in Scotland as the odds will continually be rigged against all but the big two teams.

I am a little confused, how can they refuse an offer of 2m for a player that won't play this season and with the debt as is. Granted we don't know the details but it seems strange comsidering their plight.

Just showing why we are a beacon of shining light in the murky night of modern footballing finances. Personally I feel we would be better restoring links with Barcelona. Not only was this the site of our first European trophy (don't worry I've explained what one of those are) they have also been very complimentary regarding Lennon's Barcelona-esque playing style. Pep Guardiola has been known to discuss St Mirren in the informal terms of "My brother Danny". Obviously this is not a literal statement, but conveys the level of regard with which one of the biggest clubs in the world hold us. ** A trophy is normally made out of metal, sometimes with a wooden base, and is used to signify that a team had succeeded in winning a tournament (whether in league or knockout format).

I understand your eagerness, clearly there is a semi on developing, but when it comes to the game you are talking about it's more likely to end a draw than anything else. Onto the Rangers thing, anyone willing to give me the skinny in a sentence or two?

Right so where are we at with this? Rangers were in administration, then they "technically" weren't and I presume they are either now waiting to go "back" into administration or it's happened in the last couple of days. Without reading loads of pages on here or following the chain of stories on the BBC, can someone give a quick summary of what the current situation is?

It would be hugely arrogant (although this is Rangers we are talking about.. ) but surely the best way to recoup some money would be to have a new strip with each season. Assuming they get promoted each season you would then have limited edition 3rd, 2nd and 1st division tops that would effectively become collectors items as apart from this financial mess they've got themselves into you wouldn't expect them to ever be in those divisions again. If they released the tops on a limited basis, simply having the SFL logo rather than SPL one would make them pretty "valuable". We all know that club merchandise and shirt sales can rake in a lot of cash.

Right, I'm guessing nothing has changed in the last couple of days. I can't see anything on the BBC site and only conjecture in the online versions of the papers. You'll forgive me for not trawling through 10 pages of this thread since I last posted.

As I suspected, you've all had a wasted afternoon (not least due to reading my posts) in anticipation.

Yeh, that doesn't square the circle does it? If they are to announce playing redundancies today what point is there to go to the PFA after that? As I said, I feel any announcement will be a stalling one - probably claiming the depth of the trouble has been underestimated and that more time is needed.

I hate to say it but I've got a feeling this will be a bit of an anti-climax, with the administrators announcing they will make a further announcement at a later date.

Do referees get classified under the term of "Rangers' big wage earners"?

If Motherwell weren't so close I would be inclined to agree with you.

On the flip side, those players kept will be both relived and fired up to prove a point. Whatever state Rangers are in over the next couple of weeks they'll be like the proverbial wounded animal. To keep the analogy going, they say even dead cats bounce. We play them just before the split, which will probably be a meaningless game for us, but I'm hoping by then the malaise will have kicked in.

Some light reading material over your toast and coffee.. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2012/03/01/rangers-in-crisis-11-ibrox-players-set-to-be-axed-as-administrators-begin-savage-cuts-86908-23770531/

Nice of ol' Geoff at the fermers to come out in support for a strong Rangers. Showing his true colours?

Not just intrigued. Mouth breathers that would have difficulty in giving the correct change suddenly become experts in niche areas of law and corporate ethics.

Maybe it's just me but I thought the administrators were on a hiding to nothing today. I'm guessing the whole situation is a mess that will take some time to unravel so to come out and either promise that everything will be OK or that the shit has hit the fan would paint them into a corner.

They ruined Broadfoot. Ok, it was his decision to go, but when he was with us he looked twice the player he is now with Rangers.

Have you looked at that squad, just who are their "best" players?

Joins forum, starts posting about Rangers. Well I suppose you are a Killie fan. That Red Hand of Ulster isn't on your club badge for no reason...

Watched Drive tonight, will need to let it settle before giving a proper review, but it's safe to say it's better than I expected. I do have an unnerving desire to play Vice City now though...

Green Lantern - 2011 I'm guessing I'm not really the person to review this; I don't like blockbusters, I don't like super hero movies and I've never read the graphic novels. Then again maybe that makes me the perfect person. I'll start out by saying if you want a couple of hours of decent effects with a dreadful storyline, plot holes and character motivations that don't add up at all then this is the perfect movie for you. I suppose it's not the film's fault it's lumbered with the bunkum of the graphic novel's setup. Blah, blah, immortals, far away planet, green energy good, yellow energy bad, top bloke on Earth chosen as the new defender of his area in space. OK, that might have flown in the 50's or 60's but it's ridiculously cheesy now. The whole "don't give in to fear"(the yellow energy) idea is delivered in such a ham manner it harks back to Jim Cunningham from Donnie Darko (where are you on the love/fear line). Anyway, the rough plot is fighter pilot ace and all round good egg is chosen by "the ring" to be the new defender of his sector of space (there are 3600 of them all with their own lantern). He goes through the usual "wtf?", then training, then quitting, then realising his own worth, then returning, then doing deeds of daring do. I'm not giving away the plot here, and trust me I would love to as there are some doozies of "er... wtf?" moments. One thing I can say without getting into the storyline is that everyone around him seem to accept that their are aliens, he is now a superhero and (when the time comes) the Earth is under threat. Hardly a Roger Moore-esque eyebrow is raised. They greet all this with the same level of interest as they would if he said he had just got a new thermos flask. Maybe I am asking too much? Maybe superhero's and graphic novels are meant to be unbelievable. Maybe I'm completely missing the point? Maybe. But even though I am no great fan of the genre I liked some of the X-Men films, and Watchmen, but this is an altogether different category and not in a good way. So, er good things about it? Hmm.. the effects are decent, the film moves on at a decent pace, it won't tax you in any way at all and fair play the main character's love interest recognises him in his get up almost immediately despite him wearing one of those 1930's buglar masks - which makes a change for these sorts of movies, but that's about it for the good points. Oh, and one of the bad lot (you know he is to become bad because his hair is mental in the way only scientists who go bad can have it) does a fair enough impression of John Malkovic, even if you do wish they had got Malkovich instead. Personal rating? 4/10. P&B rating? 6/10. Seems only fair to bump it up a little, after all it's not utter shit and it is my fault for watching a movie that I sort of knew I wouldn't like, but for me it would be nice to have the 1 and a half hours of my life back.