A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL

It was Bob Dylan's song “A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall” in which he told the music world of his meeting with 2 men of startling contrast...

“I met a young man who was wounded in love, I met another man who was wounded in hatred”

Those words could well have been written for the pantomime we see unfolding before us in Scottish Football. As the pain of thousands of Rangers fans was compounded by a BBC Documentary making a number of sensationalist revelations and allegations, it was clear that the wounds inflicted on those who love Rangers Football Club, with an undying passion, had been truly exacerbated.

This wounded love aforesaid, however was in stark contrast to an earlier news item reporting on Aberdeen supremo Stewart Milne's comments regarding how his club would vote in the event of a Newco Rangers gaining entry to the SPL.

http://player.stv.tv/programmes/news-at-six-aberdeen-north/2012-05-23-1800/

(For those interested the relevant interview is at 22:30)

This prompted a response from Chris Crighton of the Red Final Aberdeen Fanzine in which he warned Milne that both he and his peers at SPL clubs could face a backlash should Rangers be re-admitted to the SPL. Crighton even suggests Aberdeen and other clubs could lose fans forever should a Rangers Newco be re-admitted.

This melody however gathers greater meaning when one considers the results of a report commissioned by Dundee United Supporters, The Arab Trust, which demonstrated that SPL clubs (individually) are likely to lose up to £1.4 million annually, in the event of an SPL which had no Rangers.

As the report highlights...

“A reduction in income of this sort of magnitude would have a serious impact on some clubs’ ability to continue trading without drastic action being taken, assuming this is even possible for some in the time available. “

http://www.arabtrust.co.uk/current/?619-statement

In essence, Crighton, and his ilk, are so wounded by hatred that they are demanding their own and other SPL chairmen vote on a measure which will have a serious financial detriment, not only to their own clubs, but to the whole of Scottish Football. And such demands are accompanied by threat of boycott should those voting not acquiesce to such demands.

At a time when Rangers supporters would do anything to save their club is it not ironic that others would seek to damage their own in order to damage Rangers ?

One wonders how many times Crighton and his ilk can turn their heads,

Pretending he just doesn't see.

 OUR YESTERDAY IS OUR TOMORROW


Once upon a time a wise man said...

“I have been lucky — lucky in those who were around me from the boardroom to the dressing-room. In time of stress, their unstinted support, unbroken devotion to our club and calmness in adversity eased the task of making Rangers FC the premier club in this country.

To be a Ranger is to sense the sacred trust of upholding all that such a name means in this shrine of football. They must be true in their conception of what the Ibrox tradition seeks from them. No true Ranger has ever failed in the tradition set him."

Our very success, gained you will agree by skill, will draw more people than ever to see it. And that will benefit many more clubs than Rangers. Let the others come after us. We welcome the chase. It is healthy for us. We will never hide from it. Never fear, inevitably we shall have our years of failure, and when they arrive, we must reveal tolerance and sanity. No matter the days of anxiety that come our way, we shall emerge stronger because of the trials to be overcome. That has been the philosophy of the Rangers since the days of the gallant pioneers. “

Perhaps our familiarity with the greatness of these words, and their constant repetition amongst the Rangers support, causes us to fail to truly ruminate and meditate on the significance and entailment of our forefather's foresight. They are worthy of revisiting and exploration...in fact if they are to claim the greatness which we attribute to them, then they MUST give us both meaning, explanation and encouragement given our current predicament.

The first paragraph speaks of unstinted support and unbroken devotion from the boardroom to the dressing room. It is a sad reflection of the times...and the chairmanship of Sir David Murray.... that the unstinted support at boardroom level which Mr Struth alludes to..has been sadly missing in recent years. Loyalty should not be to a charismatic and ebullient owner, but solely to Rangers football club. The saying that “no man is bigger than the club” is as applicable at boardroom level as it is in the dressing room.

End of.

The second paragraph could have writers waxing lyrical for page upon page. But I will cut to the chase, because after all...we welcome it.

It bestows upon us an allegiance to a sacred trust...a kind of covenant. An adherence to a set of standards which requires an almost mystical, even ethereal understanding of our traditions, they are not written down.... but by virtue of something, way beyond this writer's understanding, they appear to be imbued in those who are called. Perhaps Mr Struth's words are epitomised in this following popular saying....

Bluenoses are born, not manufactured.
We do not choose, we are chosen.
Those who understand, need no explanation.
Those who don't understand, don't matter.

Mr Struth attested that no true Ranger had ever failed in the tradition set before him. I would respectfully suggest to you that our current predicament has come upon us because the men representing us, charged with guarding our traditions and heritage, have not been “true Rangers”. Perhaps there is a lesson here for Duff & Phelps...its not the content of your wallet which is important...but your love and understanding of the Rangers.

In essence...have you been called.

Mr Struth's third paragraph requires no vindication. The whole of Scottish football has benefited from Rangers success. In a country where our defeat of the “auld enemy” serves as an almost “opiate for the masses”..... a Wee Blue Devil and a Slim Jim were at the forefront of some of those memorable victories. Not particularly surprising for a club whose players have accrued more international caps then any other in history.

That of course takes no cognisance of the financial benefit to every Scottish club, who host the Rangers, and their travelling support, a support who have never fallen short of the traditions set for them.

“We will never hide from it. Never fear, inevitably we shall have our years of failure, and when they arrive, we must reveal tolerance and sanity. No matter the days of anxiety that come our way, we shall emerge stronger because of the trials to be overcome. That has been the philosophy of the Rangers since the days of the gallant pioneers. “

But we do fear.

Because we have deviated so far from Mr Struth's vision that we do not know what tomorrow will bring for our club.
His vision spoke of a unity from the boardroom to the dressing room. But it was more than just a unity of purpose. It was something far deeper. It spoke of men steeped in the Rangers tradition running the club from top to bottom. Men who did not choose but were chosen. Men who never failed in the tradition set them.

Mr Struth's words are not a reflection of yesteryear....they are a guarantee of our tomorrow.

The concepts of which he spoke are not our history...they are our future.

It wont happen tomorrow, or the next day, but it will come to fulfilment.

One day Rangers men, steeped in the tradition of their calling, will stand at the helm of our club.

And how will that happen ?

Because those who have and guarded and cherished the precepts from yesteryear, will ensure they become our tomorrow.

That is the power and potential of the Rangers support.

Awake and realise your potential, fulfill the traditions expected of you.

A Call To Arms

“.... You ask, What is our policy? I will say; "It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us: to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy." You ask, What is our aim? I can answer with one word: Victory - victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival. “

(Sir Winston Churchill)

When a tyrant assumes a position of leadership within a country often the people are powerless to prevent it. They suffer the ravages of such tyranny until the oppressor is overthrown and removed from power. Events in Iraq the last few years are a timely reminder.

However post tyranny you don't see the United nations seeking to punish the people of Iraq for events which they had no control over. Instead money, aid and expertise has been thrown towards them in an effort to help them re-establish themselves.

Craig Whyte assumed control of Rangers when our former owner betrayed both his previous promises as well as his sense of moral duty. The carnage which followed is now well documented.

One man's totalitarian rule at Ibrox has ravaged our club. He sold some of our cherished heritage, he banished Rangers legends making their role at Ibrox untenable, he sold star players for less than their market value and by his actions tarnished the name and reputation of Rangers Football Club. Had the SFA been more pro-active, as some in the know are suggesting they should have been, then such carnage could have been avoided. In fact if it was not proceduraly possible for them to intervene perhaps their energies should be to exploring their own constitution and procedures to ensure there is never a repeat.

In fact here's a novel, although not unique, idea. Instead of seeking to punish Rangers for the actions of one totalitarian leader, perhaps the SFA, like the United Nations are doing in Iraq, should be helping in any way they can to allow Rangers Football Club to recover and re-establish themselves, post tyranny.

Of course it's clear its not going to happen. What is happening to our club by way of punshment for the actions and conduct of Whyte is totally unfair and against the rules of natural justice. A football club which has conducted itself with honour and dignity for well over a hundred years is being punished with Draconian measures for the actions of one man during his tenure of several months.

But the arguments have been heard and the decisions have been reached. Let their unfair punishments of Rangers Football Club be the indictment. Let the unfairness and injustice of it all serve as a catalyst and motivation to every single one of us.

The Rangers supporters Groups and Assemblies who have been sitting despondent after attempts to take control of our club were doomed to fail, may have thought their chance for glory had gone. Let me tell you this there is a far greater opportunity presenting itself right in front of them. That opportunity is to channel in a united fashion the moral indignation being felt by every Bear, on mesageboard forums, supporters clubs and buses...in fact just about anywhere into an effective fighting force and protest against the injustice against our club.

They need to make sure the boycotts which are been called for ad hoc on messageboards, are directed and organised into an effective weapon and explore all other avenues for effective action.

It is the duty of every Bear, man woman or child, to step up and play when the conductors baton directs them.

The army of Rangers supporters could bring this country to a standstill should they withhold their right to work for a day. But we are talking about potential here.

Potential has to be realised and actioned, not threatened in newspapers or on messageboards.

There is the potential for Scottish Football to be turned upside down by the Rangers support acting together as one with boycotts, withdrawing support from away games etc. This is not revenge, this is about fighting for justice for our club.

And on the subject of unity – the guardians of our club need to join this protest. Withdrawal of Rangers players from representing Scotland would be a fine start. If the SFA are going to severely restrict our options on players with a transfer embargo, then why should we risk injury to those players we do have left representing a governing body who has done nothing to help, but plenty to hinder our recovery ?

I sincerely hope the leaders of our supporter's groups rise to this challenge. Behaving with dignity and decorum does not appear to be effective in fairness or justice. Perhaps a more militant response will prove more beneficial. It certainly cant be any worse. Do I really want to fill the coffers of clubs who have sought to kick us when we are down ?

It is time Bears.

The soundbites of the politicians who promised to help seem to have faded away. Its up to every one us to do our bit to help our recovery. Its also time for us to show, but more importantly exercise the same disdain towards others, as they appear to show towards us.

The time for dignified silence is over.

The time for expecting fairness and justice is over.

The SFA by their conduct and draconian punishments have unleashed a fury. A fury which only seems to grow with each passing day. Its time to channel that fury towards our enemies and those who seem indifferent to our plight.

Its time for Churchill's pledge which opened this article to be resurrected and put into practice.

If we do so with the same vigour and commitment as those whose responded to it over 70 years ago, then woe betide the enemies of our club.

SPL - Double Standards At The Double

Some of you may recall in the not too distant past, Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawell, playing down IRA chanting by the Celtic support by describing it as “offensive rather than sectarian”. Of course since that time further spins have been put on this conduct even suggesting “its political not sectarian”

Poppycock.

Lets nail this once and for all. Sinn Fein were the political wing of Irish Republicanism, the Irish Republican Army, was, and still is a proscribed terrorist organisations who engaged in a terrorist war committing murder and undertaking sectarian killings. If anyone cares to deny this go and google Kingsmill Massacre.

But Lawell's actions were motivated by a realisation that neither he, nor others within the Parkhead echelons would be unable to stop the regular support afforded to this terrorist organisation.

Funnily enough a similar conversation has entered the arena in recent times concerning the word “hun”. This is despite the fact Scotland's prominent anti-sectarian charity, Nil By Mouth has the following to say on the use of the word....

Quote

"Offensive sectarian language is still used in Scotland on a daily basis, with abusive terms such as “Hun” and “Orange bastard” being used negatively against Protestants (or those perceived to be) and others such as “Fenian” and “Taig” used negatively against Catholics (or those perceived to be)."

Lets not get bogged down arguing the rights or wrongs of this...but instead look at its ramifications and consequences, and accept it as something of a benchmark whether we like it or not.

On Saturday some Rangers fans mocked referee Ian Brine's gross incompetency by singing “Whose the fenian in the black ?” As a consequence Rangers are now under investigation by the SPL - unacceptable conduct - for sectarian chanting. Ok fair do's given the Nil By Mouth benchmark.

However for several weeks now the rest of Scotland have been treated to Celtic supporters singing and displaying scarves making reference to “Huns”. In addition the old IRA choruses have not stopped either. Despite this however no investigations have been launched by the SPL despite it meeting the same benchmark for sectarian behaviour which gave rise to an investigation into Rangers ?

The SPL should tread very carefully. Documented evidence of Celtic supporter's bigoted chanting in recent weeks has been catalogued on the internet.

http://doublestandards.bplaced.net/

Whats good for the goose.....

A Question of diligence

“Due Diligence”

I have to admit I had to look it up to fully understand what it meant. These words keep cropping up in conversations about my club, and I felt it was important to fully appreciate the meaning. For those who haven't yet looked it up let me save you the bother...

"Due diligence" is a term used for a number of concepts involving either an investigation of a business or person prior to signing a contract, or an act with a certain standard of care. It can be a legal obligation, but the term will more commonly apply to voluntary investigations. A common example of due diligence in various industries is the process through which a potential acquirer evaluates a target company or its assets for acquisition.

We shall return to this term and its significance in due course.

This story starts way back in October 2009 with the news that Donald Muir had joined the Rangers board. Described as having “more than 25 years' experience of strategy implementation and business transformation activity internationally in a variety of industry sectors” he was regarded as something of a turnaround specialist. The Rangers support was initially told that Muir, who had a remit to oversee the MIH empire and was not employed by the bank but by Sir David Murray.

The following 2 articles written and published by the Rangersmedia website were composed on the strength of those assurances given to the support.

http://home.rangersm...-the-truth.html

http://home.rangersm...hin-redux-.html

The media also were sown the same line though the ever cynical James Traynor sniffed something was amiss (Even a broken clock is right twice a day)

http://blogs.dailyre...crossroads.html


Its perhaps worthy to mention that by the time Muir was appointed in October 2009, Sir David Murray had stepped down as chairman leaving Alistair Johnston to replace him 2 months previously.

But all was not well and rumours were rife about the exact nature of Donald Muir's role at the club, with matters coming to a head on October 24th 2009 with manager Walter Smith publicly declaring "As far as I'm concerned the bank is running Rangers."

It eventually emerged that Muir's role at the club was not as had been previously described but hat he Muir was placed on the board by Lloyds Banking Group as a condition of them extending Rangers’ credit facilities.

http://www.express.c...sts/view/238170

One begins to wonder. given the events of the last few weeks. if lying to the Rangers support is a condition of ownership.

Moving away from football for a minute to a world undergoing something of a recession Sir David Murray's own business interests were not enjoying the success they once had ,with Lloyds bank having to inject £150 million in equity into the group as the group underwent restructure.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...siness-12975048


Could it be that this, along with the heavily underwritten shares issue in 2004 , was trying the patience of Lloyds with the mercurial entrepreneur ?

Of course by this time Sir David had apparently tired of his plaything, despite assertions years earlier that his bloodline would take over the club after him, and the club was on sale. Of course the news that an alleged misuse of EBT's during Sir David's reign made selling the club akin to Mission Impossible. Well nearly. For Donald Muir during his time at Rangers had produced a Global Prospectus with the intention to attract multi-rich buyers.

http://www.heraldsco...-hunt-1.1027050

Ethan Hawke ? Well I suppose that would added some variety to the vultures already at our club.

But there are those 2 little words again in that article...due diligence. The investigation into these prospective buyers had revealed that they did not meet Sir David's criteria of taking the club forward. Among other things of course. Another name emerged on the scene as well – that of Andrew Ellis, a little known character with something of a questionable past. I assume due diligence was exercised with regard to the aforementioned hence why that interest came to nothing.

Amidst all the doom gloom surrounding Rangers finances a new name appeared on the scene that of Craig Whyte with Donald Muir promoting the sale to Whyte as a viable option for the club.

A quick google search on Craig Whyte actually revealed very little on him, and those who dug a little bit deeper could find little with regard to his finances. Yes some reports have suggested he is a mutli-millionaire or even billionaire. And this may be the case – but the evidence to support this assertion cannot be found in terms of pounds shillings and pence.

But that of course is just the limited searches of your average bear on the internet. I would imagine the due diligence in respect of the take over of a football club and business warrants considerably more investigation than any interested or concerned fan in the street can muster.

The deal of course to sell our club to Craig Whyte of course materialised and the rest as they say is history.

Which leaves me with a number of questions for Donald Muir...and indeed Lloyds Bank.

What process of due diligence was undertaken by Donald Muir that caused him to promote the sale of our club to Whyte.

If any kind of due diligence was carried out why did it not reveal that Andrew Ellis was connected to Craig Whyte ?

If it was undertaken and the Ellis connection was discovered why did the sale go through when an earlier bid appeared to have faltered ?

What we do know is that when our board at the time got wind of the sale to Whyte they resisted it tooth and nail with both Alistair Johnston and Paul Murray trying to raise funds, in a vain to prevent his purchase.

Did they read the same due diligence report on Whyte which Donald Muir had read ?

So what did Alistair Johnston and Paul Murray see that alarmed them so much, yet Donald Muir promoted the sale ?

And 1 final questions for Donald Muir.

Whose interests were you acting when you promoted the sale of Rangers football club to Craig Whyte, Rangers or Lloyds Bank ?

Scotland Beware...Our Standard is Raised

Its funny how things can turn around. Ask any Rangers supporter who has been following our club's saga on message boards, social networks, news channels and printed media. If this was a tv soap it would be criticised for having too much drama. Where it will end goodness only knows, this bear has long given up trying to even remotely predict the outcome.

Instead perhaps it's worth turning our attention to what we do know.

On the announcement of administration for Rangers there were a fair few people who could barely contain their joy, they texted about it, they tweeted about it and they openly laughed and joked about it.

But they ain't laughing now.

In fact they are sitting watching events unfold with increasing alarm and a dawning realisation.

Its not the fact that every 5 minutes or so news commentaries are describing Rangers as the most successful club in the world, nor is it even that we are being hailed as the biggest and best supported club in Scotland or that we are an institution, which is an integral part of Scottish society, and part of the identity of millions of people not just in this country but around the globe. Neither is it that politicians, from first ministers to prime minsters and commentators from the world of sport and beyond sport, are openly encouraging Rangers to survive and come through this troubled time.

No, what is causing mass trepidation amongst those who hate Rangers is that the events of the last few days have shaken the colossal beast which is the Rangers support out of hibernation. The fabled army has risen and is on the march and God help anyone or anything which gets in its way.

The majority which has been silent for far far too long, have finally found their tongues. In cities, in towns, in villages, in glens, in valleys, in shires the call to arms for the Rangers is being answered. But don’t think this mobilisation will be restricted to merely a football club and sport. That's the problem with kinetic energy, once you get a huge mass moving who knows where it will stop. Perhaps that's why so many politicians wish to be seen to be supporting Rangers cause in these troubled times. I suspect they realise that not only have the Rangers support remembered how to use their voice, but also their vote.

Even now the foot soldiers of this army are starting to ask the awkward questions and identify those who appear to stand in their way, the enemies of this club are being noted, and they will not be forgotten. Not now. Not ever.

Moreover lessons have been learnt. The placing of trust in certain individuals, and following faithfully without question have been exhausted. I have a feeling once realised this will extend beyond the spheres of Rangers FC to the very fabric of the society they live in. Isn't kinetic energy a bitch ?

There may come a day when football supporters accept with a mere shrug of the shoulders that their football club is all but gone.

But this will not be the day. Nor will it be Rangers FC.

The Tale of 2 Chairmen

If you were to read through most of the Scottish Press, and the current pantomime which is our beloved football club, you be forgiven if you hissed at the mention of Craig Whyte and cheered when mention was made of Sir David Murray. But of course just like panto...all is not as it seems.

Its ironic that one of the few Scottish journo's who has criticised SDM's financial stewardship of Rangers Football Club was one Graham Spiers aka Odious Creep. But don't be fooled for a minute that this was done out of journalistic conscience...the truth probably lies in a conversation SDM had with Spiers some years ago where he referred to him as “the Judas Iscariot of Scottish journalism”. Spiers has been like the proverbial scorned woman ever since, allowing his festering bitterness to betray his journalistic integrity and impartiality. Its not without coincidence that the 2 newspapers he has worked for recently have seen their sales figures drop and both have decided that Spiers was dispensable.

But this is not about Creep...this article is about something significant...the portrayal in the press of 2 Rangers Chairmen.

David Murray rode into Rangers like a Knight Champion embracing and taking ownership of a football club which was going through a dramatic resurgence under the direction of David Holmes. The latter had shocked Scottish Football by appointing Graeme Souness as player manager and made monies available which lifted this great club out of a period of stagnation and failure. It seemed like a marriage made in heaven Scotland's greatest football team and one of Scotland's most successful businessmen. An Ayr United supporter as a boy, David Murray had sought to involve himself with his boyhood heroes but had been knocked by by the board. It looked like their loss would be Rangers gain.

Perhaps Murray's first AGM gave an insight to the future. A shareholder had the temerity to ask a difficult opening question and was swatted down by an ebullient David Murray. Another shareholder then pointed out to Murray that that was no way for a Rangers chairmen to behave, particularly towards the Rangers support. An apology was duly forthcoming...but alas the lessons were never learned.

As Laudrup's and Gascoigne's amongst others adorned the famous blue shirt, this squad of superstars triumphed, as did David Murray's profile. He had the press eating out of his hand but behind the scenes all was not as it seemed. Despite what some sadly still believe to this day, the money for all these superstars was not coming from David Murray's pockets but Rangers FC, and the amounts involved were simply not sustainable. In short David Murray ran up huge debts which eventually caught up with him and Rangers FC. When the bad news emerged, David Murray disappeared from the board leaving the hatted John McLelland to face the angry Bears. When the going got tough...David Murray got going...into voluntary obscurity. He re-emerged, surprise, surprise, when football matters took a turn in the right direction.

Some argue to this day that David Murray got caught up in the dream of Euro success, he took a gamble to raise Rangers to a higher profile, and it failed. Whatever the reasons his actions crippled our club financially and the Laudrup's gave way to the Ostenstad's. Its perhaps misplaced loyalty that many Bears still viewed the now Sir David Murray as a hero, despite the fact the bank's trust in his ability to manage the business side of Rangers appeared to have all but evaporated.

Under the stewardship of Sir David Murray Rangers FC had been run into the ground financially. Despite previous promises that his sons would take over the legacy of Rangers FC, alas the only legacy the outgoing SDM left was a tax case which has the potential to lead our club into administration.

Craig Whyte on the other hand has been a Rangers supporter all his life, as was his father before him. And that is not the only difference between the 2 chairmen. Craig Whyte has taken over a club few would relish owning at this time. A shambolic financial mess, and having to deal with a potentially ruinous tax case, courtesy of the previous administration.

He is walking where other fear to tread. And I would hazard a guess its not to raise his own profile, nor as some Rangers haters based in Donegal would like us all to think...to make a quick buck. Furthermore Craig Whyte appears to feel the urge to defend Rangers FC and the support, something the previous administration appeared not to have the stomach for.

Craig Whyte has not come out with bombastic statements or press friendly soundbites, instead he plays his cards very close to his chest, only time will tell how good a chairman he will be for Rangers FC.

And yet despite all this it is the latter chairman who attracts the negative press attention.

2 chairmen – One Knight.

I know which one I want defending my club's honour and future.