Green&White Zebra

Typically ungracious from McCoist. Does he think that the other SPL club chairmen won't remember those comments ? It kind of echoes the comments from arch-Unionists during the parliament referendum days that stated that Scots couldn't be trusted to run their own affairs. He is now inferring that SPL chairmen can't be trusted to keep their own clubs alive over the next 10 years. That's one to pin on every boardroom wall chaps ! The irony is that the club in biggest danger of not being here in 10 years is actually Rangers. Whether it's SFL1 or SFL3, they're still struggling to get a team together in time for the new season. If they miss out for a year, then who looks after Ibrox ? Just to get them up and running for 2013/14 will require a generous benefactor. Don't underestimate the effect of one year out on the fans either. They will drift away and only a fraction will return. And when they see how mediocre the on-field product has become (as a matter of economic necessity), then more will drift away. Maybe Rangers will still be around in 10 years, but I can see it being Rangers Lite, playing in a small stadium with a small support. And if an ageing McCoist is somehow managing them, then I hope someone reminds him of this tweet as his team attempts a giant-killing victory against Motherwell.

Too late. Angry mob marching down London Road already. We can only run for cover now.

I take it we've finally reached the "you're either with us or against us stage ?".

On another thread, I defended some of the principle behind putting Newco into Division 1, on the grounds that it would prevent them from going extinct altogether. However, I finally got round to reading that so-called statement that was sent to the SFL clubs and to say it's an insult to the intelligence would be an understatement. Whatever they're trying to do, they're going about it appallingly. Backroom New Labour shenanigans at its worst. But it really does not matter. When a character like John Brown emerges as a potential bidder, then you know that their oblivion is near. Once these voting charades are out the way this week, then it's high time the clubs started getting together and plan for the brave new world without Rangers.

Fairly appalling remarks coming from Green and McCoist regarding players opting out of their contract transfers. Green's is just plain stupid, but McCoist's are a little more sinister and designed to emotionally blackmail the players and whip up fan rage against them. He would have hoped players would consult or be more open ? What right has he to make statements like that ? Particularly when any current Rangers player really only has one logical move to make and that's get out and continue their careers with clubs that can at least afford to pay them and stay in business.

Has the fabric of Scottish society started to unravel yet ? I'm an exile and I need to know if there will be a homeland to come back to !

A horrible thought, but if the Scottish clubs are all banned from Europe, it works out quite nicely for Rangers, who are themselves banned as it is. If they are to endure a fallow period, then dragging down everyone else will ensure that they do not face an insurmountable gap when they eventually return as a force in the game. Of course, Celtic could earn themselves a significant financial edge, but not only that, what if another club like Hearts started to boost their own revenues and profile as well. I doubt that this is on the minds of whoever owns RFC IA these days, but they do have less to lose if there is a ban on international participation. Of course, they do seem to be deliberately upping the stakes with the SFA. All parties seem terrified to deliver the final blow, but if the SFA is forced into a situation whereby they need to suspend or expoel RFC IA, then the mob card can be played. Outing the members of an Independent Tribunal will be nothing compared to the fury unleashed. But it may be no more sinister than getting the SFA do something they do not have the backbone to do themselves.

Most folk here are way too young to get that mate. Nice try though !

Michael Johnston has been conspicuous by his very public comments, if anything. If he's quiet now, then I can only guess that he's started listening to his own supporters. As for Peter Lawwell, and Celtic in general, then all public comments regarding Rangers need to be kept to a minimum. If Stewart Gilmour can provoke a furious reaction, then what do you think would happen if Lawwell came out and stated exactly what his position is - that Newco should not be admitted to the SPL ? Given the heightened state of the rivalry at the best of times, it would be socially irresponsible for him to make anything other than comments that are absolutely necessary and directly impact on Celtic. And by the way, Celtic's position is no to Newco. That much has been drip fed to the Celtic fans.

Is that not the film with the monstrous breast in it ? Who would get to play that part then ?

At this rate, the only club the Rangers fans won't be boycotting next year is Celtic. Unless we can do something to offend them that is.

I can see the logic in the verdict. Simply a case of the sanctions not being available to the independent tribunal. It does ask some questions about what the tribunal members were thinking, even though they went to great lengths to explain the wrong-doing. That in itself was impressive, but I guess they havered, since, given the seriousness of it, expulsion was on the cards. The tribunal does have the power to impose a further fine, of course - one that could cover theirs and Rangers' court expenses. They might just add a bit more to the total as well, just enough to make coming out of administration impossible until the end of the transfer window. In the meantime, the transfer embargo is lifted.

If a TV deal is really what is behind some motives to admit Newco, then isn't the current deal on the cheap side for the SPL ? I reckon we could make more than that even without Rangers. If, as it turns out, Sky/ESPN pull out, then what Celtic may try to do is take ownership of their own media rights, albeit at a cost of compensating the remainder.

1. There would be no vote for expulsion. Expulsion will be an SFA tribunal matter. There would only be a vote to admit Newco, and Celtic would vote no. I also suspect the No camp is going to grow sufficiently to block admission too. 2. What I had in mind actually, was a last day 2-1 defeat to Queen's Park forcing Newco to a play-off for promotion to Division 2. I remember reading somewhere that one of the definitions of Fascism was an absence of empathy ! Welcome to the SPL by the way.

1. You must know more about what goes on in the Celtic boardroom than I do, because all I hear at present is silence. Well, I'll say that at times like this, nothing is ruled out but you seem remarkably confident that this is how Celtic are acting. 2. I'll give you one thing - Celtic need competition and Rangers provide that in Scotland. But competition at the cost of financial cheating that's denied Celtic acess to the Champions' League on multiple occasions ? They'd have to be incredibly supine not to be going for blood just now. 3, I did stress that Celtic lost most in monetary terms, not relative terms. Financial neglect is the last thing the Celtic board were guilty of. They lost out in the short term for their prudence. But I'm certainly thankful to them for that. What am I doing again exactly ? There's near 100% consensus that Rangers cheated the other SPL clubs financially ? "But Celtic and Rangers are the same thing." - oh please, don't be ridiculous. I can't even begin to start on that.