Inthebasement

He isn't playing like our best player the moment, though i'm not sure who is exactly. Murph was regular starter for the national under 21's though and not so long ago no one wanted us to sell him for less than two mil. He is very effective on his good days and is being played out of position to fit our team. He does need to bulk up, and quickly, if he wants to move up a level. This would not cause him to lose pace, it should make him faster - see prem strikers and olympic sprinters. It may also give him more physical confidence than he has at present. He is also a bit too nice and team orientated for an offensive player - he rarely loses possession, which is fine if you are las, but given his role he should take more risks. He only tries to beat his man about twice a game at the mo, generally preferring to slow down, cut in and look for a sideways pass. Personally i would hate to lose him and feel he has a cracking spell for us left in him, though probably not from the wing.

And the part faddy played in saving our club?

My Dad always quotes "And you CANNOT leave Willie Pettigrew chances like that". No idea of the game or context.

Top prem and international managers talk up the opposition as favourites all the time, especally when away from home. I would read much into this from a managerial perspective. That said, mccall has not found a way to send us out to produce a shock against superior opposition. We either outplay the other team, or we try and are pumped, time and again. Not a problem for ibrox though we'll outplay them at a canter, because they are mince.

Not offended (which is hardly the point) but i agree with dazzer. A no doubt unintentionally dodgy comment. Sure the scramble to slaughter him as 'humourless' has more to do with the poster's general Humph love and rightious tone - no one thinks a reference a black jamaican player growing up in a wooden hut is problematic? Wise up.

Brilliant tonight, whole team can hold their head up and believe they can challenge still for the Europa spot. The quality of some of our football was a surprise at this level, don't buy that we were contained I think they were rattled for spells in both halves. As above, Lasley, Law and Hately outstanding. Love wee OJ but his failure to play Murphy in was our biggest slip up tonight, really frustrating.

Such pessimism - top three for sure! Thought we'd lose way more than we have so far. Murph, law, higgy, humph and oj give us pace, options and firepower galore, think we'll remain the most dangerous team bar celtic if we can keep these players. Jennings is a loss but something will work out he was a pretty one dimentional midfielder who never scored and took til november to get fit. Clancy not in saunders class. We are miles from celtic but who else should we fear?

Interesting stats but are you sure that it would not be in the interests of hearts as the second biggest club in the league to severely weaken the biggest club? Are there any knock on effects of hearts being able to challenge celtic which might feed into the financial wellbeing of the club? In any case, even on your debunk analysis, it would be in the interests on 8 of the clubs and that will make it correct in terms of the new voting system.

If rangers go to the third, or even the first, this should be forced through immediatly. It would be in the interests of eleven of the twelve clubs and therefore correct. And it would tranform our game. Celtic would go into melt down, but as they have made it clear on countless occasions that scotland holds them back and they wish to leave, they have no moral standing on such matters - they can take the rules which suit the majority, or leave. I also do not agree that the celtic support would collapse, but if it did so be it, the wealth of the old firm is the problem in our game, not it's great strength.

His wage would be covered by increased attendance. Down to the great man himself.

Bit harsh the fan response to this statement. If the club are going to vote no in response to fan opinion (which i hope they do), it also has a duty to inform the fans of the consequences.

NO. It's not just about 'justice' or whatever, there are a million reasons to want Rangers humbled - i suspect it's impossible. It is about the relationship between our club and our fans. As i've said on another thread, if Well for vote quick cash over the views of the fans which sustain the club we would be forever tainted, and so much good work in recent years undone. I think we'll vote no anyway.

Diggle's comment above re the failings of their fans is right on in my opinion - it has been their collective failure to comprehend the gravity of their own situation, and the appropriate location of blame, which has led to their demise. The pigheaded arrogance built into the bun dna has done for them. For the last decade they have wanted to 'let us rot' by leaving for another league, now they want to let us rot for wanting rid of them. Good riddance. Couldn't honestly say i'll never go back regardless of the decisions of the present board. Love the club too much for that, and we're in the chaps league! But if we vote a newco straight back in it would forever taint well for me, and i'd be less inclined to make the effort for nothing fixtures. I could never go to watch us play the newco we propped up, and could never take the 'community/family club' thing seriously. And the mini-h**s jibe would hit home (though not from celtic which i expect to vote for the newco). I urge the club to consider their fans. We are in part defined by our collective decision not to take the bus into glasgow. Also consider in the potential for a better financial future without the meagre benefits of sectarianism and cheating.

Not sure why all of the above comments are about well, i think it has been established that good season or bad we have one of more static hardcore supports in the spl. Hearts, Aberdeen, Utd, Hibs and probably killie would all see a greater increase in crowns were the league to be more compentative and financially balanced. But actually, if pushed i'd say we'd see a reasonable increase of at least 10% also. Depending on what was happening with rangers all west coast clubs would also see a direct transfer of support from locals who previously went to ibrox, but still want a pint and a game. In any case, it's just a guess and clear speculation. That's all we can do when dealing in hypotheticals. It's obvious that significant games draw crowds - maybe it would be easier if you explained your objection?

At last! Analysis of this type should be at the centre of this affair. The article only tells part the story though. I'd like to see the optimisitic financial analysis which also factors: 1. Average 10% increase in attendances for all non-OF clubs (this is likely); 2. Increased visits to Hampden for league and Scottish cup ties for all non-OF clubs (this is certain); 3. The Ranger's fans boycotting away grounds of, say, four non-OF clubs next season (as promised by supporter's groups); 4. A projected drop in Ranger's own attendances based on not winning (this is certain). It has taken so long for the mainstream media to address these issue because they themselves would stand to be the biggest losers, after celtic, were Rangers to go under. The Scotsman, with a modest East Coast centred readership, is non-relirent on the OF obsession and has consquently had some of the better coverage of the Rangers affair thoughout.

Fair play i say - has the balls to express a view which sections of the buns support will likely never forgive. Have seen him at fp no end of time quietly supporting his son, maybe he's developed a soft spot.

It's brilliant that SMcC writes statements like that. It's also clear he put a lot of time and care into it. It's finally fcuking unbelievable that jounalists sit on statements like that over such a period then release them out of context and without explanation. Pitifully unprincipled journalism. The model for football journalism in this country needs permanently wrestled from lazy and cynical tabloid hacks, and actually, our manager's emails are a small part of that (the solution i mean). So I retract my comments earlier in this thread re SMcC's original statement being disappointing. The man's owed more than a pint for his work so far. That said, the assumption that we will all be poorer is open to challenge, and remains an old firm-centric position. If a fairer speading of revenue was implimented, and a more competitive and fan focused league was the uncompromised objective of a program of reform in our league, it is perfectly possible that clubs in well's position could achieve a net gain in revenue with or without either or both shades of the bigottry problem. What the diddy teams lack is collective action, any appetite for risk, proper leadership and any imagination. Are we really just going to sit with a pound shop calculator and decide the future of our game based on (status quo business model - rangers = less cash). Oher equasions are available.

I agree it's not uncommon, but neither is it healthy. Saying nothing out of respect for the club he represents was an option. The point on prejudgement is fine and well made, but I think we all have a fair idea where he majority of well fans stand in this saga. Surely?

I don't think McCall has put much of a foot wrong since arriving at the club, but in making this statement I think he has placed his job as manager of MFC aside and knowingly acted entirely out of step with the fans of the club, and possibly out of step with the club itself. Really disappointing, but there you go. I suspect he was aware of this, but did it anyway, speaking from his heart as an ex-player. What we need to face up to as a support, despite the excited chatter on P&B about Ranges being dead in the water, is that almost every party in Scotland with a financial interest in the SPL will ultimately bend over and the buns will get through all this relatively unscathed. Most likely Celtic will take the league for a few years, but Rangers will certainly remain in the SPL, as they are or as a newco. It's not right, and the death of that club wold improve Scotland as a country never mind its football, but it's what will happen.

Fukcing YES!

How the hell did well go from administration to forward looking, price cutting, profit making, community centred champions league superstars? Flow is a big part of that achievment, get well soon mate.

Brilliant gesture!

I see... If that's accurate my post is pish, and the buns are about to get away with murder.

Why is here a near universal view that relegation is the only appropriate punishment? Are we that scared of them? What will make life most unbearable for rangers is being spl diddies like the rest of us - no cash, points deduction, getting humped off Celtic. The fan base would drop by 20 k after one season, and any decent players would get poached to the championship. If they are sent to the third they'll have ball, take the moral high ground, and we will all be poorer. The spl chairman got it right first time - keep them in the spl, and give them a collective kicking for three years. Ask a hardcore bun - it is that scenario they fear most.

We generally don't play route one football.