This is a classic: The Chuck Wagon Keeps On Rolling September 11, 2012 · by billmcmurdo · in Uncategorized One of my all-time favourite films is Shane, starring Alan Ladd. Shane is an archetypal badass gunslinger who rides into a remote community, takes on the evil cabal running the place, then sends them all to Boot Hill before riding off into the sunset. It is one of the classic Westerns, with magnificent scenery and a gorgeous soundtrack. Listening to the soaring theme of the movie always gives me goosebumps – not unlike the feeling yesterday as I read the thrilling statement from Rangers CEO Charles Green on the kangaroo court taking place under the auspices of the SPL this week. In no uncertain terms, Charles Green told the SPL where to stick their EBT inquiry and gave a clue in the process he may be a man of impeccable judgment when it comes to choosing which blogs to read as he referred to ” a full blown inquisition” in his statement. Maybe this is where he got the term. The story of the movie Shane has been repeated in a thousand Westerns and is one of the classic themes in storytelling. A stranger arrives in town with maybe not the best reputation and delivers the locals from an oppressive, evil bully before riding away again. It is the essence of many a great work of fiction. But it could also be the real story of the Rangers crisis. Never mind Chuck Norris, Texas Ranger. What about Chuck Green, Glasgow Ranger? Big Chuck made himself a legend yesterday as he faced up to the evil cattle barons of the SPL and SFA. He showed he is up for any fight they want to bring Rangers way. After the depressing and humiliating capitulation of David Murray and Martin Bain, it was a thrilling thing to behold yesterday as Chuck Green did a Clint Eastwood and looked the SPL lynch mob straight in the eye. There is absolutely no question that what Charles Green did yesterday was a game-changer in the ongoing feud between Rangers and the corrupt cabal entrenched in the Scottish footballing authorities. He was just like all those Western heroes in the mold of Shane. Sadly, however, that may be the case in more ways than one. You see, just like Shane and the mysterious Preacher in Pale Rider, it is more than likely that Chuck Green will ride off into the sunset all too soon. He will rebuild Rangers financially, commercially and on the playing side, leaving them in rude health before riding off into the sunset. People have underestimated what Chuck Green brings to the table at Rangers. He is a man with many powerful friends in English football and those friends are very much Rangers-friendly. More than anyone, Charles Green can tap into the massive pool of goodwill and genuine affection felt for Rangers by clubs and their fans down south. This empathy with Rangers in the club’s recent troubles is something that many Rangers fans are perhaps unaware of to a great extent. But Charles Green is very aware of it. He is not a man to be messed with and he knows his powerful allies – men like Mike Ashley – will back him up. Just as in a lot of Westerns, Charles Green has a lot more up his sleeve than the bad guys are aware of. He also has the fanatical backing of hundreds of thousands of angry Bears. It’s always sad to watch the end of Shane with the wee boy running after him. The good guys always have another town to go to, another wrong to put right. Big Chuck Green will most likely not be at Rangers that long and when he goes it is to be hoped that he doesn’t sell to a man who does not embody the ethos of the greatest football club in the world, something he himself is so far doing. It is vital that Rangers FC is passed on to someone who loves what the club stands for – Queen and country. And, of course, sporting fairness. Maybe Big Chuck will buck the trend and rewrite the story. Maybe he won’t ride off and decide to stay with Rangers for the long term. If he keeps talking like he did yesterday, this is one Ranger who would very much welcome that
Big Chuck Green will most likely not be at Rangers that long and when he goes it is to be hoped that he doesn’t sell to a man who does not embody the ethos of the greatest football club in the world, something he himself is so far doing. It is vital that Rangers FC is passed on to someone who loves what the club stands for – Queen and country. And, of course, sporting fairness. Fat chance of that he plans to sell it to rangers fans.
Unbelievable, the turnaround in now hailing Green as a saviour - wonder when the penny will drop and they cotton on to 'Chuck' only being in it for what he can get out of it, regardless of where that leaves Newco and as soon as he gets it the sooner he will most certainly 'ride off into the sunset' with his pockets bulging. McMurdo's fascination with Alan Ladd's character in 'Shane' is interesting in that he was about 168 cm in height and apparently during filming had to stand on a wooden box to give him the appearance of greater stature alongside his fellow co-stars. Could it be the case that McMurdo is handicapped in similar fashion or perhaps has some other greater hang-up for which his blog is the metaphoric (soap) box that gives him a sense of greater stature? Alan Ladd's own life was more troubled than any character he played on screen, and his personal demons were finally his undoing at a relatively early age - at age 50, he was found dead from a fatal combination of alcohol and sedatives ... wonder what age McMurdo is at the moment?
I must admit i'm pretty peeved that he chose Shane to make his pathetic analogies, it's probably my favourite western. Also of interest is the fact that Alan Ladd never took off his wedding ring for any of his movies, and as well as Ladd having to stand on a box, it is alleged that Jean Arthur (this was her last ever movie) had to stand in a trench to make her look smaller.
Another beauty from a man who seems to inhabit a parallell universe: Political Conspiracies & Football Clubs September 14, 2012 · by billmcmurdo · in Uncategorized I want to start todayâs blog with a quote from a friend of mine, Davie Bell: âFor anybody that doesnât believe that the government, the police, a football association & the media could cover up the real truth to bring down a mighty footballing institution to suit their own agenda, then you need only look at yesterdays revelations regarding the terrible tragedy at Hillsborough. I am not comparing the awful loss of life that happened at Hillsborough to what has happened to Rangers but it does show the lengths those in control will revert to to get what they want. Iâm not a fan of Liverpool FC but what happened to that club and itâs fans was an absolute disgrace by those who conspired against them. At last there is justice for the 96, despite the cover up. The truth of the conspiracy against them â and us -eventually will out. We Are The People!â Davieâs words echo my own thoughts and the thinking of many other people, particularly those of a bluenose persuasion. Anyone who doubts that a football club can be targetted by âthe powers that beâ and be subject to a vicious, organised and relentless campaign to besmirch the clubâs reputation and vilify its fans need only look at the despicable Hillsborough affair. Of course, what Davie said is bang on the money, that the loss of life at Hillsborough far outweighs what is happening at Rangers but the inescapable reality of collusion across many sectors of public life that resulted in a hatchet job on Liverpool Football Club and its supporters proves beyond question that football clubs can be the victim of political conspiracies. It also has to be pointed out that Liverpool FC has never recovered its footballing dominance and glory since the awful events of Hillsborough. Small wonder, considering the disgusting cloud hanging over the club â a cloud created by the deception, false testimony and smearing engaged in by police officers, politicians and an all-too-complicit media, including the utterly discredited Sun. Hillsborough must be a wake-up call to the nation and a clarion sound of warning to people here in Scotland, where a conspiracy of massive proportions can be clearly witnessed in the vile attempt to destroy Rangers Football Club and denigrate its massive support. (Denigrate the supporters? Who has done that exactly? I have seen the blame game being played and all sorts of people are being blamed but I don't recall anyone saying it was the fans fault that Rangers went to the wall. Maybe the various fan groups could have tried to exert some pressure on the board(s) but that is the only criticism that has been levelled at them as far as I have read so what McMurdo is attempting to achieve here by this statement is quite clear, he is making that fatuous argument that any criticism of Rangers FC - the Company and/or the Club is a criticism of the fans. It's quite nonsensical.) This weekâs revelations that what would appear to be excessively rigorous police searches are being carried out by Strathclyde Police at home games involving Rangers, coupled with the reports of Rangers buses being stopped and searched throughout Scotland, leads one to a worrying conclusion that the Police are being used as a pawn in the conspiracy against Scotlandâs biggest club. have always held the view that here in Scotland we have the best police force anywhere in Britain. I appreciate the difficult job they do here in this country, having to cope with what is at times a very complex social situation. It frankly grieves me to see them used as a means of expressing political ill-will towards Rangers. My own opinion is that nationalising the police force can only add to the danger that the police become a politicised organisation. (Is that really the only possible reason, that Politicians have applied pressure on the Police to target Rangers fans?) It is not the police who are Rangersâ enemies. But Rangers, like Liverpool, have enemies at a high level and, more importantly, enemies in dark corners who harbour a burning hatred and frenzied malice towards the club. (Very Leggoesque)One thing the Hillsborough affair brought out is something I have been blogging about consistently, often to the great annoyance of those who would rather I ignored the big elephant in the room. I am talking about the politicising of football. Politicians stuck their nose into the Hillsborough Disaster and used the occasion to curry support by waffling on about hooliganism, always a vote-winner. The 96 who perished on that awful day in 1989 were victims, not hooligans. Just like those who survived the tragedy. Hillsborough proved that football fans are an easy target. They are a convenient political football to be kicked around. Rangers fans certainly know that feeling. They know what it is like to be smeared and mocked. They know what it is like to be abandoned by their football association. They know what it is like to see the envy of others who use the clubâs misfortune as a chance to put the boot in. And Rangers fans know what it is like to be the target of politicians who use their power in malicious ways. Just like Liverpool fans do. Of course, no-one would compare the pain of Hillsborough with the pain Gers fans have been feeling this past few months. (But you just have you baloon?) Thatâs not the point. The point is, no-one can ever say conspiracies against football clubs donât exist. (But Rangers have been telling Celtic fans this for years?) Never mind football being more important than life or death â to politicians, votes are more important than anything. And, as we now can see by the damning evidence of their own report, they will go to any lengths to get them. There you have it, not only are the SFA, the SPL and most of the Clubs in Scottish Football out to get Rangers, the Police and the Government too are kicking them while they are down.
I wonder how Liverpool fans would agree with that piece of startling rhetoric? Innocent people killed by Police inaction and families torn apart by cover-ups are entirely the same as financial mismanagement and liquidation.
Some of the comments: This creeping malevolence is steadily reaching it’s climax. It’s crunch time soon and we’ll be the only ones left standing. The SFA, SPL,and SNP houses of cards will soon be swept away in a new era of honesty and transparency throughout Scottish Society One thing David Murray got right was his comment regarding John Reid’s involvement with Celtic FC. It is dangerous to mix football and politics, we now see the result. “My own opinion is that nationalising the police force can only add to the danger that the police become a politicised organisation.” And mine. Salmond’s Gestapo springs to mind. “to politicians, votes are more important than anything.” Hold your heads in shame, Ian Davidson and all the other so-called “bluenoses” at both Westmister and Holyrood who have sat idly by and watched the corruption and bigotry rear it’s ugly face in spectacular fashion, without so much of a whimper in reply, never mind demands for an enquiry.We will sort this mess out and expose these twisted individuals without you. We are the People. You are patently not. You are cowards. Stay away from Ibrox, you are not wanted. I won’t even bother with the hideous Nicola Strugeon, whose own constituency covers Ibrox Stadium, Rangers being her local club. Her silence tells a thousand stories. She and her hate-filled, anti-British party will be crushed. Sent homewards, to Brigadoon or wherever they came from, to think again.
It's not even a Rangers thing for me EC. It's an internet thing. Could you imagine this arsepiece sitting in the pub in mixed company (No just with fellow arsepieces) coming out with that ****e? No chance, he'd be too ****ing scared of getting told what a **** he was being.
Is he really that stupid though - or is he a dangerous **** stirrer who knows exactly the audience he can influence?
That's my point EC. He knows he has a computer to hide behind and that he can pretty much write what he likes without fear of reprisals. It's sleekit bastard behaviour; Whip up the idiots into a fervour without any follow-up or forethought.
Trouble is, right, that we, as football fans, read all this stuff. You can do it with a critical eye but you still read it. The thing with this is that, if it's your team's fellow supporters writing this mentalness over and over, it starts to seep into the wider consciousness a bit. I know a Rangers fan who has supported Scotland all his life and has now decided that Scotland fans are "fascist, racist, bigots" and the SFA have persecuted Rangers forever It's not even funny anymore - the guy's alright otherwise. One only has to think back to BBC days when a Celtic fan complaining about a wrong decision against their team was bombarded with "conspiracy" ****e. This type of paranoid pre-spunk is getting more and more common - ****ing Anders Breivik levels
I'm torn between the idea that we and every right-thinking person should bombard him with comments or just simply ignore the cretin ...
