My God, its a bit rich Charles Green calling the Rangers players who don't wish to stay at Rangers as opportunists. Kettle, pot, black.
They arent Rangers players, Rangers are no more. They have had their wages cut and now theres a chance they will play in a league thats below the conference in standard.
If where I work decided that rather than a nice office the operation would continue from a bus shelter I'd leave too.
They should all have been sold and the money raised used to pay off some of the old club's creditors. If they just transfer to the new club then Green would, theoretically, be able to sell these players for millions more than he paid for the club. The whole affair stinks.
The latest news is that the first division clubs are all rejecting Rangers starting in Division One next season so it looks like they'll be taking on the likes of Elgin and Annan if they're allowed into the third division...
Total and average attendances for teams in the SPL 2011/12 season: Team Total Average 1 Celtic 967,182 50,904 2 Rangers 880,160 46,324 3 Heart of Midlothian 254,247 13,381 4 Hibernian 188,271 9,909 5 Aberdeen 176,637 9,296 6 Dundee United 142,151 7,481 7 Motherwell 112,976 5,946 8 Kilmarnock 110,745 5,537 9 Dunfermline Athletic 91,185 4,799 10 St Mirren 85,365 4,492 11 St Johnstone 75,054 4,169 12 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 76,441 4,023 Take out Rangers and ALL average attendances will fall Maybe I'm alone in thinking that keeping Rangers out of the SPL will badly affect all clubs in that league. Not only will attendances fall, but TV revenues must surely be down massively I understand the desire to enforce the sporting rules, but it does sound like turkeys voting for Christmas
I don't know about sporting rules, but I think they've just pissed everyone else off, big time. Its looks as though its the fans of the other teams who are calling the shots on which league rangers will end up in.
The clubs have said the integrity is more important than the money so fair play to them. Im glad theyve stuck together and forced them out, hopefully into the bottom league.
The problem is Rangers won a string of titles and cups paying players dual contracts as well as the tax evasion scheme. They couldn't afford what they paid and when their European results took a nosedive that hit them financially as well. The last Chairman did a deal with Ticketus to sell four year season tickets at bargain prices but the money was basically used as the proverbial finger in the dyke servicing debts which eventually brought on the current situation. Many Scottish clubs who run a tight ship and live within their means are now expected to allow Rangers to shaft all their creditors and start again with a clean slate, it won't happen and all the pillocks who are saying Rangers deserve help must be mad. They have to take the hit and start from scratch. For years Rangers and Celtic have dictated everything that happens in Scottish football for their own benefit because any changes require an 11-1 majority, where is the fairness in that? They are now getting their payback...
This is a difficult one I agree that all clubs must, ultimately, live within their means However, plenty of clubs in England have been in administration - ourselves of course included - and have been able to continue, albeit in a number of cases down a league. The Rangers case has some parallels with Portsmouth and Leeds, both of whom attempted to spend money that they didn't have on attempting to buy success It is desperately sad that it is - as ever - the loyal fans who end up being the real losers in all of this My sympathies in all of this lie with the fans, both of Rangers and of the other clubs. If, and it is a big if, Rangers' removal leads to a big fall in TV monies AND fewer gate receipts, the SPL could well be in for a very rough ride, and some currently solvent teams may not be so in future And for fans of Celtic, can it really be satisfying to win title after title with no real opposition?
Ask Man Utd fans did they get satisfaction out of winning everything in sight for 10 odd years. Ask Liverpool fans before that. You can only beat whats put in front of you. No more. Rangers bought their titles with money they obviously did not have. Celtic have huge crowds and support yet spent within their budget. I have no sympathy for Rangers. None.
Not really the same though is it? None of the league winning margins were large for Man Utd or Liverpool I must stress that I'm no apologist for Rangers; I just feel that ultimately fans in Scotland will be the real losers As for Celtic, how will they attract real talent to what will be a joke league? Yes, players will win trophies a plenty, but it'll be rather like me and some friends deciding to enter a team in the local U-8s league
