Rangers FC to go into administration

[From the Bunker]

Rangers in crisis: Steven Whittaker moves to Norwich City while Kyle Lafferty seals FC Sion deal

Kyle Lafferty and Steven Whittaker today put the Rangers saga behind them by completing moves to new clubs.

Moving on: Steven Whittaker said he was "really looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Premier League"

By Telegraph Sport

2:11PM BST 30 Jun 2012

Norwich confirmed the signing of defender Whittaker on a four-year deal, while Swiss club FC Sion landed striker Kyle Lafferty on a three-year deal.


Both players this week rejected a transfer to the newco Rangers.


Scotland international defender Whittaker announced on Sunday he would not be reporting back to Murray Park for training this week.


And Northern Ireland international striker Lafferty followed suit, considering himself free to find a new club.


Norwich today announced the signing of 28-year-old Whittaker, subject to international clearance, becoming new manager Chris Hughton's first signing in the process.

[Aaron Boone]

Strange move for Big Kyle, that one came out of left-field. FC Sion finished 9th in Swiss League last season although docked points for transfer irregularities.

[stew]

Strange move for Big Kyle, that one came out of left-field. FC Sion finished 9th in Swiss League last season although docked points for transfer irregularities.

He should feel quite at home then, he should be used to dodgy deals going on all around him.

[From the Bunker]

From Rangers website:

RANGERS' scheduled match with French 2nd tier side Le Havre on July 12 will now not take place.

A statement reads: "Rangers Football Club have been informed by Le Havre that they no longer wish to play us as part of their 140th anniversary celebrations on Thursday July 12. Unfortunately the match will now not take place."

[From the Bunker]

The Rangers quiz: Are you genned up on Gers plight...
... or just a Celtic fan in disguise?

Richard Wilson Sunday 01 July 2012

The Independent
 
 
So where will Rangers be playing next season?

a) The SPL

b) First Division

c) Third Division

d) England after taking over Bury

e) Nowhere

Answer: b) (five points). The most likely compromise, meaning a trip to Dumbarton (capacity: 728). Award yourself four points for c) (almost as likely), while e) identifies you as a rabid Celtic supporter, so disqualifying you from this quiz. It's for neutrals.

Why are so many clubs voting against Rangers?

a) For moral reasons: huge unpaid debts should not go unpunished

b) Brinkmanship intended to secure more cash

c) Short-term holding move intended as a shot across Rangers' bows

Answer: c) (five points). Anyone who seriously thinks a) knows nothing about Scottish football.

Why Don't they want them to go into First Division?

a) They want to jump on the sporting integrity bandwagon

b) They don't yet realise the full financial consequences

c) They're seeking a bigger SPL windfall for dealing with a problem the SPL were too scared to address

d) Nobody likes Rangers

Answer: b) (five points). They have yet to discuss the proposals at a full meeting. Award yourself three points for answering c), because clubs will demand more, and two points for d).

Why has this dragged on all summer?

a) It's a complex business: administration, EBTs, unpaid PAYE plus monumental self-interest

b) The consequences are so profound that careful contemplation is needed to ensure the game does not suffer

c) Nobody wants to step up and make any decisions

d) Lawyers are involved, and their expense accounts needed some TLC

Answer: a) (five points). Rangers and Celtic are the financial bedrock of Scottish football, so damage to either affects the game, hence clubs tripping over themselves to ensure they are not harmed in the fallout. But the insolvency event, and the accusation that not all player payments were registered with the SFA, has made for a tangled series of issues to unravel. If you answered b) or c), you at least know Scottish football.

What do Celtic fans want?

a) To renew Old Firm hostilities as soon as possible

b) Avoid Rangers for a year

c) Never play Rangers again

d) Play Rangers every single week

e) They don't really know

Answer: e) (five points). No unanimity here. Some believe Rangers should be banished from the face of the earth and some, particularly inside the Celtic boardroom, say life will be too boring without Old Firm fixtures.

What has happened to Craig Whyte?

a) hiding, from irate Rangers fans, and Ticketus, who will be pursuing him for £24m

b) Still on the scene, and will benefit in some way from whatever money Charles Green and Zeus Capital make from Rangers

c) Sipping champagne in Monaco, wondering what all the fuss is about

d) Looking to phone Gerald Ratner or Nick Leeson. There's always somebody who's suffered a more disastrous business deal

Answer: c) (three points). Not least because he is brazen. Take two points for a), as he's not been in Glasgow for a while.

Why did Charles Green buy the club?

a) Green saw an opportunity at £5.5m and figured he couldn't lose

b) He's wider than the River Thames and reckons he can do what he likes as football fans are daft

c) Just a front man for others with cash to pull the deal off

d) Just for the sport of it

Answer: Take five points for a), but four for c) because that's true too. If you answered b), then I hope you're looking forward to League One next season, but Sheffield United do really deserve better. Is your club still recovering from his spell as chief executive 14 years ago?

After Whyte, Green and Brown, which colour next?

a) (Conrad) Black, who needs a new challenge now he is out of prison

b) (Miss) Scarlett — oh no, she's just murdered Professor Plum with a candlestick in the library

c) Red (Adair), the perfect firefighter in a crisis

d) (Rabbi Lionel) Blue. Right colour for the club and never hurts to broaden religious boundaries

Answer: a) (five points). Rangers fans would probably welcome Black as a replacement for Green.

Who is in charge of Scottish football?

a) SFA CEO Stewart Regan

b) SPL CEO Neil Doncaster

c) The supporters of all Scottish clubs

d) Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell

Answer: c) (five points). The grassroots movement has driven the narrative of the story in recent weeks. No To Newco has become a mantra, forcing SPL club chairmen to find a way to do just that, without exposing their own clubs to financial catastrophe. If you answered d), you're a Rangers fan who didn't learn from question one. More points off.

Where will Scottish football be in five years?

a) Same as before Rangers went into liquidation: a two-horse race with everyone enjoying a bit more cash

b) Revolutionised, with other clubs having caught up the Old Firm thanks to revenues being spread more evenly and a bigger top flight

c) Small-time, with both Old Firm teams in the English Premiership

d) Exactly as now, in disarray, constantly bickering about reconstruction and Old Firm influence

Answer: d) (clearly five points). It's been that way for more than 100 years, it won't change. If you answered a) or b), you're too much of an optimist.

Score

40-50 points: Did you have nothing else to mug up this summer?

30-40: You live next door to Craig Whyte

20-30: Time you knew your East Fife from your Forfar

10-20: Take off your Celtic shirt

0: You must be English

[red hander]

Wilson is a well-known media Hun cheerleader who only weeks ago was predicting that the SPL clubs would vote to keep the Ibrox cheats in the top flight, totally misjudging the anger of the ordinary fans of Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibs, Dundee Utd etc who let their clubs know in no uncertain terms what way they wanted them to vote. Now that fans in the SFL are expressing their disgust at the Ibrox cheating bastards being foisted on them the Rangers lackys in the press, including Wilson, are scaremongering to get their beloved Huns into as high a division as possible

[nifan]

Strange move for Big Kyle, that one came out of left-field. FC Sion finished 9th in Swiss League last season although docked points for transfer irregularities.

Yeah I guess they must have some money to spend - they brought in gattuso as well.

[Main Street]

It's a good move for Lafferty, the Swiss league is stronger than the SPL these days and Sion looked a handy enough team when they beat Celtic last season.

Like Rangers, Sion had an incredible run of defeats in the courts (civil and sports) last year.  They embarked on a hopeless collision course with UEFA and FIFA. I think in the end, FIFA  had to threaten to throw the Swiss fa out of football altogether unless Sion were docked a shed load of points.

[Lecale2]

Rangers actually won in Court when they had the 12 month transfer ban ruled out. Fat lot of good it did them!

[Main Street]

Rangers poll on the Scotsman newspaper 
Tuesday, 3 July 2012.
Over 25,000 took part 

What league should a newly-formed Rangers be allowed to play in next season?

SPL 373 (1%)
Division One  266 (1%)
Division Two    42 (0%)
Division Three  24484 (97%)

[dillinger]

Of course the SFL dosen't have to take them at all. Maybe it's too much to hope that they will say no.

[Denn Forever]

Not the SPL anyway.

Do the go down the leagues like the Ballroom of Romance asking "Are you dancing?"

[trasna man]

Not the SPL anyway.

Do the go down the leagues like the Ballroom of Romance asking "Are you dancing?"

are you asking

[ziggysego]

Not the SPL anyway.

Do the go down the leagues like the Ballroom of Romance asking "Are you dancing?"

are you asking

Are you two doing the stonk?

[Main Street]

The fightback begins