David Low
represents a highly significant component of the history of Celtic FC and consequently a highly significant component of how Scottish Football has panned out in the last 20 years.
As Fergus McCann’s Aide-de-Camp, Low was instrumental in helping him formulate and implement the plans which ultimately allowed control of the club to be wrested from the Kelly and White families. Low also helped McCann to rebuild and regenerate Celtic as a modern football club.
His views are unsurprisingly Celtic-centred, and this interview reveals his ambition for the club to ultimately leave Scottish Football behind. That may or may not be at odds with many of our readers, but the stark analysis of the realities facing football in this country may resonate.
He provides a window on the pragmatism of the likes of McCann, Celtic and many other clubs in respect of the demise of Rangers. He pours scorn on Dave King’s vision of a cash-rich Rangers future, and provides little comfort for those who seek succour for our failing national sport, believing that Scotland will find it impossible to emerge from the football backwater in an increasingly global industry.
Agree or not with Low’s prognosis, it is difficult to deny his compelling analysis of our place in the football world.
I didnt watch much of the game took 2 of my 3 out for lunch and then as we left I saw the utd guy (not gonna try to spell his name) celebrate on sky sports as I paid the bill and I thought he didnt score any of the first two goals as my 3-1 son checked his phone…woooohoooo!!!! I expect to see Ally commentating on games or on question of sport in the coming months….
Sporting Integrity 3 TRFC 1
@Me
Made much better by my son asking me to put a tenner on 3-1 at 16/1… Pays part of his £215 for a new pair of footie boots..
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That’s inclusive of vat btw.. just wanted to qualify that.. 😎
Coming into today’s game, I felt, like many here, that there had been a concerted attempt by the football authorities to load the dice in favour of one team. My main reaction is to feel grimly satisfied that they did not succeed on the park. United beat both the other team and the system today.
Of course, the money from today’s game will still be helping to keep the SS Ibrox afloat, even if it is only for a little longer. You can win even when you lose, when the dice are loaded in your favour.
Yes black’s behaviour was absolutely atrocious, what he lacks in talent he makes up for in petulance and dangerous play ……… how long is his contract with ally’s team?
i saw a few mins of the game, did i see Foster arrive 10 mins late for a challenge from behind taking the guy out and he didn’t even get a talking to by the ref… WTF…
cosmichaggis says:
April 12, 2014 at 3:51 pm
====================
I would love to know the collective wages of the two teams today.
JimBhoy says:
April 12, 2014 at 3:49 pm
Made much better by my son asking me to put a tenner on 3-1 at 16/1… Pays part of his £215 for a new pair of footie boots..
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Jim…I take it, with my beancounter’s hat on, that the £215 in question will buy a pair of boots for the whole team?
Thanks mods for sorting out my password problems. The thinking may just have been that “a period of silence on your part would be most welcome”, and of course, would not be the first time I’d heard that!
Well done Dundee United today.
@Essexbeancounter I wish mate… Disgusting amount of money for a pair of plastic boots i know.. My satisfaction that the rangers paid for most of them though…!!! 😆
Well done Dundee United. Was genuinely worried about the outcome of this match as a sporting event. Was following the twitter updates via restaurant wifi here in Alsace, of all places. One too many comments about the ref from diverse tweeters for my liking. But justice has prevailed, unlike earlier in the tournament.
I expect genuine Ibrox faithful will be glad for the result in the sense that it may hasten the departure of AM and the over-paid collection of players he’s assembled.
Anyway, I will raise a wee glass of the fruit of the vine tae United ce soir.
@Danish pastry
Biggest certainty of the season, met a ton of old pals putting on Utd at 11/10. I am not a betting man was forced down by the missus whose brother wanted a bet on..
I reckon you are right about the bears. It seems they now realise Ally is a dud..
I didn’t watch the game so I don’t know about Black’s petulance but I have to say that the numbers of TDs being given to RyanGosling’s posts on here looks pretty petulant to me. His team has just lost a cup semi and like many on here will have experienced before, he thinks his team were unlucky. Fair play to you RyanGosling.
@RyanGosling I think rangers were lucky too last game mate.. I did not see all the game but I assume they were up for it, from last weeks result..
Seems I have a TD troll……. I don’t do walking away…. 😯
JimBhoy says:
April 12, 2014 at 4:40 pm
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@Danish pastry
____________________________________________
I reckon you are right about the bears. It seems they now realise Ally is a dud..
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Yesterdays RR poll on Ally is 80%:20% that he needs booted out.
Not clear how many of the 20% were Celtic fans.
Congrats to Utd. It looks like the occasion got to them a wee bit and tempted them into playing the game Rangers way at times. When they did calm down in spells it was obvious that they were capable of passing the ball around a pretty static Rangers team. They deserved the win especially because they beat Rangers at their own game. Their attacking players had much more of a threat than Rangers defense have had to deal with for almost two years and it showed. Rangers on the other hand were well up for this game and played well by their standards. Their A game is still based on physicality though and while they earned chances, they can’t complain about the result.
The ref made a few poor calls, but his early decision to try and keep 22 men on the park was perhaps the most significant. He let a few bookable challenges go and sent the message that he was willing to allow a bit of argy-bargy. In doing so he probably kept Utd’s score down by a couple of goals.
The fallout from this should be fantastic. Has McCoist sent out the plea for five or six top level new players yet? Will the board let him do that at the moment? A decent manager might be able to get Rangers through the Championship with this squad, but as a manager McCoist can only aspire to decent in his brightest dreams. If the squad is cut to avoid another admin, I can’t see them being promoted and a lot of Rangers fans will see this too. I think King got the result he was looking for today.
While it might be understandable for football fans, who by nature have little or no financial/business savvy, to only realise that Craig Whyte was a dud (at best) after the club went down the tubes, how could it have taken them (football fans, supposedly) nearly 3 full seasons to realise Ally McCoist was the duddest of dud managers, ever? I realise, though, that it’s perfectly understandable if they take another couple of years to discover he’s taken advantage of their lack of financial awareness to screw their club for a million or more too. After all, they still don’t seem to grasp that the biggest villain of all in the death of Rangers was David Murray.
cosmichaggis says:
April 12, 2014 at 3:51 pm
In regards to the Sevco vs Dundee Utd game I thin Tom English summed it up very well
BBC Scotland’s Tom English at Ibrox
“I thought Dundee United were disappointing, it’s the poorest I’ve seen them this season. Rangers brought a lot to the game – a lot of pace, a lot of intensity – but they were undone by their own incompetency at the back. The reality for them is that they were undone by a team nowhere near their best.”
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Having watched it I think Enlish is spot-on 😐
We had a discussion today amongst a group of mixed friends whilst watching semi final. One of our younger lads would not accept that Kenny McDowell had a distinguished career with celtic before going to rangers to have equal success in all fairness. Our young friend is of a mind that then now and forever would not include former celtic staff. (Youg diehard but nice lad). He took it upon himself to google Kenny McDowell and his face dropped to the floor as he read out the following:
Kenny McDowall (born 29 July 1963 in Glasgow) is a former Scottish footballer and is currently assistant manager at Scottish League 1 club Sevco 5088.
During his playing career he played for Partick Thistle and St. Mirren and featured in the 1987 Scottish Cup final as St. Mirren defeated Dundee United 1-0. He made a total of 291 appearances for St. Mirren and was rewarded with a testimonial in 1996 after twelve years service at the club.
After his playing career, he went into coaching and was appointed youth and reserve coach at Celtic in 1997.
After ten years at Celtic, McDowall switched to Glasgow rivals Rangers alongside manager Walter Smith and assistant manager Ally McCoist.[1] At the end of the 2010/2011 season and with Walter Smith’s departure, McDowall went from being first team coach at Rangers, to assistant manager to Ally McCoist.
References[edit]
Jump up ^ “Smith appointed boss of Rangers”. BBC Sport website. 10 January 2007.
External links[edit]
His last words were obviously that wickipedia are in the act to undermine the world record breaking 1872 club and have been fed this “information” by a football association hellbent on destroying Rangers F.C.
Ah Well…..!
RyanGosling says:
April 12, 2014 at 2:41 pm
Lucky win.
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Like it or lump it the result is the result – lucky or not 🙄
ptd1978 says:
April 12, 2014 at 5:49 pm
Has McCoist sent out the plea for five or six top level new players yet?
——
Mr McCoist: “The last two defeats confirmed what we need to do and add to the squad.”
I think he probably meant “replace the squad”, not add to it.
The “top-level” pros included in his team have showed that they’ve entirely lost whatever skill and sharpness they had (Mr McCulloch’s elbows aside – they’re working as well as ever) prior to joining Sevco, whilst refusing a cut in their wages. Either that or they now have an ingrained laziness cultivated over two seasons of strolls in the park.
They were not unlucky today – nor were they plucky (I acknowledge the generosity of others in saying so). They played physical and seemed surprised that United players were actually able to skip past their flying boots and shoulder charges. It is always nice to see a collective bully get their just desserts.
(Mohsni, surely, is the most overpaid clown in the history of the game.)
Angus1983 says:
April 12, 2014 at 7:06 pm
1 0 Rate This
Mohsni, surely, is the most overpaid clown in the history of the game.
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I think you’ll find his manager and captain both ahead of him in that contest . 🙄
Congrats to the Arabs . Despite their performance , I think they were worthy winners . An away tie is never easy , more so in a cup semi . Some brutal tackles and the refereeing display made sure a footballing masterclass wasn’t going to happen .
Sugar Daddy says:
April 12, 2014 at 3:44 pm
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Interesting conundrum for Wallace & Nash. How many season ticket holders would renew now if they sacked Ally McCoist on Monday versus how many it would take to pay him off? Might be money well spent to burst Dave King’s balloon
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how many season tickets to cover his 1.2m payoff
Well I was at the wee semi final (at Tynecastle) today and I must say that Hearts U20s played well to beat Killie 3-0 to reach the Youth cup final for the first time since 2006. (St Mirren play Rangers in the 2nd semi tomorrow).
Hearts were able to field six players with first team experience to Kilmarnock’s three and that probably made the difference. I’m really pleased for the youngsters given the season that they have faced. There is also the bonus that four of the six are still eligible to play at that level again next season.
Scottish Football needs a strong Hearts U20 side. 😈
Disgusted to hear TRFC fans singing the usual filth today (BB)
Mr Lunny??
Congratulations to the hierarchy in Scottish football. How imaganative and bold of them to arrange the fixtures and venues of the semis at Ibrox.
They obviously realised that if the things went against their establishment club / clumpany etc. that the locals would not have to suffer the ensuing riots and guttersnipe behaviour that a ” neutral venue” would have had to. Excellent vision on their behalf I must say.
Scottish football needs a strong sense of irony..!
the taxman cometh says:
April 12, 2014 at 7:38 pm
1 0 Rate This
how many season tickets to cover his 1.2m payoff
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The question is , can they sell the 85000 season books they would need to sell to cover the cost of an average seasons spending ? 4000 would cover Souper Ally’s exit 😮
😉 Hearts needs a strong Hearts U20 side.
Hearts need less needs 🙄
jean7brodie says:
April 12, 2014 at 7:51 pm
1 0 Rate This
Disgusted to hear TRFC fans singing the usual filth today (BB)
Mr Lunny??
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I think you’ll find Mr Lunny’s selective hearing and memory would have been playing up . The poor soul seems to suffer these horrible afflictions at the weekends mostly , though midweek episodes have been known in the past . 🙄
When is The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 going to be used to stop this filth? This blight on Scottish Football.
The Herald today carries an article on bigotry in Scotland.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman states that they are spending £9 million in three years to eradicate sectarianism.
How will they do this?
Not having watched the game, I feel somewhat shackled in expressing my opinion but it looks as if Mr Black was up to his usual shenanigans.
Well done to Dundee Utd, integrity, fairness and karma.
Sacking Ally will not cost TRFC very much. He will be an unsecured creditor when the inevitable administration happens. Shirley
I think Scottish football’s compliance officer will find his surname is soon to become a part of the Scots vernacular, being used to describe people inclined to turn a blind eye or deaf ear whenever it suits their masters’ agenda. ‘He tends to do a lunny’ will often be heard in offices and other workplaces to describe such people. But not only that, it will also be used to describe someone not quite up to their job. We all know the kind, they get the position, but because the manager who recommended them for the position doesn’t want to look bad their shortcomings are overlooked, and they often get promoted as a result. ‘He’s jist anither o’ they lunnies’ will replace the description, ‘he’s jist a crawlin’ wee toad’. In fact, it might be a good description for those useless pr*cks ensconced at Hampden! ‘Regan, Ogilvie and Doncaster, their jist a bunch o’ useless lunnies. They widnae recognise a thief if he wiz climbin’ oot a windae at Ibrox shoutin’ “tara you lunnies”, in a Yorkshire accent, and carryin’ a bag marked swag!’
But on a serious note. I wonder, should an investigation be carried out, will TRFC be allowed the excuse that the game was played under SFA jurisdiction and they, therefore, were not responsible for the actions of either group of supporters in attendance. It was, after all, for one day only, a neutral ground.
joe millers shorts says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:07 pm
And be touted as the cause of the administration as he refused to leave without his astronomical severance pay, knowing the club just didn’t have the readies! What karma that would be.
Allyjambo says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:08 pm
…..will TRFC be allowed the excuse that the game was played under SFA jurisdiction and they, therefore, were not responsible for the actions of either group of supporters in attendance. It was, after all, for one day only, a neutral ground.
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AJ all I’m asking is for The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 to be used for its proclaimed purpose for once.
Is there any possibility that TSFM could lodge a formal complaint with Mr Lunney?
Copying all of the TV and press outlets too?
Scottish football needs strong and consistent regulation.
jean7brodie says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:25 pm
Jean, I’m with you on that. Just an investigation would be a start, at least, at that end of Glasgow.
redlichtie says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:30 pm
My first thoughts on reading your post was that it wouldn’t be successful, but then I thought, who has more right to judge, and complain, of what is offensive, than those the offensive behaviour is aimed at? If a bunch of mischief makers can raise a spurious complaint at the EC and have it investigated, why not try it? After all, the evidence is in the public domain, as opposed to the heads of a bunch of trouble makers (who were quite possibly singing along today).
jean7brodie says:
April 12, 2014 at 8:43 pm
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A Scottish Government spokeswoman states that they are spending £9 million in three years to eradicate sectarianism.
How will they do this?
_____________________________________
Ooo messir….I know.
They could just buy TRFC off the Laxeys and shut it down.
(OK they aren’t the only culprits. But it would be a start!)
Evening folks haven’t posted in a while but have been lurking. I thought Mr Gosling had a great post earlier today, what is the best way forward for the decent Rangers fan ?. Not an easy answer.
Great for Scottish football really to see teams outside of Glasgow playing in the Scottish Cup Final. I enjoyed watching the game today and found it as good as anything I watched later in the day in terms of entertainment from elsewhere. My son sat through the whole match which is a first as he’s normally a premiership man.
watching BBC and apparently Rangers would not talk to the BBC after the game, what’s that all about !
I watched an internet stream of the game, and must say I didn’t hear any offensive singing. In fact, the only time I heard a recognisable peep from the Rangers horde was when they scored. This could be due to mic placement, right enough. Either that or I don’t know the songs they sing. General advice amongst us diddies is that if you want to know the lyrics of an “offensive” Celtic/Rangers song, then ask a Rangers/Celtic fan respectively. 😛
Rangers must be due a World Record for quickest emptying of a stadium, though. I think today’s effort even beat last Sunday’s performance of walking away.
All this talk of Ally under pressure because of today and last week’s results. Who would take the job and who could they afford ? Consider also all the negative press re financials. If you were in a job you surely would not leave a job for it !
Angus I did the same as you and watched it on my telly via my laptop on stream and my sound was only coming from laptop. I didn’t hear much of the singing tbh either but would have expected the song sheet would have been out. I did laugh at the United supporters singing “you’re not Rangers” . I did hear them sing WATP so it’s good they know who they are ! pity they don’t know he haw about the finances of their team.
Now that TRFC are no longer in the Scottish Cup, perhaps the SMSM may be able to concentrate on the 3 remaining teams that are left in the competition, instead of their sycophantic treatment of a new club that was playing in their first national semi-final.
M8Dreamer says:
April 12, 2014 at 11:44 pm
Now that TRFC are no longer in the Scottish Cup, perhaps the SMSM may be able to concentrate on the 3 remaining teams that are left in the competition, instead of their sycophantic treatment of a new club that was playing in their first national semi-final.
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There were other teams in the semis, you say? 😯
To be fair, if I must, it’s not just the Scottish MSM. Was listening to Talk Sport in the car this afternoon and every mention of the result was presented as “Rangers are out…” rather than “Dundee United have reached the final…”
As an Aberdeen fan, I have an obvious bias about tomorrow’s game and – hopefully- the final, but as long as both games are played fairly and the SFA don’t mess then up through incompetent refereeing, then I don’t think I could begrudge either St Johnstone or Utd a cup win.
St Johnstone have suffered more than most from clubs with dodgy finances, a string of teams having pipped them for promotion and then fallen under their own debt.
Utd eliminated TRangers today, which at the very least deserves a medal, but remembering their last league cup final against Rangers, they have been cheated out if silverware too. I can still remember the commentator saying that Cuellar was lucky he grabbed the striker round the body, while scything his legs, cos if he’d only got his legs it might have been a penalty. A interesting description for something between a rugby tackle and common assault – and something the referee clearly saw and chose to ignore.
If Aberdeen take it, I’ll be dancing in the streets again. After today, as long as it’s a fair result, I can still be happy with any other winner.
Brenda says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:17 pm
‘….Racism and bigotry are racism and bigotry no matter who’s in charge sort it out!!!!!’
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Philosophically speaking, Brenda, you are one hundred per cent correct.
Sadly, Mr House’s boys and our SFA Board are not philosophers. Objective truth for these guys is what they decide it will be. Like Humpty Dumpty.
It’s odds on that a letter to the Match Commander ( a letter which, now that we have a democratically unaccountable, national police/arm- of- the- government- of- the- day police force [and how Thatcher would have loved that development] I will certainly not write!) will get a jargonised, semi-literate reply saying ‘nothing to see here, leave us in peace..or else’.
Or is that too, too cynical for words? 🙂
M8Dreamer says:
April 12, 2014 at 11:44 pm
‘..Now that TRFC are no longer in the Scottish Cup, perhaps the SMSM may be able to concentrate on the 3 remaining teams .’
————
Stuart and Tam had a nice wee swipe at the MSM Ibrox-fixated jackasses for their lack of interest in discussing the promotion of Peterhead FC compared to their crowing over the similar success last season of another wee team!
Would it be too much of ask to finally call it a day for the new club. The bile and sectarian chanting today confirms what everybody, out with our leaders, already know. That club/company and the beaks have brought Scottish football to its knees, made it a laughing stock the world over and confirmed what we all knew with regards to favouritism to one particular entity.
It could be argues that the MK II version is worse than the MK I, in respect that it’s fans are completely disjointed and infighting breaks out at a drop off a hat. The supporters just don’t know which way to turn but their repertoire is consistent.
They are an injured animal and are snarling at anything that moves and getting it wrong in many cases. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if we had never heard of SDM what would the football landscape of. Scotland look like today.
If Lunny does his job and fines this mob, could they actually pay this debt and would it be enough to tip them over the edge. Would he fine them after the ST money was in or just slap them on the wrist which is a punishment no other team would be afforded.
My suggestion would be the same for any injured animal beyond hope. A simple humane way of closing it down will not only eradicate the troubles and woes for our leaders but in one fell swoop would finish this vile chorus of bigotry and sectarianism we hear on a weekly basis.
ptd1978 says:
April 13, 2014 at 12:22 am
‘….After today, as long as it’s a fair result, I can still be happy with any other winner.’
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And that’s the thing, isn’t it, ‘fairness’?
What SDM did not understand.
What the SFA still do not understand.
What a substantial element of those who supported RFC(IL) still do not understand.
What a substantial element of the supporters of the two- year- old TRFC also still do not understand.
And what the blinkered, succulent lamb beknighted hacks of the SMSM have had absolutely no notion of!
Fairness. Sporting Integrity. Personal integrity as sportsmen, sports administrators, sports journalists, sports businessmen..
Whatever about the evolution of the eye and creationism 🙂 , we all, all! KNOW that there IS such a thing, universally recognised as much by the earliest people in Australia 40 000 years ago as by my wee 3 and 4 year old grandchildren in the same Australia today, as FAIRNESS in competition!
RFC let us down badly. Calculatedly and cynically, SDM pissed on the idea of sport.That was bad.
The SFA lost the plot in panic ( and, some would say, in partisan solidarity with the baddies) and allowed themselves to be pissed upon.. And that was, is, unforgiveable.
The SMSM? Contemptible, being as avid in their swallowing of the PR crap fed to them as they had been in prostituting themselves to the man who fed them the succulent lamb.
Let’s get these destroyers of sporting ideals removed.
And THEN we can all ‘ move on, going forward’.
Are we really gonna have the surprised and outraged “bile and sectarian chanting” debate EVERY time Rangers are on the telly?
No more please. Let’s agree that it is a bad thing and move on.
TSFM says:
April 13, 2014 at 3:36 am
Are we really gonna have the surprised and outraged “bile and sectarian chanting” debate EVERY time Rangers are on the telly?
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In terms of the blog I can see where you’re coming from. My only comment is why is anyone actually surprised about it!
[]
BTW Have I missed something? A team with the 2nd biggest budget in Scottish football (by some distance over 3rd) manage to be convincingly beaten by their comparatively-poverty-stricken , much more youthful, inexperienced opponents, despite everything seemingly weighted in their favour, and yet it’s somehow a moral victory?!?
Just when the fans thought they’d seen the worst of it, they now have a media that used to aggrandise them now treating them as lower league, ‘have a go heroes’.
John Clark says:
April 13, 2014 at 1:01 am
13 0 Rate This
Stuart and Tam had a nice wee swipe at the MSM …
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Just having an early morning listen to yesterday’s lunchtime OtB via listen again (thank you BBC Scotland for making this work on Apple devices) and they also mention the selective media amnesia as to who actually won the Ramsdens Cup — since it’s all been about which team lost 🙂
Noticeable funereal atmosphere on SSB, although some very interesting calls. A bit of a Solomon’s dilemma facing many of the Ibrox faithful.
Good luck to the Dons and Saintees. Which team is the neutrals’ favourite today? I suppose if it’s a choice between ‘Sheepsh*****s’ and ‘Saints’ it’s a no contest 😀
Yesterdays game was competitive, and competitive games are usually a good watch. There wasn’t much quality, what there was I thought came from United, who were below their normal standards.
Rangers seem to me to be without a single player who has the quality to be part of a top flight title challneging team. The defence was dreadul, the midfield grafted and put themselves about but showed precious little quality. Daly & Shiels were awful up front.
The game was competitive in my view because Rangers put in a shift, and because the referee allowed them a latitude at times that took the breath away. For the avoidance of doubt, i don’t go along with the theory that referees set out to assist Rangers. I have seen instances where the performance has been so one sided the only conclusion that coild reasonably be drawn is bias. McCurry against Dundee Utd under Levein was a classic example, Dougie McDonald in a couple of games against Celtic.
The entire season when Mowbray was Celtic manager was littered with decisions that were so one sided in Rangers favour it was outrageous. The stakes that season were such that if Rangers did not get the automatic place in the CL , the lights may have gone out before Craig Whyte turned up to take the blame and so that Murray’s poodles in the media could point the finger away from him.
I also accept , that Celtic have had some questionable decisions in their favour, but then so have all clubs. The point of this wander into refereeing history is that yesterday Madden seemed to me to give everything to Rangers. His refusal to protect United players by booking or sending off Rangers players was obvious. The only chance Rangers had yesterday was if United were bullied out of their normal game, and that would only happen if there was no fear of appropriate punishment . Madden’s one eyed performance yesterday provided Rangers with the opportunity , their lack of quality then blew that opportunity.
It is a worry though that United had to endure such a refereeing performance. Scottish Football is going to be in a very bad place if we see a return to the refereeing standards of 2009-10 just because Rangers survival depends on them winning trophies their lack of talent would otherwise deprive them of.
briggsbhoy says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:54 pm
I thought Mr Gosling had a great post earlier today, what is the best way forward for the decent Rangers fan ?. Not an easy answer.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Yes it is
Start a new club with non sectarian baggage and gain not only the respect of other fans but possibly some new fans as well
TSFM apologies I did not realise there was a comment moderation thread.
Barcabhoy says:
April 13, 2014 at 8:25 am
It is a worry though that United had to endure such a refereeing performance. Scottish Football is going to be in a very bad place if we see a return to the refereeing standards of 2009-10 just because Rangers survival depends on them winning trophies their lack of talent would otherwise deprive them of.
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TSFM will probably ditch this debate later but I’ll get in while I can.
The Referee’s performance yesterday was utterly atrocious. There is no other word I can use for it. The moment he elected not even to book Foster for going right through the back of a Utd player meant it was open season. It appeared to me that Rangers got many fouls from outfield situations that Utd were denied for similar incidents. This of course gave Rangers the chance to throw balls into the box and play to what is perceived to be a strength. The decision not to award Utd a penalty was incredible.
In general it is a worry for me what it will be like when Rangers eventually reach the top league. Never mind challenging Celtic, they may struggle as it stands to compete with Dundee Utd and Aberdeen. The Tony Mowbray season at Celtic is an incredible example of decision after decision that ultimately benefited Rangers. Celtic were poor under Mowbray as well of course, but his cause was severely hampered by match officials that season, for whatever reason.
Going back to the Referee yesterday, many people forecast in advance exactly what did happen, would happen. The game was nothing other than a home cup tie for Rangers with a very healthy visiting support. I think Dundee Utd deserve real credit for winning given all they were up against. I still can’t get my head round the notion Rangers played well. Such an error strewn performance, especially at the back and up front, can never constitute playing well, or be viewed as bad luck.
Perhaps those of us who are content with the way they are under McCoist should be grateful for the lavish praise being dished out!
TSFM says:
April 13, 2014 at 3:36 am
Are we really gonna have the surprised and outraged “bile and sectarian chanting” debate EVERY time Rangers are on the telly? No more please. Let’s agree that it is a bad thing and move on.
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I think you might be missing an important aspect here TSFM but perhaps I misunderstand what you ae saying.
I certainly am never surprised about the bile and bigotry spewed by a fairly large section of the Rangers support on numeous occasions.
However I believe these events must be recorded and noted otherwise the deniers start to claim it never happened. I also believe it’s essential to demand on each occasion what action the SFA intend to take.
You have to remember that the SMSM tactic is to ignore and not report these incidences and thus lend support to the deniability case and, as i mentioned above, I believe we must record our abhorrence at the continuing sectarian poison in a supposedly modern Scotland.
Obviously my feelings are exactly the same with any other support who express similarly offensive views so every football fan has a duty to look at their fellow supporters and ensure they aren’t offending.
This blight on Scottish Football cannot just be swept under the carpet by the SFA & SMSM and we must ensure it isn’t.
Barcabhoy says:
April 13, 2014 at 8:25 am
8 0 Rate This
‘…For the avoidance of doubt, i don’t go along with the theory that referees set out to assist Rangers.’
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And the rest of your post certainly confirms that statement 🙂
helpmaboab says:
April 13, 2014 at 8:49 am
Can I endorse helpmaboab’s comment here? I was intending writing something similar.
In my opinion Brenda’s posts, and the ensuing comments, were not so much about the chanting itself (it’s already a part of Scotland’s rich tapestry, after all) as they were about the implementation of the rules (and in this case, the law of the land), by the compliance officer, on matters which should come under his jurisdiction. This particularly in light of his continued failure to investigate any such instances when carried out by the club, and it’s fans, he no doubt still considers to be Rangers.
Yes, the sectarian chanting of TRFC fans has been done to death, and so has become a pointless exercise to raise it here; but if we stop drawing the attention of the world (we are as close as it’s going to get to doing so) to all continuing instances of inaction by those charged with governing our sport, just because we’ve done so repeatedly, why are we here?
If we all hold our breath until we read about it in the mainstream press…well, we won’t be here to write about it again, will we?
GoosyGoosy says:
April 13, 2014 at 8:46 am
briggsbhoy says:
April 12, 2014 at 10:54 pm
I thought Mr Gosling had a great post earlier today, what is the best way forward for the decent Rangers fan ?. Not an easy answer.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Yes it is Start a new club with non sectarian baggage and gain not only the respect of other fans but possibly some new fans as well
====================
I agree with your answer but I don’t believe it would be easy to achieve and, indeed, IMO it would be harder now than it was two years ago.
It still can be done although – and this is the crunch – it cannot be done by remaining at Ibrox. I don’t think there’s any need to rehearse the financial arguments yet again for walking away from Ibrox.
But I don’t think the Bears are ready yet to leave Ibrox and it could be a couple of years before their mindset changes enough to accept the financial realities. The problem is that the Bears are still dreaming of another ‘Saviour’ and tbh I can fully understand their position even if it isn’t very crdible.
Of course we still don’t know the Masterplan of all those who own and control Rangers and we don’t even know the identity of many so it’s hard to make any truly informed judgements as to what lies in store.
In some ways the civil war, which has broken-out in the Rangers support, suits those plotting behind the scenes who might be more interested in money than football as they don’t have a United Front to deal with so the tried and trusted divide and conquer routine will be used to the full.
I also believe it’s essential to demand on each occasion what action the SFA intend to take.
and the answer is – none.
Just home from a nightshift. Young master Fara arrived home just behind me following a hard night out doing whatever students do nowadays at the weekend. Mrs Fara has mascara all over her pillow and a glass of irn bru by her bedside so I’m assuming she has also had a good Saturday night. Anyhoos today is the start of my four days off and I have great plans to get the allotment started off for the growing season. Which has got me thinking. Did Charles with the big hands not once say that he would plant potatoes at Ibrox if it would make him money? Or was that at his time at Sheffield? The reason I’m thinking of this is because over the last few days I have been occupied with the thought of what the RIFC shareholders will do with the assets to make money if the fans don’t give it to them via season books. I really would not be surprised if the big shareholders called it a day for TRFC and blame the fans lack of financial support as the reason for doing so. Something along the lines of, “we told you not to listen to Dave King but now that you have we have no option but to pull the plug on the loss making TRFC and protect our shareholders by doing x, y or z with Ibrox, auchenhowie etc. I could see no possible way back for any form of rangers if this where to happen. Regardless of how many willing people who run our game there are.
What I would like to ask is this. Is there any way that the major shareholders in RIFC can alienate the Joe Punter shareholder or dilute their shareholding to an irrelevance in this sort of process?
If Charles wanted to grow potatoes at Ibrox and if he was still involved at Ibrox, (no laughing please) would Dave King not be giving him the perfect excuse to do so.
Seems incredible, but a new sponsor for the The Rangers. Joining the likes of Crawley Town and Newport Country. Seems a bit of a gamble by 32Red, though. Will there be a club to sponsor?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2603545/Rangers-boost-coffers-signing-shirt-deal-online-casino-32Red.html
Back to crime, corruption and scandal this morning and the hope that one day it will all be put right.
But have to say, I slept like a baby last night! Anyone else share my sense of relief?
A couple of posts, regarding last night’s Sportscene, on jamboskickback brought one big smile, and one wry smile, to my face. One poster wrote that Billy Dods commented about the possibility Ciftci was offside at the opening goal with this extremely true and enlightening comment:
“I don’t think there’s anything the referee can do to give Rangers a free-kick there”. 😀
The other merely pointed out that the ‘through the man’ tackle by Foster wasn’t shown. 😐 (only smiley I could find to represent a wry smile)
I always thought that referees could be swayed by a number of things. The huge crowds at Celtic park and Ibrox being one of the things that make it easier to overlook some things that you would hear a whistle for when a different team did the same thing.
Another reason I used to think had an impact was that Rangers and Celtic were presumed to be the better team in the referees mind. 50-50 challenges that he didn’t quite see would be refereed from a viewpoint that the more talented player should win the ball and any other outcome probably meant a foul had occurred. That’s not bias, it’s a flaw that the poor standard of training they receive has failed to correct.
Yesterday blew that theory out of the water. The team with more skill and ability was not Rangers and the style of refereeing changed. Imagine a team from the old club meeting a third division team who elected to try and stay competitive with them through a game by outmuscling them. Souness, Smith, Advocaat etc would have gone NUTS. The ref and the other team would be all over the back pages today as endangering the careers of Rangers players.
I was half hoping to see Utd get some decisions based on their superior skill yesterday, just to show that the big club decisions disease in Scotland isn’t entirely a deliberate creation. I was wholly disappointed.
TSFM, Offensive chanting.
I disagree but take your point. As Eco et al says, we know it will be offensive but we want the authorities to be consistent. Not too much to ask.
RM has a poster who has it on good authority that if A McC didn’t win yesterday, he was assured of his p45 tomorrow. Can they afford it? We await with baited breath.
DANISH PASTRY says:
April 13, 2014 at 9:48 am
0 0 Rate This
Seems incredible, but a new sponsor for the The Rangers.
Joining the likes of Crawley Town and Newport Country.
Seems a bit of a gamble by 32Red, though. Will there be
a club to sponsor?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/
article-2603545/Rangers-boost-coffers-signing-shirt-
deal-online-casino-32Red.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A multi-year, multi-million pound deal no less!
Is that Keith ‘wealth off the radar’ Jackson-style wording? Will we discover that it is really nothing of the sort?
Danish Pastry says:
April 13, 2014 at 9:48 am
Hmm, TRFC and gambling, now there’s an interesting tie-up. 32 Red… and five to one Black, anyone?