Rangers Monthly: Issue 1, July 2011 by Gareth Neil Design

FIRST ISSUE OF THE FANTASTIC NEW 96-PAGE MONTHLY

The Official Monthly Maga zine

JULY 2011

the

NEW ERA £500 oF THOMAS COOK VOUCHERS TO BE WON

July 2011 Issue 1 £3.75

McCoist ready for challenge of manAging the club he loves

Whyte - Smith - Russell - Lafferty - Spencer - 10 Years of Murray Park

Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD Tel: 0871 702 1972 Fax: 0870 600 1978

July 2011 Issue 1

Rangers Football Club chairman Craig Whyte CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Ali Russell DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL Gordon Smith non-executive directorS Phil Betts, John Greig MBE, Dave King, John McClelland COMPANY SECRETARY Gary Withey manager Ally McCoist MBE assistant manager Kenny McDowall

Rangers worldwide ALLIANCE 0141 580 8670 EMAIL jhannah@rangers.co.uk

first team coach Ian Durrant doctor Paul Jackson PHYSIOTHERAPIST Philip Yeates GOALKEEPING COACH Jim Stewart Head of SportS Science Adam Owen Masseur Davie Lavery KIT CONTROLLER Jimmy Bell VIDEO ANALYSIS Steve Harvey

Rangers ASSEMBLY President Andy Kerr EMAIL assembly@thebluenose. co.uk ASSEMBLY WEB SITE www.thebluenose.co.uk

Media Team Editor in chief Lindsay Herron PUBLICATIONS EDITOR Andrew Dickson PROGRAMME EDITOR Neil Smith ONLINE EDITOR David Melvin Photography Kirk O’Rourke, Aileen Wilson MARKETING EXECUTIVE Natalie Houston ADVERTISING 0141 580 8665 SUBSCRIPTIONS 0871 702 1972 Option 7

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The views in this magazine are not necessarily the views of Rangers Football Club. All material is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the written permission of Rangers Football Club. The appearance of an advert within this publication does not necessarily mean that the goods/ services advertised are associated with or endorsed by Rangers Football Club. All facts and information accurate at time of going to press.

Published by The Rangers Football Club plc DESIGN Gareth@GND E: info@weareGND.com

Printed by J. Thomson Colour Printers Tel: 0141 429 1094

ELCOME to the first issue of the new Rangers Monthly magazine which we hope will take you to the very heart of the club. It’s a new era for Rangers on and off the field with the installation of Ally McCoist as manager and, of course, the new ownership of Craig Whyte, who completed his takeover just nine days before the remarkable SPL title win of last season. There are many new initiatives and plans and in keeping with that we felt the time was right to launch a new glossy, action-packed monthly magazine to enhance the media operation. The launch of the Rangers Monthly means the end of the weekly Rangers News magazine which has been a welcome companion for nearly 40 years. The sports media landscape has changed and we want to move in a new, dynamic direction. We will endeavour to produce an in-depth read with a string of regular features and the best exclusives

from inside Rangers – with exclusive photography. Of course, in Issue 1 we have an exclusive interview with new boss McCoist who gives the lowdown on his plans for the future. We analyse the new era at Ibrox with exclusive interviews with new owner Whyte, Chief Operating Officer Ali Russell and Director of Football Gordon Smith. We look back at 10 years of Murray Park and we start a new feature which is an absolute must for supporters Pro Zone. In this section we have fantastic content from Head of Sports Science Adam Owen, Physiotherapist Pip Yeates, Reserve Coach Tommy Wilson and Head Chef Paul Lafferty when you can learn to train, play and eat like a player. We also look ahead to a busy spell of friendly matches – including the glamour clash with Chelsea on August 6 and John Spencer talks to us fondly about his time with both clubs. We’ve got the big SPL kick-off feature and next month we will launch our exciting new fans’ section The Enclosure. Hope you enjoy reading! Lindsay Herron Editor in Chief, Rangers Media

HONOURS EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS’ CUP Winners 1972, Runners-up 1961, 1967 UEFA CUP Runners-up 2008 SCOTTISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

1891, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1989, 1990,

1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011 SCOTTISH CUP WINNERS 1894, 1897, 1898, 1903, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1960,

1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009 SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP WINNERS 1946/47, 1948/49, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65,

1970/71, 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/11 3

Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD Tel: 0871 702 1972 Fax: 0870 600 1978

July 2011 Issue 1

Rangers worldwide ALLIANCE 0141 580 8670 EMAIL jhannah@rangers.co.uk

Rangers ASSEMBLY President Andy Kerr EMAIL assembly@thebluenose. co.uk ASSEMBLY WEB SITE www.thebluenose.co.uk

Email editor@rangers.co.uk Tel 0141 580 8500

Published by The Rangers Football Club plc DESIGN Gareth@GND E: info@weareGND.com

Printed by J. Thomson Colour Printers Tel: 0141 429 1094

HONOURS EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS’ CUP Winners 1972, Runners-up 1961, 1967 UEFA CUP Runners-up 2008 SCOTTISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011 SCOTTISH CUP WINNERS 1894, 1897, 1898, 1903, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1960,

1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009 SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP WINNERS 1946/47, 1948/49, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65,

1970/71, 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/11 3

contents FEATURES 10 Ally McCoist Rangers’ 13th manager settles into life at the helm after replacing Walter Smith and maps out his vision for the future with the champions

20 Kyle Lafferty Having ended last season on a glorious high at Kilmarnock, the Northern Ireland striker wants to keep on scoring when the new term begins

26 The New Era With a new regime in power at Ibrox, we

p20

speak exclusively to the men paving the way ahead – Craig Whyte, Gordon Smith and Ali Russell

34 Kirk Broadfoot Sidelined since November with foot problems, the defender believes the club’s German tour

Regulars

can provide the turning point he craves

40 Andrew Little

08 Newsdesk 51 Blue Belles 60 RangersTV.tv 61 Rangers Lotto 70 Charity 78 FITC 92 Tickets

Another player battling back from a long-term injury, the utility man is preparing to get back to action once more on familiar territory

44 James Beattie Former England striker gives us the lowdown on friendly opponents Blackpool after spending time on loan there last season as he looks to kick-start his Gers career

52 10 Years of Murray Park

Also

A decade on from its official opening in 2001, we reflect on how the club’s training ground changed the way Rangers’ players work for good

p34

62 Pro Zone Our extensive guide to working like a pro, complete with training tips, dietary advice, tactical breakdowns and injury explanations

72 SPL Preview RangersTV.tv commentator Tom Miller tells us who’s hot and who’s not ahead of the new league championship campaign

82 John Spencer The man in charge of MLS side Portland Timbers discusses life across the pond ahead of the friendly between two of his old clubs, Gers and Chelsea

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20 The Front Post 24 Up The Ben 38 Euro Draw Preview 48 2011/12 Fixtures Guide 80 Pre-season Pic Special 90 Farewell Rangers News 94 The Back Post

Rangers Follow With Pride campaign promotes sporting behaviour and friendship throughout football. It is important every fan believes they are an ambassador for the Club and protects and enhances Rangers reputation. We’re all proud of Rangers and we Follow With Pride. “Regulations introduced by the SFA and SPL for all domestic matches mean that ‘unacceptable conduct’ by supporters, including racism and sectarianism, will lead to clubs being penalised. Sanctions, including fines and points deductions, are now in place at all matches. If you witness any form of unacceptable behaviour, please advise a steward or police officer or call 0871 702 1972. Alternatively, text ‘RFC’ and then the match and date, details of the unacceptable behaviour you experienced, and location including stand, area, row and seat number where possible to 66099. The Club will not tolerate any form of unacceptable behaviour and will continue to take action including bans where necessary.” 5

contents FEATURES 10 Ally McCoist Rangers’ 13th manager settles into life at the helm after replacing Walter Smith and maps out his vision for the future with the champions

20 Kyle Lafferty Having ended last season on a glorious high at Kilmarnock, the Northern Ireland striker wants to keep on scoring when the new term begins

26 The New Era With a new regime in power at Ibrox, we

p20

speak exclusively to the men paving the way ahead – Craig Whyte, Gordon Smith and Ali Russell

34 Kirk Broadfoot Sidelined since November with foot problems, the defender believes the club’s German tour

Regulars

can provide the turning point he craves

40 Andrew Little

08 Newsdesk 51 Blue Belles 60 RangersTV.tv 61 Rangers Lotto 70 Charity 78 FITC 92 Tickets

Another player battling back from a long-term injury, the utility man is preparing to get back to action once more on familiar territory

44 James Beattie Former England striker gives us the lowdown on friendly opponents Blackpool after spending time on loan there last season as he looks to kick-start his Gers career

52 10 Years of Murray Park

Also

A decade on from its official opening in 2001, we reflect on how the club’s training ground changed the way Rangers’ players work for good

p34

62 Pro Zone Our extensive guide to working like a pro, complete with training tips, dietary advice, tactical breakdowns and injury explanations

72 SPL Preview RangersTV.tv commentator Tom Miller tells us who’s hot and who’s not ahead of the new league championship campaign

82 John Spencer The man in charge of MLS side Portland Timbers discusses life across the pond ahead of the friendly between two of his old clubs, Gers and Chelsea

p10

20 The Front Post 24 Up The Ben 38 Euro Draw Preview 48 2011/12 Fixtures Guide 80 Pre-season Pic Special 90 Farewell Rangers News 94 The Back Post

FREEZEFRAME

IN THE RUNNING PREPARATIONS for the new season are now well underway at Rangers, with Ally McCoist’s players returning to Murray Park from their summer breaks at the end of last month. This picture shows the SPL champions limbering up at Auchenhowie before they flew out to Germany for their pre-season tour and you can see more exclusive photos of them training on pages 78-79. Photography: Kirk O’Rourke

FREEZEFRAME

newsdesk Ortiz eager to work with McCoist

“I am very pleased to be here and this is a fantastic move for me.” 8

I’m Eur man Juan Manuel says chance to play in Champions League led him to Gers JUAN MANUEL ORTIZ admits getting the opportunity to play European football for the first time in his career convinced him to join Rangers. The Spanish right midfielder, 29, also cited the club’s fantastic facilities at Ibrox and Murray Park as major factors in persuading him to sign a three-year deal with the SPL champions. Ortiz flew in from his homeland for contract talks and a medical with Gers on Monday afternoon with his British agent Bill McMurdo then put pen to paper within 24 hours. As such, he became Ally McCoist’s first signing as manager after he replaced Walter Smith in the summer. The pacy ex-Atletico Madrid, Osasuna and Almeria star was recruited at the start of a week which also saw Allan McGregor and Steven Whittaker sign long-term deals with the club. And his excitement at participating in the Champions League qualifiers, which start for the Scottish title holders on July 26 or 27, was clear.

Ortiz, who can also play as a full back and almost moved to Rangers two years ago, said: “I am very pleased to be here and this is a fantastic move for me. “I have seen the team playing in the Champions League. I know how they can compete at that level and that they treat every game as a final. “For me, that is exciting. I have never played in a European competition before so to have the chance to play at that level would be great.

“It is one of the reasons I came here, along with the excellent training ground and stadium. They really impressed me and I am very motivated to do well here. “I nearly moved to Rangers in 2009 so I have watched them a lot on television since then and they have always impressed me. This is an exciting opportunity for me. “I have obviously not worked with Ally McCoist before but I know all about him and I am looking forward to being part of his squad.”

19s get ready for action RANGERS will warm up for the 2011/12 under19 season with several friendly games against opposition from across Britain. This month Billy Kirkwood’s new-look side will test their fitness levels against Falkirk at Murray Park on Tuesday, July 12 and the club’s young guns are in action again on the 16th when Penicuik Athletic are the hosts. On the 23rd the 19s then face Cumbernauld United at Guy’s Meadow before Sunderland travel to Auchenhowie on the 30th, kick-off 1pm, for the first of two bounce matches against Premiership challengers. Blackburn Rovers will also be in action at Murray Park on August 6, just seven days before the new SPL campaign gets under way, but before that the Light Blues will pay a visit to Raploch Park in Larkhall on July 26 for a friendly against Royal Albert, kick-off 7pm. Don’t forget a lot of the under-19 players will also feature for Tommy Wilson’s Reserves in forthcoming

Have fun in the sun on us

For club and country

£500 of Thomas Cook vouchers to be won!

Healy hopes to get back in NI squad after clinching Gers deal DAVID HEALY hopes that by signing a new one-year deal with Rangers he can force his way back in to Nigel Worthington’s plans at international level. Northern Ireland’s record scorer with 35 goals was omitted for recent Carling Nations Cup games against the Republic of Ireland and Wales in May and Worthington even urged Healy to move away from Ibrox in a bid to gain regular first-team football. Having made eight appearances for the Light Blues in 2011/12 and bagged one goal in a 6-0 win over Motherwell the former Fulham and Sunderland hitman is desperate for more action in 2011/12 and still has a burning desire to play for his country. “Of course that’s what I want but to do first and foremost I’m looking to do well at Rangers and that is why I’ve signed here for another year,” he said passionately. “People always say that if you are doing it at club level you will get your chance with the international team you play for. “So I’m no different, if I’m doing well here and I’m fit, strong and scoring goals I don’t see why I shouldn’t be back in the team.

“It’s something that I’ve always prided myself on, playing for my country, and something I’ve always loved doing. “Hopefully I will get the opportunity to do that again.” Despite not featuring as much as much as he would have liked last season Healy admits that he could not knock back the chance to work with Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall again and trying to help his beloved Gers win a fourth consecutive SPL title. He added: “I’m really looking forward to working with Ally and Kenny. “I met Kenny when I was on holiday over in Florida and I had a game of golf with him. “It was very enjoyable apart from losing because he had a dodgy high handicap! “But it was good to catch up with him and Ally, Kenny and Durranty have been a big part of this club over the past four years. “Obviously the Gaffer, Walter, has gone but new people step in and the expectation is still there for a club of this size. “I know that and all the players know what we need to do.”

weeks and the club’s second string have a busy schedule of games lined up, starting with two testimonials. The first is for Stirling Albion’s Peter McKenzie at Forthbank Stadium on July 12, kick-off 7.45pm, and the second is on the 17th for Shotts Bon Accord midfielder John Boyack at Hannah Park. On Sunday July 24 fans will get another chance to see the club’s rising stars in action against Cambuslang Rangers at the annual Garry Lynch Memorial Tournament before Bulgaria’s under19s take on Rangers Reserves at Murray Park on Saturday, July 30 at 3pm. *Please note all kick-off times above are 2pm unless stated otherwise.

THERE is nothing like getting away for a sunshine holiday and the Rangers Monthly is here to help! We’ve teamed up with Rangers official travel partners Thomas Cook to help five lucky readers save on their summer break. We’ve got £500 worth of vouchers from our travel partner and we’re giving them away free in an easy to enter competition. Top prize is £250, second place gets £100 and there are three prizes of £50. In keeping with the holiday theme, all you have to do is send us a holiday snap of you in your Rangers shirt. That’s right! Just send us the best picture Terms and Conditions The closing date for the competition is Monday 1 August. The best pictures will be chosen by the Rangers magazine editor. The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Voucher is valid indefinitely. The voucher can be used as full or part payment for any

you have in Rangers gear from a previous trip and we will choose the best ones. You can email your picture to editor@ rangers.co.uk. Please type “Thomas Cook competition” in the subject line and remember to include your name, address and a daytime phone number. You can also post your entries to: Thomas Cook Competition, Rangers Monthly, Media Department, Rangers Football Club, Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow G51 2XD. We will draw the winners on August 1 and we will publish them in the August issue of the mag. You can use your vouchers towards any Thomas Cook product whether it is online or in-store and, of course, there are thousands of holidays to choose from. Don’t worry if you don’t win – you could find the ideal trip at www.thomascook.com.

travel product but is not exchangeable for cash, travellers cheques or foreign currency in any format. The voucher can be redeemed in any Thomas Cook or Going Places store, through Thomas Cook or Airtours Direct, against Direct Holidays or via thomascook.com. Remember to keep voucher in a safe place as it cannot be replaced if lost.

newsdesk Ortiz eager to work with McCoist

“I am very pleased to be here and this is a fantastic move for me.” 8

Have fun in the sun on us

For club and country

£500 of Thomas Cook vouchers to be won!

This is my time After serving his apprenticeship as a Rangers fan, player and coach, Ally McCoist is ready to take on the job he was born to do - and insists winning is the only thing on his mind

S a man who netted 355 goals for the club, more than any other has managed to date, few people relished scoring for Rangers as much as Ally McCoist. His 15 years as an Ibrox player were an unbridled success, with the striker claiming 10 championships, nine League Cups and a Scottish Cup between 1983 and 1998. Much of that glory was largely - if not solely - down to him and at his peak, he made scoring upwards of 35 times a season look all too easy. Indeed, while final totals of 38, 42 and 39 in campaigns that ended in 1987, 1988 and 1992 were impressive, his phenomenal haul of 49 in 1992/93 was on a whole new level. With a new era dawning in Govan and McCoist at the helm as the Light Blues’

Nevertheless, there is a feeling amongst a section of the support that McCoist’s appointment will lead to a more open, expansive style of play than before. Realists will counter that train of thought with an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ retort and it is they who are more likely to be heartened by some of the 48-year-old’s first words as boss. McCoist the player would undoubtedly have been gung-ho in his approach. McCoist the manager’s outlook is more balanced and that means more of the same can be expected. “My natural instinct, above anything else, is to win,” he said, relaxing back into a chair in the press room at the reigning champions’ Murray Park training ground with conviction. “As manager, it’s up to me to see what the best way of going about doing that is

“My natural instinct, above anything else, is to win” new manager, such statistics will whet appetites of Gers fans who anticipate his team will play as ruthlessly. The complaint of some (and one wonders why upon considering how much silverware was garnered in his tenure) was that old coach Walter Smith’s team was too defensive too often. A look over goals returns in the last few years shows how unjust a judgement that is. Rangers, after all, have been leading scorers in the SPL for three of the last four seasons. Let’s not forget too that they go into the new term seeking their fourth consecutive Scottish crown, on the back of eight major trophies since March 2008.

for us and that’s the main thing we are bothered about. “If it takes setting up a defensive team or a more attack-minded side to get a victory, so be it. We will do whatever works best for us to get results. “There’s no doubt my outlook and approach has changed over the years from when I was a player. It’s a completely different entity. “As a striker, you just want someone to get the ball in the box for you so that you can score goals and that’s it. Dare I say it, in that situation you aren’t too interested in defending. “Now, as manager, I’ve got a responsibility to look at every aspect of the

Exclusive Andrew Dickson

This is my time After serving his apprenticeship as a Rangers fan, player and coach, Ally McCoist is ready to take on the job he was born to do - and insists winning is the only thing on his mind

Exclusive Andrew Dickson

team and how our guys at the back work is one of the biggest parts of that, if not the biggest.” McCoist’s desire for continuity in the aftermath of Smith’s triumphant departure in May doesn’t come as a big surprise if you read between the lines. He has spent the last six and a half years working beside the veteran, firstly with Scotland then Rangers after they swapped Hampden for home in January 2007. In doing so, he has been won over by the ways of a man who cut his ties once and for all with the Light Blues two months ago in the only way he could, leaving them as champions. McCoist, having learned well from his mentor, has long been in the running to replace him and has duly been primed for some time to become the club’s 13th manager. What he does now as boss, in all honesty, is nothing new. Smith gradually sank into a back seat last season to allow his successor to step very gradually into the role he now occupies. That’s something McCoist, Kenny McDowall – the man who takes his old position as assistant manager – and first-team coach Ian Durrant all have appreciation for. And now, as the trio look to kick on and make their mark once again, the former feels that softer introduction to what lies ahead can only be of benefit. “The transition from my previous post as assistant to my new one hasn’t been

as hard to deal with as it might have been and I can only thank Walter for that,” McCoist added. “He was great in the respect he allowed me to take the team for cup games and I’ve had a very hands-on role in training along with Kenny and Ian. “I’ve done a lot of media things too and that has made the change a lot easier. I’m well enough briefed on what is expected and I’ve taken a lot in over the last few months. “Walter was clever enough to break me in gently so that I’m not straight in at the deep end and I appreciate that. Hopefully I’ve learned enough from him to take the club forward again. “I certainly don’t look upon myself as a rookie manager but I appreciate with this being my first job

and what is expected here. Hopefully our staff can produce what people look for from us. “Time will tell if that happens but that is certainly our aim. I would like to think I can show I’ll be a rookie manager in name only.” McCoist had his inaugural Rangers Monthly interview on the senior squad’s first full day of pre-season and talked throughout with the natural enthusiasm and charm he is famed for. Earlier that afternoon, he had met the broadcast and print media for his debut press conferences as manager and handled both as though he had been in charge for years. Speaking with equal measures of dignity and wit, his response of ‘can you do me a deal?’ to a question about a need for antiaging cream because of his new job drew raucous laughter. McCoist has never been without his sense of humour and it doesn’t seem as though he’ll be abandoning it any time soon if the first pictures of him taking training are anything to go by. If anything, in fact, his sustained ability to look upon things positively – “I’m a glass half-full kind of guy” – should stand him in good stead if the going gets tough. But anyone who takes his light-hearted attitude to life certainly shouldn’t mistake it for a sign he doesn’t take his task seriously enough. Ask someone to paint a picture of McCoist and they will probably give a portrayal of the funfilled,

in charge somewhere that some might. “I was at the club for 15 years as a player and I’ve worked under Walter for the last six and a half years, four and a half of them here at Rangers. “In that sense, I think I know the club well enough 13

exuberant character who was a team captain on ‘A Question of Sport’ for 11 years. Quiz the players who will be working for him over the next few months and they’ll reassure you he’s a far harder character than that whose intense will to win rubs off on others. McCoist said: “The only people that matter on that front are those within the club, the ones I am trying to get the best out of. “I think the vast majority of people here, and certainly everyone on the playing staff, the coaching staff and everyone within Murray Park and Ibrox, knows what I’m like.

“Yes, I’m like the next man and I enjoy a smile and a good giggle but you’ve got to get the work done too. That is the most important thing. “You can have a laugh and I think that’s important because it creates a good environment to work in and it certainly helps you. “The biggest thing though is that we’re here to do a job and to do it to the best of our abilities. I can guarantee we will do that.” One issue McCoist certainly takes seriously is his bid to find new talent for his squad, which at present is thinner than it was when it won the league against the odds on May 15. His early moves in the market didn’t end well, with Tomer

Hemed, Craig Conway and Neil Danns all deciding their futures lay elsewhere despite entering discussions with Rangers. Regardless, with the best part of two months still remaining before the summer transfer window closes, he remains hugely hopeful of snaring the men he needs. Cases such as that of Nikica Jelavic, a man the Light Blues pursued for much of last summer, will do plenty to fuel confidence in that respect. McCoist added: “Both Craig (Whyte, Rangers’ chairman) and I know what is expected and we both know players need to be brought in. “We will do that in our own time. There is no immediate rush and no panic. Yes, we need to get a few bodies in to bolster the squad and that will happen. “The transfer window runs until the end of August and I can reassure fans that we’ve got a list of players we’ve an interest in which is very long indeed. “Some are higher priorities than others and that will always be the situation, while there will be disappointments along the way too. “Nobody has said it won’t be a bumpy ride but we have got ourselves well strapped in and the important thing is we are on top of things. “We’ve had good meetings with Gordon Smith, Kenny and Ian, as well as Neil Murray and John Brown in the scouting department, and we’re on the case and still optimistic. “There is still plenty of scope to do business, although it’s our intention to be ready to play on July 23. That’s when our first competitive game is and we need to be prepared for it.” While he has only taken on full managerial responsibilities now, McCoist was named as the next man in charge in February. As such, he has been behind the preseason schedule which is now underway and starts with games in Germany against Sportfreunde Lotte, VFL Bochum and Bayer Leverkusen. Further trips to Linfield and Blackpool will follow before the SPL starts at home to Hearts, with an Ibrox friendly against Chelsea to look forward to next month too. That last game stands out most for him, as it will bring him face to face with an old friend as they both cut their teeth in new roles. McCoist smiled: “We’re thrilled with the pre-season schedule we’ve got. We’re going back to Germany and that’s a country we know very well. “Our games there are against good opposition and the matches against Linfield and Blackpool will get us prepared properly too. 15

“The game with Linfield will be good in the sense that that’s the standard of team we will be coming up against in Europe and they will give us a taste for that. “Further down the line, the friendly with Chelsea at Ibrox will be a fantastic test and it is one I’m particularly looking forward to. “I know their new manager Andre VillasBoas very well as we both went through our UEFA coaching badges together along with Ian at Euro 2008 in Switzerland and Austria. “He is a great character and a lovely guy who has already enjoyed incredible success at such a young age with Porto. “They ran away with their league last season and won the Europa League so Chelsea saw something they like the look of there. “I’m absolutely delighted for him because you like to see the good guys do well and he certainly falls into that category. “He is very shrewd tactically and was one of those who, through speaking to him throughout the course, I had a hunch would be all right and that has certainly been the case so far. “I know Ian has been in contact with Andre since he was appointed so he has passed on our best wishes and I can’t wait

to welcome him and his club to Ibrox.” The Chelsea game aside, Rangers’ other friendlies are designed to build fitness ahead of what is sure to be another challenging league campaign. Starting on July 23 against a Hearts team which pushed for the title at one

stage last time out means McCoist’s men will have to begin strongly if they are to enjoy an opening-day win. As always when you are defending champions, there will be much attention paid to the unfurling of the league flag before play starts. Most will enjoy the occasion – but McCoist will focus only on guiding his team to a result which kicks off the

process that could see them do the same thing 12 months down the line. McCoist said: “I know for a fact I will just want that bit of things over with as quickly as possible so that we can get the game started as that’s the most important thing. “It always has and always will be. Of course, the unfurling of the championship flag is a big thing for the fans and it’s a great sight for them to take in. “But from where I am standing, I’m looking forwards and all I’ll be giving thought to at that point will be the 90 minutes ahead against Hearts and our task to get three points. “Our only target in the league is to retain the championship so on day one, we’ll just be starting the process which hopefully leads to us having another flag to unfurl next year. “The cups are nice and it is always good to do well if you can in Europe but our main aim is always to win the title and we desperately want to do that. “It is going to be a tricky start but having spoken to Kenny and Ian about it, it’s a good start for us and one we’re happy with. “We’ve got a home game against a tough Hearts team which always provides stern opposition whether we are at Tynecastle or Ibrox. “That’s the type of game we need in our opener and the players know in their minds what to expect from that one. “We could have been playing the likes of Dunfermline, who are new to the league and a team we aren’t totally clued up on. “But we are well aware of what to expect from Hearts and while they will make things difficult, we’re actually quite happy to begin with that kind of match.” Immediately after the Jambos clash comes the first of Rangers’ European qualifiers and McCoist is knowledgeable enough to grasp how difficult their opponents will be to beat. The Light Blues will find out on July 15 who they will face as they bid to move a step closer to a third Champions League group phase appearance in a row. Whoever it is, past experience suggests ensuring progression will be awkward, with Zeta, Anorthosis Famagusta and Red Star Belgrade all providing stiff opposition before. More recently, the aggregate loss to FBK Kaunas in Lithuania was a painful lesson of what a minefield the early rounds can be. The riches on offer in the continent’s leading club event are becoming more lucrative each year and for that reason alone, securing a slice of what’s on offer is imperative. “Whoever we end up being paired with, we’ve got to win,” McCoist stressed. “It’s

as simple as that. “We are all aware of the importance of Champions League football for the fans in terms of entertainment and the club in terms of finance. “We know how treacherous it can be at this stage of the competition though, as we found out to our cost three years ago. “We learned a really harsh lesson against Kaunas and it was a really sore defeat to take, especially after the boys had had a fantastic season the campaign before. It was tough. “The only thing we can do is prepare ourselves, concentrate on our own game and make sure we are ready. That is what we will do. “No matter who we get, we will have tough games to play but if we can get the people in we are looking at, we will be confident of going through.” Confidence is something McCoist has never been short of and in keeping with that, he goes into life as the new Rangers manager with a spring in his step. One after another, old team-mates have waxed lyrical in recent years about how they could never have seen the happy-golucky forward they played with going into coaching. That being the case, you can only imagine their opinions had you told them he would eclipse their expectations further and manage the world’s most successful club. McCoist’s career on the other side of the touchline has so far been about proving people wrong in a sense as he has replicated the success he experienced as a player in real style. And even with some rebuilding still to do, he has no reason to believe he can’t follow in Smith’s footsteps by keeping the trophies coming in. “I’m confident,” he said, with total assurance. “I think the spine of our side

have some excellent players at this club and resigning Allan McGregor and Steven Whittaker recently was crucial. “We hope others will stay as well because we need our best players to remain at the club to give us our best chance of staying successful. “Let’s not forget we are the reigning

“I’m confident. I think the spine of our side is very, very good and if we can keep that in place we will have a good chance of winning things again.” is very, very good and if we can keep that in place we will have a good chance of winning things again. “Over the summer, I went to Argentina to look at players and watched a number of matches there. “It only reinforced my belief that we

champions. The boys must have been doing something right last season. “We need to help them now by adding to the group and keeping them on the right track with the right support and we will do that. “Admittedly, you can only be confident to

a certain degree about winning cups and keeping titles but the one thing I have the utmost confidence in is our players. “The vast majority of our group have been over the course and gone the distance before. That stands you in good stead and nothing will surprise them. “They have won the league before, some of them three times, and the target is to go and do that again. “If they can do that with me as manager I will be immensely proud. The seriousness of this job has never been lost on me and never will be, believe me. “I’m very well aware of what the demands are at this football club and I know what the fans want. “From the moment my name was mentioned and there was a possibility of me getting the job, I was determined to get it and it’s a thrill and a privilege to be in the position now. “I suppose in many ways it was a bit surreal at first but I certainly haven’t dwelled on it and I’m ready. “I aim to enjoy being manager and will work very, very hard to achieve what we want to achieve. We are looking for the right results from the word go.” 17

columnist

FRONT Post THE

McCoist will be as ruthless from the touchline as he was in the box

ANDREW DICKSON

T was in the familiar surroundings of Murray Park, midway through last season, Ally McCoist convinced anyone doubting his credentials as a prospective Rangers boss he was fit for purpose. Watching from the balcony overlooking the main training pitch at a bounce game which was taking place, he wasn’t entirely happy with what he saw unfolding before him. Neither, it seemed, was one of the firstteam players who had started the fixture and his obvious feeling was he should have been somewhere other than performing in the match. Cue intervention from the then assistant manager, who in no uncertain terms charged downstairs and two thirds of the way up the touchline to ‘have a word’. Said player, in his wisdom, decided talking back was the best retort and with that, reserve coach Tommy Wilson was politely asked to make his first substitution just 20 minutes in. McCoist is many things but he’s nobody’s fool, nor is he the unrelenting joker he might have been portrayed as in the past. Of course, on his day he’s as jovial, bubbly and fun-filled as the next person, hence why he was such a hero to so many of us when he played for the club himself. Most of us know somebody who got a photo with him – curly hair, dashing grin and all – when he was at the peak of his powers on the park 20 years ago. That unique smile of his is by no means waning – but a more serious side to the man installed as just the 13th manager

in Rangers’ history has undoubtedly emerged. Back in the halcyon days of the Nine in a Row era, it was often said the team which drank together also won together. Maybe so, but if the players who worked for Graeme Souness and Walter Smith were in the pub half as much as it was claimed, there’s no way they’d have enjoyed the success they did. By the same token, if McCoist really was the team jester at the time, he would never have gone on to become the Light Blues’ record scorer with 355 goals. The 48-year-old was a winner as a player and his steely determination, desire and dedication to his craft can lead him to the same levels of success as a manager too. Watching McCoist in action since he took control from Smith has been intriguing and while he hasn’t had as much transfer market success as he’d have liked yet, it will come in time. Such are people’s

demands in the 21st century, the fact every other SPL club made at least one new signing before Gers induced mild panic amongst some Ibrox fans. With almost two months of the transfer window left and Allan McGregor and Steven Whittaker now committed to the club, the manager remains confident and rightly so. Others will agree extended terms too and the incoming faces he and new owner Craig Whyte have promised will arrive to provide reinforcement. While McCoist cites the fact his team are champions as reassurance to the worriers in the meantime, he doesn’t rely on that fact enough that he risks becoming complacent. He knows there is a need to recruit and has shown the sort of drive and patience on that front which I’m sure will lead to positive results. Let’s not forget he has learned so much from Walter Smith, the most iconic and decorated Rangers manager of the modern era, over the last few years. He worked the market to his advantage many a time and having seen how prudent his mentor has had to be in recent years, McCoist will know how to do the same. In turn, his strong starting XI should be complimented by the right sort of talent that will enhance the chances of a fourth successive championship being delivered. McCoist has already shown those who work for him that he’s not a man to be messed with and is somebody who knows exactly what he wants. If he proves he knows how to get it too, there’s every chance we’ll be seeing his lighter side outshine his more serious one 10 months from now.

“McCoist has already shown those

who work for him that he’s not a man to be messed with and is somebody who knows exactly what he wants.”

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columnist

FRONT Post THE

McCoist will be as ruthless from the touchline as he was in the box

ANDREW DICKSON

“McCoist has already shown those

who work for him that he’s not a man to be messed with and is somebody who knows exactly what he wants.”

T h e O f f i c i a l M o n t h ly M a g a z i n e

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Let’s get it started

“Last season I didn’t score my first goals until late September so I don’t want to have to wait that long this time around.”

YLE LAFFERTY believes that 2011/12 can be his best season in a Rangers jersey and that he can smash through the 20 goals barrier for the first time in his career. The Northern Ireland forward was sensational as the Light Blues romped to a third consecutive league title in May and his confidence is understandably high. Scoring a hat-trick on the final day at Rugby Park was a dream come true for the 23-yearold but prior to that he had netted four goals in five crucial games as Walter Smith’s squad gave everything to stay in pole position in the championship race. Kyle now hopes that he can recreate his fabulous end-of-season form as Rangers target more success in the next 11 months and he would love nothing more than to open his account when Hearts travel to Ibrox on July 23 for the big SPL kick-off. He said: “Like all the players I can’t wait for the new season to start and straight away it’s a really big game we are faced with. “Hearts have added a bit of quality to their squad and have a very experienced manager in Jim Jefferies. “They enjoyed a good year in 2010/11 and our games against them are usually pretty tight. “Apart from Celtic we couldn’t have had a harder start but I’m really looking forward to it. “Before the game we will be raising the SPL flag so the boys will be buzzing and I hope I can score in that one and hit the ground running. “Last season I didn’t score my first goals until late September so I don’t want to have to wait that long this time around.” Kyle has become something of a title-winning specialist since his £3.25million move to Rangers from Burnley in June 2008. In his debut season he slammed home his side’s opening goal in the hugely memorable 3-0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice which stopped Gordon Strachan’s Celtic from making

it four-in-a-row. And in the following campaign Lafferty was at it again as his left foot sizzler at Easter Road flew past Hibs’ keeper Graeme Smith and on a glorious day in the capital Rangers again lifted the SPL trophy, this time with three games to spare. The Ulster Gazelle, as he is often described by RangersTV commentator Tom Miller, kept this trend going with his stunning treble against Killie on May 15 but the challenge for him now is to show this electric form on a consistent basis. He said: “I think my confidence is always high going in to the start of every season but having finished last season so well my aim is to continue from where I left off. “In the past three campaigns I have tended to save my best for the title run-ins and I have no idea why that has been the case. “I’ve been asked a million times about that in interviews but I think it’s just been one of those things. “So far in my career I have not really been prolific in front of goal for a full season, maybe because I have often been used in wider positions. “Last season was my best with 15 and I want to improve on that again. “But hopefully I have shown to Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall that when I’m played through the middle I can get goals regularly and if I’m given a chance up top it’s up to me to take it.” Lafferty believes that McCoist has all the attributes to be a huge success in his new role as Ibrox boss and he will always be thankful for advice offered from Rangers’ greatest goalscorer. Kyle said: “Our relationship is good. He’ll give me a hard time if I’m doing something wrong, but he’ll also be the first to call me over if I’ve done something good. “He knows what I’m capable of and wants me to do really well.

Kyle ready to hit new heights in 2011/12 Words Neil Smith

The ‘Ulster Gazelle’ celebrates his treble against Killie

Let’s get it started

“Last season I didn’t score my first goals until late September so I don’t want to have to wait that long this time around.”

Kyle ready to hit new heights in 2011/12 Words Neil Smith

The ‘Ulster Gazelle’ celebrates his treble against Killie

“Ally has given me the hardest time over the years of anyone on the coaching staff but he’s done it for the right reasons. “He’d speak to me after games and explain why he’s shouted - and it’s because he knows I can do better. “But in my early days at Rangers it was hard for me to take Ally having a go. “One moment he would give me the praise, the next he would give the blunt truth. “At first I was shocked. I wondered why he was shouting at me, if it was because he didn’t rate me or even like me. “But when I finally realised why he was doing it I accepted it was only because he wanted me to do well. “Now any criticism I get I try to take on board and work hard to cut out the things he hasn’t liked or do them better.” Kenny Miller’s departure to Turkish side Bursaspor in January left a gaping hole in the Gers squad and despite the timing of the move the Scotland striker still finished up as the country’s top scorer last season with 22. The number nine jersey worn by Miller has yet to be presented to another player but Kyle believes Nikica Jelavic should be given the honour. The Croatian hitman has been a

for any player and for some it can be a nightmare due to the punishing nature of the work involved. Kyle, however, could not wait to get back to Murray Park on June 27 and insists the entire squad had a spring in their step following their Double-winning heroics. He said: “To be honest I couldn’t wait to get started again, especially after the way last season finished for me. “After the final game against Killie I was absolutely ecstatic and it was the same

“I don’t really set myself goal targets but having got 15 last season I would like to get over 20 this time around and feel that is something I can achieve.” revelation in his short time in the SPL and Lafferty insists there is more to come from his prolific teammate. He joked: “To be honest I’m happy with the number 11 jersey so I think Nikica should probably get it if he wants it! “After scoring 19 goals in 24 starts last season he showed what a talent he is and if he can stay fit next season who knows how many goals he could get? “But it’s been great to play alongside him and I think we have formed a very good partnership and understanding on the pitch. “There will obviously be competition for places in the team, there always is at a club like Rangers, but I am confident Nikica and I can get a lot of goals, hopefully in Europe as well. “I don’t really set myself goal targets but having got 15 last season I would like to get over 20 this time around and feel that is something I can definitely achieve.” Pre-season is always an important time

for everyone. “So being back at Murray Park at the end of last month was brilliant and it was nice to catch up with all the boys again. “As usual there is a great atmosphere in our squad which was there when Walter was in charge and it will be the same under Ally, I don’t think that will ever change.

“We all get on very well and there is a real hunger to go on and try to add to the three titles we have won already.” Kyle and his teammates are now in Germany but on their return from Lower Saxony they will have just one day to rest before they travel to Belfast on July 16 to face IFA Premiership champions Linfield, a side hot on Rangers’ heels having secured 50 titles in their 125 year history. Going back across the water to Belfast is always a pleasure for Lafferty who is looking forward to the trip and expecting a very tough game. He added: “The pre-season games are always vital and that’s the same for any player. “Out in Germany we have three matches organised and there is no doubt all the lads will be out to impress in those games and against Linfield and Blackpool before the season starts. “We have a new manager so everyone will want to show him that they are ready to fight for a place in his team and I am no different. “There are sure to be a few new faces coming in and joining the squad as well so the next couple of weeks will be exciting and all the players will be working hard prior to our first league game against Hearts. “Of course the friendly that stands out for me is the one against Linfield as it’s always nice to play at Windsor Park, especially as there will be a lot of Rangers fans there. “I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere and it will be a tough game for us. “Linfield have just had another successful season and David Jeffrey and his players will be looking to get a good result at their home ground. “For us it’s just a week before the season starts so it’s going to be an important 90 minutes for us as we will need to start building a bit of momentum before the competitive games get underway.” 23

Trav ends in high places Guide dog’s fundraising career finishes on top of Ben Nevis

HOEVER you are, most people want to bow out of what they do best at the very top – and that was quite literally the case for fundraising guide dog Travis last month. He and blind Rangers fan owner Scott Cunningham teamed up once again for one final charity trek as they climbed Ben Nevis. The pair were joined by around 180 others including former Light Blues stars Mark Hateley and Terry Hurlock as they scaled the mountain near Fort William. In doing so, they raised several thousands of pounds for The Guide Dogs and The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, with hopes high the final total will hit five figures. That comes after they had gathered in excess of £125,000 through previous expeditions, which included walking the 95-mile West Highland Way last year. Travis now also goes down as the first guide dog to scale Britain’s highest point ahead of his planned retirement in a few weeks. Having completed all of the UK’s longdistance walks, June’s ‘Up The Ben’ event was the golden labrador’s final gruelling challenge with Scott. And it brought one of the duo’s finest moments together as they made their way up the 4,409ft-tall peak in around three and a half hours. Scott and Travis were assisted through

low cloud to the summit by 10 Royal Marines, with Glasgow Airport terror attack hero John Smeaton also in the group. After successfully hiking Scotland’s most famous Munro, Scott – who will be awarded an MBE later this year for his charity work - led tributes to his canine companion. He said: “Travis is approaching retirement age now as he is in his 10th year so I felt the best thing we could do was have a big farewell for him after all his fundraising endeavours. “We have had some great adventures together and it has been a really phenomenal time for us both. “I had a think about it and came to the conclusion there was nowhere better for him to finish than at the very top of Great Britain. “This particular trek was all in aid of two amazing charities that mean an awful lot to me. I’ve had two fantastic guide dogs now and the Royal Marines have given me so much support too. “I was absolutely delighted to reach the summit. It was a massive task in the end and I experienced cramp like I’ve never had before just before we reached the top. “Coming down was really mentally draining as well. I’ve done a lot of things in my life including many long-distance walks but that was as hard as anything. “I must thank Billy Rodgers from the Royal Marines. He made sure there wasn’t a foot out of place and the two of us were shattered by the time we got to the bottom again. “It was a thrill to get through it and we all did it in one piece, including Trav. Everyone made such a big effort and I’m

over the moon about that.” In good walking weather, the group set off from the foot of the mountain around 10am but soon after the halfway point conditions took a turn for the worse. With visibility reduced considerably and temperatures plummeting, it took great courage and determination for Scott and Travis to persevere through rain and patches of snow. That drew great admiration from all who took part, with ex-Ibrox favourites Hurlock and Hateley both awestruck at what they witnessed. Londoner Hurlock, now 52, said: “I’m pleased for Scott. He’s a gritty fellow anyway and I was sure he’d get up there no matter what. “But for me, that was still the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and it was really tough. Parts of the mountain were snowy and wet and it was pretty difficult. “Everyone got through it because we were there for two really great causes and it was great to be part of it all. “Scott has done some fantastic things over the years and the man is amazing. You can’t put into words how tough he is and nothing is too much for him. I’m so

between October and December and will be a moment for him to savour. Scott said: “I was privileged recently to find out I am receiving an MBE for what we have done together. That was really humbling and it’s a huge honour. “You don’t get a letter in from Downing Street every day and when it comes,

“We have had some great adventures together and it has been a really phenomenal time for us both.” proud of him.” Hateley added: “Getting up the mountain was such hard work and I had a wicked 20 minutes when I thought I wasn’t going to get up there. “A couple of the boys had a chat with me though and off we went but it was very demanding both physically and mentally. “When you see the way Scott just gets on with it and gets up there, it’s just unbelievable and he is so focused. “I followed him down the hill because he was up there before me - that tells you how well he did and how much of a struggle I found it! “It was brilliant to see Scott in action and I’ve so much admiration for him. He and Travis have been a great team over the years and the two of them are a great advert for fundraisers.” Scott’s achievements have been so great that his next big date will come towards the end of this year at Buckingham Palace when he receives his MBE award. The date of his investiture is yet to be determined but will come at some point

you are told to tell absolutely nobody so keeping it a secret was hard. “I had some brilliant chances to open up and give everyone the good news, especially when we won the league in May and at parties I’ve been at since.

“Now I’m delighted I can shout from the rooftops about it. I’m a big royalist and to be able to go and meet the Queen and get an honour from her is absolutely fantastic. “It’s thanks to people like those who came to Ben Nevis at the weekend I will be able to do it and I’ll forever be grateful for that. “It’s just a case of waiting now for the letter telling me when I’ll be getting it. The full family will be going down and a certain Mr Hurlock is sorting out a wee party afterwards.” If you would like to donate to Scott and Travis’ appeal for sponsorship it’s not too late – simply visit www.virginmoneygiving. com/TravisTrek and follow the instructions.

Trav ends in high places Guide dog’s fundraising career finishes on top of Ben Nevis

THE NEW ERA

A life-changing experience Whyte knows personal impact takeover will have as he plans for the future

N the end it was all very convivial as Craig Whyte and Sir David Murray met for breakfast, £1 was passed across the table and in that moment the ownership of Rangers Football Club changed hands. However, it had taken an agonising six months to get to that point as the highly successful Motherwell-born businessman

fought his way through one problem after another to finally realise his dream. In his own words his life has changed dramatically in the past two months since he concluded the deal with Murray who ran Rangers for 23 years and gave supporters some of the greatest – it not the greatest – moments in the history of the club. It’s a legacy that will be an incredibly hard act to follow but having got to know Craig Whyte in the past couple of months it seems clear that he is a man who is confident he can deliver. He has suffered detractors all along the way. Indeed stories still sometimes appear, casting aspersions about the way he is running Rangers. Whyte is unperturbed. He has a vision to maintain Rangers as the leading club in the land and make them stronger, 26

more successful and more profitable. He said: “It was an unbelievable length of time to get the deal done but I’m glad we lasted the pace and we got the deal through. “It was a very protracted process but we are here now. If we had been here a bit earlier it might have been easier and we might have had all of our transfer

targets over the line by now. “I was very hopeful in the early stages that we would have had the deal done by Christmas. We had a willing buyer and a willing seller and normally that’s all you need but in the world of football it seems to be more complicated than any other business so it took longer to get it done. “Of course it was a nervous end to the

TAKEOVER Timeline November 2010 Craig Whyte tells the Stock Exchange he is considering buying Rangers and is in takeover talks with Sir David Murray. December 2010 Whyte reaches an ‘agreement in principle’ with Murray and has his first meeting with chairman Alastair Johnston. March 18 2011 Whyte meets manager Walter Smith and chief executive Martin Bain to hear their spending recommendations.

Exclusive Lindsay Herron

season but after the Inverness-Celtic game we were confident and then the way the team finished it all off was incredible. “The last day of the season at Kilmarnock was fantastic and to win the league in my first nine days of owning Rangers was something I could not have hoped for. It was absolutely brilliant.” Whyte has wasted little time in making key appointments. Financial expert Phil Betts and lawyer Gary Withey have been part of his team for some period before taking over Rangers and he has brought in Ali Russell as Chief Operating Officer and Gordon Smith as Director of Football. Russell has the remit of driving the business commercially while former Rangers star Smith will look after the football side working closely with Ally McCoist and overseeing Murray Park. Whyte said: “Ali is a great guy with a lot of commercial experience. He worked at QPR, where he was involved with Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore from Formula 1, and he worked at Hearts before that. “So he has a lot of experience, he has worked for some tough guys and I think he will do a great job for Rangers. “Gordon has a lot of experience in the football world given that he is the former chief executive of the SFA, he has been an agent and he is a real Rangers man so he will be a good appointment. “Gary Withey and Phil Betts are also part of the team and they bring a lot of corporate expertise. They have done other deals with me in the past and they are key members of my team. “Gary works on the legal side so he deals with all of those issues, of which there are many in a football club, while Phil has worked with me for many years in terms of administration and finance. “When you take over any business everything has to be under review to an extent and so there will be other

March 30 Whyte and Lloyds reach agreement over the club’s plans to repay their debt. March 31 Whyte meets the board to outline plans. April 1 Rangers announce £11.9million profit for the last six months of 2010 but £2.8million is wiped off by a tax payment. April 18 The takeover committee delays the conclusion of Whyte’s deal. April 19 Johnston expresses doubt on Whyte’s capabilty to transform the club and reveals Ibrox director Paul Murray’s alternative £25million investment. April 24 Whyte appears to win over Rangers board members.

appointments but none that can be announced at this stage. “The football side is the focus because it is the most important aspect of the club and everything else leads from there. “You need a successful team on the pitch to then promote commercial activities so we have to start from that point. “We have a lot of new commercial deals in the pipeline and we will be building the business that way and looking to generate more revenues in the future. “In the short term, of course, our best path to more revenue is to qualify for the Champions League. It’s going to be huge for us financially if we can reach the group phase. “We have had some negativity from day one. People have said we would never

get the deal done but we managed that and since taking over there have been other comments. “However, that’s football and football in Glasgow in particular where people say many weird and wonderful things. “But I just ignore that and get on with the job in hand and I believe the results will speak for themselves over time. I don’t spend much time looking at these sorts of stories. “I don’t think you can ever fully know what you are letting yourself in for when you take over a football club. “Rangers gets a lot of attention. It’s a huge part of many people’s lives – it’s a huge part of my life now – and I know just how big a deal it is for people. “But I don’t think you can be completely ready for the life-changing experience of owning a football club.”

May 5 Despite doubts from Paul Murray, Johnston declares he is satisfied with the deal. May 6 Whyte seals deal and buys Murray’s 85.3 per cent shareholding in Rangers for nominal £1. May 15 Rangers clinch three in a row on the final day of the SPL season at Rugby Park. May 23 Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray are removed from the Board. Martin Bain and Finance Director are then suspended pending an internal inquiry. June 17 Ali Russell joins the club as Chief Operating Officer and Gordon Smith is appointed Director of Football.

THE NEW ERA

A life-changing experience Whyte knows personal impact takeover will have as he plans for the future

Exclusive Lindsay Herron

THE NEW ERA

Myblue heaven Exclusive Lindsay Herron

Smith will be an ally for McCoist as Director of Football

ORDON SMITH arrived in the northern Swiss city of Basel in the summer of 1987 to discover that he was not wanted. Just a matter of weeks after Rangers had clinched their first Championship since Smith helped them to the title in 1978, he was looking to build on his European adventure having spent the previous year in neighbouring Austria. The problem was he had been signed by FC Basel’s director of football – or manager as they call it in Switzerland – and not the coach Urs Siegenthaler. It is the only flaw in the tiered system that operates at virtually every European club and Smith has vowed that it won’t happen at Rangers. He may be able to assist Ally McCoist in selecting signing targets but he will not undermine him. McCoist will be in full charge of who is brought to Rangers. However, he will surely seek the counsel of the new Director of Football who has such a wealth of experience from all aspects of the game. Smith was a popular and hugely effective player for Rangers in the late 1970s, particularly in his first two seasons. He coached for three years at St Mirren, he worked as a football agent negotiating deals for the likes of Kenny Miller, he followed football all over Europe as a pundit with the BBC and, of course, he was latterly chief executive of the SFA where he gained vital contacts. He ticks all the boxes, it seems, to fulfil a role that is not normal in the Scottish game but one Chairman Craig Whyte felt he needed. Smith will oversee the entire football setup at Murray Park – not just aid McCoist with signings – and he will also have an input at management level on commercial and financial matters. Well he did run a financial services company for a period too. 28

He said: “I am overlooking all aspects of the football side. “There have been some successes in recent years in terms of getting players through and hopefully we can build on that. “I am strong on my ideas on youth development and I am looking forward to working with the coaches. “While I will be largely based at Murray Park I will also have an input commercially and financially as part of the management team. “Of course of immediate importance is getting new players in. “It’s late in the day and if there is one thing I could change it would be that I was in sooner. There were a number of factors, most importantly the takeover being completed late. “We have a shorter period of time to get the signings that we want but I have a lot of contacts in the game and I will try to help in this regard. “The first thing we have done is identify the type of players that Ally wants – not just the names of specific players – because there could be players out there that could be identified for us. “We need players in to bolster the squad for the start of the SPL season and also to try to qualify for the Champions League group phase. “I have dealt with a lot of contracts over the years. I used to look after Kenny Miller, Paul Lambert and Craig Burley so I have been involved in major contract discussions. “However, there are people at the club already who are well versed in this sort of thing and, of course, Craig Whyte has a complete understanding of what needs to be done and the limits we can stretch to.” There are few clubs in the UK who have a Director of Fooball but Smith knows it is common place in Europe. He said: “I first came across the role

when I went to Austria in 1986. In Europe they call it the manager who works with the coach. “The manager runs the club and the coach gets on with running the team. “There was a problem with this when I went to Switzerland because it turned out that I was signed by the manager but the coach didn’t want me. “So I don’t think that is the way to operate the system and I would not do it that way. The coach has to pick the player he wants and the manager is then tasked with bringing him in. “You could even say that Rangers had a similar system when I played because Jock Wallace was the manager but Willie Waddell was the General Manager and looked after contracts and that kind of thing. “I know the contracts business very well. One of the best people I ever dealt with was David Murray. A lot of other people did not always tell you the truth. “I brought Kenny Miller to Rangers from Hibs in 2000 and David Murray was great to work with on that deal. “I was actually coming to Rangers to work for radio and by the time I got to Ibrox there was a letter waiting for me with everything we had discussed over the phone. “I also did some deals for Steven Smith and Ross McCormack so I worked with Rangers on a regular basis. “So having had that experience as an agent and dealing with players’ contracts I can have an input if this is required. “I know the money that is being paid at other clubs and I think I am able to value a player in terms of what they produce.” Smith joined Rangers in the summer of 1977 at the same time as Davie Cooper and Bobby Russell and the three of them enhanced an existing great squad and swept the boards. He scored twice on his Old Firm debut

as Rangers came from two down to beat Celtic 3-2. He and Cooper were the goal-scorers in the League Cup final win over Celtic and Rangers pipped Aberdeen to the title and also beat them 2-1 in the Scottish Cup Final. Smith’s biggest regret is that Rangers did not win the European Cup the following season when John Greig had replaced Jock Wallace who resigned in a row over money. He said: “My first season was fantastic, of course, because we won the Treble. Nothing against John Greig but I was gutted when Jock Wallace left. “I really liked working with him and it was actually years later that I realised how good a manager he was when I analysed what he did. He was a great user of

last game so we were close to making it a perfect season. “The third year was poor because our form had dipped but I was quite proud that Rangers paid £65,000 for me and then sold me to Brighton for £440,000 so they made a handsome profit. “If I can buy a player now and then sell him on for six and a half times the fee then I will be successful. “One of my biggest mistakes was coming back on loan to effectively play in the League Cup final in 1982. I was made the scapegoat for the defeat by Celtic. I shouldn’t have done that. “Jimmy Melia had advised me to do it. He was chief scout at the time and he told that when I came back he would be the manager.

“The first thing we have done is identify the type of players that Ally wants.” psychology. “In saying that, the second season could have been even better. We could have won the European Cup that year – no question. “Due to injuries and a fixtures back log we lost to Cologne in the quarter-finals and that was a tie we should have won. “I firmly believe we would have won the European Cup had we got past Cologne. We had knocked out two of the best teams in Juventus and PSV Eindhoven and when you look at the final Nottingham Forest played Malmo. “We would have beaten either of those sides, no question in my mind. “We then lost the championship in the

“True enough when I returned to Brighton he was the boss and we went all the way to the FA Cup final. So I think I still hold the record of playing in cup finals in different countries in the same season.” Smith moved to Manchester City in 1983 and scored 13 goals in 42 matches in two seasons before moving to Oldham Athletic for a season. He then took the unusual step of going to Austria to sign for Admira Wacker. He explained: “I didn’t go there for the money. I wanted to experience living abroad and learning a new language and I also wanted to enhance my football knowledge because it was my aim to go into coaching. 29

THE NEW ERA

Myblue heaven Exclusive Lindsay Herron

Smith will be an ally for McCoist as Director of Football

THE NEW ERA “I learned new strategies and fitness training methods and I also got involved in youth development in Austria and also in Switzerland with Basel. “That was fantastic because they were already using 7-a-side games and better methods than were being operated in Scotland or England. “I picked up a lot when I was there and I have no regrets going there. “I had to leave Admira because they were struggling financially. I actually scored the goal that took them into the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history but I had to move on. “They needed to make savings and I went to Basel for a year and then came back to Scotland and effectively retired.” Smith then moved into coaching when he joined St Mirren in 1990 firstly working with Tony Fitzpatrick, then Davie Hay and Jimmy Bone. He said: “I had three years there and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I got involved in youth development, especially when Davie Hay was the manager and he let me have a free rein. “Jimmy Bone came in and then he got all the credit for the young players who became known as Bone’s Babes whereas it was me who brought them all through – players like Barry Lavety, Jamie Fullarton, Martin Baker and Ricky Gillies.” Smith spent many years working in the media, particularly for the BBC, and was then appointed chief executive of the SFA in 2007. The archaic nature of the association frustrated him and he resigned last year. He said: “Basically I left because of the frustration of not being able to get things done the way I wanted so I moved on. “When you are not enjoying what you are doing you walk away. “I was criticised for appointing George Burley and for suspending Allan McGregor and Barry Ferguson but I didn’t do these things. It was the SFA Board and I was just the front person. “However, you learn from things like that and I would say the SFA was a good experience for me because I know how the corridors of power work. “There are going to be changes now and I was involved in those changes having given Henry McLeish the terms of reference for his report. “The chief executive, for example, will have more power and that was my problem there. “So there were frustrations but I was able to sit on a FIFA committee with people like Pele, Beckenbauer, Eusebio and Bobby Charlton. I also sat on the UEFA football committee and that was great experience. “So I have had dealings with people at 30

the very highest level in the game and hopefully that will help with my job at Rangers. “I’m sure I won’t have a problem with Allan! It was actually me who advised the board to allow the new manager Craig Levein to pick any player he wanted – i.e. McGregor and Ferguson.” Smith’s route to Ibrox was through a meeting with Craig Whyte which quickly evolved into a very quick job offer. Smith has hit the ground running and hopes he can play a key role in the crucial weeks ahead. He said: “I met Craig, we had a chat about things and I thought he was just looking for some information and then he took my number and we arranged to meet again. “At the next meeting we then started

across each other when I was at Brighton and he was at Sunderland. We played a match down at Brighton and we both scored that day and we went on to win 2-1. “I have always had a lot of time for him and we have had great fun before when we have met socially. “It is great to work with him. It’s a new job for him and it’s also a new job for me. “I have a lot of experiences that I can bring in from being a player, being in business inside and outside of football and hopefully I can help Ally in many ways. “He will be telling me what he needs. I am quite happy to offer my opinion if he wants it. I have been a pundit and an analyst for quite some time watching systems of play and the strengths of players.

“Rangers are my team. I have a lot of affection for the club and, of course, I had a lot of happy times here as a player.” talking about a job on the football side at Rangers. He said he wanted someone who could report at board level and I said to him I would be happy to do it. “It all happened quite quickly and we started to put things in place in terms of what my remit would be. “It’s great to be back in football. I had had a couple of approaches about a role in England. There were two groups who were attempting to buy Championship clubs and they wanted me to be chief executive. “One of them didn’t materialise but the other was on-going so there was scope for me to have a new role in English football. “That would have been great but the Rangers job is even better. Rangers are my team. I have a lot of affection for the club and, of course, I had a lot of happy times here as a player. “I want the club to continue to do well and I hope I can do my best to play my part. “I have known Ally for years although we have never worked together before. “Funnily enough we first came

“I didn’t offer my opinion on these matters when I was with the SFA because I felt it wasn’t within my role as chief executive to do that. “I did once and that was when George Burley chose not to pick Davie Weir for the match in Norway and I said I didn’t agree with him. “I felt we needed someone of Davie’s experience for a game like that. We lost 4-0 and Davie was brought back in for the next squad. “So I don’t intend to interfere with Ally either. He has to stand or fall by his decisions but if he seeks my opinion then I will happily give him it.”

THE NEW ERA

Broadening our horizons Ali Russell on the plans to grow Rangers in all aspects

F you mention the word Brand to any Rangers fans – especially those of a certain vintage – most will immediately refer you to Ralph, the prolific striker of the 1950s and 60s. Many supporters are only interested in one thing – watching their team on a Saturday and debating the merits thereafter. They want to know who Ally McCoist is signing. They crave information on who he is trying to keep and they want updated on any injury problems. Ali Russell, the club’s new Chief Operating Officer, is acutely aware of that and insists that as part of the new era under Craig Whyte Rangers will always be true to their fans. However, he has been charged with developing the Brand – the Rangers Brand – and he has to look at everything and anything to drive new revenues which will enable McCoist to produce and maintain a winning team. Russell has interesting ideas and it seems he will explore all avenues without compromising the great traditions of the club. He is seeking to make Rangers a more recognisable national and international name, he wants to make greater use of Ibrox and he is extremely interested in developing the area around the stadium by picking up on a project first started in 2005. He said: “How do we build the club? How do we make it a greater entity? We are interested in a lot of initiatives to generate new revenue whether that’s through building the fan base further domestically both here in Scotland, throughout the UK and also internationally. “There are new markets. India has a population of 1.2 billion, there are 2 billion in China so what do we do to generate more interest because this is a massive, massive football club.

“We have to be core to the roots of the club. We are one of the biggest clubs in the world and we need to use that. “We have a lot of advantages that other clubs can only dream about and it’s about building that and using that in other fan bases both nationally and internationally. “I see this club, which has stability now after some highs and lows in the last few years, growing in the new era. “There is a great interest in Rangers in the US and Canada and what we have to do is grow that interest. I think the Beckham effect has had a huge effect on football in the States in particular and we need to get on-board and give people a rationale for supporting Rangers.” Russell is also keen to resurrect the G51 Project which came about in 2005 when Rangers were hoping to win the licence for a new super casino which would have been the flagship among a

Exclusive Lindsay Herron

into a considerable football village of entertainment, retail and leisure. Equally, he wants to make better use of Ibrox outwith matchdays and that could mean a return to hosting major rock and pop concerts, conferences and other usage. He said: “We have had a good look at what we can do with the areas surrounding the stadium and there seem to be some opportunities. There is the G51 Project that has been in the public domain for some time now and we are looking at what is possible. “We have partners in terms of the local council and we have to work with them. We need to look at ways of regenerating this area because it will also have benefits for the club moving forward. “Rangers is a football club and that is our core business and our priority but there is no reason that we should not supplement that from usage of the

started initially in rugby and then moved onto Hearts and then QPR and it’s been interesting how you can bring business principles into the sporting world. “In that regard my most recent experience was at QPR where it was very much a Formula 1 model originally set up by Bernie Ecclestone and then taken on by Flavio Briatore where it was all about building the brand. “Gone are the days where you turn up at a match and then go away again. We need to make sure it’s an entertainment business from beginning to end from

Russell said: “It’s all about Ally McCoist getting all of the support he needs from Craig Whyte, Gordon Smith and myself to put a winning team on the park. “The season starts on the 23rd of July and we have Champions League qualifiers straight after that so we don’t have a lot of time. “However, we have a good core squad. It’s about developing that squad, resigning a couple of key players and then going out to get the players that Ally is interested in. “I think qualification to the Champions

“We’ve got to be more effective on how we utilise this asset for the benefit of the club.” host of new properties in the area across Edmiston Drive from Ibrox and the Albion car park and also now including the land where tower block flats once stood. When the casino licence did not materialise the project was put on hold but Rangers still have council approval to purchase land that could turn “Ibrox”

stadium for concerts, conferences, fans’ events, business offices or even car parking. “We’ve got to be more effective on how we utilise this asset for the benefit of the club. “My background is multi-nationals so I brought that mentality into sport. I

the moment you make your way to the stadium to when you make your way home at night.” Of course, the immediate and most important aim is to have Rangers the Team ready for the start of the new season especially with crucial Champions League qualifiers lying in wait.

League is essential. It gives us a platform to be seen in a world format and it allows us to generate interest and, of course, we can test ourselves against the best. “We have aspirations to play there. This club has a rich tradition of appearing in the Champions League and there have been some great successes too so we are

looking to continue that. “It’s harder every year. The financial climate has changed dramatically in the last 10 years – especially in terms of TV revenue – so we have to be innovative to find new ways to generate revenue to try to bring top players to Ibrox. “There is no doubt the Champions League money will be vitally important to the club.” Russell also wants Rangers to be at the forefront of any changes that are made to the game in Scotland because he knows how important it is to create a better product. There is a lot of self-interest among SPL clubs but Russell knows that alterations and improvements have to be made. He said: “We think standing still is not an option. We need to generate some positive changes for Scottish football. “We don’t believe a 14-team league will work. We are behind a 10-team league because that will produce better football and a better product for the TV companies. “We want to be central in any new moves that are made by the SPL because we have ideas. I think we can dust off some of the challenges of the past like a British Cup, for example.” 33

THE NEW ERA

Broadening our horizons Ali Russell on the plans to grow Rangers in all aspects

Exclusive Lindsay Herron

GERMAN TOUR

match tour and Broadfoot said: “I’ve been EW players have looked forward out for a long time and for a while now to Rangers’ pre-season tour I’ve just been itching to get back on to the of Germany as much as Kirk training park with the boys again. Broadfoot, who insists it will help him get “Personally, being in Germany is good back on track once and for all. in that respect and it is a good trip While his team-mates were off on from the point of view I can get right in holiday during the summer break, the 26amongst things again. year-old spent his time working tirelessly “It is going to be hard work but that’s at Murray Park in a bid to finally reach the point with pre-season. I’m not sure full fitness again. if I’d say I look forward to all the running To say the last two years or so have but I do quite enjoy that kind of thing. been difficult for the former St Mirren “I didn’t realise just how important defender would be understating it the work you do over the summer was somewhat. until I missed it one year and when that Sidelined for nine months in 2009 by a serious foot injury, Broadfoot has spent the last eight out of action too with ankle and heel problems. The latter required microfracture surgery and prevented him from playing any part in the successful title run in last term just when it seemed he was ready to return to the fray. As things stand, Broadfoot is on course to play again from the start of the 2011/12 term and that will come as a clear boost to new Light Blues manager Ally McCoist. His defence is an area he has happened, I just felt tired all the time. pinpointed as one which needs reinforced “You need to really knuckle down in the and doing so with a player who has weeks leading up to the season and I’m already proved himself to be a useful delighted I’m fit enough to train. asset would provide a viable solution. “I want to get some games under my Broadfoot, of course, performed a key belt now and it would be good to be able role in the run to the 2008 UEFA Cup to do that in Germany. final as he played every minute of the “People might say our matches there campaign which took Gers to Manchester are just pre-season friendlies but they’re at right-back. massive games for us as it’s a Indeed, his first two seasons chance to get our match fitness with the club brought him 66 up. appearances at home and “You always get a tough game abroad as he made himself a in Germany. We know how squad mainstay under Walter good teams there are at all levels Smith. and it’s the ideal place for us to The fact his issues have be. It’ll be a good test. limited him to just 30 “For me, it’ll be competitive club an opportunity outings in the to blow the last 28 months cobwebs away is not lost on as it has been the Scotland six months international. since I last And he played. appreciates “I just just how need to useful being try to in Germany do well, will be for hope the him as he manager gives me strives to a chance to play and see resurrect his where that takes me. career once “I had a great pre-season again. last year and I played in Rangers jetted every game before I hurt out to Germany my ankle in September. on July 6 for “This time I want to build a training and Michael Ballack

up and get back on track. I’m looking forward to the new season and hopefully I can stay fit this time.” There is a somewhat nostalgic look to this year’s tour, with Rangers’ schedule presenting a trio of opportunities to amble down Memory Lane. From their first game in Lower Saxony against Sportfreunde Lotte to their last with Bayer Leverkusen, all three fixtures are the type to rekindle memories of past conquests. The eight-night stay abroad brought a first outing of the summer against Lotte at their compact Solartechnics Arena on

“Personally, being in Germany is good in that respect and it is a good trip from the point of view I can get right in amongst things again.”

July 7. Rangers will also face matches against VFL Bochum on July 9 and Champions League-bound Leverkusen on July 13, with each match notable for varying reasons. That last tie, for instance, will bring back thoughts of the meetings between the two teams in the second round of the UEFA Cup in October and November of 1998. Back then, in Dick Advocaat’s opening season at the Ibrox helm, his first European campaign was something of a rollercoaster ride from his very first match in charge of the club. Having seen his men come from 3-0 down against Shelbourne at Tranmere’s Prenton Park to win 5-3, there was to be less drama in a 2-0 second-leg first qualifying round victory. Another 2-0 success against PAOK Salonika through goals from Andrei Kanchelskis and Rod Wallace, along with a 0-0 stalemate in Greece, put the Light Blues into the main competition. And it was there, in the second round after a 5-3 aggregate triumph against Israeli team Beitar Jerusalem, they came up against Bayer. The Werkself, having finished as runners up in their league championship just 18 months earlier, were the toughest test yet for the SPL side and were seen as favourites to progress. Yet on a wonderful night at the BayArena, it was the Scottish visitors who stormed into a 1-0 lead seconds

Ready

for Kirk off After more months than he cares to remember on the sidelines with a series of foot injuries, defender Broadfoot is finally closing in on a long-awaited first-team comeback Words Andrew Dickson

GERMAN TOUR

“Personally, being in Germany is good in that respect and it is a good trip from the point of view I can get right in amongst things again.”

Ready

GERMAN TOUR before half-time through Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Jonatan Johansson set him up and the Finn doubled the advantage just after the hour mark, with only Thomas Reichenberger’s injury-time strike keeping the Germans in contention. Two weeks later in Glasgow, Johansson struck again to give his team a cushion once more – but three-time Bundesliga leading scorer Ulf Kirsten levelled with 11 minutes to go. That set up a nervy ending to the contest but Advocaat’s men hung on to claim a significant scalp and advance to the last 16. It was there, sadly, that Gers’ run in the tournament would come to an end but there was no question of them disgracing themselves. In losing 3-1 over two legs to Parma, they fell to the eventual winners but got their revenge with a Champions League qualifying win over the Italians less than eight months later. Nearly 13 years have passed since those ties with Leverkusen and in the time since, they have returned to Glasgow to play Real Madrid for the European Cup. As was the case then when they lost 2-1 in 2002, midfielder Michael Ballack

Robin Dutt

is their star man having returned to his homeland from Chelsea a little over a year ago. The club’s most experienced player is also their most famous, with a pool of lesser-known talents coming together well last term to secure another secondplaced finish. In the months ahead Leverkusen will compete in the Champions League group phase for the first time in seven seasons after their best domestic performance in nine. And they will do so with a new manager on the touchline after Robin Dutt was appointed as Jupp Heynckes’ successor 36

John Fleck v Lotte, 2008

following the veteran coach’s return to Bayern Munich. Playing one of Germany’s leading lights will clearly be of benefit to McCoist and his Rangers team as they prepare for the new season. But the sides will come together in less dramatic surroundings than those which hosted those UEFA games in 1998. With Leverkusen holding a training camp in the vicinity of Gers’ own warmup base, their friendly will be played at the tiny Takko Stadion in Telgte near Munster. Rangers opened up the German tour on July 7 against Lotte, a team the Light Blues played during their stay in the village of De Lutte on the Dutch-German border three years ago. The away side recorded a scrappy 3-1 victory on that occasion, with the highlight being John Fleck’s first senior goal for the club at the age of just 16. Kris Boyd also bagged a double. A year later the two were due to meet again when Walter Smith took the newlycrowned SPL champions to work for a week in Marienfeld near Bielefeld. That time, however, the game was postponed due to torrential rain and when an attempt to rearrange the following afternoon failed, it was clear the weather would be the only winner. Rangers haven’t played Bochum before but new boss McCoist is certainly familiar with their near 30,000-capacity Rewirpowerstadion. It was there, after all, that he, firstteam coach Ian Durrant and scout John Brown all started for the Light Blues in their Champions League tie with CSKA Moscow in December 1992. Playing in neutral Germany because of the severe winter weather in Russia, the new venue was to be a happy hunting ground for the visiting Scots. Midfielder Ian Ferguson grabbed the winner when he found the net just 13 minutes in from the edge of the penalty area with the aid of a deflection to secure

Ian Ferguson v CSKA, 1992

a 1-0 victory. The success ultimately proved to be in vain, however, with CSKA’s 6-0 thrashing by Marseille and the Russians’ goalless draw at Ibrox proving decisive. L’OM progressed to a final with AC Milan and won 1-0 but their triumph was soon shrouded in controversy when it emerged their president Bernard Tapie had been guilty of bribery. He paid Valenciennes to fix Marseille’s French title-clinching game so that they would have more time to focus solely on their meeting with the Italians in Munich. As such, Tapie’s club was stripped of its domestic crown – although the Champions League win stood because it was never proven irregularities came in the UEFA competition. There were a number of allegations to the contrary, with Mark Hateley claiming to have been approached by someone offering a bribe, but they also went unverified. 37

Robin Dutt

John Fleck v Lotte, 2008

Ian Ferguson v CSKA, 1992

Old friends

Seeds

reunited? Buffel and Sebo lie in wait in UCL qualifiers

Rangers (Sco) FC Copenhagen (Den) BATE Borisov (Bls) Maccabi Haifa (Isr) Dinamo Zagreb (Cro) Rosenborg BK (Nor)

Words Lindsay Herron

Partizan Belgrade (Srb) APOEL Nicosia (Cyp)

ANGERS could come up against some familiar faces as they try to plot a way into the lucrative group phase of the Champions League for the fourth time in five seasons. The SPL title-holders were directly qualified in each of the last two seasons which pulled in close to £30million in terms of UEFA payments which has been vital for the club’s finances. This season Rangers will need to negotiate two qualifying rounds in order to reach the Promised Land that is the group phase – just as they did in the 2007/08 season when they defeated FK Zeta from Montenegro and Serbians Red Star Belgrade. Rangers will be in action on July 26 or 27 and August 2 or 3 in the third qualifying round and they will learn their opponents when the draw is made at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on July 15. Assuming the higher seeded clubs make it through from the second qualifying round, the Light Blues could meet an old friend. Racing Genk from Belgium are one of the prospective opponents and Thomas Buffel has just signed a new two-year contract. Buffel spent three and a half years with Rangers after Alex McLeish signed him from Feyenoord in January 2005 and he won the title and the League Cup that season scoring five goals. He seemed like a decent find, linking midfield to attack, and scored seven times in 38 games in the 2005/06 season when Rangers struggled domestically but reached the last 16 of the Champions League for the first and, so far, only time.

Buffel needed knee surgery in February 2007 and he was moved by Walter Smith in the summer of 2008 to Cercle Brugge and then joined Genk in 2009. Rangers could also meet up with Filip Sebo, the larger than life striker who is now back in his native Slovakia with Slovan Bratislava. He was Paul Le Guen’s most expensive signing in August 2006 when £1.8millon was paid to Austria Vienna for his services He only scored two goals in his solitary season at Ibrox – although one was a winner against Aberdeen – and he was largely a substitute, coming off the bench 20 times and

Filip Sebo : now at Slovan Bratislava

starting just four games. Walter Smith loaned him out to Valenciennes and then the French side paid £1million for him in the summer of 2009. Sebo, however, has been a revelation since returning to Slovakia. He was top scorer last season with 22 goals as Slovan swept to the Championship. Hannover 96 wanted to take him to the Bundesliga this summer but they were unable to complete a deal with Slovan who want him for Europe. One of Rangers’ other prospective opponents is NK Maribor and the Slovenians were defeated by the Light Blues both home and away in 2001/02 winning 6-1 on aggregate. Also potentially lying in wait are Malmo from Sweden, Bulgarians Litex Lovech, new and first time Czech champions Viktoria Plzen, HJK Helsinki, Ekranas Panevezys from Lithuania, new Georgian champions Zestafoni and Irish outfit Shamrock Rovers. This is all subject to these sides negotiating a way through to the third qualifying round where Rangers will be top seeds. It certainly will not be easy for Rangers to reach the group phase but the new qualifying system operating now makes it less difficult, that’s for sure. They follow a Champions qualifying path so they can only play teams from countries ranked below 16th. That means they avoid the heavyweight sides from the top leagues of Europe, like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Lyon, Benfica, Dinamo Kiev or Villarreal who are all involved in the Non Champions qualifying path. Should Rangers progress they will be seeded in the fourth qualifying round, the dates for this being August 16 or 17 and August 23 or 24.

Wisla Kraków (Pol) Sturm Graz (Aut)

Steven Whittaker v Red Star Belgrade, 2007

Non Seeds Litex Lovech (Bul) Racing Genk (Bel) Slovan Bratislava (Svk) Viktoria Plzen (Cze) NK Maribor (Slo) HJK Helsinki (Fin) Ekranas Panevezys (Lit) FC Zestafoni (Geo) Malmo (Swe) Shamrock Rovers (Irl) This is based on the higher seeded clubs progressing from the second qualifying round.

Thomas Buffel, who now plays for Belgian side Racing Genk

Old friends

Seeds

reunited? Buffel and Sebo lie in wait in UCL qualifiers

Rangers (Sco) FC Copenhagen (Den) BATE Borisov (Bls) Maccabi Haifa (Isr) Dinamo Zagreb (Cro) Rosenborg BK (Nor)

Words Lindsay Herron

Partizan Belgrade (Srb) APOEL Nicosia (Cyp)

Filip Sebo : now at Slovan Bratislava

Wisla Kraków (Pol) Sturm Graz (Aut)

Steven Whittaker v Red Star Belgrade, 2007

Thomas Buffel, who now plays for Belgian side Racing Genk

WINDSOR PARK, Saturday, 16 JULY 2011

LINFIELD v RANGERS 40

Field of dreams Words Andrew Dickson

After growing up as a fan on the terraces of Windsor Park, Andy Little wants to get his playing career going again on the same pitch he watched his heroes on

S a child, Andy Little used to make the pilgrimage to watch Linfield playing at Windsor Park and dream of emulating the Blues stars he was there to see. Now it’s the place where he hopes to relaunch himself as a Rangers player ahead of a new era under incoming manager Ally McCoist. While the 2010/11 season was undoubtedly one to remember for most people at Ibrox, it is something Little will happily forget given half the chance. Sidelined for more than half of the campaign with hip problems, the Ulsterman has not played since his spectacular League Cup goal against Kilmarnock last October. Requiring separate operations on each side eight weeks apart meant he was confined to crutches for three months in total and ruthlessly ruled out of the title run in. Now, however, with the defence of Gers’ 54th championship poised to commence, his return to action is not far away. The meeting with Linfield on July 16, arranged as part of the Belfast club’s 125th anniversary celebrations, is one fans of both clubs are looking forward to immensely. It will give them an opportunity to renew friendships which stretch back several years whilst giving Little a chance – he hopes – to pull on his boots again. The road to recovery has been gruelling and longer than the 22-yearold could ever have anticipated when it seemed at first he had a hernia issue nine months ago. But the trip across the Irish Sea is one which he hopes can see him make the comeback he has been patiently building towards. “It’ll be my aim to be fit enough to play again around that kind of time so that’s certainly a match I am looking at,” Little said.

“I’d like to be fit for the very start of the league season so being able to get out there and take on Linfield in some capacity would be nice. “I would always check after I’d been playing football on a Saturday down in Fermanagh to see what their score was when I was young and they were my team at home growing up. “It was my hope that if I wasn’t lucky enough to make it across the water to Scotland or England to play football that they’d be a team I would go on to play for. “I’ve been back running for a couple of weeks now which has felt good and apart from 10 days off for a holiday, I’ve been in working hard all summer too. “I’m even hungrier than ever before to make sure I get into the team and I do well for Rangers. “I was there at Rugby Park when we won the league at the end of last season against Kilmarnock and loved it but I must admit I felt a bit left out too because I had barely featured.

might create openings he perhaps wouldn’t get otherwise. That proved to be the case and although he has only played 14 competitive games for the champions, he has sampled an Old Firm clash and scored against Hearts and Kilmarnock. Little knows how much he would have relished playing for the current IFA Premiership champions but he doesn’t look upon choosing not to play for them as a missed opportunity. He added: “I was close to going on loan to Linfield three years ago just after I came out of the youth team and I almost went there for a few months. “The chance came at a time when we had a lot of younger lads going out to various teams and I thought if I stayed, I might get a chance to work with the first team. “In the end, that was what happened so I don’t regret not going and staying in Glasgow helped me kick on a little bit at the time. “It was a good decision not to go but

“I would always check on a Saturday down in Fermanagh to see what their score was when I was young and they were my team at home growing up.” “In a way, it was a bit of a hollow victory for me and I wish I’d been able to play a bigger part. “That’s what I want to do now. I am desperate to get into the team and I want to do as well as I can, even if I know how hard that will be. “First of all I just need to keep working on getting fit and hopefully I can get back to where I was. After that, I know there will be new signings to compete with but I’ll deal with that.” On top of being a fan of the club, Little almost had a more formal connection with Linfield when he became too old to play for Rangers’ under-19 side. Offered the chance to move to Windsor Park on loan to gain first-team experience, it was a switch he gave serious consideration to. In the end, with other youngsters going elsewhere temporarily from Ibrox, Little felt staying with his employers

I did really think about it and I’d have loved to go and play competitive firstteam football at that age. It would have been really good for me. “I clearly want to stay across on this side of the water and play my football in Scotland or England. “But it has always been on my mind that if I did find myself back home one day playing I’d like to do it at Linfield as I grew up following them. “As a club, they have been very successful, a bit like ourselves, and especially in recent times. “I’m friends with some of their players and I know guys such as Alan Blayney, who is an international in the Northern Ireland squad. “They’ve a big squad and they have dominated Irish football over the last few years which has been great to see. I’m looking forward to coming up against them.”

PAST MEETINGS Rangers and Linfield have met on 12 previous occasions, with each one of the matches taking place in Northern Ireland. Here’s how they panned out and who scored for the Light Blues. 09/04/1901, Friendly Linfield 1-8 Rangers Scorers: McPherson (2), Speedie (2), A Smith (2), Campbell, RC Hamilton 10/04/1901, Friendly Linfield 2-4 Rangers Scorers: RC Hamilton, Speedie, Campbell, Sharp 09/04/1912, Friendly Linfield 1-0 Rangers 30/09/1920, Friendly Linfield 0-2 Rangers Scorers: Meiklejohn, J Morton 04/04/1923, Friendly Linfield 0-1 Rangers Scorer: McDonald 15/09/1930, Friendly Linfield 0-0 Rangers 10/05/1955, Friendly Linfield 0-2 Rangers Scorers: Waddell, Hubbard 20/03/1984, Friendly Linfield 0-4 Rangers Scorers: D Ferguson, MacDonald, McCoist, Clark 30/07/2002, Friendly Linfield 0-2 Rangers Scorers: Dodds, Flo 30/07/2003, Friendly Linfield 0-3 Rangers Scorers: de Boer, Dowie, MacLean 16/07/2005, Friendly Linfield 0-2 Rangers Scorers: Lovenkrands, McCormack 06/07/2006, Friendly Linfield 0-2 Rangers Scorers: Buffel, Boyd

Kris Boyd v Linfield, 2006

WINDSOR PARK, Saturday, 16 JULY 2011

LINFIELD v RANGERS 40

Field of dreams Words Andrew Dickson

After growing up as a fan on the terraces of Windsor Park, Andy Little wants to get his playing career going again on the same pitch he watched his heroes on

Kris Boyd v Linfield, 2006

The short visit to Windsor Park in the middle of the month will be by no means Rangers’ first trip there. It is a venue they are familiar with, although some five years have passed since their last match there against Linfield. On that occasion they were 2-0 victors through first-half goals from Thomas Buffel and Kris Boyd and the Scots have won their last six clashes with the Blues. Little knows what sort of reception Gers can expect in his homeland having been part of the welcoming party himself in years gone by. He also appreciates how special it will be to play at Windsor, one of the magical venues in international football. With its limited capacity and only two sides of the ground redeveloped in recent times, it certainly isn’t the most luxurious arena manager McCoist will take his team to this season. But with so much history attached to it, there’s an aura few places can match and Little is eagerly anticipating the chance to step out there once more. He said: “It’s massive in Northern Ireland whenever Rangers come over from Glasgow to play a game and that will be the case again this time. “I was over there with the reserves for games against Glenavon and Ballymena two years ago and there were good crowds there when our sides were really only made up with youngsters.

Linfield celebrate winning the 2011 JJB Sports Irish Cup final

“Before I came to Rangers, I also went to see them playing when they visited Northern Ireland a bit closer to where I come from. “When the first team comes, it’s a really big occasion. I know they used to go over quite regularly and the fact this is the first trip in a while will bring out a big crowd. “Windsor Park is an unbelievable arena and it’s great we are playing there. That’s where I made my Northern Ireland debut against Poland and it was the first time I’d played there. “We were winning 3-2 at the time with 42

Linfield FC 2010/11

just a few minutes to go and it was the best atmosphere I had experienced in a game at that point. “I’d almost go as far as saying it’s one of the best I’ve ever played in because for sheer volume, it was incredible. “There were only around 15,000 fans there but the noise they made was pretty impressive and I’m sure there will be something similar this time. “It’ll be slightly different because it’s not a Northern Ireland game we are playing in but it will still be good. “Windsor isn’t exactly the nicest stadium to go to. It is very open to the elements but that’s why home fans like it. “It will be nice for the likes of myself, Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty to go back home and play in front of a big crowd at our national stadium for our club.” With friendlies coming up against Champions League-bound Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea in the next few weeks, Rangers will play harder teams than Linfield in their warm up games. Even so, Little still expects a difficult encounter against a Blues team which hopes to join more illustrious company in the group phase of Europe’s premier club event. David Jeffrey’s men play Belarusian title holders BATE Borisov either side of their match with Gers in the second qualifying round on July 13 and 19. Given the fact they are in competitive action before McCoist’s squad, Little feels that will make things harder for the Ibrox outfit when they arrive in Northern Ireland. He added: “In some ways, they are probably going to be a bit ahead of us in terms of fitness from the point of view they are playing in Europe before we do at the end of the month. “We’ll arrive in Belfast with our squad having been in Germany which will be good for us but Linfield will have had a good few games by that stage. “They’ll obviously want to do well in the Champions League so they’ll naturally be working hard to make sure they are ready

Robert Garrett

for that. “From that point of view, they should provide us with a good test and there will be a lot of players in their team who will want to make a good impression. “They’ve got a lot of good young players as well as some others who have been to England to play, guys such as Robert Garrett, Michael Carvill and Chris Casement. “They have played for the likes of Stoke and Ipswich and they know what is required so they might see the game with us as a chance to get back across there again. “I know one of their midfielders, Jamie Mulgrew, and he is someone I’m quite friendly with. He is a massive Rangers fan who gets over to see us play whenever he can. “Guys like him will be really up for the game. It’ll be a big day for him and others and they aren’t just going to roll over and let us win. “Despite some of them being big fans, I don’t expect any of their players to just stand off and admire us. They will give their all and that is what we want. “Irish league football is a bit like the game in Scotland. It’s 100 miles per hour stuff and they won’t give us any time on the ball so it will be a good workout. “I would expect us to get a result but at the same time, there could be a wee upset if we don’t apply ourselves properly.” 43

Linfield celebrate winning the 2011 JJB Sports Irish Cup final

Linfield FC 2010/11

Robert Garrett

BLOOMFIELD ROAD, TUESDAY, 19 JULY 2011

BLACKPOOL v RANGERS

BLACKPOOL Preview

Never miss

a Beatt

James aims to stay on track despite last season’s adversities Words David Melvin

ROM a footballing point of view last season was not one that will live long in the memory for James Beattie. The former Southampton striker spent a chunk of the campaign injured, with a loan spell at Blackpool meaning he experienced only ten outings for the Light Blues in his debut campaign. Nine games on loan with Seasiders also failed to yield a consistent run, or a goal, for the ex-England striker. But it has not been a forgettable year for the 33-year-old, who lost his father during that loan spell with Ian Holloway’s side south of the border. His reaction to the loss of his dad was to redouble his efforts on the pitch and he was praised highly by Holloway for his professional approach during an understandably difficult period. The Blackpool boss has suffered his own share of off field issues having nursed his wife through lymphatic cancer and battled hard to see his three deaf children are given the education they deserve. Beattie has revealed that Holloway, and former Rangers boss Walter Smith, were both key figures for him in the

last twelve months as he learned to deal with upheaval both on and off the pitch. The forward is now back at Murray Park and eager for a positive preseason to give him a chance to enjoy a more successful campaign ahead. And with Ally McCoist’s side facing a trip to Blackpool as part of their preparations for the new season Beattie

“It was great of Blackpool to take me and the manager there is a great man. He’s a tremendous character who has had a bit of adversity in his life” will have the chance to revisit some friends at Bloomfield Road. It is clear Holloway was a big help to him over the months he spent with the recently relegated Lancashire side and Beattie admits that his focus is now on moving forward. He said: “2011 hasn’t been a particularly good year for me, but these

Former Ranger Charlie Adam scores for Blackpool at Manchester United last season

things happen and you have to get yourself in the right mental state to proceed with your career and help your family out. “I was fortunate enough that I had moved in with my mum when I went to Blackpool and that was good for me and for her. “That’s a chapter in my life that I’ll never forget but I have to move on and

I have a job to do. That sounds a bit callous but you have to move on. “I know my dad’s watching over me and will want me to do well so that’s what I am going to aim to do. “It was great of Blackpool to take me and the manager there is a great man. He’s a tremendous character who has had a bit of adversity in his life and he

was very honest with me. “I appreciated that and enjoyed working for him. Even behind the scenes he wants the best for his players and wants them to be doing well. “He was very honest with me and was more than accommodating if I needed to look after my mum. He was brilliant and a big support alongside my friends and family. “He understood what I needed, because of the things he has been through, as was Walter Smith before I went to Blackpool. “He allowed me plenty of time to go and visit my dad. Obviously they are two great men and they both treated me very well.” So eager was he to repay Holloway and keep his career on track that Beattie opted to play for Blackpool’s second string the night after his father’s death. He found the net in a friendly against Blackburn and went on to perform admirably against Tottenham for the first team in their next outing. But ultimately Beattie and his Blackpool team mates couldn’t do enough to stave off

relegation from the Premier League and the Gers front man is disappointed that they couldn’t pull off an achievement that so many neutrals were rooting for. He said: “Obviously the end result wasn’t what Blackpool wanted but it was a tremendous effort from the whole club. “Having been written off at the start of the season, the lads put a tremendous effort in and they exceeded anyone’s expectations of them. “To go in to the last game against Manchester United to stay in the Premier League that was more than anyone expected of them I think.

RANGERS and Blackpool have never met in the long and illustrious history of the two clubs. But there are connections between the sides going back almost a century with a host of names having turned out for both sides. Most recently of course it was James Beattie who spent a four month loan spell south of the border with the Seasiders. He played alongside another familiar face to Rangers fans with Charlie Adam captaining the side as they slipped out of the English top flight. Adam’s is by far the strongest link between the clubs with the midfielder having played almost a century of league games for the Tangerines after over 60 for the Light Blues. However, prior to Adam’s arrival at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool’s midfield featured another former Ger in the shape of Alan Gow, who spent the first half of the 2008/09 season in a side then managed by Simon Grayson. Before Grayson took charge as caretaker in November 2005 it was another former Light Blue who was in charge of the Seasiders. Colin Hendry had finished his playing career with the Tangerines and was then appointed manager in the summer of 2004. His reign lasted a little over a year before he was relieved of his duties in November of 2005 to be replaced by Grayson. As well as those four, the two clubs have shared the playing days of a number of other players as well. Just last month Blackpool completed the signing of Bojan Djordjic who spent a loan spell with the Light Blues while he was a Manchester United player. Current Ayr United boss Brian Reid was Graeme Souness’s last signing as Rangers boss but his injury hit Ibrox career consisted of only a handful of appearances. He turned up at Blackpool in 2000 and enjoyed a more successful two seasons there with over 50 appearances for the Tangerines. Reid had also played for local rivals Burnley, but that is no match for another of the players to have featured for both the Seasiders and the Gers. Alfie Conn famously sandwiched his spell at Spurs with playing careers at either half of the Old Firm where is probably better remembered than at Blackpool where he played only three times. That was twice more than Steven Boyack, a youngster during Walter Smith’s nine-in-a-row era who made a single appearance for both Rangers and Blackpool. But it was Joseph Donnachie and James Hamilton who led the way with spells that spanned the 1920s.

BLOOMFIELD ROAD, TUESDAY, 19 JULY 2011

BLACKPOOL v RANGERS

BLACKPOOL Preview

Never miss

a Beatt

James aims to stay on track despite last season’s adversities Words David Melvin

Former Ranger Charlie Adam scores for Blackpool at Manchester United last season

BLACKPOOL Preview “They brought a lot of freshness to the Premier League. The style they played was different to anything else in the division and was very open. “That possibly left us a little open at times but that was the manager’s philosophy and it almost worked. A lot of people took to that style and were disappointed. “Man United had already won the title before that game and a few of my mates who were United fans were saying they hoped Blackpool won to stay up. “You don’t often hear that kind of thing from Utd fans so I think there were a few disappointed neutrals as well as me and everyone connected with the club who were all devastated by relegation. “For it to go to the last game of the season they would have been delighted with that, but there are real jobs at stake and it has a real impact on people. “They were just a little bit short on players so they’ll need to boost their squad a little bit and I hope they come straight back up. “It’s a good club, with a good manager and the lads accepted me so I hope they have a good season next season.” Blackpool’s hopes of an immediate return to the riches of the Premier League in England may hinge on how well they manage to retain, or replace, their key performers from last year. Top of the list of names linked with big money moves away from the club is former Rangers midfielder Charlie Adam. Adam scored thirteen times for Blackpool last term and was linked to the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham in January and again this summer. Having spent a large chunk of his career in the English top flight and now played alongside Adam, Beattie has no doubt that the Scotland international is ready to make a move to a club of that size. He said: “Charlie is a tremendous player with what I’d call a wand of a left foot. I think his mentality is right now for him to make a big move and to go and settle in to a good team. “He stood out in Blackpool’s team but I think if he goes in to a good team that will only improve him as a player. “He’s definitely got the ability for that level and I think now he has the mental state and

the attitude, from what I’ve seen, to make that big move. “He’s settled down and is concentrating on his football and I think he’d relish the opportunity to move to a big club.” It remains to be seen if Adam will move on this summer, and he is by no means the only Blackpool star with an uncertain future. Without knowing exactly who will be in the orange strip on July 19, Beattie expects Rangers to face a tricky match in their final outing before the SPL kicks off. He said: “I don’t know who will still be there, but it will be a good game between two different styles and it will get us the final bit of fitness before the SPL kicks off at the weekend. “A lot of their players have been linked with moves but last

season they had a few top performers worth looking out for. “David Vaughan was a tremendous player. He’s been linked with a lot of top sides and has experience from overseas before he came back to Blackpool, where people called him the Iniesta of the side! “He was very tidy and keeps the ball very well. He was the unsung hero of Blackpool’s team last year and a brilliant player. “Stephen Crainey was another good international player and another who has been linked with a move away from Bloomfield Road. He was a good character in the dressing room and I’ve known him since I was at Southampton. “The goalkeeper Matt Gilks was linked with a move to Man Utd before he picked up an injury. Ian Evatt at centre half had a good season too and was maybe highlighted because they were doing a lot more defending than a lot of teams. “I’m a Rangers player and I want us to win when we go down there, but it’s a good challenge to get and some good fitness will come from it.” 47

2011/2012 fixtures

Dates

HOME/AWAY OPPONENTS COMPETITION

July 7 Thurs 9 Sat 13 Wed 16 Sat 19 Tues 23 Sat 26 Tues/27 Wed 30 Sat

19.00 A Sportfreunde Lotte Pre Season Friendly 15.30 A VFL Bochum Pre Season Friendly 18.30 A Bayer 04 Leverkusen Pre Season Friendly 14:00 A Linfield Pre Season Friendly 19.30 A Blackpool Pre Season Friendly 12:30 H Hearts SPL tbc tbc tbc CL Qual R3, 1st leg 12:00 A St Johnstone SPL

15:00 15:00 tbc

H H tbc

Aberdeen Hibernian tbc

SPL SPL LC SF

tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00

tbc A tbc H tbc A

tbc SC R5 Dunfermline SPL tbc CL Last 16, 1st leg Kilmarnock SPL tbc CL Last 16, 1st leg Inverness CT SPL

2 Tues/3 Wed tbc 6 Sat 15.00 6 Sat P-P due to Chelsea friendly 13 Sat 15:00 16 Tues/17 Wed tbc 20 Sat 15:00 23 Tues/24 Wed tbc 27 Sat 15:00

tbc tbc CL Qual R3, 2nd leg H Chelsea Friendly H Kilmarnock SPL A Inverness CT SPL tbc tbc CL Qual R4, 1st leg A Motherwell SPL tbc tbc CL Qual R4, 2nd leg H Aberdeen SPL

September 10 Sat 15:00 A 13 Tues/14 Wed tbc tbc 17 Sat 15:00 H 20 Tues/21 Wed tbc tbc 24 Sat 15:00 A 27 Tues/28 Wed tbc tbc

Dundee United SPL tbc CL Matchday 1 Celtic SPL tbc LC Round 3 Dunfermline SPL tbc CL Matchday 2

October 15:00 15:00 tbc tbc 15:00 15:00

H Hibernian SPL H St Mirren SPL tbc tbc CL Matchday 3 tbc tbc LC QF A Hearts SPL A Aberdeen SPL

tbc 15:00 15:00 tbc 15:00

tbc tbc CL Matchday 4 H Dundee United SPL H St Johnstone SPL tbc tbc CL Matchday 5 A Kilmarnock SPL

15:00 tbc 15:00 15:00 15:00 19:45

H Dunfermline tbc tbc A Hibernian H Inverness CT A St Mirren A Celtic

15:00 tbc 15:00

H tbc A

February 4 Sat 11 Sat 14 Tues/15 Wed 18 Sat 21 Tues/22 Wed 25 Sat

3 Sat 6 Tues/7 Wed 10 Sat 13 Tues/14 Wed 17 Sat 18 Sun 24 Sat 27 Tues/28 Wed 31 Sat

15:00 tbc tbc tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00

H Hearts SPL tbc tbc CL Last 16, 2nd leg tbc tbc SC Quarter-final tbc tbc CL Last 16, 2nd leg A Dundee United SPL tbc tbc LC Final H Celtic SPL tbc tbc CL QF, 1st leg A Motherwell SPL

April 3 Tues/4 Wed 7 Sat 14 Sat/15 Sun 17 Tues/18 Wed 21 Sat 24 Tues/25 Wed 28 Sat

March

August

1 Sat 15 Sat 18 Tues/19 Wed 25 Tues/26 Wed 22 Sat 29 Sat

21 Sat 28 Sat 28 Sat/29 Sun

tbc tbc tbc 15:00 H St Mirren tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 34 (post split) tbc tbc tbc Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 35 (post split)

CL QF, 2nd leg SPL SC semi-finals CL SF, 1st leg SPL CL SF, 2nd leg SPL

SPL

Home fixtures in bold. Please note fixtures subject to change.

May 2 Wed Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 36 (post split) 5 Sat Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 37 (post split) 12 Sat/13 Sun Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 38 (post split) 19 Sat tbc tbc tbc 19 Sat tbc tbc tbc

SPL SPL SPL CL Final SC Final

November 1 Tues/2 Wed 5 Sat 19 Sat 22 Tues/23 Wed 26 Sat

December 3 Sat 6 Tues/7 Wed 10 Sat 17 Sat 24 Sat 28 Wed

SPL CL Matchday 6 SPL SPL SPL SPL

January 2012 2 Mon 7 Sat 14 Sat 48

Motherwell SPL tbc SC R4 St Johnstone SPL 49

2011/2012 fixtures

Dates

HOME/AWAY OPPONENTS COMPETITION

July 7 Thurs 9 Sat 13 Wed 16 Sat 19 Tues 23 Sat 26 Tues/27 Wed 30 Sat

15:00 15:00 tbc

H H tbc

Aberdeen Hibernian tbc

SPL SPL LC SF

tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00

tbc A tbc H tbc A

tbc SC R5 Dunfermline SPL tbc CL Last 16, 1st leg Kilmarnock SPL tbc CL Last 16, 1st leg Inverness CT SPL

2 Tues/3 Wed tbc 6 Sat 15.00 6 Sat P-P due to Chelsea friendly 13 Sat 15:00 16 Tues/17 Wed tbc 20 Sat 15:00 23 Tues/24 Wed tbc 27 Sat 15:00

tbc tbc CL Qual R3, 2nd leg H Chelsea Friendly H Kilmarnock SPL A Inverness CT SPL tbc tbc CL Qual R4, 1st leg A Motherwell SPL tbc tbc CL Qual R4, 2nd leg H Aberdeen SPL

September 10 Sat 15:00 A 13 Tues/14 Wed tbc tbc 17 Sat 15:00 H 20 Tues/21 Wed tbc tbc 24 Sat 15:00 A 27 Tues/28 Wed tbc tbc

Dundee United SPL tbc CL Matchday 1 Celtic SPL tbc LC Round 3 Dunfermline SPL tbc CL Matchday 2

October 15:00 15:00 tbc tbc 15:00 15:00

H Hibernian SPL H St Mirren SPL tbc tbc CL Matchday 3 tbc tbc LC QF A Hearts SPL A Aberdeen SPL

tbc 15:00 15:00 tbc 15:00

tbc tbc CL Matchday 4 H Dundee United SPL H St Johnstone SPL tbc tbc CL Matchday 5 A Kilmarnock SPL

15:00 tbc 15:00 15:00 15:00 19:45

H Dunfermline tbc tbc A Hibernian H Inverness CT A St Mirren A Celtic

15:00 tbc 15:00

H tbc A

February 4 Sat 11 Sat 14 Tues/15 Wed 18 Sat 21 Tues/22 Wed 25 Sat

3 Sat 6 Tues/7 Wed 10 Sat 13 Tues/14 Wed 17 Sat 18 Sun 24 Sat 27 Tues/28 Wed 31 Sat

15:00 tbc tbc tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00 tbc 15:00

H Hearts SPL tbc tbc CL Last 16, 2nd leg tbc tbc SC Quarter-final tbc tbc CL Last 16, 2nd leg A Dundee United SPL tbc tbc LC Final H Celtic SPL tbc tbc CL QF, 1st leg A Motherwell SPL

April 3 Tues/4 Wed 7 Sat 14 Sat/15 Sun 17 Tues/18 Wed 21 Sat 24 Tues/25 Wed 28 Sat

March

August

1 Sat 15 Sat 18 Tues/19 Wed 25 Tues/26 Wed 22 Sat 29 Sat

21 Sat 28 Sat 28 Sat/29 Sun

tbc tbc tbc 15:00 H St Mirren tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 34 (post split) tbc tbc tbc Clydesdale Bank Premier League week 35 (post split)

CL QF, 2nd leg SPL SC semi-finals CL SF, 1st leg SPL CL SF, 2nd leg SPL

SPL

Home fixtures in bold. Please note fixtures subject to change.

SPL SPL SPL CL Final SC Final

November 1 Tues/2 Wed 5 Sat 19 Sat 22 Tues/23 Wed 26 Sat

December 3 Sat 6 Tues/7 Wed 10 Sat 17 Sat 24 Sat 28 Wed

SPL CL Matchday 6 SPL SPL SPL SPL

January 2012 2 Mon 7 Sat 14 Sat 48

Motherwell SPL tbc SC R4 St Johnstone SPL 49

Blue

Belles

ANGERS’ Blue Belles are back for another campaign and this term we’re searching for 10 of them to take part in our Blue Belle of the Year competition. Between now and next April, we’ll be featuring a selection of female Light Blues fans modelling the club’s kits on our various media platforms. We’ll then give you the chance to vote for your favourite before announcing our winner next June. First up is sexy Slovakian Nikola Bonova, a personal trainer and part-time model who lives in Alloa. She was photographed with the SPL trophy Rangers will be defending once again in 2011/12 by our snapper Kirk O’Rourke in an exclusive shoot at Ibrox. Nikola has been based in Scotland for the last two years and you might recognise her after she was the top-rated Soccerette on Sky Sports’ Soccer AM programme last season. The 21-year-old said: “It’s great to be chosen and hopefully I can win enough votes later in the year to be named Blue Belle of the Year.” If you would like to take part, please send three recent photographs of yourself to us at editor@rangers.co.uk. Previous applicants are welcome to enter again. You can also post your entry to: Blue Belles, Rangers Media, Rangers Football Club, Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD. You must be 18 or over.

Blue

Belles

Blue Heaven Words Neil Smith

On July 4, 2001, Murray Park was officially opened by Dick Advocaat and David Murray. The first football training facility of its kind in Scotland and best to this day, it still stands as one of the leading such centres in Europe. A decade on from its inauguration, we take an in-depth look at Rangersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; training base and reflect on why the ÂŁ14million investment 10 years ago was so important for the Light Blues. 52

Blue Heaven Words Neil Smith

who are employed at the site to guard it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Three are in full-time working on a part-time

u M

positions, with another four basis. b Pa r k b y n u m

700

On average, that’s how many

kits are washed every week in the £25,000 laundry room at Murray Park, with staff ensuring training

Murray Park’s indoor synthetic

gear and matchday strips

u M

pitch is 60 metres long and 40 metres wide. Its surface closely

mimics grass and is laid on a bed cushioning and help to

b Pa r k b y n u m

u M

of rubber crumbs which provide

are always prepared.

The number of security staff

Both had the long-term vision needed to push the massive project through and it has been money well spent as the Light Blues now have one of the best facilities of its kind in European football. On becoming Rangers manager in July 1998 Advocaat was stunned to find out that the Scottish giants were training at several local venues, including Jordanhill College in Anniesland and the West of Scotland Cricket Club. He insisted this had to change and that the nomadic existence of the first-team players was simply out of sync for an institution of Rangers’ size. Building Murray Park eliminated this problem

REBLE-winning manager Dick Advocaat secured his status in Scottish football folklore by bringing great success to Rangers on the pitch as well as a plethora of international class stars to the Scottish Premier League. But the Dutchman’s legacy will always be the magnificent Training and Development Centre in Auchenhowie which is now used on a daily basis by Ally McCoist’s first-team squad. Officially opened on July 4, 2001 Murray Park was the result of Advocaat’s drive and dogged determination and the considerable support from then-chairman David Murray who pledged £14million initially to make their dream a reality.

ayprevent injuries. mb Pa r k b y n u

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much to do with psychology as anything else. us an idea of what we should be doing. The centre was built in such a way that the “Now people can see what Rangers has, one youth wing is separate and quite different in of the best training grounds there is.” design to the professional wing. After officially opening the centre David That creates a feeling of desire among Murray said: “It is not only significant for young lads who dream of one day Rangers, but for Scottish football it making the grade at first-team was long overdue and needed. level with Rangers. “It is something every The facilities young Rangers supporter can be The depth in feet of a lagoon players enjoy are very proud of. fabulous but there are “Cricket grounds and at the far end of the complex marked differences. muddy rugby pitches which recycles water for pitch Their dressing rooms are not the places to put drainage. It holds 1.7million are relatively plain and millions of pounds worth gallons in all. functional with simple of players.” bench seating and clothes Advocaat, who was rr b ay hooks with an adjacent nicknamed The Little m Pa r k b y n u shower room. General, was involved in every The professional dressing room, stage of the design process at by comparison, is like something from a Auchenhowie. luxury health club featuring spacious wooden And the whole key to the centre was to have lockers with double doors, twin shoe racks a clearly defined split between the youth and below each locker, a sauna, steam room, professional parts to the club, which is as

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millions it cost to build the

and it also created an environment for youngsters to thrive in as they progress through the ranks. Advocaat’s blunt and brutally honest views would certainly have helped persuade the Ibrox hierarchy to look beyond the short term and it is understandable that he speaks with great pride when discussing the state-of-the-art centre he helped design. He said: “It might have cost me a player for the following season but it was definitely worth it! “I was very surprised when I came to Rangers that they did not have training facilities for the first team, but even more surprised that there was nothing for the youth players because this is such an important aspect of the club. “There was a lot of discussion about this but we were strong enough to persuade David Murray and very quickly it was clear he was up for it. “We went to see some training grounds in England and learn about other facilities to give

residency.

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700

On average, that’s how many

kits are washed every week in the £25,000 laundry room at Murray Park, with staff ensuring training

Murray Park’s indoor synthetic

gear and matchday strips

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pitch is 60 metres long and 40 metres wide. Its surface closely

mimics grass and is laid on a bed cushioning and help to

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of rubber crumbs which provide

are always prepared.

The number of security staff

ayprevent injuries. mb Pa r k b y n u

The length of time it took in months to build the complex from scratch before the club’s senior and youth

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The amount of pounds in Rangers Football Training Centre – known more commonly

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as Murray Park - on Auchenhowie Road,

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millions it cost to build the

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teams took up day-to-day

9600

This is the capacity in gallons of the complex’s state of the art hydrotherapy pool, which has a moveable floor that can be

years, when it comes to training facilities. whirlpool and a higher spec shower room. “In the 80s and early 90s we would train at The boot room and kit room are just a walk the Albion and from there we moved on. through where Jimmy Bell is on hand with “We started getting mini-buses to different fresh towels and newly-pressed training gear. pitches around Glasgow although we The players can then walk out of their would still get changed at Ibrox. dressing room into a beautifully “Back then you didn’t really lit rotunda which leads them know any different so you to the main pitch which has just got on with it. under-soil heating. Slightly The number of acres the entire “It seems strange now better than the hour-long site, with its six full-size and to think that world class round trip on the bus two half-size parks, a practice area, players like Gough, nine-in-a-row stars had Gazza and Laudrup were to endure in the years one indoor pitch and other training training at places like before Murray Park! facilities, changing rooms and Jordanhill College and New Rangers boss Ally rehabilitation rooms people out walking their McCoist vividly remembers rr covers. b ay dogs could stand at the side those days and, prior to that, m Pa r k b y n u of pitches and see what was changing at Ibrox Stadium and going on. walking across Edmiston Drive “But that’s how things were and that’s in his boots to train in what is now the why players nowadays need to realise just how Albion car park. fortunate they are to have a wonderful centre He said: “It’s incredible when you consider like Murray Park. the changes at Rangers, even in the past 30

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few centimetres to

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adjusted in depth from just a 1.75 metres. b Pa r k b y n u m

“It was maybe a big investment for the club at the time but it’s been a crucial one, absolutely. “First and foremost we have tremendous facilities for our first-team players. “The pitches, changing facilities, treatment areas and gym are different class and match anything you will find across Europe. “On top of that Murray Park also provides perfect facilities for our younger players to develop their skills. “Again they have fantastic pitches, including the indoor hall. In fact 90 per cent of professional clubs across Scotland would love to have the facilities our youth players have. “So over the past ten years I think that Murray Park has been great for Rangers in general and during that time our senior side has won 15 domestic honours in Scotland which says it all really. “The training centre will always be a huge asset for the club.”

9600

This is the capacity in gallons of the complex’s state of the art hydrotherapy pool, which has a moveable floor that can be

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few centimetres to

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adjusted in depth from just a 1.75 metres. b Pa r k b y n u m

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50000

Sinclair raves about Murray Park and hits back at its critics

under-soil heating system which protects the main professional pitch, something which cost

£150,000 to install.

b Pa r k b y n u m

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A staggering 27 miles of hot water piping make up the

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“There is no doubt that young players are attracted to working at Murray Park, who wouldn’t be?”

the best

can be a hell of a chore for other clubs. “The introduction of indoor facilities at Toryglen and Ravenscraig has certainly helped but having decent facilities across the board would definitely have a massive impact on our game and what we can do. “We can only hope that other clubs aspire to have their own training centres and they can eventually get there because not only would it help develop young players but it would also attract more to come to our country as well. “There is no doubt that young players are attracted to working at Murray Park, who wouldn’t be? “But the only thing we have to keep guarding against is that our boys at Rangers don’t become complacent. “They can sometimes think that this is the norm for every football club when clearly it’s not. “The staff at Murray Park all work as hard as they can to re-enforce the message to our boys that they are very fortunate to have our training facilities and to make the most of them while they can. “We are all privileged to work for this great club.”

Simply

provide a world-class facility for the first team to train. “I think the adoption of it being an Academy in some ways was damaging because although it is a fantastic place it is still just bricks, mortar and grass. “It doesn’t affect the standard of the young players coming through the gates at Murray Park in the first instance. “Youth development is a difficult task and right now you would not say that our nation is over endowed with super talents. Rangers’ £50,000 video editing “But in the past suite is linked to a remote-controlled decade I think we Hutton camera on the professional pitch, can be very pleased who which films every training session with what has been have all and allows the manager to achieved at youth level Words Neil Smith featured over 100 request specific things at Rangers and we will times for the Ibrox giants. rr always strive to bring ay are recorded. mb During this seven-year Pa r k b y n u and develop the best young period it is also estimated that players for our first-team.” the Youth Academy at Murray OUTH supremo Jim Sinclair believes Sinclair has also praised Advocaat Park has made a profit equivalent to that in Murray Park Rangers have a and former Chairman David Murray for having £15million. wonderful training facility and he is the long-term vision to invest in a training This figure is derived from the sale of players delighted that the club’s youth academy has ground he believes is crucial for a club like such as Alan Hutton, the value of players now recently been getting the credit it deserves. Rangers. in the first team such as Jamie Ness and the The emergence of a number of talented He added: “Whether it’s down to Dick salary savings when youngsters replace more youngsters last season such as Jamie Ness, Advocaat or the previous owner David Murray experienced first-team stars. Kyle Hutton and Gregg Wylde meant that I think a club of Rangers’ stature needs to These statistics highlight the positive work a spotlight shone brightly on the club’s strive to be the best and in Murray Park they put in by Sinclair and his coaching staff at Auchenhowie base. have a facility that any club would be every age level but the former SFA But prior to that Sinclair admits he was proud of. Director of Youth Development shocked at the level of criticism occasionally “But not only that, if you insists his job can, at times, aimed at Murray Park. want to bring top players be a tough challenge. Due to the initial building and running costs here a massive attraction He said: “Murray Park there is often a perception that a conveyor belt for them now is the Murray Park was the first is a fabulous facility, of talent should be ready and waiting to join facilities they will be there’s no doubt about custom-built football training the Rangers top team when, in reality, there working at every day. that, and it’s certainly complex of its kind in Scotland are a lot of outside influences that have to be “I definitely think it amongst the best that I and is now regarded as one of taken in to consideration. was a necessary step have seen. the most sophisticated In Scotland the number of top players in for Rangers back in “However, the such facilities in Europe. their early teens is dwindling and when trying 2001 because when you expectation level that rr to coax starlets from abroad the Light Blues b see the training grounds ay comes along with it can face stiff competition from clubs with mega Pa r k b y n u m that clubs down south have sometimes be suffocating bucks to spend, especially south of the border. even in the lower Premiership and and I do believe that in the time On top of that there are never any Championship that is what Rangers is it has been opened it has suffered from guarantees that a young hopeful will have the competing against. undeserved bad press. mental strength and maturity to step up to the “Murray Park, and of course Ibrox Stadium, “Over the years there have been players biggest stage with the champions. are very special and any player seeing them like McGregor, Hutton, Burke and Charlie That, however, will never deter the for the first time can’t help but be impressed.” Adam that have come through the youth coaches and scouts at Having worked with clubs across Scotland in ranks and more recently Danny Murray Park who can look his previous role with the SFA Jim knows all Wilson, Jamie Ness, Gregg back with pride at what about the difficulties managers face trying to Wylde, Kyle Hutton and has been achieved since find suitable training facilities for their players. John Fleck for example. David Murray and Dick He does, however, hope that in the future There are that many other “I think that is a very, Advocaat officially every SPL club can have its own training very respectable return, non-playing and coaching staff opened the state-ofground and believes this will benefit the especially when you employed at Murray Park to work the-art centre. beautiful game in this country. add to that the revenue behind the scenes in a variety of roles, In the last seven He said: “If every club in the SPL could have brought in from the sales including on the ground staff, years 32 Academy kids a training ground like Murray Park that would of Hutton and Wilson and in kitchens, administration have made 1368 senior be fantastic, even if it was not on that scale. the kickback we will get rr and maintenance. b appearances for the Gers “Right now many have to organise the ay when Charlie moves away first team. Pa rk by num from Blackpool which looks transportation of goals to and from local This, of course, ranges from training pitches and they have to deal with all inevitable. Dean Furman and Paul Emslie who the hassle that comes with that. “So Murray Park has an excellent reputation played just once before moving on to the “The opportunity to do extra practise during although it’s easy to forget that when the likes of Allan McGregor, Chris Burke and Alan the day, while it might be a given for Rangers, centre first opened its primary purpose was to

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Sinclair raves about Murray Park and hits back at its critics

under-soil heating system which protects the main professional pitch, something which cost

£150,000 to install.

b Pa r k b y n u m

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A staggering 27 miles of hot water piping make up the

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“There is no doubt that young players are attracted to working at Murray Park, who wouldn’t be?”

the best

Simply

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Rangers Development Fund Business Members

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Stay in the picture with RangersTV RANGERS will unfurl the League Championship flag before the SPL opener with Hearts on July 23 - and you can watch live wherever you are on RangersTV. In another ground-breaking move, Rangers will become the first club in the country to show a league fixture live in the UK after approval from the SPL and Sky Sports who are handling the broadcast of the match which will now start at 12.30pm. As normal the match will be available across the globe on the club’s unbeatable internet TV service. The Light Blues were leading the way in 2009 by becoming the first football club in the UK to launch a dedicated online TV station - providing exclusive in-house programming, daily news bulletins and live match action and highlights - and we are leading the way yet again. Rangers Chief Operating Officer Ali Russell said: “We are delighted our opening SPL game of the season against Hearts will be shown live inside and outside the UK on RangersTV.tv. “Our online TV station has gone from strength to strength since its launch two seasons ago and now our fans will be able to watch the league flag being unfurled and the Hearts match live on the internet anywhere in the world.”

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WELCOME to Pro Zone, your indispensible guide to staying on track if you want to train, eat and play the Rangers way. Every month, we’ll speak to some of the men who have been responsible for keeping the Light Blues ahead of their SPL rivals for the past three seasons. They’ll give us training tips and nutritional advice whilst sharing

their tactical knowledge to provide you with information that gives you your best chance of reaching your peak. Gers have been champions of Scotland with good reason every year since 2009 and in Pro Zone,

Pro

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the club’s backroom staff will share the methods they used to secure the silverware.

Train like a

player

ALLY McCOIST, Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant are credited most with keeping the Rangers first team in shape but Head of Sports Science Adam Owen plays a key role too. A UEFA Pro Licence holder and a former player himself, his training programmes are essential as they keep the first team in peak condition.

Adam says… “Pre-season is a crucial time for football teams at every level as it’s when they lay the foundations for the campaign ahead and if they do it well, it can make such a difference. “First and foremost, we put players through a series of specific tests as soon as they report back from their holidays to assess exactly what level they are at. “They are hugely important in terms of detecting whether there are any weaknesses or imbalances we need to work on because injury prevention is a massive part of what we do. “We’ll then repeat the process from day one every couple of months alongside the weekly stuff we do such as heart rate monitoring. “Once initial testing is complete, we get straight into a programme that’s as close to normal training as possible and that means plenty of ball work. “The players do get fit over a period of time and we’ve had good success in recent years following the same sort of schedule we go through at the moment. “It is vital you don’t put the players under too

In Rangers Monthly, the Welshman will talk through various exercises which are played out by the Light Blues on the pitches of Murray Park and beyond. Adam kicks off in part one by outlining a typical pre-season programme he would put players through to get them ready for a new campaign.

much stress too soon and you have a gradual build up instead. “The change in approaches to pre-season over recent years has been huge and we can justify what we do with reasons why we are doing it. “At the end of the day, players don’t run up mountains or sand dunes when they’re playing in a game so they don’t need to do it in preseason either. “In order to get fit as a footballer, you need football fitness so get the guys doing things which are specific to what they do on a day-today basis.”

Close season training “This year we didn’t ask the players to do too much when they were off because it was a relatively short summer break for them and we wanted them to return feeling fresh. “Typically, however, I’d look for them to take a minimum of two weeks off straight after a season where they shut down completely and let their bodies rest. “After that, they should start building up gently

by doing some interval running and also be able to do a 20 to 25 minute run for the sake of giving themselves a base. “Before they come back, we want them at the level where they are doing four four-minute runs with three minutes rest in between at 90 to 95 per cent of their maximum heart rate. “If they do that twice a week and get involved in different sports socially such as swimming or tennis, they’ll be in a good position when they rejoin us at Murray Park.”

Pre-season tests Treadmill “When the players come back, the main test we do with them is on the treadmill and they will run on it for at least 15 minutes at gradually increasing gradients and speed. From that, we can get a blood lactate marker, a maximum heart rate and a VO2 max, which is your maximum oxygen consumption. We can also find out how economical a player is when he runs and the statistics we get show over the season how much fitter someone is getting. This test is always one the boys are competitive on and this year the likes of Steven Naismith, Steven Davis, Andrew Little and Kirk Broadfoot all stood out.”

A A view view from from the dressing the dressing room room This This month: month: Lee Lee McCulloch McCulloch

Body fat “This one is pretty simple as we get the calipers out and test the sum of eight skin folds in different positions around the body. If a player is carrying excess weight, that is classed as dead weight and that puts greater stress on muscles when they are twisting and turning. In turn, they aren’t as economical. Thankfully most players come back to training in decent shape though and the days of returning for pre-season needing to lose a stone or two are gone.” Blood “The lactate test we do looks at how efficient the body is with regards to flushing things out of the system and allowing it to operate as well as it can.” Strength “We do both lower and upper body exercises to test strength which involve pushing on a bench press and pulling with a chin up. At the same time, we’ll look for imbalances between the left and right legs through single-leg jumping and squatting exercises. Every single strength exercise involves being linked to a machine which gives us a power output and tells us the force produced by the players.” Screening “Players are asked to do eight different exercises that get them into different positions and they will get a rating, with three being excellent and zero being very poor. They’ll do things such as lunging and core exercises and from that, we are then able to see what areas we need to work with certain players on.” Biomechanics “Players walk over a force plate and when their foot touches down you can see which part of it they are walking on. Again, we can then work on correcting any imbalances which arise from that and ensure people are wearing the right sort of footwear.”

“Once these tests are done, we get a level of high-intensity work into our first couple of training sessions. “It is important though that we don’t overstress the players. We do expect them to manage four four-minute runs as they would have been doing in the summer but that’s it. “From there, we gradually increase the speed they work at and we’ll go from endurance work to repeated sprint actions. “They are disguised in the form of crossing and finishing drills as well as small and big-sided games, with the volume increasing very steadily all the time. “Once more, what they are doing in training is more specific to what is done in games and it is good not to stray from that. “Very quickly, training takes on a very normal feel and that gets us going in the direction which will have us ready for the start of friendly and competitive games.”

Y my reckoning, this is my 19th preseason - and I’m pleased to report they’re getting less stressful with each passing year. When I cast my mind back to my first summer with Motherwell when I was 15 in 1993, it’s not hard to see why that’s the case. Back then, Tommy McLean would have us doing 30-minute road runs with tyres around our necks. He was cast in the Jock Wallace mould and it showed. There were grown men with tears in their eyes being sick in bushes and it left me wondering what I’d let myself in for. Even just a few years ago when I was at Wigan, Paul Jewell would take us to do sprints up the sand dunes at Southport Beach and that was tortuous too. He was another old school manager but nowadays, thankfully, things are much more scientific and I’ve no doubt that’s definitely for the better. During the close season, players will take a complete break for 10 days to two weeks but then they get themselves up to speed for the start of full training. When we return to Murray Park, we get our urine, saliva, blood, fat levels and lung capacities tested to determine exactly what we need to do to reach our peak again. The longest runs we do are now four minutes long and people have come around to the theory you don’t need to keep going until you sweat blood to get fit. Our holidays between seasons are shorter than they used to be so there’s not the same need to work players into the ground. Adam has us doing the right things. There are less injuries picked up in pre-season now than there were when I was first starting out and that’s thanks to a more sensible approach. The end result there is that in turn, players can probably hope to enjoy longer careers than they used to have. And as a guy who hopes go well beyond his 20th pre-season 12 months from now, that’s got to be good news as far as I’m concerned.

Pro

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the club’s backroom staff will share the methods they used to secure the silverware.

Train like a

player

A A view view from from the dressing the dressing room room This This month: month: Lee Lee McCulloch McCulloch

Pro

The injury clinic With Pip Yeates

DESPITE wonderful advances in medicine and science, injuries are still commonplace in football and Rangers have suffered more than their share of them in recent years. The men tasked with getting Light Blues players fit again when they are hurt are club doctor Paul Jackson and the four-strong physiotherapy team at Murray Park.

Ankle sprains Pip says... “Ankle sprains and ligament injuries are common and not just amongst footballers due to the fact the joint carries so much weight and dictates how mobile somebody is. “The extent of damage is gauged on a three-grade scale, ranging from mild sprains to incomplete tears and ligament ruptures with significant instability. “Doing proper rehabilitation work is crucial. Ligament injuries obviously cause pain and inflammation and they could limit you if you don’t work properly to overcome

Mobility exercises Toe flex – Lying flat on your back, point your toes down first then up towards the ceiling.

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Head physio Pip Yeates has almost 30 years of experience in the business, having worked previously for Dunfermline Athletic and the Scottish national side. He has been with Gers since 2007 and each month he looks at different problems frequently encountered by players, explaining how to deal with and recover from them.

them. “Programmes designed to rehabilitate after an ankle injury strengthen muscles around the joint and improve balance and joint position sense. “As with all exercises, those done after an ankle injury must be carried out correctly for the sake of avoiding any further strain or lasting effects. “It can be difficult to do anything for the first couple of days but from the 48-hour mark up to three weeks, there are several things - shown below - you can do to help. “Stretching is important but it must only be done after a three or four-minute warmup walk, at as fast a pace as is comfortable

All exercises should be done with both the injured and uninjured ankles unless otherwise stated

without causing any pain. “Doing that increases circulation and prepares your muscles for what you’re about to ask them to do. “All stretches should be held for 20 seconds, with five repetitions done on each leg. That includes uninjured muscles so that flexibility levels remain roughly the same. “The speed you do each exercise at depends on which stage you are at with the injury and the progress you are making. “After your session is finished, you should then lower your heart rate with a gentle walk to bring it back to the level it was at before.”

Balance and co-ordination exercises Single leg balance – Stand only on your injured leg, stretching your arms out to the side when you can do it comfortably. Progress further by repeating again whilst closing your eyes.

Toe crunches – Sitting on a chair, simply use your toes to crumple up a bathroom towel.

Balance board – Stand on a balance

Foot circles – Either sitting or lying on the floor, rotate your foot from the ankle in one direction followed by the other.

board, throwing a ball back and forth to a partner or off a wall once you can remain upright for an extended length of time.

Static stretching

Strengthening

Gastrocnemius and soleus stretch - Stand facing a wall, place both hands flat in front of you at chest height with your feet apart and one further forward than the other. Both feet should point forwards and your heels should be in contact with the floor at all times. Stretch by bending the front knee and straightening the back one, keeping your head raised and your hips forward. Bend your back knee slightly to alter the stretch to the soleus (calf) muscle.

Toe raising/lowering – Leaning Nikica Jelavic suffered ankle damage last season

back against a wall with your hip, knee and foot in line with each other, raise and lower the toe slowly. Do three sets of 30 reps.

Alphabet – With a Theraband wrapped around your foot, write the alphabet as large as possible, pulling outwards against the pull of the Therband at all times. Do at various speeds depending on progress, adding repetitions until three sets of A to Z are done comfortably.

Pro

The injury clinic With Pip Yeates

Mobility exercises Toe flex – Lying flat on your back, point your toes down first then up towards the ceiling.

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All exercises should be done with both the injured and uninjured ankles unless otherwise stated

Toe crunches – Sitting on a chair, simply use your toes to crumple up a bathroom towel.

Balance board – Stand on a balance

Foot circles – Either sitting or lying on the floor, rotate your foot from the ankle in one direction followed by the other.

board, throwing a ball back and forth to a partner or off a wall once you can remain upright for an extended length of time.

Static stretching

Strengthening

Toe raising/lowering – Leaning Nikica Jelavic suffered ankle damage last season

back against a wall with your hip, knee and foot in line with each other, raise and lower the toe slowly. Do three sets of 30 reps.

Eat like a

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player PAUL LAFFERTY first plied his trade at Rangers as a YTS trainee in the Ibrox kitchen in 1990 and has worked with the Light Blues for almost 20 years since then over two spells. In his role nowadays as the club’s head chef at Murray Park, he works closely with Gers doctor Paul Jackson in order to provide healthy meals each day for Ally McCoist’s players. Every month in Pro Zone, former British Trainee Chef of the Year Paul will tell us how to make some of the food he prepares for the champions at their training base. He said: “Eating the right thing at the right time is essential for any professional athlete and that is certainly the case here at Rangers.

“When I first started out at the club, we made more homely dishes and it wasn’t uncommon for a player to have a sirloin steak, chips and a couple of fried eggs for lunch. “Now things are a bit more scientific and it’s up to me and the staff in my kitchen to make sure we’ve got the squad putting the right things in their bodies to keep them on top.” In the first part of the series, Paul describes how to make one of the first-team squad’s favourite dishes, chorizo pasta with mixed vegetables.

Chorizo pasta with mixed vegetables

Why is this dish good for you?

Serves 4 | Preparation/cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients

Preparation method

225g chorizo

1. Boil a full kettle of water and prepare the vegetables. Dice each of the peppers and the red onion, quarter the mushrooms, slice the courgette and finely chop the garlic. Also slice the chorizo into bite-sized pieces. Preparation should take roughly 10 minutes.

½ red pepper ½ yellow pepper ½ green pepper 1 red onion 1 courgette 2 garlic cloves 8-10 button mushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil 50ml vegetable stock Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 300-400g dried pasta, such as fusilli, conchiglie or penne 1 tsp mixed herbs 1 tsp dried chilli flakes

2. Once the kettle is boiled, add 50ml of water to half a vegetable stock cube and mix. Add your pasta to the rest of the water and cook to packet instructions (8-10 minutes).

Paul with his fellow kitchen staff Jamie McGuinness, Caroline Blain, Jean Mitchell, Andrena Alexander and Martha Grant

3. Heat the olive oil over a medium to high heat in a large wok and add the chorizo, frying for around a minute.

5. Add vegetable stock to the wok to give the dish more moisture along with the chopped garlic cloves. Cook until the pasta is ready, lowering the heat if necessary, then add the drained pasta to the wok and mix.

4. Add the peppers, red onion and mushrooms and sauté for a further two minutes then add the mixed herbs and chilli flakes.

6. Add another drizzle of olive oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve with parmesan cheese, garlic bread and salad.

“It has lots of different coloured vegetables and that is more important than you might think. They offer a lot of nutrition and different minerals and thanks to the fact there is four times more vitamin C in peppers compared with oranges, they have plenty of that too. There is no such thing as an unhealthy bit of food but you can keep an unhealthy diet if you eat lots of the same thing all the time and that can be counter productive so this gives you a variety of stuff you should be eating on a day to day basis. There are green vegetables included which are always good as they produce energy and support the body’s immune system. The dish can be adjusted to include other things such as cherry tomatoes – which would be added at the same point as the peppers, onions and mushrooms – and they also help to fight against the stresses of exercise. People might not think much of the fact

there are herbs in the recipe but they play a role too from the point of view they do things which help your body fight against diseases and illness. The dish includes meat, pasta and vegetables so you’ve got all the things which can help you keep a balanced diet.”

When should you eat it? “This is a great meal to have during preseason because of how versatile it is. It’s a really good recovery meal so you might have it for lunch or dinner after a heavy session of running as you are trying to get fit ahead of a new campaign. By the same token, there are obviously carbohydrates in the pasta so it could be had before you go out to work instead. You don’t need to worry if you’re not a fan of chorizo as that could be exchanged for any other continental meat such as chicken. In that instance, I’d recommend cutting the chicken in a similar fashion and cooking it first

before taking it out of the wok again and re-introducing towards the end along with the stock. That way you can poach it rather than overdo it. Whatever meat you include, it’s a good thing to have because it helps build muscular strength and power and is full of protein.”

What do the players think of it? “This is probably one of the most popular dishes we make for the squad at Murray Park. It’s certainly a big favourite of Sasa Papac’s and everyone in the group will ask for it at some time or another. If I was to ask my missus which meal she’d have as her last, she’d probably say this one – although I’d probably have to stick a bit more chorizo in! In the first week of pre-season, it was one of the first dishes we had on for them to eat in between sessions.”

Eat like a

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Chorizo pasta with mixed vegetables

Why is this dish good for you?

Serves 4 | Preparation/cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients

Preparation method

225g chorizo

2. Once the kettle is boiled, add 50ml of water to half a vegetable stock cube and mix. Add your pasta to the rest of the water and cook to packet instructions (8-10 minutes).

Paul with his fellow kitchen staff Jamie McGuinness, Caroline Blain, Jean Mitchell, Andrena Alexander and Martha Grant

3. Heat the olive oil over a medium to high heat in a large wok and add the chorizo, frying for around a minute.

4. Add the peppers, red onion and mushrooms and sauté for a further two minutes then add the mixed herbs and chilli flakes.

6. Add another drizzle of olive oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve with parmesan cheese, garlic bread and salad.

Pro

Tommy’s tactics board Zon e

they can be so effective. He’ll also describe training drills which are relevant to particular game situations, meaning you can try them out yourself and have your best chance of playing just like the champions.

TO stay ahead of their rivals, Rangers work hard at Murray Park on tactical scenarios which can then be applied in matches to help them get the results they need. In Pro Zone, reserve coach Tommy Wilson will look at some of those they focus on most and talk through why

Tactic #1: Switch of play

“It can certainly look relatively straightforward when executed - but it still takes practice to get it right. “The onus is on players to use a combination of short and long passing to expose their opponents and we do drills in

Tommy says… “Increasingly in the modern game, teams are really well organised when they are defending and are far more compact than before. “Many keep the correct distances between the lines of defence, midfield and attack in their sides and often prove to be stuffy and tough to get past. “A tactic we would use to overcome that would be switch of play and I’ve shown an example of how that can be used successfully. “As you can see, the diagram shows how an attacking right back might pass quickly to his centre back, who then takes a good first touch then switches play on to the advancing left back. “The idea is to exploit available space when an opposing team defends as a tight unit and on paper, it looks like a simple lump across the park.

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training to hone those skills. “It sometimes takes patience if you are the wide player who’ll be receiving the ball but if you are looking to use switch of play you need to remain out there as it will come eventually. “On reception, that player then has to maximise the fact he has space and take his first touch forward so that he has his best chance of causing damage. “People marvel at Barcelona’s short passing and the way it sucks people in. That is fantastic but it then allows them to use longer passes to switch play. “You frequently see the likes of Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets quickly releasing balls out to the wide areas after opponents have been drawn towards them. “At Rangers, we’ve got guys such as Kyle Hutton and Jamie Ness who are good at lifting their heads and getting the ball from one side of the pitch to the other fast and effectively.”

4 6

2 6

Drill 1 – Switch of play passing

Drill 2 – Switch then through

Mannequins are placed in a way that imitates a four-man defence and provide token resistance, with six players operating around and through them. Player 1 passes short to 2, who controls then switches to 3 with a longer pass. On reception he takes the ball past his mannequin and passes short to 4. Players rotate so that they experience each element of the move and this exercise encourages variation of passing and keeps the ball moving quickly over a sizable area.

Players are arranged in a 40mx40m area, with player 1 starting by playing to 2. In turn, he opens up and flights to 3. He then moves back inside past the mannequin and threads pass 4 through the gap to player 5 and so on. Once more, players rotate their positions for variation and the drill gets them both executing and receiving different passes. It also develops their ability to find gaps through which to pass.

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Tactic #1: Switch of play

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4 6

2 6

Drill 1 – Switch of play passing

Drill 2 – Switch then through

charity

Togo or not to go? New survey reveals disparity between healthcare experiences in West Africa and the UK – and how Rangers are making a difference

Rangers Charity Foundation manager Connal Cochrane pictured with a family from Togo during a visit there last year

HO would be willing to walk from Glasgow to Stirling to see a doctor? A similar prospect is facing many people in Togo, Western Africa. People in Britain would not walk more than one mile to see a GP and 10% would not be willing to walk at all, according to research released by the Rangers Charity Foundation and UNICEF. The Foundation and UNICEF are working together to help ensure thousands of children and their families never have to face such a daunting challenge. The survey of 737 respondents reveals that proximity to the doctor and availability of transport to hospitals is the major factor affecting quality healthcare. The majority of UK respondents (57%) would be willing to walk a maximum of one mile to get to a hospital if they were sick and 10% would refuse to walk at all. Just 3.6% would choose to walk if they urgently needed to go to hospital - even though 70% live less than five miles from the nearest hospital. That compares to 88% of the population of Togo, who have never received any healthcare because they live up to 30 miles from the nearest doctor – the equivalent of walking from Glasgow to Stirling. The Rangers Charity Foundation is raising money, with the help of its generous fans, to reconstruct and equip seven new health care centres across Togo to provide crucial medical care to over 125,000 children and their families. Light Blues manager Ally McCoist said:

Big Blue Bungee – are you brave enough?

“Many people in this country take for granted the healthcare we receive and I hope this survey highlights to everyone how fortunate we are. “Rangers Football Club champions youth at home and abroad and our partnership with UNICEF means we are helping children whose lives will improve enormously with our support.” Differences in the provision of clean water and sanitation are also highlighted in the research. For example: 97% of Togo’s population has no access to a toilet compared to 99.9% of those surveyed having a toilet in their house. On average there is just one toilet for every 53

people in Togo. All of those surveyed can use fresh water from a tap in their home as many times as they wish and 2% prefer to drink only bottled water, a choice that Togolese people can only dream of. 97% of those surveyed eat two or more meals a day. By contrast, most Togolese live on less than 60p a day and can afford just one simple daily meal. Julie Weston, UNICEF UK Director of Fundraising, said: “In Togo poor families often have to make difficult choices – should they pay for food for the whole family or use the money to send a sick child to the doctor? “Nobody should have to make this choice.

“Rangers Football Club champions youth at home and abroad and our partnership with UNICEF means we are helping children whose lives will improve enormously with our support.” UNICEF thanks Rangers for their incredible work to make sure fewer families have to make these choices and sacrifices.” Rangers Charity Foundation Manager Connal Cochrane added: “This survey highlights the appalling conditions in which millions of children in Africa are born. “When I visited Togo last year, I met many children who had never seen a doctor so I understand completely what a difference the seven new health centres we are supporting will make.”

HE UK’s first static bungee jump has arrived in Perthshire and the Rangers Charity Foundation is looking for intrepid fans to take it on on our behalf! This is a unique experience in Britain – participants do not jump from a crane but leap off a bridge over the River Garry in Killiecrankie to plunge straight down a 130ft canyon towards the water. If you have the spirit of adventure and are brave enough to take on an experience you will never forget, contact us now to find out more on 0141 580 8775 or by email at rangerscharity@ rangers.co.uk. The Foundation has secured a special slot on Sunday, September 11 to allow Rangers fans to jump together and cheer each other on. You can get a taste of what to expect by viewing a video of the ‘Highland Fling’ bungee at www.naelimits.co.uk. The bungee is new this year but has already won awards for its innovative design. It will be scary and will be terrifying - but it will also be one of the most amazing things you have ever done! The cost to take part is usually £65 per person but outdoor adventure company Nae Limits has given us a special discount so Rangers fans can jump for just £55 and you can pay the participation fee yourself or raise it through sponsorship.

If you are raising your participation fee via sponsorship, supporters must raise a minimum of £110 to take part (50% participation fee, 50% donation to the Foundation). Every supporter who raises more than £100 for the Foundation will also become a True Blue Hero and will be invited to a special reception to

receive a True Blue Hero medal from a Rangers first-team player. Please note you have to be over 14 years of age and weigh under 18 stone to bungee jump. Parental consent is required for anyone under the age of 18 years. Remember, places are limited, so jump to it and book now!

Season tickets for Erskine THE Rangers Charity Foundation has donated a pair of Ibrox season tickets to Erskine Home in Bishopton. They will allow ex-service men and women, young and old, to enjoy games at the home of the SPL champions throughout the new campaign. The 95-year-old Erskine facility cares for 1,000 former forces members every year, helping them rebuild shattered lives and providing specialist support, often long after they have left active duty. Erskine Chairman Jim Scott said: “We are incredibly grateful to all involved with the Rangers Charity Foundation for their ongoing commitment to our work. “With their support, we will continue to deliver high-quality care services to the veteran and serving military community across Scotland. “The generous donation of season tickets will allow many of our residents to enjoy watching

their favourite team over the course of the next year. “I know they will benefit from every minute of their time spent at Ibrox. Thank you on behalf of everyone at Erskine.” Foundation manager Connal Cochrane added: “It is a privilege to present Erskine with these season tickets on behalf of the Rangers Charity Foundation. “So many people will benefit throughout the forthcoming campaign and it will be our pleasure to welcome them to Ibrox.”

charity

Togo or not to go? New survey reveals disparity between healthcare experiences in West Africa and the UK – and how Rangers are making a difference

Rangers Charity Foundation manager Connal Cochrane pictured with a family from Togo during a visit there last year

Big Blue Bungee – are you brave enough?

ABERDEEN

new SPL season will kick-off on July 23 and over the next six pages we’ll be profiling each of the teams Rangers will face, with a bit of help from RangersTV’s Tom Miller. Celtic, of course, will be desperate to stop the Light Blues from securing a fourth consecutive title in Ally McCoist’s first year in the Ibrox hot seat but the other nine clubs have plenty to play for too. Hearts, who finished third in 2010/11, have again strengthened their squad considerably in a bid to put pressure on the Old Firm and in Jim Jefferies the Tynecastle club have one of the most experienced managers in Scotland’s top flight. Aberdeen, with Craig Brown and Archie Knox in charge, will also be looking to have a strong campaign and will be hoping to challenge for

Position last season: 9th Year formed: 1903 Manager: Craig Brown Ground: Pittodrie Capacity: 21,421 SPL results against Rangers last season: 26/09/10, Aberdeen 2 Rangers 3 13/11/10, Rangers 2 Aberdeen 0 13/04/11, Aberdeen 0 Rangers 1 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 27/08/11, Rangers v Aberdeen 29/10/11, Aberdeen v Rangers 21/01/12, Rangers v Aberdeen New signings: Youl Mawene (Panserraikos) defender Chris Clark (Plymouth) – midfielder David Gonzalez (Manchester City, loan) – goalkeeper Isaac Osbourne (Coventry City) – midfielder

Players departed: Chris Maguire (Derby County) Steven Smith, Nikola Vujadinovic Nick Blackman (end of loan) Mark Howard, Derek Young David McNamee, Sone Aluko

Tom’s prediction: 9th “It’s a big year for Aberdeen but like last season I think they will struggle at the wrong end of the SPL table. The big plus for the Dons of course is that they have two top coaches in charge in Craig Brown and Archie

a Europa League spot with the likes of Dundee United and Scottish Cup finalists Motherwell. Elsewhere, Terry Butcher’s Inverness Caley Thistle will be out to build on their strong finish to last season while teams such as Kilmarnock, St Johnstone and St Mirren have new-look squads with several players moving on and others joining their ranks. It promises to be a fantastic competition and it all gets underway with Rangers unfurling the championship flag against Hearts at Ibrox Stadium. Read on to get the lowdown on each of the clubs that will compete in the SPL’s 14th season. We’ll give you all the information you need – along with Tom’s final league place predictions and star men.

Knox and the players they bring in this month will be absolutely crucial. Losing Chris Maguire to Derby will be a blow as he was a maturing striker while Darren Mackie has been out with a long term injury and needs a good pre-season if he is going to get back to his best. I think the signings Brown makes will determine what kind of season the Dons will have but with money tight up at Pittodrie it could be like finding a diamond in a coalmine.” Tom’s Star Man: Robert Milsom Fast Facts • Aberdeen are the only club outwith the Old Firm not to have been relegated from the top flight. • Under Alex Ferguson they won the Premier Division title in 1979/80, 1983/84 and 1984/85, which was the last time it was not lifted by Celtic or Rangers.

CELTIC

Your complete guide to the new SPL season with RangersTV commentator Tom Miller Words Neil Smith

Year formed: 1988 Manager: Neil Lennon Ground: Celtic Park Capacity: 60,506 SPL results against Rangers last season: 24/10/10, Celtic 1 Rangers 3 02/01/11, Rangers 0 Celtic 2 20/02/11, Celtic 3 Rangers 0 24/04/11, Rangers 0 Celtic 0 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 17/09/11, Rangers v Celtic 28/12/11, Celtic v Rangers 24/03/12, Rangers v Celtic New signings: Kelvin Wilson (Nottingham Forrest) – defender Adam Matthews (Cardiff City) defender

DUNDEE UTD

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The kick off

Position last season: 2nd

Position last season: 4th Year formed: 1909 Manager: Peter Houston Ground: Tannadice Park Capacity: 14,209 SPL results against Rangers last season: 18/09/10, Rangers 4 Dundee United 0 02/04/11, Rangers 2 Dundee United 3 19/04/11 Dundee United 0 Rangers 4 10/05/11, Rangers 2 Dundee United 0 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 10/09/11, Dundee United v Rangers 05/11/11, Rangers v Dundee United 17/03/12, Dundee United v Rangers New signings: John Rankin (Hibernian) – midfielder Willo Flood (Middlesbrough) midfielder Players departed: David Robertson (St Johnstone) Darren Dods (Falkirk) Morgaro Gomis (Birmingham City) Craig Conway (Cardiff City) Prince Bauben

Players departed: Paul McGowan (St Mirren) Ryan Conroy (Dundee) Fraser Forster, Freddie Ljungberg, (end of loan)

Tom’s prediction: 2nd

Tom’s Star Man: Gary Hooper Fast Fact • Celtic have won 42 league titles, six of them since the SPL began, 34 Scottish Cups and 14 League Cups.

“As a team Celtic matured a bit last season after being hastily assembled at the start of the campaign. But 2011/12 is massive for Neil Lennon as the board has given him their full backing with a new contract and he has to deliver the title. The expectations will be huge at Parkhead but the one area of the pitch I think will be a concern for Lennon is in defence. Up at Inverness last season we saw signs of weaknesses in their backline so new signings Kelvin Wilson from Forest and Adam Matthews from Cardiff will need to hit the ground running.”

Tom’s Star Man: Dusan Pernis

Tom’s prediction: 5th “Peter Houston is still cutting his teeth as a manager and Rangers fans will remember when he almost threw the towel after a painful 7-1 hammering at Ibrox in December ’09 when Kris Boyd scored five. Since then he has done very well but this summer will test his ability to find a player in the transfer market. United have lost Robertson, Gomis, Conway and Bauben and they have all been key players in recent seasons and are huge boots to fill. Ideally Houston would have a bit of cash to spend but if this is not going to be the case he will have to use all his contacts to bring in loan signings or Bosmans which is a tough situation. I still think United will have a decent year but they will finish mid-table at best.” Fast Facts • The Terrors started off life in 1909 as Dundee Hibernian but changed to their present title in 1923. • Along with two League Cup triumphs, the Premier Division title was secured in 1983. They reached the European Cup semifinals in 1984 and were UEFA Cup finalists in 1987.

ABERDEEN

Players departed: Chris Maguire (Derby County) Steven Smith, Nikola Vujadinovic Nick Blackman (end of loan) Mark Howard, Derek Young David McNamee, Sone Aluko

CELTIC

Your complete guide to the new SPL season with RangersTV commentator Tom Miller Words Neil Smith

DUNDEE UTD

big

The kick off

Position last season: 2nd

Players departed: Paul McGowan (St Mirren) Ryan Conroy (Dundee) Fraser Forster, Freddie Ljungberg, (end of loan)

Tom’s prediction: 2nd

Tom’s Star Man: Gary Hooper Fast Fact • Celtic have won 42 league titles, six of them since the SPL began, 34 Scottish Cups and 14 League Cups.

Tom’s Star Man: Dusan Pernis

Manager: Jim McIntyre Ground: East End Park Capacity: 11,984 SPL results against Rangers last season: N/A Fixtures against Rangers this season: 24/09/11, Dunfermline Athletic v Rangers 03/12/11, Rangers v Dunfermline Athletic 11/02/12, Dunfermline Athletic v Rangers New signings: Paul Burns (Queen of the South) - midfielder Kevin Rutkiewicz (St Johnstone) - defender Patrick Boyle (Partick Thistle) - defender Andy Barrowman (Ross County) - forward

Position last season: 3rd Year formed: 1874 Manager: Jim Jefferies Ground: Tynecastle Stadium Capacity: 17,420 SPL results against Rangers last season: 02/10/10, Hearts 1 Rangers 2 22/01/11, Hearts 1, Rangers 0 02/02/11, Rangers 1, Hearts 0 07/05/11, Rangers 4 Hearts 0 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 23/07/11, Rangers v Hearts 22/10/11, Hearts v Rangers 03/03/12, Rangers v Hearts New signings: Danny Grainger (St Johnstone) - defender Jamie Hamill (Kilmarnock) - midfielder John Sutton (Motherwell) - forward Mehdi Taouil (Kilmarnock) - midfielder

Players departed: Calum Woods (Huddersfield Town)

promotion from the First Division in May. They have had a long run of success and will be looking to build on that, however, I still think they will narrowly avoid the drop with it being their first year back in the big time.”

Tom’s prediction: 11th

Tom’s Star Man: Nick Phinn

“Jim McIntyre has been shrewd in the transfer market so far and has brought back Paul Gallacher and John Potter from St Mirren, two players who have been with the Pars before. Personally I am delighted to see Dunfermline in Scotland’s top flight again as there is a real passion for SPL football in the town. East End Park is a good stadium and the club’s passionate fans will get behind the team in every game. You also can’t forget that Dunfermline will start this season with a winning mentality after their

Fast Facts

Players departed: Ruben Palazuelos Jamie Mole David Kucharski Ismael Bouzid Tom’s prediction: 3rd “Jim Jefferies is a very shrewd manager and although he has lost a couple of good players in Bouzid and Palazuelos he has brought in lads that know the SPL like the back of their hands. The partnership of Sutton and Kevin Kyle, who missed a chunk of last season through injury, will terrify defences as both can get goals and are like battering rams in the last third of the pitch. I also think Jamie Hamill is an excellent buy as he can get down the right and provide good crosses while Hearts fans will also be hoping that Andy Driver can stay fit and give the manager another option on the wing. I’m expecting big things at Tynecastle this season and believe they could finish within touching distance of the Old Firm.”

• Dunfermline are back in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for the first time since 2006/07, having pipped Fife rivals Raith Rovers to win the First Division title. • The East End Park club’s best season in the SPL came in 2003/04 when they finished fourth in the table under Jimmy Calderwood and were also Scottish Cup runners-up to Celtic.

Tom’s Star Man: Andy Driver Fast Facts • The Edinburgh side are based at Tynecastle, which in 1932 recorded its record gate of 53,396 against Rangers. • The Jam Tarts have enjoyed a number of successful periods, most notably the 1950s under manager Tommy Walker. The club can claim a haul of four championship titles, seven Scottish Cups and four League Cups.

HIBERNIAN

Year formed: 1885

Paul Gallacher (St Mirren) - goalkeeper John Potter (St Mirren) - defender

Position last season: 10th

Thomas Flynn, Kevin McBride

Year formed: 1875 Manager: Colin Calderwood Ground: Easter Road Capacity: 20,250 SPL results against Rangers last season: 22/08/10, Hibernian 0 Rangers 3 10/11/10, Rangers 0 Hibernian 3 26/01/11, Hibernian 0 Rangers 2 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 01/10/11, Rangers v Hibernian 10/12/11, Hibernian v Rangers 28/01/12, Rangers v Hibernian New signings: Ivan Sproule (Bristol City) - winger Garry O’Connor (Barnsley) - forward Sean O’Hanlon (MK Dons) - defender Players departed: John Rankin (Dundee United) Liam Miller (Perth Glory) Richie Towell, Darryl Duffy (end of loan) Kurtis Byrne, Derek Riordan Ricardo Vaz Te, Colin Nish, Valdas Trakys, Kevin McCann, Steven Thicot

INVERNESS

HEARTS DUNFERMLINE

Position last season: 1st (First Division)

Position last season: 7th Year formed: 1994 Manager: Terry Butcher Ground: Caledonian Stadium Capacity: 7,819 SPL results against Rangers last season: 30/10/10, Rangers 1 Inverness CT 1 11/12/10, Inverness CT 1 Rangers 1 18/01/11, Rangers 1 Inverness CT 0 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 13/08/11, Inverness CT v Rangers 17/12/11, Rangers v Inverness CT 25/02/12, Inverness CT v Rangers New signings: Gregory Tade (Raith Rovers) - forward Greg Tansey (Stockport) - midfielder Tom Alfred (Watford, loan) – defender Players departed: Grant Munro (Ross County) Stuart Golabek (Brora Rangers) Roy McBain (Peterhead) Russell Duncan, Dani Sanchez

Tom’s prediction: 6th “Hibs were an enigma last season but this summer Colin Calderwood has been able to move on several players and bring a bit of freshness to his squad. Ivan Sproule will add pace to the team while O’Hanlon is an experienced defender at 28 and has captained Swindon and MK Dons before. But the big transfer to Easter Road is Garry O’Connor as he will either be a gamble that will pay off handsomely in terms of goals or it will be a firework that will blow up in the manager’s face. We will all watch with interest to see how he settles on his return to Easter Road but there is no doubt that when focused O’Connor can be a real asset for any team. Hibs now have everything; a great training ground and a 20,000-plus all-seater stadium to be proud of but I would like to see them mount a challenge to the Old Firm like

Eric Odihambo, Dani Sanchez, Chris Innes, Chris Hogg, Max Johnson Gil Blumenshtein

Hearts are attempting right now. Scottish football needs both clubs from the capital to be strong.” Tom’s Star Man: Garry O’Connor Fast Facts • The greatest era for Hibernian came in the late 1940s and early 1950s when the Famous Five forward line inspired the club to three of their four League Championship titles. • The club were the first British entrant in the European Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the inaugural competition in 1955/56. Easter Road attracted a record crowd of 65,860 in 1950 for the visit of city rivals Hearts.

Tom’s Star Man: Nick Ross

Tom’s prediction: 7th “If Dunfermline need any inspiration they will surely get it from Inverness who carried on their form from the First Division in to the SPL last season. Caley went a full calendar year on the road undefeated which was a fantastic achievement and Terry Butcher has built up a great spirit within his group despite having a shallow pool to work with. Inverness is a place no team likes to go to and on the back of that the players produced this great away record which brought so much pride back to the club. The manager has taken a bit of risk by letting several players go, guys that were legends up there, but he will have a plan in place and I would like to see Caley have a good season, especially after they helped Rangers out in last season’s title run-in!”

Players departed: Calum Woods (Huddersfield Town)

Tom’s prediction: 11th

Tom’s Star Man: Nick Phinn

Fast Facts

HIBERNIAN

Year formed: 1885

Paul Gallacher (St Mirren) - goalkeeper John Potter (St Mirren) - defender

Position last season: 10th

Thomas Flynn, Kevin McBride

INVERNESS

HEARTS DUNFERMLINE

Position last season: 1st (First Division)

Eric Odihambo, Dani Sanchez, Chris Innes, Chris Hogg, Max Johnson Gil Blumenshtein

Tom’s Star Man: Nick Ross

Year formed: 1869 Manager: Kenny Shiels Ground: Rugby Park Capacity: 18,128 SPL results against Rangers last season: 14/08/10, Rangers 2 Kilmarnock 1 20/11/10, Kilmarnock 2 Rangers 3 13/03/11, Rangers 2 Kilmarnock 1 15/05/11, Kilmarnock 1 Rangers 5 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 06/08/11, Rangers v Kilmarnock 26/11/11, Kilmarnock v Rangers 18/02/12, Rangers v Kilmarnock New signings: Gary Harkins (Dundee) – midfielder Patrick Ada (Crewe) – defender Zdenek Kroca (Luton) – defender Paul Heffernan (Sheffield Wednesday) - forward Danny Racchi (York City) midfielder Danny Buijs (Den Haag) - midfielder

Position last season: 6th

Players departed: Jamie Hamill (Hearts) Frazer Wright (St Johnstone) Craig Bryson (Derby County) Mehdi Taouil (Hearts) Alexei Eremenko, Kieran Agard, Mohamadou Sissoko (end of loan) Tom’s prediction: 12th

Tom’s Star Man: Liam Kelly “Killie are my tip for the drop. They had an Indian summer last season under Mixu Paatelainen and when he left they literally put the lights out in terms of their season. When you look at the quality they have lost in Taouil, Eremenko, Bryson, Hamill, Sissoko and Wright you can see where they have big problems as those lads have quality and were consistent performers. Eremenko, in

Charalambous, Esteban Cassagolda

Year formed: 1886 Manager: Stuart McCall Ground: Fir Park Capacity: 13,742 SPL results against Rangers last season: 16/10/10, Rangers 4 Motherwell 1 26/12/10, Motherwell 1 Rangers 4 12/02/11, Rangers 6 Motherwell 0 30/04/11, Motherwell 0 Rangers 5 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 20/08/11, Motherwell v Rangers 02/01/12, Rangers v Motherwell 31/03/12, Motherwell v Rangers New signings: Michael Higdon (St Mirren) - forward Nicky Law (Rotherham) – midfielder Players departed: John Sutton (Hearts) Gavin Gunning, Steve Jones (end of loan) Francis Jeffers, Maurice Ross Steven Meechan, Angelis

particular, was a star while Hamill is almost like Steven Whittaker in that he can play across the backline and in midfield as well. Add to that the fact they sold their top scorer Connor Sammon in January and I really can’t see how Killie can compete in the next nine months.”

Tom’s prediction: 4th “Last season’s Scottish Cup finalists will be looking to build on their top six finish. In Stuart McCall and Kenny Black they have two former Rangers men in charge and McCall is a focused and talented young manager. Like several gaffers in the SPL he is going to have to call upon a lot of his contacts south of the border to bring in

Fast Facts • Having been founded in 1869, Kilmarnock can claim to be the second oldest surviving association football club in Scotland. • The ground’s record attendance was established in 1962 when 35,995 attended their Scottish Cup tie with Rangers.

some new faces but he already has a few top players in his ranks. In goals Darren Randolph has been called up to Republic of Ireland squad, Keith Lasley is an experienced campaigner and Tom Hateley is getting better with every season so I think Motherwell are in a good position to progress and improve under McCall’s guidance.” Tom’s Star Man: Tom Hateley Fast Facts • The Steelmen were formed in 1886 after two works teams called Glencairn and Alpha merged together. • Motherwell first moved to their present stadium, Fir Park, in 1896 and in 1952 the record attendance was set when 35,632 packed the ground for the visit of Rangers. • Motherwell won the League Championship in 1932, the League Cup in 1950 and have won the Scottish Cup on two occasions - 1952 and 1991.

ST MIRREN ST JOHNSTONE

MOTHERWELL KILMARNOCK 76

Position last season: 5th

Position last season: 8th Year formed: 1884 Manager: Derek McInnes Ground: McDiarmid Park Capacity: 10,673 SPL results against Rangers last season: 28/08/10, Rangers 2 St Johnstone 1 27/02/11, Rangers 4 St Johnstone 0 05/04/11, St Johnstone 0 Rangers 2 Fixtures against Rangers this season: 30/07/11, St Johnstone v Rangers 19/11/11, Rangers v St Johnstone 14/01/12, St Johnstone v Rangers New signings: David Robertson (Dundee United) - midfielder Sean Higgins (Dundee) - forward Callum Davidson (Preston) - defender Frazer Wright (Kilmarnock) - defender David McCracken (Brentford) – defender Carl Finnigan (Falkirk) – forward

Position last season: 11th Year formed: 1877 Manager: Danny Lennon Ground: St Mirren Park Capacity: 8,029 SPL results against Rangers last season: 07/11/10, St Mirren 1 Rangers 3 06/03/11, St Mirren 0 Rangers 1 16/04/11, Rangers 2 St Mirren 1

Players departed: Michael Duberry (Oxford United) Jordan Robertson (Scunthorpe United) Kevin Rutkiewicz (Dunfermline Athletic) Danny Grainger (Hearts) Cleveland Taylor (Burton Albion) Andy Jackson (Morton) Graeme Smith (St Mirren) Neil Duffy (Peterhead) Scott Dobie, Danny Invincibile, Collin Samuel, Peter McDonald, Graham Gartland Tom’s prediction: 10th

has admirers in England and knocked back Brentford because he didn’t feel it was the right club for him at that time. But the Saints have lost experienced defenders Michael Duberry to Oxford and Danny Grainger to Hearts and they will be difficult to replace. McInnes has, however, been actively trying to bolster his attacking options after his team struggled to hit the net in last season’s title run-in. I think this season will be tough for the Saints albeit McInnes’ experience and organisational skills will keep the club clear of the drop.”

“St Johnstone are a middle of the road club and I can’t think of any better way to describe them. The key to their success lies in keeping their manager Derek McInnes as he has shown that he can keep a drifting ship moving in the right direction. He

Tom’s Star Man: Liam Craig

(St Johnstone) - goalkeeper Gary Teale (free) – winger

from Hamilton and former Ibrox striker Steven Thompson might just provide a spark for the Buddies and their loyal supporters. With this in mind I think they will improve on their 11th place finish as their results at New St Mirren Park can only get better.”

Players departed: Michael Higdon (Motherwell) Paul Gallacher (Dunfermline Athletic) John Potter (Dunfermline Athletic) Craig Dargo, Gareth Wardlaw, Patrick Cregg, Sean Lynch, Jamie McClusky, Nick Hegarty, Garry Brady

Fast Facts • Saints were founding members of the SPL and finished third in the first season in 1998/99, an achievement that resulted in a second European campaign following the memorable 1971/72 adventure under Willie Ormond.

Tom’s Star Man: Nigel Hasselbaink Fast Facts

Tom’s Prediction: 8th Fixtures against Rangers this season: 15/10/11, Rangers v St Mirren 24/12/11, St Mirren v Rangers 07/04/12, Rangers v St Mirren New signings: Steven Thompson (Burnley) forward Paul McGowan (Celtic) - forward Nigel Hasselbaink (Hamilton Accies) - forward Graeme Smith

“Last season was a learning curve for Danny Lennon after he had taken Cowdenbeath to back-to-back promotions, which was a fantastic achievement. The last 13 months was a huge quantum leap for the ambitious manager who will have been disappointed that his side only won four of their 19 home matches in the league last season. That has to change but I would hope the partnership of Nigel Hasselbaink

• The Buddies from Paisley were formed in 1877 and can claim to be one of the founder members of league football in 1890.

REMEMBER YOU CAN FOLLOW THE CHAMPIONS AND LISTEN TO TOM’S COMMENTARY THIS SEASON BY SUBSCRIBING TO RANGERSTV.TV.

Position last season: 6th

Charalambous, Esteban Cassagolda

ST MIRREN ST JOHNSTONE

MOTHERWELL KILMARNOCK 76

Position last season: 5th

Tom’s Star Man: Liam Craig

(St Johnstone) - goalkeeper Gary Teale (free) – winger

Tom’s Star Man: Nigel Hasselbaink Fast Facts

• The Buddies from Paisley were formed in 1877 and can claim to be one of the founder members of league football in 1890.

REMEMBER YOU CAN FOLLOW THE CHAMPIONS AND LISTEN TO TOM’S COMMENTARY THIS SEASON BY SUBSCRIBING TO RANGERSTV.TV.

Back in the groove THE first couple of weeks back at training flew by as Rangers geared up for the start of their pre-season fixture programme at Murray Park. Victorious title-winning skipper David Weir was present as he combined talks over a new contract with participation in preparations for the new campaign. The likes of Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker and Kyle Lafferty - the hat-trick hero on the last day of the championship at Kilmarnock – were also there as the SPL winners returned to work. And Nikica Jelavic, a smash hit during his first year in Scotland after moving from Rapid Vienna for £4million, was another who settled into a rhythm again after a well-earned summer break. New manager Ally McCoist and his assistant Kenny McDowall took sessions with Ian Durrant, Adam Owen and Jim Stewart and they all looked content with the way their men were shaping up. Photography: Kirk O’Rourke

football in the community 80

Experience of a lifetime

Kids teams from both sides of the Atlantic preparing to face off in the fifth annual Rangers International Youth Tournament

Brand new training programme aims to unearth new talent

ANGERS are stepping up their search for the stars of tomorrow – and coach Alan Boyd thinks their latest initiative can help them find what they are looking for. The Light Blues will throw open the doors of their training ground this month to offer children the chance to train just like the Light Blues. With Ally McCoist taking the first team away on a pre-season tour of Germany, Murray Park will be free for aspiring players to work there in the squad’s absence. The scheme they will take part in is called the Academy Experience and those who have signed up will follow a training programme which replicates that used by professionals. It aims to develop technique, tactical awareness, strength, conditioning and flexibility over the course of a week in either half-day or day-long sessions. Technical and tactical meetings will be held while attendees will also be taught about diet and nutrition and will have a chance to quiz youth players on life with the SPL champions. It’s a fantastic opportunity for any young hopeful and with a second version already planned for December, senior community coach Boyd is optimistic it will be a hit. He said: “For us, every coaching course for kids is about finding new players and hoping we unearth a few we weren’t aware of before. “That’s certainly the aim with the Academy Experience, which we hope will give youngsters a better understanding of how life as a professional footballer works. “Spending a week at Murray Park will be of huge benefit to those who attend and we’ll treat them like the players who are in the club’s age group teams at present. “They will see those guys at work and training alongside them will bring a sense of reality to the whole thing. That’s a great thing for them. “In the same way as we put our signed youngsters through various tests to gauge their progress, we will do that with those taking part in the Academy Experience. “Likewise, when our coaches retest

Let battle commence

Rangers community coach Alan Boyd

the players they look after at the end of the year, we will do that too if any of those attending return to the next course in December. “Through doing that, we will be able to chart the progress players are making and we’ll be able to show them how they compare with Rangers’ own young talents.

“For us, every coaching course for kids is about finding new players and hoping we unearth a few we weren’t aware of before.” “Ideally, we’ll have people coming along who will stand out and if they show up well, they would have the chance of being invited back to Murray Park to one of our elite centres.” Boyd thinks offering such a scheme to potential stars can work in Rangers’ favour more than standard club soccer schools do. He added: “It’s definitely a unique programme and in that respect, we’d hope the Academy Experience will attract people from further afield as it

grows. “We already have kids from all over Scotland and beyond who come to our soccer schools but the vast majority of them are Rangers fans. “We are offering the chance to train like a professional at one of the best training grounds in Europe so we might get more fans of other clubs coming. “In theory, that means we can cast our net wider than we have previously and it gives us a better chance of finding a higher standard of player.” Rangers are running a number of regular soccer school roadshows in July and August in Irvine, Stirling, Islay, Oban, Inverness, Dunfermline, Livingston and Glenrothes. Each runs over two days from 10am until 3pm, costing £50 per child, and is open to boys and girls aged seven to 16 of all abilities. All kids booking will receive one adult and one child ticket to a Rangers home match. Visit www.rangers.co.uk to book online or call 0871 702 1972. Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT landline, mobile and other providers’ charges may vary. Tickets are subject to availability and are for selected games only, chosen by the club.

OUTH sides from as far afield as the USA, Canada, Germany and Malta will descend on Glasgow this month for the fifth annual Rangers International Youth Tournament. A total of 68 boys teams from under-13 to under-19 level will compete for titles at the High School of Glasgow from July 22-24. Since it was first hosted in 2007, the event has gone from strength to strength and with 230 clubs taking part previously, its reputation continues to grow. This year’s version is set to be one of the most spectacular yet, with visiting groups from England and Northern Ireland also preparing to play. With at least eight teams per age group, they will be split into sections with each playing four games lasting 25 minutes each way. As well as the regular competitions, there will also be a seven-a-side Fair Play Festival at the same venue for under-10 to under-12 teams. That will run on July 23 and 24 and each club will play six games, with every fixture lasting 20 minutes. Senior Rangers Soccer Schools officer David Stewart said: “The event promises to be a unique and exciting three days of competition for all of the players and coaches concerned. “The club has once again secured the High School of Glasgow’s modern facilities for the tournament, enabling the use of the very best grass playing surfaces.

“We are once again delighted to be welcoming all of this year’s participating teams from both the UK and overseas.” “Rangers’ Soccer Schools’ first foray into the international market came in 2005 off the back of the pre-season tour to Canada. “Since then, we have established solid foundations with clubs through America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Azerbaijan

and Trinidad and Tobago. “These successful relationships are built on a reputation for delivering the highest quality of training experience. “The net effect is there has been an influx of players wanting to travel to train with us or compete in the Rangers International Youth Tournament. “We are once again delighted to be welcoming all of this year’s participating teams from both the UK and overseas.” Admission prices to the Rangers International Youth Tournament are £3 for adults and £1 for children for a day pass.

Building for the future

CONSTRUCTION firm City Building has provided sponsorship to Rangers’ Football in the Community department for another year after pledging a four-figure sum to the club. The Glasgow-based company has been a proud supporter of the Light Blues’ local summer initiatives for the past three seasons. And its latest contribution will be invested in equipment which will be used by children attending soccer schools run by the SPL champions. Gers’ association with City Building has allowed children who take part in the ‘kicks n’ tricks’ scheme to sample trades such as joinery and slating. In total, 40 youngsters have been able to visit its base in Springburn since the partnership began. Senior community coach Alan Boyd said: “We are delighted our relationship with City Building is continuing to grow and we thank them for their continued support.” 81

football in the community 80

Experience of a lifetime

Kids teams from both sides of the Atlantic preparing to face off in the fifth annual Rangers International Youth Tournament

Brand new training programme aims to unearth new talent

Let battle commence

Rangers community coach Alan Boyd

Building for the future

IBROX STADIUM, Saturday, 6 August 2011

RANGERS v CHELSEA

Chelsea Preview

Shiver me Timbers! Former Ibrox and Bridge star Spencer is a Stateside star Exclusive Neil Smith

ORMER Rangers and Chelsea striker John Spencer has had a few surreal moments in his football career but playing the part of an air steward in a TV commercial for Alaska Airlines is a situation he never expected to be in. As a player Spenny, as he is more commonly known, remembers sitting as a doe-eyed teenager in the corner of

and the hilarious ‘Employee Exchange’ advert he took part in, which has become a huge hit stateside, was for the club’s main sponsor who wanted a fiery character to terrify passengers. Executives were in no doubt that Portland’s Glaswegian gaffer fitted the bill perfectly and Spencer appears outside the cockpit in his Timbers training kit to give safety instructions

the Ibrox Dressing Room, pulling on a Rangers strip alongside then-England captain Terry Butcher and thinking ‘how the hell did I get here?’ Those words quickly returned to his head when he was standing at the front of a plane full of actors trying to remember his lines. John, of course, is now the head coach of MLS side Portland Timbers

before launching into an angry tirade. “OK, take a seat and shut your haggis traps,” he barks. “There are eight exits on the 737 and unless you’re on your Smarty phone like a right prat you would know where they are. “To fasten your seatbelts you take this fiddly bit and insert that little fiddly bit and how you drove to the airport

without knowing this I will never know!” The ad was shot over three days at Portland International Airport and despite now having a distinct American twang to his Scottish accent TV stations across the Atlantic had to provide subtitles for bemused viewers. John said: “It was really good fun making the advert and I can’t believe how popular it has become. “Everyone seems to be talking about it and I’ve taken a bit of stick. “A lot of people over here still struggle to understand what I’m saying which is why I was surprised when they asked me to be ‘more Scottish’. “I did try but after being in the US for eleven years it was a struggle!” Spanning multiple generations the Timbers have been a proud part of the Portland sports landscape since 1975 but this year the club has elevated to MLS status for the first time. Spencer was understandably thrilled to be given the chance to become a manager in his own right having been assistant to fellow Scot Dominic Kinnear at Houston Dynamo for four years. The Timbers, who are backed by a fanatical support, have been a breath of fresh air in America’s top flight and their new manager is bursting with enthusiasm when discussing his new

“The producer of the TV commercial asked if I could try to sound ‘a bit more Scottish’ which made me laugh. It was a totally bizarre situation.” 82

role. He said: “I know that a lot of players in Scotland and across Britain want to come over to the MLS and in my opinion Portland is the best place to play in the country. “The atmosphere at our stadium is fantastic and some of our fans turn up two hours before the games and start their chants. “They really get behind the team and I would love to give them a bit of success.” Forty-year-old John is delighted that his former Ibrox teammate Ally McCoist is now in charge at Ibrox and hopes that Rangers and the Timbers could form a link in the future. “I dropped Ally a text and asked him if he wanted to bring his Blue and White Army over to Portland to take on my Green and White Army but so far he has not taken me up on the offer!” he joked. “But in all seriousness we would love to have Rangers over here as it’s an unbelievable set-up we have. “We’re sold out for every home game with 20,000 people filling the JELD-WEN Field Stadium and the

atmosphere is unlike anywhere in America. “We have a Timbers Army and they sing non-stop for the 90 minutes and get behind the team. “In fact if Rangers fans go on to YouTube they will see our opening game against Chicago Fire and they will see it’s a pretty special place. “It would make me very proud if we could host a Rangers team managed by my old mate Ally McCoist here and who knows, the clubs could form some sort of link. “I actually spoke to Coisty a couple of years ago about Stuart Holden who eventually went to Bolton to play. “He was a young kid born in Aberdeen who came over to Houston when he was 10 and he became a really good player. I was disappointed that he never went to Rangers. “In terms of a link I think the biggest difficulty would be that we wear green and white and I can’t imagine that would go down too well if our strip was sold in the Rangers Superstore! “But joking aside I’m sure the Rangers coaches and players would love it over here. “In Portland we have the Nike World headquarters and Manchester City trained there when they came here a couple of years ago, they absolutely loved it. “So it would be great if we could strike up a relationship with

CHELSEA have a new man at the helm for the trip to Ibrox next month after the appointment of 33-year-old Portuguese coach Andre Villas-Boas at the end of June. The Blues had to pay £13million in compensation to Porto to land the services of the man who used to scout for Jose Mourinho when he was in charge of Chelsea and then Inter Milan. Villas-Boas swept to stardom last season when he led Porto to a sensational Treble, winning the league and cup double in Portugal and then lifting the Europa League when fellow countrymen Braga were defeated 1-0. It’s a bold move by multi-billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, who took over Chelsea in 2003 and has hired Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti as coaches in this period. Chelsea finished runners up to Manchester United last season in the Premiership and were also knocked out of the Champions League by Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. Abramovich wants better in the new season and has promised to allow Villas-Boas to spend heavily in the summer. The new coach is expected to sign striker Falcao and midfielder Joao Moutinho from his old club Porto and Chelsea are also linked with Brazilian striker Neymar and Tottenham’s Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. Of course, Chelsea can boast a star-studded squad already with England stalwarts John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard key players in the side. Petr Cech is one of the best goalkeepers around and David Luiz has proved to be a top performer at the back beside Terry. Their attacking options are awesome with Didier Drogba still one of the most dangerous strikers in world football and, of course, £50millon striker Fernando Torres has yet to really show his true worth. Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou are also highly skilled players who will undoubtedly pose a huge threat to Rangers should they be involved at Ibrox on August 6. The Blues are heading to Asia this summer for a four-match tour. They play a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur on July 20, they meet a Thailand XI in Bangkok on July 24 and then they have two matches in Hong Kong on July 27 and 30 in the Barclays Asian Cup. They will play local side Kitchee first and then either Aston Villa or Blackburn in the second game.

IBROX STADIUM, Saturday, 6 August 2011

RANGERS v CHELSEA

Chelsea Preview

Shiver me Timbers! Former Ibrox and Bridge star Spencer is a Stateside star Exclusive Neil Smith

“The producer of the TV commercial asked if I could try to sound ‘a bit more Scottish’ which made me laugh. It was a totally bizarre situation.” 82

Chelsea Preview Rangers and who knows maybe we could get a couple of young Murray Park players to come over here and gain some experience before they go back and feature in the Gers first-team.” Having spent over a decade in the US as a player and now as a coach Spenny is now an experienced figure in US soccer and he believes the standard of players in his adopted homeland is improving with every passing year. He said: “The thing I always say is that if you count around the leagues in Europe the amount of American players scattered around the different countries gives an indication of how football is developing over here. “American players are very adaptable, they can go to any league in the world and do well because they are great athletically and they are quick learners. “Technically the players are now right up there although the one thing that perhaps lets them down early on is the thinking side of the game because they have missed out on coaching as youngsters. “But I’ll tell you what, you take these boys in to the right environment with the right coaching staff and they will become very, very good players. “You just need to look at Clint Dempsey and Maurice Edu, two great examples. “Edu especially has gone in to a totally different environment at a massive club and he has proved to be a very good buy when you look at some of the crazy money that is being thrown around in Europe these days.” Spencer might have ended his playing career without winning a major honour but that doesn’t stop him from feeling like the luckiest man on the planet. A hugely gifted youth player John signed a schoolboy contract at Ibrox in 1984 and quickly formed a prolific scoring partnership with Gary McSwegan at Reserve level. His transition to first-team star looked inevitable but Graeme Souness’ arrival in 1986 meant that the tenacious Glaswegian was soon competing for a place in the starting eleven with international-class forwards such as Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley and Mo Johnston. His first-team debut came on April 28, 1987 in a 1-1 draw with Clyde in a Glasgow Cup semi-final which Rangers won on penalties and from there he made 32 appearances in total, scoring 11 goals. John admits that breaking in to top team at Ibrox at that time was a formidable task for any young player given the sensational signings Souness made in the years that followed his appointment. But there is no bitterness in Spencer’s

GREAT TIMES: Spencer relaxes at pre-season training in Il Ciocco, Italy with Ian Durrant, Ally McCoist and Sandy Robertson

“To work with such great managers and players on a daily basis was a pleasure and watching and learning from Graeme Souness and Walter definitely helped me when I went in to coaching.” voice when discussing his time at Rangers, only pride that he got the chance to pull on the famous Light Blue jersey. He said: “Back when I was with Rangers I just had a genuine love for the game. “I remember when Walter Smith pulled me in and told me that the club had accepted a bid from Chelsea, I was like ‘OK, what do I do?’ because it had never crossed my mind to leave Ibrox. “I expected to be there for my entire

career as it was all that I had ever known and you become engrained in the club. “I loved my time there, it was one of the most enjoyable periods of my life. “Going in to train with your mates every day, boys you had grown up with, and then playing with the Reserves. “Every day you woke up with a smile on your face and although it was difficult for me to force my way in to the first-team it was great to rub shoulders with the players Rangers had at that time. “Playing up front I had to compete with 85

GREAT TIMES: Spencer relaxes at pre-season training in Il Ciocco, Italy with Ian Durrant, Ally McCoist and Sandy Robertson

Chelsea Preview Mo Johnston, Ally McCoist and Mark Hateley for a place in the team and for me all three of them were up there with the best strikers in Europe. “To work with such great managers and players on a daily basis was a pleasure and watching and learning from Graeme Souness and Walter definitely helped me when I went in to coaching. “I try to speak to my young players at Portland Timbers in the same way that both Graeme and Walter spoke to me. They were first class.” John still recalls the start of the Souness revolution at Ibrox in 1986 and the impact it had on the Dressing Room. He said: “When you are young you watch football on TV all the time and when you move from the Reserves to the first-team at Rangers you were all of a sudden sitting in the dressing room looking at Terry Butcher, the England

“When you opened the huge doors at Ibrox and then saw the marble staircase you knew that you were part of a special club with a great history.” captain who has just been playing in the World Cup. “On top of that we had Graeme Souness still playing and guys like Chris Woods, you had to pinch yourself every day to make sure you weren’t dreaming! “I still remember training at the old Albion training ground across from Ibrox with those players. “That’s something I loved about Rangers back then and it’s something we do over here at Portland. “All of our offices are based at the stadium and as soon as you walk through the doors in the morning the place is alive which is great. “When I was at Rangers it was exactly the same. “When you opened the huge doors at Ibrox and then saw the marble staircase you knew that you were part of a special club with a great history. “Times of course have changed now and the club has Murray Park which is an incredible training facility, first class. “But I look back at my time at Rangers and there was definitely something special about working at Ibrox every day. “It was a special time and when I think about my career somebody up there must have liked me because I was able to train and play with not just good players but world class players. I was

very fortunate.” Spencer moved to Chelsea in 1992 for £500,000 and the move was a success for the proud Scot who went on to score 36 goals in 103 appearances during his five years at Stamford Bridge. The quick and powerful forward also featured in the 1994 FA Cup final against Manchester United, a match the Blues lost 4-0 at the old Wembley Stadium. Back then Chelsea might not have been the force they are now with Roman Abramovich’s billions able to lure the world’s very best players to London. Nevertheless, Spencer believes his time at Stamford Bridge was the best of his career. He said: “Leaving Rangers was such as a wrench for me but I couldn’t have signed for a better club. “When I first went to Chelsea I had a few injuries but Glenn Hoddle then came in as the manager and I just felt his style of play and his mentality towards the game really helped me become a better player. “I think that showed on the pitch as I did pretty well and thoroughly enjoyed my time at Stamford Bridge. “It took me back to how happy I was when I played for the Rangers Reserve team, it just felt right and I put in some good performances and got a few goals as well. “When I joined Chelsea the club was probably a bit like Rangers before Graeme Souness was appointed manager. “Obviously Chelsea was still a big club in those days but it was a sleeping giant. “Hoddle then came in and there was a cash injection and players such as Mark Hughes, Ruud Gullit and Dan Petrescu all joined the ranks. “Once again here I was in the Dressing Room with world class players although I always felt that I had a good opportunity to get in to the team if I worked hard. “That’s the way it turned out and when I left Chelsea I had made over 100 appearances which is something I am proud of. “In your career people are always going to have opinions on players, some will rate you and some won’t. “The one thing they can’t take away from you is what you have achieved in the game. “I never had the pleasure of winning a big trophy but as I said earlier someone up there must like me because when I look back at the players I worked with, some of the greats of the game, that makes me very happy.”

v CHELSEA IBROX STADIUM, Saturday, 6 August 2011 RANGERS v CHELSEA RANGERS IBROX STADIUM, Saturday, 6 August 2011

Chelsea Preview

The

Blues Brothers

Spencer is one of many who have played for both Gers and Chelsea JOHN SPENCER is by no means the only man to have spent time at Rangers and Chelsea, with 21 other players turning out for both clubs at some point in their careers. From high-profile stars such as Brian Laudrup and Tore Andre Flo to the lesserknown Charles Donaghy and John Galloway, there have been many who have pulled on the blue jerseys of each side. Here we profile five of the most memorable talents to have plied their trade at Ibrox and Stamford Bridge and list the rest who have earned a living on Edmiston Drive and Fulham Road.

Nigel Spackman Chelsea (1983/87 and 1992/96) 208 appearances • 12 goals Rangers (1989/92) 100 appearances • 1 goal SPACKMAN served both Rangers and Chelsea with distinction, spending almost 10 years in total with the two teams. He had two stints at the London club, the first commencing in 1983 when he moved to Stamford Bridge from Bournemouth. There he played alongside the likes of Kerry Dixon, Pat Nevin and David Speedie and helped the Blues win promotion back to the top flight. He left for Liverpool and then QPR before Rangers manager Graeme Souness brought him to Ibrox at the end of 1989. An energetic but graceful midfielder, Spackman made an almost instant impact when he scored the winner in the Old Firm fixture at Parkhead on January 2, 1990. It was Rangers’ first New Year win in Glasgow’s east end for 20 years and, unsurprisingly, elevated Spackman to instant cult hero status. In total he helped the Light Blues to three championships as well as the Scottish Cup in 1992 and the League Cup in season 1990/91. Spackman moved back to Chelsea in September 1992, making another 67 appearances, before becoming assistant-manager and later player-manager at Sheffield United.

Tore Andre Flo Chelsea (1997/2000) 112 appearances • 34 goals Rangers (2000/02) 53 appearances • 29 goals FLO was a man unquestionably dragged down by the weight of his own transfer fee after he signed for Rangers in 2000. Indeed, in the months that followed his move north of the border, it became almost impossible to talk about the Norwegian without discussing the £12million paid to Chelsea for him by the Light Blues. Had then boss Dick Advocaat paid £2million for his services instead, he would have been deemed a huge success given his record of a goal in every second game. Flo arrived from Stamford Bridge where he had scored a respectable 50 times in 163 appearances, 69 of them from the bench. Prolific spells with Sogndal, Tromso and Brann Bergen in his homeland early in his career attracted the attention of Chelsea, who shelled out the relatively meagre fee of £300,000 for his services in 1997. By the start of the 2000/01 season, though, the London side had signed strikers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen, forcing Flo on to the bench and he requested a move away. He scored plenty of goals during his time at Ibrox, including a debut strike in a 5-1 win over Celtic, but the accusation was that too few of his counters came in crunch matches. Flo did, however, net 25 times during season 2001/02 including a hat-trick at Tannadice and a double away at Maribor, as well as braces in home wins over Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Hibernian. The lanky hitman later moved on to Sunderland, Siena, Valarenga, Leeds United and MK Dons. Now 38, he is back at first club Sogndal.

Ray Wilkins Chelsea (1973/79) 179 appearances • 30 goals Rangers (1987/89) 70 appearances • 2 goals LONG before he became an international star with AC Milan, PSG and England, Ray Wilkins was strutting his stuff with his boyhood heroes Chelsea. He joined up at Stamford Bridge as an apprentice and made his debut against Norwich City in October 1973 when he was just 17. Wilkins established himself in the first team the following season and went on to succeed the legendary Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris as club captain, a role he would keep for the next four years. He led a youthful squad to promotion in 1977 but when the club was relegated again two years later, debt-ridden Chelsea had to accept an offer of £800,000 for their star player

Brian Laudrup Rangers (1994/98) 116 appearances • 33 goals Chelsea (1998) 7 appearances • 0 goals PERHAPS the most naturally gifted player to ever pull on a Light Blue jersey, it seemed fitting Brian Laudrup would score the goal that clinched Rangers’ record-equalling ninth successive league title. The Dane had been signed by Walter Smith from Fiorentina for £2.25million after a difficult time in Italy but became an instant hit with Ibrox fans with his entertaining, free-running style of play. Aside from the header that sealed Nine In A Row at Tannadice in 1997, Laudrup’s best contribution came in the Scottish Cup final a year

Graham Roberts Rangers (1986/88) 55 appearances • 2 goals Chelsea (1998/90) 70 appearances • 18 goals ROBERTS arrived at Ibrox from Tottenham as a seasoned player having helped the London side win the UEFA Cup two years earlier. He had a reputation as being something of a hardman and a dirty tackler yet was only sent off once during his two years in Scottish football. Roberts formed a solid partnership with Terry Butcher in central defence and proved himself to be a passionate, determined player as Rangers lifted the league title for the first time in nine years

from Manchester United. Wilkins spent five years at Old Trafford – winning the FA Cup in 1983 – before moving to Italy with Milan then having a brief spell with PSG in France. It was from there that Souness landed a tremendous coup by persuading Wilkins to join him in Scotland and he was an instant success at Ibrox. The man known as Butch is perhaps best remembered for his sensational volley against Celtic in the 5-1 game in August 1988. But it was his overall contribution during those two years that made him such a fans’ favourite and he is fondly remembered to this day. Family reasons saw him move to QPR in November 1989 before spells with Crystal Palace, Wycombe, Hibs, Millwall and Leyton Orient. Wilkins later managed Fulham before spells at Chelsea as a coach and assistant manager under Gianluca Vialli, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti.

earlier. He scored two and contributed heavily to Gordon Durie’s hat-trick as Rangers thumped Hearts 5-1, with the game affectionate known as ‘The Laudrup Final’ to this day. The winger was crowned Player of the Year in both 1995 and 1997, the latter coming after he had been Rangers’ top scorer with 20 goals. He left Glasgow when his contract expired in the summer of 1998 and joined Chelsea but it would prove an unhappy switch for the Dane. He was Vialli’s first signing but, after his debut as a substitute in the Super Cup against Real Madrid, Laudrup played just 10 more times before finishing the season on loan to FC Copenhagen. From there he moved on for a stint at Ajax before hanging up his boots. Last year he was diagnosed with cancer but is winning his battle with the illness. in 1987. When Butcher was sidelined the following year with a broken leg, Roberts took on the captain’s armband and proved to be an inspirational figure as the League Cup was won. He soon left Ibrox after a fall-out with Graeme Souness, unwilling to accept the manager’s opinion that he was to blame for the goal in a 1-0 home defeat by Aberdeen at the end of the 1987/88 campaign. Despite retaining the adulation of the Rangers fans, Roberts never played for the first team again and was even banished to a reserve fixture in Mallaig as part of Souness’ retribution. He moved to Chelsea in the summer of 1988 for £475,000 and helped the Blues win the Second Division Championship in his first season there.

They Played for Both Jacky Robertson (1899/1905) 102 appearances • 18 goals (1905/06) 36 appearances • 7 goals James Stark (1899/1910) 166 appearances • 12 goals (1907/08) 32 appearances • 2 goals George Henderson (1902/05) 33 appearances • 0 goals (1905/09) 64 appearances • 1 goal Charles Donaghy (1903/05) 6 appearances • 2 goals (1905/07) 3 appearances • 1 goal Robert McEwan (1904/05) 9 appearances • 0 goals (1905/06) 20 appearances • 0 goals James Turnbull (1904/05) 1 appearance • 1 goal (1912/14) 22 appearances • 7 goals James Croal (1905/06) 3 appearances • 0 goals (1914/22) 130 appearances • 26 goals James Sharp (1907/09) 19 appearances • 0 goals (1912/15) 63 appearances • 0 goals Bob Macauley (1930/32) 39 appearances • 0 goals (1932/36) 74 appearances • 1 goal John Galloway (1935/41) 4 appearances • 0 goals (1946/49) 4 appearances • 0 goals Derek Johnstone (1970/83 & 1985/86) 546 appearances • 210 goals (1983/85) 4 appearances • 0 goals Davie Mitchell (1983/85) 26 appearances • 6 goals (1988/91) 7 appearances • 0 goals Mark Falco (1982/83) 3 appearances • 0 goals (1987/88) 14 appearances • 5 goals ROBERT FLECK (1983/88) 85 appearances • 29 goals (1992/95) 39 appearances • 3 goals Billy Dodds (1986/88) 3 appearances • 0 goals (1999/2003) 65 appearances • 21 goals GORDON DURIE (1986/91) 123 appearances • 51 goals (1993/2000) 125 appearances • 43 goals *Dean Furman was on Chelsea’s books in 2005/06 but left for Rangers without making an appearance. He played once at Ibrox before leaving for Oldham in 2009.

v CHELSEA IBROX STADIUM, Saturday, 6 August 2011 RANGERS v CHELSEA RANGERS IBROX STADIUM, Saturday, 6 August 2011

Chelsea Preview

The

Blues Brothers

A fond farewell to F

OR 40 years, Rangers News was one of Britain’s most popular football publications, providing fans with exclusive features and pictures as well as an insight into life at Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park. At its peak the News sold a staggering 30,000 copies a week but through the decades it had to adapt with the times and changes to the print industry. The first issue was sold on August 4, 1971 - priced at 5p for 12 pages during Willie Waddell’s reign in charge of the Light Blues and within a year the club had lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup in ‘72. ‘Meet The Cup Kings Of Europe’ was the famous headline on the May 31 issue that year and from there the newspaper remained relatively unchanged, other than the price, until the late 80s when it was revamped in to a glossy-style broadsheet which went on sale for 50p.

On December 18, 1991, the newspaper format was shelved and a 48-page magazine was launched which featured Peter Huistra and Ally McCoist on the cover of the first ‘Christmas Special’ issue. This format remained in place until the start of season 1998/99 when the News reverted back to a 16-page glossy newspaper to incorporate a new Rangers Monthly mag which proved to be very popular and ran for 35 issues. From 2001, however, the Rangers News magazine dramatically returned with 72 sensational pages crammed with unbeatable content. Although the design and pagination changed in the decade that followed with First Press and Cre8 as publishers, the quality stayed the same with Editor Lindsay Herron overseeing a reporting team which has consisted of Graeme MacPherson, Stephen Kerr, Emma Dodds, Neil Smith, Andrew Dickson

and David Melvin, while photography has been provided by Lynne Cameron, Kirk O’Rourke and Aileen Wilson. In fact the News has proved to be the perfect breeding ground for some of the country’s top journalists with the likes of Chick Young, Stephen Halliday, Andy Devlin, Darrell King, Iain King and Brian Scott all based at Ibrox Stadium in the past. On May 18, 2011 the final News was issued and it was perhaps fitting that the title read simply ‘Champions’ with skipper Davie Weir and legendary boss Walter Smith lifting the SPL trophy at Rugby Park. Now, with the launch of the new bumper Rangers Monthly, the Scottish Champions are once again staying ahead of the fast-moving media landscape. But here we take a look at how the Rangers News evolved over 40 years and some of the great front covers that made it stand out from the rest.

A fond farewell to F

tickets

Welcome the

SPL

champions back to Ibrox! PURCHASE A SEASON TICKET NOW AND SEE THE UNFURLING OF THE LEAGUE FLAG! • Adult season tickets from £304 for adults and £211 for concessions in the Family Section

• Kids from just £98 in the Family Stand

• Season tickets which include Celtic from just £417 for adults in the Main Stand Rear

A Rangers season ticket is now more affordable than ever with a choice of four or nine easy monthly payment options. The new nine monthly payment plan from Zebra Finance enables you to spread the cost of your season ticket throughout the season in nine monthly instalments. Please note: Applications for the nine month payment option must be made by July 15, thereafter an eight-month payment option will be available until August 15. Alternatively, you can pay for your season ticket by spreading your payments over four months with Rangers Direct Debit scheme or you can pay in full by debit or credit card..

Seats are sold on a first come first served basis, so to secure the best seats in the house, secure yours today!

Purchase your season ticket online at rangers.co.uk, call 0871 702 1972 or visit the Ticket Centre.

DON’T MISS THE UNFURLING OF THE LEAGUE FLAG!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER The UEFA Champions League third qualifying round draw takes place on Friday, July 15. Keep an eye on rangers.co.uk for the latest ticket information following the draw.

Rangers v Hearts Sat 23 Jul | Ibrox Stadium | kick-off 12.30pm Match tickets are on sale now! Adult £28 | Conc £15 | Juv £13

CONTINUOUS CREDIT SCHEME

FAMILY SECTION PARTY! DJ, games & signed prizes for kids from 1.30pm until kick-off Meet Broxi!! TICKETS ON SALE FROM: • rangers.co.uk • Ticket hotline 0871 702 1972 • Rangers Ticket Centre

FIRST TEAM FRIENDLY

FIRST TEAM FRIENDLY Rangers v Chelsea Sat 6 Aug | Ibrox Stadium | kick-off 3pm Payment: Mon 11 July. Tickets are priced at £18 Adults, £10 Concessions and free for Juveniles. Please note that your smartcard will be activated for this game.

SPL Away games

Rangers v Chelsea Sat 6 Aug | Ibrox Stadium | kick-off 3pm

Please note that all allocations, payment dates and prices will be communicated in due course.

FRIENDLY SALES DATES

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER

Season holders

Wed 6 Jul-Sun 17 Jul

Bondholders

Wed 6 Jul-Sun 10 Jul

Season holders in Club Deck without a Bond

Mon 11 Jul-Sun 17 Jul

The UEFA Champions League third qualifying round draw takes place on Friday, July 15. The payment date will be communicated by email

SUPPORTERS CLUBS FRIENDLY PRICES

Adult

Conc

Juv

Season holders signed up to home friendly CCC scheme

£18

£10

FREE!

Bondholders & season holders

£20

£12

FREE!

Public sale (Mon 18 Jul)

£25

£15

£5

TICKETS ON SALE FROM: • rangers.co.uk • Ticket hotline 0871 702 1972 • Rangers Ticket Centre

Rangers v Hearts Sat 23 Jul | Ibrox Stadium | kick-off 12.30pm Payment: Wed 6 July and tickets will be available for collection from the Ticket Centre from Fri 8 July.

TICKET CENTRE AND HOTLINE OPENING HOURS Rangers Ticket Hotline is open Mon to Fri from 8am–11pm and on Sat & Sun from 9am-9pm.

St Johnstone v Rangers Sat 30 July | McDiarmid Park | kick-off 12noon Payment: Wed 13 July.

Rangers Ticket Centre is open Mon-Fri from 10am-4pm, Sat from 10am-12pm, closed Sun and matchdays 10am-KO.

Inverness CT v Rangers Sat 13 Aug | Caledonian Stadium |kick-off 3pm Payment: Wed 20 July.

*Subject to availability. Terms, conditions and booking fees apply. Calls cost 10ppm from a BT landline, mobile and other providers’ charges may vary

TRAVEL CLUB For information on how to join the Rangers Travel Club waiting list, please email travelclub@rangers.co.uk or call 0871 702 1972.

We want you! THAT’S just about all from Issue 1 but we’ll be back next month with more from Ibrox and Murray Park – and we want to hear from you! August sees the magazine take on a more settled look with competitive fixtures well underway and that means the introduction of some fantastic new features. The Enclosure is our exciting section dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of Rangers fans around the world. We’re on the lookout for tales about supporters wherever they’re from and we want to tell people about the lengths they go to as they follow their favourite team. Do you clock up more air miles than any member of the Light Blue legions you know? Perhaps you have your own Blue Room in your house? Whatever your story, we want to know about it so get in touch now with us at Rangers Media on 0141 580 8500 or by email at editor@rangers. co.uk. Every month we’ll be profiling individual fans and supporters clubs alike so don’t hold back and give us a call. We’re also expanding our Pro Zone

series with the introduction of ‘Ask Ian’, which gives you a chance to pose performance-related questions to firstteam coach Ian Durrant. If you’re an amateur, junior or professional player and you’re looking for tips on how to improve your performance, there’s nobody better to give you advice than the 44-year-old. Again, you can send your questions to us at editor@rangers.co.uk – just remember to write ‘Ask Ian’ in the subject field and tell us where you come from. Of course, we’ll have many more fantastic features with the men who

Rangers Ladies team too, as well as news from the Rangers Charity Foundation, Rangers Lotto and our latest Blue Belle of the Year entrant. And we’ll hear from columnists Andrew Dickson and Lindsay Herron in

Whatever your story, we want to know about it so get in touch now with us at Rangers Media on 0141 580 8500 or by email at editor@rangers.co.uk. matter at the world’s most successful football club and beyond. We’ll also catch up with talents from Billy Kirkwood’s under-19 squad and find out what’s happening in the Football in the Community department. There will be an update from the

the Front Post and Back Post as they give you their views on life reporting on the champions. It’s all in the next Rangers Monthly from August 9, priced just £3.75 and available via subscription by calling 0871 702 1972 (option 7).

FIRST TEAM FRIENDLY Rangers v Chelsea Sat 6 Aug | Ibrox Stadium | kick-off 3pm Special match applications are now being accepted for this fixture and should be submitted no later than Friday, July 15. Ticket prices are Adult £25 | Conc £15 | Juv £5

T h e O f f i c i a l M o n t h ly M ag a z i n e

YOUR NEXT RANGERS MONTHLY IS ON SALE FROM AUGUST 9 93