starchief

I struggle to believe people are crediting Hayes and Ross with a better game than Tansey. I don't think Tansey played well, not at all. But he was way better than the missing-most-of-the-game Ross and couldn't-cross-the-road Hayes. Those were the two worst players on the park for me.

Pass marks for Williams and Esson. Sympathy votes for Tansey, Mackay and Foran for at least trying. Ross, Hayes and Tade - hopeless. Contributed very little of interest. Sutherland and Doran must be looking on hopefully. Tokely has to come back to lead the defence again - either at RB or CB. Doesn't matter. A presence was missed.

I thought Hayes would have been a good buy for Rangers. However, I look at him against Kerkar and the Algerian - a bit-part player - looks in a different class. Sure, Kerkar has better players around him but there's been no final ball from Hayes.

Just what I was afriad of. Papac or Wallace would never have created that goal. Mind you, if we get the ball to Hayes....?

Should be goals. Unfortunately, I think Rangers have thrown a spanner into the works. McCoist has changed from the ponderous line-up of late to something with a bit of pace and excitement. However, unreliability too. It'll be an intriguing game.

What a brilliant idea! The Big Match Revisited (ITV4 9:20-10:20) is currently showing Liverpool (Dalglish/Hansen/Souness) v Ipswich (Butcher/Thijssen/Wark) from 1983. Then some classic Man City v Coventry and Celtic v (presumably) Fergie's Aberdeen. I'm over the moon, Brian.

From what I hear, EBTs weren't illegal at the time but they now are. So, what gives? Is the law being applied retrospectively? Sounds unlikely. Rangers did ring up huge debts but then got them down again. As far as I can see, their only real problem was the EBT. The whole £9M and complete financial mismanagement seems bizarre from an experienced businessman that took so long to get hold of the club. I'm still completely confused as to Craig Whyte. Everything you hear makes him seem like a Walter Mitty figure. I just struggle to believe that's true, given the due diligence he took. Either that, or he's a crook looking to siphon off everything - but it just brings up further questions if that's the case. Firstly, why does he seem so bad at it? I can see the option of Rangers 2012 or whatever (the best suggestion was Rangers FC as opposed to Glasgow Rangers FC) but he doesn't seem to be very good at that option either. So given that Rangers as a current going concern, a fantasy, an asset-stripping project or a new club don't seem to be viable, what on Earth is going on?

A step up then

If Godwin were alive today, he'd be turning in his grave.

I think Rangers defence is fine. It's the attack that's weak. Bearing that in mind: Esson Meekings - Williams - Gillet - G.Shinnie Hayes - Ross - Jones - Tansey - Foran Tade Probably my doubt is Tade up front. That might be better with McKay but we'll try that first off. Jones gives that reliability in midfield so the rest of the team can get forward. Tempted by Tokely but I'll see what Williams is made of. Gnapka from the bench for this one.

How did I miss it? Hang on, I'll check with BBC news....nope, not there? Sky? Not there either. Can't seem to find anywhere that the outcome of the case was announced. Ah, it must be trial-by-internet-forum. Much more reliable.

I wasn't sure who I'd support when the club was formed - the new ICT or the old St Mirren. I thought I might have a few years to come down on one side or the other. Instantly, I had to decide. Needless to say ICT won out. Even if we did get hammered by the Buddies.

Never said to let the case drop. Exactly. And how do they get the money owed (if it is owed - no-one knows yet)? Keep it going as a company, whilst fining them the maximum they can afford whilst still surviving. That's more than they'd get if the company went under.

If the full amount (again, I think we're jumping the gun here - no-one knows what the full amount is) means a large company that provides lots of jobs and income goes into liquidation, then yes, we should settle for less. If the situation with tax is lost by the Gers, then HMRC should take a large chunk, so that Rangers will be in no position to make any significant buys. No tax money and no jobs as a result of liquidation is vengeance - not the policy that should be followed. Strip them to the bone, yes. Receive no money, close down Scottish income and put people on the dole in a high unemployment area in a recession? That does no-one any good.

Apparently not http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17072133 So is Mandaric lying? The administrators? Some hoax on them both? I just don't get why Whyte would have battled so long for control, then be as abyssmal as he's been made out to be. I can get that he may be preparing everything for a new Rangers. To be honest, it seems an ideal scenario for the Rangers board and a disaster for the tax-payer (although all that assumes guilt, which is far from certain). Some of the points Whyte has come out with about this being a regular procedure over uncertainty, I can agree with. So Whyte is then a white knight. But then... Where's the missing millions and the promised investment? Is it a ruse by Whyte to get this new Rangers? Or is it fraudulent behaviour? But why battle for so long to get the club then? Asset stripping? Where would he hide? Hasn't he seen what Lennon has put up with? It's a cracking story and I've no idea how it's going to end. This'll make a great book for Xmas 2012, when hopefully it's all laid bare. (oh, and the Blue Knights scenario looks a great way to run a club - more power to them and any other club that goes down that route)

That was a belter. He's no longer someone that can play down the wings (the big failing of Strachan was that he never replaced Adam Johnson and Stewart Downing with genuine wingers - instead he loaded up central mids and people like Robson and Flood who favoured left and right but not to the byeline) but he'd still be a power for any team in the SPL in an attacking mid role. Well done Toronto.

Not seen too much of him this year but last year, he was a top player for Boro. Easily one of Strachan's best buys.

I have no idea what this is all about. Is it a game plan? Desperation? A storm in a teacup? Refusing to pay their share? Taking a stand against illegal taxes? No idea whatsoever.

It's not a case of brining in more players to make us go bust. We've got a lot of players who might well not be renewing contracts at ICT. If Golobart, Williams, Gillet, Piermayr, Proctor and Tokely all leave at the end of their contracts, we'll have to bring in players from somewhere. Why not look at the likes of Perry then for the back four if he's released? Sure, he might be kept on. But he might not. Nothng wrong with keeping an eye out.

Reading more about why they owe £9M adds more dirt to an already cloudy water. Apprently HMRC want £9M. Rangers dispute that figure, saying they only owe about £4M. That's been offered and refused by HMRC. Just like the £45M, no-one really knows if Rangers owe anything unpayable. It could be enormous and all go Rangers way. It could be virtually nothing for a club like Rangers. Or it could be a compromise. So, Davie, it's not £71, 500 minimum. That's only if they lose their cases. And no-one knows where the Ticketus money has gone either. Is it a debt or there just in case of a compromise and ready to be paid back (I know that's technically a debt but you take my point). I don't think there's enough info to really know what Rangers owe. Even Rangers don't know that. With the lawyers they will have behind them, plus other clubs no doubt desperate for Rangers to succeed (or they are next), I wouldn't be surprised to see Rangers win their case. I also wouldn't be shocked to see a compromise (as I've said before, in other industries, we'd do what we can to avoid liquidation, otherwise the money is totally dispappeared along with people's jobs - I suspect HMRC will, in the end, also employ that line). So, do Rangers have £70M-£100M to find? Or do they have the £25M in the bank from Ticketus and only £4M to pay in tax? 10 points to Alan Davies for holding up the 'nobody knows' sign.

Jamie Ness is one of the most promising youngsters I've seen in a long long time. Injury problems but then, would we even be in consideration if he didn't have them. Hope we at least make contact.

It's always used as an insult but Castle Greyskull is where the heroes live, i.e. He-Man, Man-At-Arms etc. Snake Mountain is where the likes of Skeletor are based. ...not that it's important - just sayin' that's all....

It's so great a double-barrelled appointment, I struggle to believe this will be sustainable. Would love a league with our rivals of Aberdeen, Ross County and Livi to play. That bit of needle makes it all the more interesting. For me, I still view Livi as the real rivals, although I know most say RC. There's such a history between us.

Statements today suggest it's nothing to do with the big tax bill - and that Murray still believes Rangers have a better than even chance of winning that case. Rather, it's about a £9M bill run up in the last year. I have no idea what's happening.

It's absolutely 100% not just Rangers in the mix for the tax avoidance scam. Expect many English teams to be quaking in their boots if the result goes against Rangers. Spurs was the first shot, Rangers, the second. Both barrels coming down for many clubs soon.