© Vagelis Georgariou | Scotzine

As a loyal Rangers supporter this of course managed to attract my attention and I became particularly intrigued when I discovered who the guest of the show was: none other than Phil Mac Giolla Bhain.

Phil’s popularity certainly seems to be growing rapidly, as reflected by his success in The Tartan Blog Awards 2011, and his website is becoming extremely popular with those like-minded Celtic fans who share his curious obsession with all things Rangers.

Celtic are a club with a proud history, indeed it is the second best in the country, and yet all outward appearances suggest that the vast majority of Mr Mac Giolla Bhain’s time is spent studying, researching and reporting on Rangers Football Club.

Given Phil’s football allegiances and bitterness towards my own club, I really struggled, and am still struggling, to find justification as to his suitability for an appearance on the website given the topic in question.

In his latest article on Scotzine, he refers to Rangers as ‘an embarrassing bit of baggage’ and rants about the anti-Irish and anti-catholic prejudices that he feels exist within the blue legions. It seems that if you want to know anything about Rangers FC or taxation then the most suitable answer is likely to come from somebody in a green and white hooped top. As such, I will ignore Phil’s choice of team from this point forth and examine some of the comments made during part two of Episode 22 of The Final Whistle.

Phil Mac Giolla Bhain refers to the ‘end of denial’ for Rangers supporters and to their growing awareness and perhaps acceptance of the financial difficulties that face their club. I will admit to possibly being one of the many who simply believed that because we would be fine simply because we are Glasgow Rangers.

Such an outlook was of course very naive but the amount of propaganda in the media recently has certainly seen that the facts – or should I call them rumours? – were no longer ignored.

I will deal with things in a slightly different order from the recorded episode and firstly talk about Whyte and the various allegations surrounding his tenure as owner of Rangers FC.

Firstly there is a debate around whether or not the takeover was paid by Mr Whyte via one of his companies or if the Ticketus money was used as his source of funding. The Rangers chairman claims to have lodged £33M into a bank account as proof of funding while his purchase of Rangers was still being processed and frankly I find it difficult to believe that his acquisition of our club would have been allowed to proceed without such a confirmation, although that is much of an opinion as Phil’s belief that it was funded by the mortgaging of future season ticket sales.

I am certainly no financial expert when it comes to businesses of this size and I don’t believe Phil will claim to be either, but to me it seems impossible that Rangers would still be running if the vast majority of the Ticketus deal was swallowed up in the funding of Whyte’s takeover, especially given our Euro exits this season. I would suggest that it would be better to wait for the facts to emerge although it certainly hasn’t prevented the media in their various forms from speculating as to the condition of the Gers’ finances.

The BBC’s Mark Daly has certainly managed to cause quite a stir with his latest ‘revelations’ regarding Craig Whyte. I have never known any owner of a football club in Britain to face such intense scrutiny from the media, an almost targeted and considered campaign that has affected Rangers’ ability to trade in the same fashion that they will have done in years gone by.

Personally I lost count to the amount of times Andy and Phil used the terms ‘allegedly’, ‘apparently’ and the likes when discussing the perjury claims against Mr Whyte and I think that frankly epitomises the problem surrounding such stories.

The latest BBC ‘documentary’ is based on the same case as they highlighted in their initial report dealing with an issue that occurred almost 17 years ago. It was claimed during the course of Episode 22 that Mark Daly had seen evidence that Whyte had lied in court and one therefore must question why Whyte has never faced trial for his actions. My cynical mind leads me to think that such proof does not exist or that indeed there is no case to answer. It should also be noted that my opinions are just as factual and correct as those you read in The Daily Record and such newspapers, although that doesn’t necessarily count for much.

As a Rangers fan I am not overly worried about the business dealings of our chairman at a time when I was due to start primary school and I don’t think my fellow Bears should be too concerned with it either. I am convinced that if you dig deeply enough, and trust me the media have in this case, then you would find dodgy dealings and goings on in the past of any successful businessmen but of course, those businessmen do not own Rangers Football Club.

There lies the difference.

Finally let us consider the possibilities that may result from the ongoing HMRC tax case in relation to EBTs used by Rangers during the Murray era and may I remind you that it is only a possibility.

Despite the sense of inevitability that the media seem to have created surrounding the issue it still remains to be seen as to whether the liability of £49M will ever become payable for Rangers FC.

Let us assume for now that it does and that Rangers via whatever process necessary are required to form as ‘Rangers Newco’. Although Mr Muirhead referred to Livingston as an example of possible punishment, I think the difference in the cases are such that it is almost irrelevant for the purposes of discussing Rangers.

Mac Giolla Bhain clearly indicates that he feels it would be unfair and unjust for Rangers Newco to gain direct access to the SPL, especially as there is the possibility that no penalties will result. Taking lessons on morals and ethics from a supporter of Celtic Football Club however may just prove too much for my principles and pride to handle.

I do however tend to agree with him in that I think that the statutory ten point penalty for current SPL clubs is likely to result if such a scenario ever comes to fruition. Phil of course feels that Rangers should begin in the Third Division and earn their place in the SPL and while that may be the moral and ethical decision, I think it is unlikely to ever happen.

This is not because the corridors of the SFA are filled with ‘Rangers men’ or because Rangers are ‘The Establishment Club’ but simply because it would be suicide for Scottish Football.

Phil suggests in his latest article on Scotzine that the SPL would survive just fine without the famous Glasgow Rangers following an immediate period of Celtic domination. I am not so sure. The current TV deal would be immediately withdrawn and all clubs in Scotland would be forced to sell their prized assets in order to compensate for the drop in revenue. Furthermore I think you can see from the mass obsession in all things Rangers that the rivalry is a must for those at Parkhead. It is as if they exist simply to try to beat Rangers, whereas Rangers exist simply to win championships.

Perhaps that is an unfair assessment of the situation but the hysteria and songbook at present from Celtic fans would certainly suggest otherwise. Either way I cannot see the SPL doing anything other than granting immediate entry to Rangers Newco, IF indeed such situation ever arises.

I am sure that Phil Mac Giolla Bhain and The Rangers Tax Case blog will be whipping the Scottish media and supporters of Celtic Football Club into a frenzy about the alleged impending death of Scotland’s premier club.

I am also sure there will be many more rumours, allegations and false accusations to be fired in the direction of Ibrox in the weeks and months to come.

For obvious reasons I sincerely hope the predictions, and perhaps hopes, of Phil are wrong and that we are spared the shortage of jelly and ice-cream that we have been promised.

I do however worry for the health and sanity of those in green and white if Rangers win the case against HM Revenue and Customs. I would advise the authorities to close all bridges and the Samaritans to dramatically increase their numbers of staff.

Seriously though, I am sure all will become clear in due course but until then, as Mr Whyte suggests, that won’t stop the media letting the facts get in the way.

Attendances are still hovering around 5,000. On the transfer front, it was busier than usual with Nicky Law, Michael Higdon, Tim Clancy and Omar Daley coming in a bit later on.

Arguably our best player from last season John Sutton left and loan signings from the 2010/11 season – Steve Jones and Gavin Gunning returned to their parent clubs.

Stuart McCall guided the team to the Scottish Cup Final in 2011, but unfortunately the team did not turn up on the day and were beaten 3-0 by Celtic.

That was then, this is now and the Steelmen have been cooking up a storm in the SPL with their blistering away form and their rather colourful East Stand who have brought a bit of colour and atmosphere to Fir Park.

The squad is very similar to last season’s apart from the new signings and the departures that I mentioned above, but somehow Motherwell have blitzed the rest of the SPL and were even breaking the Old Firm for a month or so in the Autumn, but I think most ‘Well fans will agree that splitting the Old Firm is an unrealistic target for a team the size of Motherwell as their resources are nowhere near the standard of Celtic or Rangers.

The Starting Eleven

What can you say about Darren Randolph, whether you support Motherwell or not, you will be running out of superlatives to describe his performances in a Motherwell shirt, he has made one mistake in his Motherwell tenure, that being against Leeds in a friendly. He is a definite fan favourite with the ‘Well support and with 24 SPL games and nine clean sheets, who can blame them?

Tom Hateley has been a make-shift right back since Steven Saunders long-term injury but thankfully is very comfortable and since is a natural right midfielder he is very comfortable going forward and has pitched in with a few crucial goals, one of those being the last kick of the ball at St. Mirren, where he swung a free kick into the top corner to win the game 3-2. Tom will forever be judged on whether he is as good as his dad but with 24 SPL games, two goals and six assists, I’m quite happy with how he’s doing.

Shaun Hutchinson is a strong, reliable, old-fashioned, tough centre-half who is not afraid to put some hard tackles in and is my favourite ‘Well player. He has played 17 SPL games and has even contributed with a goal, but sometimes his potential going forward is not shown as he is often having to cover for the next ‘Well player in our list. Despite this I still believe he is as good as Rogne at Celtic.

Stephen Craigan boasts the record number of SPL own goals with eight. Not the type of record you want on your CV, but “Craggs” has been a great servant to the club and would do anything for his beloved ‘Well and showed his passion after last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final when he came over and celebrated with the ‘Well fans before full-time. Craigan is one of my favourite players, even if he does cost us goals. He is the club captain and helps young players develop and played for his country more than 50 times, playing 23 times in the SPL this year and even contributed with an assist.

Steven Hammell is in my opinion, the best left back in the SPL apart from Emilio Izaguirre. He has been a great servant to the club and will continue to be so. He has said that he wants to stay at Fir Park until he retires and not a single ’Well fan will be disappointed at that. He has played a big part in guiding the Steelmen to their current position. He defends the left flank superbly and is not afraid or uncomfortable when going forward. When Craigan finally hangs up his boots, Hammell will have no problem filling his role as captain.

Nicky Law and Jamie Murphy are Stuart McCall’s most recent wide-men, with Murphy on the left and Law gracing the right-wing. Law joined from Rotherham in the summer on a free and since joining he has become a fan favourite, finding himself in the starting eleven almost every game. Jamie Murphy recently made the headlines after turning down a £250,000 move to Blackpool. He is usually considered a striker but since Ojamaa has joined he has switched to a winger and is coping very well. He has always been a hit with the Motherwell support and has been around for a long time, despite only being 21. Making his ‘Well debut at 17, he has really matured and will probably leave in the summer, but showing some loyalty to a team that is used to its stars leaving at the first sniff of cash has made him even more of a hit with the fans.

With a centre midfield pairing of Keith Lasley and Steve Jennings, you are transported back to the good old days of football with rough, hard-hitting tackles and players that aren’t afraid to stick their feet in. Both are popular with the majority of the ‘Well support but a minority of fans believe that they are “dinosaurs” and that we need smaller, faster midfielders but I completely disagree. They bring a bit of excitement and make tackles that can win games. Lasley has four goals in 22 games and Jennings has played 22 games with no goals or assists but his tackles are priceless.

Our current strike-force is Henrik Ojamaa and Michael Higdon. Let’s start with Ojamaa, he joined in January on a six month deal and has so far scored in every starting appearance. That’s four goals in 5 games (he came on as a sub against Dundee United and failed to score). He has since been snapped up on a new two and a half-year deal, much to the delight of the Motherwell support. He brings an air of excitement when he gets the ball and looks like he could score every time he gets possession. Long may it continue! Michael Higdon is the club’s top scorer with eight goals and hit the headlines after his supposed “offensive gesture” but let’s focus on football and not bans and sanctions. He is quite frustrating to watch and sometimes it seems as if he has to miss five sitters before he can score, but his goals have been crucial and I would love him to get a few more this season.

The Fringe

Tim Clancy was brought in during the summer from Kilmarnock and in my opinion is a good, consistent defender who does not get the credit he deserves. He does start often, especially during Craigan’s current suspension.

Omar Daley joined late in the summer window from Bradford City, where he also worked with Stuart McCall and is an attacking winger/striker. He is an exciting player and just like his compatriot Chris Humphrey, he is very fast. He brings excitement when he’s on the ball and is one of my favourite players.

Chris Humphrey, the fastest man in the SPL who in previous seasons was always on the team sheet but since the arrival of Nicky Law and Omar Daley he has found first team action hard to come by, but this isn’t as bad as it sounds because while watching him play last season the first thing you would notice is that, the majority of the time his delivery was poor, but since he has been coming off the bench his performances have greatly improved and with his pace and new-found crossing ability he could rip even the best Scottish defense to shreds!

I believe that with that squad and the hunger and passion the team has been showing, Motherwell will come third quite comfortably and possibly bring back the Scottish Cup back to Fir Park.

With Motherwell in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup and looking favourites for third place, the future is bright for the club.

Written by Nathan Ross

The other highlight of the draw was a possible meeting of Motherwell and Aberdeen. The Dons have to replay their fifth round tie with Queen of the South, after Saturday’s tie ended in a draw.

St Mirren also face the prospect of an all-SPL clash should they win their replay against Ross County, facing either Hearts or St Johnstone.

Hibernian face a trip to either Ayr United or Falkirk, who will now play their fifth-round tie on February 15, after Saturday’s clash was postponed.

The three fifth-round replays will be played on February 14, while the quarter-finals will take place on the weekend of March 10 and 11.

Full Quarter-final draw:

Hearts/St Johnstone v St Mirren/Ross County
Ayr United/Falkirk v Hibernian
Dundee United v Celtic
Motherwell v Aberdeen/Queen of the South

Ties to be played weekend of March 10-11.

Steve Lomas on the other hand had possibly the most beneficial January of all SPL managers in acquiring to promising under 21’s in James Keatings (Celtic) and highly regarded Kudus Oyenuga (Tottenham Hotspur) on loan to enhance his options from the bench, while managing to hold onto top scorer Francisco Sandaza and club captain Jody Morris. One key change in the St Johnstone line up was David Robertson coming in for Marcus Haber.

With both teams starting with intent, the game simmered quite nicely with both teams flitting between good football and slack play neither could grab a foothold in the game. With the game end to end it was Hearts who managed to find that bit of play and composure in the final third. In the tenth minute McGowan had time to pick out Templeton unmarked on the edge of the box and with no need for a second invite he stung in a shot from the edge of the area beating Enckelman to easily at the near post.

With the home side keen to build on their lead they pushed forward at every opportunity, limiting St Johnstone to sporadic attacks and scrambling defending. As time passed and the second goal still not arriving, the Saints spirit which impresses Lomas seemingly every week, managed to claw their way back into the game, with captain Morris leading a midfield through heart and grit. With Davidson dived into tackles trying everything to create the break to bring them back into the game.

As they pressed forward, the Perth Saints had to constantly be on their guard as the impressive and dangerous Templeton constantly posed a threat backed up by the borderline tenacity of Black.

As the game marched towards half time with both teams not backing down from their intent to win, this was turning into a fair old cup tie.

Into the second half St Johnstone manager Lomas was the first to roll the dice in bringing on Sheridan for the ineffective Robertson hoping that the reformation of the SaS can spark the Saints come back.

Within two minutes of the restart Sheridan broke clear on the left and pitched in a perfect cross for Sandaza to connect from six yards out but with a free header he could only guide it onto the bar, this seemed to be the catalyst for sustained pressure from the visitors with wave upon wave of attack ultimately fruitless with some last stand defending and poor finishing.

After chances went begging through slick play, Liam Craig caught the ball on the half volley on the hour and with the ball moving through the air MacDonald did well to get his body behind it and beat it to safety.

After an hour of the game and after both teams had put so much into it, the game started to get bogged down in midfield with only flashes of the skill we had seen previously from both teams. With a succession of free kicks and referee Craig Thomson managing to take the attention from the players and focus it squarely onto himself the game was in danger of being ruined as a spectacle.

Just under twenty minutes left Thomson incurred the wrath of the away fans by brandishing a dubious second yellow to MacKay after he had caught the ever dangerous Templeton on the side whilst trying to hook away a clearance, sending him for an early bath.

Fortunately both sets of players continued to play to win and managed to regain the attacking threat they had both posed earlier and on 77 minutes it was the away fans who erupted after Sandaza played an inch perfect pass for Sheridan to break the offside trap and coolly drawing MacDonald before slotting it passed him and into the net.

As both teams pushed for the winner, the defences held firm and the game rightly and fairly ended with honours even setting up a reply at McDiarmid Park on 14th February.

Hearts: Enckelman, Mackay, C Davidson, Morris, Anderson, McCracken, M Davidson (Millar), Croft (Keatings), Robertson (Sheridan), Sandaza, Craig.
Subs not used: Mannus, Oyenuga,

St.Johnstone: MacDonald, Webster, McGowan, Zaliukas, Hamill, Black, Templeton (Driver), Skacel (Taouil), Mrowiec, Elliott, Robinson.
Subs not used: Ridgers, Barr, Glen

Att: 9,185

I do not know why this should be, other than the effect of the Daily Record “exclusive” on the Ticketus story.

Some of us had pointed the way in June of last year.

The story was always there for a sports desk to run with it. The unthinkable is now being planned for by the people who hold positions of power and authority in Scottish football.

Stewart Regan seems to think he can reach the nation through Twitter. The defence of the “Old Firm” brand is in full swing.

Should the “big tax bill” crystallise and the cash flow situation at Rangers deteriorate then the club established in 1872 (I know it has 1873 on the crest) will cease to exist.

It will, literally, be the end of “The Rangers” and the connection with the past will be broken.

A new company and new club could be set up and it could call itself Rangers, but it would not be the club established when Queen Victoria was on the imperial throne.

“Rangers 2012” would be a new club.

The movers and shakers in this are already positioning their ducks in the correct order for the “New Co” to be parachuted into the SPL without any penalty.

If Rangers (1873) go into administration then there is mandatory 10 point penalty in the SPL. If the liquidation occurs then the “NewCo” does not have any penalty laid down in the SPL rules.

The penalty could be draconian or there could be no penalty at all.

Given that Planet Fitba is considering the unthinkable (Rangers being liquidated) then perhaps you might want to consider this:

If Rangers were liquidated and, for the sake of this argument, were not allowed to come back straight into the SPL as a “NewCo” then what would happen?

I suspect that the “provincial clubs in the West of Scotland might benefit. Perhaps Chick Young might indeed become a St Mirren fan. Ok, perhaps not.

Certainly Motherwell would get some erstwhile patrons of Ibrox. The Ayrshire clubs, especially Kilmarnock, would get a lift. Hearts would probably get more people through the gates though I doubt Hibernian would.

Fairly quickly Celtic would start to find that they would be coming up against a clutch of teams capable of beating them.

It would be like having several clubs the size of Hearts in the West of Scotland. The financial disaster prophesied by people like Stewart Regan is shrill and fact free.

The backward multiplier effect of a Rangers free SPL is heavily over stated by these hand-wringing adherents of John Maynard Keynes.

Celtic would, for a while, dominate, but the Parkhead side would not be invincible and these provincial clubs would grow.

The model would be a self-sustaining one with most clubs fielding the product of their own youth systems. Rangers’ financial doping poisoned the well of talented Scottish youth. Murray Park became a training facility for foreign imports not an academy for home-grown talent.

Celtic was forced into a borrowing driven arms race under Martin O’Neill.

A generation after the tax-free steroid enhanced Rangers of the Advocaat years the SPL could see more and more players like James Forrest and James McCarthy breaking through into the top flight while still in their teens.

In the 1980s when Rangers were enfeebled the new firm was in their pomp and Celtic had real competition from Aberdeen and Dundee United and Hearts came within a whisker of winning the double.

Apart from the lifting up of several provincial clubs there would be a wider societal benefit from the extinction of Rangers.

What WOULD be gone in a landscape without Rangers would be a gathering point for anti-Irish racism and anti-Catholic hatred in Scotland.

Although there would be ex-RFC fans supporting these other clubs they wouldn’t be facilitated in their ethno-religious hatred which seems to define their very existence.

Ex-RFC fans attending these clubs would find Pepperamis in green wrappers, eggs Benedict on the lunchtime menu and, whisper it, a player from the Republic of Ireland in their first team.

Rangers have been the nexus for much of the anti-Irish racism that has characterised modern Scotland in my lifetime.
Without this grand central stain of poison Scottish football and Scottish society will be the better for it.

In fact I can think of no better bit of national housekeeping as the independence question is about to be asked.
Rangers, a creation of Imperialist North Britain, are an embarrassing bit of baggage that the new Scotland can do without.

Written by Phil Mac Giolla Bhain

Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is an author, blogger, journalist and writer based in Donegal, Ireland. He has broken some of the most high-profile stories in recent times regarding Scottish Football. From the Hugh Dallas email scandal to the Rangers tax issue, the Neil Lennon letter bomb attacks not to mention tackling the racist Famine Song. Phil has written for the likes of the, Caledonian Mercury, Celtic View, Guardian, Magill, Irish Independent and the Irish Post. Phil is an active member of the NUJ sitting on the Irish Executive Council and the New Media Industrial Council.

Instead we had a rematch of one of the greatest American Football games ever, Super Bowl XLII, where the underdog Giants, after a remarkable play by Eli Manning to David Tyree, stopped the Patriots run to an undefeated season.

No one would be surprised that the game came down to Manning, the best 4th quarter quarterback now, if not ever, leading his team the length of the field as the clock wound down to a game winning TD and a 21-17 triumph for his Giants.

But the manner of the TD, the catch which started the drive and the matter of inches that Rob Gronkowski was away from catching the rebound of the last second Hail Mary will mean that this game will be remembered almost as much as Super Bowl XLVI.

Eli Manning, as he has done all season, led his team to the winning TD, but the Patriots lost because of a batch of dropped catches in the fourth quarter by their usually sure-handed receivers and because Rob Gronkowski, the All-Pro tight end for the Pats was hindered all game by his sprained ankle. Maybe a fit Gronk would have been close enough to catch the Hail Mary rebound in the end zone.

Both teams came into the game with potent offenses and porous defenses. Despite that, we ended up with a low scoring game.

In the first quarter, the Giants dominated on the clock and the yardage chart, but did not get the scores their pressure deserved. After a long drive, a Giants punt pinned Tom Brady and the Patriots back at their goal line. Pressure made Brady throw the ball away from his end zone on the Patriots’ first play, but no one was near the ball, and a safety was the first score on the board – 2-0 Giants.

The Giants drove back again to score the first TD with a 2 yard pass to Victor Cruz.

The Patriots got going in the second quarter, with a 29 yard FG by Stephen Gostkowski and a four yard pass from Brady to Danny Woodhead after a 14 play, 96 yard drive. Half time came with the Patriots 10-9 ahead.

After Madonna entertained us, with help from Cee Lo Green, Nikki Minaj and LMFAO, whilst kettles were boiled and beers cracked open across the land.

The second half started in the same vein as the first ended, with the Patriots running as smoothly as their offense usually does. Aaron Hernandez caught a 12 yard pass from Brady to make it 17-9.

Finally the Giants defense stopped the Brady-led offense and two FGs by Lawrence Tynes, the Greenock born kicker for the Giants brought it back to 17-15.

It is not clear if the good wishes from Neil Lennon to Tynes, a Celtic fan, or the signed jersey sent by Craig Levein, was crucial to his scoring.

Unlike recent Super Bowls, the fourth quarter was low in scoring. After exchanges of punts, Manning got the ball with 3.46 to go, and 88 yards for the TD. The first play of the drive brought a 38 yard pass to Mario Manningham, who pulled it in running at full speed along the side line, with two defenders hanging on him. Despite a review by Bill Belichik, the catch stood. The Giants moved the ball down the field to the 6 yard line. With 1 minute to go and the Giants able to run the clock right down before chipping a game winning FG. However, the Patriots let Bradshaw of the
Giants run straight through the middle. Only at the very end he realised he was meant not to score, but it was too late and he stumbled into the end zone.

So the scene was set for Tom Brady to take the Patriots 80 yards to win the game. Pressure from the Giants defense and dropped catches left the game down to one last play. The Patriots came up inches short, and the Giants had their fifth Super Bowl win. Interestingly they have been behind at half time in each game where they have won the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Manning was the MVP for his 30 of 40, 296 yards and 1 TD performance. His hot receiver was Hakeem Nicks, with 10 catches for 109 yards.

Michael Boley, the linebacker, led the defense with 9 tackles and an assist, Justin Tuck had two sacks and Chase Blackburn made an outstanding interception of a pass intended for Gronkowski, which for a linebacker to do so far down the field was remarkable.

For the Patriots, Brady in defeat was 27 of 41 for 276 yards, 2 TDs and an interception. As Gronkowski was hampered all game, he had to spread his passes around, with Hernandez having eight catches for 67 yards and Wes Welker 6 for 60 yards.

Neither side got much going with the running game.

So Eli Manning now has more Super Bowl rings than his illustrious brother Peyton. He has twice beaten Tom Brady in the biggest game of the year, and must now be building a Hall of Fame CV. When he was being booed by the Giants fans in recent years, who would have predicted this?

And a lesson to impatient sports fans – eight weeks ago the New York papers were demanding the sacking of Tom Coughlin. Two months later, he has won his second Super Bowl in five years for the Giants.

An NFL season which started with a bitter labour dispute, and a lock out of the players which shortened the pre-season, ends with a Super Bowl again going down to the final play. Already the anticipation for the new season has started, and I am sure Bill Belichik is already plotting how to get his team back to the final game, this time to win it.

Manning and the Giants, and the Mara family which owns it has the reputation as one of the most solid ownerships in the NFL have another triumph to savour. Not bad for the team which had the worst regular season record of the 12 which made the play-offs.

5th February 2012

4th February 2012

Scottish Cup Fifth Round

SFL Second Division

SFL Third Division

Top scorer Nikica Jelavic was sold to Everton on transfer deadline day and no replacement were brought in, leaving David Healy as the only fit striker at Ibrox.

Ally McCoist had to deny internet gossip that he was about to walk away as manager with the club legend apparently having been furious at a lack of investment from upstairs.

Throughout the week many Rangers fans have vented their fury at different figures including Whyte, McCoist and members of the old board such as David and Paul Murray and Alastair Johnston.

Well I have had enough of people pointing the blame at their favourite target. It simply plays into Celtic’s hand as they try to wrestle the league title off Rangers for the first time in four years.

Rangers are still well in the hunt for two trophies, and the fight for them continues on Sunday at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup against Dundee United.

The only positive Rangers and Ally McCoist can take from the last week came on the pitch when they emphatically beat an albeit dreadful Hibs team 4-0 without star man Nikica Jelavic.

After the match, McCoist said this proved his team could survive without the Croatian, having also beaten Motherwell 3-0 in January without him.

But no Rangers fan should kid themselves, with only Healy fit enough to start up front, there is a severe worry where goals are going to come for Rangers. That’s precisely why Rangers fans must stop the in-fighting and get behind the manager and the team over the next few months.

Let’s not beat around the bush, if Ally McCoist pulls off this title win for Rangers this season, it would be one of the greatest ever achievements by any Rangers manager.

With some of the negative press this week, you could be forgiven that Rangers are only ONE point behind Celtic in the league (with Celtic having a game in hand), albeit having blown a 15 point lead at one stage in the season (although Celtic did have two games in hand).

Since Steven Naismith got injured in October, Rangers have been devoid of creativity and energy but there has been no better side at facing up to adversity in recent years than the Ibrox men.

Remember season 2008-09? After Scott McDonald scored a post-Christmas Old Firm winner at Ibrox, Rangers slipped seven points behind Celtic and with their superior financial position the Parkhead side were all set to win the title.

But after failing in a bid to sign Steven Fletcher (then at Hibs), Celtic allowed Rangers back into the title race, with Rangers eventually winning the crown at Tannadice on the final day.

That can happen again. Players such as Sone Aluko and Maurice Edu are currently in excellent form and if Steven Davis can get back to his inspirational best, then Rangers still have the attacking options to win the league.

And whose to say players such as new signing Mervan Cellik and Salim Kerkar can’t step up and become Rangers heroes overnight. McCoist is the ultimate Rangers legend and will drum what it means to play for such a big club into players like that.

So Rangers fans should be optimistic about winning four in a row and get behind the team rather than pointing the finger at the way the club is ran.

As big Marvin Andrews once said “Keep Believing”.

Pressley fumed at the post-match press conference: “I’m so disappointed for the players, we gave so much to the game and it was decided on two debatable decisions. The two pivotal decisions in the game went Celtic’s way and we paid the price for that.

“I just wanted justice for my players. The issue for me is would it have been given in the other box? That’s the question for me.”

However Pressley failed to mention a Celtic goal which was ruled offside, despite Gary Hooper being a yard onside.

Pressley will appear in front of the SFA on February 23 to answer the SFA questions.

Rule 68 of the SFA states: “No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA, shall in an interview, a ‘blog’ on the internet, on a social networking or micro-blogging site, or in any other manner calculated or likely to lead to publicity (i) criticise the performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character.”