Safe Standing in the SPL - My view

I’ve been the centre of many a debate via Twitter on the suggestion of safe standing within the SPL this week. The SPL bigwigs have openly agreed to listen to ideas on how to make the safe standing scheme work and bring back the terraces to what can only be described as a depleted league, with regards to atmosphere, Old Firm aside obviously. Many journalists have questioned me on why I think ticket entry fees for the standing area would be cheaper than the seated area. So rather than constantly repeat myself, I’ve decided to write this blog on how I personally think it will work.

The obvious reason to bring it back right away is the current lack of atmosphere and attendance within the SPL right now. Most teams in the league now have fans groups and organisations who attend their team games week in week out, they are always being ejected and made out to be hooligans, simply because they want to stand throughout the 90 minutes. Now, if these lads had the safe standing areas they would be free to hold their displays in a safe and secure environment without disturbing those who wish to sit and enjoy the game. They could be safely monitored by police without anyone having to be constantly asked to sit down. So it’s a win, win for everyone!

The question being put to me is the fact teams will have to fork out to install the new areas, which are believed to need fold away seating for European ties etc, where teams would not be allowed to have terracing, so in what way can they afford to offer cheaper tickets prices for this part of the ground? Here is my personal opinion. If I was a Chairman of an SPL club, I’d see it as an investment having the standing areas installed. I think clubs would most certainly fill that section every week, even clubs out with the Rangers and Celtic. If they made the investment at the beginning of a season, come Christmas it will have paid for itself.

To attract people to it though, the prices will have to be cheaper than the sitting areas. You’ll get the young lads there no matter the price likely, but to attract other punters you’ll need to slash the prices. You might ask why because I choose to sit, must I pay more than to stand? I think it doesn’t make sense to charge the same price to stand than it is to sit. You wouldn’t pay the same to sit in restricted view than you would not too at the end of the day. Standing would fill and cheaper tickets would guarantee it every Saturday. If clubs are willing to spend to earn, I feel this could bring in some much needed revenue into the Scottish game.

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 5TH OF NOVEMBER 2011

No Bears, not the annual Guy Fawkes celebrations, but the stance being made by all Rangers fans groups, forums and clubs against the constant bias against our club by the BBC. In recent years the BBC have done everything in their power to jeopardise the name of Rangers Football Club. Under previous ownership the club rolled over and allowed this bias to air week in, week out, unchallenged. Last week however new owner Craig Whyte enforced a ban on the BBC from Ibrox. Mr Whyte stated the club would be suspending all co-operation with the Corporation with regards to constant lies about RFC and also a documentary which aired about Mr Whyte himself. The program led to serious allegations of criminality against him and previous company ownerships, it also reported he was banned from being a director of Re-Tex Plastics Technology and could have faced a jail sentence of up to 2 years. Mr Whyte is now seeking legal advice, with a view to sue the BBC for the allegations of what he says are “utterly and completely unture”. He had this to say when asked by The Scotsman newspaper on the matter.

“It’s outrageous. I actually can’t believe that they went with the allegations they went with. We told them. We sent lawyers letters all week, warning them that these things aren’t true and warning them what would happen if they ran with these allegations. They’ve run with things that are totally, completely and utterly untrue. It just proves the case that they are a biased organisation, biased against Rangers. They’ve done it several times this season. They’re completely biased. They did it to Ally McCoist. Every time they show something on sectarianism it’s Rangers fans. One has to wonder if there’s institutionalised bias in there. It’s outrageous what they’ve done. Absolutely outrageous. To accuse me on national TV of criminality is an outrage. I’m suing and maybe the BBC are going to be paying the (HMRC) tax bill.”

Craig Whyte

Now when I said all supporters groups where behind the BBC Protest, that might have been a little informative of me. As once again FollowFollow.com and the RST (Rangers Supporters Trust) are distancing themselves from any supporter enforcement against the BBC. This isn’t the first time they have done so. Back in 2009, fan forum Vanguard Bears, organisers of next month’s protest, had a demo . This was resulting in bans for FF members who posted about it, as is the case today. Any mention of anything not profiteering FollowFollow or the RST will see your comment/thread swiftly removed and your account suspended from posting.  It has even got as petty as Vanguard Bears appearing on the forum like this - **********. Like a swear word. This is the way FollowFollow have been treating fans for years now, if it’s not of their taste or in agreement with their views or in any way helping them earn. They are not interested.  I don’t think it will take any Rangers fan in the know to need encouragement and back the protest at Pacific Quay, FollowFollow are becoming masters of their own downfall within the support and fans really are waking up to their dictatorship, because let’s face it, that’s what that forum is.

The group who organized the protest, Vanguard Bears, organized previous demos which I already stated previously, in 2009. That particular demo resulted in around 40 members attending the BBC HQ. 40 does seem like a low number, but I think back then most fans hadn’t made themselves aware of the BBC’s bias reporting towards Rangers. In 2011 however, there are already over 400 attending according to the official Facebook page for the protest. The BBC’s objective is to put division between Rangers fans and also between them and Mr Whyte. What they don’t know is, FF aside, they are bringing the supporters groups together and uniting the fans against our enemies. So if possible people, get yourself down to BBC HQ on November 5^th 2011, and show the BBC we won’t stand for their lies anymore!

Rangers 4-2 Celtic

Sunday 18^th September, the day we will all speak about for the rest of our lives. The day good triumphed over evil and the day The People were the ones singing and dancing! As you know, it was an almighty rollercoaster 90 minutes, which saw The Rangers show the world why our moto is “NO SURRENDER”. Personally I would have hated to be the one left with picking the Man of the Match, as there were 11 warriors on that park, all fighting for the jersey and most importantly each other. After McGregor’s mistake, Rangers of old would have collapsed, and gone on and lost heavily. After half time however, the lads came out fighting, won every second ball, won every tackle and managed to score 3 fantastic goals to set Rangers up for an absolute dream Old Firm win.

Man of the Match was rightly awarded to Big Kyle Lafferty. Was there a blade of grass this lad didn’t cover? I don’t think so, he closed the Celtic defence down, ran at them and was a general nuisance the whole game. He never let them settle once. The fight and composure he showed for his goal again was brilliant, he’s came under a lot of stick in recent seasons but the big man seems to be settling into the team and a run of games is working wonders for him. It would bring a tear to a glass eye the emotion I felt for him when he grabbed his goal, at the end of the day he is living our dream and is fulfilling it to the maximum with yesterday’s performance.  There was many a match winning performances, again Stevie Naismith worked his socks off and weighed in with two goals, I think he must also have springs attached to his boots, because for such a short fella, he can fairly leap! Stevie Davis an unsung hero for me, doesn’t get anywhere near as much credit as he deserves for my liking. Totally dominant in midfield again and almost equalised early on with and absolute wonder strike which hit the crossbar!

Yesterday the fans were delighted to a rare treat from Maurice Edu. Hopefully a return to form for the American after what can only be describe as an nightmare 18 months for him. He has beed on the receiving end of some harsh criticism over the last year or so, and I don’t think it’s been unfair as he has been woeful! Although I believe yesterday we saw what Mo does have to offer, on his day he can be a great player for Rangers and do his job well. Hopefully yesterday brings him the confidence to kick on and start a run of decent form. To be honest I think the additions of Bocanegra and Bedoya have maybe given him some home comfort and helped him fully focus on his football. On the subject of Bocanegra, something that was worrying me about the game before kick off was, has Boca and Goian have enough time playing together to cope with such a big fixture. I think it’s safe to say they proved my doubt wrong. Both were solid and marked their men out of the game! Big Goian just seemed to stroll the game and he seems like a real steal of a signing.

A lot of respect has to go to Allan McGregor also, as much as we’d have all loved to strangle him at half time after what he would agree was a howler, he had to come back out and stand in front of torrents of abuse. That must take nerves of steel to do, from chants of disgusting accusations in his personal life to the hurling of rolled up paper at him. Greegs though proved why he’s Rangers and Scotland’s number one, by keeping a second half clean sheet and standing back and admiring his team mates rip their opponents apart!

Super Ally has come under some harsh criticism in his short spell as manager, no doubt triggered by the two terrible European results. What people haven’t sat back and noticed is, Ally has lead Rangers to 4 points clear at the summit of the table, won 6 consecutive matches conceding only 2 goals and has now comfortably beat Celtic in his first Old firm match. I think it’s now time to accept any doubt about his ability to manage Glasgow Rangers has been wrong and support him even when times might get hard. We cried for 4 seasons at Walter to attack Celtic, yesterday Ally done that and reaped the rewards! Now we have this lead in the run for 4 in a row, it’s time for us fans to now support the team rather than pick out the negatives.

I am going to finish up with a few comments about the fans yesterday, as we were absolutely superb if I don’t say so myself! Even when we fell behind we sang our hearts out in support of our team and you saw that support take effect on the pitch, we really were that cliché of the 12^th man. A special mention must go out to the Union Bears and Blue Order, the noise and colour in that corner was an amazing sight.  I’ve never hugged or been hugged by so many men in my life, but the joy of the events that unfolded at Ibrox Stadium yesterday will go with me to the grave.

WE ARE THE PEOPLE