THIS thread is for football chat – not tips – and there should be plenty of it in the lead-up to Sunday's Celtic-Rangers LAgue Cup semi-final.
Prices on a Celtic victory and on the handicaps are falling and I can't see that trend being reversed. Rangers fans will back their side with their heart but neutrals will be on the Premiership leaders.
I can't see past Celtic but will be cautious because in this type of game anything can happen. Cards will be what I focus on and with emotions running so high off the pitch I can see at least one red being flashed at Hampden.
The FA Cup draw has been made and with so many unfashionable teams left do you think a lower-league team can go all the way? It's not overly exciting with Arsenal v Middlesbrough the top tie while Bradford's reward for beating Chelsea is a home clash with Sunderland or Fulham
You can talk about anything football-related here that is not a tip – so please use it. Have a rant about a ref decision or how your team played.
Keep it clean and don't be bigoted or racist.
FA Cup draw
Crystal Palace v Liverpool or Bolton
Arsenal v Middlesbrough
Aston Villa v Leicester
West Brom v West Ham
Bradford v Sunderland or Fulham
Blackburn v Stoke
Derby v Reading
Preston or Sheffield Utd v Cambridge or Manchester Utd
In December 2020 we sadly 
Chelsea tae park the bus tomorrow.
Chelsea will be fired up to win in style after the rollicking they got after the Bradford defeat.Mourinho had them in training early sunday morning.Liverpool could face the backlash.
Hope the pool pump them!
i,m a celtic fan but i really dont think celtic will hammer rangers, my reason for that is deila dont do it for me,he has no idea how much passion that this fixture carries.you look at martin oneil or neil lennon these guys would be brain washing celtic to go out and destroy rangers on sunday.
FA CUP DRAW
Crystal Palace v Liverpool or Bolton
Arsenal v Middlesbrough
Aston Villa v Leicester City
West Bromwich Albion v West Ham
Bradford City v Sunderland or Fulham
Blackburn Rovers v Rochdale or Stoke City
Derby County v Reading
Preston North End or Sheffield United v Cambridge United or Manchester United
Bigtime
100% agree mate.this ain’t no ordinary game!
Re Derby:
We’ve had an influx of quality players join our ranks and most of them are defenders.
Raul Albentosa signed for us from La Liga and we beat off bids from 12 sides to get him.
McClaren started the almost meaningless last round of the FA cup against Chesterfield with a 3-5-2 formation. 3 central defenders, a pair of wing-backs, the usual 3 in the middle and 2 up front. Bent got his full debut and scored for us.
It was changed around I believe at halftime to revert back to the 4-3-3 and albentosa was swapped out. It was done to see if Derby could play a different system to accommodate 2 front me, and although we got a goal in the first half, Chesterfield did frustrate us. The 4-3-3 switchover gave us Russell back out on the wing and we were way more productive up front.
Whilst I do think Derby should win tomorrow, I do think team morale will be key. If Gastede and Rhodes are subject to a late flurry of bids, it could be extremely unsettling for morale. Blackburn are not exactly on a sound financial footing, and although they beat Swansea in the FA cup, I wouldn’t read too much in to that as Swansea were probably more relieved to free up their season fixture run-in to concentrate on premiership safety.
We’ve beaten Blackburn away this season so far and their manager publicly stated we are the best away side in the league.
I’d expect not too many changes to the Derby line-up and personally I would like to see Ward back on the left ahead of Dawkins, with Russell on the right. Our pace down the flanks with these players who will run at defences makes us much more of an attacking threat.
I like the look of a simple double tomorrow with Australia and Basel. If it lands, I will listen in-play and potential roll it onto a Derby/Chelsea double.
Rangers International Football Club plc
(“Rangers” or the “Company”)
£10m Credit Facility and associated transfer of 26% of Rangers Retail Limited
The Board of Rangers announces that Rangers Football Club Limited (“the Club”) has entered in to agreements with SportsDirect.com Retail Limited and associated companies (“SD”), to provide a long term on-going credit facility of up to £10m (the “Facility”).
The Company’s financial condition has been perilous for a number of months exacerbated by lower than expected match attendances. The Directors have implemented a cost cutting program with which they have made significant progress. There is however an immediate need for a substantial injection of capital, and the Directors have considered a number of options. The terms negotiated with SD (which are reversible in respect of the Facility) represent the optimum combination of quantum and duration of funding, allowing the Company time to arrange permanent capital which can be used for strengthening the playing squad.
The Facility is structured in two separate interest free tranches. GBP 5million will be available immediately for working capital purposes and for the repayment of the credit facilities with MASH Holdings Limited which was entered into on 27 October 2014. All rights and security associated with the MASH facility will be cancelled.
The Club will transfer 26% of the share capital in Rangers Retail Limited (“RRL”) to SD for the duration of the Facility (the “Transfer”), which will be transferred back, at no cost, upon repayment of all outstanding sums owed by Rangers and its subsidiaries to SD. There is no specified repayment period for the first tranche of the Facility.
The Facility is to be secured by (1) a floating charge over the Club’s assets and (2) fixed charges over Murray Park, Edmiston House, Albion Car Park, and the Club’s registered trademarks. None of the security that is being given to SD covers Ibrox Stadium, which is specifically excluded and remains in the full ownership of the Club, free from any security. SD will also have the right to nominate two directors to the board of Rangers for the duration of the Facility, any such nomination will be subject to regulatory consent pursuant to the AIM Rules and other regulatory bodies. If the entire sum drawn down is repaid, the Facility will be deemed to be terminated, all security will be released, the 26% of RRL will revert to the Company and all rights of SD to nominate Directors to the Board of the Company will cease.
The second tranche of GBP5 million, which repayable 5 years after drawdown, will be used, if required, for working capital purposes and is subject to due diligence by SD prior to drawn down.
The Company has also agreed that from the 2017/8 season, for the duration of the Facility, any future shirt sponsorship proceeds will be for the benefit of RRL.
RRL will declare a dividend of a total of GBP 1,610,000 prior to the Transfer. The Club will use the proceeds of its share of this dividend, inter alia, to repay sums owing to SD in respect of the cessation of onerous leases on unprofitable stores entered into by a previous Rangers management team.
RRL is a joint venture between the Club and SD whose business is selling merchandise both on-line and in stores. In the period ending 27 April 2014, RRL made a profit before tax of GBP 1,172,893.
SD is a Related Party under the AIM Rules and accordingly the Facility is a Related Party Transaction pursuant to AIM Rule 13. The Independent Directors, consider, having consulted with WH Ireland its nominated adviser, that the terms of the Facility are fair and reasonable insofar as shareholders of the Company are concerned.
The Directors would like to thank all the Rangers Stakeholders who showed an interest in helping the Company.
Commenting on the Facility, David Somers said: ” The Board has sought for some time to establish a long term funding solution for the Company in order to create a platform of stability to build for the future. This Facility begins this process and we very much hope that it will be augmented with further permanent capital in due course. In addition, the executive team have made strides in addressing the cost base of the Company in order to improve our financial condition and working capital profile. We very much hope that we can now move away from having to seek short term funding solutions and can focus our efforts towards investing in the first team playing squad, a return to profitability and to re-establishing Rangers in the top league in Scottish Football and in due course, to European competition. The Board now calls upon all shareholders to rally together to achieve this goal.”
Bottom line is Ashley now owns everything that Rangers can sell merchandise wise and always will. A fantastic piece of business by the man. No risk for massive gains.
A hearts fan obsessed with Rangers that’s a new one.
Congratulations Andy Murray can he get to the final ?
Punting For Fun, wrong thread – go visit the tennis boys.
Stoke City will be without striker Bojan Krkic for the rest of the season after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Monday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Rochdale.
Haven’t watched much African Nations just wondering what people’s thoughts of it have been. As there hasent been as many goals as I was expecting just wondering who’s worth while following especially for the handicap betting -1 & -2, any thoughts?