An forward tho I canna see - I guess and fear

Today's post was going to be a look back at THE 'Disaster for Scotland' - the 9-3 game at Wembley, 50 years ago today, on 15 April, 1961. But, again, the only football show in Scotland intervened - so, here we go again.

ALMOST alone amongst Scotland's sports writers, I call Sir David Murray "David". I feel, as he sits in his Edinburgh bunker, waiting while his minions and Craig Whyte's people pour over the minutia of the Rangers' take over, he longs for it all to be over , while maybe thinking of Rabbie's words which top this post.

He must long for the care-free days sitting beside the basketball court watching MIM trunce all-comers in Scotland. He was a hero then, a young, thrusting entrepreneur who had pulled himself up from very little, had gambled and won and who had earned the respect of a nation by the way he had made a tiny sport bigger in a country where fitba was the only game in town.

Now, his friendly local bankers have started turning the screw, things are a lot tougher and Rangers, the sporting institution he still owns, but can no longer control is going rancid on him. He must long to be rid of the hassle.

But yet, what will happen when he goes? Is Whyte a big enough man to turn the ship around? Like the Titanic, going full speed ahead towards the iceberg, Rangers seem on-course for disaster, while Martin Bain, in some ways the look-out in the crow's nest, is apparently unwilling to look to approaching danger.

It's all very well Bainie shouting: "Foul, conspiracy" or even reprising Kenneth Williams's best-ever Carry On line: "Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me" as he prepares to defend the indefensible again at UEFA.

I feel (oh the irony) that this Rangers' conspiracy theory - that FARE or whatever they are called, the pressure group to have dobbed-in Rangers to UEFA - are out to get them, has maybe a bit more credence than some of the conspiracy theories that have emerged from around Parkhead over the years.

Of course they're out to get you Martin. But you've not exactly done yourself any favours with your responses in the past.

"We've tried everything to silence the bigots", you squeal. You haven't.

"What more can we do?" A lot.

To paraphrase John Nairn's great line about ministers and Sunday Posts - I would say Scotland will not be free (of religous intolerance) until the last RC priest is strangled with the last Orange Sash. But, I ask again: what's all this got to do with football?

I've said before and will doubtless say again - Rangers must do more.

Immediately ban Ulster and even British Unionist banners: Red Hands of Ulster, Union Flags, any banner referring to the UDF or UDV. You're a Scottish club, what's wrong with the Saltire or Lion Rampant?

England tops - unless your English - No.

Then we come to the singing: even without the FTP add-ons, good, rousing tunes though they might be, Derry's Walls and the Sash have no place in Scottish football - shut up, now. No Pope of Rome, goes without saying, this is a no-no in the 21st century.

Sort out the supporters clubs, make them responsible for the actions of their members; if Billy King of the Larkhall Loyal insists on his right to sing sectarian songs, it's a relatively simple matter to ban him from Ibrox and stop him getting in - bite the bullet and do it Mr Bain, don't just talk about it.

Then, when you've cleaned-out the cancer, you can maybe start pointing the finger at the other club with a problem lunatic fringe. But, clean-out your own septic tank first.

Rangers are being unfairly targetted, but, it's because the club's failure to act with enough determination, soon enough, has made them a target. Sort yourself out first, then watch the unca guid turn on the other lot, because they will have to have, they need, somebody to attack.