Francey That - David Would Have Had A Word For Rangers' Travails

OH THAT the late, great David Francey was still with us. If ever a situation was crying-out for David's mournful: “Oh Dear! Oh Dear! Oh Dear – tragedy for Rangers,” it is the current clusterfuck (not a word which would ever have passed the erudite Mr Francey's lips) around yon team which wears royal blue and plays its home games at Ibrox Park. Rangers right now are in a constant stramash - another great Franceyism.

I am reliably informed, when Ryan Christie scored Aberdeen's second goal, the seepage of supporters from the pro-Rangers seats began and not even pulling back one goal could prevent this seepage growing in volume as Rangers huffed and puffed to little effect. By the end of the game, we were back to the good-old, bad-old days of John Greig's unfortunate stewardship, 35 or so years ago, when the joke was – the then rebuilt Ibrox had a design fault, the seats faced the pitch.

 John Greig - a supposedly failed Rangers manager who still won trophies

At least Greig led Rangers to four cup wins – two each in the Scottish and League Cups. Can anyone honestly see this current squad doing any better than finishing third in the league?

Rangers are a club in crisis. They do not have a credit line with a bank; they are enduring a hand-to-mouth existence in financial terms; they have a manager who is learning about Scottish football on the hoof, and, who is not impressing; the assumption is, he is being badly advised.

The majority of the club's players are, to put it bluntly, not Rangers class; boys are being asked to do men's jobs and, the whole thing is being overseen by an absentee chairman who repeatedly gives the impression, the South African judge who dubbed him: “A Glib And Shameless Liar” hit the nail on the head.

 Dave King GASL - they seek him here they seek him there

We hear the GLASL has of late been seen East of Eden, West of the Moon, Deep in the Heart of Texas, On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine – anywhere but Ibrox, as he tries to raise finance for a club which he has made ultra-toxic and which requires a huge financial injection, to rebuild a playing squad which is not up to the job, to renovate a crumbling stadium, and simply to survive.

A second liquidation cannot be ruled out and, this time, I cannot see a grubby backstage deal being cobbled together to keep “Rangers” alive. This time, it could be curtains for the club.

At least James Traynor, intergalactic PR guru (well perhaps not), but still, when he puts his mind to it, a damned fine journalist (by Scottish football standards) or Graham Spiers, connoisseur of succulent lamb, will be able to write the definitive book on the club's second Downfall.

Finally, well done Ra Berr who escaped Ibrod last night with the match ball, after it was hoisted into the crowd. He showed better control of the spheroid than did some of the players in blue.

NOW, to real football. On Saturday, there is only one place to be in Scottish football. That is Guy's Meadow, home of junior side Cumbernauld United. But, United will not be playing there, instead, their lodgers, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, will be entertaining Glenafton Athletic in the McBookie.com West of Scotland Super Premier Division.

The Rabs, having led the division for much of the season, have slipped to second, while the Glen, in enjoying a terrific campaign, have, after beating relegated Troon in midweek, gone top of the table with just two matches left.

For the Glen, victory on Saturday will guarantee them the league championship, with one game left to play. The Rabs have to win to keep the uncertainty going. Victory would take them above the Glen on goal difference, but, the uncertainty would continue until the final whistle in the final game, while, a Rabs win will still keep Auchinleck Talbot in the hunt – provided they can beat Beith, at Bellsdale Park, also on Saturday. Beith – still for another couple of weeks the Scottish Junior Cup holders - were knocked-out of the equation by the Glen's win over Troon, but, can still be kingmakers.

I saw on a newspaper forum this week, Celtic were actually guaranteed the SPFL crown in February, which is when the went above the best points total Aberdeen can now accrue. At least, in the juniors, the uncertainty and interest, is continuing right to the end.

There is, by the way, a suggestion to be debated at the West Region annual meeting in June, which could see the Premier Division re-organised into a 16-club competition. Now, the current 12-club set-up might not be ideal, but, it has certainly, this season, been competitive and very interesting, compelling even, and, isn't that what we expect from our leagues.

I don't think the Premier Division is broke, so, why try to fix it?