Gers Learn Div 2 Line-up



RANGERS will be heading to Fife four times next season– assuming there are no last-minute changes to the Scottish league set-up.

Troubled club Dunfermline tumbled into the Second Division after losing a play-off with Alloa Athletic 3-0 on aggregate – all of the goals coming in the first leg - and will play in the third tier for the first time in 27 years.

Their demise was brought about by a 15-point penalty imposed by the SFL after the Pars went into administration which placed them in the second bottom position of the First Division.

And as Dunfermline were going down, fellow Fifers East Fife were staying up as the Methil side defeated Peterhead 1-0 at Balmoor to hold onto their place in the Second Division and leave Jim McInally’s side in the bottom tier.

Ironically, Dunfermline and East Fife are bossed by close friends Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown who were a highly successful management team at Hearts, Kilmarnock and firstly Falkirk and also had a spell at Bradford City.

However, Brown made some comments after yesterday’s win over Peterhead which imply that he might not be in charge next season.

So, assuming, the plan to merge the SPL and SFL goes ahead and the 12-10-10-10 structure remains in place then Rangers will move into the Second Division and will face similar trips to the ones they encountered in SFL 3.

They are facing six trips to the Angus area where Arbroath, Brechin City and Forfar Athletic will lie in wait and they will also head to the south west to Stair Park to play Stranraer.

More locally they will meet Airdrie United, relegated from SFL 1, Ayr United who finished seventh in SFL 2 last season under manager Mark Roberts and Stenhousemuir who were one place higher.

So Rangers will face: Airdrie, Arbroath, Ayr United, Brechin, Dunfermline, East Fife, Forfar, Stenhousemuir and Stranraer.

 

Ayr United away, haven't been at Somerset Park since 1978 I think

A couple of new signings:

 

Nicky Law Joining Light Blues



RANGERS will today unveil Nicky Law as a new player for next season after he agreed a three-year deal with effect from September 1.

The 25-year-old has been with Motherwell for the last two years after starting his senior career with Sheffield United then joining Rotherham.

Law made a good impact in his time at Fir Park and scored six goals in 43 appearances during 2012/13 as the Steelmen finished second in the SPL.

Linked with Gers for a number of weeks, the Englishman will train with the squad in pre-season before he is registered when the club’s transfer embargo ends.

Law is the second player Gers have announced as part of their squad for the forthcoming campaign this week.

Goalkeeper Cammy Bell, who spent the most recent season with Kilmarnock, will also be in the group.

Manager Ally McCoist is hopeful of announcing more recruits for the Second Division campaign in the next few weeks.

Midfielder Law – out of contract with Well this summer - will be paraded at a media conference today having agreed terms.

Jon Daly, Rangers third new signing in advance of the new season, says he's Here To Win Trophies:

 

 

NEW recruit Jon Daly says he has come to Rangers to win trophies – and he’s looking for major honours as well as SFL titles.

The forward has agreed a two-year deal which kicks in once the club’s transfer embargo ends in September.

All being well, that means his contract will take him up to the point when Gers hope to have won promotion back to the top flight of Scottish football.

Daly clearly hopes to win himself an extended stay in Glasgow beyond then so that he can represent Gers at the highest level over time.

In the meantime, he is focused on winning the Second Division next term – but sees no reason why his new team can’t compete for the Scottish Cup and the League Cup too.

Daly actually helped to knock the 54-times Scottish champions out of that first event in 2012/13, scoring the second goal as his old side Dundee United won 3-0 at Tannadice.

The feeling prior to that match amongst many was that Rangers could edge into the latter stages of the competition.

While that wasn’t the case, Daly believes with the standard of signings being made by Ally McCoist that that could change soon enough.

He said: “I’ve obviously come here to win trophies and medals and first of all we want to get out of the Second Division but a good cup run is obviously essential as well.

“When we played Rangers this season with United we got off to an unbelievable start, scoring after 10 seconds or so.

“That can knock the wind out of your sails and that was maybe the case for Rangers a little but apart from that it was a really close game.

“With the additions to the squad this summer, our team will become stronger and hopefully and go on to win the title and maybe challenge in cups as well.â€

Although older than many of the players already at Ibrox, Daly is still just 30 and he brings valuable experience to the squad many of the younger players will learn from.

That’s something which excites the attacker, who previously played in England with Stockport County, Bury, Grimsby and Hartlepool.

Daly added: “Obviously I’m a little bit older than some of the lads in the dressing room and Nicky Law and Cammy Bell who are coming in too are the same.

“Hopefully we can help the young boys to develop a bit more. I’ve had a similar situation already at Dundee United in the last couple of seasons.

“We’ve had lads such as David Goodwillie, Scott Allan, Johnny Russell and Stuart Armstrong to help nurture.

“I’m well used to helping and encouraging the younger boys and that’s the type of character I am. I’m not going to get on their backs as I don’t think that helps them.

“We need to let them play and if I can help the young players coming through at Rangers in any way I will do.â€

Daly and Law look decent players for next season. Ally McCoist can have a full close season to rebuild properly and it looks as if he's already doing so

Stranraer and Ayr away will be handy for the Northern Ireland contingent   

recent reports state that we already have our full quota of squad players, so we will need to sell before bringing more in. also no players will be able to play as trialists before september 1st transfer embargo is up.

There have been more signings since I last posted, with the promise of more to come. Also Walter Smith returning as Chairman is sure to provide a boost.

 

Setting September 1st as the end of the embargo rather than the beginning of the transfer window, or even the start of season does seem inordinately vindictive. However, there's nothing can be done about it. So my guess is that for the first few games of the season, i.e. prior to September 1st, some of the players from last season's squad will be officially classed as youth team players, and will therefore step down from the first team when the new signings  finally become available.

Younger son is going down on his supporters bus to the Sheffield Wednesday pre season friendly in late July.

 

Ricky Foster is a good resigning in my opinion.

Not long to go now...

Not a bad start to the League season. 4-1 and 3-0 wins v Brechin and Stranraer respectively.