The Premiership is awful this season, fact.

No actually that's an opinion.

The SPL is a hideously weak league. As stated, a draw is a bad result in Scotland. If somehow either of the Old Firm are beaten by their minnow opponents, such a loss can seriously derail their season, especially with so much riding on the derby.

It's pathetic and it isn't something that a player in his prime should wish to return to.

And go back a few pages, and you'll see my comparisons between the SPL and the Premiership. We have a dominance up here, while Man Utd have it down south.

Get off your Premiership high horse, and remember you're hardly a "big" club yourselves.

Another correction, you (Rangers) don't have any dominance, anywhere. Nor for that matter do United.

By the way, when did we claim to be a "big club"?

13 titles in 20 years?

I'd call that a dominance. Especially nine of those being in a row.

Nice to see you all still ignoring the point I made.

The reason your league is decent is because of Sky and their money. FACT.

Had the Premiership been set up without the backing of Sky, then there is no way it would be attracting the likes of Henry, Berkgamp, Pires, Viera, Drogba, Robben, etc.

You all go on and on about the dire quality of Scottish football, yet you refuse to look at the reasons why. The simple fact is that if every club in the SPL got £20m a season for TV rights, I'm sure we could do something decent.

Oh and to the knob who laughed at Barry for saying there is a better atmosphere at Ibrox and Celtic Park (and other Scottish grounds) compared to the Premiership? How many times have you been to Ibrox? I've been to Old Trafford, Highbury, and Stamford Bridge and was appalled by the fact I could hear the players shouting to each other during the game. The atmosphere was awful, and I expected better. The Bernabeu on the other hand, is the single best atmosphere I've experienced. I suggest you sample a game up here before running your mouth.

And it seems some of you cannot grasp, still, the reason why Barry wanted home. HE LOVES RANGERS. HE's A RANGERS SUPPORTER THROUGH AND THROUGH. Comprende?

And if you want to make jokes about Competitiveness:

Chelsea - 64 points

Man Utd - 53 points

Arsenal - 51 points

Everton - 47 points

Liverpool - 40 points

And chelsea have won it how many times?

When was the last time a first time winner won the SPL?

2 teams in scotland, in england we have 3 top teams who can be beaten by anybody. In scotladn you have 2 teams who would consider a draw a awful result and if they don't they damn well should do. The standards on gers and to some extend celtic is bad enough without even trying to look at the 'players' other teams have got!

The Premiership is awful this season, fact.

And go back a few pages, and you'll see my comparisons between the SPL and the Premiership. We have a dominance up here, while Man Utd have it down south.

Get off your Premiership high horse, and remember you're hardly a "big" club yourselves.

and immediately Rangers have him playing in his proper position behind the other midfielders and he looks like his old self.

two years wasted trying to turn him into something he isn't .

I am not going to excuse Souness' tactical ineptitude but

1) Ferguson was not at Rovers for two years. Obviously you see him as decent and honourable but he refused to play and ratted out after 16 months cheating us out of a couple of million in the process.

2) During those 16 months he spent 6 of them injured and receiving the highest quality medical treatment

3) Ferguson is a very inadequate tackler who also ducks out of the way when the ball is blasted at him. Those deficiencies don't matter in the SPL which is why he is happy back home playing "behind the other midfielders". He sadly was not up to the task of playing there in the Premiership.

4) You played a team 7 places below you tonight. Competitive wasn't it?

You're not seeing the bigger picture.

Dundee Utd have given us two tough games already this season, drawing 1-1 in both. For some reason, they bottled it big time in this semi final, and bar a 10 minute revival in the 2nd half, they capitulated.

Freak results happen. Didn't Man Utd destroy Ipswich 8-0 in the Premiership about four years or so ago? Dundee Utd are 11th in the SPL, which is further than the "7 places" quoted.

And if you want to make jokes about Competitiveness:

Chelsea - 64 points

Man Utd - 53 points

Arsenal - 51 points

Everton - 47 points

Liverpool - 40 points

Chelsea sit 11 clear of United, 13 clear of Arsenal, 17 ahead of Everton, and 24 ahead of Liverpool. You honestly call that competitive?

No wonder viewing and subscription numbers, as well as attendances, as in decline. The Premiership is NOT the be-all-and-end-all of world football.

tp your having a laugh surely

Rangers are now a poor second to celtic, returning ferguson to the team doenst guarantee you anything but second place.

Celtic have the monopoly on the league

Wrong.

2005 - ?

2004 - Celtic

2003 - Rangers

2002 - Celtic

2001 - Celtic

2000 - Rangers

1999 - Rangers

1998 - Celtic

1997 - Rangers

1996 - Rangers

1995 - Rangers

1994 - Rangers

1993 - Rangers

1992 - Rangers

1991 - Rangers

1990 - Rangers

1989 - Rangers

1988 - Celtic

1987 - Rangers

1986 - Celtic

1985 - Aberdeen

20 years, thirteen titles compared to Celtic's six, and one for Aberdeen. Where is the Celtic monopoly? And can someone please explain to me why the Premiership is holding any interest this season? Chelsea sit 11 clear of United and 13 clear of Arsenal with 14 games still to play? No wonder viewing figures and attendances are down this season.

Look at the history of the Premiership.

2004 - Arsenal

2003 - Man Utd

2002 - Arsenal

2001 - Man Utd

2000 - Man Utd

1999 - Man Utd

1998 - Arsenal

1997 - Man Utd

1996 - Man Utd

1995 - Blackburn Rovers

1994 - Man Utd

1993 - Man Utd

Manchester United enjoy a monopoly here, although Arsenal are catching up. A survey of fans of the bottom 10 Premiership clubs showed that the vast majority are fed up with the stagnent nature of the Premiership. The only teams who can realistically win the Premiership are United, Arsenal, and now Chelsea. Go to ANY league in Europe and you'll find that every season, the league is dominated by the same two or three sides.

If you take off the Premiership biased specs and actually read into things, you'll see that the only thing keeping you ahead is the money Sky brings in. The fact is, the SPL is more exciting, as a contest, than the Premiership this season. To prove the point, I've never known an Arsenal v Man Utd game with so little at stake so early in the season.

Nice doing business with you.

I'd say it's been a pleasure, but that would be lying.

By the way, you can make as many stereotypical or racial Scottish jokes as you wish. I won't be back to read them.

To the decent folk I met on here, good luck for the remainder of the season. To the others .... meh, never mind.

We practically get none! Jesus, read what I post eh?

I said ages ago, blah blah blah.

Information helps eh?

Please, can you give it a rest with the indignant responses and the sarcasm? It's starting to get on my nipples.

This is a 72-page thread, I can't remember who said what on the previous page, let alone what you said, like, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaages ago.

I think you're in danger of taking your football club, and yourself, too seriously.

If people would read what I posted and stop taking cheap digs instead, hence making me repeat myself, then things would be a whole lot easier.

Rangers web sites have this all as a done deal at £5.25m - if this is true

Can't help feeling somebody is having a little fun - but I will listen to Radio Lancs intently at 08:00 am

What Rangers websites?

If it's the forums, I'd take it with a pinch of salt mate. Everyone has a "source" or a "mate who knows someone who knows someone"!

When the official site breaks the news, I'll believe it.

*Checks www.rangers.co.uk ............... nope, nothing!

I think you're question should be, "what would happen to Scottish Football WITH TV money".

What would happen to Scottish Football WITH TV money.

If every club in the SPL even got half of what Premiership clubs received, it's obvious we'd see a better quality league.

When the Premiership started, the only foreigners coming here were the ones ready to retire, much like the SPL get's now. Your Vialli's and Ravanelli's had won it all and done it all at Juve and wanted a last big paycheque.

Now, the Premiership attracts the top stars, via the money on offer, and through the leagues' "reputation". No one can honestly in their heart of hearts deny the impact Sky helped make on English football.

I'm not saying the SPL would attract the worlds top players with better TV money, but the Clubs would be able to sign better players then the ones on offer right now, would be able to upgrade their grounds, build youth complexes, and bring through their own players in proper facilities.

Viola got it all kicked off, a few days back you were blaming him for the entire thing. Your story seems to have changed.

My story hasn't changed. Where was I making reference to MY personal views on Viola and the deal?

Nowhere, I clearly stated that Fergie may feel that Viola hasn't got this done quickly enough, and he feels a change of agent may help matters.

Read eh?

What would happen to the scottish premier league without tv money?

We practically get none! Jesus, read what I post eh?

I said ages ago, that the SPL struggles because the TV revenue here is awful. Sky offered us a renewal on their deal three seasons ago, but the other 10 clubs outside the Old Firm knocked back a £50m deal for three seasons. The Old Firm voted for it, but the "rival 10" thought they could go their own way and create "SPL TV". This fell through and at the last minute the deal with Setanta PPV was signed for three seasons.

The clubs in Scotland now only get around £1.5m per season for TV revenue, with the Premiership clubs enjoying around £20m EACH.

I think your question should be, "what would happen to Scottish Football WITH TV money".

Information helps eh?

No I wasn't saying there was, all I'm saying is that if it were true, I'd think it was good for us, rather than rangers, and I took from a previous post that rangers fans were quite happy about it.

Viola hasn't helped this deal go through, and I know Barry is extremely anxious with the window closing tomorrow.

He may feel a change of agent will bring better results for himself.

...and have yet to answer directly a single point I have raised.

For instance, raising £52M leaving debts of £23m is no good when you are making losses of well over £20m a year, now is it?

How can any club accept an appearance-related fee from Rangers after the Michael Ball episode?

Has Ferguson fired Viola this evening?

I'm sure you know something about Scottish football, but your analysis of the inter-dependent relationship between Sky and the Premiership is way wrong.

1) Rangers losses have consistantly dropped over the last 3 seasons, mainly due to the top players being sold and the wage bill being greatly reduced. Last season's losses were around the £10m mark, a vast improvement of around £18m from the previous season.

2) I have constantly made posts about our debt situation, which you seem to have missed.

3) The debt of £22m is tied up in low interest, long term loans.

4) I am waiting on information regarding Ferguson and his agent ... hope to hear this evening.

5) Everton will still receive money for Michael Ball after a set number of appearances, this number has been increased from 70 to an undisclosed number.

6) And without Sky television, the Premiership would struggle. And wait and see, the 2007 deal will include more live games for less TV revenue.

Why do you keep on with this debt rubbish which I have consistantly answered? I think you're losing your obsession with Ferguson and beginning a new one with Glasgow Rangers going "bust". Something which will never happen as long as a Murray is in charge, and his son is due to step in and take over the reigns when David steps down eventually.

You know nothing about Scottish Football apart from what you read on the internet, which is always snippets of the facts. From someone who claims the Scottish press "edit" things to suit a Scottish audience, you seem very willing to accept internet reports and stories from sources which have as little knowledge of the game up here as you.

Sliema Wanderers- only marginally less successful than Rangers in Europe this season.

There is a lot of winding up going on Dado- been on any of the Rangers' sites? Same BF signing stories, very different details. Mostly at odds with any Blackburn Rovers reality which is the only one that matters.

Is it true Ferguson sacked Viola and appointed Steve Horner as his agent this evening?

Thanks Lathund- I simply observed that the reported Everton interest at £5m destroys Rangers' argument that Ferguson is only worth whatever derisory number they were dreaming up.

I'm not here on the wind up like "others" though.

You seem unable to accept that I do actually know a thing or two about football.

Blimey Dado Rangers were told a week ago, you can have him. No problem - he's yours.

Just pay the money.

Mate, if it was me in charge I'd be pulling out all the stops.

I mean, if I was to win the Lotto jackpot I'd pay for Ferguson myself!

As I said, Ferguson isn't a £6m player, and if Rovers get a deal for a guaranteed £5m I think they'll take it.

We got £8m for Boumsong, or which we only received £6m which was more or less spent before Viola informed us of Ferguson's "homesickness".

think that deal could be the clincher for the Ferguson sale if dado prso is right, being a canny scotsman I hope he is right although I would personally want fergie to stay.

on a brighter side, reports are suggesting that Rovers have an agreed structure for the payment for Bellamy IF he agreed to move. Now Rovers have a good working relationship with Newcastle (albeit most us actually despise Souness for what he did and how he did it) - on previous dealings everyhting has always been fair and up front.

I think that Rovers could easily agree a 3 yr payment deal for him, basing that on the fact that we can pay 2.1mill to Rangers for the outstanding money for Fergie. Its affordable and I am pretty sure that Bellamy would fancy Rovers above Brum, I mean the fresh air of the Ribble Valley against the smog ridden fume filled dump of brum is aptly a much better option for him.

If the deal is to go ahead then I would suspect that Fergie is already medically passed and that terms have almost been agreed I would also suspect that if Rovers do have an iron in the fire then they too will be advanced so that there are little problems to solve for tomorrow.

tomorrow appears to be building into an interesting day, its either that or a damp squib that suits noone

It should indeed be an interesting day, but Blackburn could yet reject the new deal.

However, the terms of the contract are more of less agreed from what I've been told. It's only a matter of signing and dating the documents.

There is nothing to indicate that Rangers are about to bid again, let alone up their offer from £3.5m to the £5m which Everton have indicated they would offer.

Even if Rangers bid at £5m, I would expect it will be summarilly dismissed.

I'd expect Rovers to be negotiating with Newcastle/Bellamy and keeping options open with Sokota and Carew during the next 27 hours, rather than wasting their time talking to Viola and Rangers.

Barry can be dealt with on Tuesday.

So, what you are saying is that you're happy for Everton to bid £5m, but not Rangers?

Phil, you grow more pathetic and predictable by the day. You constantly claim to be the voice of knowledge despite knowing very little.

Mark Hateley says he'd be very surprised if Ferguson wasn't back in Glasgow by Monday evening, and remembe that he WORKS for Rangers. Also, the Scottish media who have been right with every story, which incidently they reported a day earlier than anyone else, revealed that Rangers will come back again.

And as for Newcastle and Everton ... forget them

Listen carefully Phil: BARRY ONLY WANTS TO COME HOME.

Comprende? Good. Now let me know the Sliema Wanderers score eh?

New offer to be made for Ferguson.

£2m up front, waive the £2.1m, and pay £400k at the end of the season.

Total value of the deal will be £4.5m guaranteed regardless, instead of the £4m "performance based" deal offered on Thursday.

That will roughly be what is in the papers tomorrow or Tuesday - an entirely predictable compromise .

So assuming we have already paid Rangers around £4.5m we lose the player and £2.5m immediately reducing to a "mere" £2.1m in the summer.

Some compromise.

I still think Rovers would have to be crackers to accept such a deal at this stage.

The way the deal works is that the £2.1m owed is waived, with £2m being paid up front now. Another £900k will be paid in the summer, regardless of appearances made. The total deal should come to around £5m guaranteed, with no clauses or appearance nonsense.

Is that £5m guaranteed or as you said originally £4.5m?

My understanding of the new deal is the following:

£2m paid in full immediately.

£2.1m owed to us is waived.

£900k paid at the end of the season, regardless of appearances.

The £4m deal on Thursday was more inclusive of appearances Ferguson makes, this new deal apparantley is not.

So, taking £2m, £2.1m, and £900k ... you get £5m which is guaranteed.

Well arnt you special.

But perhaps some people here didnt...

Just saying, the article is clearly dated 29th January, which would be Saturday, although some sites such as PlanetFootball.com had those comments on Friday evening, the day before the meeting between Ferguson and Hughes in which Ferguson reiterated his desire to return to Rangers.

New offer to be made for Ferguson.

£2m up front, waive the £2.1m, and pay £400k at the end of the season.

Total value of the deal will be £4.5m guaranteed regardless, instead of the £4m "performance based" deal offered on Thursday.

That will roughly be what is in the papers tomorrow or Tuesday - an entirely predictable compromise .

So assuming we have already paid Rangers around £4.5m we lose the player and £2.5m immediately reducing to a "mere" £2.1m in the summer.

Some compromise.

I still think Rovers would have to be crackers to accept such a deal at this stage.

The way the deal works is that the £2.1m owed is waived, with £2m being paid up front now. Another £900k will be paid in the summer, regardless of appearances made. The total deal should come to around £5m guaranteed, with no clauses or appearance nonsense.

Blackburn Rovers win Ferguson battle

http://www.fansfc.com/frontpage/frontpagen...p?newsid=135858]

"Once the window is closed - and I feel the opportunity has already gone - the way we have dealt with the situation enables Barry to still have a future here and we would welcome him back."

Old ... read that on Friday.

I don't know if any of this stuff in the People should be believed.

I think Vyeo is correct on how Rovers would finance a striker purchase- there is no doubt that if we have offered £6m for Ballamy, cash from any sale of Ferguson is NOT part of the financing.

So Fergy would take a £500K a year pay cut to return to Rangers? I had wondered whether he was already on more with the Rovers than the £30K a week that Rangers said they were offering.

And Everton were willing to open the bidding for Ferguson at £5m?

That makes Rangers' arguments that Fergy's value is now only 30% of their own valuation of Boumsong finally disintegrate into a whiskey-hazed halucination. Any offer less than an unconditional £5m is below the current market value based this reported opening offer from Everton.

I see that Chelsea are signing a shirt sponsorship deal with Adidas which is worth twice the £52m that Murray injected into Rangers to delay the day the Gers go bust.

Rangers are wee willy wonkers these days.

That's it Phil, keep flapping those gums.

1) Rangers Football Club will never go bust. Since you know so much about us, you'll also know Murray personal fortune yes? I'm sick of explaining how the debt at Ibrox is only £22m and how it's been tied up in long term loans.

2) The reason Chelsea signed a deal worth so much with Adidas is because of the pull they now have thanks to recent success. Also, the Premiership is a big draw because of Sky Sports. Remove Sky's money from the Premiership and where would it be? If you honestly believe that players such as Zola, Bergkamp, Henry, Viera, C Ronaldo, etc would have been playing in England without Sky's backing of the Premiership then you are sorely mistaken. Sky could live without the Premiership. The Premiership could not live without Sky. Add to this that attendances in the bottom 10 clubs are in decline, and viewing figures for matches including those clubs are falling by the month, go figure. Chelsea are a massive club and a very big draw, it's obvious a company such as Adidas would pay such a sum of money to back them given English football's current climate.

3) Ferguson does not want to go to another English team. He only wants home. He's told Iain King this in person, he doesn't care what people think of his ambition, he only wants to come home. End of story.

You only read what you want to hear Phil.

Well then, no Fergie for Rangers then.

Rovers are in a relegation scrap and keeping Ferguson would get us out of it.So Williams does not want to sell. And soft Barry is going to have to stay unless Rangers offer £6m.

I doubt the gubbing Chelsea will hand out, with or without Fergie, will help ease those relegation fears.

I think with them it would be an hourly one.

We could probably now include me as a topic haha.

6 million and he's your man, why don't you just stump up the cash and be off with him? We all know you have it after the boumsong deal.

Again, you're making assumptions based on facts you don't have.

Boumsong was "sold" for £8m.

Boumsong got £1m of this, and his agent Willie McKay got £1m also.

Auxerre and Le Havre also got £750k each as part of Boumsongs "development", leaving us with a total of £4.5m.

Thomas Buffel was signed for £2.3m and Sotirios Kyrgiakos for £1.7m.

Doesn't it help when you actually know what you're taking about?

New offer to be made for Ferguson.

£2m up front, waive the £2.1m, and pay £400k at the end of the season.

Total value of the deal will be £4.5m guaranteed regardless, instead of the £4m "performance based" deal offered on Thursday.

just add another £1.5m to that and you've got a deal.

How many more times do Rovers have to tell Rangers, its £6m they want!!!

And John Williams knows he cannot realistically expect £6m in a depressed marketplace!

If someone can get Fernando Morientes for £6.3m or Michael Owen for £8m, go figure. 18 months ago those players would have cost at least £2m or £3m more on top of those prices.

Plus, Ferguson sustained a bad knee injury while playing for you lot, so who's to say one bad smack in the knee and he's out again?

Hughes is also chasing Bellamy from what I've been told, and has publicly admitted the piggy bank is empty. It makes no sense to hold onto a player who despises playing for you and then pay MORE money to keep him, and STILL pay him £35k a week. What's the point in paying him all that money till the summer when he WILL walk back to Glasgow for £4m anyway?