The Rumour Mill: Friday’s football news and gossip

Published on 27/04/2012 11:45

In today’s Rumour Mill: Ticketus pull out of Blue Knights bid for Rangers; Walter Smith speaks out in defence of Ally McCoist; Paulo Sergio wants to stay at Tynecastle; plus the rest of the day’s football news and gossip.

Rangers takeover

• Ticketus have confirmed they have pulled out of the Blue Knights consortium bidding to buy Rangers. In a statement, the investment firm, which owns £27m of the club’s season ticket sales, said it “was unable to finalise satisfactory terms of agreement for its investors with the Blue Knights around restructuring its ticket purchase agreement.” (Various)

• Brian Kennedy is set to join up with Paul Murray to force through a bid for the club. The pair reportedly discussed a takeover during talks yesterday. (Record)

• Walter Smith has insisted that Craig Whyte remains the biggest problem facing Rangers and, until he is banished from the scene, their difficulties will continue. “I just hope the club is sold, he’s away and we can forget all about him,” the former Ibrox said. (Scotsman)

• Smith also defended Ally McCoist’s outspoken outburst against the sanctions imposed on the club by the Scottish Football Association: “I think he’s handled himself extremely well, and no-one has been able to help him, because how can anyone help him when you have never been in those circumstances? The frustration came to the fore the other day, but there was a point to what he was saying.” (Scotsman)

• Rangers legend Sandy Jardine said fans will meet this weekend to discuss boycotting away matches in protest at rival Scottish Premier League clubs’ plans to impose new sanctions on the Ibrox club. (Various)

• Winger Sone Aluko is expected to reject a lucrative offer to join Swiss club Sion. (Record)

Sergio sees future at Hearts

Paulo Sergio has given the clearest indication yet that he wants to remain as Hearts manager next season. The Portuguese boss’s current deal expires at the end of this campaign, but he has begun talks with the club’s board about extending his stay. “I want to stay,” Sergio said yesterday. “So at the right moment we will see if that’s possible or not.” (Scotsman)

Lennon faces misconduct charges

Celtic manager Neil Lennon will face three charges over his reaction to the Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Hearts, the Scottish Football Association has revealed. Lennon has been hit with a misconduct charge, which relates to offences including aggressive behaviour and insulting language towards a match official. (Various)

IN BRIEF

• Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels is ready to go into his contract talks warning the club faces short-term pain. “If you have got a long-term plan you might have to sacrifice short-term gains and clubs in the SPL that don’t have long-term plans are profiting at the moment but that is not sustainable,” he said. (Scotsman)

• Aberdeen face competition from Hibernian and St Johnstone to land Inverness winger Jonny Hayes. (Sun)

• Pep Guardiola is on the verge of quitting Barcelona today, according to reports.