Rumour Mill: Rangers | Celtic | Kilmarnock buy-out

Rangers captain Lee McCulloch. Picture: SNS

‘It would be a Treble’, claims McCulloch

RANGERS captain Lee McCulloch says that if his side win the Scottish Cup, League Cup and League One titles, he will consider them to have completed The Treble.

McCulloch said: “It would be three trophies and that, to me, is a treble. Why not? It’s not our fault that we’re not in the Premiership.

“I’ll be shouting about it, whatever we can win this season. People can talk and we’ve already been written off for the Scottish Cup – it’s been said that we’re not even in the top five to win it.” (Scotsman)

Celtic ‘want unbeaten run to make up for cup’

ADAM Matthews believes that Celtic’s Scottish Cup exit will make the club’s players all the more eager to go the full Premiership season unbeaten.

Celtic crashed out of the Cup at home to Aberdeen at the weekend, and the Premiership is now the club’s sole hope for silverware this season.

Matthews said: “We must put that defeat behind us and concentrate on keeping our run going in the league. It has more influence on our season now.” (Record)

SPFL scrap administration relegation plan

PROPOSALS that would have seen teams who enter administration automatically relegated have been dropped by the SPFL.

A Hampden source told The Sun: “The prevailing opinion was that there were complications arising from it which raised other questions.

“For example, if a member goes into administration while playing in League Two, where would we put them? If a club wins promotion, then suffers an insolvency event, do we refuse to promote them?” (Sun)

Watt may stay longer at Lierse

CELTIC striker Tony Watt could be set to extend his stay at Belgian side Lierse SK.

The 20-year-old striker has spoken about his move to the Jupiler League side, where he has returned to goalscoring form after a poor spell early in his loan from Glasgow.

Watt said: “I haven’t thought much about my immediate future. I will have to sit around the table with Celtic and see what’s decided. But I love Lierse and Belgium.” (Mail)

Killie fans could launch bid to buy club

A GROUP of Kilmarnock supporters groups has stated its intention to bid for the club – if they become debt-free.

Kilmarnock have debts of more than £9 million but chairman Michael Johnston is reported to have held negotiations with the club’s bankers over a deal.

An alliance of fans’ groups are involved in the bid, under the auspices of the Killie (Community) Working Party. (Scotsman)

No sleep for Butcher after Cup loss

HIBERNIAN boss Terry Butcher has admitted that both he and his players are struggling to come to terms with their 3-2 Scottish Cup loss to Raith Rovers last weekend.

Butcher said: “After several glasses of red on Saturday night I couldn’t sleep. You think about what you should have done, what you shouldn’t have done.

“There is a real hurt among the players because of the performance and the way we went out of the cup, especially with what the cup means to the club and the fans.” (Express)