Rumour Mill: Rangers | Paul Murray

Former Rangers director Paul Murray. Picture: SNS

Paul Murray: We’re ready to run Rangers today

Former Rangers director Paul Murray has claimed that he has assembled a board that would be able to run the club from today. Murray spoke as he discovered the AGM would not be held until late December due to scheduling issuew with hosting the meeting in the main stand at Ibrox.

Murray is said to have lined up former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow as Rangers’ new chief executive, with an as-yet unidentified financial director ready to replace Brian Stockbridge. Murray has accused the current regime of stalling tactics by delaying the AGM for another eight weeks, arguing that it could be held in many other venues. The former club director, who is spearheading his baordroom bid alongside businessman Jim McColl, has also called for transparency from investor groups Blue Pitch Holdings and Margarita Holdings, with legal proceedings due to unveil the men behind the mysterious groups imminently. (The Sun, Daily Record)

Neil Lennon confident of cutting Brown ban

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has expressed his opinion that the club have a “good case” as they attempt to have Scott Brown’s Champions League ban reduced from three games to at least two.

Brown’s was red carded against Barcelona just over three weeks ago for aiming a kick at Brazilian winger Neymar. Brown was initially handed an automatic one-match ban but Uefa’s control and disciplinary committee extended it to three, citing violent conduct.

However, Lennon yesterday described the written explanation from Uefa outlining why their reasons as “vague”. (Scotsman)

Jim McColl and Paul Murray to Rangers meet fans

Rangers shareholders Jim McColl and Paul Murray are to meet representatives of the Ibrox club’s three main supporter groups this afternoon.

Billionaire Clyde Blowers chairman McColl and former Blue Knight Murray have been battling boardroom bosses at the club since August.

The club announced losses of £14.4 million for the 13-month period to the end of June amid allegations of failings in corporate governance. Murray hopes to win a seat at the board table when the club finally holds its annual general meeting before the end of the year following his victory at the Court of Session last week which ordered the postponement of today’s planned meeting.

The ex-oldco director and Ally McColl will meet officials from the Rangers Supporters Trust, Rangers Supporters Assembly and Rangers Supporters Association to spell out their plans. (Scotsman)

‘Sir Alex Ferguson demanded we keep his red card a secret’

Framnk McGarvey, a former team-mate of Sir Alex Ferguson at St Mirren, has revealed that the ex-Manchester United boss once swore his players to secrecy over being sent-off in his last game as a professional footballer. Sir Alex, who was managing St Mirren in a pre-season tour of the Carribean and South America in 1977, came on as a half-time substitute against Guyana. Unhappy with the finishing of his two strikers, Robert Torrance and McGarvey, he effectively came out of retirement - but got sent off in the space of 10 minutes for swearing at the referee. Sir Alex demanded that his players not to leak the incident to the press, which his players swore to abide by - until now, of course. (Daily Record)

IN BRIEF

• St Johnstone have signed Bosnian international Sanel Jahic on a two-month deal after impressing during a 10-day trial at McDiarmid Park. The French-born defender will provide cover for Steven Anderson and Frazer Wright. (Daily Express)

Tom English: Ferguson can’t complain about Keane

“In his newly published autobiography, Ferguson rightly observes that the hardest part of Keane’s body was his tongue. There is no end of people – team-mates, opponents, managers, referees, linesmen, journalists and assorted others – who can testify to that. In his 2003 book about a year in the life of a sportswriter, Tom Humphries recounts a scene that took place when Keane realised that Humphries had passed his home number on to another journalist.

“I felt like I’d been splashed with battery acid,” wrote Humphries. “When it comes to giving a bollocking, Roy is world class.”

READ THE REST OF TOM ENGLISH’S COLUMN HERE >>

Stuart Bathgate: Creditor unity can save Hearts

THE way that the Foundation of Hearts sees it, there are four major steps towards their successful takeover of the Tynecastle club.

Becoming preferred bidders back in August was the first, Tuesday’s agreement by the administrators of Ukio Bankas to start talks on a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) was the second. Two down, two to go.

A lot of work remains to be done, and the path to full ownership may yet be strewn with obstacles, but everything is gradually falling into place.

READ THE REST OF STUART BATHGATE’S COLUMN HERE >>

THE DIARY

Bosnich has a beef with Fergie

MARK Bosnich hasn’t taken kindly to being labelled a “terrible professional” in Sir Alex Ferguson’s autobiography and intends to seek out the Scot in Australia next month.

Fergie may head Down Under for the Melbourne Cup and Bosnich said: “I’ll definitely go down there and ask to see him. I’m going to tell him straight to his face and I’ll ask him to repeat [his criticism] and then I will tell him exactly what I want to say and you guys can all read about it, like you read his book.”

Lampard family ties backfired

FRANK Lampard has admitted it would have become difficult for him to play for England had his uncle Harry Redknapp been appointed manager.

Lampard, now at Chelsea, has admitted he was hurt by the suggestion he was only selected for West Ham because of his family ties. Yesterday he said: “I worked under Harry coming through at West Ham. It was good, he was great for me but difficult for different reasons. The minute you didn’t play very well, it’s ‘because it’s his uncle’.”

Rumour Mill: Rangers | Paul Murray | Celtic