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They’re Not Rangers Anymore

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Before a ball had been kicked in anger at Sunday’s semi-final clash at Hampden, the Celtic fans goaded the Sevco Fans with a chorus of “You’re not Rangers anymore”.

It got me thinking.

This re-incarnation isn’t Rangers anymore.

Sure they play at the same stadium, which again is debatable given that the “Old Lady” is in a state of disrepair and it’s been aptly renamed the “Old Whore” by Hoops fans. The recent addition of the banners at Ibrox is akin to putting lipstick on a pig or polishing the proverbial turd.

Sure they play in the same colours but they can’t sell their own jerseys.

Their fans also sing the same songs and cling onto bygone days of yore and yesteryear despite their old club being in the process of liquidation. It was the bygones days of yore that got them in this mess. Their denial fuels the flames for most Scottish football fans who in turn taunt them with the title of this blog.

The lack of acceptance of even the slightest guilt stokes the fires for fans who felt they were cheated for years under unfair sporting advantage. Now that they no longer possess the millions it’s a level playing filed for teams like Hearts, Aberdeen and St. Johnstone.

They’re not Rangers any more.

The “Old Firm” died when Rangers died and those masquerading as Rangers are a shadow of the previous entity. This club killed itself trying to gain European glory together with a continued dominance in Scotland and eventually made a right Gareth Hunt of it. Meanwhile in the East End, Celtic continued to be frugal and was run  like a proper business, gaining success along the way. No dodgy tax schemes, no selling the club to a crook for the princely sum of £1.

Yes, they were tighter in defence at Hampden but if Gilks hadn’t played the game of his life the September score-line of 5-1 would have been mirrored. Nothing has changed since September, or at least nothing for their fans to write home about. This isn’t a side reflective of what the previous club was.

By Christ they’re miles apart.

They’re not Rangers anymore.

The biggest purveyors of the continuity myth are our illustrious mainstream media who in their infinite knowledge of the Scottish game actually gave Rangers a fighting chance against a well-oiled Celtic side. Hugh Keevins even predicted a 2-1 victory for the Ibrox side and in the aftermath he was singing that familiar song about how their fans “won’t accept” being so far behind.

Well they’ll just have to. You know why?

They’re not Rangers anymore.

Let’s get this straight. They are in no position to recruit playing staff from anywhere other the lower echelons of the English game therefore they will not be able to compete against Celtic for years to come. We have brought in a great manager and great players. Sinclair and Dembele have set the heather on fire whereas the great white hope of Joe Garner has just one goal in just four games since his £1.8m transfer from Preston.

He’s the guy they spent big money on, and the problem there is that they could barely afford to do it.

They certainly can’t afford to waste it.

Therein lies the difference.

Celtic has lost more money running for a bus.

We can and will spend double that with ease.

Sevco, meanwhile, have had to scramble about, penny pinching, begging and borrowing.

Souness is doing the newsrooms today, telling the world that Sevco has to spend to catch Celtic.

I recall when Souness came to Scotland and the riches he was afforded. I also remember my wise old father predicting the ruination of Scottish Football and Rangers due to this. Advocaat was allowed to squander £84m.

Yes, £84m.

And so the story unfolded and my prophetic father got it spot on.

Hearts, Motherwell, Dundee, Aberdeen et al all suffered through trying to compete.

They stuck tight, took their medicine and rebuilt from the bottom up.

This clapped out old banger of a team are nowhere near Celtic; it’s like an 1982 Metro trying to beat a Ferrari at a set of traffic lights.

But it’s not just Celtic.

The Ibrox club holds no fear for the majority of Scottish clubs.

And do you know why?

They’re not Rangers any more.

Gavin McCann is a writer and blogger from Glasgow. He’s previously contributed to On Fields of Green and other Celtic sites. This is his CelticBlog debut.

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