Today was meant to be a different day for Sevco’s klanbase.
The eleventh day of the eleventh month and all that.
After Sunday’s militaristic Mardi Gras, today was to be the final spurt of Poppy Porn until next year.
Instead, Stevie G is gone, and that is THE story on Planet Fitba.
However, the real loss for Sevco is the departure of Michael Beale.
It’s impossible to ignore the comparison with the void left by Chris Davies at Celtic in 2019.
After all, it was Beale who worked out how to neutralise Neil Lennon’s side.
The warning signs were very apparent at the League Cup Final in 2019 when only La Gran Muralla denied Sevco their first-ever major trophy.
In most organisations, it is the 2iC who has day to day running of the operation; Beale was Gerrard’s highly capable Adjutant at Sevco.
As I reported at the time, in the immediate aftermath of the defeat to Malmo at Ibrox, the Sevco High Command met in emergency conclave.
The upshot of that was that the Director of Fantasy was dispatched to tell Mr Let’s Go that substantial funds would have to be generated by player sales.
Of course, that did not happen in the last transfer window, and the need to cover the shortfall has become even more pressing with January now coming into view.
Shortly after the financial realities had been explained to the Sevco manager, a reasonably well-placed source told me that Mr Gerrard had asked his representatives to start to check out the job opportunities in England.
For the avoidance of doubt, I immediately dismissed this scéal as unworthy of Mr Gerrard.
Without a second source, I was not ready to believe that a former captain of England was capable of such skulduggery.
Remember dear reader, Mr Gerrad told the world that he was “settled” and “happy” at Sevco.
With the announcement today, Fitba Twitter has been in full schadenfreude mode.
So this is the image that was unthinkable for the assembled klan at Ibrox on Sunday.
Here is Mr Gerrard holding up a shirt with “Bobby Sands” on the inside of it.
Oh, dear…
It does stretch credulity to think that wheels were not already in motion last Sunday as he took part in that Remembering thingy.
I do think it is fair to say that Stevie G has left his mark on the Ibrox klanbase.
Sadly, some of them haven’t taken this well at all.
Of course, the klan would not be complete without a self-serving conspiracy theory.
Life does come at you fast Stevie…
The speculation has already commenced apropos the next managerial dream team at the nine-year-old club.
Whoever is installed, one thing is reasonably sure, and that is there will be no major transfer funds available in January.
This is an uncharacteristically neat segue to today’s next piece, which is Rugger Guy’s analysis of the 2021 RIFC accounts.
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We all know it was Stevie Gs Rangers with almost all of his signings had signed for him not sevco watch the spin to replace him with superstar manager
Looks like Derek Mcinnes will be the replacement. Can he do a Neil Lennon? They may get some money in on Gerrard purchases in Jan but will be on the cheap and they will want to leave ……
Are they putting the £4M compo into BitCoin ?
Be afraid Timmy, it’ll be worth £4 Kazzillion in no time.
About 3 weeks ago…I said to a Sevco supporting neighbour that I thought that Slippy might be planning to leave.
He first of all told me to feck off…then asked me why I thought that.
I pointed out that Slippy ” had gone public ” and complained about no money being made available to him for the two preceding transfer windows.
And my main point was…Managers of Sevco, and of the previous Club, NEVER publicly criticised the Board…it wasn’t the done thing. So as far as I was concerned…this was a warning shot from Slippy…and his “excuses ” were in.
Did I get it right…?
Who cares….as long as they end up in more turmoil…that’ll do for me.
Hail hail.
Searched up The Gran Muralla on Wiki and our old keeper Fraser Forster is top result‼️
I wasn’t expecting that, yes Phil, now we have a fondness for this date too 11/11 ✅
It was what the Catalans called him after Celtic played Barcelona in 2012.
That night he was indeed a great wall.
Yes, Messi, Iniesta and the new man @Barca, Zavi. Not too sure who said it but they all knew it to be true, another great European night @CP🍀. Didn’t attend that night, but was lucky enough on another occasion where I did see Alan Thomson get the winner against Barca.
We were sat behind and above the net with a perfect view, where he scissor-kicked the ball into the net. Boom, crowd euphoria, fantastic.
On our way home my brother in law asked me if I wanted to go for a pint, my reply was ‘Cheers but no thanks, as all it would take would be one inane comment to spoil what has so far been the perfect evening’. Concurring, we went home for tea and laughter🍀🌱 Slainte Phil.
“And at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, The Huns fell silent!”
Naw ye didnae, Ye went ballistic !!!