BarryLFC

Rangers FC - 2006/07

The Manager

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Joél Garçon - The veteran Luxembourger hasn't spent huge quantitites of cash and has kept the wage budget tight. Will be desperate to improve on the trio of second places achieved last term.</UL>

The Squad

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Craig Gordon - GK, 23yo, SCO
<LI>Lenny Pidgeley - GK, 22yo, ENG - no changes in this department</UL>

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Jelle De Bock - D RC, 18yo, BEL - Youngster signed from Club Brugge during last season.
<LI>Ian Murray - D LC /DM, 25yo, SCO
<LI>Andy Webster - D C, 24yo, SCO
<LI>Mario Eggimann - D LC, 25yo, SUI - Bosman signing from Karlsruhe, solid cover across the back four.
<LI>Julien Cetout - D C / DM, 18yo, FRA
<LI>Steven Hammell - D/WB L, 24yo, SCO
<LI>Daniele Semenzato - D/WB/AM R, 19yo, ITA
<LI>Patrick Baumann - D C, 20yo, SUI - Free transfer after his Basle contract expired.
<LI>Andrea Masiello - D C, 20yo, ITA - Made an £825,000 move from Juventus in the January window.
<LI>Florian Marange - D/WB L, 20yo, FRA - Loan signing from Rothesay, may be asked to feature at right back.
</UL>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Abdoulay Konko - WB/M R, 22yo, FRA - At £1.5m Konko is yet another to move from Juventus to Rangers.
<LI>Yaya Touré - DM, 23yo, CIV - Olympiakos have agreed to subsidise this £1.2m signing's wages. Must have been trouble during his 12 month stay in Athens.
<LI>Paolo Sammarco - M C, 23yo, ITA
<LI>Alex Pederzoli - M C, 22yo, ITA
<LI>Alberto Baggio - M C, 19yo, ITA
<LI>Barry Ferguson - DM, 28yo, SCO
<LI>Pasquale Foggia - AM LC, 23yo, ITA - It took over £2m to persuade Empoli to part with this prodigiously talented midfielder.
<LI>Loïc Poujol - AM L, 17yo, FRA -£3.3m to Sochaux for a player who has yet to kick a ballin a first class game. Madness.
<LI>Chaouki Ben Saada - AM LC, F C, 22yo, TUN - Another loan from Rothesay.
<LI>Sasha Iakovenko - AM LC, F C, 19yo, UKR - One of the hot commodities this summer, Lierse receiving a seven figure sum for his services.
<LI>Raffaele Palladino - AM L, ST, 22yo, ITA - Yet another player surplus to requirements at Juve.
<LI>Harris Medunjanin - AM/F C, 21yo, BIH - A Bosnian called Harris? Who'd've thunk it?</UL>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Öztürk Ali - ST, 19yo, TUR - Granted a work permit despite having yet to make his international debut.
<LI>Kris Boyd - ST, 23yo, SCO
<LI>Matteo Ardemagni - ST, 19yo, ITA
<LI>Lynel Kitambala - ST, 17yo, FRA - Signed in January and went on to score three goals.
</UL>

The Plan

Go one step further on all fronts. Reach the Champions League. Make a profit. Nothing too demanding, huh!

BarryLFC

Celtic FC - 2006/07

The Manager

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Ingi Ingimarsson - It will be hard work to repeat last season's success, let along build on it, but that is the task facing the Faroese.</UL>

The Squad

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Gianlica Pagliuca - GK, 39yo, ITA - Veteran presence should help Lee Camp to build on a shaky opening season.
<LI>Arni Gautur Arason - GK, 31yo, ISL - Icelander signed from Hearts to weaken them, basically.
<LI>Lee Camp - GK, 21yo, ENG</UL>

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Gary Caldwell - D RC, DM, 24yo, SCO
<LI>Anton Ferdinand - D C, 20yo, ENG
<LI>John Kennedy - D C, 22yo, SCO
<LI>Nik Besagno - D C, DM, 17yo, USA - Yankee doodle dandy brought in to teach the game of football to in order that he may spread it amongst his countrymen.
<LI>Kevin McNaughton - D/WB RL, 23yo, SCO - Signed from Aberdeen to cover both full back roles.
<LI>Gary Irvine - D/WB R, DM, 21yo, SCO
<LI>Tony McParland - D/WB L, 23yo, SCO
<LI>Lee Wallace - D/WB L, 18yo, SCO
</UL>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Song Chong-Goog - WB/M R, 27yo, KOR - International player brings class and experience to the table.
<LI>Tommy Svindal Larsen - DM, 32yo, NOR - A favourite of the manager, apparently.
<LI>John Welsh - DM, M RC, 22yo, ENG - Welsh in name only, the Engliah midfielder was added from Liverpool.
<LI>Scott Severin - M C, 27yo, SCO
<LI>Teddy Bjarnason - M C, 19yo, ISL
<LI>Maciej Zurawski - AM RC, F C, 29yo, POL
<LI>Vyacheslav Hleb - AM RC, F C, 23yo, BLR
<LI>Béla Illés - AM RLC, F C, 38yo, *** - Versatile veteran can cover a range of positions.
<LI>Scott Brown - AM RC, F C, 21yo, SCO - Added from Hibs to provide competition up front.
<LI>Dumitru Laurentiu Rosu - AM LC, F C, 29yo, ROM</UL>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Bosko Balaban - AM R, ST, 27yo, CRO
<LI>Henrik Larsson - ST, 34yo, SWE - What is there to say about this talismanic forward, signed to ignite the support and score goals.
<LI>David Clarkson - ST, 20yo, SCO - Scored 10 in 15 on loan at a poor Hibs side last year, so has earned his chance.
<LI>Nicklas Bendtner - ST, 18yo, DEN
<LI>Tore Andre Flo - ST, 33yo, NOR - Basically a repeat of the same ploy that saw Kennet Andersson arrive last season. It failed then and it'll fail now, probably. Andersson, by the way, is under contract for another year, so the reserves will be looking to learn from him.</UL>

The Plan
Keep up the good work, make a splash in Europe, minimise silly mistakes, succeed. Ingimarsson has the challenge of maintaining success in the face of expectation, which is never, ever, easy.

BarryLFC

Erm, Illés is Hungarian, but the board obviously doesn't like the abbreviation in a Rangers/Celtic related topic...

BarryLFC

Morag and Aggie took off their pinnies and sat down to a nice cup of tea. After three hours of dusting and cleaning it was very much appreciated. Sadly there were no Abernethy biscuits, but just then Mary and Betty showed up, with freshly baked scones and lashings of strawberry jam.

The ladies sat down to enjoy their elevenses and talk about the Way Things Are:

It's dreadful said Mary, apparently unimpressed with the unparalleled success her side had witnessed over the previous year. Aggie wanted to respond caustically, but was beaten to it by a thoroughly unimpressed Betty, No it isn't. Mary was left speechless by this riposte, or at least she seemed to be rendered speechless, but given as she rarely spoke in any event it was hard to tell.

Aggie and Morag were less disheartened, both having seen the sides they chose progeress up the league structure by one division in the first year. Talk soon turned to the new season, just two or three games old. Aggie's Rothesay had opened nicely by eliminating Ross County from both the League Cup and Challenge Cup, sandwiching a league win over Morton by five to nil. Ayr, under Morag's guidance, had lost on 2-0 penalties after a 0-0 draw with Partick in the Challenge Cup and went down 2-0 in the league opener at Ross County, but rebounded with a 9-0 win over Berwick in the League Cup.

For Mary, if she had the grace to notice, things would be great. Henrik Larsson's hat-trick led to an opening day 6-0 win over Dundee United and extended the Swede's club record mark to 181 goals. With a long season to play hopes were high that he would reach 200 before the year's end. Bosko Balaban had notched twice in the opener and Teddy Bjarnason once. These two struck again, twice each, in a 4-0 win over Aberdeen on matchday two and it was a great opening to the campaign.

Betty knew her side had won nothing the year before, but with some trimming and tidying, as well as signing yet more Juventus reserves, she hoped Garçon could produce the goods this time around. Sacha Iakovenko was clearly the pick of the bunch, though his previous club was Lierse, not Juve, and he scored twice in the 3-2 opening day win over Motherwell and again as Dundee were crushed 3-0 in the second game. With two wins from two Rangers, Celtic and Livingston were clear atop the SPL, every other side having failed to exceed 3 points from their opening fixtures.

Dreadful... Mary muttered, but everyone ignored her.

BarryLFC

Ayr United FC - 2006/07

The Manager

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Knut Haraldsson - After securing promotion from fourth place in the Second Division via the playoffs, Haraldsson faces a stiffer task this year. With Rothesay set to come up and win the title in 12 months time this is the only season Ayr can hope for promotion to the SPL before 2008/09. With only the champions going up it promises to be a stiff task.</UL>

The Squad

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Roberto Giacomi - GK, 20yo, CAN - formerly of Rangers
<LI>Peter Alexiou - GK, 19yo, SCO - signed from Motherwell for £6,000.00</UL>

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Stephen McKenna - D RC/DM, 20yo, SCO - Airdrie received £9,000.00 for this player.
<LI>Robert Harris - D LC, 18yo, SCO
<LI>Gary MacKenzie - D C, 20yo, SCO
<LI>Marco Baroni - D C, 20yo, SUI
<LI>Aldin Peljto - D C / DM, 18yo, BIH - recent recruit from Rangers as Haraldsson looks to speculate to accumulate.
<LI>Michael McGowan - D/WB R, 21yo, SCO
<LI>Steven Smith - D/WB L, 20yo, SCO - Ex-Ranger signed from Rothesay after failing to break through there.
<LI>Mathias Gravesen - D/M LC, 20yo, DEN - Versatile player who can cover many positions.
</UL>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Simon Ferry - DM, 18yo, SCO - Signed from Rothesay after leading Scotland to the final of the European u19 Championships with some fine performances.
<LI>Siebe Blondelle - DM, 20yo, BEL - £300,000 needed to persuade Vitesse to let this talented holding player move.
<LI>Marc Kalenga - DM, 20yo, COD
<LI>Neil Scally - M C, 27yo, SCO - Ex-Ayr man returns from Falkirk to add experience to the squad.
<LI>Jean Franco Ferrari - DM, 31yo, PER - A dramatic capture as the Peruvian legend makes the move to Europe and chooses to join Haraldsson's Ayr revolution.
<LI>Ingi Højsted - M C, 20yo, FRO
<LI>Baskim Ziberi - AM L, 21yo, DEN - Young man who refused to sign a full-time deal when the club went fully professional in the close season.
<LI>Willie McLaren - AM LC/ST, 21yo, SCO
<LI>Craig Bryson - AM C, 19yo, SCO - Promising midfielder signed from Clyde.
<LI>Ali Mohammadian - AM C, 21yo, SWE</UL>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Davor Skerjanc - AM/F C, 20yo, SVN - Joined his countryman Uros Veselic at the club in a £50,000 move from Primorje.
<LI>Uros Veselic - AM/F C, 19yo, SVN
<LI>Tolga Ünal - F C, 20yo, SWE -Young forward who began his career at AIK before moving on to Café Opera and Väsby, where he was spotted by Ayr.
<LI>Simon Lynch - ST, 24yo, SCO
<LI>Hugo Carolo - ST, 21yo, POR
<LI>Christian Clausen - ST, 19yo, DEN - another who opted not to go full time in the summer.
<LI>Willie John Kiely - ST, 18yo, IRL - Loan signing from Celtic.
<LI>Javier Orozco - ST, 19yo, MEX - Record transfer deal saw £750,000 head to Cruz Azul for this striker.
<LI>David Clarkson - ST, 20yo, SCO - Another dramatic deal, this time £650,000 passing to Celtic for the unneeded striker who hit ten goals in fifteen games on loan to Hibs as the Edinburgh side were relegated from the SPL last term.
</UL>

The Plan

Get to the SPL this year if at all possible, at any cost. Develop the team into a cohesive whole and perhaps make an impact in one of the national cup competitions.

BarryLFC

Rothesay FC - 2006/07

The Manager

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Iain Bartholomew - As managerial jobs go, this is one of the cushiest. Keeping his squad happy is fairly easy as there is a small first team bunch and the remainder are largely still too young to moan.</UL>

The Squad

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Iven Austbø - GK, 21yo, NOR - now first choice for the Norwegian National Side
<LI>Andreas Isaksson - GK, 25yo, SWE</UL>

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Gianni Zuiverloon - D RC, 19yo, NED
<LI>Tomas Hübschman - D RC, 25yo, CZE
<LI>Steven Campbell - D L, 20yo, SCO
<LI>Kevin Hofland - D C, 27yo, NED
<LI>Vincent Kompany - D C, 20yo, BEL
<LI>Jacques Faty - DC / DM, 22yo, FRA - versatile backup.
<LI>Räzvan Dinca Rat - D/WB L, 25yo, ROM - Broken leg has seen Rat miss the first few months of the season, expected to play in the New Year.
<LI>Dennis Cagara - D/WB L, 21yo, DEN - Youngster has broken into the Danish National Side.
<LI>Mark Wilson - D/WB/M R, 22yo, SCO
</UL>

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Lucas Bernardi - DM, 29yo, ARG
<LI>Denny Landzaat - DM/M RC, 30yo, NED
<LI>Paul Weaver - DM/M RC, 20yo, ENG
<LI>Charlie Adadm - AM LC, 20yo, SCO
<LI>James McFadden - AM L/F C, 23yo, SCO
<LI>Iván González - AM L/ST, 19yo, PAR - Teenage sensation signed from St. Gallen for £2.5m.
<LI>Kim Källström - AM C, 24yo, SWE
<LI>Taianan - AM C, 19yo, BRA - PSV were not keen to let this young midfield dynamo go.
<LI>Zvjezdan Misimovic - AM/F C, 24yo, BIH
<LI>Shaun Maloney - AM/F C, 23yo, SCO</UL>

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Robert Davidson - ST, 20yo, SCO
<LI>Nikola Zigic - ST, 26yo, SCG
<LI>Arouna Koné - ST, 22yo, CIV -The biggest summer signing at £5m from Roda, but injury has slowed his start at the club.
</UL>

The Plan

Win the league and preferably qualify for Europe via the Scottish Cup. Not an easy challenge, even for this most unusual of Second Division sides.

BarryLFC

Ingi stared down the corridor, which seemed to stretch on beyond the furthest reaches of his vision. He counted 774 doors on one side and at least as many on the other before his eyes failed him.

Defeat at Inverness was hardly a new experience for the Celtic support, but with Rangers moving six points clear at the top of the league as October came to an end it was clear that there were questions to be answered.

Knee ligament damage meant 11-goal Henrik Larsson was absent from the lineup, and would be until after Christmas, and despite the best efforts of Bosko Balaban it seemed something was lacking. Maciej Zurawski couldn't or wouldn't display the spark that saw him so fêted a year ago, John Hartson was long departed and Tore Andre Flo, well, let's just say he hasn't produced as yet.

He was summoned to face the boss, the mystery party who had so recently taken control of the club and installed him as manager. Ingi was led to a large chair by a larger desk and sat, nervously.

Where the voice came from he couldn't exactly pinpoint, it seemed to come from all around him, within him. When it spoke his body reverberated to the sound. Two words were clear:

It's dreadful.

BarryLFC

If you would ask Joél Garçon about the conversation he was about to have many months into the future he would look at you quizzically, perhaps raise an eyebrow, and doubt your sanity. 'What conversation' he would ask, and swiftly move from your presence. Let that be a warning to you - if ever you encounter the venerable Luxembourger do not, I repeat, do not attempt to engage him in talk over this matter. He will not return your enthusiasm.

Betty was positive in her approach, and open in her choice of topic. Her manager was more guarded, but each shared the same positive outlook.

Losing Kris Boyd to such a serious injury so early in the season was a blow, but the emergence of Raffaele Palladino coupled with the explosive form of Sasha Iakovenko and the return to his best of Matteo Ardemagni more than made up for any shortfall.

Scoring twice in the last four minutes at Parkhead to steal a 2-1 Old Firm victory was the undoubted highlight of the season, but just as important was the aggregate win over Partizan to qualify for the Champions League, where wins over Inter and Ajax at Ibrox have been lapped up rapturously by the Rangers support.

Winning in Amsterdam without Ardemagni and Boyd will, however, be a tough proposition, and fourth place is not yet out of the question thanks to the opening day defeat at Betis, but there is hope thanks to some outstanding individual performances so far.

Yes, an improvement on last term, but, Betty would be quick to remind Joél, the team has won nothing yet under his guidance.

BarryLFC

Iain's meeting was less demanding. With a League Cup penalty shootout win over Aberdeen under their belts Rothesay finally had an SPL scalp, and despite back-to-back draws with Clyde and Partick, league form was superb, no side coming close to the Brandanes points tally.

Robert Davidson was on some kind of a mission, passing fifty career Rotehsay goals early in the campaign, and moving to nineteen in all competitions by the end of October. Injury to Arouna Koné was the only reason Nikola Zigic was the undisputed #2 striker, but the big Serb had notched twelve goals of his own to trail only Davidson and Källström (15) in terms of goalscoring at the club this year.

Livingston await in the Quarter Final of the League Cup and Airdrie in the Challenge Cup Final, as Rothesay look to retain the latter title. It's shaping up to be another glorious campaign.

BarryLFC

Only the lack of a truly high-class goalkeeper has hindered Ayr's progress this term. Despite this the team have played well and sit just three points behind the division leaders, St. Mirren at October's end.

Peter Alexiou has proven a small improvement over the horribly inconsistent Roberto Giacomi, but the likes of David Clarkson, Javier Orozco and Marc Kalenga have had to be on solid goalscoring form. Remarkably five players have scored at least five goals each already: Kalenga (9), Orozco (6), Clarkson (5), Jean Franco Ferrari (5) and Davor Skerjanc (5).

Knut Haraldsson is aiming to steer this Honest ship home to the SPL, but with strong sides like St Mirren, Ross County, Gretna and Hibs all keen on promotion it is unlikely to be a smooth ride. Haraldsson will need to keep all his wits about him. Aggie though would tell Knut that she is satisfied thus far, if she wasn't to busy baking to even organise a meeting.