Latest news with #Govan
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Key milestone' as Ibrox to host more SWPL games than ever
Ibrox will host more Rangers women's matches "than ever before" next season.A club statement says the Govan ground will "become the home venue for SWPL matches, subject to scheduling clashes".However, Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld will continue "to be a venue for the women's team when Ibrox is unavailable".The club say "uncertainty of the men's European fixtures, especially midweek games, will also need to be taken into account".The statement adds: "While the club is excited to host the majority of women's games at Ibrox next season, it is important to stress that not every home game will be played there."The goal is to use Ibrox as often as possible, but scheduling conflicts will be the main factor in determining whether a game is held at Ibrox."Meanwhile, women's and girls' managing director Donald Gillies says the decision to move the majority of the club's SWPL games to Ibrox marks a "key milestone"."This is a big day for our women's first team, and indeed, the entire women's programme at Rangers," he added."Ibrox is one of the most recognisable venues anywhere in football, and to know we'll be playing even more games there than ever before will be a huge thrill for the team, and I am sure our supporters too."This move will not only help attract top talent to the team, but also ensure we continue to retain and develop our players as we push for greater success."
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Positive start 'imperative' for Martin's Rangers tenure
A positive start is "imperative" for Russell Martin if he is to get patience as Rangers head coach, says former midfielder Kevin Scottish Premiership schedule reveal issued the new Ibrox boss with a tough introduction to his reign in a Champions League second round qualifier against Panathinaikos, Martin's side will open their league campaign with a trip to also face a trip to St Mirren and a home Old Firm derby in their first four Premiership notes the "slight disgruntlement from the fans" following Martin's arrival, but the ex-Ibrox midfielder is backing the former Southampton boss to do a good Thomson feels it is crucial the 39-year-old starts well."He's really articulate, really intelligent and presents himself well," Thomson said of Martin on BBC Sportsound."He suffered in the Premier League, no doubt, but I think he's going to do a good job. But he needs time. whether he will get time is anybody's guess. "That's going to be dictated by the start. The start is imperative, it really is. I hope he gets some sort of affordability to bring his own players in to get off to a good start and do a good job."
Daily Record
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rangers and 25 rivals enter a transfer battle royale for summer's must have as beaming chairman raves about him
Winger Poku is one of a number of summer targets interesting Russell Martin Barry Fry has warned Rangers they face a battle with 25 clubs across Europe if they want to land Kwame Poku. But the Peterborough director of football admits Gers could get a £10m diamond for buttons should they win the race for the Ghana international. Winger Poku is one of a number of summer targets interesting Russell Martin with Leicester City defender Connor Coady in talks over a move to Govan while Swansea's Harry Darling, Westerlo striker Matija Frigan and Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Dor Turgeman have all been linked. Poku could be the perfect fit to replace Vaclav Cerny, who has been priced out of a permanent move to Ibrox after his loan spell in Govan last season. The 23-year-old netted 12 goals and added eight assists in 27 League One games for Posh last season and also helped lift the Vertu Football League Trophy at Wembley against Birmingham who were understood to be leading the race for his signature until recently. Peterborough bosses hope Poku - signed from Colchester for £250,000 in 2021 - chooses to stay in England where the compensation tribunal for under 24 players is of a higher value than the FIFA regulated version for cross border moves. And Fry, who insists Poku is destined for the Premier League one day, said he has a list of suitors spanning some of the biggest leagues in Europe. The Peterborough stalwart told Mail Sport: 'Kwame's out of contract and to my knowledge he's speaking to 26 clubs, home and abroad, and he'll go wherever he wants to go. 'I spoke to him on Friday morning but he's not decided where he wants to go at the minute. 'He's such an exciting player. Wherever he goes, he'll be a fan's favourite. 'He spent a couple of years at Colchester and we took a punt on him. We have had a lot of offers for him that we've turned down because we wanted to get promotion. 'Now he has the choice. 'I've had loads of clubs from Portugal, Belgium, Germany on about him as well as loads of clubs in England. 'I was asking clubs for £5 million and £5 million in add-ons when they were interested previously. 'He has that potential, he's that good a player.' Should Poku choose to leave England for either Govan or Europe in the coming weeks then the compensation fee will be decided by the standard FIFA regulations. Similar to the deal that saw Joe Aribo move from Charlton to Ibrox six years ago for just £300,000. Fry said: 'Yeah, we'd get some from FIFA. We'd get some, but it wouldn't be ideal for us. 'It would be FIFA working out what we paid for him and what offers we've had for him and all that. 'I've never been in that situation, so I don't know whether it'll be a pound or a million. You know what I mean? I ain't got a clue. 'We would definitely prefer him to stay in England, that's for sure.'
The Guardian
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on Scottish politics: Labour wins the seat but not – yet – the argument
Labour's victory in the Holyrood byelection offers the UK government a rare political comfort but not, perhaps, the strategic breakthrough it might like to imagine. A late flurry of welfare signalling, a dogged ground campaign and a carefully staged visit to a Govan shipyard by Sir Keir Starmer helped shore up Labour's appeal to its traditional voters in Scotland's industrial belt. Yet as Prof John Curtice has noted, Labour's share of the vote actually declined compared with the last time voters cast ballots here in 2021 – a year in which the party was placed a distant third and was polling at the same dismal level of public support, 20%, it has today. The prime minister will gladly pocket Davy Russell's win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. But it is a foothold. There is still a steep climb to the summit. More telling is who lost. The Scottish National party's poor showing reflects dissatisfaction with its record of governance and the diminishing appeal of independence in areas where Labour has deep roots. The real surprise was Reform UK, taking over a quarter of the vote and leapfrogging the Conservatives into third place. It drew from both main parties, fuelled by protest and unionist anger that flattened the Tories. If these trends continue, the Holyrood elections, scheduled for next year, will not be good news for anyone but Reform despite the party losing its chair Zia Yusuf this week. Labour is not yet credible as a government-in-waiting at Holyrood. But for the SNP the crisis is more acute. If its vote remains around 30% and opposition is split at the next election, the SNP would probably remain the largest party, but would be unlikely to bestride the Scottish parliament. The pro‑independence movement would be institutionally endangered, not by Westminster suppression, but by electoral mathematics. Scottish politicians have long held the belief that Nigel Farage has less sway in a pro-EU, pro‑immigration nation. That is now harder to sustain. On the campaign trail, Mr Farage defended a race‑baiting Reform advert that twisted Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar's words to suggest he had divided loyalties – a textbook use of identity politics to inflame division and resentment. It was a toxic, racist and dishonest dog‑whistle but that did not stop Reform's rise. The Tories face an existential crisis. In 2021 they became the official opposition as the strongest anti‑SNP, pro-unionist option, a strategy that paid off on the regional list. But if Reform keeps eating into that base, Thursday's result suggests the Conservatives could ignominiously fall behind not just Reform, but also the Lib Dems and Greens. With the constitutional question fading and Holyrood designed to favour horse-trading, 2026 looks like yielding a more divided chamber. Coalitions – Labour with the Lib Dems, or even across the divide – could yet emerge to focus on bread-and-butter issues and govern without Reform. Labour won the seat, not the argument. The SNP may still top the poll in 2026 – but as a weaker force in a far less predictable landscape.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Martin determined to prove doubters wrong
Russell Martin acknowledges he was not the first pick of some Rangers fans to be the club's new head coach, but he is determined to prove his doubters supporters have expressed displeasure at the decision to appoint the former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton boss on a three-year the ex-Rangers defender says his history of winning over critics makes him convinced he can do so again at whether he is confident he can prove his doubters wrong, Martin replied: "I have to be. I have a lot to prove. My whole career has been based on proving people wrong."Some names in football management are a bit more exciting than others, but I feel after five-and-a-half years of being a manger, coach and leader, I love doing it. I'm going to be all in with my energy.""Ultimately I just want to win. If I'm winning, I'm sure [the fans] will be happy."The 39-year-old, who led Southampton to Premier League promotion last year but was sacked by December after just one win in 16 games, wants to give the Rangers fans "a team they identify with".Martin concedes he has not been the initial "number one choice" with the supporters at any club he has managed, but he is hoping to forge a "real connection" with the demanding fanbase in order to that, however, the ex-Scotland centre-back knows he needs to show them instant success."To the fans, I have to win," Martin added. "I don't think I've been number one choice [with the fans] at any club I've been at. "But, by the time we've left anywhere, we've felt a real connection with the fans. I hope this will be the same."
