"What I would like to know is this. Why, when Rangers knew they were in such a financial mess, did they allow Walter Smith to come in and spend millions on players they clearly couldn't afford."

Walter's net spending was pretty low in recent years as far as I'm aware.

Walter's net spending was pretty low in recent years as far as I'm aware

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Comforting news for Ally

I disagree TCD, the fans cannot be blamed for Murray's obvious impressive sales skills. He duped more intelligent people than them in to believing the dream. Just need to look at people like Dave King who lost £40m to Murrays great vision.

Walter Smith actually made a profit in his second time around, whilst also reducing the wage bill significantly. All the while winning 3 league titles in a row, 5 cups and taking us to a Euro Final. Id say thats a pretty decent record.

Murray provided SMYTH and Advocaat the facilities to have a right good crack at Europe...

They failed him! You cannot blame the man for what he donated to RFC...you could blame him for being a naive business man.

Or could you

yea jessy murray is worth (still) £600m yup naive business man

jessy the glorious 90s has hee haw to do with now, the advocatt days has hee haw to do with now, its a bit like us giving praise to the kellys and whites for desmonds deallings, football goes in cycles, good and bad

You have selective memory BlueHeaven.

Lafferty £3.75m,
Davis £3.5m,
Edu £2.5m,
Miller £2m,
McCulloch £2m,
Whittaker £2m,
Mendes £3m,
Naismith £2m,
Cuellar £2.5m,
Bhougerra £2.5m,
K Thomson £2.5m,
Beasley £1m,
Webster £500k,
Cousin £1.3m,
Velicka £1m,
Jelavic £4m.

Not exactly the kind of spending you would expect from a club with no money.

yea jessy murray is worth (still) £600m yup naive business man

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The hell he is.

You don't seem to understand the term "net spending" Artur.

Boruc - Make up your mind, do we have money or not?

As for the spending, you fail to mention the money recouped such as 9m for Hutton, 8.5m for Cuellar, 5m for Wilson, 2m for Thomson, 1m for Ferguson, Mendes and Cousin. I make that almost 30m already just off the top of my head.

You don't seem to understand the term "net spending" Artur.

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Artur or David

5m for Wilson

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£5m for Wilson? are you sure about that? Was it not £2m and the rest if he plays so many games? And £8.5m for Cuellar? Sure it wasn't closer to £6m?

As for Hutton, that was fortunate and glosses over the fact that Smith spent money Rangers didnt have.

It wasnt fortunate, it was good business and gave him the funds to buy other players. Yes the Wilson deal will involve appearances but it was an agreed figure of 5m, every transfer just about now is dependent upon appearances so if were going down that route then his spending will be significantly less also. Id also add that as Wilson has played for Liverpool in the first team and for Scotland the figure will now be closer to 5m than the original 2m.
As for Cuellar, it was 8.5m which was the agreed minimum release fee in his contract which all Spanish players have since it is mandatory in the Spanish league so its something they always have. I think the point is whatever Smith spent, it was generally after generating the money for players first. The deals for Edu, Davis and Mendes came after the sale of Cuellar and we never signed anyone for a further 2 years until enough money was raised to sign Jelavic which proved to be excellent business.

Wilson has played 2 games for Liverpool in the league I may be wrong but I doubt Rangers will be getting that other £3m any time soon!

He has also played in the cup and for Scotland, therefore I think it will be chipping away. Besides the extra million for Adam im sure will make up for it.

Should the money being raised no huv went tae reducing yer debt

It went towards winning things instead. As a supporter thats what id prefer.

If only Smith had seen Adams quality, Rangers would have received a lot more for him.

I think Smith did, thats why he persevered with him for so long when the fans wanted shot of him ages before. There is no doubt over Adams quality, there is doubt over his application and consistency. I have watched him several times since leaving and dont see a different player, just that the expectations are different. I think he found his level at Blackpool, id be surprised if he does much at Liverpool but good luck to him.

There wasn't exactly a big queue of clubs wanting to sign Adam when we let him go. Though I've still got the suspicion that we would have kept him had our financial situation been better.

The reason there wasn't a big queue was because Smith hardly played him, no other reason.

He had just spent half a season on loan at Blackpool. Prior to that he had played about 100 games in Scotland.