Source: Team_Talk
Gers fans now on 'final warning'
The Gers endured a troubled day on Thursday with the release of a depressing set of financial results and the rejection of a proposal to allow the Old Firm to join the English Premier League.[LNB]However, the £18,000 fine imposed by UEFA's control and disciplinary body - and the requirement to pay the cost of damage to the Steaua Stadium as a result of the improper conduct of fans during the Champions League match against Unirea Urziceni - was seen as something of a let-off.[LNB]The Light Blues were fined £13,300 for discriminatory chanting and £9,000 for attacking their opponents' team bus during an away game against Villarreal in 2006.[LNB]The following year they were fined £8,280 for fans' behaviour at a UEFA Cup game against Osasuna and it was feared that a more severe punishment may have been imposed for the most recent misdemeanour.[LNB]Edgar said that while UEFA was correct to take into consideration the lack of organisation at the match, for which Unirea were fined £7,195, the Gers fans must not push their luck.[LNB]"There is no room for any more bad behaviour," Edgar said. "We got the lighter end of the punishment scale but I think UEFA took into account the circumstances in Bucharest last week.[LNB]"But we have to take it as a warning.[LNB]"We can't keep being brought before disciplinary committees or one day we will get a serious punishment."[LNB]The cash-strapped club, who are up for sale, posted financial results which showed net debt to June 2009 had increased by around £10million to £31.1million.[LNB]Despite winning the Scottish Premier League, the Scottish Cup and reaching the final of the Co-operative Insurance Cup, the club showed a loss for the year of £12.7million, compared to a £7.2million profit for the previous year.[LNB]"The figures were no surprise but it is a shocking indictment on the way the club has been run," Edgar said.[LNB]"It is a poor state of affairs to have £30million of debt with a turnover of £40million and we have to make sure that, whoever the new owners are, it never happens again."[LNB]One escape hatch out of the financial mire appeared to be closed when Premier League clubs overwhelmingly rejected a plan to allow Celtic and Rangers to join the English top flight.[LNB]A proposed overhaul of the current Premier League, the brainchild of Bolton chairman Phil Gartside, would have seen the Glasgow giants invited into an English Premier League Two.[LNB]However, the idea was rejected as neither "desirable or viable".[LNB]Edgar insists it is now time to put aside, once and for all, the notion of moving to England.[LNB]"It is never going to happen," he said. "Rangers and Celtic are Scottish clubs who play in the Scottish league and that is not going to change.[LNB]"There is nothing in it for English clubs, turkeys are not going to vote for Christmas so we have to stop looking south.[LNB]"The English clubs don't want us and we have to accept that."[LNB][LNB] Scottish Premier Winner 2009/10 Win Outright: Rangers 5/4
