Latest news with #Rangers-daft
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Rangers fans get engaged at Ibrox on 'perfect' takeover day
The Rangers-daft pair were on a tour of the club's stadium today, Friday, May 30, as the news broke that the San Francisco 49ers Enterprise-led consortium was taking a 51% share in the club. The Glasgow Times was outside the stadium today to hear fans' reactions and bumped into the pair who shared the happy news. Emma Nicoll, 28, got down on one knee to propose to her now fiancé, Lynsey Downs, 34, next to the Ibrox pitch. Lynsey, from Renfrew, said: "So, I've now got a fiancé - we got engaged today! "Just at the tunnel and next to the pitch, so I'm pretty over the moon about that. Lynsey, left, and Emma, right, were over the moon (Image: Newsquest) READ MORE: 'We can go forward from here': Rangers fans at Ibrox 'excited' over takeover "It's been 3 years and 9 months coming, and I could not be happier right now." Emma, from Cardonald, said: "Rangers is our life. So I just felt it was the perfect setting to propose to my now-fiancé at our favourite place. "So yeah, it's been the perfect day." Lynsey added: "I'll remember it forever. "So hopefully, things will change for the club, and things will change for us now as well. So it's fantastic news." The pair's friend, Ryan Gormley, joined them on the tour (Image: Newsquest) The pair's friend, Ryan Gormley, 30, from Paisley, was on the tour with them. Ryan had some warning but was still surprised by the proposal. He said: "I kind of knew it was happening, but it was still such a shock to see it actually happening. "I'm so happy for the two of them, it's been such a great day all round." They showed off the stunning engagement ring (Image: Newsquest) The trio also shared their thoughts on the news that the 49er-led group had taken over the club. Lynsey said: "Yeah, I think it's great news. I think it will bring in a lot of new players. "Hopefully, a great manager and things will start looking up for us because at the moment it's kind of a bit dreich, so hopefully it will get better." READ MORE: Cost of Rangers takeover deal 'revealed' as US consortium lead new regime Ryan said: "It will bring major investment to the team, whoever comes in and whoever comes out. "Very positive, and here's hoping we can go forward from here." Other fans had also flocked to the stadium and shared their thoughts. Richard McKenzie, 62, from Kelvindale, said: "Oh, it's been a long time coming, but it's going to be a great thing for the club. "I think the club's got to move forward, and I think this is a great opportunity for them to move forward, and I think they can build on some of the success they've had in the past and perhaps maybe catch up with other teams." READ MORE: San Francisco 49ers message after Rangers takeover deal announced Speaking about the £ 20million investment that's been pledged, Richard added: "Well, it's probably not enough, but we probably need to try and get some of that into the youth as well to try and bring our own players through. I think that's a good place to start." Young fan from Govan, John Ferguson, 6, just came out of the shop with a new scarf. He said, "I'm excited." When asked what he hopes to see the club do going forward, he said: "Score goals." Alan Kennedy, 63, is originally from Possilpark but now lives in Canada. His four children all have Rangers tattoos and are big supporters of the club. Alan said: "Very excited about it. Hopefully, a lot more investment in the club, get us some better players and start winning some trophies." A statement from the club confirmed that the consortium was seeking a controlling stake, with sources close to the deal suggesting it would be finalised by June. Key figures in the takeover include Paraag Marathe, president of 49ers Enterprises and chairman of Leeds United, and American health tycoon Andrew Cavenagh, who has been a frequent visitor to Ibrox. The completion of the deal, announced today, marks a new era for the club.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'I'll remember it forever': Rangers fans get engaged at Ibrox on takeover day
A HAPPY couple got engaged at Ibrox and were 'over the moon' on the 'perfect' day as the club was taken over. The Rangers-daft pair were on a tour of the club's stadium today, Friday, May 30, as the news broke that the San Francisco 49ers Enterprise-led consortium was taking a 51% share in the club. The Glasgow Times was outside the Ibrox today to hear fans' reactions to the news and bumped into the pair who shared the happy news. Emma Nicoll, 28, got down on one knee to propose to her now fiancé, Lynsey Downs, 34, next to the Ibrox pitch. Lynsey, from Renfrew, said: "So, I've now got a fiancé - we got engaged today! "Just at the tunnel and next to the pitch, so I'm pretty over the moon about that. Lynsey, left, and Emma, right, were over the moon (Image: Newsquest) READ MORE: 'We can go forward from here': Rangers fans at Ibrox 'excited' over takeover "It's been 3 years and 9 months coming, and I could not be happier right now." Emma, from Cardonald, said: "Rangers is our life. So I just felt it was the perfect setting to propose to my now-fiancé at our favourite place. "So yeah, it's been the perfect day." Lynsey added: "I'll remember it forever. "So hopefully, things will change for the club, and things will change for us now as well. So it's fantastic news." The pair's friend, Ryan Gormley, joined them on the tour (Image: Newsquest) The pair's friend, Ryan Gormley, 30, from Paisley, was on the tour with them. Ryan had some warning but was still surprised by the proposal. He said: "I kind of knew it was happening, but it was still such a shock to see it actually happening. "I'm so happy for the two of them, it's been such a great day all round." They showed off the stunning engagement ring (Image: Newsquest) The trio also shared their thoughts on the news that the 49er-led group had taken over the club. Lynsey said: "Yeah, I think it's great news. I think it will bring in a lot of new players. "Hopefully, a great manager and things will start looking up for us because at the moment it's kind of a bit dreich, so hopefully it will get better." READ MORE: Cost of Rangers takeover deal 'revealed' as US consortium lead new regime Ryan said: "It will bring major investment to the team, whoever comes in and whoever comes out. "Very positive, and here's hoping we can go forward from here." Other fans had also flocked to the stadium and shared their thoughts. Richard McKenzie, 62, from Kelvindale, said: "Oh, it's been a long time coming, but it's going to be a great thing for the club. "I think the club's got to move forward, and I think this is a great opportunity for them to move forward, and I think they can build on some of the success they've had in the past and perhaps maybe catch up with other teams." READ MORE: San Francisco 49ers message after Rangers takeover deal announced Speaking about the £ 20million investment that's been pledged, Richard added: "Well, it's probably not enough, but we probably need to try and get some of that into the youth as well to try and bring our own players through. I think that's a good place to start." Young fan from Govan, John Ferguson, 6, just came out of the shop with a new scarf. He said, "I'm excited." When asked what he hopes to see the club do going forward, he said: "Score goals." Alan Kennedy, 63, is originally from Possilpark but now lives in Canada. His four children all have Rangers tattoos and are big supporters of the club. Alan said: "Very excited about it. Hopefully, a lot more investment in the club, get us some better players and start winning some trophies." A statement from the club confirmed that the consortium was seeking a controlling stake, with sources close to the deal suggesting it would be finalised by June. Key figures in the takeover include Paraag Marathe, president of 49ers Enterprises and chairman of Leeds United, and American health tycoon Andrew Cavenagh, who has been a frequent visitor to Ibrox. The completion of the deal, announced today, marks a new era for the club.
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Inside the meteoric rise of ex-Rangers ultras chief turned power-hungry mob boss waging gangland war across Scotland
THE former football ultra waging gangland war in Scotland rose from the terraces to the top table of the criminal underworld. Ross McGill emerged as a force in the stands during the period Steven Gerrard was in charge of the Glasgow giants. 12 Ross McGill has transitioned himself from an ultras chief to a menacing mob boss Credit: The Sun Glasgow 12 McGill was previously given a send-off from an unsuspecting Steven Gerrard after stepping down from his ultras role 12 Ross McGill, pictured centre, leads hundreds of hardcore Rangers supporters Credit: The Sun Glasgow Dramatic footage captures former Union Bears ultra Ross McGill with hundreds of hardcore Gers supporters during matchday marches. The 31-year-old acts as a ringleader, bellowing instructions through a megaphone as the intimidating mob set off pyros amid thundering drum beats. McGill looked to be revelling in his leadership role with the Ibrox fanatics as cops kept a close eye on their movements ahead of a powderkeg Old Firm derby in March 2018. Sources say McGill's ability to rally troops to his call has served him well in his current and far more sinister position at the top table of a fearsome crime mob. A source said: 'There is no doubt McGill was a natural leader and you can see it when he's at the front of a Union Bears march. 'A lot of the guys in the UB movement are serious people who you wouldn't want to cross. 'So it takes a strong character to lead them and win their trust. The INSIDE story of Scotland's biggest gangster - Jamie 'The Iceman' Stevenson 'McGill had that in spades and he loved being in the limelight.' The Scottish Sun was first to unmask McGill after the ultras-chief turned power-hungry mob boss launched a revenge campaign of violence against underworld rivals. Former aspiring businessman McGill rose to prominence in football circles as a key organiser and public-facing figure of the Gers ultras movement. The UB group started around 2007 when McGill was a Rangers-daft 13-year-old and talented youth athlete growing up in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. By his late teens he began a journey through the ultras ranks that would see him become a prominent leader of the group known as a 'capo'. There are many pictures and videos of McGill standing at the front of the Ibrox club's most vocal supporters section with his megaphone in hand. 12 Ross McGill became a respected figure in the Union Bears leading chants at fever pitch Credit: Getty He quickly became a respected figure in the group and was also seen leading marches to Ibrox stadium with the usual masked hoards, pyros and footie chants at fever pitch. Brimming with a self-confidence verging on cocky, McGill rarely - if ever - hid his face like many of his fellow supporters. He was seen in some quarters as the respectable face of the fan movement and was even interviewed in a supporters podcast about his talks with Ibrox chiefs. McGill told of his efforts to persuade club chiefs to provide a designated standing section for the UBs but he told of his frustration that the club would not play ball. He aired his views during an interview with host Cammy Bell on Heart and Hand where he even offered to find the cash to pay for their proposal. By GRAHAM MANN THE probe into the gang warfare has been called Operation Portaledge, Scotland's top officer said. Chief Constable Jo Farrell revealed the name of the investigation into the gang war, believed to be linked to McGill, which flared up in March and escalated in April. She said 35 people have been arrested in Glasgow and Edinburgh, 14 stolen vehicles have been recovered and 3,000 hours of CCTV has been reviewed. Ms Farrell also praised fire crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service following a spate of firebombings. She said: 'I want to thank our communities in making Scotland a hostile environment for those involved in organised crime. 'We'll continue to work with partners at international, national, regional and local levels.' The Ibrox protest hit the headlines in February 2019 when Gers were playing Dundee - after club chiefs rejected calls for a move to another section. Asked by Bell if fans could pay for the construction of an area dedicated to ultras, McGill said: 'I think that could be an option. That's something that we've said to the club in the past, that we could do a crowd-fund idea. 'I'm pretty sure we could get the money, but then again, I don't know if the club would want that to happen.' Bell quizzed McGill before he was being investigated by cops over alleged links to drug dealing and organised crime. The hood - previously hailed by Gers supporters for his UB leadership - revealed he had met with club bosses to discuss the doomed plans. McGill said: 'We met with the club a week or two ago about a safe standing proposal. "We want to basically do it, kind of the fieldwork at the Broomloan Front. "The club knocked it back. They didn't really give us any good reasons. 'They just basically said that that's something we can try again in the future. "Despite someone at the club saying that it could happen next season but as soon as it went to the board, they knocked it back." McGill was making his mark nonetheless and when he decided to step away from his leadership role he was given a send off in 2021 by then manager Steven Gerrard. He posed for a photo at the Ibrox tunnel as he and the Liverpool and England legend beamed for the camera. 12 James Tavernier was awarded the player of the year from Ross McGill and the Union Bears 12 James Tavernier posted online after receiving the award from Ross McGill Light Blues skipper James Tavernier, 33, shared a picture on Twitter in July 2019 when McGill presented him with a trophy from the ultras. The ace wrote: "Honoured to have received last year's player of the year award from Ross and the Union Bears last night." In September 2021, McGill announced he was leaving his role as so-called UB "lead capo" - sparking a wave of tributes from fellow fans. One wrote on a forum: "Wish him all the best, he's built that group from nothing and led a tremendous singing section for years." Another added: "He has been absolutely fantastic. Cap doffed sir. "Replacement has big shoes to fill, but we wish him all the best." Another Light Blues fan chipped in: "All the best to Ross and thanks for the tireless efforts in bringing colour and of course the noise." Gerrard, Tavernier and fellow fans would have had no clue that by then McGill was well and truly on the police radar and had a court date looming over allegations he was involved in drug dealing and serious organised crime. It's claimed he initially fled to Spain in early 2022 before switching to Dubai where he resurfaced as an aspiring mob boss who launched a bitter gang war amid claims he'd be ripped out by rival dealers. The people he blamed were associates of caged Edinburgh crime kingpin Mark Richardson who is a long-standing ally of Glasgow's notorious Daniel clan. Word quickly spread through the underworld that McGill - at that time virtually unknown to the public - was the ambitious and furious mobster behind a wave of attacks across Scotland. 12 Mark Richardson and his allies have been targeted by Ross McGill 12 McGill is behind a wave of attacks targeting gangland hoods across Scotland Initially he was only referred to by the nickname Miami and the watching world got a glimpse into the luxury lifestyle he was living when a picture emerged of him grinning behind the wheel of a white Rolls Royce. He is among scores of gangsters who have fled to the UAE where they can rake in millions and live a life Scots back in the schemes where they came from can only dream off. There is no extradition treaty between Dubai and UK authorities so villains can enjoy the fruits of their ill-gotten gains, living a seemingly untouchable life of luxury. They spend their days living in fire star hotels under blistering sunshine, driving supercars and yachts, enjoying champagne lifestyles, mixing in nightclubs with beautiful women and social media influencers who show off to their millions of followers. 12 Ross McGill, nicknamed Miami, poses in the back of a luxury Rolls Royce But peel back the veil of glitz and the glamour and there is an uglier world of drug dealing and violence that fuels the gangsters' greed. It doesn't play out in Dubai where the notoriously strict authorities there don't tolerate trouble but in Scotland where a stream of willing foot soldiers have been doing McGill's dirty work. It has resulted in months of carnage across Glasgow and Edinburgh and sparked in a wave of police raids and more than 30 arrests, before McGill's true identity was revealed. Sources say he uses Spanish connections to keep his hands clean of violence he orders in Scotland. Mobsters in Marbella are said by sources to have played a key role in identifying targets and recruiting foot soldiers to carry out McGill's instructions. It's claimed the Costa Del Sol hoods linked to the notorious Lyons gang have been heavily involved in plotting against members of bitter enemies from the Daniel crime family. Leading figures based in the sunshine bolthole include Steven Lyons, 44, and Ross Monaghan, 43, along with other convicted mobsters operating from Spain. 12 Mob boss Steven Lyons 12 Hood Ross Monaghan is also operating out of Spain 12 Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel's family have been ruthlessly targeted by hoods working for McGill Credit: Spindrift The Scottish Sun unmasked and named the bearded and charismatic hood who sources say has set his sights on becoming Scotland's number one gangster. There have been claims of attempted truce talks initiated by heavies sympathetic to Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel whose family have been ruthlessly targeted by mobsters working for McGill. He has rebuffed any efforts to end the chaos and is said to have the backing of the Daniels' long-standing enemies in the Lyons crime family. Evidence of McGill's determination to make his mark as a ruthless leader not to be crossed was reinforced on Monday when three thugs following orders stormed a garage in East Kilbride. The car repair firm in East Kilbride is run by convicted heroin dealer Robert Daniel, 50, who it's claimed was the main target for the trio who were armed with knives and machetes. Two other victims, aged 45 and 41, were on the receiving end of a bloodbath that resulted in both being rushed to hospital. There's no doubt McGill's meteoric rise has stunned Scotland and sources from the criminal underworld are warning of more carnage to come. A source said of McGill: "He is not the typical guy you would expect to be involved in organised crime, never mind at the top of the tree. "But he has charisma and can come across as a very affable and credible guy. "There's another side to him though and when you look closely you can see chaos in his eyes."
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Daily Record
Gangster Bonzo Daniel back in Glasgow as Dubai Mr Big's hitmen track every move
Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel is believed to have returned to Glasgow in recent weeks. Glasgow crime clan boss Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel has returned to Glasgow as underworld sources warn footsoldiers ordered to kill him are tracking his hood fled to the middle east last month after thugs working for a Dubai-based Mr Big orchestrating gang wars in Scotland firebombed his house in is at the top of Mr Big's list of high-profile targets and a £100k bounty has been placed on his head. He is wanted over his links to Edinburgh mob boss Mark Richardson, who sparked a feud with Mr Big after his cronies are understood to have ripped the gangster off in a £500k drug deal.A source told the Record Bonzo has been forced to return home to protect his family and business interests after they suffered a spate of targeted Rangers-daft hood has since been spotted at Ibrox and in Possilpark area of the city in recent weeks. The source said: " Bonzo is home and has been for the past few weeks."His return makes him the number one target for Mr Big's enforcers again since he is head of the Daniel clan at the moment."Mark Richardson is obviously up there as well, but he is inside, so Big wants Bonzo dead and his crew are desperate to claim his scalp."Big's henchmen, a faceless and fearless group called Tamo Junto (TMJ), are understood to be watching Bonzo's every move as they wait for the moment to strike. The source added: "They first learned he was back home when he was spotted at Ibrox at the Celtic game and then he was seen in Possilpark the following day, so they have been following him ever since. "They know everything about his movements and haven't ruled out going after him at a Rangers game, but attacking him at Ibrox with the amount of police there would be difficult." Bonzo doesn't take many risks. He apparently has a panic room in his house and he had steel bollards put in outside after a motor was rammed into it years ago."He even enters and exits his house through his garage after he parks his car."Scotland's ongoing gang war appeared to have settled in recent weeks, but the feud was reignited after Bonzo and Richardson's crews set up an Instagram page to unmask Mr Big, who the Record cannot name for legal reasons. The account, which shared the kingpin's passport photo, also branded him a "shitebag" and claimed he "ran away" from rivals after a chance encounter in Dubai. The source said the page enraged Big, who reacted by ordering fresh hits on his enemies and their close associates. On Tuesday, we reported that Bonzo's cousin Kelly 'Bo' Green's home on Drumchapel Road in Glasgow was attacked in the early hours of the morning. Kelly, 45, is the daughter of late kingpin Jamie Daniel and she is the widow of crime clam enforcer Kevin 'the Gerbil' Carroll who was famously shot dead in an Asda car park in Robroyston in 2010. Last week, a property on the same street as Richardson's family home was attacked. The house, located on Cumnor Crescent in Edinburgh, was targeted on Saturday night, with a female relative of Richardson's understood to still reside on the street. The extent of the damage to the property is currently days earlier, Tamo Junto claimed credit for targeting the plush Edinburgh home of his close pal David McMillan snr for the second time in three yobs wearing face coverings torched a luxury white Land Rover Defender in the driveway of the property after his family returned from a shopping source added: "Bonzo and Richardson's crowd have been circulating fake stories about Mr Big in Dubai."Mr Big is rarely seen in public because he knows the likes of the National Crime Agency will be out there watching him like a hawk. "All they are really doing is winding up Mr Big even more. Look what has happened in the last week and half since they created the fake social media page that identified him."This is going to go on for a long time, or at least until Mr Big can start claiming heads. Grudges in the underworld last forever and don't stop until either side is completely wiped out."
