Papac quits Light Blues

There is a lot of loyalty at Ibrox, says Rangers manager

Scotland's triple Olympic silver medallist Katherine Grainger and her partner, Anna Watkins, came through their opening heat in this weekend rowing World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, in commanding style yesterday.

Grainger and Watkins were never headed and crossed the line more than two seconds up on the German double scullers, with the top Chinese crew finishing third.

This was the much faster of the two heats in the event, with the British crew's time being eight seconds speedier than the Czech winners of the other heat.

Grainger and Watkins now progress directly to tomorrow's final.

Lossiemouth's Heather Stanning also won her opening heat with pairs partner Helen Glover, cruising across the line over seven seconds ahead of secondplaced the Netherlands. Two US crews won the other two heats in the women's pairs category.

Inverness's Imogen Walsh and her partner Andrea Denis had to recover from a poor start to finish fourth in their heat. They now go to rowing's secondchance repechage race today but the bad news for them in their quest for Olympic selection is that their heat was won by the other British crew in the event. Ally Mccoist has conceded the prospect of players w a l k i n g away from Rangers under a newco scenario would be a devastating blow for the club.

Defender Sasa Papac will depart Ibrox this summer following six seasons at the club and he could soon be followed by others.

Administrators have named American businessmanbillmiller as preferred bidder to take over the Light Blues.

His plan is to create an “incubator” company while Duff and Phelps bid to take the club out of administration through a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart warned last month that Bosnian defender Sasa Papac, 32, will leave Rangers when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The left back has yet to find a new club, but has confirmed he will quit Ibrox after six years. He said: “After six seasons of playing for Rangers, the time has come for me to Rangers players may be able to leave for free if a new company is formed to take over the club’s assets.

Butmccoist stressed not all players would necessarily opt to quit Ibrox even if they had the choice. leave my place for someone younger who will be able to contribute to new successes at the club with passion and zest.”

Papac was signed by Paul Le Guen from Austria Vienna in 2006 and is the longest serving senior player apart from goalkeeper Allan Mcgregor.

The Light Blues manager said: “It would be a devastating blow if it happened. But we are all assuming, if there’s a possibility that the players can leave, that they will do that. That might not be the case.”

He added: “There are a lot of players here who love playing for the club and appreciate what the club is all about. Never underestimate that.

“There are a good few boys here who have grown up with the club and know what the club is all about.

“It’s maybe not just as straightforward as a lot of people would think. Not all footballers justwantto take a fast buck.

“Footballers are intelligent enough to understand that they have to look after themselves and their families — of course they do.

“But to suggest there is absolutely no loyalty at all among football players is totally wrong.”

Rangers host Motherwell today in their final home game of what has been a turbulent season, with a lack of auefa licence meaning third-placed Well will replace the Ibrox side in the Champions League qualifiers.

Mccoist said: “I’m delighted for Stuart Mccall and the staff and the players. Motherwell are a great club and they are in the Champions League and it’s wonderful.

“Never mind the reasons and saying that our problems have helped them get there. That’s obviously the case, but, at the same time, they deserve to be there.”

Motherwell have a full squad for the trip to Ibrox.