Goggles & Flippers

I was one of the first posters on the AndyP thread, I couldn't take it in at first a we'd been speaking so freely the day before. The African summed up my feelings in a particularly eloquent post. Where my own had none, his echoed where I was in a thread that must can only be a comfort to his family. Today it was announced in that thread that poster Madwullie also passed away. I initially thought a mere "that's sad" not recalling much interaction with him on here. As the thread progressed and it was revealed that Madwullie had a real name beyond his avatar as we all do, and it was one that was familiar, very familiar. Of course you want to check things and make sure you're not jumping the gun, however growing sense of foreboding hit me like a juggernaut as I searched P&B where his posting was more prolific. Graeme was for about 3 or 4 years was my closest childhood friend. I'd have sleepovers at his house, his bedroom a loft conversion that I mimicked in my own place years later. His mum serving pizza's still cold in the middle for week upon week because she didn't notice there were two oven cooking times, defrosted and from frozen. He didn't want to upset her so we ate it grim as it was on beyond the second chomp from the crust. Playing John Madden NFL and I recall hearing the roar from FP through his open velux window that carried further at night in the dark. I recall us both as 14 year olds getting the giggles in the back of a car getting run home when another friends dad lost it with his son. Trying to stifle our laughter made the Dad's behaviour even more erratic, FYI it is possible to get to 60mph along Cameron Street before you have to break at Hamilton Road .... just. We drifted when he went to Braidhurst and I went to Dalziel but were in the BB's together and were part of a group of 4 that went all the way from Bronze to Gold Duke of Edinburgh. At 15 doing the Bronze we got disorientated and lost in the Ochils in 10m visibility and horizontal rain. We followed our training and erected our tent and got in, started blowing a whistle 6 times a minute as protocol. It of course was far too soon, one of our friends broke down and started crying for his mum. Graeme and I again stifled our laughter while cooried in our sleeping bags but the friend must have seen our shoulders bouncing and the whistle blows descend into a series of squeaks as it was impossible to purse lips. I went to Strathclyde and Graeme to Glasgow, he opted for a different social scene to me I'd sometimes see him other than the melee at 16:50 in the streets outside FP and we'd nod and exchange banal small talk. We engaged meaningfully for the first time in about 10 years in the dentist's waiting room about 4 or 5 years ago. We discussed playing golf (with the guy who cried for his mum, I'm still close to him and owe him more for different reasons than I can convey on here). Graeme was incredibly quick witted, playful, mischievous, inventive, well read and coined many a catchphrase. I gravitated towards him because there would always be a laugh. He would roast you if you ever did, wore or said something worthy of it. But he never doubled down, once you got it he ensured the group moved on to someone else to everyone got their fair share. One of the side effects of my coma is I've oddly became more emotional, I've been pretty stoic in life till now having had to deal with a lot of loss myself. I have been "semi" fortunate that my losses have all been from those older which, in life, is expected. This is the first person from my peer group that I know has passed and it is very sobering. This news just hit me for six. I think it emphasises that Carpe Diem is good mantra to adopt but it only has pertinence if you actually engage in it. I wish I arranged that game of golf as much as I am angry I didn't walk across Fir Park Road to recognise the man I was sure was Andy P (but not sure enough) to shake his hand and thank him for the favour he did me. I think it's fitting that this is my last post on here. A culmination of losing two well respected people and being subject to some cowardly behaviour by another individual hiding under the shroud of anonymity. Thanks to Yabba for his endeavours. For those of you who'd like to donate in his memory, Woody now has a Just Giving page started by those on P&B and it's already up over £2,000. Just Giving Page - Woody

I don’t many on here would have been happy with Moult advising Wrexham that David Turnbull was worth a punt

The mugs are everyone who buys a product advertised on a pitchside hoarding, behind an interviewed player in the tunnel or subscribes to Sky, Premier Sports and/or BT. I'd say it has a very stable foundation built on pretty much assured TV income. The reasons Moult would come here are: history, I'd argue his fondest memories playing football thus far, familiarity and TV exposure. At Burton he is close to home, wife happy, family close, commensurate or higher wages. Motherwell was sold as a stepping stone and both parties honoured their side of the bargain. His obvious affection such as turning up to matches and sitting in the stands is testament to the affinity that goes both ways. The only reason we could have been considered in the running for his signature is due to his injury, otherwise we'd have to wait till he was 30+.

Trying to get my head round this, was only speaking to him on here a couple of days ago. True loss of measured views, always fair and always strived to include as many on here as possible. Fitting that he "won the day" for his last post on his last day. Frazzie, I'm sure you'll pass on the groundswell of sympathy that will grow on here to the family. If there are plans for something to commemorate him in any way please advise.

He If he told you, he'd have to kill you Nope

Doubt it, St Mirren's current signing policy seems to be "Have you ever bought a baguette from Upper Crust? .... Aye? .... Yer in"

Would this be a good time to remind all those interested that there’s a SOL Euro’s fantasy league? Download the official app and it’s free.

She did blame him for all her woe's, must be a thruple, they're very in vogue

Ha, well as we had so few it can only be Tony Watt

Well he does hold all his UEFA pro licences. ..........

I have confidence in GA and Chris Lucketti's knowledge and contacts to find a few gems here. Bear in mind the club's performance dept (regardless of manager) keep tabs on certain players using stats software and just from seeing them perform. Emphasis will be placed on identified players on how they will adapt to the managers prefered system and style of play. Some high up the list for Robinson may be way down for Alexander. However I'll temper that statement with its probably how we acquired Lawless and gave him 18 months on the books. The only thing that I think puts a spanner in works is GA's stock must be pretty high. Salford promoted and then he was pumped out when seemingly doing OK, 3rd best record in the SPFL since he took over only behind the OF. Therefore if he has been tapped or will be before deadline day he may keep some players to himself to take elsewhere (depending on the level).

Issue here is Andy all of them in theory we can't compete with and outwith our hands. Kelly is contracted to QPR, Cole to a team that just missed out on the Premier League, Campbell wishing to get a decent payday after seeing many of his colleagues from the youth setup move on for decent wedge despite the fact he was one of the most talented. The only one you cite is the centre half, who should have been on the books this summer and a move would have resulted in cash to spend elsewhere.

Almost as predictable as you coming on here to play your broken record on this subject. Why you insist that what transpired is fully legit and all parties are without reproach without written affidavits from all sides and an Mi5 surveillance sting operation is the other side of the coin. What would you need to change these from baseless to believable? The subject has been covered at length in other threads. He agreed on a deal, got a wage increase, changed his mind, tried to engineer a move, renegotiated and contract end date changed. A 10 year old playing Cluedo could put all the clues together for a plausible timeline of events. Essentially his actions meant we lost out on a decent potential transfer fee (however would he have been pursued if it was attached to his signature?). I accept the alternative was having a petulant wean playing centre half till next summer. When it quacks like a duck, floats like a duck, looks like a duck and is called Daffy ...... it's probably a fucking duck.

That statement is doing a disservice to him as a player, his ambition and what potential he has. Didn't see anyone saying James Scott couldn't cut it at Hull. To suggest staying here over a team at the top of the Championship may have been a valid shout in 1995 but not today. I'm sure he weighed up the significant upping in standard, the wage increase, the proximity to where he grew up/family over mid table mediocrity here in a league where you won't win it and you're limited to hoping for a decent (and fortuitous) cup run.

Long and short is he reneged on a deal and he and his representatives acted far from professionally. The Euro compo will be a fraction of what we could have got if he was under contract till next summer. I think Aberdeen would have easily found 300k which would be 4x what we will get under this recobble. Prick is getting booed