weeyin

As the club mentioned at the time, it took us over 6 months to negotiate the deal for McKinstry, and both of the clubs were very keen to work things out amicably. It's just a slow process once the lawyers get involved. I presume that rather than go with a one-time feem we have tried to negotiate some sell-ons for Hastie (at the expense of lowering the initial payment owed), but Rangers are either dragging their heels or not playing ball. Regardless of the reason, the authorities have more power than HMRC to make them pay up either our agreed fee or one they calculate, as they simply cancel his registration until the cash is coughed up.

Aye, Rangers don't let us share the broadcast for MFC TV. As it's not being shown live on TV, I expect any stream will be the Rangers TV commentary - so probably a good day for the mute button.

I can somewhat understand the formation and the idea we need to keep it tight at the back, but a little concerned we have nobody wide for the out ball - unless the expectation is Long will play that role.

I just hope the players are more confident that we are.

We finished 8th that season. 8 points behind Dunfermline, won less than half the points that Rangers did and ended up on the same points as Hibs who went into the relegation playoff (thanks to a goal difference 6 worse than our -11 tally).

No point in trying to use tactics that involve players we don't have (and from teams below us in the league). We are at our best when we counter with pace, stretch the fullbacks and hit the bye-line for crosses. It needs to start from a solid defensive performance, though, and we have a track record of leaking goals in the first 10 minutes in this fixture and never catching up. I suspect it will be more of the same this time, but one of these days they will surprise me.

In recent times I'm sure it's contractual rather than practical i.e. we need to wear our change kit a minimum of 8 times a season, or similar. Another reason teams used to change kit in the 60s and 70s was when they were televised and wanted to make it easier to distinguish in black and white. I remember that even after all the games were in televised in colour on STV, it took Grampian a few years to get colour cameras; so Aberdeen game highlights on Scotsport were black and white for a while.

Donnelly and Carroll should certainly help. However, we seem incapable of getting a league win at Ibrox and I'd be amazed if that changed at the weekend.

We've had a few players over the years that struggled to initially make the step up to the tempo and intensity of the league - resulting a string of niggling injuries. Some, like Gorrin, work through it and make the grade. Others, like Newell can't seem to stay injury-free.

Polworth, Campbell and Donnelly for starters, I would think.

From memory, when it used to be the home side that changed kit, I'm pretty sure I have seen us change it against Arbroath, Dundee Utd, Aberdeen, Partick Thistle, Hearts, East Fife and Stenhousemuir (in a Scottish Cup game). I have a feeling we changed against Dumbarton when they had a predominately yellow shirt, but I might be misremembering that. I'm sure we also changed against Albion Rovers in the Lanarkshire Cup. The changes against Hearts, Dundee Utd and Aberdeen in particular didn't seem to be consistent and if you look on Youtube you'll see games against them where neither side changed and other games during the same period where a change was made.

Don't get me started on the present day trend of preferring full backs who can attack and cross a ball over full backs that can cover and tackle. It's rare you get a player like Joe Wark that is excellent at both, and I definitely prefer my full backs to make good defending their priority.

Who should have played at left back on Saturday?

Keep Turnbull and sell Polworth for £4 million. Sorted.

Because he was asked to wait 2 minutes for an assessment on Hartley.

Aberdeen score while we are down to 10 men with Hartley off for treatment with head injury. Maguire stepping back to centre half, and losing out to Cosgrove. (And we were a bit naive in keeping possession when we went to 10 men). Has all the hallmarks of "one of those games" already with a missed pen and short handed goal.

First viewing thought it was a clear pen. Second viewing not sure. Bright start, though.

Any success in any league is "relative". That's exactly how leagues work.

I think we must injure more players during breaks that any other team in Scotland. Seems like after every international break we end up with more players out of action.

We have a decent record against them in recent games, but they are usually quite tight affairs. Part of me thinks that if we keep our level of performance as high as the past few matches we should win this one. The other part of me thinks that there's no way Aberdeen can play as poorly again as they did against Hibs.

And also his old Liverpool team mate that he brought to the club - Bobby Graham. Graham / Pettigrew is easily the best striking partnership I've had the pleasure to watch at Fir Park.

He probably will as, sooner or later, I expect the last cup winning team to be voted in as a bloc.

I'd vote for Joe, but these things are all age dependent. Ian St. John had moved to Liverpool before I started going to games, but he is another good shout. And about half the fans who are younger than me will be thinking Tommy Coyne or Faddy, no doubt.

I swear FIFA would allow paid transfers between countries if they could get away with it.

Clarke is such a big fan of Gallagher he's trying to get an English centre half to change nationality and play for Scotland.