weeyin

It's obviously true that players can be injured on grass, but I think it's the nature of the inuries that are worth exploring. It seems that ACL and some joint inuries are more common on plastic - but without hard data, that might just be my bias. I agree that the biggest impact is the lack of entertainment. And given this is supposed to be an entertainment industry, the authorities should be responding to the paying spectators' and the players' concerns.

It's not easy to trap a pass when you don't know if the ball will bounce shin height or shoulder height. Regardless, I don't think there's any argument a good grass surface is better than a good palstic surface. So why not have the game played on the best available? At least in the top flight. And who knows if Russian players play on them without issue? I doubt there's much data available on injuries and recovery times from there. They used hybrids in the World Cup (which are basically grass) so FIFA - despite their claims - must think grass is better.

Same here. Since the day QPR tried the first one back in the day, they have all been terrible. The best one I have seen seems to be Alloa, and even those games were hard to watch.

Of course, the SPFL is going the opposite way, issuing a statement yesterday about the high quality of the plastic pitches and how they meet FIFA standards. I'm with the Players' Union on this. The pitch is a place of work, and if plastic is causing unnecessary risk of injury, it should be removed.

It's officially the Reserve League this season, replacing the Development League. There's a League 1 and League 2. Standings and fixtures on the SPFL web site, but not many other details. EDIT: a few details from the BBC

Apparently not. The new system means U18 us the oldest age group before "reserves", I believe. The reserve teams were implemented this year to appease the clubs who complained they either couldn't afford an U20s team and/or the teams who complained they had nowhere meaningful for their fringe squad players to get a game.

Hope he didn't injure himself with a miskick.

Of course what I was saying was a guess - although it is based on a lot of what the club, the manager and the Well Society have communicated over the past few seasons about our relative budgets, our rigid wage structure and how various loan deals have worked. And like I said, I wasn't a big fan of Sammon being signed - even though his goals were every valuable in the league cup group. I don't think he's complete shite either, though. Just average. I'd rather we had signed someone that offered something a bit different, rather than more of the big, strong, hard running variety. Last season Bowman scored 10 in 42 games, Main 9 in 30 (for us and Portsmouth) and Sammon 10 in 37 games. I'd say that is a pretty mediocre return from all 3. We need someone up top who is closer to the 20 goal mark and it seems we are pinning that role on Johnson - that's a big ask.

1) Standard practice is that loan deals involve the lending club paying a portion of the salary. No reason to think we broke with that practice or busted our wage structure for a backup striker. 2) I never claimed he was good or that I wanted him to sign (as my posts at the time will show). But I'm pretty sure he was signed as a backup to Main, Bowman and Johnson. The only reason he started games in the League Cup was because Johnson wasn't near fitness, Main looked like he forgot he was a footballer and Bowman got crocked. 3) When did arguments start happening in lists? 4) Ten reasons George Newell will end up on the treatment table. You won't believe number six!

How much would you like to pay for the 4th choice starter? Should it be more or less than Newell? Would you prefer we paid a full time, full wage to warm the bench most weeks? And I didn't say Hartley had played a decent 90 minutes yet, (but keep arguing against a different point to the one I made - it usually means you know it's valid). There were posters on here saying Hartley was finished and how there's no such thing as match fit and he should be on top form after 7 months out. He is obviously improving from a physical and match-fitness perspective. That shouldn't suprise anyone who has ever watched professional football before, but the usual knee-jerk posts suggest otherwise.

Kenny Miller's lack of professionalism means he has been dropped by his last 3 managers at Rangers for disciplinary reasons, kicked out the club for behaving like a wean, and fallen out with his most recent employers (under the guise of the playing vs managing conflict, but anyone with half a brain will know that arrangement would have been agreed long before the contract was signed). And all the time while his wife tweets about how unfair it is that her man should have to behave like an adult. No thanks.

Sammon was brought in as cover. He started a few games because guys like Main and Johnson weren't fit enough to start. He will be a cheap option because Hearts will be paying a chunk of his wages. Main, Bowman, Johnson (and Tanner when he's fit) will all likely be ahead of him. He'll be fine as a 4th choice. No need to waste money on someone else. Plus he's not as bad as people would try and make out. The same people who told us in the last couple of weeks that Hartley was obviously not going to be the same player again because he had 7 months to get fit and had lost it. And that Main was a half season wonder and now reverted to type.

I'm guessing he is more interested in playing than managing at this stage in his career. Was surprised he took that gig and fully expect to see him topping up his retirement fund soon.

So you're predicting we face Lafferty in our semi against Rangers?

Do the League Cup groups not count any more?

They beat us 1 - 0 at home and drew with us 1 - 1. No argument from me that they had a great home record. They just happen to be one of those teams we match up against quite well.

They beat us once last season, 1 - 0. We beat them twice and there was a 1 - 1. They are a good side, but their style suits our style.

If someone sold them this as "state of the art" they were conned. From what I have seen on TV, teams like Alloa have better plastic. Not great plastic, but better than Accies, Killie or Livi.

That's why he was giving his opinion. Did you not get that?

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as intentionally missing the point in a feeble trolling effort. You must upset that Frear put in a decent shift again.

If we had Tanner, Cadden, Dunne, Grimshaw and Bowman out last season - and then lost Hartley during the game - we'd have struggled to win this one; never mind be able to give Campbell a rest. We can argue the toss about the new signings, but today showed we at least have a depth we didn't have at key points last season. I'm sure Robinson knows Johnson looks like a starter, but it sounds like he doesn't have 90 minutes in him yet.

Extra time first in the Betfred. (Unlike the Carabao one down south). And you can keep your "PKs" in Texas!

8 shots at goal, 6 on target, according to the Beeb. That is pleasingly uncharacteristic compared to our recent efforts.

It's almost like getting the new players fit and then playing them is a viable strategy.

On the bright side, maybe Livi's "pitch" will be the push the SPFL needs to ban plastic from the top flight.