Kmcalpin

Rightly or wrongly the club and its management are clearly focusing on the Cup Final to the detriment of the league campaign. After the break, overtaking Killie was always going to be a steep uphill struggle. and I guess that the club quickly realised this. I agree though that this doesn't make for good spectating and fans have a right to think they're being short changed. As for team selections and tactics, the squad has individual fitness problems as we all know. SM is clearly in the best position to decide who is fit and who isn't, who needs a rest and who needs match practice. Whilst I didn't agree with all SM's selection/tactial isuses yesterday or indeed in the Rangers game he will have had his reasons for taking them. I'm confident that come the big day the team will be as prepared it can be and thats all we can ask. One thing that did annoy me yesterday was that United, although they knew what was happening, continued putting the boot in even after they were 3-0 up. There really was no need for it and it could have cost us big time.

Thats fair comment. I went to yesterday's game pretty well knowing how things would turn out, even if I couldn't predict the actual scoreline. However there were genuine travelling fans who expected a competitve game and that was never going to happen. Wednesday night? Our biggest hope of a "competitive" match is if Killie decide 5th place has already been sealed and decide to rotate players. Otherwise a single goal or 2 goal loss is on the cards. Our best hope of making a fight of things is if Stuart MCall plays fringe players like Bob McHugh or Jonathan Page and tells them to prove themselves for next season.

Pretty much my thoughts. I was at today's game and it pretty much turned out how I expected. Very similar circumstances to last week's game. United had everything to play for and knew that 3 points would not be enough - they had to score goals; they were boosted by the Hearts result; they had two big chips on their shoulder; and were at full strength. On the other hand we had nothing to play for; were forced to fulfill a fixture we didn't want; wanted to rest players; those who were picked didn't want to get involved or injured. The players themselves won't be affected by the result. They know fine well some of their experienced colleagues were rested and they'll know full well that they pulled out of challenges they would normally win. No injuries today in a potentially extremely dangerous fixture and thats about all that matters. It doesn't make for good spectating though. Little of significance in playing sense. Some odd selections and formations (Jeffers on own up front; Murphy on left and Jones on right); and an absolute shocker of a ref. Some fringe players did themselves no good, when they should have been trying to prove themslves for next season. I can see Wednesday's game being played in a similar vein. I know that others may not agree but I'm relaxed. The Final is all that matters now and the players and management know that.

This game could be a repeat of our last 2 games. A meaningless fixture in which our main aim is to rest our best players and avoid injury for those who do. We may not like it but thems are the facts.

Good survey but I would have liked one more question included about the provision being made in the league schedule for the Old Firm to play money spinning friendlies thereby disrupting league fixtures.

Yes, don't hang around if you don't receive your reminder - contact the club PDQ.

X 2. In his second season with us he was totally anonymous in crunch games and only performed in flashes throughout the season.

Credit card surcharges are commonly used by travel agents, tradesmen, insurabnnce companies, airlines, and concert organisers. Why are football clubs any different? Rarely many complaints about this practice on Compost Corner.

Theres mention of a modest discount on the Official site.

Whether we like it or not yesterday was the "perfect storm". One side going flat out for the title, knowing that goal difference could be critical and the other side just looking to keep fit and avoid injuries. No, of course the players didn't want to get hammered but they'll know themselves the reasons why. The final will be a different ball game - the lads will know they've got to fire on all cylinders and will be pumped up for for it. Not pretty spectating I agree but thems are the facts.

I'd far rather that Jennings, Lasley and Co didn't go steaming into challenges and end up with damaged ligaments or bruised ribs and made the final than go steaming in as they usually would and pick up heavy knocks that could put them out of the final. Rangers have a huge sqaud, despite what the media would have you believe and can afford to chop and change. A cup final win is far more important than holding Rangers to a draw and trailing Killie by one less point.

Quite relaxed about the scoreline today although that doesn't mean I liked it. For many players the Cup Final will be one of the biggest games of their careers and their minds were clearly on that. This was no day to pick up injuries, particualrly in a meaningless game competition wise. Our play was characterised by bottling out of challenges and a desire not to get involved. Quite understandable and if I'd been a player I'd have done exactly the same. If we had a fault its that Stuart McCall didn't give some fringe players like Page, McHugh and Forbes a starting slot. They would have had a point to prove. The ref did is no favours and gifted Rangers 2 goals including the first. He booked Jeffers but failed to book Bougherra for 2 similar offences. Should Lafferty have gone? Yes - if not for a straight red then for 2 yellows. The players won't be too upset and neither should we be. We've all bigger fish to fry.

If you're only looking for a single seat it shouldn't be too difficult. However, you'll find most of the best seats have been taken. If opting for the East or POD Stand, be careful that there are no pillars obscuring your view. I've been caught like that before.

Lets hope folk post on here what shops/businesses display C & A, those that dipslay green and white and those that refuse to display our colours. It'll help to inform us where to take our business in future.

Yes, the club could lose a few fans. If PATG fans are disdvantaged then yes a few will be so brassed off they'll never come back. Likewise if ST holders were to be hacked off a few of them would thow away their tickets in disgust. A few fans will also get tickets no doubt and still be so brassed off with the process they'll never return either. As others have said the club will not please everyone. Its been mentioned on this thread that Supporters Clubs will get tickets through the Association and thats entirely right.

Thats the rub. How far does the club's records go back? I don't doubt that information from recent years will be reasonably accurate, but what if a lapsed ST holder last bought their ticket in say 1999 or 1980? Is ticking the appropriate box proof enough? Good idea in principle but not quite sure how relevant this will be in practice.

Yes, in an earlier post it mentioned that the Supporters Association would receive an allocation. Thats perfectly fair I think.

The demand then will not be as great as it is now. Not everyone got their tickets but most did. Quite a few Rangers fans in our end some even brazen enough to wear RFC tops. We didn't get a 50/50 allocation.

Agree mate. I hope thats what happens.

That would be my guess. I'm sure Falkirk was allocated about 16,000 tickets a year or two back. Say there are 8,000 corporate tickets, we get 16,000 and Celtic get 28,000.

A possible idea, although not without its problems, is to limit "open" sales to personal callers with a voucher from a season ticket book - hopefully most fans without a ST could obtain a voucher from a season ticket holding acquaintance. Such a system would be ST holder verified by proxy.

The main issue for me is to prevent Celtic fans getting their hands on tickets to the detriment of our own support. They were not weeded out from our support in 2005 by the Police / stewards and they will not be weeded out in the final. As has been said many times before, the answer is some kind of database. I would hope that the club has some such mechanism in place built up from season ticket sales, the club's email list, Euro games, Trust & Association membership, and big game sales. Could they be cross checked against Celtic's ST database? Perhaps also "open applications" could be verified by ST holders/Trust/Association although this may be just too complicated to operate.

Exactly. Lets just wait and see shall we until details are released. Too early to start putting the boot into the club. I'm sure Leeann and her colleagues are well aware of the issues.

A good idea in theory but it would be open to too much abuse, leading to loss of income.

The club holds details of those fans who have registered for the site and who receive official emails right? Could work be done to establish which of them don't have season tickets and they could then be emailed a numbered voucher(s)?