The Skipper

I was at school with Doogie

Very good assessment and I would agree with the majority of that.

I guess that's hard to call. Some, especially kids, will want the authentic looking top complete with logo. I think older folks would prefer it without logo.

Sorry but you're leaving with BFH, Bus Fare Home.

This must be the only time that an SPL side finishes one season and starts the new season with a completely new side from 1-11. The only saving grace is that every other side, apart from Celtic, are struggling to hold onto players as well. Continuity will be key this coming season and we could see one of the perceived smaller sides doing really well if they keep the nucleus of their team together. It must be a struggle for the club to entice season ticket holders to renew their memberships when the fans have no idea what team will be put out this coming season.

I was saddened to read of Peter's death. He was a real gent off the pitch and hard as nails on it.

My old man was one of the 136,000

No brainer really if stories regarding Sheffield United's finances are true.

Looks like Keith's wearing driving gloves. A blast back to the days when goalkeepers actually caught the ball and not punched / flapped the thing back out. How the goalkeepers today can catch the ball with those oven gloves they wear is anybody's guess. The football is like a balloon now and it's unlikely to hurt their hands!

Noted the attendance was a dismal 7,500. We are trying to consolidate second place and playing at home to the champions and the fans can't be arsed turning up. When you consider that this fixture used to have over 20,000 attending you realise Scottish football is in a very bad place. Sad times.

White shorts

Great result!

Mensing was a strange one. He always played well against us. We signed him and he was (in the main) mince. Forever after to be known as Simon Mincing.

Can't see us getting a result to be honest. They played so well in a great semi and I think we will get pumped unfortunately.

I'm over from Dubai and will be at the game. Hope I don't jinx the team! 2-1 to the 'Well

Sad news indeed and glad that he took some comfort from communicating with fellow fans on this forum. It's a lovely gesture from Gaag too. RIP

Arthur Montford - "the ball was bobbing around like a cork on a pond".

I can vouch for Cleland Estate. It had fantastic facilities. We had at least two teams in every year and sometimes three but even back in my day the amateur teams competed against the schools for the best players. I was asked by the headmaster not to compete in the European Youth Cup and play for the school instead as it clashed on the same Saturday. When I refused I was banned from the school team for the rest of the season. Headmaster couldn't be convinced that it was a great opportunity to be 'noticed'.

Our game will only improve if the standard of players we have improves dramatically. I'm not talking one or two per generation but wholesale change where there are plenty of really good young players. Unfortunately I just can't see that happening. There is no evidence, that I can see, that the grass roots of the game has changed significantly to ensure we have future Law's, Baxter's, Johnstone's, Dalglish's etc. There is a malaise surrounding football in Scotland and the game is competing for the attention of aspiring young players against much more than was available when I was a boy. In those days everyone was outside playing football in all weathers and whether or not they were any good. I look at kids playing football now and the facilities that are available (indoors at Ravenscraig sports centre for example) and I would have given anything to have had those facilities growing up. We still had better players in my genreration than now despite the lack of decent playing facilities. There are two excellent pitches at Calder Park which are going to ruin. If they were turfed they would provide really good playing surfaces to play on but the investment money is not there. I was really dismayed to see the deterioration of Calder Park when I visited late last year but that's another story albeit linked to lack of money. Closing Calder Primary is another tragedy but now I'm just venting frustration about all the things I see which are wrong in my opinion. Maybe I'm too nostalgic and seeing things through rose tinted glasses when I rememeber my youth but I don't think so.

We should accept that some people who post on this board are not very intelligent. Does that sound condescending? Perhaps, but maybe the people who find it so are the same people that post the bile and shout useless *unt at players. Nobody deserves that abuse in any form of employment but it seems to be acceptable because we’ve paid our money and we’re entitled to our opinion. Everyone gets upset if we feel that someone is having a bad game or not doing what seems obvious to everyone sitting in the stands. However, we all know how much easier the game looks from there. Anyone who has ever played will understand that you don’t always see the obvious pass, gap or the onrushing opponent from behind. The term ‘Supporter’ to me means exactly that. Proper supporters get behind their team and encourage when things are not going so well. Try it some time and you may be surprised at the outcome.

Yes, another one for the cup semi game game against Rangers. The game was in the bag until the referee gave them a penalty for an infringement against Derek Johnstone. There was only two things wrong with the decision. DJ dived and the tackle took place outside the box IIRC.

Surely safety comes first against any criteria and decision making. If the stadium is as bad as is suggested it should be an economical decision based on repair against new. This has to be addressed regardless of how much it costs as safety is paramount.

Cult heroes. Joe Wark - Just because he is a Well hero! Wullie Pettigrew - Do I need to elaborate? Wullie McVie - Kicked the ground instead of the ball when taking a free kick. (almost broke his toe) Jackie McInally - The slowest player ever to wear the claret and amber! Gregor Stevens - Possible the dirtiest player to wear the claret and amber! Keith McCrae - Sold to Man City for 100k which was an enormous sum and I think a record at the time for a keeper. John Goldthorpe - The walking clothes hanger!

I was one of those souls on that magical night.

A lot of people travelled from around the world for the SC final as it was the first in 20 years and the fact that the date is known in advance and people can plan vacations or business trips around that date. I would guess that tavelling from different countries for a midweek Europa League game is not high on most ex-pats travel plans.