"The monkeys start to squeal, lie and create conspiracy plots" - Scottish Football 2012/13

Agreed, my wider point was that I thought he'd foregone a potential Scotland career, and it turns out he hasn't (also gratuitous dig at shortsightedness of all Scotland managers ever). Can't see him maintaining it while slogging in the 3rd, though.

AG, I think you're being massively unfair on Scotland fans.

no, just the kilted ginger wig piss up artists who usually see the football as ruining good days out on the piss

Darren Fletcher off the bench in the Neil Simpson testimonial game tonight. Nice to see him making a bit of a recovery.

Gary Caldwell in midfield :-( This is never a good thing - surely you'd have a look at Black instead since you've got him there, no?

Charles Green: Rangers debts to Scottish clubs settled in full

Dundee United: um,where's our money?

It reminds me of The Office, when Michael Scott declares bankruptcy by just walking into the office and shouting "I declare bankruptcy!". Just saying it doesn't make it so, you actually have to do something like, y'know, actually pay of all your debts to Scottish clubs.

You'd think, having had their credibility burned with the "wealth off the radar" pish, that the assorted monkeys would pick a phone up and check some facts, eh?

Hail the new dawn of Scottish football! 3-1 against the ozzies, thanks to an awkward OG, and some at-times-almost-entertaining play.

did you watch it then? if so how did Jordan Rhodes look?

Only saw it from about a minute before the o.g. but didn't look too bad. Crowd not taking too kindly to Ian Black.

Meant the game didn't look too bad. Only saw five minutes of Rhodes' involvement before he was subbed off.

Yeah, Rhodes looked good. It was obvious anything was going to come from either him or Snodgrass in the first half. Both looked much more lively than I'm used to seeing in a Scotland squad.

Thought McCormack looked good from what I saw too - all looked so much better than the usual "lump it up to Kenny Miller" shite. Now if we can just stop this Caldwell in midfield pish when you have actual real midfielders in your squad, then I'm going to stop slagging Levein off too much (apart from his appearance, seriously, mate, you look like a trampy version of Rab McGlinchey).

Yeah, a lot more coherency, like people actually anticipating through balls, making early runs, keeping it on the ground and passing patiently when there's not much on. There was still plenty of the trademark desperate panic, in case anyone worries the Scotland we know and love is being replaced by competency.

btw, getting really ratty with guys I follow (Celtic fans) on Twitter going "it's OK to boo Ian Black because he's a Rangers player/thug". It is not OK to boo your own player. I get really cross with people who do it at Celtic players, and I get really cross with people who do it at Scotland players. Some dude was all "but England fans boo John Terry", but there's a massive difference between being a racist cnut and being a bloke on the fringes of the Scotland squad consciousness who got a call-up from the 3rd division. FFS, I have gone mental cheering Barry Ferguson and Kenny Miller and Steven Naismith goals when they're playing for Scotland, and I generally hate the sight of the three of them. I even cheered (well, laughed) when Kirk Broadfoot scored!

I am no fan of Ian Black, though I think there's a player in there somewhere. But I just hate hearing boos from the crowd, even during a friendly.

Bah, I was told that me and my dad could have two free tickets in the main stand for any Ross County home game in the SPL this season (my dad's mates with a guy on the board), turns out that my dad's mate forgot to mention the "except against Celtic" proviso :(

Still, heading up for the weekend anyway, hopefully pick up a ticket outside as a 12.15 kick-off means there's bound to be guys who sleep in and miss their bus and if not my pal lives about five minutes away from the ground so we can just go round his house and watch it on the telly. Haven't been to the Global Energy Stadium Victoria Park since County were in the Highland League...

Feel for County, so close.

Absolute pish from Saints today. Already trying to work out who I can rely on to be worse this season. Don't let me down, Dundee.

This is a momentary blip in Hibs' downward trajectory, don't worry about it.

Before the season started I thought one of Hibs or Aberdeen would have a good season, but not both. Hope I'm not wrong there.

Will be at the Dundee derby tomorrow. Anyone else going?

There's an element of temptation to go to a Dundee derby (tomorrow sold out?) as I can walk to either ground, but I couldn't bring myself to pop up amongst either support I'm afraid. Definitely a good thing for Dundee.

Yeah, it's probably best that you didn't. We started okay, but rapidly dissolved into, quite frankly, terrible football. Good atmosphere though, and I got good and sunburnt.

Great result, scary first half, hands off Forster.

Presume someone'll start a euro thread before hearts v liverpool?

I hope to God someone on the board doesn't honestly think we have a squad to get through the Champions League group stages without at least 1x centre half who is (1) actually a centre half (2) not a foetus (3) not Kelvin Wilson. And preferably 2x strikers.

Scared already for the reappearance of the sieve at Celtic Park next Wednesday. Ah, massive foreboding sense of doom from a position of superiority, how I've missed you.

Hope sktsh got a ticket, much more entertaining game than I expected thus far.

No such luck Ailsa, but had a great time watching it all the same! Atmosphere looked and sounded amazing on the telly, and felt we were pretty unlucky not to come away with at least a draw. The young lad Patterson looks like a bit of a gem.

Celtic still in urgent need of a defence, but everything in front seemed pretty useful.

Another plucky point on the road for the SFL new boys. Extremely lucky that Mike Tumilty's eyes don't work.

So cheerio Mo Bangura. Only leaves Kelvin Wilson as "I can't believe he gets paid for this" fodder in the team now.

girfuy:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/rangers-chief-martin-bain-warns-1068224

Also, humble pie being scoffed in Coisty-sized portions as I found myself saying 'Kelvin Wilson's my man of the match'.

Away on hols on matchday 2, so expect us at home to Barca/Real/some English team.

Wait a minute, Rangers still think they can sign David Templeton. Why would you go from scoring at Anfield to playing in the 3rd division? Why? What's wrong with people?

Ha, some Rangers fans were saying that in the pub last night. I asked why on earth he would want to go to Rangers and was brushed off with 'it's been talked about before'. I mostly just let them get on with it - at this point it's like visiting your Gran, who keeps calling you your Dad's name and thinks she lives in a tenement that was demolished 30 years ago.

Are we really signing Paddy McCourt? Didn't see that coming.

BBC Scotland saying no truth in the rumour.

So Templeton is stupid enough to go to the third div...

Yeah, I really didn't think he would. oops.

Still, we're playing Hearts tomorrow, so probably works in our favour.

Much improved from Saints today, wasn't the most exciting game but I think the comments I've heard from the press about it were pretty harsh. Seems finishing remains our undoing, both Tade and Vine had chances that they fluffed. Pawlett looked lively, was happy to see that people wanted the ball, though Mannus and Mackay need to start paying more attention to their options. Was especially pleased that, unlike other times recently, Saints didn't allow themselves to be bullied or pushed around. I've long thought a big part of Utd's game, as with Hearts, is the physical gamesmanship. As a general thing I always get frustrated when players hold on to, or pretty much bear hug, their opponent. Disappointed not to have 3pts, 1 is probably fair, losing would have been harsh. Onwards and upwards.

Poor defensive work when it mattered for Celtic today, this Ambrose chap better be good. SPL a lot wider open than predicted (also Aberdeen v St Mirren lost me £20 on my 'both teams to score' coupon, bah shit strikers/decent defences' (delete as appropriate, no idea how it actually panned out).

* add closing bracket

I'd like to think the draws are an indication of a reasonably matched bunch of teams (i know, i know), where it'll be whover gets their head above the parapet that'll profit. Or something.

Hibs sound much improved over end of last season, no? Beginning to wonder if Fenlon isn't the donut he seemed.

Re Templeton: Hearts have put out a (slightly sour) statement saying he was desperate to go anywhere that payed big bucks, which T.A.F.K.A.Rangers are presumably doing. I'm really surprised he'd go to the third div though. Can't totally blame him for wanting to leave - just don't think this is the right move. On the other hand I don't think this is the worst move for us given the circumstances - he was out of contract in eight months, had made it clear he wouldn't renew, we got a bit of cash for him and in the short term we haven't sold him to a rival club (until newco are parachuted into the Bon Accord UltraPremier next season at least). He's been our best player by far this season so it's obviously a loss, but we do at least have some good replacements for his position (Novikovas, Driver if he can get back to form). Based on potential I'd rather have kept McGowan if I'd had to choose.

Just seems strange that no-one has told Templeton "you know that goal you scored away to Liverpool in Europe? You've just guaranteed that will be the high point of your career."

yeah talk about badly advised..

What's he been told? Getting Bocanegra off the wage bill for a year, signing actual decent players...looks like there's a future of some sort.

There's two ways this is going. Reconstruction to get TAFKAR into the SPL asap*, or "woops, sorry lads, you're decent players, you're better than Div 2**, we need to sell you, good luck an' that, why, thank you for your money, opportunistic buyer"

* still no Europe, but
** Div 3 if Sally continues in this vein

Yeah I imagine he's been promised the former, ie after this season you'll be in the nu-prem son.

Obvs keep in mind I'm massively bitter when it comes to a) losing our best player and b) being unable to fend off poaching by a team three leagues below us

good luck an' that, why, thank you for your money, opportunistic buyer

This should be the title of Minty Moonbeam's memoirs.

Ha! Agreed!

Prior to the start if the season I expected to see a resurgent Hibs or Aberdeen but not both. Point was made on Sportsound in their interview with Fenlon that there's only something like 4 players left that were there when he arrived.

That's a huge clearout. I'm not sure I could name many of the calderwood squad, mind..!

Super soaraway redtop has it that sally wanted zaliukas too. The guy's obsessed with hearts.

Good result for Dundee today! Our first win (and 2nd goal?). So what if it was a penalty, still pleased.