Buy This Book - It Is A Cracker

I HAVE long held The Scotsman's Alan Pattullo to be: "The future of Scottish football-writing". No longer, "Young Alan", as I refer to him, is now the present, as well as the future for soccer scribbling in this country.

 

I say this after completing his book: 'In Search of Duncan Ferguson', which my eldest grand-son gave me for Christmas.

 

This book is a terrific read, which I cannot endorse highly-enough. Buy it, you will not be disappointed.

 

 

 

FROM the future of Scottish football-writing, we turn to the future of the Rangers Tribute Act. It is often said: "The darkest hour is just before the dawn". In the case of RTA, let's home so - I shudder to think what might befall us if 2015 is as bad for "Ra Peepul", as 2012, 2013 and 2014 have been.

 

I can only hope the RTA's tame capitulation to Hibs on Saturday was a case of bottoming-out and that things will improve in 2015.

 

Scottish football NEEDS the RTA to be back there, in the top-flight, offering an alternative to permanent Celtic domination of the league; particularly since, the current Celtic squad is, by the standards by which that club is measured, a fairly-average one.

 

Losing at Dundee United, then being held to a draw at home by lowly Ross County is not real Celtic form. Sadly, the inability of the non-Old Firm clubs to sustain a high enough level of performance probably means Celtic will still win the league with a bit to spare.

 

Maybe Dundee United rode their luck somewhat in winning over Celtic at Tannadice, that they should follow-up that morale-boosting win by losing at St Johnstone shows how the rest's ability to routinely cut each other's throat whilst by and large failing to injure Celtic (or Rangers in the Old Days) has always given the Ugly Sisters an advantage.

 

I have long felt, it would pay one of the non-Glasgow challengers to adopt a mind-set of ignoring the Old Firm and concentrating on winning every other game - that way, anything they got in Glasgow would be a bonus and, just maybe enough of a bonus to win the league.

 

IF Aberdeen can see-off Inverness today, they will take themselves to a mere two points adrift of Celtic. Hold the gap there, by beating the rest, then, when they next face the Hoops, they would have a real chance of leap-frogging them, after which, anything can happen.

 

Football is often a case of mind games, it is the confidence which the OF has long got from winning the tough games - because victory is demanded, by their clubs and their fans, which has been their advantage.

 

If Aberdeen can find that confidence - which they last had in the days of the young Sir Alex Ferguson, then this fairly average Celtic team can be beaten.

 

As for  the RTA, they now face a real uphill battle to get the best-possible place in the play-offs pecking order. It seems to me, the automatic promotion place is now Hearts' to lose.