Zero Tolerance Could Work - If The Will Was There

SCOTTISH FOOTBALL might be in something of a mess just now, but, compared to Brexit, everything is good.

Sure, we are seeing some bad instances of crowd misbehaviour at the moment, with the recent interaction between a daft spectator and James Tavernier of Rangers just the latest in a series of unsavoury incidents. Now, the spike in bad behaviour may or may not be linked to the abolishing of OBFA (the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act), but, it is difficult to not feel it is a factor.

 Friday night's Easter Road incident

I said when it was brought in OBFA was bad law, hurriedly brought-in and not thought through properly. However, in bringing it in, the Scottish Government was seen to be doing something, at a time when the men running the game were, as ever, refusing to act. They are still refusing to act, the question has to be – WHY THE RELUCTANCE TO ACT?

The main driver of the abolishing of OBFA was Labour's James Kelly MSP. Like so-many opposition politicians, he appeared to be more interested in points scoring, driving forward the agenda of: “SNP Bad,” rather than actually seeking a solution to a problem which has been around for years.

All Kelly, and the other Unionist and Green politicians at Holyrood who lined-up behind him seemed to be interested in, was getting a piece of SNP-driven law off the statute book, rather than coming-up with a workable solution. It seemed to me, Kelly, who is from “The Celtic-minded” section of Glasgow, originally thought OBFA would get rid of the bigotry and sectarianism of “the other lot,” leaving the Celtic Family to pretty-much carry-on as before. His opposition to OBFA only surfaced when it became clear, it would hit them as well.

“Zero Tolerance” is being touted as the answer, however, there is no evidence yet of the SFA grasping that particular nettle. I don't know if they could, but, might we see the politicians imposing that? This, however, is unlikely to happen, unless it comes from the opposition benches – the Unionists would never back such an idea if it came from the ranks of the SNP government – tribalism in Scottish politics is even more ingrained than it is in Scottish football.

But, I ask: why should I not work? However, I am convinced, before Zero Tolerance could be implemented or imposed, football needs to come up with a carrot and stick approach.

Here's a scenario:

• Zero Tolerance is introduced – so, clubs are held responsible for the behaviour of their fans, with bad behaviour leading to a points deduction.
  
  
• Two teams from the same city are running neck-and-neck for the league title.
  
  
• The team at the top of the league are at home, when one of their fans invades the park and thumps the opposition's star man.
  
  
• The home team is deducted three points – and their rivals win the league.
  
  
• It then transpires, the guy who invaded the pitch and caused the deduction was actually a fan of their closest rivals.

• What happen now?

Far-fetched, maybe but, it could happen – so, how do you prevent this unlikely but not unthinkable scenario?

I feel, if Zero Tolerance has to come-in, then there needs to be an incentive for the clubs to get behind it. And I feel the time is right to look again at a suggestion – one I have made before – which, when first mooted back in the 1980s, was too-much even for that great champion of civil liberties: Margaret Hilda Thatcher (pictured left).

One of her then MPs, David Smith, was also, at that time, the Chairman of Luton Town FC. Luton had a hard core of “casuals” fans at the time who caused mayhem wherever they went, and were involve in one major piece of bad behaviour during a match being televised. So, an exasperated Smith came up with the notion of membership cards for fans.

Initially, the Iron Lady was all for this, but, the Civil Service got involved and Thatcher was persuaded that this was a step too-far; there wasn't an appetite for this in the country and, in any case, it was unworkable.

That might well have been the case in the 1980s, although I feel it was the lack of appetite for action either in the ranks of the FA and the Civil Service which principally killed it. However, with today's advances in IT, I feel certain with smart membership cards, such a plan could work.

If a club introduced membership cards, they would immediately have access to the details of most, if not all of their following. And if they were to offer attractive perks of club membership, so much the better.

Part of he whataboutery from back then was the case of the neutral football fan. The guy who does not have a favourite team, but likes simply to pick his game and go to it. How can he access tickets if the two club members are to be favoured?

Stanley Matthews, could put 10,000 on a gate

Now, old fart that I am, I can envisage a neutral fan back in the day. They used to reckon, in England, back in the sepia-tinted 1940s and 1950s of huge crowds packed into primitive stadia – that Blackpool and Stanley Matthews, or Preston North End and Tom Finney coming to town could put 10,000 onto the gate at places like Huddersfield and Burnley. Up here, at the same time, Gordon Smith and Hibs' Famous other Four had the same effect at places like Dundee or St Mirren.

As could Gordon Smith

Of course they could, the only live football on TV back then was the FA Cup Final and the occasional international match, so, if you wanted to see the two future knights of the realm, you had to go along and watch them when they were playing close by.

Aside from the fact we don't have players of the quality of Finney, Matthews and Smith, or the later George Best or Denis Law, you don't have to leave the comfort of your front-room to see them on the wall-to-wall TV coverage we get today. So, while I accept there may be a few fanatics, prepared to travel as neutrals to watch a key match, I don't think there are that many.

But, why not a general, neutral “Football Fan” membership ticket – perhaps tied to he international team, with each club required to make a limited number of such tickets available in the week leading-up to a game.

With a wee bit of thought, we could begin to identify the hooligans and idiots, and drive them from the game. But, is the game willing to do this, or, is it a case of them being so-greedy, they will just take the money and do nothing to preserve the good name of their game?

Eric Caldow - A True Giant Of The Game Has Gone

Eric Caldow - 4 May, 1934 -  March, 2019

WHEN YOU are growing up in Ayrshire and attending Cumnock Academy, as I did, you soon become aware that, once you get into the school team, you are standing on the shoulders of giants.

Well, one of those giants – although he was actually only five feet eight inches tall and weighed 11 stones soaking wet has died – and we are all poorer for the passing of Eric Caldow, aged 84 and following a lengthy battle against Alzheimer's.

During my time at the Academy, I can remember the frisson of excitement which went round the school, if Eric ever called in. I supported Lugar Boswell Thistle and Kilmarnock; some of my team mates followed Cumnock Juniors and Rangers; we had the odd Ayr United supporter, a few Glenafton Athletic fans, one or two who followed Ayr United, a smattering of “Talbot Bees”, while Richard, my oldest friend supported Partick Thistle. But, if Eric came into school – we all loved him and knew, we were in the presence of greatness.

It must be hard to be a Rangers' full-back, just look at who you are following. From Tom Vallance of the original Gallant Pioneers, via Nicol Smith and Jock Drummond, the Rangers and Scotland full-backs of the Edwardian era, through Dougie Gray's two and more decades in the first team, via Tiger Shaw, then George Young, Sammy Cox and Johnny Little – Caldow was following an illustrious line when he got into the first team.

He formed an illustrious partnership with Bobby Shearer, then, after he left, the likes of Sandy Jardine, Gary Stephens and the trio of Dutch greats, Artur Numan, Gio van Bronckhurst and Fernando Ricksen have carried on the line. But, in picking their full-backs in any All-Time Rangers XI, few people would not pick Caldow to wear either the number two or three shirt.

Indeed, when the readers of the Daily Record were asked to choose Scotland's international Team of the Millennium in 2000, their full-backs were Danny McGrain and Eric Caldow, and few argued about that. That recognition came 37 years after Caldow had won the last of his 40 caps, he was the earliest-capped player picked.

Eric. pictured in the home dressing room on his final visit to Ibrox, last year

But, this son of an insurance agent hardly looked likely to be a football great when at Cumnock Academy. His talent was recognised, but, he was regarded as lacking pace – that is, until he used his earnings from a Saturday job, as a butcher's delivery boy, to buy running spikes. In no time at all, he was flying and Charlie Wilson, the History teacher who ran the Academy school teams, was soon letting Rangers know, there was a diamond in the rough down in Ayrshire.

He left school to become an apprentice painter with Cumnock Burgh Council, playing football with Glenpark Amateurs, then Muirkirk Juniors, and he was still only 18 when Bill Struth summoned him and his father to Ibrox in 1952.

According to Eric, Mr Struth took such good care of his Dad that it was: “Johnnie Walker rather than Mr Struth that signed me. The likes of Ralph Brand and Davie Wilson would come later, but, Eric was actually the last young player to be signed then given his first-team debut by the great Mr Struth.

He was always proud of being one of “Bill's Boys” and the standards which the legendary manager set, in dress, decorum and behaviour, Eric followed all his life. He was always immaculately dressed, on and off the field, and a complete gentleman.

As was the fashion then, he had to undergo an “apprenticeship” in the reserves, under the watchful eye of Bob McPhail, but, in September, 1953, after just over a year at the club, he was blooded – standing-in for the injured George Young, in a League Cup clash with Ayr United. His performance was so-impressive he made his league debut one week later, in an Old Firm clash at Ibrox.

But, he was soon back in the Reserves and, while he was a regular stand-in, it wasn't until Scot Symon had replaced Mr Struth that Eric Caldow began to feature regularly in the first team. In February, 1955, when the first Scotland Under-23 team was named, Eric was in and after that, he began to be picked regularly for the Scottish League XI, the normal staging post on the way to a full cap.

That full cap duly arrived, on 6 April, 1957, when he was selected at right-back for the Scotland team to play England at Wembley. Today, Eric is more-often seen as a left-back, but, he could play either side, indeed, he broke into the Rangers team regularly at right-back, taking over from George Young, when he moved to centre-half following Willie Woodburn's sine die suspension.

Delighted to be capped, he had, however, hoped he might be given the number three jersey, which would have put him head-to-head with the great Sir Stanley Matthews, the “Wizard of Dribble” whose skills had baffled many Scottish full-backs. But, Charlton's South African-born John Hewie got that gig – although, Caldow did reportedly face Matthews once that day, and won the ball.

His second cap brought him face-to-face with another legendary winger, Real Madrid's Francisco Gento, as Scotland opened their 1958 World Cup qualifying campaign with a -2 win over the Spaniards at Hampden.

Gento was impressed by his young opponent, he was not used to facing a full-back who was as quick as the legendary “Madrid Express.” After that tough start, Eric was a Scotland regular. He won 40 caps out of a possible 42, missing the England game in 1958 through injury, and a friendly against Poland in 1960 because Rangers were playing Eintracht Frankfort in a European Cup semi-final.

In October of that year, Eric celebrated his 26th cap by leading Scotland for the first time, against Wales at Ninian Park. It was the first of 15 times he would lead out his country.

He had been an ever-present during the 1958 World Cup qualifying campaign, and the three group games which Scotland played in the finals in Sweden, and he would again be an ever-present in the unsuccessful 1962 qualifying campaign, in which Scotland were only knocked-out, in extra time, in a play-off against Czechoslovakia, who would go on to reach the 1962 World Cup Final.

Being named Scotland captain, in succession to Bobby Evans of Celtic was a natural progression for Eric, in 1960 he had succeeded Ian McColl as Rangers captain. He led his club to that aforementioned European Cup semi-final, and to the Cup-Winners Cup Final in 1961, when they lost to Fiorentina – whose legendary right-winger, Sweden's Kurt Hamrin, joined the ranks of Caldow admirers.

However, Eric never enjoyed the good relationship with Scot Symon he had had with Mr Struth. He had a spell out of the team in 1959,with Symon preferring to pair Shearer and Johnny Little at full-back. While he was out of favour, Matt Busby, who had worked with Eric during his short stint as Scotland team manager, tried to persuade him to join Manchester United.

United were rebuilding after Munich, and Busby wanted Eric to replace Roger Byrne, their England internationalist and captain, who had been killed at Munich, as left-back and captain. The clubs had agreed a £75,000 fee, a huge sum for a full-back then, the paperwork was in order, but, Eric just could not bring himself to pick-up the pen, sign, and leave Rangers. He opted to stay and was soon back in the side.

Even when Symon made Bobby Shearer Rangers' captain in place of Eric – a move for which Eric never forgave his boss, although he understood – perhaps Symon wanted Shearer, a man he had signed, rather than Caldow, one of the old guard of Struth's men, to lead the side – Ian McColl, by now Scotland manager, kept Eric as the national captain.

These were good years for Rangers and for Scotland. In all, in his 14 years at Ibrox, Eric won five League Championship, three Scottish Cup and three League Cup winners' medals. But, there were bad days too, he played in the 7-1 “Hampden in the sun” League Cup loss to Celtic in 1957, that European Cup semi-final against Eintracht was another disaster, as was the 1961 England game, at Wembley, in which Eric led Scotland to a 9-3 loss.

But, these down days were more than offset by such triumphs as 14 April, 1962, when Eric led Scotland to their first Hampden win over England since 1937, scoring the clinching second goal from the penalty spot in 88 minutes, as Scotland won 2-0.

A year later he led Scotland out against England at Wembley. The Scots had not won there since 1951 and for Eric, Dave Mackay, Ian St John, Denis Law and Davie Wilson there was the small matter of exorcising the ghost of two years previously. It was Eric's 40^th cap, a total which made him, at that time, the third most-capped Scot.

 Eric and Jimmy Armfield lead the teams out on 6 April, 193

However, just five minutes in, as he tried to clear his lines he was caught by “a forward's challenge” from England centre forward Bobby Smith. Both players were carried off, but, while Smith, his knee heavily bandaged, was able to come back and hobble around an nuisance value on England's left flank, Eric was on his way to hospital, to have a compound fracture of his left leg treated.

Davie Wilson dropped back to left-back, to play the game of his life, while Jim Baxter scored both goals as ten-man Scotland won 2-1.

Eric did not return to the Rangers team until 28 December of that year. But, in his absence, Davie Provan had come in and not only replaced Eric in the Rangers side, he had also been capped for Scotland. Eric played just four games that season.

The following season, however, Provan too broke a leg and Eric was back in the team. He was now 30, and deemed to have lost a yard of pace. However, he was now a cleverer full-back, and in the 1965 League Cup final, he gave a master-class in full-back, rendering Jimmy Johnstone ineffectual as he jockeyed the great Celtic winger down blind alleys before taking the ball from him.

Years later, asked by the great Daily Record sports writer Alex “Chiefy” Cameron, if he had ever got past Eric, wee Jinky replied: “Aye once, but, I was driving my Jaguar, Eric was walking.”

In 1966, the split came as Symon handed him a free transfer. Eric by now was running a pub in Hamilton, so, part-time football with Stirling Albion suited him. It wasn't Rangers, however and after a season, he retired.

Not for long though, there was a season in English non-league football, with the Scots exiles of Corby Town, as player-manager. Robert Scott, one of my team mates and best friends through Lugar Primary School and Cumnock Academy was a team-mate that season, he still cannot quite believe he shared a dressing room with two of his great football idols – Eric Caldow and former Kilmarnock star Bertie Black.

But, Eric returned to his native Ayrshire. He had short spells managing Hurlford Unite and home-town team Cumnock Juniors, and a half season as manager of Stranraer. Former Scottish Junior FA President and long-serving Cumnock secretary George Morton says of those days: “Everyone knows Eric was one of life's gentlemen. His knowledge of football was fantastic, but, he was perhaps too-nice to be a manager. However, I will always be grateful for having known him and enjoyed his company and friendship.”

He became a rep for a building supplies firm, played golf and snooker and even returned to Rangers, in retirement, as a very-popular Match Day Host. His fans at Ibrox even made sure he got the testimonial he had been refused as a player, such was his popularity.

He continued to play for the Ayrshire Ex-Professionals team, in fund-raising charity games, where his talent was enjoyed, albeit at a slower pace, by youngsters who had never seen him in his pomp.

On one occasion, he turned out at full-back for a Cumnock Rugby Club team, in a tour match in Oban, marking his flirtation with the handling game in typical style, with a penalty goal.

But, his third age was not without its set-backs, he lost only son Eric Junior, killed in a car crash, and just as he began to display the first signs of Alzheimer's, he lost his beloved English wife Laura – a life-time support who was as much of a lady as her husband was a gentleman.

He was hit hard by Alzheimer's, but, he found relief in the Football Memories project, although, at one meeting, he got into a terrible argument with legendary Auchinleck Talbot manager Willie Knox, after Eric refused to believe Raith Rovers had beaten Rangers 5-2 at Stark's Park, Knox, who had played for Raith, just could not get Eric to accept the result.

At the next meeting, the organiser said to Willie: “For God's sake Knoxie, don't get started with Eric about that Raith game. I checked up on the score, you actually won 5-1, and Eric had been in the Rangers' team.”

Eric is at peace now, reunited with Laura, and leaving behind some wonderful memories for daughter Jacqueline, her children and everyone who remembers him as a player.

How good was Eric Caldow? Of course, I am biased, but, he's in my all-time Scotland team and while we in East Ayrshire have produced some wonderful players, since Dr John Smith in the early days of football, through to more-recent stars such as George and Craig Burley and Billy Dodds, for me, and for many more from our wee corner of God's County, Eric Caldow remains the best player to come out of our part of the world.

Some have tried to tag him: "The first modern full-back," maybe so, but Eric himself always repudiated claims he was the first over-lapping full-back. He said: "When you have Jim Baxter in front of you, and Ralphie Brand and Davie Wilson in front of him, you don't need to over-lap. I would just have got in the way. My job was to win the ball, and give it to Baxter to play with."

Baxter certainly rated him, he said: "One of the reasons why I was ranked as the best left-half in the world was because, I was playing in front of the best left-back."

Eric's place in the Rangers Hall of Fame, and the Scottish Football Hall of Fame are fully-deserved.

Rest in Peace Sir, you have left us so-many great memories.

I Do Not Think Brendan Rodgers Will Be Missed

ASKED whether or not they wished to remain inside the European Union, the people of Scotland voted by almost two to one to do this. Unfortunately, the people of England, by a smaller majority, opted to leave the EU.

More than two years on from that decision, and after some of the worst negotiating in the history of politics, Scotland is set to be dragged out of Europe and into an uncertain but certainly poorer future, on 29 March. And, on the day when the beleaguered Prime Minister of the United Kingdom made yet another effort to defend the indefensible – while ignoring Scotland's wishes – what was the biggest story of the day on the BBC Scotland News?

The fact that a man who had: “lived the dream” as Celtic manager was leaving the club, for a higher-paid job with a lesser club in England. You could not make that shite up. Only in Scotland would a self-indulgent move by an over-rated football manager be given top slot in the national news.

Rodgers is quoted as believing: “I have taken Celtic as far as I believe I can.” Well, if that is true, then he doesn't have a great deal of belief in his own ability, and, Celtic are well rid.

Allow me to explain; football is evolving, albeit slowly. For the first 75 or ore years of Celtic's history, all the managers in that time: Willie Maley, Jimmy McStay and Jimmy McGrory – all former players – were asked to do was be the best team in Scotland. This amounted to little more than being better than Rangers, because, for most of that time, Scottish football, then as now, was essentially a two-horse race.

Gradually, however, from 1955 on, Europe began to become an issue. Certainly it took Celtic a long time to get into Europe. They first qualified in 1962-63, when they played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, then the third European tournament in order of importance. Indeed, Celtic were slow starters: Hibs, Rangers, Hearts, Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee had all played in Europe before Celtic got going.

That first season, they lost their first tie, to Valencia and were probably ranked around 78^th in Europe. The following season they were in the Cup-Winners Cup, reaching the semi-final, which probably ranked them 36th in Europe. They dropped back into the Fairs Cup the following season, losing to Barcelona in the second round, a result which probably ranked them around 79^th in Europe.

[How I ranked them in the above – you take the number of European Cup entrants – then usually around 30; they are ranked 1-30. The Cup-Winners Cup entrants then fill places 31-62, followed by the Fairs Cup entrants, from 63 on. So, as first round losers in the Fairs Cup, by two goals in their first season, Celtic could reasonably be ranked the 25^th team in that competition that season. With 28 European Cup entrants, and 25 Cup-Winners Cup entrants ranked higher, then Celtic are ranked 78^th.

So, in February, 1965, Jock Stein took over a club ranked 79^th in Europe that season. In his first full season as manager, he secured the League title, to take Celtic into the European Cup for the first time, while in the European Cup-Winners Cup, he guided them to the semi-final, which ranked them third in that tournament, and 34^th in Europe, behind the 31 teams in the premier competition – the European Cup proper.

Then, in season 1966-67, he guided Celtic to the club's first domestic treble, but, more-importantly, he won the whole shebang, the European Cup, to see the club ranked Number One in Europe.

Did he, at that point, tell the assembled press: “My work here is done, I have taken Celtic as far as I can.” Did he Hell, the Big Man wanted more trophies, domestic and European, more glory, and before he left in 1978, he had broken Rangers' long dominance and made Celtic the Number One team in Scotland, and major players in Europe.

Stein never won the big one again, but, he took Celtic to one further final, two semi-finals and two quarter-finals, before he left the club in 1978. Indeed, in his final season as manager, Celtic were still ranked among the top 16 clubs in Europe.

In fact, even allowing for a couple of bad seasons, during Stein's 13 years as manager, Celtic were consistently one of the top 20 clubs in Europe - that's a far cry from today.

Rodgers leaves them ranked 45^th in Europe – and he says he cannot take them any further, he cannot restore the glory days to a fan base, happy enough with domestic dominance, but, desperate to see the swashbuckling Celtic of the Stein era back as a major European force.

“Aye, but, these days are gone – never again will the European Cup be won by 11 Scots, all raised within a 40 mile radius of Celtic Park.” That, any rate, is what we are told. I say that is absolute bullshit.

Nobody will ever convince me: Simpson; Craig and Gemmell; Murdoch, McNeill and Clark; Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld and Lennox are the only 11 men, ever born in the same era, in the same small part of Scotland, who will ever be capable of winning the European Cup.

The Celtic scouting plan, which took Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Chalmers, Auld and Lennox to the club as unpolished diamonds, cannot be replicate – RUBBISH.

That level of talent will never again emerge at a single time – MORE RUBBISH.

There will never again be a Scotsman with the managerial magic of Stein, or Busby, Shankly, Ferguson or McLean – STILL MORE RUBBISH.

Of course, football today is different from back in Stein's time. The riches of the English Premiership will, until the full effect of Brexit kicks in, and the whole edifice implodes and collapses, always have an impact on Scottish football.

We have been losing our brightest and best to England for 140 years, that will not stop – even if an Independent Scotland, properly husbanding its vast oil and other riches for the good of the nation, flourishes as poor, wee embittered, friendless post-Brexit England struggles, I dare say there will still be Scottish footballers taking the high road south.

But, our football will, I am sure, rise again. I believe in Scottish football, I believe in Scottish talent, and if we can, somehow, get rid of the stumble bums and idiots who hold our game back, we can again see a Scottish team ruling Europe.

That's where Brendan Rodgers, if he had been the Celtic Man he claimed to be, should have been aiming. No Celtic boss, unwilling to have a go at surpassing the Stein Legend and Legacy, can be anything but a time-serving, self-serving chancer.

Brendan Rodgers is five foot seven inches tall. To six foot one inch Me, that makes him a wee man – he clearly was not, at the end of the day, big enough to truly succeed the Big Man. I do not think Celtic will miss him.

Today In Football - You're Only A Loyalist Until Money Talks

'THE CELTIC SONG' claims: “If you know their history.....etc.” Well, if their fans are as well-up on their club's history as many claim to be, they will not be surprised at Brendan Rodgers' speed in seeking to swap Paradise for the King Power Stadium. Was Rodgers not hailed as: “A life-long fan, living the dream,” by managing the club?

Brendan Rodgers - living the dream until a better offer came along

Well, Celtic was the only team Mo Johnston ever wanted to play for – and we all remember what that led to. I am afraid, the decision of Mr Rodgers to exchange managing the 45th ranked club in Europe, one almost guaranteed European football every year, for the 70th ranked club in Europe, one with just one European campaign in the last five years, demonstrates just how much of a football backwater Scotland is these days. It is apparently not only Scots who see the High Road to England as leading to a pot of gold.

Personally, I give Rodgers about 18 months at Leicester, then he will be looking for a new job. Again personally, I think City went for the wrong Scottish manager. Had I been them, I'd have gone for the perhaps more-able but less high-profile option: Kilmarnock's Stevie Clarke. I reckon Clarke would have been the better fit.

Apparently, Neil Lennon is being lined-up to succeed Rodgers, at least until the end of the season, after which, who knows. I dare say, even as I type, the churnalists and stenographers of the two Glasgow-published red tops are sitting down together in some Merchant City cafe-bar or coffee house, discussing how they will spin it regarding Celtic interest in Stevie Clarke, before deciding which improbable foreign coaches names they can throw into the click bait mix.

This situation is tailor-made for the red-top rottweilers, they can let their fevered imaginations run riot, and it will save them focusing on the realities of what a shite hole Scottish football currently is.

But, spare a thought for wee Jamesie Traynor, who now has to really up his game, to stop Celtic dominating the back pages for the remainder of the season. Still, it might stop somebody really looking into the impending disaster of Rangers' finances under the Glib and Shameless Liar.

CAN I suggest, you search out the You Tube footage of Auchinleck Talbot's 3-0 Macron Scottish Junior Cup win over Pollok, at Newlandsfield Park, on Saturday.

It will be worth the browsing time, to see two goal of the season contenders in one game. I refer to Talbot's opener, fairly whacked home by full back Gordon Pope, and their clinching third goal, knocked-in from just inside his own half, by Stephen Wilson.

 Stephen Wilson - his goal at Pollok is worth searching out

The 'Bot machine is revving-up nicely as we approach the end of the season, and I reckon they will again be seen in the final this season.

That win at Pollok took them into the semi-finals, where they were joined by Largs Thistle, who crushed Kilwinning Rangers 5-0, and Lochee United, who won 2-0 at Troon. The fourth quarter-final will require a replay, after Hurlford United and Clydebank drew 1-1 at Blair Park on Saturday.

I think I shall write to Tom Johnston, the SJFA Supremo, and suggest he adopt an old idea from the Wimbledon tennis championships. Back in the day, the championships went ahead as usual, to produce a winner. Only, that winner was not declared Champion, until he had beaten the reigning Champion, in what was called the Challenge Round. The reigning Champion was not back then required to actually defend his title from round one, merely to wait for a Challenger to emerge.

Why not do that in the Junior Cup? Play down to a winner, who would then challenge Talbot for ownership of the big trophy.

WHAT ABOUT that over-rated, over-paid Chelsea goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalga, refusing to be subbed on Sunday? I can just see really strong characters such as Harry Gregg, Ray Clemence, Peter Shilton, Peter Schmeichel or Hamish McAlpine having tried that with Matt Busby, Bill Shankly, Brian Clough, Alex Ferguson or Jim McLean.

They would have found themselves, as Jim Leighton did, doing the loan rounds of lesser clubs until they had got themselves a transfer, banished to football's equivalent of that old Outer Mongolian power station, to which fallen Soviet politicians were sent.

 Kepa Arrizabalga - lucky he's dealing with a weak manager

Football's balance of power between players and managers has now surely swung too far in favour of the player, if he is not summarily dropped. Money has ruined the game, but, we knew that any way.

With any of the legendary bosses I have named, the game would not have resumed until the goalie was properly benched. I just wonder what the correct protocol for the incident was. If the manager insisted to the referee: “I wish to make a substitution and that is the guy I want off;” then the goalkeeper still refused to go.

Might the referee then have to red card him – probably by cautioning him for delaying the game; then cautioning him again if he still refused to go – thereby triggering a second yellow and a red card. The manager would then, however, have to haul off an outfield player to put-on his second goalkeeper.

That would be an interesting subject for the old: “You are the referee” column.

JOHN VALENTINE died this week. If you don't know the name, you should. John was the unfortunate Rangers centre-half who carried the can for “Hampden In The Sun,” Celtic's 7-1 League Cup win in 1957.

The late John Valentine - icture courtesy of Easton Thain

As such, he is along with poor Frank Haffey – who carried the can for Scotland's 3-9 loss to England, at Wembley in 1961, one of the two biggest victims of being in the wrong position, in the wrong game.

Valentine, who had won Amateur Scotland caps as a member of the last Queen's Park side to grace the top flight of Scottish football, was bought by Rangers to replace the retired George Young and the sine die suspended Willie Woodburn as their centre-half.

His first game for Rangers was in the 1957 Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup final, at Hampden, in which he helped his new club beat his old one. His tenth and final game was that League Cup Final, back at Hampden.

After it, he was banished to the Reserves and quickly off-loaded to St Johnstone, whom he would captain to the Second Division title.

Valentine was a graduate of Glasgow University, and on graduating, he joined the Civil Service, in the Department of Agriculture, eventually moving back to his native Moray First area, and retiring to Inverness.

Rangers treated him badly, I interviewed him once – he was a total gentleman.