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.

 

 

What next For the Rangers Tribute Act?

At a time when the great city of Glasgow is, for the second straight Christmas, mourning the tragic deaths of innocent people in a freak accident, it might seem flippant to concentrate on the travails of that city's foremost sporting institution, but, such is the lot of the football philosopher.

 

I am delighted to see Kenny McDowall named as interim manager of the Rangers Tribute Act, following Ally McCoist being handed the keys to his garden shed. I have long had a lot of respect for "Kojak", since his days as player-coach under Jimmy Bone at St Mirren.

 

He did sterling work there, then in a brief spell with the SFA, before joining Celtic, where he again did well as a coach to the Reserve and Under-20 teams. This saw him cross the great divide to Ibrox, where, sadly, he had to take a back seat to "Real Rangers Men" McCoist and Durrant, neith of whom is anything like as good a coach as Kenny.

 

I would like to think he will turn things around at RTA and that the club will begin to cut into Hearts' impressive lead at the top of the Championship table. Winning that league might not be possible, given Hearts' advantage, but, I reckjon, under McDowall, RTA has a better chance of gaining promotion via the play-offs than they had under McCoist.

 

Ian Durrant now has a big decision to make. Does he meekly accept demotion, or, does he seek a severance deal to pursue his coaching ambitions elsewhere? There again, he might feel happier working with the Under-20s, while "Juke Box" Gordon Durie and Lee McCulloch assist McDowall.

 

I am pleased for McCulloch. He is not, never has been, a great player, but, rather like John Greig - another player whose talents didn't quite take him onto the top shelf of Scottish players, but, whose spirit and never-say-die attitude did - McCulloch has been damned to lead his club at a low point in its history (assuming you hold that history to go back to 1872).

 

McCulloch has displayed the character expected of "Real Rangers Men" and, as such, he deserves his appointment as a player-coach. I know times are different, but, this move has echoes of the tried and trusted Rangers approach from the relationship between Bill Struth and Davie Meiklejohn, Tiger Shaw and Geordie Young, or Scot Symon and Greig, whereby: the manager laid down a broad outline of what was wanted and the on-field gaffer made sure the players responded.

 

Now we turn to the other matter surrounding the RTA, the board's lack of friends among Ra Peepul. The support does not have a unifying or unified rallying point against an unpopular board - that is the board's strength and the supporters' weakness.

 

I canno speak for the Easdales, but, they appear to be the only "Rangers-type Men" on a board who represent syndicates and groups who know, a well-run and successful "Rangers" makes money.

 

The fans can either, I feel, forge alliances with the Easdales and embark on a long-term, and expensive, strategy to wrench control from those shareholders who are in it for profit rather than for love of the club, or, they can ignore the Easdales and organise themselves properly, for an even-longer-term, probably even-more-expensive campaign to buy back their club.

 

But, they will have to make compromises and alliances, and forget petty squabbles. Some of the in-fighting between fans' groups is of the Popular Front for Judea - Judean Popular Front variety.

 

They ought all forget about: "The King Over The Water", he never has been and never will be the answer, by the way. 

You Don't Do Much Gardening At This Time Of Year

SO, the greatest goalscorer in the history of football has been placed on "gardening leave". FFS, he's going to be paid £750,000-plus for the next 12 months; for that, he could hire Alan Titsmarch and have the best garden in Scotland - then charge admission and clean-up.

 

I dare say, Mr McCoist will, sooner or later, turn-up at the home for retired Old Firm stars who have failed in management - the broadcast media; I see a frantic bidding war between BBC, Radio Clyde and, maybe Sky, who might wish to put Ally up against Souness.

 

A return to management, not any time soon.

 

Now there is the big question: who takes over?

 

Well, the usual suspects will be in the frame - Butcher, McColl, Billy Davies, for starters. All are: "Good Rangers Men", all will be punted as possibles. Butcher, however, is reportedly: "finished with Scottish football", while - let's be honest, Davies is a "selling plater" where a Group One thoroughbred is called-for. I reckon, McColl might be the man, assuming someone acceptable to: "Ra Peepul", has to be appointed.

 

Mike Ashley will, however, be the most-likely man to make the appointment, so, we could well see a somewhat left-field Englishman installed. Quite what the Bears make of this is another matter.

 

A wee detour here. The SFA is, apparently, somewhat perturbed that Mr Ashley, already the owner of Newcastle United, might be having an influence at Ibrox which is contrary to football's rules of governance. These, apparently do not allow an individual to have control of two different football clubs.

 

I would suggest, if the SFA tried to enforce this, Ashley could take them to court for "restraint of trade". After all, Rangers (as we must refer to the Tribute Act here) and Newcastle United, compete in different leagues, under different league jurisdiction. I reckon, if the SFA tried it on, Ashley could take them to court and clean-up.

 

At this stage of the season, it will take a massive collapse by Hearts to get the Tribute Act into first place in the Championship. For sure, between: The new boss bounce" and installing a manager with a bit more tactical nouse and motivational skills than McCoist had, a nine-point gap is not insurmountable, but, realistically - the Ibrox concern's best hope of getting back to the top-flight is via the play-offs.

 

This will require the players to show a bit more smeddum than they have hitherto this season.

 

Truly, we live in interesting times.

 

 

 

I WATCHED the Celtic v Dundee United game on Sunday. This demonstrated, this is not a good Celtic team. Yet, that said, United rode their luck somewhat. However, this win was good for Scottish football. It keeps things interesting.

 

One aspect of the match did concern me. For much of the second half, the game by-passed Scott Brown. This is the Celtic and Scotland captain, as such, he is almost duty-bound to have a major influence on matches such as this - he didn't.

 

I feel Brown is a far-better player when he has Charlie Mulgrew beside him. Mulgrew was absent on Sunday. Maybe, just maybe, he and not the skipper is now the main man at Celtic Park.

 

 

 

 

Wee Team's Manager Resigns - So What

I note that events concerning the tribute act, currently ranked the 14th most-successful club in Scotland are hugely concerning my esteemed friends in the Scottish Football Writers Association.

A Mr Alistair McCoist, the manager of the tribute act has tendered his resignation, and is embarking on working his 12-months notice period. This development has driven the SFWA and the other so-called sports writers and commentators in the mainstream media in Scotland into a frothing lather of speculation, as to: what is happening; what is really happening; who will take-over; when that take-over will occur.

As a result of this frenzied speculation, several huge Scandinavian forests will shortly bite the dust to produce the newsprint, the internet above Scotland will go into melt-down - and the tribute act will continue to embarrass all those who believe it to be the continuing Glasgow Rangers FC. These believers, apparently now include the movers and shakers within the SFA, who have "fined" the tribute act £250,000, in respect of the somewhat dubious Employee Benefits Trusts which were run by the former Rangers FC (1872-2012).

Now, since received wisdom has it that Mr Peter Lawwell, CEO of Celtic FC is also in fact, if not in positions, The Honcho within Hampden, this seems to indicate Celtic FC believes the tribute act to be the continuation of Rangers. Quite how Mr Lawwell sells this to the more-exciteable members of the Celtic Family, is another matter.

This, alas, is what the football world in this tiny corner of the planet has become. In the real world, had Mr McCoist been judged on his stewardship of a garage, or a shop, rather than a football club - he would have, lang syne, been shown the door. His business plan has been totally flawed, his signings have, by and large, not worked; yes, he has guided his team to back-to-back league titles, but, given the fact in those two leagues, he was in charge of a highly-paid FULL TIME squad of players, facing part-time opponents, can he honestly say: "We won these leagues as convincingly as we should have".

Of course, the entire farago around the tribute act is not soley of McCoist's doing. If the supervision from the technical area has been adject in its poverty, it is a beacon of excellence compared to the oversight from the board room.

The entire shambolic tribute act is a blight on Scottish football. "Rangers" got lucky in being allowed to continue after the mismanagement of the Murray Years and the alleged criminal activity of the subsequent owner(s). 

Maybe the glorious past of "REAL" Rangers should have been laid to rest back in 2012. I fear for the future - if indeed there is a future for what was once the leading institution in Scottish football.



SADLY, there is no show without Punch, and, the Punch and Judy nature of Scottish football demands - if Rangers (or the tribute act) is hogging the headlines, the Celtic has to come-up with a response.

This response has seen the misbehaviour of a small section of "The Greatest Fans in the World" causing Celtic some trouble with UEFA, something to do with flares or fire crackers being let-off at the club's last European tie.

The Celtic support's holier than thou stance has become somewhat tarnished, this is at least the fifth time in recent years that Celtic's following has embarrassed the club. Of course, the cry is always: "It wis jist wan guy, so it wis". Poor Juan Guy, the abuse he has had to take from the well-mannered, reasonable, great sports in the rest of the Celtic Family. Still, every family needs its black sheep.

However, after this latest call to face the beaks, Celtic officials have mounted a damage limitation exercise, claiming: "99% of our fans behave, it's that tiny one per-cent which lets us down".

Fair enough, but, let's do the sums. A choc-a-bloc Celtic Park, something I'm old enough to remember, holds 60,000 fans. Subtract the usual "away" support, of 7,500 and you have a Celtic following of 52,500.

One per-cent of that figure comes to 525 fans. Therefore, even Celtic accepts they have over 500 heid-cases in their following.

Or, if you're a cynic whose football affiliations perhaps lie elsewhere in Glasgow, one per-cent of the 200,000 alleged GTFITW who travelled to Seville, some 2000 fans, are potential trouble-makers.

I would say that is a huge problem for Celtic. And that's before we go into their employment of a player who racially-abuses opponents.



BUT, much though the Glasgow branch of the MSM in Scotland would like it to be so, Scottish football isn't all about Ulster culture which has crossed the North Channel.

Paul Paton of Dundee United, who, sadly for such a talented player, has made a habit of generating the wrong headlines during the second half of 2014, has just been banned for two games for spitting at opponent Johnny Hayes of Aberdeen.

Paton's and his club's protestations of innocence, I must admit. have failed to convince me. On the evidence of the BBC footage of the incident, as I saw it - the boy spat.

Now, the camera can lie, but, to me, it looked as if he spat.

If he did, a two game ban is paltry, and, he got off lightly. 

The Day The Magyrs Came To Hampden

TODAY is a significant anniversary for Scottish football, being the 60th anniversary of the day Hungary, then the best team in the world, visited Hampden, to play Scotland in a friendly.

 

In those pre-floodlight days, the Magnificent Magyrs - Puskas, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Boczsik and Co had the cachet of a pre-2014 World Cup Brazil, they were the team everyone wanted to play against. West Germany might have beaten them in the World Cup Final earlier in the year 1954, but, like Muhamad Ali, the Hungarians were: "The People's Champions". They attracted over 113,000 fans to Hampden, that Wednesday afternoon.

 

There was a sub-text to the game. In November, 1953, the Hungarians had, of course, thrashed England 6-3 at Wembley, following that win up with an even more emphatic 7-1 humbling of the men in white in a pre-World Cup meeting in Budapest. National honour demanded that, if the Scots couldn't beat their Iron Curtain visitors - a result which not even the most myopic of the Tartan Army would bet on - then, at least, they had to lose by less than England, and thereby claim a moral victory over the Auld Enemy.

 

If Hungary's World Cup had ended in final disappointment, Scotland's had been a disaster, bundled out on the wrong end of a 7-0 score-line against holders Uruguay in the group stages. After this, there were calls for a total re-think, calls which were, naturally, all but ignored by the SFA's ruling elite.

 

They did make one concession. The idea of a Team Manager had been toyed with in the build-up to and during the World Cup, but, Andy Beattie, the scapegoat, sorry, chosen one, sensibly bailed-out during the Swiss disaster and, the SFA committee hoped, that idea had been put to bed.

 

So, they didn't appoint a manager for the Hungarian game, but, they did appoint an: "official in charge", none other than the Chairman of the Selection Committee, George Brown one of the Rangers' directors.

 

Now, as a former Rangers and Scotland captain and Head Teacher at Bellahouston Academy, Brown brought a certain gravitas to the position; and, to be fair, the SFA did approach the game with a modicum of planning - arranging trial games against Kilmarnock, Hibs and Falkirk, during which 21 different players were given their chance to earn a cap in the big game.

 

The selectors duly met and named the following team for the big game: Fred Martin (Aberdeen), Willie Cunningham (Preston North End, captain) and Harry Haddock (Clyde), Tommy Docherty (Preston NE), Jimmy Davidson (Partick Thistle) and John Cumming (Hearts), Johnny Mackenzie (Partick Thistle), Bobby Johnstone and Lawrie Reilly (both Hibs), Jimmy Wardhaugh (Hearts) and Tommy Ring (Clyde).

 

You will note the lack of Old Firm representation. Where were George Young of Rangers and Bobby Evans of Celtic, Scotland's two most-capped players of the 1950s? Why no Gordon Smith?

 

Haddock, Cumming and Wardhaugh were all making their Scotland debut, while this was the only Scotland team between 1947 and 1957 from which a fit Young was omitted; the only time he was dropped in his 54-cap Scotland career.

 

Match reports tell of a Hungarian team, not at full-strength; Gyula Grosics, then seen as the best goalkeeper in the world, was left out for disciplinary reasons, and not perhaps as slick as they had been before that shock loss to the Germans. But, they were still too-good for the Scots, taking a 2-0 lead through Bozsik and Hidegkuti, before  Tommy Ring pulled one back in 36 minutes; only to see Sandor restore the visitors' two-goal lead just before the break.

 

Bobby Johnstone made it 3-2 early in the first half and, although the Scots showed real dogged determination to get on terms, the Hungarians had too-much pure football to be overhauled, and, in injury time, Kocsis scored a fourth goal for them which, maybe, slightly skewed the result.

 

No excuses, the better team won. The Scots' spirit and determination was lavishly praised, Puskas thought Johnny Mackenzie was outstanding on the right for Scotland, but, in the end, soccer science had overcome endeavour.

 

The Scots hadn't liked the Hungarian's body-checking, the visitors weren't impressed by the tackling of Docherty and Cumming, while Reilly's attentions on defenders and goalkeeper were even criticised by the Scottish press.

 

Still, the SFA got the result they wanted - Scotland had lost be less than England; notch it up as a moral victory.

 

The feel-good factor was back in Scottish football, but, it didn't last. Next time out, we lost 7-2 to England at Wembley.

Taxi For McCoist - After This I'd Make Him Hitch-Hike Home

WE HAVE a number of Ayrshire-specific phrases in common use in these sunny uplands of God's County. One in particular comes to my mind this morning: "He'll be takin tae the watter shortly" - meaning somebody is so close to despair he will shortly be found, floating face-down in one of our rivers, having ended it all. For, jumping from bridges and viaducts has long been the chosen method of ending it all around here.

 

Given the other time-honoured cliche around here - that you get a photograph of King Billy on his (mythical) white horse, to hang above the fireplace when you get the keys to your Council house - then, I can see a few of the many Rangers supporters around here, perhaps ending it all, after last night's diddy cup loss to Alloa Athletic.

 

Of course, it might well be - the Tribute Act cannot afford the severance deal to be shot of Ally McCoist, but, that any manager of any Ibrox outfit should NOT fall on his sword after his side surrendered a two-goal lead in the closing minutes of a game - that is not the way things were done, when real Rangers had Dignity.

 

It has been clear for yonks, good "Rangers Man" that he is, Alistair is way, way out of his depth as a manager. Still, he survives. It simply does not make sense.

 

But, does anything around what was once Scotland's premier club make sense these days?

 

 

 

AND speaking of Scotland's premier club. The current owners of that title didn't cover themselves in glory with their reaction to Anne Budge's comments re Sunday's Tynecastle cup tie.

 

Isn't it amazing how, even in the face of solid evidence of unacceptable behaviour from some of their fans, Celtic are seemingly unable to hold their hand up and say: "Fair cop gov' you've got me bang to rights".

 

It is never Celtic's fault, there is always some other reason why the GFITW misbehave.

 

Scottish football simply shrugs and says: "Aye, that's the Celtic way".

 

Face it, it hasn't changed since about 1909 and it will not change any time soon - the Celtic Family and Ra Peepul who follow the Tribute Act are two cheeks of the same erse and, until Scottish football really starts to hammer them, we are stuck with them.

 

Of course, the problem is not football's alone, but efforts to curb sectarianism keep failing, not least through the hurriedly-introduced bad law we now work under.

 

 

 

 

The Whyte Trial - Should Be Fun

I DON'T know who will be happier at the apprehennsion of Craig Whyte - the Capulets or Montagues of Scottish football's permanently warring families.

 

As it stands, of course, wee Craigie has done nothing wrong - these are only allegations, which will have to be tested in court. A pity the case comes under a branch of the law inwhich Donald Finlay QC does not practice; bigger pity that the Blue Brazil's Chairman is strictly a defence advocate - I'd love to see Finlay, acting for the prosecution, questioning Whyte, David Murray and Walter Smith. Won't happen, sadly.

 

I always enjoyed the legal costume drama 'Garrow's Law', featuring as it did such brilliant TV actors as Alun Armstrong and the late Warren Clarke. The bear pit which was 18th century courtrooms, as portrayed in the series, was great fun, so, I have a suggestion.

 

Why not hold the Whyte trial at Hampden, let the public in and let them let rip. They could charge as much as the SFA does for meaningless friendlies and they would make a bomb - between Ra Peepul baying for blood and the Celtic Family, claiming Craig Whyte must stay. All taking to go to charity, it would wipe out poverty in Scotland over the length of the trial; it would be great TV too.

 

Just a wee point. Given his track record and the amount of unpaid bills and bankruptcies he has gone through, I suspect Mr Whyte might require Legal Aid in order to defend himself, so, it looks as if we will be paying.

 

Ach, put it down to entertainment costs.

 

 

 

I WATCHED the Celtic v Saltzburg match in midweek. Celtic were, in my opinion, lucky to get away with a 3-1 beating, but, they will be in Europe after Christmas, so, what's not to like.

 

In reality, this is not a vintage, or anything like a vintage Celtic team. I thought the Austrians were a far-slicker outfit, playing what looked suspiciously like an old-fashioned Scottish passing game.

 

I can understand why Ronnie Diela and Co shop in Aldi and Lidl as it were, Scott Brown's limitations were again exposed in Europe, fo instance.

 

The whole ethos of Scottish football is flawed. We still put effort and brawn before ball-skills and, until we properly address this across the board in our game, we will be a wee, seldom considered off-shore nation of little consequence in the game.

 

 

 

FINALLY, the final whistle blew on Arthur Montford this week. To guys of my generation, Arthur was televised football in Scotland, a legend.

 

Having had the pleasure of meeting him often, when covering games at Cappielow, I can confirm, he was every bit the gentleman he came across as. He genuinely was a football fan, but, I have to say, his real passion was golf.

 

Today's "giants" of Scottish televisied football are pygmies in comparison to Arthur. 

Small Squabbles In A Small League

I HAD my scrum cap on over the weekend, as it were, concentrating on the oval-ball game. Great to actually be there at Rugby Park, for the first full international on an artificial surface, and for a terrific Scotland performance. Whether it be the football XI or the rugby XV, you always have a niggling, back of the mind concern about Scotland taking-on a lesser side, when all the expectations are of a Scotland win.

 

This time, my concerns proved unfounded. Then there was the bonus of the all Blacks flicking the switch to find overdrive and demolish the woefully over-hyped Welsh. This made-up for the Glasgow reserve team's loss at Llanelli/ Then Edinburgh came in on Sunday tea time with a good win over a very poor Cardiff.

 

So, with all that going-on, I couldn't get enthused about the petty school-yard squabbles which were the SPFL games.

 

Even before Stevie Smith stupidly got himself sent-off, I had a feeling the "Nephews of William" would beat the "Sons of William" in the big Championship clash. When are my friends on the Scottish Football Writers Association finally going to come clean with the cohorts - not so-much legions this season - who have bought the illusion that the Tribute Act is really Rangers. The team which wears royal blue and plays out of Ibrox is an utter shambles of has-beens and probably never will bes, managed by a manager who is shown to be getting further out of his depth with every passing season.

 

There must be something the SFA can do to sort-out this weekly example of bringing Scottish football into disrepute. Mind you, there might be something in the combined view of the football intellectuals from my local Orange club, who reckon it's all a plot, organised by Peter Lawwell, to kill the Rangers brand off, once and for all.

 

Maybe the Tribute Act needs a woman's touch at the top.

 

Not that things are all rosey across the city. Yes, the board, under immense pressure, finally caved-in on the issue of the Living Wage, but, as my old mate Michael Grant wonderfully demonstrated, while Lawwell's belief that Celtic could be the biggest club in the world might play well in Baird's Bar and in Croy and Coatbridge, in the real world, it might raise a chuckle.

 

Let's face it. Had Rangers been run properly before that legendary £1 was handed over and it all went tits up, Celtic wouldn't even be the biggest club in Glasgow.

 

And, speaking about big clubs in Glasgow: well done Alan Archibald of Partick Thistle, who revealed he had sepnt some time at Scotstoun finding-out how Gregor Townsend does things at Glasgow Warriors.

 

I bet big Alan's eyes were opened at the sheer work ethic and enthusiasm of the Warriors, not to mention the coaching nouse which Toony has shown since being handed the Warriors gig.

 

If Thistle can begin to replicate Warriors' swashbuckling football in the oval-ball game within the round-ball one, it will surely soon, once again, be Firhill for Thrills.

 

Paris St Germaine away wasn't the worst Champions' League quarter-final draw Glasgow City could have got, but, it wasn't the best either. Still, the girls have shown a wonderful resiliance in Europe this season, so, I wouldn't write them off.

 

Being women's football - I am duty bound, as a male sports-writer, to come-up with some condescending pish here abouts, so, with previous apologies to the girls - I just hope the City management keep them away from Galleries Lafayette pre-match, keep their mind on the game, not the fashions.

 

Finally, an interesting wee tale from Ayrshire over the weekend. In common with another team which wears royal blue shirts, white socks and black stockings with red tops, Irvine Meadow has delusions of grandeur, like the other team, based on deed done in the grand old days of yore.

 

On Saturday, they faced Auchinleck Talbot in the Scottish Cup - they even had home advantage. Now, facing Talbot in the League is one thing, in the Scottish Cup, it is quite another and the Meadow didn't have any experience of this phenomenon.

 

Well, they ken noo. Talbot won 4-0. I suppose Liddell's, the local coach hire company in Auchinleck, is already taking bookings for Sunday, 7 June, 2015. That's the date of this season's Junior Cup Final.

Ach, It would have been different, had we voted Yes

THIS is the week when, in my seventh decade, I finally grew-up, football-wise. After our humbling from the Auld Enemy, at Celtic Park on tuesday night, I didn't kick the cat, break my Geordie next door neighbour's windows, or boost Diagio's profits from my attack on the cratur.

 

I haven't moped around like a bear with a sore head ever since. No, this time, I could merely switch off the television and accept: we were well-beaten, by a better team; try to forget it and move on.

 

I wasn't alone in taking this grown-up attitude to the result. Clearly, we are not as bad as we were - although, I never thought we were as bad as some critics tried to make out. But, conversely, we are not as good as we thought we were, and, we are a long way from where we want to be.

 

Just maybe, at long last, we are taking Mr Kipling's words to heart. Perhaps, these days, we can face the twin imposters, triumph and disaster, and treat them just the same (or something like that).

 

Mind you, horrible though it will be once their media goes into overdrive - this England team which Roy Hodgson is fashioning, has the look of one which, a year or two down the road, could be a real force at the sharp end of world football.

 

 

 

SADLY, the English following continues to let this potentially-exciting side down. That said, is our precious Tartan Army much better?

 

The TA has, over the years since taking the conscious decision to go away with a smile on their collective faces and show the world Scotland and England is different, given a whole new friendly reputation to the Scottish football fan. However, always there, in the background, behind all the Comin' Doon the Road and Doe a Deer nonsense, is the implied threat, best summed-up in the Scottish national motto: "Whaur daur meddle wi me".

 

The only time the collective restraints tend to come off, is when faced with the English Barmy Army. A lot of what the English fans were up to in the stands on Tuesday night seemed designed to intimidate and goad, thankfully, their efforts were largely in vain.

 

The English fans' repeated anti-IRA chanting has been highlighted in the English media. Clearly, they knew where they were, but, maybe, they didn't know that trying to wind-up Celtic fans at a Scotland game will rarely be productive.

 

Where it comes to fans' behaviour, football still, I think, hasn't got it right. I will go further, so-long as the police can restrain the worst elements, the football establishment isn't too bothered how the fans behave. Because, the "blazers" don't really care about the fans other than, to extract as much of their cash as they can, as quickly as they can.

 

 

 

WE'VE got a wee rugby international at Rugby Park on Saturday, so, Kilmarnock are on the road. But, for all the rival attraction of the oval ball game at Rugby Park, there is one absolutely stand-out fixture in God's County on the day.

 

All football roads should lead to Meadow Park, where Irvine Meadow's hugely-impressive home record will face it's ultimate test - Talbot in a Scottish Junior Cup tie.

 

For the first time in many a long year, the 'Bot go into a Junior Cup tie as the underdogs. As 'Bot boss Tommy Sloan admitted this week: "It really doesn't get much bigger than a cup tie between Meadow and Us".

 

Very true Tommy. The Meadow are unbeaten, at the top of the West Superleague's Premier Division - played eight, won eight; Talbot lie third, played seven, won six, lost one.

 

To be fair, Meadow have played nobody this season yet, while Talbot, having gone through a sticky patch which saw them surprisingly turfed out of the Senior Scottish Cup by Edinburgh City, then lose at Arthurlie in the League and to Glenafton in the Sectional League Cup final, have bounced back.

 

They beat the Glen 2-0 at New Cumnock on Saturday and will give a typically obdurate performance at Irvine. This game will attract a crowd greater than the majority of Saturday's senior fixtures. Indeed, I would not be surprised to see more people at Meadow Park than at some Premiership grounds on the day.

 

If the match lives up to the hype, it will be quite an occasion.

 

 

 

 

Send Them Homeward Tae think Again

ONE of the online highlights of the Independence Referendum was the Yes supporter, on a rickshaw, getting in amongst and berating through a loud hailer, the Labour MPs who were shipped-up from London for the day to show their support for Bitter Together.

To the strains of the Imperial March from Star Wars, this intrepid freedom fighter urged the good burghers of Glasgow to: "Bow down before your Imperial Masters, who have arrived among you".

A good laugh - if not for the politicos, whose faces were as red as their rosettes. Well, another tranche of our Imperial Masters will be arriving tonight, as the Barmy Army of the self-styled football Master Race come north to Celtic Park, convinced that Wayne an' The Lads will give the Sweaties a footballing lesson.

I am not so sure; I reckon we can win this meeting of two, in international terms, fairly average sides. Neither side will be at optimum strength, and, I reckon we maybe have greater strength in depth than does England.

Not that it matters much, indeed, when it comes to playing Them, nothing matters other than that we beat them. We can have as ugly a win as you like, just win - that's the message.



WHEN it comes to Scotland v England games at Celtic Park, this will be match number six, with the record standing at each side having won twice, with the fifth game - actually the first - drawn. They are even tied on goals scored, at 9-9.

Two of these games were significant, the second, in 1896, being the first international in which the SFA deigned to pick Anglo-Scots. They had five players who plied their trade in England and a 2-1 win, Scotland's first over the Auld Enemy in seven years, justified the change of tack, with one of the Anglos, Everton's Jack Bell, scoring the winner.

The second significant match was the legendary "Rosebery International" of 1900, which Scotland won 4-1, on the back of a hat-trick from RS "Toffee Bob" McColl, of Queen's Park and a High Street near you, and a goal from Celtic's Jack Bell - the same Jack Bell who had scored the 1896 winner.

This game was so-called, because, in honour of their patron, the future Prime Minister Lord Rosebery, Scotland donned his primrose and salmon pink racing hoops.

Tonight's crowd wil not match the 64,000 of 114-years ago, but, we can hope for a similarly emphatic Scotland win.



WELL, at long last, the polis and the Crown Office have got their act together and arrests have been made, following the sorry saga of the demise of Rangers and the rise of the Tribute Act.

Of course, as things stand, the four accused, plus the still unarrested Craig Whyte are all innocent, until proven guilty; and, as everyone knows, these cases which involve alleged business wrong-doing are mine fields for the prosecution. But, public perception has long been that, jiggery-pokery went on and, hopefully, by the time the wheels of justice have finished their lengthy and slow grinding, some sort of closure will be arrived at.

Of course, some on the blue side will not be happy until perhaps a whole team of business-men, whom Ra Peepul view as having ruined their club, are strung-up by their heels from every lamp post on Edmiston Drive.

While, across the city, there will, in some minds, be misery, until Castle Greyskull is torn down and a new green public park is there instead.

I cannot help thinking, however, there will be some nervous men around Hampden, until the last appeal is dismissed. This show will run for years yet. As I have said before, there are kids growing-up in the West End and the leafier Glasgow suburbs, whose school fees are paid for years to come and whose trust funds will be topped-up by the fees their lawyer fathers are making and will continue to make out of events around Rangers and its Tribute Act.

Time To Finally Deliver For WGS And His Men

I HAVE said before, and will doubtless say-so again, Scottish Fitba has a guid conceit o' itsel', but a conceit perhaps based more on a sense of self-agrandisment that on any reality which can be measured in terms of stirring deeds in World Cups, European Championships or success in the big club competitions.

Before my friends in the Celtic Family start screaming Seville at me, the reality is, we have won nothing in Europe since WGS and Mark McGhee were in "Fergie's Furies", more than 30-years ago.

Even when we did have justifiable delusions of adequacy, too-often we would be undone by selectorial blunders, or by indiscipline among a bunch of players, whose approach to being professional footballers was, probably, best summed-up by that of one of the grteatest we ever had, Slim Jim Baxter.

To the imperial Slim One: "Fitba's jist a wey o' gettin' tae shag better-lookin burds, ken". Touched by the Gods as he was, Baxter got away with it - for a time. Those who sought to emulate him, without his sublime skills, helped make us a laughing stock.

Back in the days of Crerand, McNeill and Baxter, we could petulantly drop our other Galactico, The Lawman, and still pump the Republic of Ireland by three clear goals. However, even then, if we under-estimated them, the men in green were more than capable of leaving us with a big reddy.

So-tight is this European Championships qualifying group in which we are oppossed by the Republic, that every point has to be preciously-guarded. Germany may at the moment be shaking-off its Brazilian hang-over, but, we must still expect them to top the group.

We are in a three-way struggle for the play-off place, with the Irish and the Poles, and, we simply cannot afford to drop any home points. We MUST beat our visitors to Celtic Park tonight.

No team managed, selected and organised by "The Blessed Martin" and the simmering rage that is Roy Keane can be dismissed lightly. Given the comparative record of the teams in head-to-heads over the last half-century, we must consider ourselves underdogs tonight.

Well, that is the role in which Scotland traditionally enjoyes itself. We can do it, and beat them, but, I don't expect there to be more than a single goal in it.

WELL done, yet again, the lassies of Glasgow City, who have battled their way into the last eight of the Women's Champions League. Brilliant show Ladies.

And, once again, black marks to the decision-makers on the Sports Desks of our increasingly incompetent and foolish-looking mainstream media, for more-or-less ignoring the story.

If even a quarter of the space devoted to the board-room in-fighting and financial jiggery-pokery around the Tribute Act, was devoted to the feel-good story of Glasgow City's European campaign, we would all be better-off.

If, instead of seeking-out retired "stars" to spout platitudes, or give us their loaded take in response to loaded questions lobbed to them by star-struck reporters, these same seekers after truth and enlightment used their brains and sent after a real feel-good, interesting story, then City would be back page headliners.

But, in the super-mnacho world of Scottish fitba, they are just a bunch o big lassies. 

Aye, but, these lassies are good, very good, and, I salute them.

I WAS commiserating with an Honest Man on Wednesday morning. He had gone along to see Ayr United humbled by Alloa the night before. But, he had managed to put a brave face on things.

"Ach, we were so-bad after the first 20-minutes, at half-time we decided to give-up a bad job and go to the pub, it wasn't too-bad a night".

That's the right attitude to such a hammering as United suffered.

He'll be back for the next game though.

PARDON me for laughing at the latest FIFA "scandal", whereby Russia and Qatar get off Scot-free after an inquiry into the mess which has been the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups - while those guardians of probity and best practice, the FA, have been condemned.

You have to laugh, because, nothing will be done about it. FIFA will continue to be corrupt, the likes of Sepp Blatter and his cronies will continue to stick it to the saelf-appointed Master Race at every opportunity, and, while the loathsome Jack Warner may have been sacrificed as a face-saving exercise by Blatter's Brigade, international football politics will continue to smell every bit as much as real politics.

Mind you, England had it coming. Remember the way the FA was all-too-ready to jump into bed with the bad guys after John McBeth made his all-too-true, but, for him, all-too-silly comments on the probity and practices of some of the "gentlemen" he would have been obliged to sit down beside, had he been confirmed as the Four Home Nations' FIFA vice president.

When it suits them, the English will sup with the Devil - but, they lack a long spoon. Sir George Graham and his cohorts back in the pre-war days were maybe right in wanting nothing to do with foreigners in football.

Favourites - I Don't Think So, Given Our Course And Distance Record

WHISPER it not in Dublin, publish it not on the streets of Limerick, but, when it comes to internationals between Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, form favours the Irish.

Friday night's Celtic Park meeting will be the tenth full international between the two nations, with the record showing: the Irish have won four of the previous nine, to Scotland's three, with the other two games drawn.

 It makes even worse reading, when you realise, Scotland has won just one of the last seven encounters. That came in an end-of-season friendly, at Lansdowne Road, on 30 May, 2000, when goals from Don Hutchison and Barry Ferguson overturned the lead Craig Burley's second minute own goal had afforded the Irish.

The countries' two previous European Championship qualifiers, in the campaign leading to the 1988 Champiionships, have seen the Irish hold us to a 0-0 draw in Dublin, before Mark Lawrenson, I mean, Mark Lawrenson!! scored the only goal of the game to win the return tie at Hampden for the men in green.

The Irish out-qualified us in that group, memorably, Gary Mackay's goal against Bulgaria sent the Irish on to the finals, and “Plastic Paddy” Ray Houghton's seminal goal against England.

Aside from that friendly match in 2000, our only other wins over the Republic came in the qualifying campaign for the 1962 World Cup. We opened that campaign with a 4-1 Hampden win, on 3 May, 1961. This was a “Must Win” game for the Scots, who went into it on the back of a 9-3 thrashing from England, last time out. But, the introduction of a new Pat Crerand, Billy McNeill, Jim Baxter half-back line and a brace of goals apiece from Ralph Brand and Arsenal's David Herd, saw Scotland home.

Amazingly, we haven't beaten the Irish in Scotland since that day.

We won the reverse fixture, in Dublin, four days later 3-0, Alex Young, standing-in for the injured Herd, scoring twice, and Brand getting the third.

These World Cup clashes were the first between the nations, and after that good start, things have gone down-hill for the men in dark blue.

Their third meeting, was a Sunday friendly, in Dublin, in June, 1963. The Scots arrived there, fresh from a late collapse which had gifted Norway a 4-3 win in Bergen. Noel Cantwell headed the Irish in front in six minutes and the Scots, led by Denis Law, huffed and puffed to no avail for the remaining 84. So disgusted were the travelling Scottish press pack, there were calls for the team to be sent home before they were humiliated by Spain in their next game – due in the Bernabeu four days later.

The SFA paid no heed, and Scotland thumped Spain 6-2!!

The next meeting came on 21 September, 1969, with the Scots using the game as a warm-up for a “Must Win” World Cup qualifier against West Germany in Hampburg a month later. The match was played on a Sunday, with almost the entire Scottish team having played club games 24-hours before. Worse than that, some of the Old Firm contingent, assured they would not be playing in Dublin, enjoyed an all-night party in Glasgow on the Saturday night, and were less than match-fit when they trotted out at Dalymount Park the next afternoon.

Colin Stein put the Scots ahead, Don Givens equalised for the Republic, while Scotland goalkeeper Ernie McGarr of Aberdeen, saw his debut ended by injury after 24 minutes.

Aside from the aforementioned 1988 Euro qualifiers, the two nations didn't meet again until May, 2003, during the ill-fated reign of Berti Vogts as Scotland boss. Things were going so awry for Scotland then, it was no surprise when the visitors to Hampden, on 12 February, 2003, won 2-0.

The sides last met on 29 May, 2011, by which time Lansdowne Road had become the AVIVA Stadium. This game was the final of the short-lived Carling Nations Cup and a 23^rd minute Robbie Keane goal ensured the trophy stayed in Dublin, as it gave the Irish a 1-0 win.

So, any members of the Tartan Army who still try to look down on our Irish visitors should take cognisance of the past results. The days when Scotland could confidently go into a game against the Republic are some 50-years in the past. It is therefore, long past time, when our record improved. Might this improvement begin at Celtic Park on Friday night?