I Am Bored With Scottish Fitba

IT HAS taken a tremendous effort for me to get back to blogging on Scottish Football. Honestly, I have never been one for flogging a dead horse, and, even if fitba in the nation which improved the original imperfect English version of the game and gave it to the world is not dead, it is clearly in need of life support.

Last night, I sat down to watch Aberdeen v Celtic. After 12 minutes of play, with Celtic already 3-0 up, I gave up and switched to the Gloucster v Stade Francais rugby. At least, in that game the outcome was in doubt until about the final five minutes. At Pittodrie, there was simply no way Aberdeen would ever pull back three goals – far less score four, in 78 minutes.

That's Scottish football for you, utterly predictable.

RIGHT now, the lieges are becoming a tad excited down here in the south-eastern extremities of God's Orange County – Ayrshire to the uninitiated. The Scottish Junior Cup final is a mere three weeks away, and, several seats inside Rugby Park will enjoy the unusual experience of having bums sat on them, when Auchinleck Talbot take on Glenafton Athletic, kick-off 4pm, on Sunday, 4 June.

That Talbot are in the final is not unusual. There is almost a Steward's Enquiry any year the 'Bot are not in the final. The Glen, from my own village, are less-frequent visitors to the big show, but, this is our second visit in four seasons. Talbot and the Glens, along with current cup-holders Beith and Kirkintilloch Rob Roy are currently locked in a four-way battle for the West of Scotland Superleague title, so, the finalists are two of the quality teams in the junior ranks.

Talbot and the Glen last met in the final back in 1992, Talbot won 4-0, the last hurrah of the glorious squad which Willie Knox built and nurtured. So, we owe them one. The battle for the league will ensure, both teams will be fully-committed in the run-up to the final, so, hopefully, we get a good game. Meanwhile, we have plenty to keep us interested in the interim.

Now, if only Scottish senior football could maintain interest right to the end.