I Saw That Ferguson Goal Coming

KNOWING as I did, prior to his death, the late, great, Freddie Williams, I lang syne decided never to take on the bookies, since they usually win.There were three bookies at my uncle's (my mother's only brother's) funeral – it was the least they could have done, given how well he had kept them over many years. So, I don't gamble.

Lewis Ferguson - I saw his goal coming

However, given what followed, I just wish I had followed-up on my hunch yesterday, as I watched Rangers pound the Aberdeen goal, with nil success. That hunch was: “Aberdeen will soak-up this pressure, get one chance and most-likely Lewis Ferguson will score.”

Prescient, or what. I just hope, when, as they surely will, the churnalists and stenographers in Glasgow start writing-up the “Rangers interested in young Ferguson” stories, Dad Derek, and Uncle Barry corner young Lewis and tell him: “Don't go there son, it will be your ruination.”

He's got some way still to go, but, no doubting, Lewis is already Rangers class – I think, however, he could be better than that.

I could see that Aberdeen goal coming. If I have learned one thing over several decades watching Scottish fitba it is, if you don't score when you are on top, fitba has a nasty habit of coming back and biting you on the bum. Thus it emerged at Hampden yesterday.

You don't get points for “content of programme,” for weaving pretty patterns between the 18-yard lines. As I first learned when reading about Nick Smith and Arnold Tabbs back in the old Rover of the 1950s, when we had to read the stories, not look at the cartoon strip pictures - “It's Goals That Count,” and Rangers didn't supply any.

I recall, over 35-years ago, seeing big Doug Baillie chucking his pen away in disgust in the old roof-top Ibrox press box, before announcing: “See that Rangers centre – he'll still be a “promising boy” when he's 30.” I think if the long-retired Mr Baillie was still in-harness, he would be making the same judgement on Umar Sadiq, for one of yesterday's Rangers XI.

A final word on the Rangers v Aberdeen game, and this will definitely jeopardise my membership of Goalkeeper's Lodge Number One; but, when is somebody going to summon-up the spirit of Nat Lofthouse, Bobby Gould or Chris Sutton and “rummel-up” Allan McGregor. With his petulant wee dig yesterday, that's twice this season he has over-stepped the bounds. To quote the words of the great former Scotland rugby captain Fin Calder, McGregor would be: “Nane the waur o' a guid shoein'.”

To explain to non-rugby men, the now outlawed practise of administering “a guid shoein'” happened when an entire pack of eight forwards trampled over the top of an opponent who had upset them, being careful to stand on some part of his body below the shoulders while doing it. In most cases, such a going-over brought the miscreant to heel.

IF THE failure to score when on top did for Rangers yesterday, it was almost, I feel, the same story at Murrayfield for Celtic. I think, had they perhaps gone five more minutes without finding the net, it could all have been different.

I don't think Willie Collum would have given Hearts that penalty

However, not for the first time, Willie Collum saved the jerseys for one half of the Bigot Brothers. I am definitely of the opinion – had the penalty incident been at the other end of the ground, Hearts would not have been given the award.

However, to be fair to Celtic, they got the break and made the most of it, no arguing with the other goals, particularly Ryan Christie's outside the box strike.

CONGRATULATIONS too, to Glasgow City, following their 12^th straight Scottish Women's Premier League title. Given how excited the churnalists and stenographers get about beating nine in a row, it would be nice to see a bit more praise heaped on the City girls.

But, to paraphrase the Eagles: “City girls seem to find out early, you shouldnae be playin' fitba in Scotland.” But, they ignored that, well done lassies, and good luck to to our women's team at the World Cup next year.

WITH ALL the media hype around the Betfred League Cup semi-finals, you may perhaps have missed the most-significant result of the weekend, which came on Saturday. This was: Auchinleck Talbot 2 Cove Rangers 1, in the second round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Cove are the current Highland League Champions; the club has a guid conceit o' itself, and longs to make the jump into the SPFL. They also are the home club of SFA President Alan Macrae. So, to lose to a JUNIOR team was probably not how they fancied their Scottish Cup campaign ending – even if that Junior side was the 'Bot, a club who could give every other Scottish club lessons in how to win trophies consistently.

 Tom Johnston, could well be winding-up President Macrae today

I just hope my old mate Tom Johntson, the SJFA General Secretary remembers not to smile too-broadly when he encounters President Macrae along Hampden's sixth floor corridor today.

It also now looks as if the SJFA is set to officially enter the SFA pyramid at level six, alongside the East and South of Scotland Leagues. This should be interesting. I wonder how soon we will see some of the Junior giants progressing, via the Lowland League, into the four senior divisions. Then, how far might they continue to rise?

I don't think I will ever be covering Talbot v Rangers at Beechwood, but, you can never say never.

Talbot, by the way, will have little time to reflect on beating Cove Rangers. They entertain Lesmahagow in the third round of the Macron, Scottish Junior Cup, at Beechwood on Saturday,

If they win that one, and given they recently hammered the 'Gow in the West League Cup final, they will be the hottest of favourites, they will have to switch back to senior Scottish Cup mode, since they are due to visit another Highland League club, Fraserburgh in Round Three, on 24 November.