Let's Not Heap Undue Pressure On Scott McTominay

THE current excitement over Scott McTominay and his decision to throw-in his international lot with Scotland, rather than England, is to me yet another example of the Scottish footballing nation – from SFA High Heid Yins right down to the lowly Tartan Army foot soldier lacking a sense of perspective.

 Scott McTominay

Our highs – the Wembley Wizards of 1928 and 1967, Faddy's goal against France - make Everest look like a mole-hill. Our lows – 9-3, don't cry for us Argentina – are deeper than the Marenas Trench. Balance and Scottish fitba are strange bed fellows.

Now, I hope young McTominay can go on to have a Scotland career to match that of Darren Fletcher, or Kenny Dalglish, but, the kid has only played 18 first-team games for Manchester United – less than half a season, let's not burden him with expectation. The history of Scottish football is packed with young stars, hailed as: “the next big thing”, or rushed into the national team of a tsunami of press praise – who crashed and burned.

 Kris Commons - Scotland internationalist number 1100

Since international football started, on St Andrew's Day, 1872, just 1156 Scots have got to wear the rampant lion in full internationals. Kris Commons was cap number 1100 – of the 56 who have followed him, I can think of several who were going to be: “the next big thing”. OK, one or two of these might come back, but I would say for most of them, their Scotland careers are over, here is just a small number of promising boys who have failed to deliver: Derek Riordan, Danny Wilson, David Goodwillie, Mark Wilson, Chris Maguire, Craig Mackail-Smith, Stevie May, Tony Watt, Oliver Burke and Barrie McKay.

I doubt if we will see any of these names, when Alex McLeish names his first Scotland squad of his second spell in-charge, on Monday. So, let's not get carried away about McTominay.

ANOTHER point you have to consider when it comes to looking at the personnel in any Scotland squad, is consistency of selection.

 Gemma Fay winning the 200th of her 203 caps - tribute to her and the Scotland Women's team managements consistency in performance and selection

Having stuck his neck out as it were, to get McTominay tied to Scotland, McLeish now has to back that up by picking the kid. He will surely be given a handful of games in which to show he can cut it internationally, but, there are no guarantees.

Scottish football history is full of guys who were stick-outs at club level, but, could not bridge the gap into the international arena. Plus, you have perception, the great Gordon Smith's record at club level is outstanding, but, received wisdom apparently was, for all his genius for Hibs, he seldom matched that level of performance during his 20 Scotland appearances.

With the SFA you get a gold medal and your picture hung in a sort of Hall of Heroes, if you manage 50 caps or more. Of the 1156 full internationalists, only 31, or 2.7% are in that elite group. If you win between 25 and 49 caps, you win a silver medal – only 76, or 6.6% of our full internationalists have earned that distinction.

I accept, we have to count that long period when the Scotland team was chosen by committee, where: “You vote for my right-back and I will back your outside-left,” perhaps got a few guys caps they didn't deserve, but, with the Scotland men's team, there has always been a presumption that, in some way the national team got in the way of club football, and was not as-important.

Indeed, received wisdom is that two clubs, one perhaps more than the other, have, over the years made it clear they think themselves above the national team, with many well-documented examples of their players being unfit to play for Scotland on a Wednesday, but make recoveries of Lazarus proportions between Wednesday morning and Saturday at 3pm, when they are able to turn-out for their club side.

If you look at our list of 1156 full Scottish internationalists since 1872, one player stands alone – with 102 appearances, Kenny Dalglish is our solitary caps centurion.

Julie Fleeting warms up with one of her two daughters - Julie has 121 caps and has scored 116 goals for Scotland - whaur's yer Kenny Dalglish noo.

Our women's national side has only been official since 1998, but, in that time: Gemma Fay (203), Joanne Love (182), Leanne Ross (133), Ifeome Dieke (123), Julie Fleeting and Kim Little (121), Jane Ross (110) and Jenni Beattie (108) have all racked-up a century or more of caps, with several of these named still active, and Rachel Corsie and Frankie Brown both into their nineties in terms of caps won, and aiming to join the centurions.

Of course, manager Shelley Kerr, like her predecessors, is selecting from a smaller player pool, which leads to consistency of selection, but, these numbers demonstrate the merits of this.

PITTODRIE no more then, with the news the Scottish Government has decided Aberdeen's new stadium at Kingsford can be built. I welcome this development.

Mind you, I have one wee concern. The newspaper reports I have seen spoke of: “The 20,000-capacity stadium.” This might be a ball park figure, since, Pittodrie's capacity is 20,866, but, if they are cutting 866 seats, it says to me, lack of ambition.

Sure, a capacity of around 20,000 is perhaps adequate for the current market. But, what happens if, immediately the Dons relocate, either Derek McInnes, or a successor, suddenly turns into Fergie Mark 2, and the team starts to make waves in Europe, and win titles and trophies. The club might discover, they could fit-in 30,000 fans every week, but the ground is too-small.

What happened to: “If you build it – they will come.”

I WATCHED PSG v Real Madrid, on BT Sport 2 last night.

Good game, with some outstanding nuggets of individual skill. I also saw, for the first time in ages, a team – Real, use that most-telling of passes, between a wing back and a central defender, for a winger to run onto, take to the bye-line and cut back. We don't see this often enough.

Tommy Lawton scoring with a header for England - he would proudly have claimed CR7's opening goal for Real Madrid in Paris last night.

But, what an opening goal from CR7, old English-style centre forwards such as Tommy Lawton, Nat Lofthouse, Tony and Mark Hateley or Alan Sharer would proudly have claimed that one.

Charlie - Engage Brain Before Opening Mouth

POOR old Charlie Nicholas – he could have been a contender. He burst onto the football scene like a young Denis Law – scoring goals for fun, seemingly set for a lengthy and prolific spell in the national side.

Charlie Nicholas

He went on to win 20 caps, but, today, he is seen as yet another example of a good kid who never realised his potential. Sure, he has been inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame, but, induction into that august body is by means of a selection panel – it's the opinion of the induction committee which counts. And, in my view, that panel has long shown a pro-Celtic bias which has seen a few Celtic players who were probably not worthy of inclusion getting in – Nicholas being one.

Not that my opinion will concern Charlie too much. He still has a nice wee earner as a Sky pundit and occasional football columnist, although, if you ask the ordinary fan, they tend today to see him as something of a figure of fun, mangling the English language and talking and writing pish. Still, that will not worry Charlie, as he checks his bank balance.

His latest cry for attention came this morning, with his much-publicised criticism of Scott McTominay, for opting to play for Scotland rather than his birth nation, England. Aye Charlie, in an ideal world we would love to see enough Scots-born, home-grown talent in the domestic Scottish league, but, in Scotland, in 2018, that aint gonna happen.

Our domestic game is a mess, and, anyway, since Scotland's biggest and some say greatest export since about 1600, has been people – why should we not tap into the great Caledonian Diaspora to recruit talent?

We have been doing this for about as long as we've been playing international football. The Scotland shirt has been worn, with distinction, by guys born in South Africa, North America, not to mention the other countries of the British Isles – so, why pick on McTominay?

My advice to Charlie – stop trying to be Chris Sutton, you were a better striker anyway.

I SEE the Trust which owns and runs Clydebank FC has decided, with 86% of the members backing the proposal, to attempt to return the Bankies to senior football.

Good luck and I hope you make it work guys. Sadly, they will not be going back to Kilbowie, but, I would love to see the Bankies back in the top flight. After all, any club which could discover and hone the talents of Davie Cooper has to be worth supporting.

Davie Cooper - Clydebank's greatest player

Speaking of the late and much-lamented “Coop”, I remember, many years ago, at Rugby Park, in a post-match press conference, hearing Bill Munro, the manager who nurtured Cooper's talents, waxing lyrical about him.

“It was a joy to go into training, or on match days, because you just knew he would do something wonderful, and I couldn't wait to see what he would pull out,” said Munro of Cooper.

For the Bankies to get back to these brief high-summer days will not be easy. They have done well in the junior ranks, but will need to satisfy the entry requirements and be accepted into the Lowland League, then repeat their junior football feat of rising through the divisions to the top flight.

But, I think they can do it, and look forward to watching their progress. Good luck guys, but, you will need it.

I REMEMBER, some 40-years ago, seeing, for the first time, the late Bobby Knutt, doing his stand-up turn at Batley Variety Club. A proud Sheffield man, wee Knutty's opening joke was: “Football in Sheffield, yes, it could catch on.”

I think I have used that gag before on here, and, probably in the same context, but, I honestly believe football could catch-on in the crisis-hit city of Dundee. Over the weekend, the Daily Record was banned from Dens Park, for daring to suggest Dundee were on the brink of closure – given the way their circulation has plummeted, and the paucity of their writing, particularly in sport, I reckon Dundee just might last longer than the Record.

Former Dundee United Chairman Stephen Thompson (image courtesy of SNS)

Dundee, apparently, in their last financial year, made a £350,000 loss – which in Scottish football terms is almost cause for a lap of honour. And things are no better at the other end of Tannadice Street, where the much-maligned Stephen Thompson has just stepped down as Chairman of Dundee United, with the team struggling to find any rhythm in their pursuit of St Mirren for the single automatic promotion sport from Championship to Premiership.

Maybe it is time for Dundee's footballing public to think the unthinkable – merge the 'Dee and the Arabs into a new, single club, sell Dens and Tannadice and relocate the new club to a new stadium and become a genuine single-club city, better able to take on the rest of Scottish football.

I know, that's a radical notion, the die-hards would rather die than support a single Dundee team, and, it goes against the central pillar of Scottish football, indeed, much of Scottish sport, which is:

Naw son, it's aye been din the weay it is the noo, and it aye wull be.

And that, ladies and gentlemen is why, the true Golden Age of Scottish football was in the 1870s and 1880s.

I CANNOT help feeling, the continued overkill of Scottish football on our newspaper sports pages (surely another example of: Naw son, it's aye been din the weay it is the noo, and it aye wull be) is the perfect example of selling rubbish cheaply.

Our national side hasn't appeared on the biggest stages for 20-years, our leading football clubs are similarly off the pace in Europe, yet, per capita, we have the largest attendances in Europe. Do we Scots enjoy watching shite?

Yet, look elsewhere. Andy Murray has forced a reluctant nation to enjoy tennis, while Chris Hoy did the same for track cycling.

 Katie Archibald - a genuine world-class sporting Scot

In the last few days, cyclist Katie Archibald became, at just 23, a World Champion for the fifth time, to add to her two Olympic Games gold medals, while at only 20, Jack Carlin finished second in the World Championship sprint race. Then we had Laura Muir doing exceptionally well in the World Indoor Athletics

But, these are individual sports. OK, look at how well the Scottish rugby team is doing, fifth in the world rankings – the football team is ranked 31^st. And, in that most-Scottish of world sports – Curling, we have two rinks (or teams), the Kyle Smith rink which competed in the Winter Olympics and the youthful Team Mouat, who will represent Scotland in next month's World Championships, ranked in the world rankings Top 20.

Team Mouat could be the next big Scottish thing on the world sporting stage

In the UEFA club rankings, Celtic are at number 46, with Aberdeen at 236, St Johnstone at 264, Rangers at 265, Hibs, Hearts, Inverness CT and Motherwell at positions 267 to 270, the only Scottish clubs ranked among 442 clubs.

We're not very good at football, are we? Yet the papers continue to treat our game as something special, to the detriment of other Scottish sports and teams which really are special.

The English Premiership Or The Ayrshire Juniors - It's Still Just Fitba

I HAD a quiet chuckle to myself when I read the online Guardian this morning, and in particular their report of the English Premiership clash between Champions-elect Manchester City and defending Champions Chelsea.

Colin McAdam - Hazard was only echoing big Col's views

Eden Hazard of Chelsea, post-match, complained: “I could have played for three hours and not touched the ball.” The last time I heard a player come off the field and say that was way back in the 1980s, when the late Colin McAdam came off Abbey Park, Kilwinning, following his debut for Irvine Meadow, against the Buffs, and remarked: “You could play all season in midfield in this league and never touch the ball, as it sails back and forth over your head.”

Hazard's observation proves – there is little that is new in football.

BEING, as I am, involved in rugby as well as football – I am blase about TMOs (Television Match Officials) as they are in rugby, so I welcome the introduction of VARs (Video Assistant Referees) into the beautiful game.

But, it is somehow typical that the game run by committees, should see its ultimate committee – IFAB (International Football Associations Board) come up with a bourach like their preferred VAR set-up.

In rugby, there is one TMO only, not the three officials involved in football's VAR system – far-less possibility of argument and prolonged debate about the incident being reviewed. Also, in rugby, any incidents in which the TMO is involved, is shown on the big screen at the ground, and while there is consultation between the two, the final decision is that of the match referee. This underpins the long-standing protocol: “The referee is the sole judge of fact during the game.”

Now, this is one of the cornerstones of football: Law V section I.i if memory serves me correctly. BUT, with VAR, the three-person VAR team can tell the referee: “Goal or no goal; penalty or no penalty; red card, yellow card, whatever.” There is still the means whereby, if the referee has his or her doubts about the VAR decision, for the principal match official – the referee – to review the VAR on a wee pitch-side monitor and over rule.

It's all, for me, a bit convoluted, I think the rugby system is simpler, more-easily understood by the crowd and faster. Mind you, as football will find out, and rugby already knows, even with video technology – mistakes happen, once the human element comes into play.

What might a VAR panel have made of this "goal"?

Mind you, I'd like to think a VAR panel of a Scotsman, an Italian and a Brazilian say, would, on review, have come-up with: “No goal”, for that third England goal in the 1966 World Cup final.

Let's not forget either, the SFA and the SPFL are holding back on introducing VAR to Scotland, on the grounds of cost. Hmm!!! I think one of the first tasks of the new Chief Executive, whoever he or she may be, will be to, somehow, persuade the clubs, they need to find the cash to fund VAR implementation. If they can afford some of the duds the clubs have imported in recent seasons, then they can afford VAR.

SO, the SFA has still not found where they misplaced their oval and square balls, so, they came-up with a Celtic v Rangers semi-final in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Well, it will make it easier for the “Churnalists and Stenographers” to decide what they are going to decide between now and the game. They can go into their usual over-kill mode for that game, and totally ignore the other semi.

I have a gut feeling, the stars are aligning, and Kilmarnock will beat Aberdeen in their quarter-final replay, then see-off Motherwell in the overlooked semi-final, before Kris Boyd's winning goal takes the cup to Rugby Park, at the expense of Rangers in the final.

I HAVE yet to work-out whether or not having Hugh as his father has helped or hindered Andrew Dallas's refereeing career. He may be guilty of sending dodgy emails, but, “Hugh Bonkle of Dallas”, as the late Tommy Burns memorably referred to him, was right up there with Messrs, Craigmyle, Faultless (what a great name for a referee), Mowat, Phillips, Wharton, Davidson, McCluskie and Young in the ranks of outstanding Scottish referees.

Young Andrew should perhaps have followed the example of another Andrew, rugby referee Andrew Hosie – who took himself off to Ontario, where he was less-likely to have his performances compared with those of his father, the great Alan Hosie – arguably Scotland's best rugby referee.

 Like father - like son

Any way, the footballing referee Andrew was just starting to make his way up the slippery refereeing ladder when I was switched from football to rugby reporting, but, I have followed his career with interest. And, as a former goalkeeper, I applaud his sensible Sunday application of that little-known ruling that, when a goalkeeper has his hand on the ball, clamping it to the ground, it is in his control, and cannot be played by another player.

Hugh and Andrew Dallas

I don't recall much attention being paid to that particular rule, on the killing fields of Ayrshire junior football – I must ask Charlie Richmond about that. But, well done Andrew.

I AM delighted to see Scott McTominay has done the decent thing and opted to play for Scotland, the land of his fathers, rather than England, the land of his birth.

Scott McTominay

The Manchester United kid is still finding his feet in the Premiership, but, from what little I have seen of him, I think he has a chance of a good career. I do hope Alex McLeish will quickly start getting promising young talents such as McTominay into the national side – and that he sticks with them and gives them a chance to develop. We need new blood, badly.

They're Awe Oot O' Step But The Ruperts

OH DEAR! Oh Dear! Oh Dear! Football is about to introduce their VAR (which I think stands for video assistant referee) and the natives, at least in England, are revolting.

IFAB has passed VAR for use, but the English football media aint happy

We in Scotland seem unlikely to be bothered about VAR or any form of video technology, well, neither the SFA nor the SPFL can afford it. Any way, we cannot allow a system to be introduced which might demonstrate that a penalty awarded to either one of the Bigot Brothers, or a disputed goal for either, should not have been given.

I have just listened to the talking heads on Football Focus ripping VAR to bits. It works in cricket, it works in tennis, it works in rugby; sure, there are occasional fuck-ups, but, you will always get that – it is known as the human element. Why, therefore, should it not work in football?

The system will be refined over the coming seasons, as actual examples flag-up difficulties, mind you, as we are seeing in politics – the world is out of step apart from England.

I AM uncertain about the decision to go-ahead with this weekend's William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-finals, given the recent terrible weather.

OK, the pitches will be clear and playable; the clubs will have done everything possible to make the spectator areas satisfactory, but, simply getting from home to the four grounds, and, in particular for my fellow Kilmarnock fans – getting from East Ayrshire to Aberdeen, across the worst of the areas devastated by “the Beast from the East” - will not be easy.

But, too often, Elf N Safety intrudes these days. Battling through terrible conditions to get to a game is one of these trips you never forget. For instance, I can still recall leaving East Ayrshire to see a Hearts v Kilmarnock Scottish Cup tie, at Tynecastle, back in the early 1960s.

It wasn't too bad going up the A70 as far as Hyndford Bridge. There we learned, the Lang Whang, from Carstairs to Currie, was impassable, so, we had to go via Biggar. The A702 was passable, but, the snow banks on either side were at least four or five feet high. We got all the way into Slateford, when we discovered the game was off – this was about an hour before kick-off, so, we had no option but to turn around and retrace our steps.

Jackie McInally - his goal made a difficult trip to Edinburgh worth while

Undaunted, we were back on the Wednesday night to see Jackie McInally score a late equaliser, and, back at Rugby Park, we won the replay.

That game, I still remember, more than 50-years on, other, more-recent matches, have been wiped from the memory banks.

I hope the Killie caravan to Pittodrie today has a memorable trip, with a place in the semi-finals a nice wee reward for their commitment to the club.

AS I mentioned in my last blog post, change is in the air in Scottish football – and how.

My post mentioned plans to scrap the Development League, to be replaced with the a revamped Reserve League, now, moves are afoot to alter the landscape of “Real Fitba” - the Scottish Junior FA, who are, according to the font of all knowledge of that grade of football – that great unsung journalism hero Scott Campbell of the Scottish Sun – looking at summer football.

Of course, cynics amongst us – aye you Chick Young – have long made fun of the length of the Junior season. “The Junior close season this year will be on a Thursday,” is one of, if not the oldest of the jokes in Chick's joke book – which is written in “braid Scots”, on vellum. (I could have written Latin there, but, who would believe Charles would have anything to do with Latin?)

Between poor pitches and getting their myriad cup competitions played off, the junior season does tend to go on a bit. I still remember, back in the 1990s, when I was doing a lot of junior games, covering the first friendly of the new season on a Saturday, before, the following Tuesday, turning up at Blair Park, Hurlford, to see Auchinleck Talbot complete their season by winning the Ayrshire Cup.

I also noted, as the junior season carried on into late June or even early July, weel-kent faces from Somerset Park or Rugby Park on the terraces at Beechwood, Loch Park, Newlandsfield or Dunterlie Park.

Tom Johnston - the SJFA High Heid Yin could be presiding over summer football

Might I offer this wee tip to Tom Johnston, the wonderful Secretary of the SJFA, should, as I hope they do, his member clubs go with summer football.

In North America, the NBA (basketball) and the NHL (ice hockey) support “summer leagues”, in which players who are looking to get into the big show in their sports, and free agents looking to stay in the big time can strut their stuff in front of the scouts from major league teams.

That would, I am certain, work with the juniors.

EARLIER this week, I mentioned the competition to name the streets on the new housing development on the site of Love Street, St Mirren's former home ground.

Chick Young made a cameo appearance on last Saturday's “Off the Ball”, to highlight the competition, which is being organised by Renfrewshire Council – so, no prizes going then. The “short list” contained 15 suggestions, mostly relating to St Mirren legends, and the public are being asked to pick a “five-a-side team” to name the five streets in the development.

The list is:

• Abercromby Avenue – after 1987 Scottish Cup-winning captain Billy
• Bryceland Avenue – after Tommy, one of the stars of the 1959 Scottish Cup-winning side
• Copland Lane – after long-serving club legend Jackie
• Fitzpatrick Way – after Chief Executive and club legend Tony
• Gemmell Gardens – after Tommy, another of the 1959 Scottish Cup winners
• McCrae Crescent – after St Mirren hero of the 1920s Davie
• McGarry Terrace – after Stephen McGarry, from the Millennium Champions side
• McWhirter Street – after long-serving former captain Norrie
• Money Street – after goalkeeping great “Dibble”
• Saints Street – well, why not, it does what it says on the tin
• Somner Street – after goal-scoring cult hero Doug
• Telfer Street – in honour of the great centre-half Willie
• Torfason Terrace – to honour the great Icelandic player Gunni
• Van Zanten View – after David, one of the more-recent St Mirren heroes
• Yardley Avenue – after big Mark, another North Bank hero who scored a lot of goals.
  
  
  
  An athlete to his fingertips - Mark Yardley

I am still upset that the great “Basher” Lavety didn't make the final cut; Bash or Basher Street would definitely have got my vote. However, I have made my choice and voted, so hopefully I've got at least one street right.

You too can vote on the Renfrewshire Council website, in the section “Saints Streets”.

Bad Weather - Good Goalkeeping - Interesting Developments - Just Another Week On Planet Fitba

COURTESY of “The Beast from the East”, it looks as if we are not going to have a lot of football to possibly attend tomorrow. And therein lies the problem with a winter shut-down in Scotland.

We had a shut-down earlier this season, and, truth to tell, could probably have played through it. Now, courtesy of the unpredictable British climate, we lost a lot of midweek games, and will lose more this weekend.

As a well-known junior commentator said some years back: “The Juniors have a mid-winter shut-down, we just never know when it will happen.” The problem is now hitting the senior game.

The Oriam - hosting a top rugby match this weekend

I note, with rugby similarly hit, the BT Premiership clash between Heriot's and Currie – a sort of Hibs v Motherwell if you like – will go ahead tomorrow on the indoor pitch at the Oriam on the Heriot-Watt University campus. Fantastic initiative and good thinking by the Currie club. That's what Scotland needs – more indoor facilities, or roofed, 21^st century stadia.

I WATCHED Rangers dismantle St Johnstone on Tuesday night, courtesy of BT Sport. Graeme Murty has certainly got his side playing some good football – that first goal, from the in-form Windass for instance was as good as you will see. While you still have to fancy the Champions, there are now signs of a definite title challenge coming from Ibrox.

Graeme Murty - has his side playing well

IF Rangers can hold their nerve, and win when Celtic come to Ibrox later this month, then, anything might happen. As I have said before, this is not a good Celtic team, they are flaky and a Rangers' win just might tilt the balance of power. However, course and distance form still favours Celtic – but, things are not as clear-cut as they once seemed.

ALSO on Tuesday night, Kilmarnock went to Tynecastle and came away with a draw. A wee bit disappointing for us Killie fans, but, we are not complaining too-loudly.

Our hero on the night was goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, for that last-minute penalty save from Kyle Lafferty. This was a classic case of a local favourite returning to bite you on the bum, and, I'll bet there were dedicated Jambos standing in the Diggers post-match lamenting the fact Hearts ever let Jamie go.

Jamie MacDonald - in form and in my view, worth a Scotland call

I first encountered Jamie when Hearts loaned him out to Queen of the South for experience and he never let-down the Doonhamers. He has won ten Under-21 caps, but, has never gone on to a full cap. He has also picked-up a lot of big match experience, by playing in no less than four national cup finals, and, at 31, he is still young for a 'keeper.

When I first started watching Kilmarnock, their goalkeeper was the great Jimmy Brown, another former Hearts man who was very unlucky not to win a full cap – although he did back-stop the Scotland touring party in every game during their 1949 close season tour of North America. MacDonald is following in Jimmy's considerable boot steps. I think Alex McLeish could do worse than look to bring him into the full Scotland squad.

I NOTE the SPFL is considering disbanding their Development League and reverting to Reserve Leagues. Well, given young player development in Scotland is a bit of a joke – why not?

If the Hampden High Heid Yins do go down the road of Reserve Leagues, I hope they go the whole hog and revert to playing the games on a Saturday afternoon. They just might find, such a move would attract more people through the turnstiles, more-so if the pricing was sensible.

When I first got into football, the Scottish roads system was not as good as it is today – OK, maybe there were fewer pot holes, but, there were not the dual carriageways and motorways of today. Following Kilmarnock to Aberdeen or Dundee was a no-no, it took for ever to get there, so, if Killie's first team was at Pittodrie or Dens Park on a given Saturday, their reserve team was at Rugby Park, and we went along there to support the team. That way, you had an idea who was about to break through.

For instance, one of my Dad's oldest friends was a Killie shareholder and weel-kent fan, but, he had other interests on a Saturday. I remember him admitting, he would telephone Willie Waddell on a Friday, simply to find out if “Young McLean” would be playing in the reserve team at Rugby Park the next day.

Tommy McLean, back when older Killie fans would go to watch him in the reserves

If the 15-year-old Tommy was playing, he went along, otherwise, he might pass. Another potential use of reserve games might be for the clubs to “wallpaper” the ground, by giving Under-16s free access, and arranging for organised school parties. They just might instil regular attendance into a new generation of fans.

Some critics of the plan to revert to reserve teams have suggested the teams fielded would mainly comprise “fringe” established players. Well, the powers-that-be could always bring-in a rule, similar to that in the Olympic Games, that the teams fielded should be mainly Under-23 sides, with say a maximum of three over-age players. That might work.

I NOTE, the “Glib and Shameless Liar” lost his appeal in the Court of Session this week. Perhaps we are approaching end game in his tenure as Mr Big at Ibrox.

Certainly, having fallen foul of the law, the man from south of the Limpopo has either got now to put up or slink away. His reign has been a series of car crashes and in my view, Rangers would be a lot better off without his malign presence.

But, even if they can divest themselves of their liability of a Chairman, Rangers still face huge financial pressures in their rebuilding plans. The “natural order” of things, which some refer to, will not happen, if it ever does, for a wee while yet.

Billy McNeill - Happy Birthday and Hail Cesar

FINALLY – many happy returns to one of the true greats of Scottish football, Billy McNeill MBE, who celebrates his 75^th birthday today.