The Secret's Oot - The Hampden High Heid Yins Don't Want To Know About Bad Behaviour

ONE OF my fellow coffin dodgers - who retired after a lengthy career in the City of Glasgow then Strathclyde Police forces had seen him elevated to senior management rank and installed as Match Commander at Ibrox - has a story of how, during David Murray's custodianship of Rangers, he had seen Alistair Hood, the club's celebrated security officer, tear-up their season ticket books, in the presence of fans who had misbehaved inside the ground.

Alistair Hood, left, with Louis Van Gaal - had a way of dealing with unruly fans

“I thought the measure was a bit extreme, but, when you compare behaviour then with now – it worked. There seems to me, to be a lot more unacceptable behaviour today than back in my day,” my pal continued.

Mind you, an old school cop – who rose from pounding the beat in the city centre to his final high rank – he has always been an implacable opponent of OBFA (the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act), which will be debated and probably repealed in Holyrood tomorrow.

“There was nothing wrong with the previous Laws – Breach of the Peace and so-forth – if used properly,” he added; thereby confirming one of the arguments in favour of repealing OBFA.

Today, further oil has been poured on the flames or troubled waters of sectarianism and intolerable behaviour in Scottish football, by the BBC's revelation that past and current SPFL match delegates have seen reports of unacceptable behaviour at games “swept under the carpet” by the Hampden High Heid Yins.

I am not surprised at this development. Sectarianism was famously described, by former First Minister Jack McConnell, as: “Scotland's Secret Shame”. Maybe so Jack, but, Scottish football's not-so-secret shame is the fact: there is one law for the Bigot Brothers, and a different law for everyone else.

Chris McLaughlin - shining light on Hampden jiggery-pokery

In a piece to camera on the lunchtime BBC Shortbread news today, Chris McLaughlin highlighted incidents, from this season, which Match Delegates had reported to the SPFL, which were not followed-up on. It was quite clear, most of these acts of unacceptable and offensive behaviour were perpetrated by fans of You Know Who.

There wasn't much which Margaret F Thatcher (you all can guess what the F stands for!!) did with which I agreed. But, I was with her all the way when she considered a plan, put forward by the barely-remembered and now deceased Tory back bencher David Evans MP. Mr Evans was also Chairman of Luton Town FC, a club not without its history of unruly fans, and Evans suggested clubs made attendance at matches a “Members-only” basis. This would be a means of having greater control over fans' behaviour, but, such was the outcry and opposition, from rival clubs, the FA and the Football League and from elsewhere on the Tory benches, Thatcher, initially supportive of the move, was forced to back-off and Evans's plan came to nothing.

The late David Evans MP - his plan was so-revolutionary, even Maggie would not touch it

I felt at the time, it was the basis of a great move. It needed a lot of further work, but, had the game been prepared to go beyond its initial knee-jerk rejection, football today would, I am sure, be a different game.

Just imagine, if the European norm of “Strict Liability” was brought into Scottish football. First rendition of “Up to our knees etc” or chant of “Up the RA” or whatever – a fine. Second time around – a heftier fine. Third and all future renditions – points deducted. I reckon the clubs would not hang around waiting for the penalties, but, would be banning fans and keeping better order.

I believe, with membership schemes, policing and security costs would reduce, the atmosphere would improve and, with records of who their fans were, the clubs would have better feed-back and be better able to engage with fans, along the way, probably persuading them to spend more.

Also, in Members Only sections of the ground, it would surely be possible to sell alcohol further raising match-day income.

Sunday's disgraceful spectacle of that march from the Louden Tavern to Ibrox has greatly excited the msm; well, it gives them another excuse to avoid checking-out the impending financial clusterfuck around Rangers.

The Polis have been taking pelters for allowing the march to happen. Perhaps for the best, better than a full-scale Police v Public scrap on Copeland Road and the ensuing accusations of police brutality and over the top heavy-handed policing.

But, I wonder if, when the Louden Tavern's licence next comes-up for renewal, there will not perhaps be a Police objection, on the grounds of allowing an unauthorised, illegal march, to set-off from the premises. There is more than one way to skin a cat after all.

FINALLY, I close today on a sad note – We're oot, after Aberdeen won last night's William Hill, Scottish Cup, quarter-final replay, against Kilmarnock, at Rugby Park.

To get 7500 Killie fans inside RP, on a midweek night in March, is proof positive of the Stevie Clarke factor in the club's rise from the depths. I couldn't be there, but, I was gutted as I listened to the game on radio. The longer we went without scoring, the more that: it isn't going to happen feeling grew.

Freddie Woodman - came back to haunt Kilmarnock, and no mistake

Then, when it went to penalties, I had that horrible notion, Freddie Woodman would come back to haunt us, and he did; while not having Boydie on the park to take one was one successful penalty we were not getting.

I really thought this might be our year for the Scottish, but, living in hope is something you become used to when you sign-up to follow Killie. Good luck to the Dons in the semi-final.

I thought Stevie McLean got that offside call wrong, denying us what would most-probably have been an extra time winner. And, no, I do not believe these calls even themselves out.

Stewart McLean - might not have been pleased with his son last night

 

We wuz robbed, and the ref's faither, Stewart, a Killie Legend and Hall of Fame member too.

Oh Dear! Oh Dear! Oh Dear! - Disaster For Rangers

THE soundtrack to Sunday's Old Firm game at Ibrox is easy to work-out; it has to be that Elvis classic: 'Old Shep' – with a slight alteration to the lyrics. “But, when it came to it – Rangers just couldn't do it.”

The new Rangers' strip - to go with their new theme song

There is now no way anyone can see Celtic not completing seven in a row. Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes would not put money on anyone other than Celtic now going-on to win the league. Change the Ibrox soundtrack, instead of 'Penny Arcade', the Roy Orbison song of choice for the remainder of the season has to be: 'It's Over.'

To NOT beat ten men, at home, well, that demonstrates how far off being “Rangers Class” the current Ibrox squad is. Remember, this is not a great Celtic squad, they are beatable, but, Rangers could not do it. Graeme Murty, or someone else if the board goes down the road of appointing someone else, still has a huge task on his hands bridging the gap.

Douglas Ross MP - Tories like to be wee nyaffs, but, he's abusing that right

The red card, by the way, seemed to be of the stone-wall variety. A stupid challenge, which left Douglas Ross and Willie Collum with no alternative. That said, Ross's clear calls for a red card were a bit over the top. I get the impression, even if he wasn't a Conservative MP, Mr Ross would be a nasty wee shite. Thankfully, Scottish football will be well rid of him at the end of the season, when he gives up his part-time job of making Saturdays difficult for up to 60,000 football fans, for his full time seven-days-per-week job of making life difficult for over 5,000,000 people living in Scotland.

I think the big bonus for a delighted Brendan Rodgers was the performance of debutant goalkeeper Scott Bain. The Celtic Blog;s occasional series: “They Shamed the Hoops”, chronicles several instances of goalkeepers, perhaps promoted in an emergency, “melting” or more-ironically “freezing” in the cauldron of an Old Firm game and selling the jerseys. There was never any chance of Bain doing that on Sunday.

Bain might, in different circumstances, have been capped by now, he was certainly in one or two full Scotland squads before it all went wrong for him at Dundee, and I believe he can get back to that standard.

I reckon he is a better 'keeper than De Vries, and, with a run in the team, could make it very-difficult for Craig Gordon to get back. That two points-saving double save at the end was quality, as were several stops before that.

Leigh Griffiths - a very naughty bhoy

Old Firm games are no places for neutrals, but, from a neutral's perspective, watching the highlights, the goals were crackers. Finally, the spectating Leigh Griffiths – he might not be the Messiah, but, he's a very naughty bhoy.

THE OLD FIRM game book-ended the footballing week-end, along with Friday night's Edinburgh Derby at Easter Road.

I know Neil Lennon is not the graceless wee nyaff he is sometimes made out to be, and, I hope he remembers to send a nice bottle of wine over to Tynecastle for Craig Levein. After all, I am sure big Craig's: “Natural order restored” quip was the text for wee Lenny's pre-match sermon to his troops.

I AM not sure what to make of Alex McLeish's first Scotland squad of his second coming as National Team Manager. It's all very well a new broom and all that, but, I would have liked to have seen a bit more continuity from the Strachan era – I think we can overlook Malky Mackay's single game as caretaker.

OK, Scott Brown has retired, again, from Scotland duty, while the likes of Leigh Griffiths is injured, but, I question the sense in omitting Darren Fletcher, the natural squad leader in Brown's absence. It may be, McLeish sees this as a good point at which to end Fletcher's hugely-impressive Scotland career; after all, he is a lot closer to hanging-up his boots than to being a first-pick for Scotland, but, I'd have had him in there for his experience.

Darren Fletcher - might his long Scotland career be over?

The same scenario applies to Christophe Berra, who has been having a great season with Hearts, and who had forged a strong central defensive partnership with Charlie Mulgrew.

There will be a new captain, and, while there will be calls to give the job to Kieran Tierney, as I have said before, I would wait until he inherits the Celtic arm band from Brown, as he surely will, and has some experience of that job, before burdening him with the Scotland arm band. As a “Regent” as it were, during the inter-interregnum, I would perhaps go with Mulgrew.

As a former 'keeper myself, I am always interested in who gets the call-up for the job. Big Eck has chosen three 'keepers, the experienced Allan McGregor and the uncapped duo of Jordan Archer and Hearts' Joe McLaughlin, whose first Scotland call-up this is.

The little I have seen of Archer, who has been in a few recent Scotland squads it has to be said, has not impressed me. I would rather have seen Jamie Macdonald of Kilmarnock called-up than McLaughlin, while McGregor is currently playing second fiddle to David Marshall at Hull City, which makes me question Eck's preference.

Mind you, if he carries on from his display on Sunday, I don't think it will be long before Scott Bain of Celtic has the number one jersey.

The squad is:

Goalkeepers - Jordan Archer (Millwall), Alan McGregor (Hull City), Jon McLaughlin (Heart of Midlothian).

Defenders - Barry Douglas (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Russell Martin (Rangers) *, Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Callum Paterson (Cardiff City), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).

Midfielders - Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Tom Cairney (Fulham), James Forrest (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Aberdeen), Kevin McDonald (Fulham), Dylan McGeouch (Hibernian), John McGinn (Hibernian), Calum McGregor (Celtic), Kenny McLean (Aberdeen) *, Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Jamie Murphy (Rangers) **, Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United).

Forwards - Ryan Christie (Aberdeen) ***, Jason Cummings (Rangers) ****, Oliver McBurnie (Barnsley) *****, Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion).

* On loan from Norwich City; ** On loan from Brighton & Hove Albion; *** On loan from Celtic;
**** On loan from Nottingham Forrest; ***** On loan from Swansea City.

McLeish has also introduced a new back-up coaching team of Peter Grant, James McFadden and goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods. The squad will play Costa Rica on 23 March, at Hampden, before flying to Budapest, to face Hungary, four days later.

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.