I Actually Feel Sorry For Gareth Southgate

IT'S THAT time of the decade again, as we Scots look out our ABE (Anyone But England) tee-shirts, order-in the additional supplies of beer and popcorn and prepare for the highlight of any World Cup – watching England implode and crash out, hopefully on penalties to the Germans.

 

 Gareth Southgate, a good and decent man doing an impossible job

Well, it helps us to forget, we are so-shite we cannot even get there in the first place. But, I have a confession to make: I kind of feel sorry for the England players and for the thoroughly honest, decent and nice guy Gareth Southgate, who will carry the can when England – as they surely will - bomb out early, or, more-concisely, too-early for their fans, with and without lap tops.

If the SFA systems and management plans are ot fit for purpose, and many of who can see past the usual Scottish problems of tribalism, low expectations and caring more about two big clubs than the national side, can see this: then England's problems are different, but no less serious.

All that money sloshing around in the Premiership, all those house-trained journalists telling their clientele - “The Premiership is the Best League In The World”, when the evidence says different, and the fact which Southgate mentioned when he faced the press today: “I can only pick from one-third of the Premiership.” He's in a no-win situation.

WHEN, WHEN WHEN, will the rest of the English and Scottish football world tell the “big” clubs, enough. You are supposed to be “English” or “Scottish” clubs – why don't you positively discriminate in favour of English or Scottish players?

 

WHEN, WHEN WHEN, will the rest insist on – as happens in the English Rugby Premiership – a 70% English-qualified or Scottish-qualified insistence on match-day squads? Bring back the “three-foreigners” - or as Chick Young dubbed it for Scotland - “the eight-diddies” rule and promote home-grown talent.

I HAVE used this tale before, but, nae harm in repeating myself. One of dear old George Reid's – or as he was known around Somerset Park - “Enclosure George's” best quips was used during George Burley's spell in the Ayr United hot seat.

United had a free-kick in front of George's place, in the Somerset Park enclosure behind the home technical area. Gathered round the ball were player-manager Burley, Arthur Albiston and midfielder Gordon Mair, ages 35, 36 and 37. George couldn't resist it, he turned and roared up at the Directors' Box: “Aye Mr Chairman, your youth policy is working today.” The combined forces of HM Press nearly died laughing.

 Allan McGregor - Rangers' youth policy!!

I can envisage the Ibrox version of “Enclosure George”, come on, every club has one, using that line of the GASL, when he turns up at Ibrox next season. With 30-year-old Scott Arfield being joined by the returning 36-year-old Allan McGregor, Rangers really are going down the youth development route. Tell me, Is Stevie G coming as a player-manager?

NOT THAT long ago, the mighty Auchinleck Talbot were reportedly being written-off. Their early to mid-season form had been up and down, but, true to form, the Spring weather has seen them come good and, if they beat Pollok, at Beechwood Park, on Saturday they will have clinched another West Superleague title – and they still have the Junior Cup Final to come on Sunday week.

So well done Tucker Sloan and the troops, because, even if they don't pump Pollok, they have another game left in which to get the needed points. But, let's celebrate another great Junior Football club, on a remarkable run.

 Ross Mathie - a Cambuslang Rangers great

Before Talbot, Cambuslang Rangers were probably the best-known junior team, their great Junior Cup-dominating side of the late 1960s-early 1970s could, I am assured by older hacks who saw them at their peak, have given a lot of senior teams of the time a going-over, and would certainly have given even Willie Knox's “three-in-a-row” Talbot team a really-hard game. Ross Mathie, who played in that wee Rangers side always insisted, his team would have beaten Talbot's best.

But, of late, Cambuslang had slid down into the Central Second Division. However, just this week they secured their third promotion in as many seasons and will be back in the new, expanded, 16-team Superleague when the new season kicks-off in August.

With Petershill also promoted and Irvine Meadow's late run at least getting them into the play-offs, the old guard are re-asserting themselves for the new look to the West uniors' top flight.

Now, just when are my favourite wee junior team, Lugar Boswell Thistle, going to emerge from our too-long stay in the soccer shadows? It must be about our turn for a change of fortunes.

FINALLY, in the eternal battle of one-upmanship between the two footballing cheeks of Glasgow's sectarian spincter, the rule is – never give the other lot an opening.

So, why then did the men currently running Rangers give the Celtic fan that gaping open goal, with their crass and insensitive handling of the case of that young player who claimed he was abused by the alleged paedophile Gordon Neilly?

Celtic have had their own problems in this department, with Mr Torbet. The more-crass elements of Ra Peepul have made repeated noises about how: “Big Jock Knew”, now, in one bound, they are free and they have rotten fruit of their own to throw at Rangers.

I just wonder at the supposed intelligence of the troops at the top of the marble staircase these days, or, is it they think they are so-superior, they are untouchable? The man “Phil Four Names” likes to refer-to as: “an inter-galactic PR guru” clearly didn't have his brain engaged on this one, or the bad publicity Rangers have had this week could have been avoided.

And, of course, the SFA are finally on their case over European participation. It never rains but it pours down Ibrox way.

Enjoy The Trip Lads - History's Against You Getting Many More Caps

A WEE history lesson. Between 1947 and the mid-sixties, roughly 1964, the SFA would arrange a wee end-of-season treat for the hard-working SFA Selectors. I mean, all those all-expenses-paid trips to England to watch potential Scotland players were a sign of devotion to the game – the pay-back being a place on the summer trip to somewhere warm in mainland Europe.

 

 Sammy Cox - who got his first Scotland cap on a European tour, challenges Stan Mortenson at Wembley

Generally, there would be one Hampden friendly, after the Home Internationals and the cup final, followed by two or three friendlies, against good European opposition, but, as far as possible keeping us away from the really top European nations,who might just skelp oor erses.

What did for these tours was the growth of World Cup and European Championship games, making them harder to fit-in in May and June. However, while they lasted, over that 20-year period, 39 players won their first cap in such friendlies – of these, only 6 managed to accrue a caps total in double figures.

So, I think it is fair to assume, we may not see too-many future members of the SFA's 50-caps-plus roll of honour, among the newcomers Big Eck has named for this season's wee jolly to Peru and Mexico, the playing party for which is:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Archer (Millwall), Allan McGregor (Hull City), Jon McLaughlin (Hearts).

Defenders: Barry Douglas (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jack Hendry (Celtic), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Callum Paterson (Cardiff City), John Souttar (Hearts), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian).

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Dylan McGeouch (Hibernian), John McGinn (Hibernian), Kenny McLean (Aberdeen)*, Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Jamie Murphy (Rangers)**, Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen).

Forwards: Ryan Christie (Aberdeen)***, Oliver McBurnie (Barnsley)****, Lewis Morgan (St. Mirren)***, Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion), Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City).

*On loan from Norwich City
**On loan from Brighton and Hove Albion
***On loan from Celtic
****On loan from Swansea

Players in italics are as yet uncapped.

The chosen squad is minus several “first picks”, so, even if they play out of their skins none of the as-yet uncapped players is likely to come back as a stick-on to be starting in the more-important games to come next season, but, the tour should allow Eck to pick his alternates and increase his squad depth.

Jordan Archer, should make his debut on tour

I expect, both uncapped goalkeepers to get at least half a game. Callum Paterson has a chance to make the right-back spot his own – although, Eck may still be tempted to perhaps use Kieran Tierney there in the more-important games, leaving Andrew Robertson as the first-choice left-back.

With time apparently having been called on the international careers of Russell Martin, Grant Hanley and Christophe Berra, who have featured either individually or collectively in 47 of our last 50 internationals, Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna have a chance on tour to show they can fit-in beside Scotland captain Charlie Mulgrew. Up front, any goals scored might just help the scorer stay in the squad once Leigh Griffiths is back. It could be an interesting tour.

(Late edit: Barely had I put up this post, than the news came through that Barry Douglas had pulled-out of the tour, to be replaced by Kilmarnock's Stephen O'Donnell - another newcomer.)

I HAD a wee chuckle to myself when one or two of the Celtic Family's media cheerleaders voiced their dissent at the Scottish Football Writers Association awarding the Manager of the Year award to Stevie Clarke, rather than Yer man Brendan.

The best response to the howls of indignation from the ranks of the “Never defeated, always cheated” came from a Kilmarnock fan on their Killie Fans Facebook page, who asked: “If the jobs had been reversed and Brendan Rodgers had taken-over at Rugby Park when Stevie Clarke did – would he have overseen the turnaround in fortunes which Stevie has?

Cue Jonathan Watson as King Kenny: “Maybes aye, maybes naw.”

But, to the supplementary question: “Would a Celtic team managed by Stevie Clarke have won the league?” The answer has to be: “Aye, definitely.”

And that, Celtic fans, is why Stevie deserved to win the award.

A NOW retired mate of mine, released back into the wild after some 40-years on the Herald Sports Desk, took me to task the other day over a piece I had written elsewhere, about the decline in standards among our football writers today.

He explains the perceived decline in the Herald as down to having gone from: “When I started there, we had a 'Token Tim', when I retired, I was 'The Last House Hun'”. He felt, I had, in my piece, listed too-many tabloid hacks as my influences, and too-few broadsheet writers. At least we were agreed on one thing – The Herald is going to Hell in a jet-powered hand cart.

I have to say, Ah hae ma doots about some of them today, but, they earned a stay of execution with that vote for Stevie Clarke.

I ALMOST forgot, but, just about the biggest laugh I had over the weekend – excepting wee Lenny's priceless celebration at Easter Road, was when I read the howlingly indignant interview the Cove Rangers captain gave following Cowdenbeath's win in the League Two promotion/relegation play-off.

The Cove boy, enjoying his 15 seconds of fame went on about The Establishment not wanting his side to go up into Senior Football. Then I remembered, the present President of the SFA, Alan McCrae, represents which club – why Cove Rangers.

Bobby Kinzer scoring - His was the proudest Walk of Shame before Lenny's on Sunday

Speaking of Mr Lennon's Easter Road red card I haven't seen such a triumphant “walk of shame” since, back in the 1980s, Falkirk's Team Solripe toppled the hitherto all-conquering MIM in the Scottish Basketball Cup Final.

Bobby 'Special K' Kinzer, aka “The Fruit Pastilles Man”, because of his appearance in a TV advertisement for the wee sweets, “fouled-out” in the game. (In basketball, after your fifth personal foul, you are out of the game, but can be substituted). His was a cracker, he dunked over the top of wee Alton Byrd of MIM, leaving a size 14 dusty footprint in the middle of Alton's chest and knocking the wee man almost out of the building in the process.

He acknowledged the “red card” with a waze and sauntered off to a standing ovation from his adoring public – rather like Lenny on Sunday.

Leave Lenny Alone Answering Abuse With Levity Is No Crime

NEIL LENNON is not the Messiah, but, he delights in playing the very-naughty boy at every opportunity. I hope against hope, but fear these hopes will be dashed on the altar of SFA stupidity, he escapes punishment for his wee “aeroplane” run across the Easter Road turf on Sunday. Some bosses might get away with such levity, but, not Lenny.

 

Neil Lennon coming in to land - probably in trouble, yesterday

Give the abuse he suffers at the hands of the wilder elements of Ra Peepul, I think we can forgive him his wee jaunt onto the park on Sunday. This, after all, is a man who has suffered real physical pain at the hands of that wilder element – how better to get his own back than by winding them up in return. Cut the guy some slack Hampden.

OK, the defending would perhaps have driven Alan Hansen to a seizure, but, that game was fantastic entertainment – ten goals, the fans cannot complain they were short-changed. Can I make one small observation, however. I don't think referee Andrew Dallas's esteemed Dad, the great Hugh, would have missed that clear “red card” tackle from Scott Allen, or that hand-ball by Paul Hanlon. He might have missed them at the other end, however.

WELL DONE the Scottish Football Writers Association. I have my moments when I despair of the future of football writing in Scotland. Sure, there are one or two of the good guys left, but, rather like most of the current squad at Murray Park are “Not Rangers Class”, a lot of the by-lined guys in today's papers are a long way short of Alex Cameron, Gerry McNee, Brian Scott, Mike Aitken Doug Baillie and of course “Dan” Archer class when it comes to picking a SFWA XI.

However, in selecting Stevie Clarke as their Manager of the Year, the SFWA showed an intelligence which I feared was lacking from the overall group. What the man has done, in turning around the fortunes of a club which seemed to be heading for relegation when he took over, has been miraculous.

Of course, fifth out of twelve is little more than a pass mark. I am sure Billy Bowie and the Rugby Park board will be looking to see the club even higher up the table at this point net year – dare we Killie fans dream of European football in season 2019-2020? Let's hope so.

I TRIED Walking Football once - it wasn't for me. However, I am absolutely delighted at how this coffin dodgers-friendly form of the game has taken off and grown in Scotland.

 Ready when you are Big Eck - our World Champion Walking Footballers

Gary McLaughlin, Super Snapper of this parish, is the current Chairman of the SWFA and he is like a dug wi' twa tails these days, after Scotland won the Walking Football World Cup at the weekend.

As yet, I don't think FIFA has managed to get their claws into Walking Football, but, that day will surely come, however, imagine, Scotland on top of the world in one form of the game – how appropriate the nation which gave the game George “Stroller” Graham and Jim Baxter, who seldom deigned to break into a run, should be on tops when it comes to the walking variant of the game.

SFA - Get wee Gazza and his team onto that sixth-floor corridor at Hampden, they know how to win.

AS REGULAR readers are aware, this blog likes to keep an eye on events in the world of real fitba – the Juniors. NO, this will not be another song of praise to the mighty Auchinleck Talbot – I want to speak first of another junior institution.

That institution is ROYAL ALBERT JFC, who, after more years in the doldrums than any Ancient Mariner, are celebrating winning the McBookie.com Central Second Division league title and promotion to the Central First Division.

The Albert have sent a few very good players to the senior ranks. Rangers legend of the Edwardian era, Neil Gibson – whose son Jimmy was a 1928 Wembley Wizard, began with the Albert, as, in more recent times, did Motherwell and Scotland centre-half John Martis and former Rangers and Dundee boss Davie White.

Moving out of their traditional Larkhall home, to take over Tileworks Park from the now defunct Stonehouse Violet – albeit their stay there has been bedevilled by pitch drainage issues, seems to have worked wonders for the Albert. Let's hope they can keep on rising.

That part of Lanarkshire used to be one of the hotbeds of Scottish football, with a regular supply of good players going senior from the Lanarkshire coalfields. Sadly today, Royal Albert apart, it's a wee bit of a disaster zone. On Saturday, for instance, LESMAHAGOW shipped 13 goals without reply in a game against BENBURB.

Speaking of Auchinleck Talbot, by the way. On Friday I had cause to use my bus pass to get to Kilmarnock, and the bus I was on went round the Back Rogerton housing scheme in Auchinleck. It was good to see so-many houses already decorated in celebration of another Junior Cup Final appearance by the 'Bot. I particularly liked the house in Back Rogerton Drive which bore a massive banner declaring: “We bleed black and gold.” I have long thought that about the Talbot fanatics.

JOHN MOTSON retired at the weekend, and was ushered off into the sunset with a BAFTA special award – that's the awards season's equivalent of a Perfect Attendance prize at school. You know: “You were never top class, but, you kept turning up, so, have this and thank you.”

Motty accepts his BAFTA

I never rated Motson – ok, he knew his brief, he wasn't totally “Engerlund, Engerlund Engerlund”, but, he was a long way off being (albeit in a different game) Bill McLaren class. He was a tier below Kenneth Wolstenholme or Brian Moore, a sort of English Archie Macpherson if you like. But, a BAFTA – are they giving them away this year?

Still, he's better than any of the current lot down south – I think I shall give the World Cup a miss this year, I've got a garden badly needing my attentions.

The Fitba Wasn't Great, But It Was Still Compelling Viewing

THE LEVEL of the football was pretty low, much of the game was downright scrappy, but, Wednesday night's Edinburgh Derby, on BT Sport TV, was compulsive viewing.

As befits a nation whose indigenous team sport – shinty, allegedly derives from the practice of hitting the severed head of the defeated Chief around with big sticks, or camans, following a clan battle, we like our sport red in tooth and claw, and there was plenty of that on display at Tynecastle on Wednesday night.

It wis ower there Ah booted Broonie - Steven Naismith seems to be saying

Some of the challenges were “meaty” to say the least. Mind you, Stevie Naismith, who is facing a two-game rest following his assault on Scott Brown at the same venue on Sunday, did manage to rein himself in however.

(To digress slightly – that challenge on Broonie was, even at Beechwood Park, Auchinleck a red card any day of the week and Stevie dodged a bullet by only copping a two-game ban. Mind you, I did like one comment on the Kilmarnock Fans' Facebook page, calling for severe sanctions – on Broonie, for seemingly “grabbing Naisie's leg and trying to bit him!!” Poor Broonie, he takes a size eight to the goolies and gets no sympathy, that's no way to treat a former Scotland captain.)

But, back to Wednesday. What was it they called the young, gauche Kyle Lafferty, for whom the old, dying Rangers paid a King's ransom back in the day? Yes “Laugherty” was one title given the big man as he created more bad than good headlines. But, he has grown, matured and his goal on Wednesday, plus his all-round leadership of the line, spoke of a very good player at the height of his powers.

The big news, post-match, was that Neil Lennon is considering his position, after Hibs, by losing, were condemned to a fourth-place finish in the league. The wee 'Ginger Whinger' wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to football, and he reportedly feels, after two years in charge, he has maybe taken the club as far as he can and it is time somebody else had a go.

Lenny - frustrated in fourth, he shouldn't be

The suggestion was, the players had stopped listening to him – time maybe for some new material Neil. He is with a big club, fourth place is maybe as good as it can get for Hibs, but, he should reflect on this:

• Hibs will finish the season as the top club in Edinburgh, thereby overturning what his opposite number across the city refers to as - “the natural order.”
• It is a very tall order, and frankly all but impossible to see: however, with home advantage against a Rangers team for whom the cry is often: “no defenders”, Hibs could, by winning well on Sunday, still finish third.
• There are, we understand, some little local difficulties surrounding Rangers passing the fit and proper test to be allowed to play in Europe next season. If they are kept out on a financial technicality, Hibs will be the club to benefit.
• Unless he goes to one of a handful of top English clubs – which isn't going to happen, or unless he goes back to Celtic, which again isn't going to happen – any club other than Hibs will be a downwards move for Lenny.

The Wee Man, seemingly, was annoyed at some of his players slipping on the controversial Tynecastle grass on Wednesday. The suggestion is, the studs were not long enough. There might be something in the old chestnut: “it's a poor workman that blames his tools,” but, did Lenny make sure they had the right tools – I.e. the correct length of stud, in the first place? “Fail to Prepare - Prepare to Fail” and all that.

I DID part of my “national service” with the Scottish missionary corps – trying to bring Caledonian culture to unresponsive foreigners in North Wales – a place which makes my own notoriously clannish and in-bred East Ayrshire seem open and sophisticated in comparison – then in West Yorkshire.

I enjoyed Dewsbury, but, while Huddersfield was closer in mileage terms, the bright lights of Leeds was more of a draw for my family and I. Even then, in the 1970s, Huddersfield had the aura of a big town with its best days behind it. Huddersfield was perhaps at its peak in the 1920s, with the mills going flat-out, the Huddersfield Choral Society's annual performance of 'The Messiah' a hot ticket and, along Leeds Road, Wembley Wizard hat-trick hero Alex Jackson and a clutch of England internationalists driving, under manager Herbert Chapman, Huddersfield Town to back-to-back English League titles.

 Wullie Shankly watches as Denis Law signs for Huddersfield Town

Then, in the 1950s, under one great Scot, Wullie Shankly, another even greater Scot – Denis Law arrived on the scene to lighten up the dark Satanic Yorkshire mill town. At the same time, the local Rugby League club was carrying all before them. But, since then, very little has happened to enthuse the locals. So, I was delighted to see Huddersfield Town draw with Chelsea in midweek, to ensure Premiership football at their magnificent stadium next season.

AT MY age, I have seen a lot in football. The first match I ever saw on television was the 1953 'Stanley Matthews' Cup Final.' I struggle to appreciate today's “stars” having seen the likes of Jim Baxter, Denis Law, Gordon Smith, Jimmy Johnstone and Dave Mackay from Scotland; Tom Finney, Bobby Charlton, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Moore and Gordon Banks for England and the likes of Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Puskas and di Stefano from overseas.

OK, I would put Messi and CR7 as worthy of joining the ranks of the above, but, most of today's stars are over-hyped to a great extent. That's maybe the fault of today's mainstream media, but,where today's hacks and hackettes in Scotland are DEFINITELY going wrong, is in their coverage of events surrounding Rangers FC.

I have seldom seen anything as boak-inducing as the msm's latest efforts to make the Glib and Shameless Liar look like a fit and proper person to run Rangers. Armageddon 2 is coming lads and lassies and by ignoring the warning signs, you are doing yourselves no good at all.

Good Luck Steven Gerraard - Boy Will You Need It

I CAN accept Stevie Gerrard's reasoning, that taking the Rangers' job was a “no-brainer.” Aye Stevie, nobody with any brains would take the job under that Chairman. There is nothing wrong with Rangers that the removal of the Glib and Shameless Liar who runs the club, and his replacement with a man of probity and vision could not cure. But, until that happens, the club will remain a long way off the pace Celtic is setting.

Steven Gerrard

I wish Stevie G every good fortune during what will surely be a temporary stay at Ibrox. Either, he will fail through no fault of his own, but because he has joined a toxic set-up, or, he will succeed, gloriously, and at the first opportunity, be whisked back to Liverpool. He is not at Ibrox for the long haul. And that in a nutshell is Rangers' problem.

They need someone to come in, halt the Celtic juggernaut and, as Ra Peepul demand: “Restore the natural order.” Now, with enough money, any reasonably-competent manager ought to be able to manage this. However, Rangers are a club without a credit line at a reputable bank, deeply in hock to a “lender of last resort.” The man at the head of the business is a convicted criminal, denounced by his trial judge as: “A glib and shameless liar”, and whose management plan depends on him spending Other People's Money.

His machinations to date have seen several very-good friends of the club say they will not give him any more cash, cash he needs to upgrade an inadequate squad and get them competing with a Celtic team which has beaten them in their last ten meetings, and by, in the last two meetings between the sides, by an aggregate score of 9-0.

In the 20^th century, Rangers made three significant managerial appointments. In 1920 Bill Struth, his number two, succeeded William Wilton and, over the next 34 years he built up the club's primacy in Scotland. However, Struth (pictured below) probably was allowed to remain in-charge too long, and, when frail, and in his eighties, he finally stood down, Rangers were not in a good place.

In Struth's final season, Rangers, with an ageing side, finished fourth in the table, behind Celtic, Hearts and Partick Thistle. At present day (three points for a win) values, that 1954 side was 16 points behind that season's double winning Celtic.

To succeed him, the Rangers' board appointed Scot Symon, a former player who had earned his managerial spurs with East Fife and Preston North End. He arrived at Ibrox having been a team manager for seven years. In his first season, he took Rangers to third in the league, five points behind second-placed Celtic and eight points behind title-winners Aberdeen (these are at present-day values, not as back then).

Scot Symon - took over an ageing side

In his second season, Symon won the title for Rangers, who finished 17 points clear of fifth-placed Celtic, and ten points ahead of runners-up Aberdeen. So, in two seasons, Symon engineered a 33-point turnaround in fortunes between the two Old Firm clubs.

In 1986 then Rangers' Chairman David Holmes stunned the Scottish football world by appointing Graeme Souness as player-manager at the club, to halt the embarrassing run which meant they had not won the league in eight seasons. At the end of the 1985-86 season, Rangers had finished fifth in the league – 22 points adrift of Champions Celtic.

Graeme Souness - engineered a 32-point turnardound in one season

Souness won the title in his first season, finishing ten points clear of runners-up Celtic – a 32 points turnaround in one season.

As of today, Rangers trail Celtic by 13 points. Even if Celtic win their final three games, and Rangers lose all three of theirs, at the end of this season the gap will be between the current 13 and a theoretical maximum of 22. Even if the improbable happens, and Celtic don't win another game this season, while Rangers win all three of theirs, the gap will go down to four points.

On paper, Gerrard would appear to be better-placed than either Symon or Souness was. The reality is, where it really matters today, in terms of finance and overall club management – the gap is far wider than when the other two managers took over.

If Gerrard can turn things around, he will have surpassed the achievements of Symon and Souness. That is the reality of the task facing him. And he will have to do this without substantial funds for transfers, with the rump of an under-performing squad and with untested and unproven reserve strength.

Good luck, Stevie, you really are going to need it.

FINALLY, if you like your fitba red in tooth and claw, there is only one place to be today, that's Abbey Park, Kilwinning, where the Buffs play hosts to the mighty 'Bot.

 Tucker Sloan - can you play mind games with someone from Kilwinning?

Talbot gaffer Tucker Sloan has been channelling his inner Sir Alex this week, to indulge in some mind games. Tucker reckons the West Superleague title is now Kilwinning's to lose. On paper, they hold a slight advantage over Talbot in not only points in the bag, but also, in their theoretic final total.

But, this is not a new position for Talbot to be in. They only seem to come alive in April and May, when there are two or sometimes three games to play in a week, and a Scottish Junior Cup final to look forward to.

Yes, on paper, it does seem that the title is Kilwinning's to lose. However, matches are not played on paper and Talbot will not concede the title is lost until the arithmetic proves this. I know, the fans are in for a treat this afternoon.