Was in the Man U thread and got talking to GJ about how well his Hearts were doing this year......couldn't, really, carry on the thread without hijacking the Man U stuff so thought it might be a place to share any thoughts on the Scottish game..............

....like, for example, how the result in the two big derby matches might be the best thing for the SPL.....With Celtic now on top by 4 points but Rangers holding to matches in hand but with Hearts lingering very close behind...there might be a real race in the SPL this year.

A new SPL thread is a good idea.

I don't know enough about it, so I look forward to seeing Jambo's response to today's result. Does Celtic's win keep Hearts in the race or does the victory make it that much tougher for Hearts to finish top 3?

As an outsider I am not sure Hearts are ready quite yet, so while choosing between the traditional top 2, I was happy to see Celtic get the points today. However, others will know far better than me.

This season, it would be very difficult for Hearts to finish outside of the top 3.......it would be great for the "game" if they could fashsion a way to get one of the top 2 spots.

If Rangers had won today they would have been on top of the league with games in hand so a Celtic win keeps things tighter....so is good for the race.

The Edinburgh derby debuts on Setanta on Tuesday (noon) with the Old Firm match airing Wednesday (12:15 pm)

I was looking for a nil-nil draw with lots of injuries and sendings-off, and not just for aesthetic reasons: for Hearts to finish in the top 2, the business partners are going to need to drop points, and the best chance is against each other since most of the rest wil struggle to compete.

I still rate der Hun for the title since Wattie has forgotten things about managing that Lennon will never know. That means it is Celtic that Hearts are realistically trying to overhaul. The stats show that Hearts can only lose 2 games in the second half to accumulate the points necessary to win the title.

Of course, because of the co-efficient, in typical Hearts fashion, second this year is a Europa league spot, not Champs League. Still I'd like for us to keep this run going and do some damage in the cup.

If you get to watch the Edinburgh derby, spot the sending-off, the two penalty shouts, and the tactics from the Hibs manager to stop Hearts' wide men running rampant. It nearly worked but justice was done in the end (barely).

:lol: I meant to say top 2. Of course today won't hurt their chances for a top 3 spot...

Was that Samaras out there today :)
Good stuff from Celtic, delighted they beat them scumbags!
Despise Rangers not just their fans their horrible manager and their anti-football style of play! Hope Celtic can kick on now and win the league

I did catch that 86th minute winner! :crazy: on your behalf

Would love to see Hearts finish up there. And lets not forget the great showing by Inverness CT having a good season as well.

I'd like to see the Caley Jags do well. Unfortunately, they lost their long unbeaten away record today against St. Johnstone, and it was our old friend Collin Samuel who did the damage :(

Hooliganism in Toronto. Stupid.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/...ira-slogan?bn=1

UP THE RA :)

Get tae fuck. The last thing we need is that fucking arseholery here.

Haha ah its just a pisstake comment! I dont even have any interest in them or what they do!

Anyway I dont want to drag this off topic so once again can I declare my hatred for Rangers and Walter Smith

Not sure how someone who could hate the man.......I may be Celtic supporter but I can't help but admire any man who loves his club enough to come back to them knowing there was no money to spend and, in fact, the money was so tight that selling players would be the norm and there would be no guaranteed contract for himself.......to do that and not moan about it is quite something.....to do that and win trophies is, possibly, genius.

I talk to relatives on both sides of the whole Old Firm divide all the time.....I have concluded that nowhere else does the word "hate" get thrown around so easily and (IMO) wrongly......but even if I accepted I was supposed to hate some Ranger's players/fans/management.....W Smith would be very near the bottom of my list of people to hate.

I knew it was mate, I was just making my position clear :). Over here, I think it would be more likely to be someone trying to stir up trouble between the two groups, than any genuine bother.

Re: what TOaF said, I'm no fan of either side, but I don't have anything in particular against Smith. He's a smug, old firm promoting get, but that is his job.

I was texting with a pal who's a TO cop and used to wear an Aron Winter jersey. Anyway, we got to texting about the incident and he wrote:

"I say they did it to themselves, kind of like when they wrecked Jefferson's car in FAST TIMES... :)"


My personal guess is that it was done by some recent arrivals. I'd be surprised to hear anyone raised in Canada would do something so silly.

Same here .... I got one for you, my father in law was born a glaswegian proddie, his parents divorced (in the 1940s so you can just imagine) then his mother remarried an ick, 9 kids all together, 4 of one side 5 of the other, makes for some interesting moments at weddings, reunions etc... mind you when Im around they seem to find common ground to bash, tell me why south of the wall is so shit etc ... till I asked why almost all their kids moved to London for work :shiteatinggrin:

To top it off when he got married his first flat overlooked Hampden Park.... :lol:

I figured I should get a dart board for the basement and colour one side blue, the other green, flip according to who visits

fwiw my bloodline is 25% irish ick, 12.5% french ick (Bouviers actually but was disowned when my greatgrandmother ran off with the coachman to england and then converted) , 12.5% scottish ick , and 50% C of E ( christmas n easter bunch lol) which = 100% apathetic agnostic ("we dont know and we dont care") hehe

So one half of me dont know whether to blow the other half up or not....

Yup - but to be fair to Kilmarnock, St Mirren and St Johnstone who have now handed us 3 straight defeats ..... we have played really badly in the last 3 weeks ... ever since Jonny Hayes got injured !!!!!


As for Samuel .... its not the first time he has done that to us either .... the pie eating porker picks up the points from us perfectly every time he plays !!

10 teams for top flight in Scotland?

I personally think it a horrible idea but it seems to the way things are going, even if it seems to be against the wishes of the fans. :(

I hate the idea of a ten team top flight -- too repetitive. We've been there before, and while people argue that it was the era of the New Firm, things were different then. Gates were still shared until 1980, and the Champions League hadn't happened yet, things which concentrated resources in the hands of the Old Firm. Something I think the 10 team league is designed to do again.

I'd much rather go to a 16 team league and bootstrap 4 more teams into the Premier League competition. I think it is appalling that the SPL would consider dropping down to 10 teams over the objections of the fans. If fans become bored with the ten team league, attendances will drop even further, and that's madness.

Really not sure what the answer is, really.

I really don't like the idea of each club playing 9 other clubs 4 times each....as you say too repetitive.

That said, a 16 team SPL would be, what, the current 12 with Dundee (assuming they are not wound up), Dunfermline, Falkirk and Raith Rovers?....I guess in theory that works but once you go through a relegation or two the clubs coming up to the PL are kinda ittty bitty and not likely to add to the finances of the league much (and money does matter).

On a happier note, based on past 6 games form.....the JTs are top of the table!!!!

http://www.footymad.net/football-form-tables/?divno=103

I think the league is mildly worried that the 16 team format might act more of an anchor then spring board for some smaller clubs. Which is one of those things only time will tell.

Too bad for those Jam Tarts the season is a little longer then 6 games

<hides from the wrath of Jambo> :lol:

well (i won't even bother comenting on the 10 team bs) its all to do for the farts right now isn't it? They have us once and der hun twice of their next four i believe.

Hearts are welcome to take 9 of those twelve points in my books... ;)

January is a big month for us, and will decide if we are contenders or pretenders. If we do indeed take 9 of those points Chris (any 9 will do for me), then I think we might be nipping at the heels all season.

Dunfermline, Falkirk and Dundee are all capable of being top division clubs (if the latter gets their house in order), but Kirkaldy is a wee place and Rovers have usually avoided promotion to the top flight. Sadly, I think the natural 16th team is Meadowbank Thistle, err, I mean Livingston, currently leading Division 2 after being forcibly demoted for their most recent financial misdealings.

I think 16 with an improved gate/revenue sharing setup would be much better for the fans, and that's my primary concern, not getting both members of the Old Firm back into their Champions League rocking chairs.

Agreed Gary. My first instinct is that this is the typical contraction thinking that many companies fall prey to in hard times. Reduce the shareholders to preserve the amount of money each of the remaining are getting. Can't you wait till we get a 2 team SPL1 (or SPL Premier League).... :rolleyes:

I would say to expand the brand, but in this case I'm not sure I want the SPL running things in Scotland.

Look's like the whole "Honey we Shrunk the League" plan has some dissenters!

Notably, Hearts seem to be sticking up for the wee clubs and the fans!

Full report here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/s...rem/9339466.stm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jimspence/2010/...le_duopoly.html

Shamrock Rovers meant to be trying to sign Jamie MacDonald from Hearts

JMac is a good keeper, but probably third choice behind Kello and Balogh atm. I like him but he deserves his chance if he isn't going to get it at Hearts. Been a good servant to the club.

Looks like 22 goals are leaving Ibrox:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/t...ers/9349550.stm


EDIT: He apparantly refused the move to Birmingham but is willing to leave and was not, apparantly, at Ibrox for the Scottish FA Cup match against Killie (3-0 Rangers BTW).

Turns out that Miller was not the only one missing at Ibrox......a crowd of just over 13k is the lowest that I can remember there!

Looks like Miller is bound for Italy!

Today in Scotland:

The Cup draw for the 5th round:

Aberdeen v Montrose or Dunfermline
Inverness CT v Morton or Airdrie
Hamilton v Dundee United or Ross County
Stenhousemuir/Threave Rovers or Stranraer v Motherwell
East Stirlingshire or Buckie v Brechin
Rangers v Celtic
Hibernian or Ayr v St Mirren or Peterhead
St Johnstone v Falkirk or Partick Thistle

Notice no Hearts........beaten 1-nil @ home today by St. Johnstone

Other news.......Neil Lennon given a 6 match sideline ban!

I don't wish many people to not have work....but I make an exception for Lennon. Calling him the bastard spawn of a cum burping, zit backed, dog faced, gutter snipe of a whore is still far too pleasant a description for him. :angry:

We're still going to win the league with or without Kenny



WATP

2 late goals at Kilmarnock keeps Hearts in touch with the leaders, even though the Hungarians beat the Caley Jags at home (boo).

In celebration of their sterling 110-year tradition, Hibernian FC went out of the Scottish Cup to second division Ayr United 1-0 at Somerset Park today. To mark the occasion, a small rendition of Tell All the Hibs You Know:

"Tell all the Hibs you know
It's 110 in a row!
"Tell all the Hibs you know
It's 110 in a row!
Ye've won the league cup,
we don't give a fuck,
It's 110 in a roooooooow."


and to follow that up with, the old favourite, Since 1902:

Since 1902, since 19- oooh twoooooo
You've not won the big cup,
Since 1902.


Smashing. Always in our shadow. FTH. :wub:

I was just taking a break from defending the facebook guys (not sure how I got sucked into that) and saw the Scottish Scores......honestly, first thought in my mind:

"Hibs out of cup....good win for Hearts.....bet GJ is posting right now!"

Just worry about taking care of yer business Saturday!


Up the JT's (at least fer a day (or 4 to 6 days a season to be precise))!!!

Hail! Hail!

Terry Butcher .... what a hero !!! (bet you'd never think of a Scotsman saying that about a former England captain, even if he is manager of my beloved Caley Thistle !!!)

Butcher slams the idea of a 10 team SPL, sticks up for the fans and exposes the bullying tactics the SPL and 'certain' teams have been using to push through their ridiculous agenda .......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/9366087.stm

Caley Thistle, Hearts, Killie, Dundee Utd and St Mirren were the original 5 dissenters a couple of weeks ago but since then Dundee Utd chairman Steven Thomson has done a complete U-turn and St Mirren seem to be changing their opinion daily depending on the wind direction .... that leaves Caley Thistle, Hearts and Killie to try and stave off this ridiculous idea ..... If one changes their position the vote will go through and it will be a step back in time.

Our chairman issued his own press release after the SPL said it had broad agreement from all teams which basically said that was a load of shite .... and Terry made the comments in the link above after last night's Rangers game. Seems to have gone down well on our own (ICT) forum as well as forums for other clubs and the ubiquitous Pie and Bovril site.

the SPL have failed to answer two basic questions ......

1. Exactly HOW will 10 teams in the SPL benefit Scottish football. We know it will line the pockets of the chosen few but how will it improve the product, foster development and protect teams in the lower leagues. A question that Mr Dumbcaster has avoided at every turn

2. Why is he ignoring the opinions of the customer base in all of this ? 91.5% of Scottish fans polled by supporters Direct (the umbrella organisation of Supporters Trusts) were against the 10 team setup with 88% preferring 14 teams or more in an expanded SPL ... why wont they listen ?
Source: http://clients.squareeye.com/uploads/sd/sc...ation281210.pdf

Its all about money ... the SPL, who have had this plan on the shelf since 2003 are now trying to implement it ... 10 teams means a bigger slice of the pie for the chosen few and little or no benefit for the teams relegated. It also guarantees more TV time for the big two and in their skewed vision, a chance to actually compete in Europe through increased sponsorship. The flaw in the argument is simple though ... any additional money brought in will be peanuts compared to the big leagues in Europe .... Alex Ferguson could probably sponsor the SPL for 5 years with the money he's lost down the back of his sofa .... Man City have thrown away more than the SPL makes in a decade each and every transfer window when they buy someone only to dump them a short time later at a cut price fee .....

Glad to see someone has finally stood up and told it like it is ... Well Done Terry !!!!

Lots of discussion here:
http://community.caleythistleonline.com/to...tcher-interview
http://community.caleythistleonline.com/to...e-back-our-game
http://community.caleythistleonline.com/to...ciation-thread/
http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.ph...ree-with-terry/
http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.ph...-shake-up-plan/