All Activity
- Today
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Ben Gardiner has also joined Brora.
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Get Ange in 👍 Haven’t even seen the Brazil game although I’ve recorded it. We booked a cruise leaving from Helsinki a year ago. So left Helsinki on the Wednesday night for Tallin, and being 2 hours ahead, it kicked off at 1am. TV was dodgy at sea by satellite and saw a few minutes before it froze (a bit like Scott McKenna maybe). Saw two more snatches, each time realising we had lost another goal, then another bit in the second period when we seemed to be on top, before I gave up.
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Some possibilities - including Ange - discussed here - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/28/scotland-search-new-coach-replace-steve-clarke
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So who next for manager? Derek McInnes would’ve been the obvious choice until he got the Rangers job. I know a lot of people will insist that we need a Scottish manager, but I’d be happy with Ange Postecoglu if he wanted it and was affordable.
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Is the reason Clarke plays cautiously because he knows/believes that central defence is the weakest link? Hanley/Hendry/McKenna are obviously good defenders to a certain level but play for Hibs, Al Ettifaq and Dinamo Zagreb, and are past their best. Been a long time since there was a pairing you could really trust.
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We now know that the size of our defeat to Brazil actually made no difference, we weren’t even close and would’ve needed a 5 or 6 goal GD improvement to qualify. Realistically we needed to snatch a draw against Morocco.
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I don’t want to criticise the individual as he was just the latest person to have to deal with a almost impossible task, which was to develop and progress a national team that could take the next step of qualifying to the knockout out stage of the Euro or WC tournaments. I give credit to Clarke for having the common sense to know his time ‘had run’. It’s a statement (to anyone listening IMO) we neither have the organisational structure, people running the ‘show’ or players with the requisite ability or skills to take us to that level. When to take in the populations of the major (successful) footballing nations then it’s clear numbers (players -competition-standards) count. eg GRM - 85; FR - 70; ENG - 60; SPN - 48 Million. Of our WC group, BRL-214, Morocco-39, HTI -12 M. Equivalent Euro countries with Scotland 6 million, DMK -6, SWD -11, NWY-6, BLM-12, IRL - 6, PGL - 11. Belgium and Portugal has proved that with the right vision, structure and people (weather may also be an important factor here), it is possible to compete against the ‘big’ countries. The WC has proved that ‘small’ nations can however can provide exciting football, Curacao the prime example with there flair and quick moving football. They came unstuck of course points wise (2), however was an example (to me) that an adventurous approach is more appreciated than a Don’t - Loose one. I think ‘adventure’ wasn’t in the Stevie Clarke training manual. It only happened by luck. So to close, good luck to Mr Clarke if he wishes to continue in football management. There will be clubs willing to use his talents and experience. For Scotland (and more importantly its fans). the challenge and expectations need to be kept in check. Ie what is realistically possible. Thats not to say don’t stop the tartan army having a great time at tournaments when we quality, quite the reverse, their brilliant ambassadors. The only thing I would do is change the model (and leaders) at the SFA has for the development of our young players. The current one (employed for decades) has not worked or progressed your players skill set IMO. I don’t wait in great expectation! Thats it off my chest!! bc
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Such a shame and a sad ending for him after all he’s achieved climbing up the Nations League and getting us back to the World Cup and UEFAs. He did make us competitive again to a certain degree but after those displays I think he’s done the right and honourable thing by resigning. So a new chapter awaits, Whoever takes over has plenty of time to work with his chosen squad before the next tournament and hopefully can build on the base Steve Clarke created and move us forward to the next level.
- Yesterday
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Steve Clarke no longer the manager, just 3 weeks after signing a 4 year extension!
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Can Scotland still win the World Cup in 2026? Asking for a friend!
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I'll just have half of whatever you're on. 🤣
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It’s the feeling of Déjà vu from ‘74 that I hoped wouldnae happen - well 50% of it anyway. In ‘74 we came home losing out on goal difference because we failed to score enough goals - this time it was because we screwed ourselves by faffing about in our own penalty box and failed to learn from it. We came home with our heads held high in ‘74. The guys did us proud and the reception we gave them at Renfrew airport on their return was awesome. This time I’ve never felt so p’d off about our national team failing to reach the knockout stages - what a wasted opportunity!
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We will add brief reports on here as and when we complete our pre-season fixtures. We started with a testimonial at Nairn and followed that with a friendly at Grant Street against Clach. 23.06.2026/19:30, 3-1 Nairn County(A): 27.06.2026/13:00, 3-1 Clachnacuddin(A): Next game is at home against Ross County next Saturday 04.07.2026/14:00, - Ross County(H): 07.07.2026/19:00, - Cove Rangers(A): TESTIMONIAL FOR DYLAN MACLEAN, CALLUM MACLEAN & KENNY McKENZIE T14 - Daniel Mackay. T15 - Joseph Edward Walters T20 - Hamzad Sayeed Kargbo 18' | 0-1 GOAL! T20 opens the scoring Clearance blocked and he scored with a near-post shot. 21' | 0-2 GOAL! Paul Allan scores after ball played through out wide which was cut back and slotted away. 34 | 0-2 Good move from Nairn County as Calum MacKay's effort comes off the post. 41’ | 1-2 Goal Nairn! Ball is won in the middle of the park by Kenny McKenzie and plays through Calum Mackay who puts it past the keeper. 45+| 1-2 Shae Keogh sees his effort held right on the stroke of half time HALF TIME: 1-2 ICTFC Subs at the break: Ross Munro, Luis Longstaff and Liam Sole on Logan Ross, Shae Keogh and T14 off 47' | 1-2 Good ball from Adam Mackinnon finds T20 in the box but his effort is just over. 53' | 1-2 ICTFC Sub: Morgan Bates on, T20 off 63' | 1-3 GOAL! Luis Longstaff's free-kick finds the bottom corner from the edge of the box. FULL TIME: 1-3 Looks like everybody got some game time. NAIRN: Dylan Maclean, Jamie Carnihan, Leo Walker, Callum Maclean, Fraser Dingwall, Millar Gamble, Calum Mackay, Tyler Eadie, Paul Brindle, Jonathan Bain, Kenny McKenzie SUBS: Kyle Jeffrey (GK), Kenny MacInnes, Angus Dey, Jake Thomson, Ben Barron, Ben Kelly, Adrian Voigt, Trialist SUBS MADE: Ben Barron --> Paul Brindle (46), Adrian Voigt --> Jonathan Bain (46), Jake Thomson --> Callum Maclean (60), Angus Dey --> Calum Mackay (74), Ben Kelly --> Jamie Carnihan (74), Trialist --> Tyler Eadie (74), Kyle Jeffrey --> Dylan Maclean (81) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friendlies (3): 27.06.2026/13:00, 3-1 Clachnacuddin(A): After the pyrotechnic display on Friars Bridge earlier in the day, this pre-season game got underway at Grant Street with Championship Caley Jags fielding a strong starting XI. Here's the highlights lifted from X 6' | 0-0 First real chance of the match as Graeme Shinnie sees his effort from range bounce just wide. At the other end, Craig Lawrie sees his effort from range go just wide. 12' | 0-1 GOAL! We take the lead! Paul Allan's free-kick is swung in and looks to have gone straight in! 26' | 0-1 Noa Boutin sees his effort held by Mark Ridgers. 30' | 0-1 Boutin picks out Adam Mackinnon in the box but his effort is over and behind. 36' | 0-1 Ross Munro called into action as he saves Jordan MacRae's initial effort and follow-up header. 40' | 0-1 Luis Longstaff sees his effort from just outside the box held by Mark Ridgers HALF TIME: 0-1 45' | 0-1 HT Subs for ICTFC: Logan Ross and Trialist (No 15) on, Ross Munro and Danny Devine off 51' | 1-1 Goal. Mikey Mackenzie equalises for Clach 61' | 1-1 ICTFC Subs: Trialist (No 14), Trialist (No 20), Alfie Bavidge on Morgan Bates, Liam Sole and Luis Longstaff off 73' | 1-1 Sam Thompson and Shae Keogh on, Adam Mackinnon and Paul Allan off 75' | 1-1 Noa Boutin picks out Shae Keogh but his effort is turned just wide. 82'| 1-2 GOAL! Trialist (No 14) gives us the lead! They can't kid us. It's our very own Dan Mackay. 85' | 1-3 GOAL! Shae Keogh makes it 3-1! And that's how it finished... FULL TIME: 1-3 ICTFC Substitutions: 46: Logan Ross and Trialist (No 15) on, Ross Munro and Danny Devine off 61: Trialist (No 14), Trialist (No 20), Alfie Bavidge on Morgan Bates, Liam Sole and Luis Longstaff off 73: Sam Thomson & Shae Keogh on, Adam MacKinnon & Paul Allan off Clach Starting XI Mark Ridgers Michael Finnis Harry Nicolson Ally Gillies Kuba Leszczynski Allan MacPhee Mikey Mackenzie Jordan Macrae Craig Lawrie Jacob Kerr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 04.07.2026/14:00, - Ross County(H): 07.07.2026/19:00, - Cove Rangers(A): -
Second half at Grant Street: 45' | 0-1 HT Subs for ICTFC: Logan Ross and Trialist (No 15) on, Ross Munro and Danny Devine off 51' | 1-1 Goal. Mikey Mackenzie equalises for Clach 61' | 1-1 ICTFC Subs: Trialist (No 14), Trialist (No 20), Alfie Bavidge on Morgan Bates, Liam Sole and Luis Longstaff off 73' | 1-1 Sam Thompson and Shae Keogh on, Adam Mackinnon and Paul Allan off 75' | 1-1 Noa Boutin picks out Shae Keogh but his effort is turned just wide. 82'| 1-2 GOAL! Trialist (No 14) gives us the lead! They can't kid us. It's our very own Dan Mackay. 85' | 1-3 GOAL! Shae Keogh makes it 3-1! And that's how it finished... FULL TIME: 1-3
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What, with the third? I was distracted at the time but thought it was Mackay again but happy to be corrected. I don’t think we played as well as at Nairn on Tuesday, although we picked up after Mackay, Bavidge and the big no 20 came on, and probably deserved to win, although I wouldn’t have grudged Clach a draw. We defended poorly for their goal, and nearly gifted them a second at 1-1. Minutes in legs and no injuries, so mission accomplished, and still a few weeks to get sharpness up for when the main business starts.
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May be Shae Keogh?
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Mackay again so we lead 3-1. Edit: ok, it was Shae Keogh.
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Dan Mackay puts us in front. A very even game.
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After the pyrotechnic display on Friars Bridge earlier in the day, this pre-season game got underway at Grant Street with Championship Caley Jags fielding a strong starting XI. Here's the highlights lifted from X 6' | 0-0 First real chance of the match as Graeme Shinnie sees his effort from range bounce just wide. At the other end, Craig Lawrie sees his effort from range go just wide. 12' | 0-1 GOAL! We take the lead! Paul Allan's free-kick is swung in and looks to have gone straight in! 26' | 0-1 Noa Boutin sees his effort held by Mark Ridgers. 30' | 0-1 Boutin picks out Adam Mackinnon in the box but his effort is over and behind. 36' | 0-1 Ross Munro called into action as he saves Jordan MacRae's initial effort and follow-up header. 40' | 0-1 Luis Longstaff sees his effort from just outside the box held by Mark Ridgers HALF TIME: 0-1 45' | 0-1 HT Subs for ICTFC: Logan Ross and Trialist (No 15) on, Ross Munro and Danny Devine off 51' | 1-1 Goal. Mikey Mackenzie equalises for Clach 61' | 1-1 ICTFC Subs: Trialist (No 14), Trialist (No 20), Alfie Bavidge on Morgan Bates, Liam Sole and Luis Longstaff off 73' | 1-1 Sam Thompson and Shae Keogh on, Adam Mackinnon and Paul Allan off 75' | 1-1 Noa Boutin picks out Shae Keogh but his effort is turned just wide.
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1 up. Think Paul Allan’s free kick went in without anyone getting a touch.
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Pretty accurate assessment of our national team’s performance I thought (Just dirt) ! 😆 bc
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Strong line up. Presumably the trialists will get the second half.
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Strong starting XI today Bavidge on bench along with same three trialists from Nairn County game. 90%: It's how they were described elsewhere. I would have preferred East/West
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For those that have not read Soccer Guy's reports from facebook on events at the World Cup. Here is his brilliant report on the Brazil v Scotland encounter... Brazil Soccer Club go open up a can of awesome juice as the Salsa Guys go hand a super-sized L to the Soccer Nessies in Miami, crushing Scotch hopes of making it outta the little leagues. The Nessies sucked right from the start, even dumbass deefense allowed Vinnie Shoes Junior to go get the go ahead. The same guy looked to have completed his double insertion a few minutes later only for the denial flag to save Scotch asses - but only for a little while longer, because in overtime at the end of the first quarter, the goaltender miscalculized a cross-pass that he should’ve made finger food, leaving Shoes to head kick into the ball bag. Matty S. Cuba did another goalshot in the second quarter. Even though Mac Tommy Knee had a couple of head kicks inside the DBZ, Brazil Soccer Club just laughed at how lame they were. Coach Aintchalucky even had time to go bring out Nate Mar - their former MVP who now just goofs around and is always kinda hurt - outta the subshack. This was a bad day of soccer for the Tarzan Army, like watching an unsuspecting prairie dog walking around sniffing out bugs and stuff when some big-ass eagle comes crashing in on their head, grabs it with its bird claws and carries it on up into the sky, little legs kicking like it’s thinking everything’s probably going to be okay, right up until the moment they realize this bird thing is actually gonna rip it open and start feeding its guts to its eagle babies. By the time the sun begins to dip, the story is already over. The grass keeps swaying. The burrows remain. The colony of prairies dogs carries on. And the only sign that the prairie dog was ever there is a brief shadow passing overhead, moving west with the evening light. Because the prairie doesn’t stop for one prairie dog. The wind still blows. The bugs still buzz. The other animals still wake up the next morning and get on with the business of being alive. And that’s the cruel thing about the World Cup World Championship of the world. It feels like the centre of the universe when your franchise is in it, but the moment they’re gone, it reveals itself for what it really is: an enormous prairie stretching far beyond the horizon. Brazil Soccer Club still roam. USMNT still hunt. The giants still cast their shadows. The tournament keeps rolling on beneath the same sun, indifferent to who got carried away and eaten by an eagle. Scotland Soccer Club’s little patch of dirt may be empty now - we gotta wait and see if they are eliminized - but the prairie barely notices. The show goes on. The eagle circles elsewhere, looking for its next meal.
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I'd be more worried about the bridge being rotated 90 degrees
