A share of the points between Partick and Arbroath probably the ideal result.

Keeps Partick at arms length and, assuming we can take advantage of our games in hand, keeps our hopes of second place entirely realistic.

A joy and a relief to still have all to play for after such a horrible run of form and results until relatively recently.

Come on the Caley Jags !

Yes, 2nd place a definite possibility now.  Unfortunately, winning the league looks out of our reach.  But a good run in our final  5 games should see us going into the play offs with our confidence high.  So all to play for.  I must admit that before this tidy run of 3 wins I thought our season was over, so it is great to be looking forward to our matches again.  Come on lads, finish the season in style!  

And any number of clubs could finish 2nd bottom of Premier

Five wins and see where it takes us!

I am very much hoping that Raith's victory in the Challenge Cup final will, in a few weeks, prove a little consolation for missing out on the play offs.

The final was a decent enough game.

However, I don't think that a national final should ever be played on a synthetic surface where there are other venues with sufficient capacity and in a reasonably neutral location with a grass pitch available.

On 4/2/2022 at 10:49 PM, Naelifts said:

And any number of clubs could finish 2nd bottom of Premier

Unfortunately not the 2 any sane fan would hope in order to avoid any contact with them in a league setting. The scenes yesterday show exactly what we aren't missing and being in a league where you don't have to consider whether to avoid certain games (home or away) or if its an environment to take kids along is somewhat a nice feeling that I sometimes thing lower league fans overlook.

4 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

Unfortunately not the 2 any sane fan would hope in order to avoid any contact with them in a league setting. The scenes yesterday show exactly what we aren't missing and being in a league where you don't have to consider whether to avoid certain games (home or away) or if its an environment to take kids along is somewhat a nice feeling that I sometimes thing lower league fans overlook.

There are very few advantages of being in the Championship but not having to endure the toxicity that comes with playing either one of the Ugly Sisters is, without doubt, one of them.

2 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

There are very few advantages of being in the Championship but not having to endure the toxicity that comes with playing either one of the Ugly Sisters is, without doubt, one of them.

But we'll happily take their cash when they come to fill our stadium.

🙄

5 minutes ago, Satan said:

But we'll happily take their cash when they come to fill our stadium.

🙄

I agree. Some limited compensation for what we have to endure when they visit. Although, even that is negated by the cost of additional policing and stewarding and, far too of, repairing vandalism.

Edited April 4, 20224 yr by Kingsmills

8 minutes ago, Satan said:

But we'll happily take their cash when they come to fill our stadium.

🙄

Which IMO, is the hyporcitical crap in Scottish football which gives the greenlight for their clubs and fans to conduct themselves in any manner they see fit without repercussions. While I understand no club wants to 'cut off their nose etc' but realistically when a club offers approx 700 way tickets out of a stadia of (50/60000) - marginally over 1%, the idea that in return the other clubs are happy to offer as much as 3 stands in some cases (60-70%) of the capacity to OF fans (with the known hate and bile they bring at the detriment of their own fans) then its all that is wrong and just says everything is ok and fair game when its cash!!!!

Even if clubs restricted away ticket numbers, Old Firm fans would buy tickets for the home sections. Before our relegation, I often found Old Firm fans in seats close to mine. It shouldn’t happen but not sure how a club could police it when selling tickets for non season ticket seats, other than to only allow season ticket holders to attend, which would be very controversial. 

Edited April 4, 20224 yr by Robert

Not getting ahead of ourselves we still have to win at least 5 more games!

3 hours ago, Robert said:

Even if clubs restricted away ticket numbers, Old Firm fans would buy tickets for the home sections. Before our relegation, I often found Old Firm fans in seats close to mine. It shouldn’t happen but not sure how a club could police it when selling tickets for non season ticket seats, other than to only allow season ticket holders to attend, which would be very controversial. 

Brave home supporters pointed out, discreetly, such “away fans” in the home section and had them sorted out!   ie ejected!  It can be done, and was done.   Incidentally I have said that if we were back in the Premier League I would never ever go back to Ibrox - the atmosphere is so toxic.   I would go back to Celtic Park, despite the away fans lousy view of the game, the fans have in the most been friendly.   I may rue my words in future! 

 

  

13 hours ago, Robert said:

Even if clubs restricted away ticket numbers, Old Firm fans would buy tickets for the home sections. Before our relegation, I often found Old Firm fans in seats close to mine. It shouldn’t happen but not sure how a club could police it when selling tickets for non season ticket seats, other than to only allow season ticket holders to attend, which would be very controversial. 

Maybe so, but if a fan was to attend Ibrox or Parkhead to sit in the home section with a rival shirt they would be ejected. Yet you are right I have seen Rangers and Celtic fans in the past sitting in the home section at our stadium with no action taken. Again this is what is wrong with the greed of Scottish football. As for how you control the purchase of tickets - if the OF for visits (especially of each other) only allow in addition to ST, purchases through supporters clubs/groups and no general sales, then why cant the rest of Scottish football do the same? Simple answer - money. While the fans of 40 clubs unanimously look on in disgust and horror at the actions of OF fans and the shame they bring to the image of the game up here, our clubs chairmen and SPFL look on with glee at the cash cow it brings demonstrating the utter contempt for anyone else associated with the game here including their own fan base.

 

Getting back on topic

Ayr look to be safe, so hopefully its a bit of a 'end of season' game for them - stuck in the no-mans land mid table. Take a scrappy win and head into the Killie game for an Ayrshire double.

QoS may be the toughest fixture of all, fighting for their place in the Championship (although depending on the next 2 games they may be cut adrift completely and game over), away on a Tuesday night - even a point would be a decent result

Then the final 2 games are dead rubbers for those mid table clubs, hopefully the blood youngsters and its holiday mode.

Good chance for ICT to get through unbeaten - 15 points is highly unlikely but 3 wins and 2 draws realistic (which given the patchy form of everyone in this league could be enough for 2nd place)

Ayr are anything but safe. If Dunfermline win their game in hand they are just 2 points behind Ayr. There is zero chance that they are in any kind of "end of season" mode. 

1 hour ago, bdu98196 said:

Getting back on topic

Ayr look to be safe, so hopefully its a bit of a 'end of season' game for them - stuck in the no-mans land mid table. Take a scrappy win and head into the Killie game for an Ayrshire double.

QoS may be the toughest fixture of all, fighting for their place in the Championship (although depending on the next 2 games they may be cut adrift completely and game over), away on a Tuesday night - even a point would be a decent result

Then the final 2 games are dead rubbers for those mid table clubs, hopefully the blood youngsters and its holiday mode.

Good chance for ICT to get through unbeaten - 15 points is highly unlikely but 3 wins and 2 draws realistic (which given the patchy form of everyone in this league could be enough for 2nd place)

Ayr will need to win at least one more game and possibly more.

They will certainly be well motivated and still in decent form under their new manager.

We will have to match them for commitment to return home with all three points.

Raith's loss this evening in the Fife derby is a major boost to our hopes of a play off place.

We could, to all intents and purposes, make it a decisive boost if we can continue our winning run on Saturday.

However, Ayr will be dangerous opponents and even more determined to maintain or increase that now frightenly narrow gap between them and the Pars for the relegation play off place. We will need to mstch them for motivation and determination as well as skill and tactics.

A big game and a strong performance required both from the team and the band of fans making the long trip to the Ayrshire seaside. The latter is guaranteed, let's hope that the players and coaches are equally up to the task.

When dunfermline beat killie on Saturday everything will feel mad. 

Partick's narrow and perhaps ill deserved win at Palmerston is a bit of a blow.

All the more incentive to win tomorrow and restore our advantage over them.

' Football's a funny old game ', I think that's been said many times before, and it never ceases to amaze me. A few weeks ago we were in a bad place, I think Partick were on the same points as us, but had three games in hand, which if they won, would have put them up with Arbroath and Killie, now, after their slender win over QOS, they sit with the same points as us, having played two more games and we have a goal difference of 14 compared to their 8. So this is the time to focus and keep our good run going, starting with three points at Ayr on Saturday, and if we continue to pass the ball, as we have in our previous matches, I'm sure the rewards will come our way. I believe we are hitting our best form of the season at the right time. 

I say, thank you to Raith Rovers for that 90th minute winner. Next time I'm in Raith I'll buy everyone a dram. 

1 hour ago, No Shin Guards said:

I say, thank you to Raith Rovers for that 90th minute winner. Next time I'm in Raith I'll buy everyone a dram. 

Careful, you'll have the entire population dancing in the streets.

I say, that would be spiffing.

As, 'Yes Sir, I can boogie' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

On 4/4/2022 at 1:29 PM, Satan said:

But we'll happily take their cash when they come to fill our stadium.

🙄

Hmmmm not sure that one leads to the other? Necessary evil? 

Tonight's game at Rugby Park could go a very long way to deciding the title and with it the sole automatic promotion spot.

Taking nothing for granted but assuming we get through the first play of round, which of Kilmarnock or Arbroath would you prefer to face in the second round?

We should really have no reason  to fear either as we have beaten both home and away this season.

However, Kilmarnock are the full time time with the better players who were able to strengthen very considerably in the January window and, in my view would be the more dangerous opponents.

For that reason, I will be hoping for a Kilmarnock victory this evening much as I would otherwise love to see part time Arbroath with their slightly ramshackle ground shake up Scottish football by reaching the Premiership.