Leaderboard

Statement from George HERE The future of Scottish football has to involve the people that pay through the gates and its high time the powerbrokers realised that. They also need to realise that without all the other clubs there would be no Celtic or Rangers. Those people are supposed to be developing the game not ensuring the OF stay top of the league and ultimately in European competition. Every team should get a sensible share of the pot and every team should have to operate within their means and without debt. Let the league expand and let every club have a fair chance to win it.

Hibs got ?250k for Sol Bamba with only 6 months left on his contract. Get that off the Russians and buy Leigh Griffiths I say.

The aim - as far as I can see - is to line the pockets of 10 teams, especially two of them, and further widen the gap between them and the other 32 clubs. Its nothing to do with improving, repairing, or revitalising the game in Scotland and everything to do with money. They seem to be under the mistaken belief that the extra money they would get by splitting the pie 10 ways instead of 12 or 16 ways will allow them to compete in a global market for players and in European competition.... and that is absolute folly as the collective money on offer for the entire league in Scotland would be regarded as loose change for some individual teams in other leagues !!!! Scottish Football needs sorted and it needs sorted from the ground up not by those at the trough throwing scraps to the riff raff down below and telling them its prime steak !!! If we can develop football and encourage homegrown talent then teams at all levels can reap the benefits.

As SPL clubs meet to discuss the future set-up and that 88% of supporters are against the proposed (farcical imo) 10 team "revamp" what really could be done? 92% of fans feel they haven't been consulted properly either. So, rather than a discussion of how bad things are, what is everyones vision for a proper set-up and critique of others ideas put forward? Regional Youth League 14 regional teams (Ayrshire, Borders, Central Scotland, Dumfries+Galloway, Dunbartonshire+Argyll+Bute, Fife, Grampian, Glasgow, Highlands+Western Isles, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Orkney+Shetland, Renfrewshire, Tayside. Players signed to SPL teams prohibited from entry Ages 12-14, 14-16, 16-18 (three leagues) Play each other once in summer (13 games, neutral venue, over one month, intensive training, 60 min matches) Top four teams 16-18, play semi-final and final. Televised. Run in conjuction with schools, councils, clubs 16-18 age group enter draft after summer league finishes, lowest ranking semi-pro ranking club in players region has first pick (think NFL) Clubs pay fee for player (means tested) Non-picks go to amateur league draft in region (free) Naturally, 16 team SPL, home/away, one division of 14 (2-up/3-down), two pro-amateur divisions of 14 under on same level (i.e East/West or North/South of 12 with winners promoted, runners up play-off) 30 Professional teams/14 semi-professional/2 x 12 pro-amateur/amateur (?) Professional teams pay tax (1% of gate, 1% of TV money, 1% of transfer fees received from outside Scotland, etc, etc to semi-professional teams and likewise for semi-pro to pro-amateur, Pro players pay 1% of wage) Professional teams with between 3000 - 6000 support can register as community clubs and get exemptions on fees etc. Clubs in debt must reduce deficit by 5% per year Wages not exceeding 45% of turnover Maximum 3 non-EU players in starting squad Minimum 5 home-grown players (trained for 2 years 16-18 or signed through regional league) in squad

Are any of our squad out of contract this month. I've a feeling Golly and Roy were on 6 mth deals. We are never going to be in a position to maintain a larger squad than the 24 we have so some will go I think. I'd prefer not to see our youngsters go out on loan. I think we also need to make sure we keep our best players. That leaves the ones who haven't broke through to first team. Innes, Gillet, Sanchez, haven't featured much. Blumenstien and Odhiambo aren't showing any true form on a regular basis. From what I've seen of McCann I think we could do better. All the aforementioned have also been hampered by injury and may well improve further. Who knows. Whatever happens we need to bring a balance to the squad. One where we're not dependant on one persons skill and mood to keep us picking up points.

Personally I'd rather we get something for him than let him go for nout.

You are kidding yourself on both points. For one thing, Scottish football doesnt appeal to that wide an audience and changing the setup will not change that outside of maybe having an extra old firm game on TV outside the UK each year. and as for competitive ... a little look at who has finished first and second for the last few years will answer that one. To appeal to a wider audience, Scottish football needs to become more attractive. It can do that a couple of ways ... go the money route and fill a few elite teams in a smaller league with superstars from other countries because we have few if any of our own at this time. This kind of short-sightedness may make the game more interesting for a short while but it stifles development outside the elite. Smaller teams cannot make the leap to the big time and homegrown players are neither as valued nor as 'cosmopolitan' as having some mysterious foreigner in your team .... In this sort of scenario teams like ICT could NEVER aspire to reaching the SPL and players like Graeme Shinnie or Nick Ross or even incomers like Jonny Hayes or Adam Rooney would have far fewer opportunities to come in and stake places in a team that would always be looking over its shoulder at relegation should it have the audacity to try and compete with the big boys !!! The other alternative is to rebuild it from the ground up. reward teams for developing players, put structure in place that allows teams to develop players, and encourage it. It may take a longer time to become attractive but once you have good players coming through the excitement builds, the costs become more bearable and ultimately teams have assets (players) they can sell/export which allows them to continue their own development. We turn the current downward spiral upside down and hopefully begin an upward trajectory. If we were to become a net exporter of players over the next few years that also heightens awareness and interest from other areas of the globe .... didnt we all take a little bit more interest in Romania for example when Marius was here ... or in Canada when Hastings/Xausa were at the club? I know I have a look at things in other countries when TFC sign a player from South America or from Europe .... and right now, I am reading up on "total football" now that it has been leaked that the new TFC manager is likely to be Aron Winter from Ajax. It all raises profile, interest and potentially makes the Scottish structure more appealing but it has to start somewhere and I would humbly suggest that is at the same place where ICT started .... at the bottom ! I dont profess to know the best structure, but I know that a top league of 10 is not it. I would however dispute the fact that we dont have enough 'good teams' .... Was last season not extremely enjoyable in a league of 10 teams that are supposedly inferior to what we are now ? Do the Dunfermlines, Dundees and even Ross Countys of this world not merit some interest? the first two have been in the top flight (as have many others in the lower leagues) and County reached a national final last season as did smaller teams in most of the last few seasons ..... I would make a counter-point to this argument and say that its not that we do not have enough good teams, its that we have two too many teams that because of the current slicing and dicing of finances, sponsorship and TV money have been allowed to grow further and faster than the rest. This is not a serious suggestion - as it would never happen - but how about 2 leagues of 20 with each team playing each other once at home and away each season and a SuperDuper Elite Premier League where the other two play each other every week for the TV companies !!!!

As well as less overall games, less important games, less fans and less tv money. 16/18 teams was never on the table for these reasons. Hardcore fans may be bored with playing the same teams 4 times a season, but in order to appeal to a wider audience, the league has to be tight and competitive. I thought that a 14 team league with a 6/8 split and play-offs for the final Europa League spot was a good compromise position which allowed for the expansion of the league and an increase in competitive games.

I see that it is expected the number of Gaelic speakers is set to fall even further in this years Census. But its ok...lets throw EVEN more money at it, coz campaingners expect it to recover.....which....completely flies in the face of the FACT that the language has been in steady decline for the last 150 years. Its time to stop flogging dead horses!

The SPL?s strategy group, composed of six clubs ? Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibernian, Motherwell, Rangers and St Mirren. From the very get go, by having half of the league making decisions, it was amateur night. And the idea they came up with is an insult. I'd wonder what is round the corner? I'm hopeful of 16 but it needs pushing from the fans. It absolutely would work if every club cut their cloth accordingly and gave up on this defeatist pathetic idea that we need to be like the f****** X-Factor of football bringing in names rather than producing our own stars. It's clear that some people in high up places need to leave for real change to happen. Take a quick look at Topping and Doncaster. One has only ever woorked for one company and in a similar role for a year while the other bailed out of Norwich when they were demoted to League one...seemed to have done ok since!!

Aberdeen and St Johnstone are for it ICT, Hearts, Dundee Utd, Kilmarnock are aginst it. I wonder where the rest will fall. It seems, from reading all the quotes carefully from those wanting the 10-team league, that the most important thing is to get more cash to buy player s in and pay them big wages. Seriously, it's all on BBC from Milne and Topping. Is that really what we are up against? Such basic, idiotic, short-sighted, never-learn clowns?? The SPL nearly ruined teams by chasing off Sky Sports. Anyway massive credit to George Fraser for doing the right thing, the only thing. Shame on Milne, Topping, Doncaster and Brown.

If it is true that his previous club get 40% of the unspectacular sums that are being talked about then there's even less point selling him. Let him sign a PCA and leave in the summer, at which point there will be far more potential replacements on the market than there are just now.

Cant see him going to russia, turkey or any other eastern eurpoean location. Championship maybe, also think that if Kenny Millar leaves Castle Greyskull then Rangers may come calling for Rooney or Salmon. While I'd like Adam to stay and get back on the scoring charts, perhaps we have to accept that if he still hasnt signed a contract he is wanting to see what is on offer, in which case then we have to accept a decent offer that comes in, but at ?100k I'd rather keep him and hope we get as high up the SPL as possible and maybe a decent cup run where we can recoup more than that.

A discussion on a potential structure was put to the SPL AGM in 2006. The document was the result of several strategy meeting that took place between 2003 and 2006 and basically saw the league setup as follows: Setup 12 + 10 (SPL1 & SPL2) moving to 10 + 12 Invitation issued from SPL to 10 teams in SFL to make up the numbers. No promotion for 2 years but 1 team relegated to move from 12+10 to 10+12 SPL2 criteria - All seated stadia, minimum 3000 capacity, Pitch Protection (not necessarily heated). 1 year grace period to bring stadiums up to scratch at start of new structure. Once 10 team SPL established and 12 team SPL2 established, clubs in each league play each other twice home and away each season so 36 games in SPL1 and 44 in SPL2. Possible additional cup competition for 22 teams in SPL1/SPL2 Regional structure below SPL2 Automatic 1 up 1 down promotion/relegation between SPL2 and regional league Playoffs between 2nd bottom in SPL2 and 2nd placed team in regional league Pyramid structure below regional leagues allowing for progression based on merit The rough figures worked out at the time showed an expected revenue in SPL2 of about ?1.6m from sponsorship, broadcasting rights, betting and cup competitions and a projected running cost of a bit over ?300K leaving a prize pool of about ?1.2m rising over time to about ?2m. (The equivalent projected prize pool for SPL1 was ?15.5m rising to ?16m). The split of the money in SPL2 was to be fairly similar to current SPL model with the top two teams taking the lions share (17% / 15%) and then the 3rd team taking 9.5% with the share dropping by ? a percentage point each place after that. Based on that model, the top team in SPL2 would receive around ?325,000 and the bottom team around ?86K. Parachute payment (from SPL1 to SPL2) was projected to be ?250K. By comparison, the top team in SPL1 would get around ?2m and the bottom team around ?535K in a 12 team setup rising to ?3m and just under ?1m in a 10 team setup. Obviously things have moved on since 2006 ... we have seen movement in terms of sponsorship, the Setanta collapse, and probably other things so the financial numbers are probably wrong now but it seems the current suggestion still has its roots in this model ......... and as far as I can tell from reading and re-reading it, the #1 priority is maximising the money side of things rather than actually developing the game and revitalising it from the grass roots upwards.

Font Nazis! I love it

........can the constabulary and stewards not just f*ck off and leave us alone. This is bullying and harrassment of the lowest order. Does the match commander really think that 300 hardy souls have paid ?20, risked life and limb on Perth,s perilous pavements, and braved the elements to watch 90 minutes of hokum AND be continually pestered to sit down and shut up. Have you nothing better to do? Have you a single ounce of common sense? Do you have any sense of proportion? OR Are you just a bully? Why pick on a couple of young lads following their team;lads with a passion, motivation. Would you rather they were drinking on park benches or aimlessly smashing windows in your town centre...........no chance of ever seeing any police there! If your justification is crowd safety then why not issue your goons with some shovels and clear the bloody pavements around the stadium. You are pathetic. And what happens when the Old filth come calling? You bully boys are nowhere to be seen. You make me sick. Your victimisation of IHE was breathtaking. " The match commander is watching you on TV and says that the next time you are to stand up you will be ejected" Well......the next time, have the balls to show yourself and explain this face to face. You will find a passionate supporter who enjoys a bit of banter........a (usually) very reasonable guy. You sir, abuse your position; are not fit for purpose; are a disgrace to your profession. You have not got the slightest clue how to maintain public order......your actions on Sunday were more likely to provoke a rebellion than quell one. Or, is that what you wanted. Were you that bored with the game (most of us were) that you thought you would have a bit of fun; Sitting in your ivory tower like the Kommandant in Schindlers List selecting a victim for elimination. I know this is an on-going and possibly boring topic, and it is one on which I have never felt strong enough to comment. But , today is different. When watching the aforementioned film and reading accounts of similar situations I have always wondered why those "just following orders" did not rail round as one and tell the person issuing the order to "f*ck off. If you want it done....do it yourself". I would like to see that! Perhaps one day this will happen. Look what a shining light the match commander at Paisley was. What a great day out we had.....absolutely no hassle. Smiles on the faces of stewards and home and away fans. Look at that model and see how it works. As I said..........you Sir....are a disgrace!!!

Quoted from a comment left on the P&J website As always, the whole story has not been released to the public, and probably never will be by the Scottish Ambulance Service. All workers are entitled to a Rest Period during their work shift, no matter who they work for. In the Scottish Ambulance Service, the management decided many years ago to stop paying their staff for this break, reducing their paid weekly hours from 40 to 37.5, and then asked whether the staff would be prepared to still be available during this unpaid rest period. This period does not have a defined time to take, purely on a "when possible" during your shift. It can come at the end of a shift, or not at all if you are busy. Not surprisingly, a lot of ambulance staff said that they would be unavailable during this UNPAID period. It is agreed by SAS Management that no calls should be put through to a staff member who is unavailable. Therefore, this Technician should never have been asked to respond if he has signed up to the UNPAID 30 minute rest period. To suspend a member of staff for following Scottish Ambulance Service MANAGEMENT Rules is unbelievable - It is also important to note that as Frontline EMERGENCY staff are leaving the Ambulance Swervice just now, their jobs are not being filled - as a cost saving exercise !! Its a pity that the public are not being told that by the Scottish Ambulance Service - how does the public feel about single manned ambulances that cannot transport a patient arriving at their door ??

McBain to Elgin with Golly, Gill, Obi and sanchez but Danny only because TB seems to leave him out we need as said a play making midfielder and a proven goal scorer as back up and competition.

What a quagmire. Cash in on Hayes and Rooney? Or let them move on for nowt? I reckon TB will want to shift Golly and McBain off the wage bill first. With the size of the squad Terry and Mo have worked wonders IMHO.

Only an Excuse has to be the best part of Hogmany telly

So the rumour is that McGregor may be leaving and actually nothing to do with Esson? Thanks for that.

I think it would improve our fans reputation if we bottled Mark Wright, or any other star of 'The Only Way is Essex'.

We don't have enough good teams for an 18 team league and 16 does not give enough games. Also some people keep going on about taking away the 'fear factor' and without fear of relegation then teams will open up etc etc. That is just rubbish imo, you will not suddenly see silky football in Scotland without a fear of relegation, the standard will be the same. Also if there is less pressure with more teams that will be because it will create many more meaningless games. The football will be of the same standard but the crowds will drop if the games have no meaning. You see this when a team is in danger of relegation, crowds increase, they increase where the is something at stake not for meaningless mid table game where teams have nothing to play for. The only viable option for change would be to move to a 14 team league or stay as we are but introduce playoffs at the bottom of the league/top of first.

I can't see how a 10 SPL would improve things in the slightest. Every season for many clubs it's a battle for survival. This reflects on the 'product' on the pitch - with teams pitching up to try and scrape a draw. With a 16 team SPL there would be less pressure on clubs to pick up points and therefore there would be more football on show. That's my opinion anyway.

I swear this is a genuine question. He came into my pub, The Royal in the city centre after the game. The amount of time he spent in there would have put paid to travelling back to Inverness that same night. Perhaps he stays in Perth or was in a hotel overnight? I just wanted to know as he was amusing the pub's regulars with his outlandish attire. Don't get me wrong, I am all for our national dress but this guy just looked really silly!

:clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown:Why is that?:clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown:

Who was the guy in your end today with the kilt on? It was black and white tartan and for a moment I thought it was St. Mirren we were playing. In-fact it could've easily been a Paisley Pattern! He came into my local pub in the city centre after the game with I am assuming his wife and looked a total tit! Everybody in the pub were wetting theirselves laughing at this guy. Obviously I say a poor man's Rambo because he has the haircut but no bandana! Is he for real?