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This is all evidence that Richie has evidently lost a yard or 2 of pace. Everyone else managed to get well away from the old bill.

Just got to go out and win all our games then now

Yeh looks as if some local neds of unspesified football loyalty themselves have decided to have a go at a couple of well known lads from the Republic of Ireland. I think Ritchie has been very restreined in this incident which would never have happened had it not been for these neds hellbent on provoking and asaulting Ritchie. Its the neds who should have been arested not Ritchie.

Can't hear that fat lady singing yet!!!!!!!!

None. It's not left yet.

Ah, Mahonio! You've come Brora-ing back to life!

You shouldn't. The game's at Hull!

Surely if you are assaulted in the street,you are allowed to defend yourself? The news reports and CCTV seem to indicate he was punched twice before he retaliated so why was he even charged? If your not allowed to defend yourself whilst being attacked,what are you supposed to do,sit and take a kicking? Is this the Police taking the huff because he ran away? Find it quite disturbing that you could end up in court for defending yourself or is it on the basis how far you go in defending yourself?

When the 'victim' is deemed to have given as good as he/she got they are frequently charged !!! In my opinion, the cops reach for the sky with some charges or take a scattergun approach and lay multiple charges in the hope that a guilty plea is negotiated for some. I sat on a High Court jury many years ago where according to the story (corroborated by both sides) the accused was getting seven shades of **** kicked out of him but - according to the defence - he had managed to grab something, anything, nearby, which happened to be a bottle. He hit one of his attackers and the bottle broke, the attacker was cut badly (left a scar) and when all the dust settled the guy who had been set upon was charged with attempted murder. We might have found him guilty of assault, but no way was it attempted murder and from what I can remember the jury settled on 'not proven'.

I very much doubt he was punched twice in the face before defending himself , if that was the case don't you think the aggressor would have been charged and not Richie ? You must have missed the bit in the report that said CCTV footage backed up what he said.

Amazed that some people think that just because you pull on a football shirt you are immune to any sort of human reactions. If somebody punched me twice in the face I would retaliate if nothing more to make sure they don't land a 3rd blow.

Of course he is stupid and a complete and utter disgrace. I can't believe he got found.

As Alex says, 2nd or 3rd would do it, but that's almost certainly beyond us now. But your scenarios for 4th place are spot on. I can't think of any other possible circumstances barring some unlikely UEFA Fair Play allocation. Just checked the Fair Play situation and Scotland are 9th with only the top 3 associations getting a club in, so that's gone! Jim Goodwins elbows probably put us down a few places on their own