The Mantis

Not always though. Some of them play junior because the money's better and they don't need to go to Montrose or Elgin on a Tuesday night.

You have to be careful using results from cup ties though. Motivation is probably 80% of football. If the Hearts got their erses booted for being complacent they would hammer Talbot the next 10 times. Last year's talbot were exceptional and I think they would be about div 2 standard. Caley got a 2-2 draw with premier St Johnstone but they were outplayed for about 70 mins and very tired when they got a penalty for 2-1. When ICT joined div 3 they were stronger than Caley but only made 6th place.

No he doesn't. He's just mentioned 2 that are very strong.

Good luck to Nairn but I think Linlithgow will win this one.

Looked pretty obvious what Alex meant

Ah yes, the East of Scotland Champions come in on October 5th. Favourite team? Well they met ICT in 97-8 and I went up in the Whitehill bus, got stick but supported ICT! Far bigger gap between the clubs now though, wouldn't be a contest. You would have a wonderful day out at Ferguson Park, Inverurie liked it so much they came back this year for a friendly. Btw the new Lowland League kicks off tomorrow. Whitehill at home to Gala Fairydean Rovers as it happens.

Is that the last time Naelifts was at a game?

Can I claim the prize for spotting your deliberate motoring reference?

Not only that: it was nearly 35 years ago. Btw Laurence, brilliant idea about the dockyards. If only you'd passed that tip on earlier, all the riots (yes, literally riots) at Luton, Charleroi, Dublin, Rome, Marseilles, Heysel and, as recently as last summer, Bedford (that renowned dockyard town) during Euro 2012, could all have been prevented!

I'm sure I heard that mentioned last time I was up Burn Brae

Brora looking like potential champions? Saw Locos on Saturday, a few players missing but thought they were very average.

I remember a few years back, Charles Reep produced a load of stats and stuff in support of route 1 football. Most goals are scored by random chance so get the ball in the box quick and fast and often. Latched onto by Wimbledon and suchlike.

I heard today's the day Bannerman gets his bus pass

You must be joking! They'd need knee pads for the final two sets. Btw when I was teaching we had a woman play now and again for the staff football team. Now she played at quite a high level in her own club team, and she was magic at fives, for an hour indoors, loads of skill, but outside on a full pitch she struggled. I suppose you could say it was like playing with 10 men.......

You forgot to mention the cross for the winner by earwig o, earwig o, earwig o.

http://www.caledonianfc.co.uk/finalseason.htm

I've met a couple of fifty-plus entrants to teaching who had that attitude. Didn't last a minute before the kids started to make mincemeat of them. Earn respect by what you post, not by who you are

I bet the pros were thrilled to bits at that idea.......

I heard a few months ago that they were concerned about Roberts' health because he seemed to be lacking stamina, which was why he never got a full game. Can't remember where I heard it though.

Why just the North

I wonder to whom you could be referring!

Aye but surely most of them supported caley too ? Well that was part of my point - there were considerably more dissatisfied punters from the Caley side becos there was more of a bond with the club, a fear that it could die and that Caley had the capability of going it alone. The main people who fought the Jeggie corner were mainly committee members and individuals with a stake in the club. The Caley Rebels were mainly foot soldiers. I think the famous IHE has just been whooshed.............

Course you're welcome! Did the London Evening Standard tell you we eat our young

Scotty, take it from me, they would have got in OK. The system of votes back then was Premier clubs 4 votes, First Div clubs 2 votes, Second Div clubs 1 vote. So first of all, the big clubs would vote regardless of distance as they would think it unlikely they would ever have to go there, while the wee diddy clubs with no money, but only 1 vote, would go for the likes of Gala, for reasons of self interest. Second, a club with Inverness in the name would always get one place regardless of which other towns applied. In the unlikely event of two Inverness clubs applying, it would have taken a dreadful presentation by the likes of Norman Miller and Jim Falconer to screw it up given Caley's infrastructure and Scottish Cup record (although Jock MacDonald could have pulled in a few favours on behalf of Jags).

Well they decided yesterday and its 9 EOS clubs, 2 SOS clubs, and East Kilbride FC. A few Juniors expressed interest but none actually applied. I'm sure it will be different next year when the league expands to 16 with the carrot of a potential League place for the winners. Could even be enough to tempt Auchinleck or Pollok or Irvine Meadow to jump ship.