The Mantis

Staying in the SPL is, to quote the other guys, paramount, imperative, etc. That's what you plan for- to beat at least one other club over 38 matches. Winning cups you cannot plan for. Just as you cannot predict the result of a single match, you cannot predict who will win a knockout tournament. It's largely the luck of the draw. That's how teams like Gretna and County and Livi have got to finals in recent years. Take it as it comes.

Hae a green dot mun. brilliant.

So instead of lining up for us against Fleetwood in August, Eagle was starting for Grimsby against Fleetwood at the weekend and being subbed at HT.

Have a green dot for the first piece Mr Ender. I wanted to give you two more for the P&B piece but it won't let me.

Tried to post half an hour ago but the site was unavailable, message I've never had before. Yeah, offside, the ref was doing that chopping thing with his arms Some of us at the game thought Foran was off. Haven't seen the highlights yet.

Been away since Sat so not much to add to this thread. So we played a big physical side who will probably finish top 6, with a makeshift defence. We gave them a game up till they got the third goal which had a slice of luck with the ball rebounding off Granty. Meanwhile we never got any luck at the other end or it could have been 2-2. Reality check needed- some people are never happy. The problem is not how we played on Saturday, it's whether the squad is big enough to cope with the remaining 33 games. On the subject of midfielders, everybody knows I've always been a big fan of Russeldinho and I doubt whether most of those slagging him off ever see any away games. However I can see in the last 2 weeks that Duff is a step up in class. Whether class is all that he will need over the winter we will find out. If Russell gets any game time it may be at the expense of Cox. Being realistic, can TB expect Cox to play a full season in the SPl at his age? Mind you, Duff picked up a booking didn't he- few midfielders expect to play without a suspension at some stage. We need to keep defenders injury free and the rest will fall into place.

Read your history Laurence my old son.

Cheers mate, I knew about the loans, it's just that I had a tenner bet with the other mods that the first reply would be from the forum's resident bore

What Mannie and Yngwie said *edit- and Foggy too*. At times the Hibs passed us off the park, loads of skill and a fair bet for top six. But to be honest some of our spirit from last season shone through even at a goal down, there was always a chance we could battle on for an equaliser, showed far more guts than them. And we're not a bad passing side ourselves if we try. Interesting to see what would have happened if Granty had equalised soon after Riordan's goal which carved us open TBH. Their fans are not a patient lot. Eric seems like a different player in the SPL. Jonny was too predictable and they usually doubled up on him (and at one point there were 3 men on him), the SPL managers have got his card marked. I felt Dani should have replaced Nick at HT. We often had time to play it out of defence but too many times Granty and Rossco just blootered it up to Rooney, who worked hard but I don't think he won a header all day against Bamba. Then Dani turns him on the deck and it's a pen. Duff was pretty decent, a more physical threat than Russeldinho with an ability to see a simple pass, calmly imposed himself on the game although without showing the passion for ICT that's obvious with our no 8. Roll on Monday morning, been taking a lot of stick at work, predictions of 10-0, sheepshaggers etc.

Aye, anything you say, oh wise one.

I hope that fecker Nish breaks his leg coming down for his breakfast too. Man of many clubs who always scores against us.

Are you bringing young spewey?

Hey Kev, you can finally buy me that drink

Tuffey sold the game at Fleetwood. Don't piss about with the defence. Ryan can do the job tomorrow.

Middleton's then for backup. Doubt if they'll put up with the young team though

Need a backup then. Middleton's? Or the Artisan where we used to all meet in the good ol days.

Don't forget the barstewards sometimes keep us in. What with the restricted view seats and all that (OK there's usually room to move anyway if you like going near the front), I'm tempted to give this one a miss. I have a sneaky suspicion this one may be on the telly. Thanks for the heads-up on being kept in after the game. I take it this for our own safety? I think the Rangers once kept us in when we won, but I can't be sure. However the other lot seem to do it for a laugh. Certainly we lost 3-0 there one midweek and still they kept us in. The stewards were embarrassed.

Sorry folks, it's my fault :laugh: :laugh: I remember when we did the messages by guestbook instead of a real forum. I must have been lurking for a while before I posted my first match report from Ice Station Broadwood on 16/1/99. A day when the team bus got there but the supporters bus was turned back at the snow gates at Drumochter. I felt obliged to let everybody know how we got a 1-1 draw thanks to a Glancy goal, which went a long way towards securing promotion that year. I also met Scotty for the first time at Palmerston - probably April 17 that year in a 1-1 draw with Barry Wilson scoring.

Don't forget the barstewards sometimes keep us in. What with the restricted view seats and all that (OK there's usually room to move anyway if you like going near the front), I'm tempted to give this one a miss.

A knighthood for big Rossco, presented on the pitch just before our game on the 25th September

Likewise. Against Fleetwood I thought it was obvious they'd done some work on his body strength since last season. It was Ross who burst past his defender and got in a driven cross for Rooney to flick home.

Oi! If I said that I'd have to walk home!

After all the doom and gloom about Caley Ally..... some good news. Wanderer's wife Yen has presented him with a 7lb baby daughter early this morning.

Looking forward to it.

Not a pleasant environment to spend a Tuesday night