The Mantis

All very fair comments regarding the tactics, the 32%, margin of victory etc. But to deny there has been a real shift is head in the sand stuff. The Nats have just done what Labour took for granted could never happen. They beat them in Scotland. The critical leap of faith has happened, and since people have been making analogies, here's another one- it's like ICT beating Celtic in 2000. Things will never be the same again. Especially since people have now woken up to the fundamental dishonesty of Labour- telling us we're incapable of running a raffle ourselves when what they really mean is 'we need your votes or we'll never form a UK government again'. It also makes it easier for Nationalist-leaning Labour MSPs to defect. Even apologists for the Union like you CB should be asking why our population is static at 5M and we have a lower rate of economic growth than most other parts of the UK. It's all very well using the 'ain't broke' argument especially when you're approaching your pension but maybe the youngsters want more than the mediocrity that seems part of being British. No more will it be said that people would vote for a monkey if it wore a Labour rosette (and here in Midlothian you only needed to see a photo of the old council to see how true it was).

I agree with me Mee.

CB, I fear you are letting your personal dislike of Salmond's smugness/arrogance/whatever get in the way of the facts. You've been repeating all that stuff about 'The Unglish' for months and unless you can substantiate it you should let it die quietly. So while repetition is in fashion, I'll just repeat that any anti-English sentiments in my workplace come from the so-called socialists, the supporters of champagne Tony. The Nationalists, in the face of racist accusations, have had to work out their intellectual ground long ago. In any case, I know plenty of English incomers who support the Nationalists. Scots are not stupid and now we discover, under the 30 year rule, that there were attempts to deny the democratic process in the 1970s. Support for independence is almost entirely a positive aspiration and CB you are using arguments which may once have been true but died out with flared trousers and mullets. Edit: What Kingsmills said :clapping03: :clapping03: :clapping03:

That wasn't Salmond, it was Alex Neil in an 'Alan Douglas' moment, ie he's a 'loose cannon' as you would put it yourself :004:

This is unfair unless you've read something I haven't. The story I saw has absolutely NOTHING quoted from ICT mentioning McManus by name. Just the usual cooked-up newspaper shyte. I saw Sutton mentioned today as well, whereas Charlie was saying only last week that he wasn't the type we wanted, ie we were after a Dargo-type player rather than another Bayne.

Ach, Clacher. In my own sarcastic way I was only trying to make the point that almost every player is important, but nobody is irreplaceable..... I think Smee is trying to confuse us by having 'important' in the title and 'irreplaceable' in the post (it was the post I was referring to) :crazy07: OK, I just threw in Xausa, though I remember a fair bit of wailing when he left to form the Livi all stars XI.

Clean forgot about him :015: :015: :015: :015: :015: Remember that night at Pittodrie.

Well, Bobby Mann was, then Denzil, then Robson, but then so was Xausa, and Mark Brown, and Bingham..........

Denzil for me, just remember a couple of years under Pele when he was scoring every week. The A9 is a lot shorter when you can rave about that for half the way home :014:

I thought the board was 'memories' not 'mammaries' :015: :015: :015: :015:

The squirrel population of Dingwall will be increasing at least.

I can tell you're getting old, things that happened less than three years ago already seem like over a decade in the distant past :015: :015: :015: LOL, it's the other way round!

What, you mean Buffy & Mrs Yng have been carrying on?

Are you sure about the Georgia game? I thought March 16 was the night you were out at that concert with me. My money's on the milkman.

Spot on there Mr Banister. The frosty September night we blew away the Czechs 3-1 with a display of aggression, skill and pace was possibly the best I ever saw Scotland play. Right up there with the 2-0 against France and 3-1 v Spain.

It's a historical thing- if you're an associate member (or whatever) of the SFA from long ago, you're in the cup. If you're not, you have to fulfil all sorts of criteria such as enclosed ground etc. to get in.

That's my photo scoring the pen against the Hibs, that'll be £75.80 royalties please Baz. (or 50% of the testimonial money if you prefer. You choose)

Naelifts haggling with the young lad at Falkirk over the £4 parking.

What memories. Never made it to that one but was there in 81 when we won 1-0. Also saw us beat them in 74 and 76, and losing in 72 and 78. In 77 we all watched it at a mate's house and when Dalglish scored no 2 we just ended up in a heap on the carpet amongst all the beer. I reckon we peaked later that year in qualifying for Argentina when we beat the Czechs and then Wales with a bit of luck. We've never had a team as good as that since.

Here's one we can have a bit of fun with over the course of the season: We know who you are Hansa!

I'm more bothered about that Ukrainian linesman awarding his second goal.

Has anybody ever relegated two different clubs in successive seasons :015: :015: :015:

RiG, obviously Sophia won't be happy till you bleed, so just cut your arm and post a photo here, and we can all get a feckin break (where's the sarcastic smiley gone?).

Yeah, the Stephen Pearson route is more likely.