The Mantis

Met Wyness101 in the check in queue at Brum airport and had just finished telling him "that was shite today" when I realised Russell Latapy was standing next to him............

Highlights

One of the 110 just back. Sat with Wyness101 on the plane to Edinburgh and most of the ICT squad were on it too. Puzzled why we never played our strongest 11 at the start, Doran made such a difference when he came on. A bit desperate when a raw laddie like Christie is our most creative player. A good day out but a poor game and pitying people having to drive up the road. Still trying to get over £2.90 for a meat & potato pie which was about as hot as a nuclear reactor and £4.70 for a pint at Brum airport.....

Who precisely apart from some agitating journalists predicted that the English team was going to get booed ? That was never going to happen. One man's merciless caricaturing is another man's wry humour and the ability of an increasingly confident nation to be able to self deprecate. Just been watching this as I recorded it last week and it seems to have gone over some people's heads. The potential cringe was all there in the Barrowman/Dunbar opening song but the words were obviously a send- up of all the old stereotypes. Obviously trying to appeal to all tastes if not quite succeeding. I thought the Aimee MacDonald/People of Glasgow thing was very good, and I can see the logic in bringing in a huge star as contrast to finish the song, even if I went off Rod big time when he sold out around 1976. The 10 seconds or so of Andy Bloody Stewart segued brilliantly into 'Feel Real Close' by, well, only a global superstar, and a Scot, by the name of Calvin Bloody Harris! What percentage of the demographic would recognise Andy Bloody Stewart, let alone be offended by him And then there was Pumeza with Hamish's ode to Internationalism which would make a fine national anthem for Scotland. I see Dougie MacLean's doing Caledonia on Sunday night.

Ok so we start at the Duke wi the traffic cone, it's near the station. On to the Mutt and then the Lilywhite Lilith just before the Harry Lauderdome. And what's all this 'wait till matchday then decide if I'm going' malarkey? That's a new one on me....

Cheers. Think I booked a couple of days after it was announced. The Glasgow boys got a good deal on the train though.

I think I got mine for about £80, the train was about the same price but times were horrendous. What they charging now?

Bet you were hoping I would Nope, FlyBe.......

Was speaking to 2 guys from Brechin the other week, Ray McKinnon and somebody else. It seems Rory hasn't changed much!

30 medals for Scotland, brilliant performance after only 3 days. Aussies now stretching away

Us at Fleetwood, 24/7/2010

Did Fleetwood have any fans? Couldn't find much evidence on any forums that they have a support. The time we played them they had been getting about 900 at the games but had just moved up and got the odd 3000 or so against the bigger Conference teams. I see goalie legend 'One Scotty Davies' was on the bench

England back on top of the Aussies on goal difference although the Aussies have 6 more medals. 1 silver worth more than 6 bronze? I'm assuming total number of medals counts for nothing, just number of gold first, then number of silver, then bronze.

Cheers guys

Says only the Kop stand. Did you buy online or phone up? No mention of away tickets that I can see.

Aussies have most medals but England ahead on goal difference. Be afraid England in case it goes to penalties.

Used that one a few times myself even though I'm only half the age of the pimple. I can't get over parents driving their kids round the papers though, my dad would have told me to feck off.

Ha ha Lawrence trying the wind up this week instead of the Mr Angry Just read the 'British' press then, that'll keep you happy!

Hey! Royalties! Just wanted to reprieve one of the infamous Mantis4... you normally trotted that one out as we were leaving Ballinluig if I remember. Helmut Schoen at Carrbridge. Cannae do that anymore with all them cameras about... Nae probs as long as it's Wanderer's helmut......

Hey! Royalties!

Now the game's over - well done for making the effort scubasteve and everybody else involved. Now can we slag off the Cownty fans good style for having a big team :lol:

Banks o'Dee have their SFA entry level licence, whereas Cove will never achieve theirs as long as they stay at Allan Park. So Cove and Fort William must enter at the preliminary round. Pretty sure of the following but happy to be corrected: Entry into the Prelim Round is for all unlicensed Senior SFA members plus up to 4 Juniors who qualified by winning their Superleague or the Junior Cup (as well as Lothian Thistle HV who won the EOSL). Entry in to Rd 1 is the bonus for clubs with a licence. In effect this means most of the HL and 6 of the LL plus Linlithgow and Banks o'Dee. Entry into Rd 2 is for 1st and 2nd in the HFL and LL.

Does that count as a Deek result over Yogi

I heard Stevie was away? Bummer for St Cuthberts. I'm sure they got drawn away to Talbot last year.

What were the circumstances that saw Benni McCarthy turning-out for a cameo with Whitehill Welfare? I hadn't heard about this! Great photo capture, if that was you, Mantis! Although it was a pre-season game, it's still quite a coup - he was internationally, very well respected, in his prime. Just checked, he's still 'only' 36. It's likely one of those bizarre scenarios that sees players of repute turn-out for an unlikely club. Didn't Latapy have a game or two for one of Whitehill's rivals, Edinburgh City? Then there's Brazilian legend, Socrates, playing for an obscure English non-league team. Peter Bonetti, who has a World Cup winning medal, turned out once, allegedly, for Caley - mentioned on another thread. There are a few instances of this type of thing (Caniggio and Ravanelli at Dundee, for example) and George Best at Hibs. Fair play to Whitehill for getting Benni McCarthy to play - even if it was a commercially driven, publicity stunt.Whitehill haven't got any dosh for a stunt As Alex kind of hinted, his wife's sister is the fiancée of WW's Right back John Hall. He's been at a couple of games to watch so we finally managed to get him to play a half. It's gone pretty viral on twitter and f/b although it couldn't be confirmed till the night before so it hardly affected the crowd... We've also had the odd visit from Christophe Berra and last summer, John Collins turned up with........Yogi Hughes Yes, the shot came courtesy of the good ol' Mantis right index finger. More photos at https://www.facebook.com/WhitehillWelfare and http://www.whitehillwelfare.co.uk/