snorbens_caleyman

They will get caught out pitty-pattying around in and level with their own box. Came close to calamity a few times last night. Are they always going to be able to score more than the opposition?

Aye, but the referees are all based in Miami, so that they can have meetings, reviews, briefings, exchange notes, ensure they are all applying the laws consistently, etc etc.

That one is implanted in my brain! I can see it perfectly without having to look it up. Middle of May, 1978. I had just finished my final exams, in computer science, at university. Scheduling hours and hours of exams for thousands of students within two or three weeks - with a variety of halls and rooms to juggle, class sizes from single figures to well into three figures, and of course some people taking peculiar combinations of subjects - is no trivial task. In fact it was done by a neat program developed by a member of the computer science department. The best bit about that was that he "fixed" the program so that the computer science exams ended first of all in the university - i.e. they were over before anyone else's. And the reason for this was to allow us to enjoy the Home Internationals, without exams getting in the way. And what did we get? Willie bloody Donachie For those who don't know it, or who had managed to forget it - here it is: https://www.facebook.com/100079048004236/videos/you-cant-beat-an-own-goalback-in-may-1978-scotlands-willie-donachie-gave-us-one-/1608729533380674/

So getting promoted means we have six games fewer than last season. Not everyone will agree, but I think that's a good thing.

Must have played better than he did on this day 11 years ago!

Was there, with my wife from Falkirk, and some of her relatives. But since they are all Stenny supporters, they were either neutral or supporting us too! One of them had money on Marley to score the first goal, so she was well pleased. I think I've only watched the DVD once since then, but I remember getting very nervous during the second half, even though I knew well how it would end

We'll just have to hope that none of our players is involved in the last eight of the World Cup

From the club's announcement: "Shinnie then captained Aberdeen to the 2025 Scottish Cup, 10 years after his success with Caley Thistle, becoming the first man to captain two different sides to Scottish Cup victories." Is that true? Really? Going all the way back to 1874? Wow!

I would settle for survival - of the club as a whole, and remaining in the Championship!

I remember it well, too. We were visiting my wife's family in Falkirk/Stenny. I watched the ICT game on the telly, and then got dragged to Ochilview to see Stenny take on arch-enemies Cowdenbeath in the 2nd leg of the play-off final for promotion from Division Three. 0-0 from the first leg. It was a bloody freezing day there, and since my wife's cousin was the volunteer Stenny club photographer, I had to accompany him to what was in those days the completely exposed - and empty - far side of the pitch. He handed me his old camera, and warned me that it had significant shutter lag. It was a dreadful game, with no one scoring, and serious frostbite setting in. Still at 0-0 after 120 minutes, it went to penalties. which Stenny won 5-4. I became a local hero by capturing the winning penalty going into the net past the diving keeper. By that time I had worked out the shutter lag, and IIRC I pressed the button just as the penalty taker was about to hit the ball. The picture has long gone, but they still have a report of the match online - https://www.stenhousemuirfc.com/match/stenhousemuir-fc-v-cowdenbeath-3/ However, in the summer, Livingston were demoted from the First to the Third Division after going into administration and liquidation. This resulted in Cowdenbeath being promoted as well as Stenny. So I could have stayed in the warmth and nursed my misery.

But of course we know that won't happen. In fact, thinking about it, I would be surprised if anyone was docked points, because they're not going to do it to Celtic, are they? And it would be grossly unfair to any smaller club to have points deducted when Celtic escape after a pitch invasion like that. Probably fines then, if anything. Of course, I could be too cynical, or too trusting. We shall see.

Been there, done that, got the League title But would be a whole different matter if we had to start off in the Championship on a negative number.

So it's taken them over two weeks to say that we're under investigation? Have to ask if any of this would have happened if the Celtic fans hadn't brought their game to a premature end, and got themselves all over the national UK news? Would look really good for Scottish football if their champions and two promoted teams started next season behond closed doors. (And I have no idea what happened at the Accies v Clyde game.)

Four men arrested and charged, but I didn't see the outcome.

One of my wife's relatives once explained to me that Stenny stayed afloat thanks to the income from their plastic pitch, which was hired out and in use practically every day or night of the week. This was back in the days before they did any ground-sharing, which will also bring in money. They also have a couple of 5-a-side artificial pitches at one end of the ground. That was a few years ago, so I don't know what the current situation is. Looking at their average crowd size, you can see that they might well struggle in the Championship.