snorbens_caleyman

Losing your touch! That's a 1973 Mazda RX-3 - scroll down at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_Grand_Familia - though admittedly there weren't many sold in Europe. Most were in Japan, USA, Auz and NZ. "RX" meant that it had a rotary engine. The original engine in this one has been replaced with the engine and gearbox from a 1975 RX-7. The last production car to have a rotary engine? The RX-8. I had one for 5 years.

Annual "Cars on the Common" day just up the road from me in Harpenden. Full marks to the local Rotary Club for picking the only decent day in July! Here is one of the first cars that I saw - with an Inverness registration. Not that this will help you, but I used to own one of its direct descendants.

I really don't accept the "pre-season getting-to-know-each-other" argument. I saw the Dumbarton game because it was streamed, and at one point the commentators noted that we had six of the Cup Final team on the pitch. Most of the rest aren't newcomers either. So either we have quality players and a good game-plan, or we don't. I say we don't.

Thanks, IBM. The question had occurred to me last night. I had a quick look at the club's own website before asking here, but didn't see any mention of him. Time for him to start directing!

While we are on the subject, is Robbo still at the club? Haven't seen anything one way or the other, but I may have missed it.

If you can access BBC iPlayer without going through Sky, then you can get BBC Scotland. One of the settings is "location" - if you set that to Scotland then it's as if you were there, and you have access to all the BBC Scottish programmes and channels. Can do similar for all the other BBC regions in the UK, too.

I've seen the Red Arrows a few times, and these are my favourite pictures of them. September 1993 - nearly 30 years ago - on Jersey. There is an annual free air show there, over the bay to the west of the capital, St Helier. Most people gather along the shoreline, but we went out to Elizabeth Castle, which is about 1 km out into the bay. It turned out that the Red Arrows used the castle as the focus of their display, flying past it at low altitude, and even coming straight down towards it when coming out of loops. I've also been in Cyprus in the Spring. Before the summer season in the UK, they go down to RAF Akrotiri to develop and practise their routines. I spent one afternoon parked just outside the base, watching an extended display by them.

I think that the number of season tickets sold, both for this season and for the past 10 years, as you requested, would be regarded by the club as sensitive commercial information. I would be most surprised if you received an informative response!

No, but I've played that golf course...

Not sure we need another winger when we don't get people into the box. At one point on Tuesday, Shaw made a great run down the left, and a good cross into the box... and there was no one there. Mind you, every kid knows that you should look before crossing

We are probably looking for opposition nearer to our own level

You're right, of course. I would argue that it's less risky to lose possession midway inside your opponent's half than on the edge of your own box. But what do I know?

I didn't see many games last season, but I saw so much of that on streaming broadcasts during the covid seasons. And again last night. I feel like suggesting that the club should introduce a fine for a player doing that when it was unnecessary. A few quid for every time someone does it. OK, it's impractical - imagine the arguments about whether it was necessary or not. But there must be some way of incentivising players not to go backwards. We are so good at playing the ball from the edge of the opponent's box all the back to Ridgers. If we could do that in the other direction we'd be world-beating!

Same as the last few seasons. No one with authority on the pitch. Lots of energy, but running around like headless chickens. As often as not, a forward pass goes to someone running back towards you, and he comes back 20 or 30 yards before passing the ball, sideways or further backwards. Opponents always seem to be smarter, better placed, make better interceptions, and above all, finish better. Sure we hit the bar and all that - but we weren't unlucky, it was poor finishing. Very depressing.

Thanks, Robert - that looks at though it has worked. I didn't get where I am today without letting other people risk their £10

Has anyone bought a PPV streaming ticket for tonight? Dumbarton's site won't let me register a new account. It would appear to let me buy a ticket without an account - though I haven't actually gone through with buying one. But then when you want to watch the match you have to log in using your account - the one I couldn't set up. Anyone successfully navigated this maze?

From the BBC website updates, it looks like business as usual. Struggling to score, and David Carson booked Edit: ...and conceding late goals. Can't wait for the final whistle now?

Front row, second from left - the SLO who doesn't read emails or social media

You mean he also does someone else's job on the radio?

Spent a morning down there last year, on a similar day. Had a walk out the beach alongside the golf course. Well, OK, I clambered up onto the golf course and had a look, because it's about 50 years since I last played it. Hasn't changed much, except that back then one of the fairways had a wide strip of bright green grass running across it, a complete contrast to the less-than-green seaside links grass. This was where, in 1960, a jet had come down a bit short of the runway, and the Fleet Air Arm (who had it until 1972) filled in the large hole and then returfed it with proper parkland grass

My next-door neighbour here in the deep south used to fly in Nimrods out of Kinloss. Apparently they used to leak like a sieve - which was bad news for all the electronics inside them! One of his mates at Kinloss is now the chairman of Elgin City. https://www.elgincity.net/club/officials/graham-tatters

If we think that they will be able to contribute, then sign them both. They are not going to be getting offers from elsewhere, and so won't be making extravagant demands. If I had to choose, I'd go for Walsh, principally because he's six years younger than Sutherland.

TBH, I didn't regard them as a problem, and if they double the ad revenue, then I'd be happy for you to stick with them. Just my experience and opinion, though.

Does it have a castle as well?