Scarlet Pimple

All a bit mesmerizing for me the noo. Will wait a bit until it is all sorted out then the picture will be clearer. It probably will find it's own level and if small teams are obliged to travel great distances then the league may have to subsidize their travel expenses otherwise it simply will not work financially. It's all very well saying what was commented about Exeter going North but there are no freeways (motorways) in Scotland leading up to the north of the country. So time and stress for the drivers will have a negative effect ion the players At least, yes, a major step in the right direction though..

And don't forget a visit to the sombre site of CULLODDEN battlefield. Some 8 miles East of Inverness; a worthwhile visit. The last battle on British soil was fought here between the remnants of Bonnie Prince Charlie's army and the larger and better equipped army of the Hanoverian Duke of Cumberland. After the battle which was over within an hour it was not a pretty site. He ordered the wounded to be killed and set fire to Leanach cottage with it's thatched roof and about 20-30 wounded men lying inside and continued his vicious progress throughout the Highlands thereafter. My uncle recounted to me that as the Hanoverian troopers marched past the mill stream where his cottage was still standing a wee boy threw a stone at them. At least one, if not more, redcoats shot the boy on the spot.They called Cumberland the Butcher....but I am sure our Manager, Terry Butcher will deny all associations, preferring to offer excitement of the very highest and best kind at Tulloch Caledonian stadium. Last time I was up at Cullodden was about 4-5 years ago and they had re-engineered the site with a new building, large flags outlining the dispositions of the two armies on the day, with all kinds of dazzling special effects , cameraworks, a movie re-enactment of the battle and what not to inspire and awe the visitor. Actually, it was rather eerie, especially when you see the highland graves with no heather growing on them.....and for me the very large flags flying on the field of battle was a rush as you saw how close the armies had been. Cheers guys S P.

Well, who would have thunk it Scotty? I didn't know all that interesting stuff. All I know is that Martin Rennie, manager of the Vancouver Whitecaps, comes from Golspie where his Dad was, supposedly, a preacher. Come to think of ,I have never seen his lips say a swear on the touchline. Jumps around a bit maybe and gets agitated a little from time to time but curses? I don't think so. I know , like all of us, he was very disappointed at that loss to Seattle in that city recently--the 'Caps had played very well and had the momentum for most of the match so ,yes, it is a bitter blow to be beaten in the last moments of the game. But he accepted it with good grace but, like his very disappointed players, he did look a bit down in the mouth. The North American scene is livening up though with some faster action on the parks and some neat football on show so keep an eye on North America for the future. The 'Caps get a steady 20,000 to 23,000 fans in the door at home every time they play and the fans are raucous lot--which is great ..

Sneckboy just check out his Moniker and the blurb will tell you all about this traveler. Welcome to the Highlands, Kowloonatic. Just relaxing should be the way to go. Hire a car and get into Loch Ness and Glen Affric maybe. Nessie is unpredictable but a saunter out to Glenurqhart where the Loch Ness Monster usually lurks will also allow you to visit Urquhart castle which has quite a history attached to it. Get there by the main route South West along the Loch and then come back by the other side of the Loch for an interesting ride. Cheers S.P.--- from the wilds of Western Canada.

Right on. It was Thistle F.C.

Vancouver Whitecaps travelled 100 K South to Seattle in the U S last weekend and narrowly lost 3-2. Kenny miller had a very good game , which he has upped from previous weeks, and put in a delightful cross for one of the Vancouver goals. Wait for it--the crowd at this game was.....54,000. Vancouver had brought over 1,000 fans with them too. That is an incredible number with the average ticket costing about 20 bucks, say 13 pounds. So these MLS teams can play and pay and no wonder players from all over the world are coming to the MLS to ply their trade. Local players are coming through also of course but no one here complains about the foreign element--all that matters for the fans here is that they put in a good effort and they get a few thrills and spills. This game was electric and the atmosphere was very, very noisy and exciting! The North American fans never stop cheering..

Like, well, it's horses for courses ..eh? Like , it's also Times New Roman because when in Rome youse have to do as the Romans do.

Er..I hear that Barry Robson was a head- ringing tearaway when he was a starting-out youngster at Caledonian F.C. frae Aberdeen too. But Vigurs seems to carry an icy edge when it comes to stimulating the love juices of the fans on here?

OOOOH! There's a Moose loose aboot this hoose. And, boy, are they big beasties. As Dougie Danger has eloquently depicted with his smilie pictures which are worth a thousand words. What a brilliant post. OOPS! I can't find a Smilie left in the house.

If these youngsters turn it on and develop strongly into very effective playerthen we can thank Terry's presence at the club as much as anything. As the ex captain of England these youngsters will still be slightly in awe of him and will see his influence and methods as a help to their career. Amnd who can say that his influence on the club in general has not been significant to oput it mildly. Cheers and forward.

Charles B. why do you hate Dougal so much? He's different perhaps, but so are a few others, including Scarlet who is so different when he is on form that even his Daddy Pimpernel can't cope with him, so he shakes his bright and breezy head and just walks away carrying an "I surrender" flag in his right hand hoisted high. What would happen to this site if everybody who had a different opinion than yourself was thrown out at the first statement? I welcome different opinions than my own because that's why I come on here and furthermore, if I can't justify mine without descending to acidic, viperish, vituperative put-downs, then Scarlet is in real trouble. And what difference does it make whether a poster comes from Inverness and does not understand the local vernacular that well or from Germany where, incidentally, I note that at least one intelligent poster comes from and does tune-in to this site very well indeed? Why do you have to go "joupeen over the gate" instead of simply jumping over it ? Is this some rite of passage from intellectualism to common-manism that you feel is necessary to convince other posters that you are just another ordinary guy in the street thus justifying your opinions and language and getting their tacit support. Forgive me Charles, but I get the impression that you only go after those in this way whom you consider to be vulnerable and perhaps not the favorite posters on the site but when up against a stronger opponent you tend to backtrack and joke your way out of the morass that is forming around you that frankly is of your own making. No doubt in your profession, being an icon of admiration from the students, you have a hard time adjusting to the real world in which the average man or woman has to grit it out facing challenges from adults, not children, which tests their will and attitudes to the limit. I have always yearned for a place in cloistered academe as my glorious fantasy but, alas, alack , it has always been Scarlet's fate to have to face the rough and tumble of life's brutal realities and never wear a mortar board and gown to earn respect. As for Dougal I don't know how he has lasted so long on this site in the face of such unfeeling rejections of his views and frankly I admire his persistence and his spirit. And if you study his remarks carefully enough, without allowing your emotions to get the better of you, then there are some interesting references and views expressed by same, de temps en temp. Dougal is a burr under your saddle, Charles, and long may it continue and you should just hope that he doesn't one day come after you with such intense sarcasm and ill-considered remarks by way of riposte or we shall see at that point how long you stay in the field of battle to suffer the slings and arrows....

Put him on a tight reign Terry and don't try to force the plant to grow quicker than is natural. Maybe a game against the likes of Tade will bring him down to earth a wee bit if his natural exuberance makes him have his head in the clouds. No disrespect to Ben but he remains to be tested in the CRUCIBLE OF FIRE...AAARGHHHHHH!

Can't be a Mod, Renegade? No! Surely you aren't Ben Battle are you? Ben Battle was a soldier bold, Who went to war's alarums A cannonball shot off his legs And now he's got no arums.

What Scotty said.

I'd love to learn what it was exactly that turned fans off? Just having a difference of opinion with Terry should hardly qualify him for being the target of continual revulsions and abuse methinks? Send me a pm please if you want to remain anonymous. I pay highly for good information.

Charlie Bann is a modest man.

Oh My! there's a big article on Pat Stanton, formerly of Hibs and Celtic, by clicking on the link just above here. What a player --effortless seemed to be his middle name. I can hardly remember ever seeing him dispossessed. He wasn't a fast player, not a speed merchant; but his gliding, elegant stride and his great passing was noted by many over the years. And made him stand out. It's the likes of players of his caliber that injects confidence into a team.

Right-on Dougal. And within two years Rangers will probably be well on the way back into the top flight.

Hoch! Hoch! Hoch!

Yes and how many of these shots invariably tended to go over the bar...eh? If he had been able to control his shots he might have become deadly. Methinks he feels that going to Hibs will lead to higher things for him down the road--that is, if the Hibs can pull themselves together and, also, so far I haven't really seen a huge difference in their play or performance with Fenlon in charge. Looking way back through the years don't you think that Hibs could be a very good side but were also unpredictably poor. When Pat Stanton was in the team now THAT was a good team and Eddie Turnbull's influence was serious. No pun intended but I do remember them beating Kaiserslautern 4-0 on an evening and Turnbull's goal was all of 40 yards and the goalie never got a sniff... I don't think he even saw it coming. Probably one of the greatest goals I ever saw. Anyway I see Willo Flood is going to the Dons. Pity ICT could not have picked him up. A human dynamo with drive and skill aplenty.. He always seems to be involved in what is going on. As one of the McFlannels' family was wont to say.."He's a wee boogie-woogie bachle". D/U are now singing his song...."Willo no come back again?"....

Come to think of it though, Rainbow, what was that re-naming all about? I mean Airplanes can soar but Starships can only go fast....eh? And butterflies only flutter- by. Aye! Sigh.

Rainbow--you bring some sunshine into our lives.....

IHE --- isn't Italy the boot?

Maybe Liverpool? You know, they are making a song about it---"The Ferry across the Mersey"

Well, you would not be selling ice cream in Toronto this last few days--50 mm of rain in a day. The last two days here in Vancouver here in the West of Canada I had to look out my window and endure rain stotting off the tarmac so hard that I could hardly believe what I was seeing--like Niagara Falls for sure. And the intensity just got greater and greater eh Scotty? I know that these huge Cedar trees through which you can drive a bus came here because of this Pacific rain but enduring it is another thing. However, the next two weeks is supposed to be sunny so we will all stream outdoors put on the sunscreen and marvel at how beautiful this part of the country can be. Congratulations to you eastern football fans though--Montreal lifts the Amway Canadian cup by drawing with Vancouver last night. Looks like they have a useful team this season. There is talk here of Kenny Miller going back to Scotland. Has anybody in your neck of the woods heard anything solid about this? He denies it of course but... I would not be surprised. His salary of over $1,000,000 per season (500,000 pounds) is hardly justified by his impact with the Vancouver Whitecaps.