Tichy_Blacks_Back

*for those too young, believe it or not Lawrenson, the footie pundit, was actually a class defender (in a team with defenders of the likes of Hansen, Beglin, Gillespie, Molby and Nicol). Nope, really, he was! and Phil Thompson that grumpy bloke off Sky Footie on a Staurday afternoon....

Unfortunately that's two crucial points dropped. Those are the games that we must be winning if we are to have any serious chance of making a top six position for the first time....and I just can't see it being this season. I think 11th is more likely than 6th but having said that I do believe come the end of the season we will be probably be in 9th or 10th position. Nothing for it but to look forward to another day out at Hampden in May now.... These are the next eight games up to the New Year match - I think 10 points out of that lot would be an achievement on current form (hopefully I am wrong and we amass a few more than that): Hearts (H) Kilmarnock (A) Celtic (A) Dundee Utd (H) St.Mirren (A) Aberdeen (H) Motherwell (A) Rangers (H)

Ah to be sure he will be grand....

I have mixed feelings about Strachan but would lean more to the positive than the negative....one thing is for sure he is passionate about what he does and he has without doubt brought them a lot of success.... As to the others in the SPL I think Levein is the outstanding manager and I am sure he will prove that at United if he continues to get the right support from within the club....think he might eventually want to have another go down south after the Leicester experience but probably not until he has won a few trophies with United.... McGhee I also like and think he can do a lot better than Motherwell (and no disrepect to them)....wouldn't be surprised to see him at Pittodrie soon.... It will be interesting to see who the next new managerial face to the SPL will be....Lambert? Collins? Hartley?

Thank you - ?5 in the post as agreed....

I would add St.Mirren and Falkirk to those two....and say it will be one of those 4 come the end of the season....

Doesn't score a lot of goals does he.... :018: League Games - 127 - Goals - 1 (0.8%) International Games - 1 - Goals - 1 (100%) :thumb04:

Could be a good acquisition - will bring the Dublin contingent up to 2 if nothing else.... Was only on a month contract at Oldham - will do his international chances no harm either if he gets back into the SPL....

Unfortunately there are and always will be footall conduits in Glasgow for those who have their own political and religious propoganda and hatred to spout?. Whether it is the Tri-colour or the Union Jack being flown at Scottish Football matches is irrelevant when really the St.Andrews Cross should be the flag of choice?.but that is just my opinion.... I understand (but don't like all I know about) the histories of both clubs but once again our bretheren from Glasgow show themselves for what they are (although I will say in this case it was a minority).... Football - Politics ? Religion?.what a farce?.I am glad ICT came along....

Club fines 'handcuff' footballer source: BBC web-site A footballer who made a crossed hands "handcuff" gesture to celebrate a goal has been fined by his club. The club said Norris deeply regretted his actions. David Norris who plays for Ipswich Town said his action was not intended to support his friend Luke McCormick. An Ipswich Town statement read: "David deeply regrets that his actions have been wrongly interpreted and has written a personal and private letter of regret to Mr and Mrs Peak. "In hearing the player's explanation, the club also regrets the potential for misinterpretation of the gesture and would love to make a donation to an appropriate charity, equal to the fine imposed on the players." The club statement added: ?Whilst the club has heard David's explanation that his gesture was in no way intended to condone or support the actions of his friend Luke McCormick, he was found to have been insensitive to the possible interpretation that such a gesture may create.? Inteteresting - 'misinterpreted' but still fined (rightly)....

What a strange season so far....both sides of the border....but definitely an interesting one.... In the English Premier League after 12 games only 7 (35%) of the teams have a positive goal difference and only six points separates 8th from bottom. In the SPL this season after 12 games only 3 teams (25%) have a positive goal difference and only six points separate 5th from bottom. At the end of the season it is expected that Celtic and Rangers will be vying for top spot and I think United will probably get stronger and solidify third place but as for the rest it is anybody's guess. A good run put together now could make a team's season - three or four wins on the trot and then the foundations for a top six place will have been laid. The result at Easter Road on Saturday was a good one especially after the mauling at Ibrox the previous week and the disappointing LC quarter-final result at Falkirk. There are now two home games within 4 days and six points will both give the club a lift as it would mean three wins on the bounce but more importantly it would probably lift the club up to sixth or seventh in the table. Six points from the next two games are crucial and CB and the coaching staff should be demanding nothing less from the team to ensure that is what we get.... PS - interesting that the Hibs fans are calling for Paataleinan to go after Saturday's result - and more so that we are not hearing the same talk from Rugby Park where they lost 4 second half goals on Saturday....

** FULL TIME STATS ** HIBS ICT 1 Goals 2 (Cowie 30, Black 47) 5 Shots On Target 3 3 Shots Off Target 4 4 Corners 5 10 Fouls (Conceded) 18 2 Yellow Cards 2 0 Red Cards 0 Up to 9th if Hearts hold on to take the points....and 3 clear of Hamilton....

Exactly....

When was the last time an ICT keeper saved a penalty in the 90 minutes....

Excellent Esson save....

A 3rd will kill it off.... Oh dear....

Esson has been solid so far and an immense kick out.... Should have been 3.... :thumb04: :018:

Falkirk equalizer 1-1

B-L-A-C-K....

** HALF TIME STATS ** HIBS ICT 0 Goals 1 (Cowie, 30) 0 Shots On Target 2 2 Shots Off Target 1 2 Corners 2 4 Fouls (Conceded) 6 1 Yellow Cards 0 0 Red Cards 0 Utd 2 Aberdeen 0 :018: Hamilton 1 Falkirk 0 :thumb04: Celtic 1 Motherwell 0 St.Mirren 0 Hearts 0 ;)

Hamilton 1-0 up against Falkirk....

C-O-W-I-E.....

It looks like Rangers had a lot of chances last night also - but the Utd defence held out with some dogged defending and excellent goalkeeping.... Rangers again scored an early goal - the big difference is Utd managed to bounce back from conceding the early goal and then tried to take the game to Rangers.... Utd up to 3rd - I reckon that is where they will be at the end of season.... Highlights look as if it was a really entertaining game - you can never go wrong with 6 goals when they are evenly spread between the teams

What's Richard Gough doing these days....? Colin Hendry at least we don't need to worry about....nice bloke though.... :thumb04:

Was curious as I could not recall who was out goalkeeping coach so just checked the official site - Stuart Garden - he certainly has some work to do by all accounts.... According to the official site we have 3 first team goalkeepers: 1 Michael Fraser 23 Ryan Esson 29 Andy McNulty (on loan to Elgin City) - I assume he can be recalled on short notice if we have a sudden keeper issue?