starchief

Hope they keep King as well, as long as his injury isn't too bad. Seemed to be a fixture in the team before that. King and Warren would be solid, with Meekings in there too (well, we can't just go with two defenders).

Is being in the second division halfway through the season really that exciting? Without Rangers for a few years, sharing the money from Celtic and having the current league set up where most teams can finish second (and possibly first with a bit more cash) just can't be beaten. A play off to finish and we're there.

For a bit of balance, no surprise that Celtic and Motherwell are the top two. Big surprise Dundee Utd aren't forming a three-team clade at the top with them. In terms of talent, those three should be above everyone else.

...in the final!

It would be a brilliant achievement if the players were from the Highlands, but as the large majority of these players are not, and in our case, not even Scottish, then our success can only be put down to clever acquisition and management. A good future for the game in the North can only happen if mostly players from the North are playing for these two Northern teams! And who do you suggest? If we played mostly Highlanders, we would be competing with Elgin, not for a place in Europe.

King was getting a fair amount of praise before injury too. I remember a fan of one of his old clubs coming on and saying that Gillett was alright but certainly nowhere near as accomplished as King. I realise injury might mean he leaves in the summer but I hope he doesn't (scans all being well).

I have a 12" disc of black plastic with a hole in the middle. Is this a record?

No to Proctor being in there. Shadow player of what he could have been at the end due to lost confidence but he did well for a number of years. I just wish we could have seen him at sweeper or defensive mid early on, with LDZ and Tokely bombing along the wings. A lost opportunity. Right....now for our worst XI posters. Wonder who #1 will be? Ach, you guessed it!

If Foran is back, then drop him in for Ross. Reguero for Esson too but still that 4-2-3-1. If not fit, then: Reguero Raven - Warren - Meekings - Shinnie Draper - Jones - Ross Shinnie - McKay - Doran

Thought he was more of an attacking mid than an out and out striker. I would still have McKay in there though. Let someone prove themselves from the subs bench before ditching our goalscorer.

I thought Kenny Shiels had some good things to say http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kilmarnock-boss-kenny-shiels-calls-1712114 "What would any other sport in Scotland not give for the amount of people who go to watch football? "Two and a half-thousand on a Wednesday night with Champions League on the television - that's a very good crowd. Did you see the snow? You wouldn't believe it. "You have to look at the societal changes that have gone on. In days gone by a cup of tea was a novelty. Now we are in the computer age. That is why the crowds have gone down. "We are doing great in Scotland. What's the crowds in Finland? There's five million population there. Go look up their crowds. They are not great."

I don't think that supposition is being fair at all.

What colour flowers?

Where are we in the league?

Im just waiting on the 'is Butcher the man for the job' thread to be resurrected. Some people have opinions that will not be changed, no matter the good work done.

A season of regrets??? Sheesh, you'd be fun at a party. So far, it's the greatest season we've ever had! 7th or above and it's a major success. To be anywhere near the top four would be unbelievable!!!

Nothing wrong with tactics. Totally dominant. Simply not down to taking chances. Wish Oswell had stayed.

Have a look again, Renegade. Hooper is clearly fouled, including being thrown in the back of the net and pushed beyond the six-yard line, whilst the ball is live. Are you seriously saying the ref performed well and balanced and you would be happy for ICT to be on the receiving end? The ref is also entitled to send off a player at any time. Have a look again at when Leichsteiner (and amazingly Hooper) is booked. Then, right in front of the ref, he manhandles Hooper twice before the ball is kicked, then wraps his arms around him, shoving him metres out of the way during play. Clear red cards and penalties. And it didn't stop there. I've never been a Celtic fan (although support Scottish clubs in Europe) but this is something rotten. There is no way the ref can book a player, then for it to happen multiple times again, yet completely ignore it. If it was a difference in styles, then no booking. No telling off. But it's not. I have no problem with Celtic losing but this is plain wrong. I say again, it looks fixed to me.

I'm not normally into conspiracy theories but the leniency of the referee in the penalty area screams out Italian football and referees. This is fixed. I didn't expect Celtic to progress but the ref cannot fail to see such blatant penalties. It's not one decision that he's missed and Celtic have to take their chances but I really do believe the ref has been paid off.

Most Haunted is a bit like Rangers. He doesn't talk about them so much since relegation to Pick TV either.

ah, northstand. Singing about how good Rangers were most of the time. Now that they're gone, who does he sing about? Manchester United. You from Glasgow's West End? You from Trafford? Oops, forgot he never replies either. The ultimate in glory hunting.

The non-playing of Pepper is a little odd. Terry used to so I wonder why he has slipped away? Anyone seen him play outside the top team recently? Has he gone backward like so many players do?

Cant beat Juanjo, where it was always rhymed with 'banjo', rather than whan-hoe.

Surprised you say that as I thought Doran was terrific today. Shattered at the end but he plays like a winger, trying to get the ball down and into the corner for a cross. Hayes is much more direct, which is probably why we were more long ball last year.

Yeah, but still in second place, which means we're doing better than every other team in the league bar the millionaires. That's better than teams that are spending massively more than us. We lost to Celtic - a team that cost millions to assemble, a team in which probably every single player has more talent that his opposite number - and I'm taking into account the reserve nature. Our nearest rivals are losing 2-0 to Kilmarnock. Still reasons to be optimistic here.