starchief

Sure. Two Highland derbies next year. Would be great. I know some will want them relegated but that's just a short 'ha ha' moment. Promotion would make the whole SPL season more entertaining.

For me, Ross County are Ireland to ICT being Scotland. Rivals? Sure, but also, I dunno, brothers (very much little brothers in County's case). In my view, our England are Livingston. County behind, but I hope they get back and win it.

I thought he did get treated pretty badly by both Butcher and the fans. Under Brew, Hastings not only had to watch the left-back position but, as Proctor (in central defence) wasn't strong enough to command that position, he was having to cover that as well. I remember fans getting on to Hastings for not supporting the midfield enough but, for me, he was put in an impossible position. And although DZ was exciting enough, ICT were constantly under threat from that position. Had we been playing a 5 at the back tactic, the DZ could have slotted in well at wing-back but for a back four, it should have been Hastings as first pick.

I'd certainly take Benji. Terrific player. Surprised he's gone.

I wonder how untapped a resource the League of Wales is? Doesn't really matter how good the actual set-up is, all you need is to find 1 or 2 unnoticed players and it's a successful mission.

None will come to us, sure (I don't know if the OP actually suggested any of this as a rumour), but just on the footballing front Goncalves, Stewart and Kingston were three of the best players outside the OF. Shame they're gone.

I think our next attacking mid should be more mid than attack. A more out-and-out striker is required and Moutinho doesn't fit that role. Good player but not what we need right now.

Decent player but let's look around first. Could be a better and younger version.

Some people don't know when they're better off.

Strange to think that there's no way Rangers could afford to buy Charlie Adam now.

I'd start with a 4-2-3-1, switching to a 4-1-3-2 if needed. Partly depends on who we get as players. Under Brew's players, I favoured a sweeper system (Proctor as sweeper, with Tokely and DZ as wing-backs) but we've not got those players at the moment, so that is currently out.

We would have won it by more goals if Imrie was in for Sanchez/Odi but so what? A decent player. Maybe next year we'll miss him but as long as you get promotion, you can't criticize the manager.

I'll be supporting Ross County, so England 100%.

Surprised by this?!

I'm going to go for Brian Kerr. Ok, sure, he wasn't here very long but he exuded class. His full-blooded commitment to the cause made him a cert for a future captain. Shame he went to Dundee but our loss was their gain. No wonder he pulled that poor team up to a mighty second. We can only shake our heads at the glory that might have come if this dynamo had stayed. I'm sure a third Scotland cap is just around the corner.

Kieron Dyer I remember Mido being on ?1k a week. Pretty sure though he'd be on a cracking signing on fee and bonus scheme.

McEvely might solve Celtic's left-back problem (mind you, I think Naylor's a decent player, so they don't really have one)

We'll be pushing for it but not quite there yet.

Looks as though we've kept our first team then! Tokely probably signing. Good chance of both Esson and Proctor as long as they're realistic. I think that's safety already. If we do manage to pick up a couple of players in defence and attacking mid, then we really can do something. Hayes, Rooney and Foran against a Barr-less Falkirk, a McArthur-less Accies, a poverty-stricken Killie or my old team St Mirren? Should do alright I think!

There's a good few players in that list I wouldn't mind having. Hart for the Sanchez/Odi role? Kimpl is SPL quality. Colin Cameron? Good player but prefer to go younger. Maybe if Duncan went (I know he still has a contract). Lauchlan naturally. Possibly a few others. Could be a rich hunting ground if we move fast.

Mihadjuks didn't choose to leave. He was never offered a contract. Only because he hasn't performed do ICT have a chance of signing Pavels again. As for Bully. Depends who else we have in mind and whether Tokely goes. Get the first team signed first, then look at our options.

Aberdeen 3:0 down and a man sent off at home. No wonder it was so difficult for Celtic to choose between McGhee and Mowbray. Seem pretty similar these days, running their players down, whilst getting awful results.

Falkirk winning, Killie drawing, so it looks at the moment both Ayrshire clubs facing the drop from their divisions! And Saints down to ten men against Killie

Let's what the attendance/interest is in the end of season Partick Thistle v Queen of the South game today. No-one can get promoted, no-one can get relegated. I can't see having even more meaningless fixtures with a load of barely-supported teams are going to create any excitement. Last week, two teams that would be vying for a place in an 18 team league, Raith v QoS. Attendance: 1030. Can't see it rising just because it's in a different league and these teams are in a mediocre position. There definitely needs to be something done. I've stated my thoughts (and I've put in a more detailed discussion here) but I don't think more meaningless fixtures is the way to go. How about a comparison with other similar-sized competitive leagues: Austria: 10 and 12 teams in two divisions (regional below) Denmark: 12 and 16 teams in two divisions (regional below) Norway: 16 and 16 teams in two divisions (regional below) Scotland: 12 in the top and four divisions of 10 below. So, if like Morton, you have a bad season, slip out of the SFL1, then the team is actually worse off than less ambitious teams as they are quite happy surviving on crowds of 300 or less. Spend a bit of money trying to get out and risk the club going bankrupt as these smaller teams don't have an away support. The whole system needs re-imagining, summer football, less clubs and streamlining. More meaningless fixtures aren't the way. That's why the SPL was created.

I voted no. Doesn't solve a long season, playing the same teams over and over. For me: - A top 10 SPL and 12-team SFL. - Regional leagues below that. - The season to be split in 2, i.e., one season to run from February til June, followed by another that would run from July/August til November/December, so teams play each other twice a season (but four times a year) That's more silverware, more championship battles, more relegation dogfights. When a team goes down, then the impact of half a season to plan on a reduced budget could be more manageable. That gives us two competitive leagues, with a relegation place and a play-off relegation/promotion endpiece for extra excitement. There is an argument over UEFA rules but some South American countries run that system (I know SA isn't in UEFA), so I think it could be negotiated out.