starchief

Butcher has said in an interview that the contract is not legally binding. We just don't know the text of it all.

I doubt Black will stay too but money isn't everything. Would you leave a job you're happy with, in a town your family is settled at, for another offering more money, if the original company then said they'd match your wages (or near enough)? As I said, I doubt he will stay but you can't buy peace of mind.

Surplus to requirements are any one of Hastings, Djebi-Zadi or Byrne. They're all decent and poor in different ways but I don't see too many better on the horizon. Apart from that, not seen anything to suggest Gattheusi should be kept on (for the obvious reason), plus MacGuire hasn't done it. Maybe Barrowman is the only established first-teamer I'd like to see the back of (I know he has a contract but I'm changing the rules ). Wood could go but he may improve, so possibly keep him on. Every other first-team player has done well that I can see. Even the more unpopular ones like Duncan and McBain were our best players under Brewster, whilst even the ones wanting Munro dropped probably realise it's only a dip in form, rather the captain suddenly becoming a poor player. With Black probably going, we definitely need to replace him. Duncan, Kerr and Vigurs can all do a job but we're still lacking that edge. Vigurs will provide it in a couple of years but not yet. If we can't find another Black, then maybe time for a change in formation to a 4-3-3 (at home) or 4-5-1 (away/OF).

I struggle to think we could do much better under anyone else, so I've gone for excellent (whaddayamean this is a secret ballot). Not a perfect run for the team but given the little time he's had (especially in the transfer market), Butcher has improved the squad no end. Only Renegade could have done better!

Sent you a private PM about the job. Who knows who is listening. Probably will be some actual tree-hugging at times! I know you work long hours but I'd say just the odd one-day course here and there (from IEEM Workshops, sac.ac.uk, EnvbironmentJob, RSPB, SWT etc) would really help. Not only do you get the skill, it also shows willing. Go for mammals/protected species as there are a lot fewer them than plants or birds. It's obviously difficult conditions to get a job in so don't be too downhearted straight away if things don't come off. Even if it takes another year (a little one-day course here and there), it still only takes one application to make it through. After that, it's a lot easier. Couple years experience, everyone wants you.

From the Record: "Burley rang the changes at the interval with Ian Black, Jack Ross and Brian Easton replacing Hammell, Cuthbert and Arfield. And within two minutes of the restart Inverness playmaker Black helped Scotland break the deadlock with his first touch of the ball. Black's cross, whipped in from the left flank with pace and purpose, was met perfectly by Webster and while Tuffey did brilliantly to block the initial effort he was left helpless as the Rangers defender crashed home the rebound." Nothing much in the other papers.

Thought it was a great tackle. One of the highlights of the game in fact. Striker straight through. Last man makes an amazing last ditch saving tackle. One thing is for sure, skill should not be punished.

I've no idea who Gillian is but she seems to know a lot about Ian Black. If she says there's a chance, then I'm pretty sure she knows there is one.

Got a contract tree-hugging over the summer in Aberdeenshire. Be over Monday to start. Think I'll notice a difference between Cairo and Stonehaven? I was sunbathing yesterday in 49C sunshine. Probably about the same in Turriff I would imagine.

Yes he was. He was the best player in Holland for years. No easy feat. A quick browse on Wiki reveals a few other things: "Litmanen spent seven years in Amsterdam, winning four Dutch championships and three Dutch Cups. He is the club's top scorer in European competition with 24 goals in 44 matches. Litmanen owns the honour of being one of just three players presented in a special video featurette at the Ajax Museum. The other two are Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff." "The Association of Football Statisticians' (The AFS) compendium of 'Greatest Ever Footballers' listed Litmanen as the 53rd best footballer ever" "In 2008 he was invited to represent the Rest of the World in the 10th anniversary charity game, arranged in honour of French 1998 World Cup winning team, along with players like Gabriel Batistuta, Luis Figo and Davor Suker." I can only think you doubt he was a great player due to his injury-plagued time at Liverpool and the fact he played for a below average international team.

I don't think Renegade is trying to guess the team Butcher will put out (pretty damn sure of it in fact), instead, Renegade's saying the team that he would put out if he was the manager. And you have to get used to Renegade's teams. They're a little different to the norm. In fact I'd love to see us safe and Renegade be made manager for the day, so we could see just what would happen with some of the player selections he usually makes, especially Tokely and Djebi-Zadi. It would be an interesting experiment, if nothing else.

Same team for me apart from one change (Morais, who would probably have started at Paisley had he not been injured anyway). Fraser Proctor - Tokely - Munro - Djebi-Zadi Imrie - Kerr - Black - McBain Morais - Foran McBain's been unlucky to have not featured much under Butcher as he's been one of our players of the season. I'd look to McBain to do a dampener on McCarthy a la Dorman (possibly switching to McArthur depending how the game progresses). Mhiadjuks is unlucky to be left out but with our centre-backs having both scored and been solid against Saints, they stay in. I'm not sure it's the right decision for DZ to stay in but I'm also unsure whether a non-match fit Hastings should be brought in at this stage either, so I go with the man in possession. Duncan and Vigurs to be important players on the bench. Look to bring one on depending whether we need to mark up or attack.

Is that the right decision though?

Yep, a damning indictment (although Foran - our only real striker - had one disallowed)

A derby?

Getting closer to safety with every game now. The Butcher bubble is well and truly still intact.

Getting closer to the drop with every game now. It would appear the Butcher bubble has well and truly burst.

Morais injured during the warm-up.

Doubt Wood would add anything significant.

Now is the time to bring on Mihadjuks for Barrowman. Defend. Defend. Defend.

Morais injured AGAIN?!

Maybe they should have to do an Inverness - one merged team from Glasgow! That would be heaven

Quite injury prone for a keeper. I've said before I thought Alexander leaving Cardiff for Rangers was a big mistake but it may well work out for him. Always a decent keeper. Not spectacular but safe.

I have to say, I think that's a pretty awful B team. I don't see any of those players (except maybe Naismith) making a break in to the first team except as fringe players. The likes of Hughes, Clarkson and Wallace may get in but only with injuries to a few players. Not exactly inspiring.

Taking things possibly more serious than the questioner meant... 1. Probably the most common theory now is that we're like a bubble in soapy water. So around us are other universes starting up, growing and collapsing. 2. Not sure how long but will it shrink? I believe it's all to do with black holes. If there's not 'enough' then the universe continues to expand but eventually all the fuel for stars runs out and there's just a black vacuum for eternity. Or else, if there are enough black holes, the combined gravity draws space back together, time runs backwards and we hit a big crunch, then start again (possibly). As to Bob, we're in the middle and all of time/space. It's not like an explosion, more an expansion. Put a dot on a balloon and inflate it. The dot increasing is what's happening to the universe.