Sorted

Certain that Rory will be an ESSSSPL player next season. Appears that the Dons are one of four top flight clubs after him with Hibs, St Johnstone and Dundee Utd also on the case. Quite surprised at the number of posters who are prepared to dismiss him based on his time here as a kid. At 23 he still has his whole future ahead of him and the desire to prove some people wrong. I'll stick my neck out and say he'll score a minimum of 15 top flight goals next season and at least one will be at TCS !

National final on a tattie field. Pitch a disgrace!

Esson every time.

Sorry seems to be the hardest word.........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/st_johnstone/9423243.stm Seems certain that we can add St Johnstone to the list of SPL clubs that will be in for Rory at the end of the season and Derek McInnes as another fan. He's coming back to haunt us.....!

Seems I am alone in thinking he'll make the grade. Thing is he's still only 23 and will have learned a hell of lot after a spell with Brechin. All very well to say he's found his level but the goals he scored today were against an SPL defence. As for the comparisons with Barrowthief, not for me. Rory never looked like a cheat and at no point did I ever here opposition managers talk about Barrow in the way Jim Weir's counterparts have spoken about the big fella. As well as his goals contribution it appears he has been responsible for the creation of many more. The interesting comparison for me here is with Johnny Hayes (totally different players). Similar age, similar start to career not cutting it with higher league club and then dropping down. As I see it JH didn't really seem to make the impact at these type of clubs that Rory has had at Brechin (fair to say that they were bigger clubs) but managed to get himself another shot and has (to date) grabbed it. I think Rory will do the same. I'll trawl the archives in years to come and say "I told you so" !

Forecast pretty hellish. I think it may well be a goner.

12

Probably started three or four threads with this title since his departure. Last one, promise. On the mark again with a double against the Perth Saints. Bottom line is I think we got rid of him too early, I think he's more than decent and I'm pretty certain he will be back in the SPL next season. If he does (and I really hope he does) be good to him on his return as a visitor. The fact that we didn't want him isn't his fault and any time I saw him he gave his best (wasn't good enough at times but not through lack of effort) unlike some that seem to be adored in certain quarters. So am I alone in thinking this or was Brew or TB (can't remember who let him go!) right to get rid of him?

With you on this one Mannie. Would add little to what we have already and if he isn't good enough for a new contract at Hibs.......? Johnny Hayes wasnt good enough for a new contract at Leicester, Ryan Esson wasnt worth a new contract at Hereford, it dosen't matter where they were previously. When it comes to getting the best out of players with a point to prove we are arguably the best side around for it. John Rankin has totally underachieved since he went to Hibs and will do well to remain in the SPL. Always though he was vastly over rated first time round. JH can be judged when he has performed over a reasonable period. Fantastic to date but needs to sustain it for a reasonable period somewhere, sometime. That's why he wasn't worth a contract at Leicester. As for Ryan........total mystery to me why he was ignored by so many and delighted that Brew brought him here. Point taken about rescuing careers.

I'm with Davie on this one. Nothing has changed from a refereeing perspective but for the punters, thanks to technology, every decision taken is analysed to bits. Technology is here already CD whether we like it or not. Gone are the days of "he was/wasn't offside" being discussed over a pint without ever knowing the truth. It's now available in evry angle, slo mo super slo mo and 3D. That's what makes the referee's job so difficult. Purely to protect the referee, surely it is time to have the guy in the stand watching, connected by modern comms as the ultimate decision maker? Don't buy the arguement that it's not available at all games so we can't apply it. Do it where you can. Technology has caused the problem let it provide some of the solution. Would Bobby Davidson or Tiny Wharton be judged any better than Calum Murray or Willie Collum in today's football?

Politicians should spend more time thinking about the price of petrol.

With you on this one Mannie. Would add little to what we have already and if he isn't good enough for a new contract at Hibs.......?

Why are we, the punters, not down as option 4? I, like most of us I imagine, give SKY Sports and ESPN about ?50 per month to watch football live. I do it because I love to have, almost every night, live football in my front room (kitchen, lounge and bedroom!). No one is making me do it, it's a choice. If I, and hundreds of thousands like me (is it millions?) did not do so then there wouldn't be the ridiculous sums of money in our game now. We all know it's ruining it, we can all see the consequences but we still do it. Punters are as much to blame as any of the three choices listed. It's just easier to lay the blame elsewhere. A boycott of this type on a European basis is the only way I see the game changing. Do we have the desire?

Is Jimmy's boy a tangerine?

I wouldn't say PMF has instigated a worthless thread. What would be your preferred form of SPL reconstruction? Or, to put it another way which approach do you think our club should favour? That proposed by TB, which has been well documented or the one that now appears to have found favour by GF - and of course, our largest shareholder. JB Don't think this is a worthless thread just think it could have been aired without the need for threats or unecessarily having a go at the Chairman. For what it's worth, as I have posted on other threads, I think, like PMF, the proposed tinkering will deliver nothing. Our position is difficult as it appears from the press that everyone has rolled over and acceptance is inevitable. Do we stick to our ground and risk being stuck out on a limb on other matters or do we bow to the crowd? I'm not sure. Where I disagree with PMF, for two reasons, is that this change will not make anything worse. Firstly, the product in Scotland is so bad I fail to see how it could get any worse. Secondly, the proposals change nothing, therefore nothing will change. My frustration stems for the total lack of desire to undertake real change that will allow our game to develop across the board, not change to protect the financial self interest of the SPL members and the wannabes. What would I do if I was George? Don't know to be honest but, what I do know, is that whatever he decides it will be, in his opinion, what's best for the club. Can't really ask any more than that can we? Will I stop going to games? No, it won't make any difference as I don't go to as many as I don't go to as many as I used to anyway as a direct result of the product on view. As for TB, he's a first class manager who would be grossly offended if the Chairman told him how to pick his team. Perhaps, even though his outburst was first class and correct, he should accept that he should treat the Chairman in the same manner.

Nothing like a worthless threat to start off the evening. To somehow turn the farce that is SPL reconstruction into an attack on our Chairman takes a degree of negative thinking I can only aspire to. No doubt your strategic, well thought out threat will have George in turmoil as he wrestles with the rights and wrongs of the saga whilst, at the same time, having to deal with the devastating impact on his life caused by your post. FFS grow up - Bart

Richard was, probably still is, a fantastic athlete who made the most of his ability. Like me, many may say it was fairly limited but to carve out a career like he has enjoyed is to his credit. I doubt there is anyone on CTO who could have made more of what they had than Richard did. I am also certain that there are dozens who had far more ability than him but not the athleticism or application he delivered. Gets too much stick for my liking and not nearly enough respect. OK he signed for "them" but we all make mistakes! Enjoy your retirement and preach the levels of professionalism you showed to anyone who'll listen.

Calm down Tug............................nothing in the above post that's having a go at you or the likes of you is there? Dougal, for all his wind ups, makes a valid point that is true for the vast majority of clubs. Don't disagree with him, don't know what can be done about it but he doesn't deserved to be panned! That's the thing about this and other forums. Are they private clubs that welcome only the opinions shared by the chosen few or are they public forums that allow freedom of speech/debate? Despite the best efforts of some (Alex !) CTO usually falls in the latter category. Lets keep it that way!

I have been in many households over the years where Gaelic is being spoken or sung. As yet I have to experience anywhere in the Highlands or Islands where I can enjoy a crack or a tune in Pictish, Nordic, Old English or Cumbric. If we hadn't treated these cultures/dialects/languages with such disregard then maybe I would have. It is fair to say that we can't make the same with mistake with Gaelic!

Can I put it to you that you can't revive an old regional language, all you can do is slow down its inevitable decline. My eldest daughter was in a class of 5 when she started Gaelic Medium. My youngest started in a class of 18. I think your point is pretty fair and accept there is a battle to be had to revive but I feel it's worth it. The interesting part of this whole debate is the fact we have one. It really should be a "no brainer" that you support you culture. It is in most other parts of the world, why is it problematic here? We find money to kill people without difficulty!

It must be. In contrast ?80 million has been spent in the Premiershiip so far!! I see Hibs have solved their striker crisis by signing another goalkeeper! That's 4 on their books now Ken The ?85 million is just today for Torres and Carroll. Add ?10 million for Charlie Adam (yes that's right ?10 million for a wee fat set piece taker), ?27 milion for Dzeko and ?24 million for Bent .........that's almost ?150 million without all the rest! The world has gone absolutely mad!

SMEE is correct that there are numerous languages more commonly spoken in Scotland than Gaelic. Perhaps he should ask himself why? For me, this is the only country in the world that would debate whether to support a language which is part and parcel of our heriatge. I'm not that old and now that 3 out of four of my grandparents had no English when they went to school. Gaelic is alive (just!) because of the actions and inactions of successive governments. Frohm outlawing the speaking of the language (along with the wearing of tartan) to refusing to invest in it's revival, successive UK governments, of all colours, have persecuted the Gael. Contrast that with the behaviour of the Canadian and Nova Scotia governments! There are many things I have a problem with my tax being spend on. Start with illegal wars that cost billions or our own weapons of mass destruction before worrying about giving kids a lift to school!

With only just over nine hours to go, the SPL clubs have spent a total of around ?380k this transfer window on player purchases. ?300k by Celtic on Commons and ?80k by Hibs on Scott. This must be the lowest spend in a January transfer window ever?

Hibs in loan bid for Sheffield Utd striker according to BBC. Is one of Adam's options closing?