Sneckboy

The phrase 'rubbing salt in the wounds' was invented for what I'm just watching on BBC 'tisnow...looks like St. Mirren are going to set up a Final with Hearts! Ach, second rate tournament - Hearts v. St. Mirren - it gets the final it deserves!! Haha

Got to feel for young Philip Roberts. Although I don't think anybody should be to 'blame' either him or Butcher for the miss. We're a fickle bunch - often with short memories. It should be remembered that he stepped up last -and scored- in the penalty shoot-out win over Stenhousemuir to effectively put Inverness through. There might not have been the game today had he not shown the bottle on that occasion!

Saturday 26th January 1st Division Darren Dods (Falkirk 4-3 Airdrie United) 2nd Division Graham Bayne TWO goals on debut (Arbroath 3-1 Forfar Athletic)

A 10,000 seated stadium is not needed for the Europa League. ICT's ground meets the UEFA criteria for the Qualifying Rounds. However, if Inverness happened to reach the Group Stage, there may be an issue, as they stipulate that clubs must have 8,000 seats for that stage. UEFA may turn a blind eye as the Caledonian Stadium is close to that!

Saturday 19th January Notable mention : Mark Brown saved a penalty for Ross County at St. Mirren (!) Highland League Craig MacMillan TWO goals (Brora Rangers 3-4 Nairn County) Zander Sutherland HAT-TRICK on debut! (Brora Rangers 3-4 Nairn County)

Saturday 12th January 2013 1st Division Bryan Prunty (Dumbarton 2-0 Partick Thistle) 3rd Division Garry Wood (Annan Athletic 2-1 Montrose) Highland League Graham Bayne (Lossiemouth 0-4 Wick Academy)

Bookmakers appear to have suspended betting on the Barnsley job...

Not wanting to sound obsessed with Bookmakers' odds but they are usually a good gauge. These guys have sources - after all it's their business and livelihood. You never see a poor bookie (unless of course you happen to be a small Turf Accountant in Fort William and a horse called Ben Nevis wins the National!) Anyway, the odds are moving favourably...8/13 now on Butcher for Barnsley (approx 62% chance of leaving). But significantly, Micky Mellon's odds have been massively cut. He's a Paisley born manager who guided Fleetwood Town from obscurity into the Football League before being sacked prematurely last month.

Had a look at the latest odds, half expecting the 'book' to have been suspended. However, a tiny glimmer of good news...Butcher's odds have 'improved' since I last checked. 1/3 now as opposed to 1/4! For those unfamilar with odds this loosely equates to the bookies shifting from an 80% chance of Butcher leaving, to a 75% chance! Or am I clutching at straws!

Bookies now have Butcher heavily odds-on at 1/4.....

That means nothing. There are many reasons why those things take time. The main one being organising a time when player, agent, manager and DoF can get together. Graeme signed, Andrew will do likewise. Champions league qualifiers a begging. I'm sure the Champions League Qualifiers comment was said with 'tongue in cheek', but regardless, this season's SPL Runners-up don't go into that Competition. The coefficient has caught up with Scottish Football! For that reason, as much as it sticks in the throat of some, Scottish fans should be supporting all Scottish teams in Europe.

Celtic will win the league by as many points as they want to. Forget the title. Top 6 will be difficult enough to achieve!