Sneckboy

Scottish Cup Ryan Baptie (Linlithgow Rose 5-1 Wick Academy)

Saturday 9th January - 3pm (unless otherwise stated) St Mirren v Partick Thistle (Friday 8th - 7.30pm) Airdrieonians v Dundee United Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical Dumbarton v Queen of the South Dundee v Falkirk Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County East Kilbride v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Linlithgow Rose v Forfar Athletic Livingston v Greenock Morton Motherwell v Cove Rangers Raith Rovers v Hibernian St Johnstone v Kilmarnock Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen (5.30pm) Rangers v Cowdenbeath (Sunday 10th - 1pm) Stranraer v Celtic (Sunday 10th - 3.30pm)

Not sad at all, Mantis! If I lived 'down there', I'd likely be in attendance tonight, too! These games are the essence of the Scottish Cup, for me. Two clubs from different Associations and cultures. There are also 'bragging rights' at stake here. I was guilty of suggesting the Highland League had proved its superiority over the Lowland League when the Highland League had 7 clubs involved in the 3rd round, with 'only' 2 from the Lowland League. However, a win tonight for the Juniors would leave me with egg-on-my-face. Four non-league teams in the last-32...1 from the North and 3 from the South! C'mon the Scorries!

He seems to want to stay part-time, due to his job as a plumber. And if it's true what can be earned in that profession nowadays, he'd probably be taking a pay cut coming here!

I know you mean well, but that is sexist stereotyping of the highest order! Football (for men) attended by the blokes, while mum is 'freed up' to doubtless spend the afternoon in the kitchen preparing the dinner or catching-up with the ironing! Granted, you didn't specifically say such, but it was kind of 'subconsciously' implied!

Aye, a poor result, but it was almost worse! Almost half-way through the season now, and much to play for! Europe, Top-6, relegation play-off! All possible!

The Linlithgow v Wick game is now on Tuesday 22nd at 7.30pm - apparently there's a big marquee on the pitch on Monday.

Result: Wick Academy 2-2 Linlithgow Rose Wick equalised in 90+2 minutes to secure a replay! (Monday 21st December)

Tonight: Highland League Daniel Park (Keith 1-5 Cove Rangers)

Level 3 in Sweden.

Just read that, too! Now that UEFA regard him as one of the top 18 refs in Europe, his ego will be off-the-Collum!

Jordan Roberts involved, too! Omerovic is a name I didn't recognise, but have discovered he's a Swedish defender on trial. http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/inverness/1336069-inverness-caledonian-thistle-hand-trial-to-swedish-centre-back/ Benjamin Omerovic. 21 years old, currently with Nykopings in Sweden's third-tier.

Wick game tomorrow already postponed - for the 5th time. Will try again on Wednesday night. After 4 previous postponements, Wick got their game on at home yesterday, but here-we-go-again with another postponement! I understand that Linlithgow fans are not impressed! However, them's the rules!

Sounds like a good game! Hard luck ICT losing 4-2. Certainly doing a lot better this year. Last season when we finished 17th and last, many of the boys were coming in from the U17s. A year on, and we're much more competitive. The penalty which ultimately won it for Hearts was apparently controversial, with our U20s boss sent to the stand for 'complaining'! That would be Shearer?

Good comeback from 3-0 to 3-2 for ICT's youths! Still 30 mins left....

Zanatta again, 3-0 Hearts approaching H-T..... GOAL ICT Andrew Macrae Hearts 3-1 Inverness

Team lines for the Youth Cup last-16 game (from Hearts Twitter):

A nervous end, but a good 3 points! They could be crucial towards the end of the season... As mentioned above, there's not much between top-6 and relegation play-off! We need to 'turn-the-screw' on a struggling Dundee United next week and finish the year on a high!

There's little indication whether the groups will also be spread on 'ability' as well as geographically. Another point not mentioned was the scenario of the winner of the Highland league or Lowland league securing a place in League Two - would the runner-up of the HL/LL take their place in the groups? Or would the deposed club return? And will there be an actual draw, or will clubs simply be assigned a group? Baffling.... Taking the current positions literally, Brora and Edinburgh City would be in the groups. Hypothetically, I'll give Hibs the play-off win against Motherwell. My attempt at a geographical/ability balance! : Hamilton Ross County Dundee Inverness Kilmarnock Partick Hibernian Rangers Motherwell Forfar Dundee United Peterhead Queen of South Morton Livingston Dumbarton Falkirk Montrose Raith Brechin Ayr St Mirren Stirling Albion Alloa Airdrie East Fife Dunfermline Elgin Stranraer Queen's Park Berwick Stenhousemuir Albion Rovers Brora Cowdenbeath Arbroath Annan Clyde Edinburgh City East Stirlingshire

Article from The Northern Scot newspaper website: 'Pele' Paterson is new Dufftown manager MORAY junior football club Dufftown have pulled off a sensational coup by appointing Steve ‘Pele’ Paterson as their new manager. Steve Paterson is the new Dufftown manager. Former Aberdeen boss Paterson, who steered Caley Thistle up the Scottish divisions and won countless Highland League honours, has agreed an 18-month contract with the Speyside outfit. ‘Pele’ told the Northern Scot how Dufftown’s approach to him came like a bolt out of the blue, but chairman Alan Murray won him over with his ambitious plans. "When I first spoke to Alan and then met him, he really sold the club fantastically well," Paterson said. "For some strange reason it just seemed to capture imagination. "It was more out of respect to Dufftown that I first listened to what they had to say, but the more I thought about it, it started to get me interested. "I just love being involved in football and the lure of getting back to a grassroots level was quite healthy for me." Murray said Paterson wants to work with club coaches and recent caretaker managers Garry McGingle and Davie Ness, and not bring in his own people. The pair had taken on the role in an interim basis since previous boss Fraser Bremner, the man who steered Dufftown to the North Junior Superleague, quit to join Highland League Rothes in October. Paterson left his last management job at Formartine United in March and planned to take a long spell away from football, despite approaches from other clubs. Dufftown chairman Murray said: "I think it’s the biggest appointment that I can remember at this club." Paterson will miss Dufftown’s game at Inverness City on Saturday but will take in their visit to Banks o’ Dee in Aberdeen the following Wednesday. The junior football league then goes into a winter break, with Paterson officially taking charge of the team on January 1. In Friday’s Northern Scot, don’t miss an exclusive interview with ‘Pele’ Paterson where he talks about a new and unexpected chapter in his incredible football career.

The Youth Cup game at Hearts has been rearranged for this Sunday (13th) at 1pm. The venue's not specified on the SFA website, but it does seem that the games in this competition are played at the actual home ground, where possible. So, will probably be at Tynecastle.

Not wanting to 'bump' years old threads, so I'll stick this here... Steve Paterson is back in the game! Last night, he was appointed manager at Dufftown, who are in their first season in the North Junior Superleague. Brilliant news. Assuming he still lives in the Moray area, it's a handy gig for him. Wish him well with this endeavour.

Ibra Sekajja has cropped-up at Braintree Town, having signed last month as a free agent. It didn't work for him at Livingston, it seems. However, Braintree are in the 5th tier and pushing for the League Two play-offs, so it's a good standard.

Tonight's results: Annan Athletic 1-0 Inverurie Loco Works Dumbarton 5-0 Alloa Athletic Wick v. Linlithgow is the only unresolved game - next attempt is Monday 14th December. Saturday 9th January - 3pm (unless otherwise stated) Airdrieonians v Dundee United Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical Dumbarton v Queen of the South Dundee v Falkirk Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County East Kilbride v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Livingston v Greenock Morton Motherwell v Cove Rangers Raith Rovers v Hibernian St Johnstone v Kilmarnock St Mirren v Partick Thistle Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Wick Academy or Linlithgow Rose v Forfar Athletic Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen (5.30pm) Rangers v Cowdenbeath (Sunday 10th - 1pm) Stranraer v Celtic (Sunday 10th - 3.15pm)

Impressive Mantis! Two visits to Ainslie Park in less than 24 hours! Kudos!