Sneckboy

Good luck to the new boy on hid debut. We've even managed to fill the bench!

Signed up until the end of season 2016-17: • Gary Warren • Richie Foran • Greg Tansey • Josh Meekings Signed up until the end of next season (2015-16): • John Hughes - Manager • Russell Latapy - Assistant Manager • Dean Brill • Aaron Doran • Danny Williams • Ryan Esson • Ryan Christie • Carl Tremarco • Ross Draper • James Vincent Signed up until the end of this season (2014-15): • Daniel Devine • Graeme Shinnie (going to Aberdeen) • Nick Ross • Marley Watkins • David Raven • Liam Polworth • Lewis Horner • Edward Ofere • Jaime Wilson (Development Squad) • Kane Hull (Development Squad) • Jason Brown (Development Squad) • Struan McArthur (Development Squad) • Blair MacLennan (Development Squad) • Calum Howarth (Development Squad) • Chris Brown (Development Squad) • Ali Sutherland (Development Squad) • Stephen Rennie (Development Squad) • Cammy Mackay (goalkeeper) (Development Squad) • Chris Blackett (Development Squad) • Daniel Hoban (goalkeeper) (Development Squad) • Calum Ferguson (Development Squad) • Ryan Baptie (Development Squad)

I apologise, cif73! I stand corrected. I didn't realise Lecce were in Serie A back then. That's quite a pedigree. Obviously he's lost his way a bit more recently, but hopefully we can get his career back on track. On paper, he looks a better acquisition that Sekajja, so fingers crossed!

He's not played in Serie A!

I don't know who specifically voted 'YES' when the Highland League chairmen got round the table to discuss the pyramid proposal. But, it's publically acknowledged that it was almost unanimous - with 16 clubs in favour. Rumour has it that Keith FC abstained (or rather, didn't turn up!), but the identity of the dissenting club has never been found to my knowledge - as it was a secret ballot. If anybody knows otherwise? The Highland League, in tandem with the Lowland League is now effectively the 5th level of Scottish football. Any clubs not keen on progressing should leave and play at a level more suitable to their ambition.

How is his name pronounced? "Oh - feer - ay" is my guess. I almost made a schoolboy error by suggesting he's our first African player, but we had Thierry Gattheussi from Cameroon, of course!

Iain Stewart = Thought fondly of in Lossie - small, Scottish, white guy. Edward Ofere = Thought fondly of in Lagos - big, Nigerian, black guy. I agree, they're almost identical!

I watched the highlights of the Scotland-Afghanistan game - as DD said, it was snatching a defeat from the jaws of victory. Even the missed opportunity to hit the wickets to run-out the batsman was painful - the cricket equivalent of Chris Iwelumo's open goal miss! This sort of thing happens all the time - the Scotland rugby union team are often guilty of blowing chances to win matches with inconceivable dropped passes when it seemed easier to score! What is it about the Scottish sporting psyche?! It's almost like we're too scared to win or prefer to wallow in 'glorious failure'! Or is it that I only notice because it's Scotland!

It's been an amazing turn around at Elgin since Jim Weir took over! They were dreadful, adrift at the bottom, looking like they were heading back to the Highland League and getting dumped out of the Scottish Cup by a junior club, conceding 9 goals over the two games! Now, they're looking at the promotion play-offs! Astonishing... As for Brora? I don't know. It looks like they'll win the league, although Turriff are making a real fight of it, and would actually be top if they hadn't been docked 3 points. I was under the impression that entering the play-offs was obligatory and a club can't refuse (or pass their opportunity to the runners-up). They could, of course, simply not comply with the 'upgrades' required for the SPFL! It would be a disappointing start to the pyramid-era if the first winners of the HL didn't want any part in it! Particularly as they could well continue to dominate for the foreseeable future. I could see sanctions if that was the case. Possibly exclusion from the Scottish Cup (and the Challenge Cup). Quite frankly, if Brora don't want to go up, they should resign from the HL and look to apply to the North Caledonian League - it could do with increased membership! Interesting times ahead. Edinburgh City look like they'll win the Lowland League and Montrose could be heading to the Highland League! But, as Elgin have shown, things can change so quickly in a short space of time.

....elephant polo!

I don't know! He's banned for one game 'from the 28th". It's open to interpretation!

F/T Celtic 5-0 ICT

H/T Celtic 2-0 ICT

Just remembered about this game. At least there won't be any 'first team' Celtic players in their line-up, with their squad being in Italy.

That's a classic! A Freudian slip....

I've looked at a few media outlets and they appear to have different takes on it! Some have him as 'just' being sent-off (2 yellows), but others have him as booked then also receiving a straight red! (1 yellow, 1 red).

Yes, he certainly should get the award! Actually, there's two awards. One voted for by the media/journalists (Scottish Football Writers' Association) and the other by the actual folk involved in the game (Professional Footballers' Association). Often, different managers win the respective awards. But sometimes a manager takes them both in the same season! Walter Smith (Rangers) got them both, as did Gordon Strachan at Celtic and last season Derek McInnes scooped them both. Hughes must be in with a chance! Although the Dons are doing well, McInnes was recognised last season as Aberdeen picked up silverware for the first time in a generation! But, you never know, if he can secure runners-up spot with Aberdeen in the league, he may just turn a few heads as it'll be their best finish in 20 years. But also, if Ronny can deliver the treble for Celtic, it'll be no contest, unfortunately. If you asked the average football fan how many managers in Celtic's long history have won 'the treble' most would be surprised that it's only actually 2! The great Jock Stein and then only Martin O'Neill have achieved it. So a Ronny Deila 'treble' would likely see him take both awards - well, certainly the Glasgow media one! But what Hughes has achieved, in my book, with budget constraints etc, is relatively a better achievement!

Bump! Well, this is embarrassing! I'm sure I'm not the only one that totally underestimated Hamilton. I also had County as having a comfortable season. Plenty can happen yet, but it's always interesting to look back at your predictions! but, happily, I'd forgotten I had us for a top-six finish, but I didn't see the demise of Motherwell. Scrolling down, I think most folk would have been stunned at 'well not being top 6, let alone in a relegation battle!

Our remaining 11 fixtures will all be difficult! 6 of them are against the top teams in the country (Celtic x2, Aberdeen x2, Dundee United x2). And Partick away remains the 'missing link' in our 'full set' of home-and-away' wins against top-flight opponents in the league. Motherwell away on Saturday is still a hard match, despite their difficulties - we don't have a great recent record there, losing 10 of our last 14 at Fir Park. I think I had Motherwell down for a euro spot before the season started! I'm away to find that pre-season thread where Kingsmills asked us to forecast the finishing positions - I hope I can still edit it!

You may very well be right. Normally, cards are exclusive to each competition, but I've seen suspensions across all competitions before - when the red-card has been for 'violent conduct'. But, I really don't know. Fortunately, we won't have too long to wait to find out. The SFA produce a weekly update on suspensions on Fridays (occasionally Thursdays). http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_document_libraries.cfm?page=2567 Update: I've just had a look at that list and (even before last night) Marley Watkins is now due a one game ban! That confuses me as he had been on only 5 bookings before the Dundee United game and I assumed that his caution yesterday was his 6th and the one that triggered the ban. I'm certain it's 6 yellow cards before a suspension. Perhaps there's a 'carry over' from last season or something! SPFL – PREMIERSHIP 14/02/2015 MARLEY JOSEPH WATKINS (INVERNESS CT F.C.) 1 FIRST TEAM MATCH FROM 28/02/2015 There's even a bit of ambiguity there, as when does 'from' 28th Feb actually start. The 28th is the date of our Motherwell game on Saturday. I'm guessing it starts after that - but is only for SPFL games. So, I'll speculate that Marley will miss the Partick Thistle away match! Confusing, but there's not a great deal of transparency around the disciplinary process! So, in essence, the booking he got last night hasn't tipped him over the threshold, as it appears he was already there.

Match penalties Greg Tansey Y Y Y Y (100%) James Vincent Y (100%) Richie Foran Y (100%) Nick Ross Y Y X (67%) Aaron Doran Y X (50%) Graeme Shinnie Y X (50%) Penalty shoot-outs Ross Draper Y Y (100%) Aaron Doran Y Y (100%) Nick Ross Y Y (100%) Graeme Shinnie Y Y X (67%) Greg Tansey Y X (50%) Richie Foran X X (0%) Combined total (* = penalty shoot-out) Ross Draper (100%) Y* Y* James Vincent (100%) Y Greg Tansey (83%) Y Y* X* Y Y Y Nick Ross (80%) Y Y X Y* Y* Aaron Doran (75%) Y* Y Y* X Graeme Shinnie (60%) Y* Y X Y* X* Richie Foran (33%) X* Y X*

League Two Shane Sutherland TWO GOALS (Elgin City 2-1 Berwick Rangers) English Championship David Davis TWO GOALS (Ipswich Town 4-2 Birmingham City)

That's Watkins with 6 league cautions now, so he's due a one-game suspension. But, usually players in that situation are free for the next match and the ban 'kicks in' for the following game. So, I think he'll be okay for Motherwell and the Cup game v Raith, but will miss the Partick Thistle away fixture. But Warren, it seems got a straight red - which means he'll certainly miss the next game. Depending on what the referees report states as the reason for his dismissal, he could get an immediate 2 game (all competition) ban - meaning he'd miss Motherwell and then the cup tie. Won't know for sure until the SFA disciplinary weekly report comes out on Friday! While I'm on here, that was our first score-draw, away from home, under Hughes. (in his 27th league game with us on the road!)

Update. Penalties taken for ICT. (Most recent: Greg Tansey (scored) v. Dundee United 24th February 2015) Ross Draper (100%) Y Y James Vincent (100%) Y Greg Tansey (83%) Y Y X Y Y Y Nick Ross (80%) Y Y X Y Y Aaron Doran (75%) Y Y Y X Graeme Shinnie (60%) Y Y X Y X Richie Foran (33%) X Y X

We'd probably have to go far in the tournament before that happened! The English Premier League is ranked at no.2 by UEFA so clubs from there enter much later than SPFL teams! I did read that if Celtic beat Inter Milan, then in 2016/17 we (Scottish clubs) will get 5 teams in Europe for the following season. Maybe wrong, the whole system appears shrouded in secrecy! But, as much as it sometimes pains me, I support every Scottish team in Europe. To do otherwise is simply betraying your own club's future opportunities!