Sneckboy

Ian Black scored last night in the Challenge Cup quarter-final. East Fife 0-2 Rangers.

We'll just have to go on a cup run this year! I've not been to Hampden since the Dunfermline draw. Indeed, since we became an 'established' club, (SPL), we've not reached a semi-final (Scottish Cup). Providing the draw is kind, I think we could do well this year. But, I agree, Kingsmills, we should be slightly concerned at the annual return as cup runs are a bonus, and obviously aren't factored in to our financial planning. Maybe the 'silver' award for ICT's fiscal health etc. isn't just there to add a bit of colour! I sincerely hope there's not something 'brewing' and that we're not going to be hit with the bombshell that we're operating outwith our means.

Blimey, if he's 3 stone overweight, I'd hate Redknapp to assess my weight!! Joking aside, I entirely agree with your point, DD. The inequality in wealth distribution isn't healthy for the game, as a whole. I know UEFA have tried to implement some ruling, but it's hard to enforce. Clubs find ways around regulations. Rangers tried it with 'loans' rather than payments, and bankers still get their ridiculously inflated bonuses, almost as a right, through shares or other crafty means! The Champions League could lose some lustre with the same clubs competing in the latter stages each season, nowadays.It doesn't take a football genius to name 6 of the 8 quarter-finalists who'll be contesting this year's trophy. And the rich get richer!

The Gateway! Or was is called the Hayloft? Maybe the Hayloft was the 'upstairs'! I'm getting myself puzzled now!

Not sure if I'm 'allowed' to post a link to the highlights, so delete if it contravenes the rules. http://nj.proxfree.com/permalink.php?url=s54aaHA%2FaGsaD5vHs0QZLcUclS%2FcUxrnNZwEMCiA0I%2FRT7mRFNwjUhDQoJ2cCxOAOlsWKh0MvL7mLk6UmE%2BugqRhToPdMp7bGR2d8OTm5WxiEGvMxEnDoKKZ%2BzNt8YkYg12abyHsWIydu5n5VS9we%2FWxA9bpj4fVlvtFMHx2p9w%3D&bit=1

I think that's Draper on 5 cautions this season in the league - It might be 6 before a suspension? And sometimes the ban doesn't come in immediately! So I'm tentatively thinking that Draper will be available for the United game...

Very few this weekend, Rory McAllister for Peterhead v. Airdrie Craig MacMillan for Rothes v. Forres Jason Oswell for Newtown v. Connah's Quay Lewis MacKinnon was SENT OFF for Buckie Thistle v. Fraserburgh

Update. Penalties taken for ICT. (Last: Greg Tansey (scored) v. St. Mirren 18th October 2014) Ross Draper (100%) Y Y James Vincent (100%) Y Nick Ross (80%) Y Y X Y Y Greg Tansey (75%) Y Y X Y Aaron Doran (75%) Y Y Y X Billy McKay (67%) Y Y Y Y Y Y Y X X X Y X Graeme Shinnie (60%) Y Y X Y X Richie Foran (33%) X Y X

An excellent 3 points today - well done!. Collum must have been told to keep his cards in his pocket this week after his efforts last Saturday - which has gone under the radar - as it was played abroad! He was reffing the Hungary v. Romania Euro 16 Qualifier. TWELVE yellows!

Imrie has really surprised me. Earlier this year, when we played a doomed Morton side, inevitably heading for relegation to the third tier, he looked just that - a player who'd had his best days and was dropping to his 'appropriate' level. Fast-forward 7 months and he's starring for the team currently at the top of Scottish football!

According to the SPFL website, we've got games now every Tuesday until Xmas. Next game is on Tuesday (21st October). Home to Rangers! (6pm)

puzzled

I've no objection to using 13. A lot of the other Premiership clubs use it. As well as Kyle Allison, Rory McAllister also had it for a season. And it didn't do him any harm.

By 5pm on Saturday night, we could occupy any position from 1st to 6th! All 3 points would be great, but any away point in this league's not to be sniffed at either.

Results for the separate areas of Highland region have never been made public so it's just speculation. Inverness voting YES could easily be true. However, if as Laurence claims, some areas were well over 70% NO, then the second part of his statement (that Highlanders are sick of the SNP) simply doesn't/can't hold true. The final total of 53% YES makes it almost an arithmetic impossibility for even 2 areas to have as high a NO percentage as 70%, even if the 2 areas were the ones with the smallest electorates. If it were true, the other areas would have to be almost neck-and-neck.

£2.20 for a cup of tea! Is that really what it costs? I had no idea... I read that Elgin charged 60p and though that was probably about right and that paying over a £1 for a teabag and hot-water would be over-priced. But £2.20. What makes a cup of tea served in one ground more expensive than exactly the same product at a lower league ground? I assume Elgin's is in plastic cups while ours is in fine china cups with silver spoons to stir it? I'd at least expect a saucer!

^^^Amazing to think that the Beatles, the Kinks, the Who and Pink Floyd among others, have all played in that anonymous looking white building! The Two Red Shoes, Elgin.

Wes Hoolahan getting rave reviews after his Ireland performances this week. He's very much in the frame under Martin O'Neil and he's flying for Norwich too. We were really close to signing him a few years ago. Talks were at an advanced stage, but for one reason or another, it failed to materialise.

Stuart Duff has joined Cove Rangers on a short-term deal. He joins other former ICT players, Daniel Park and Roy McBain at Allan Park.

FC Halifax. Chorley are at home but there were certainly easier draws!

I think that's right. Clubs aren't allowed to refuse progression into the SPFL but could indeed simply not comply with the criteria! As it stands, Brora are very close to meeting the requirements with minimal improvements needed - minor upgrades like the luminosity (!?) of their floodlights. It's probably more involved than sending a bloke up a ladder to change the bulbs, but I understand that there's really 'nothing' preventing Brora from easily reaching the required standards. Whether they want to progress into the national league is another question - depending on who you believe! Obviously it's no formality beating Spartans/Whitehill Welfare/Edinburgh City or whoever, and then seeing off the bottom SPFL club over two-legs. Who interestingly, at present, happen to be Elgin City!

It seems to be mandatory and conducted on an annual basis. Levels awarded can go down as well as up - reviewed on an annual basis. From 2016/17 clubs that aren't at least at 'entry-level' will be refused entry into the Scottish Cup. At present, the highest 'casualty' would be Cove Rangers, as their ground fails on a number of criteria - although they're not throwing any money at rectifying it as they're seeking to relocate. With the introduction of the prospect of relegation from SPFL League Two, many of the clubs at the bottom end of Scottish football are getting a real wake up call from their decades of living in a comfort zone! I haven't read all the documents but they're on the SFA website. http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_document_libraries.cfm?page=2570

Jason Oswell scored today, for Newtown, against Rhyl in the Welsh Premier.

Also out of interest, how's his name pronounced? Is it Sek - aye - ah or Sek - adj - ah ??

Here's Prediction 2 Three games still to be played and only two wrong so far this round. Credit where credit's due! 13 / 16 is a very creditable return! You 'trumped' me (as my bank manager will discover on Monday morning)! I got 12 for that round. Just looked back at your 1st Round return 15/18 = 83%. This round, 13/16 = 81% Would it be fair to assume the percentage score would be expected to get lower as the rounds progress? Maybe 75% next time (12/16).... Round 3 if you're interested!