Sneckboy

Still a small sample size with 19 votes in but at present the average points forecast is 8. Most picked is 7 and the mid-range is also 7. Can't beat a bit of Tuesday afternoon mean, median and mode calculations! As an experiment, it'll be interesting to see if the 'wisdom of crowds' theory holds 'true' for this. The premise being that if a large enough sample predict an outcome, whether it be weight, number, distance etc then by taking the average 'guess', you'd get very close to the actual value.

4 points

Darren Mackie was at Phoenix, but again not MLS.

Just realised Shinnie's suspended for the visit of Aberdeen on Friday. A pity, but Tremarco will resume at left back with maybe Williams slotting in to left midfield. He'll be keen to face the Dons again after his cracking winner at Pittodrie, coupled with fact he missed out on facing them in the league Cup final. What'll be interesting is who Yogi gives the captains arm-band to, in the absence of Foran and Shinnie. I predict Warren....or perhaps big Draper!

Oh, I get it now...! I didn't appreciate the quirky significance until I also read it in the paper! When you posted it, Ten4, I thought you'd maybe been on the sauce early doors! I looked at a few recent cup finals and noticed that in 2012 the final was on the 19th and Skacel scored for Hearts as no.19. The year before, 2011, the final was on the 21st and Mulgrew scored for Celtic as no.21. I just thought, blimey, this happens all the time! But it's the 'MAY' part I overlooked! 17th May final and May is no.17!

It wouldn't surprise me if he did score in what will likely be his final appearance for St. Johnstone. It'll be interesting to see which clubs come in for him in the summer.

And they have now!

A more up-to-date version. http://splstats.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/european-spots-201314/

Ah, Mahonio! You've come Brora-ing back to life!

Here's another FACT - let alone the whole team, none of their players were playing SPL last year!

Point taken and accepted, Scotty.

Interesting take on the article. In my view the judge didn't see it that way. Is this the same incident that saw Richie 'hiding under a car'? Anyway, I've just read the article and am certain the wording includes that Mr Foran "admitted that he behaved in a threatening and abusive manner in Inglis Street". We'll all have different takes on it, but court matters should be off limits for discussion. It's totally unwise to discuss court matters on football forums! It's non-football related and potentially libellous. Starting a thread relating to potential criminal behaviour by one of our players is out of order, in my view.

Gary Wales at Hearts!? Here's a cheeky one - Petr Cech is also Czech!

Wales used to be managed by Mike England! Alan Brazil played against Brazil, I think. Jason Scotland...played in that country...but I can't think of any that fit your ctiteria. Where's Renegade?!

Just reading that Rory McAllister was awarded with the SPFL player of the month for March. With 'divisional' awards being scrapped, there's only one award given each month throughout the 4 leagues and Rory's the first player outwith the Premiership to get the award. The winners list now reads: Richie Foran Billy McKay Stevie May Andrew Robertson Kris Commons Fraser Forster Adam Rooney Rory McAllister His scoring record has been terrific since leaving us with 124 goals in 5 seasons in League One/League Two. Brechin City 80 games, 51 goals Peterhead 109 games, 73 goals With a record like that, and at only 26 years old, he could probably do a job for a Championship club, but he seems to want to remain part-time and continue living in the north-east as he pursues a career in plumbing.

He seems to be back in New Zealand, playing in the 2nd tier for a team called Mosgiel AFC. He's probably still only about 17 or so.

I guess we've got to get used to long posts from DD now that he's retired...(!)...and, I feckin' love 'em!

As Alex says, 2nd or 3rd would do it, but that's almost certainly beyond us now. But your scenarios for 4th place are spot on. I can't think of any other possible circumstances barring some unlikely UEFA Fair Play allocation. Just checked the Fair Play situation and Scotland are 9th with only the top 3 associations getting a club in, so that's gone!

Mantis, have you any inkling who the 7 'mystery' teams are that have reportedly indicated they're wanting to (or have indeed applied to) join the Lowland League? Curious as to whether any of them are from the Juniors?!

I think Murrayfield Stadium is laying a hybrid pitch. I'm not even sure what that is! It obviously (I assume) won't 'cut up', but I can't imagine seeing a rugby pitch in pristine condition at the end of a game with the players' kits looking like something out of a Persil advert! I still prefer traditional grass. One thing that can be an irritant, to me, are synthetic pitches that cater for a variety of sports but have the different lines permanently drawn!

Strangely, Highland rugby club are playing a final down there later this month!

Still nothing from Mahonio?! He must be working. To be fair, he'll be glued to the Davis Cup on TV, but I'm sure he'll send in a 'selfie' later on....of his face. Covered in egg!!!! Anyway, interesting point, Dougal, about Brora wanting to take a stranglehold of the Highland League. I wonder if they, or any other club, are 'allowed' to renege on their play-off and pass it on to the runners-up (and so on). Or would Spartans (for example) go straight-through to play the bottom league team? I would love for Brora to make the Scottish League - the central-belters wouldn't be quite so enamoured!

Championship Dougie Imrie (Morton 2-0 Livingston) League One Ben Greenhalgh (Stenhousemuir 2-2 Arbroath) [He's still our player!!] League Two Dennis Wyness (Elgin City 1-1 Queen’s Park) Rory McAllister TWO GOALS (Peterhead 4-0 Montrose) Highland League Cup Quarter-finals Struan Scott-Woodhouse (Clachnacuddin 7-0 Rothes) Martin Bavidge (Inverurie Loco Works 5-2 Nairn County) Highland League Ross Tokely (Keith 0-3 Brora Rangers) English League Two Sam Winnall (penalty) (Torquay United 0-1 Scunthorpe United)

Well done to Brora on winning the league yesterday! Yes, they've 'spent big' but a first Highland League title in their 135 year history is still noteworthy. If they can repeat the success next season, they'd now find themselves preparing for a game against the Lowland League champions for the right to challenge the bottom SPFL team for their league place. As things stand, it would be Brora v. Spartans, with the winner taking on Queen's Park. I'm sure Formartine, Cove and even Nairn, amongst others, will be throwing money at improving their squads for the next campaign. Interestingly, it's been reported that 7 clubs (un-named) have applied to the Lowland League for 4 places to take their numbers up to 16 for next season. The days of teams living a comfortable existence in the bottom league of Scottish football are drawing to a close!

Great result tonight. A combination of style and determination. As Hughes stated in his post-match interview, it 'buys time'. But was that a Freudian slip? Whatever, Europe is still on! Watching it back now, and have just seen the Tremarco tackle! That's a straight red all day long! I know some posters have already said a yellow was correct. But if that had been Kris Commons lunging into Graeme Shinnie, I doubt many would have agreed that a yellow 'was suffice'! I do rate Tremarco as a footballer, but he's a bit of a liability. However, he got away with it. We can now have a break and regroup, with a European assault in the 'split'!