ALSY

Good to see that home match ticket holders will be admitted as well as season ticket holders.

Nothing new really, tbh, and nothing about specific players, but good to hear TB sounding as positive as ever. He pointed out that he is so far unbeaten against the old firm as ICT manager - only one game against each, mind, but not a bad wee record for the players to defend on Saturday. Nice to hear Roddy Forsyth praising our run in to the first division title too.

5 Live is just beginning its SPL preview - will be on from 9.30-10.30. Apparently Butcher is one of the guests.

The league cup final (or Skol Cup, as it was known then) in 1987 - Rangers 3, Aberdeen 3, with Rangers winning on penalties after Peter Nicholas missed for Aberdeen. This was the game in which Davie Cooper scored the famous thunderbolt freekick - and I was right behind it, in the Aberdeen end. I was 14 and Aberdeen were my 'big' team, so I was gutted at the time, but looking back, it was a remarkable game and both teams contained much more talent and flair then their current equivalents.

Steven Davis or Andy Webster (if he's over his injury problems) were the first two neames that sprung to mind. Lee Wallace at Hearts is also a very good player, although hopefully Gillet will solve our shortages at left back.

So why don't you "away" guys make an effort and come to a home game? Largely for the same reasons that we don't see any more than about 5% the 3,000 regular home supporters at most away games - financial cost, work commitments, family commitments, the sheer amount of time that has to be expended on travel. Very few people can give up every weekend to football. You must realise that the main reason there are 'away' supporters who don't attend many home games is that the away matches are much more accessible for most of these supporters, who tend to live in the central belt or (in IHE's case) in England. The sneering tone of your comment 'make an effort' is not justified.

Ideally I'd like Hayes to be fit enough to start, but assuming he isn't, I can't think of a better situation for Ross to make his SPL debut in. The players won't be under the same pressure that they might be under nine or ten games into the season if things aren't going well - ICT will be underdogs for this game and if they fail to win, it won't be (or at least, certainly shouldn't be) seen as a disaster or a portent of a bad season to come. Also, no-one will really exepct Ross to dominate in a game against Celtic, and if he fails to make much of an impact it won't necessarily be taken as evidence that he can't cut it at this level, whereas it might be if he failed to perform in a game against St Mirren or Killie. On the other hand, if he does do well against Celtic, it should give both him and the team more confidence for the season ahead.

Nah, this isn't the case. I've just bought mine over the phone - managed to get one towards the back of Section G, which suggests there are still a fair few available.

Emailed with that question this morning but haven't heard anything back yet. I think I might just do that...

Haven't seen any of the pre-season games so I don't feel equipped to suggest a full team. I do think we'll need Duncan's dig and experience in one of the central midfield slots, however, and I think Hayes should be played wide right rather than wide left, especially if that means he is going to be playing directly against Charlie Mulgrew, an absolute clownshoe of a player.

Not a bad first touch, but very one-footed and a bit lightweight - tended not to get involved much in games that were quite physical in nature. I don't know what the standard is in your league compared to SFL 1, but he couldn't get back into our team for the last two-thirds of the season. Good luck for the season.

My head works a little better sober. Also, if I don't have five pints beforehand, I won't miss half the match by having to nip out for a pish every 10 minutes. I could, of course, borrow your sporran as a surrogate urinal, but it would need quite a sizeable capacity...

Have a greeny, sir. Maybe a seaweed sorbet, using seasonal bladder wrack sourced right on the doorstep, for dessert?

I've always avoided volunteering for this because I usually have too many pints before a match, but I could do the Dundee Utd game if you need someone for that - I'm working the next day so will have to stay sober. I'll let you know about future games.

Vigurs sent off for an elbow in the County game. Heh. Edited to add: crowd at Inverness 1099. 10 man County go ahead - Barrowman.

3-0 now. All sounds a bit scrappy, but a solid start to the season - no need to p*ss about with replays.

1-0 Cox

Ah. Cheers, captain.

According to Charles Bannerman on BBC - Esson McCann Tokely Golabek Blumenshtein - and he didn't mention anyone else! Very uncharacteristic for a completist like Charles... Decent way to celebrate my birthday - a couple of beers and the first competitive game of the season on the radio.

Long season ahead. I suspect the depth of squad Lennon is building will enable Celtic to win the SPL. If he they don't, given how thin the current Rangers squad is, then he really will have made an @rse of his attempt at management. In the meantime, here is a wee tribute to the scorer of the opening goal for Braga...

In that case, though, why risk him wide right, as you have him in your original post? I don't remember him making too many effective crosses in any games I've seen him in. FWIW I think he came on to a wee bit of a game in the "hole" towards the end of last season, although I still prefer Sanchez there for his passing ability. Having said that, I've not seen any pre-season games, so I don't really know who I'd play in the wide positions with Hayes and Foran out.

I think it will be tough for Saints, but Killie have been pretty poor for a couple of seasons now, probably can't afford to strengthen in January if they are near the bottom, and have exchanged a manager who has a decent record in the SPL for one who struggled badly last time he had the chance. Added to that, there's a good chance they will lose Craig Bryson, probably their best player. Maybe I've underestimated Mixu and maybe they'll see a bounce under him, but I could see them going down.

No pangs of conscience about predicting your old team will go down?...

Some nice photos there, DD - whets the appetite for the new season's away days.

C & P from the 'Confidence...' thread: Celtic Rangers Dundee Utd Hibs Hearts Motherwell Hamilton St Johnstone ICT Aberdeen St Mirren Kilmarnock