ALSY

Feckin Barrowman...

Radio Scotland - 94.0FM or Radio Nan Ghaidael(usually on the saturdays) dont know the frequency for it as i usually have it on either Sky or Freeview For weeknight Sportsound programmes the BBC Scotland frequencies split: Sportsound is always on 810 MW while the FM frequency stays with the regular music programmes. Sportsound is definitely scheduled for 6.10-10 pm tonight on 810 MW, but I don't know if it'll have open all mics or not.

Yup, I think you're right. I also think, barring an unbelieveable collapse this season, that Smith would have to want to step aside: can't really see the Rangers support believing that Souness would better a better option, especially when he's unlikely to have an open chequebook to play with. Then again, there's nothing like a new regime for making cretinous football decisions, especially if the investors have a particular interest in one person...

This is almost certainly complete horses***, but I thought I'd stick it in anyway, as it purports to come from a source within Ibrox and because I'm bored and looking for responses... Apparently, according to one the current Rangers under-19 team, if the new Willis-backed consortium buys out David Murray, their preferred management team would be Souness with Butcher and Stuart McCall as backroom staff. There are so many what ifs about this that it is barely worthy of webspace; especially because about the last person to have any real idea of what might be going on at the top levels at Ibrox would be a youth player. All the same, you can understand why a new administration would see the appeal of having Butcher as part of the set-up.

Don't know what it says about my taste in football grounds, but Ayr is among my favourites. I also love Cliftonhill, but that is partially nostalgia as I saw my first ICT game there back in '96-'97. Nothing against the clubs, but I really dislike Hamilton's ground, and also Falkirk's. They're too functional and lacking in any real character (especially compared to Brockville in Falkirk's case) I'm sure they'd level the same accusation at TCS. For atmosphere and decent nearby pubs, the two Edinburgh grounds win it for me though: Tynecastle is probably the better of the two.

Over the piece we were easily the better team today and Dundee should feel lucky to get a point out of that. We caused our own undoing to some extent, though: Harkins may have got lucky with the deflection for the second, but he was given a ridiculous amount of time and space to take the ball in and compose himself for a shot. Some people around me were saying Esson was at fault for the first, but to me it just looked like a tremendous shot from Kerr; I'd need to see it again. The first half hour or so was fairly uneventful, apart from a good tip over the bar from Esson, but after that we took control and created far more chances. Foran showed far more intelligence and vision in his play than anyone else on the pitch and Rooney ran himself into the ground up front. Hayes also came onto a good game and showed a little more subtlety in his use of the ball today than I've seen before. Eric stuggled to get into the game for a long spell, but he did start to make a few effective contributions towards the end of the first half and had a hand in the first goal at the start of the second. Duncan also played well. I think we've got to start preparing ourselves mentally for the possibility of County winning the league, though: we've just done them a big favour, they keep grinding out the results and Dundee looked nothing special today. :)

Just about to piece the two halves of my skull together and head off to this one. I really hope the team make it worth it, because I have a horrible feeling I'm going to spew my ring trying to walk up the Hilltown...

Vetle Anderson

That would Miss Macdonald, aka "Sergeant Major". I was never taught by her, but I believe her bark was worse than her bite. The belt was abolished when I was in P7, however, so perhaps her mellowing was enforced. Re. the bible in one hand, that was standard for Crown; in fact, I'm surprised there weren't pictures of Calvin on every classroom wall.

I have just read this and it is an absolutely excellent overview of the history of Inverness. I was interested to see the dates quoted for the construction of the castle as 1834-46. The date I had been familiar with is 1836 which would have just made it pre Victorian but this suggests that Inverness Castle is, in fact, a Victorian Folly. I note that the prison etc inside the grounds to which I referred earlier also seems to date from that period. I don't know if you are aware but you have split hairs with brilliant accuracy in referring to "Inverness Academy" as having been founded in 1792 because the school was indeed founded in that year under that name and did not acquire its "Royal" tag until 1793. It is regarded as the natural successor of the 16th century Grammar School which began life in Bank Lane which was hence known as School Vennel and then moved to Dunbar's Hospital where it was attended for maths lessons by Major (later General) Wolfe who was on Cumberland's staff at Culloden and who in 1759 captured Quebec from the French during the Seven Years War. The Grammar School was itself a successor of the Monastic School in Friars Street which was founded in the 1230s. Hence Inverness Royal Academy today represents an educational tradition of almost 800 years in the Highland Captial. So get it right up yiz all youse Tecky and Millburn Junior Secondary plebs and even worse all youse Johnny Come Latelies from Charleston and Culloden! (Note - until the first half of the 20th century the most reliable means of getting into Inverness Royal Academy was to have well heeled parents who could pay your way in irrespective of brainpower! The school made a transition into comprehensive status like the rest between 1973 and 1980. :) ) Can I conclude by pointing out one small error in an otherwise admirable tract. You quote the population of Inverness as 12,509 at the 1861 Census. It was actually 12,510. You appear top have omitted Caley100. :D :D :D Thank you Mr B! Generous praise for a Millburn pleb (albeit from the comprehensive era). It's been a while so I can't be sure, but I assume the omission on the "Royal" was conscious, although I'm not sure I realised the school gained the title so soon after its foundation. Interesting to hear that Wolfe had attended classes in Inverness: we were taught about him at Crown Primary (perhaps partly because of the Inverness connection) but the only three facts I have retained over the subsequent 25 or so years are that he had bright red hair, no chin and scaled the Heights of Abraham. Strange what the mind deems worthy of keeping...

When you click on either of those links then click on the 1867 OS town plan for Inverness, there's a button at the bottom for "Background Information" which gives you an overview of the town in the 19th century. I mention this purely because it's a fascinating and enlightening read, and not at all because it was me who wrote it while working in the NLS back in 2002. I'm sure Charles will be able to correct me on anything I got wrong. I did the background stuff for about 1/3 of the 19th century OS plans on that site. As a result, I still know more about 19th century Elgin than anyone would ever need or care to know...

You're just trying to be controversial. The booing doesn't really help does it? It's interesting how you don't hear booing at the away matches. Perhaps this is a factor as to why the team perfoms better. You missed the hysterical @rsehole that was at the Killie cup game screaming foam-lipped, bug-eyed abuse at just about every touch from an ICT player. Apart from cretins like that, I tend not to condemn people for booing although I don't join in, but I can't help thinking it must usually be counter-productive - especially early on this season when it was a largely new team still finding its feet in a new league. Surely it's better to reserve booing so it makes a real impact on occasions when it's really warranted, such as, for example, during some of the performances around November-January 2008-09?

I was all set to accept I couldn't go - friend's wedding reception the night before, too much work to do over the weekend and no-one going from the usual crowd I travel with. Then I got a call last night from an occasional supporter who wants to go and now I'm in a dilemma. The trouble is, I kind of feel guilty when I miss an away game I could have made, even if I've got a decent reason for not going. Mug. Anyway, I'll decide on Saturday morning. Going to get the 12.41 if I go, though, and try to avoid the usual drunken shenanigans.

Ah. Thank you.

The radio were announcing it as McFadden last night. Has he had to drop out for some reason or is there an inconsistency in reporting?

But things run their courses. And it's not just that, the way this formation works is that at times Rooney's lost up front on his own and Foran isn't nearly as effective out on the wing. Go for the straight 4-4-2 and see how it goes. I remember thinking that last season and wishing Butcher would play him further forward, which, in the end, he did. As far as I recall, though, when Foran played up front earlier this season there was far too much of a tendency to resort to long ball pish and just assume that Foran would get on the end of everything. I think the team as a whole has been more effective since Foran's been on the wing. I take your point about Rooney sometimes looking isolated in the current system, but he's still doing his job fairly well. I'm not convinced the 4-2-3-1 has run its course yet; I'd be inclined to give Saturday's line-up another chance and hope the defence does its job a little better tomorrow.

Can't help thinking that any food served in the Norseman will be of the 'basic' variety...

Have a dram and chill mun Exactly. The SPL's pish anyway. And if we're staying down in the SFL we might as well give Ayr a helping hand to stay up, as it's a far preferable day out to Airdrie...

I agree completely, Don. He's been our most genuinely creative player this season (if not always the most effective) and, with that vision you refer to, has opened up attacks for us frequently in the dozen or so times I've seen him. Some people just can't seem to see any good in the guy: I can understand why they get frustrated with his profligate finishing, but to say he contributes nothing, as I've seen a few posters write? That seems very unfair, unless he's a completely different player at home than he is away from home. Mind you, what do I know? I also rate Duncan... :D

Almost certainly, unless any unforeseen problems with work come up. Glad to hear you're going - Arbroathawayday can't make it and I'd assumed none of the Edinburgh contingent would make it either. Meet up in Glasgow beforehand? Sounds like a plan. I'll phone you on Monday night to confirm. Is the nearest station to the ground is Gartsdyke? Cartsdyke, aye. Speak to you Monday.

Couldn't have gone a bit earlier could you :D It half worked! Frustrating score. On the basis of that there's no problem with the attitude but league-winning quality just isn't quite there.

I'm off to Morrison's. We play far better when I'm nowhere near the computer.

Jesus. Leave the room for half an hour and another three goals go in. Great to come back a first time, but can we do it again? That would be Pele-esque.

County one down. Go the wee Jags.

Oh no.