Rasczak

During warm up I can see Gavin Morrison and Gary Warren.

If the phone works then I'll try and send some updates

Well there was a double page spread advert in the Sun* on Friday for Sky Sports, with three big pictures of sport that is on offer, one of those being for Scottish Premier League. If they are advertising in the paper's that SPL is available in their sports package they must then provide it or there should be consequences. *It was in the chip shop when I was waiting for my order.

I thought it was nice that the Coventry fans who came up were invited in after the game. Had a good chat with the ones who were at our table, I didn't get their names, and they said they had adopted ICT, one had bought a top as well. Fiona Hogg has size twelve feet, Aaron Doran is the joker in the dressing room and Richie Foran is in charge of everything except Terry Butcher's wardrobe.

Well you got the base design for the home instead, maybe they will do this for away next year

The prices on the tickets I got with the hospitality package were £10 for the adult and £0 (zero) for the kid, so they are charging just a fiver for the hospitality. That's main stand, whether they are using the North Stand I don't know.

Just been perusing the Coventry City site to get some info before the friendly on the 21st, got the hospitality tickets bought, and came across this http://www.ccfc.co.u...2831910,00.html

Can't disagree. Even though the rules *allow* the SFL, board or otherwise, to create the dilemma, they don't *force* them to do so. If they just follow the custom and practice then no problem.

Precedent from when Livingston, and I think Gretna, were relegated to Division 3 is that the play-off runners up are promoted.

And that seems to be what is happening http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/18727333 Apparently there is according to the statement on the Clyde website http://www.clydefc.c...012/07/04/4137/

Sorry mate but I have to disagree there. Stenhousemuir have made a statement, in colloberation with Doncaster, Regan, Longmuir and Co, based on a totally worst case scenario, in an attempt to find a way of saving a dead club. I was thinking something similar, they have just regurgitated the speculation of Doncaster et al and claimed it as fact. As I understand it, the clauses were put in place so that that the sponsors/TV could break the contract should the OF leave the SPL, to put minds at rest when they were talking about going to England or the "Atlantic League", in effect to stop them doing this. What we don't know is the exact wording of these clauses and how they could be interpreted. If the wording is, "if Rangers or Celtic leave the SPL", then it could be argued that this means if they themselves take the decision to leave, ie resign from the league, then the clauses could be invoked. Rangers did not resign, they have lost their share as they are no longer eligible, so the argument is that the clauses could not be invoked. On the other hand if it says, "if Rangers or Celtic are not in the SPL", this would mean the clauses could be invoked, however it leads to the thought that whoever wrote those contracts either didn't believe there was any way that either of the OF could go out of business or be relegated, or believed that if such a thing happened then the rules would be changed to make sure they stayed. That smacks to me of either incompetence or corruption. Exactly, too many people are claiming as fact what is just supposition. I could easily claim that without Rangers in the SPL then it will be guaranteed to be more competitive, have more entertainment and so increase attendances 3 fold as, much as there was in the 80's when there were higher attendances, people won't be seeing the same boring procession to the title so actually improving clubs' bank balances. This may then have the TV companies and sponsors fighting each other to put money into the game as well Now my instinct is that this is not implausible, though maybe a little exaggerated, but others have done that too, however I just don't know that this is the case much as I may like it to be, That I didn't know but it makes sense. Another interesting one is that according to the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/18707522, "Cowdenbeath, whose chairman Donald Findlay QC is a former Rangers vice chairmain, said they would support Rangers' application to join the SFL, but only if the Ibrox club entered the Third Division."

Fair point on just cutting 9 clubs adrift to find other leagues in one season, a five year plan to reduce the total of senior clubs whilst allowing others in does seem to me a good idea. I was just thinking we need to strike while the iron's hot, but I suppose what we need is to have the foundations laid now we have the chance and make sure we do it right. Are you working along the lines of one or two clubs relegated to regional leagues in the first year and then 1 more relegated than promoted from regional over the next few years, to get the right number, re-aligning the divisions as needed. My thinking behind the playoff arrangement I suggested was that it would involve more teams and keep the season alive, but also ensuring the best chance of promotion being available as of the two higher league teams in the playoffs, at least one would be relegated. It may not be the simplest way, I do like the SFL playoffs as it is obvious what places are being played for, but is not overly complex either.

Fair point, and maybe 9 is too many to lose maybe the second league could be 18 or 20 so losing 7 or 5. Under the scenario I envisaged there are 30 SFL clubs 11 SPL clubs in season 2012/13 for a total of 41 clubs. 41 - 9 = 32 And so having 48 total senior clubs, giving 7 an opportunity to get in that season ? Well it gives newco the chance to get in should they get a years suspension, but can 48 senior teams be supported, (no pun intended) ? What do you say to the idea for playoffs for top league champions and Europe ? I did think it would be one of my more controversial ideas, but I based it on the NFL playoffs in American football, and that seems to work going by how well they can promote the Super Bowl. I think we are in broad agreement though, in that we need; Bigger leagues. Playoffs for promotion/relegation in addition to automatic places for all leagues. Relegation from the bottom tier to, and promotion from regional leagues. Expanded League Cup with starting with a group stage. It is the details of how these are achieved that needs some work, and that certainly wouldn't be in place for 2012/13 as some media outlets have been touting. The current situation does give an ideal opportunity to begin the process though.

I see where you are coming from, but under this system the worst they can be is 3rd* and so would still get a European place so it wouldn't be for nothing. *Winners and runners up are obvious, for those knocked out each round then the higher original league position decides final places between the 2 knocked out that round. So as the league toppers get a bye to the second play off round then 5th and 6th already decided, as they must be the higher of the 2 knocked out if they lose then they are 3rd

Please bear with me as this is a long post but I think it gives some points to ponder. With all the uncertainty over what is happening in Scottish football at the moment, surely this is the time to take the bull by the horns and sort out some re-organisation of the leagues while we are going to be in a state of flux anyway. Now my take on the Rangers thing is that it now appears likely that the newco is not going to have its application to have the oldco share transferred, however everyone appears to think that this immediately means that and SFL club would be promoted and leave a space in the SFL for newco to apply for. Does that necessarily have to be the case ? Indeed has not John Yorkston said that Dunfermline and possibly Dundee/Falkirk, having set up for Div1 football next season, may not be able to play SPL. Also with the SFA appeal board reconsidering the case of oldco bringing the game into disrepute, one option they have is to suspend or expel the club. If the newco are looking to hang onto the history then they surely have to take the consequences so they may not even be able to apply for SFL should there be a vacancy. With that in mind I have thought up a grand plan for the future of the Scottish League system, some points of which have likely been mentioned in various places already I admit. This would take the above points that no-one is promoted from SFL to SPL for season 2012/13 and that the result of the SPF appeal tribunal is a 1 year suspension for Rangers that prevents newco applying for SFL. Season 2012/13 played in SFL as currently, SPL play as 11 teams with Club 12 games being bye weeks At the end of this season, the bottom 9 clubs in SFL Div 3 2012/13 relegated to regional leagues, ie Highland League, South of Scotland league, RFC Newco can apply to join a regional league for 2013/14. 2013/14 season; Amalgamate SPL and SFL 2 Leagues of 16 Top league previous years SPL plus top 5 from SFL Div 1 Second league is other 5 Teams from SFL Div 1, all of SFL Div 2 and winner of SFL Div 3 Top League; All teams play twice home and away Champions:- Top 6 teams after 30 games have play offs to decide Champion and other European places 6th play 3rd home and away 5th plays 4th home and away Lower placed team remaining plays 1st home and away Higher placed team remaining plays 2nd home and away Winners play in league final at neutral ground Relegation:- Bottom club relegated to second league Top 2 clubs from second league promoted 14 and 15th in top league go into play off with 3rd to 6th in second league as for top league champions. Winner of playoffs goes in top league next season, others in second league. Second League; Promotion:- As per relegation for top league Relegation:- Bottom club relegated to relevant regional league Top club from each of 2 regional leagues promoted 14 and 15th in second league go into home and away playoffs with 2nd in each of 2 regional leagues, playoffs winner goes into second league. Regional leagues may need to be realigned to place teams in correct area. Regional round robin League Cup League cup to have North, South, East and West sections and each to draw 2 round robins of 4 clubs to play home and away. Winners of each round robin goes into knockout draw. Each team in each league therefore gets 15 home league games and 3 home League cup guaranteed. Potential for 1 or 2 more home games for those teams in playoff positions. Now I know that this may mean a few less home games for those teams in places 7 to 13 however as the league may be more competitive it may increase attendances at games to overcome this. The larger league also reduces the fear of relegation, so games are played to be won rather than not to be lost, increasing entertainment. Many on here have said that lack of entertainment is one reason for dropping attendances. I don't expect everyone to agree to all of this, one of my work colleagues has already said to me he doesn't like the play-offs for the top league winner as it means sixth place 20 points down could be champions, but I think it brings an element of the season will always go to the end rather than be settled 5 or six weeks early. I'll leave the debate on distribution of TV/League sponsorship money to one side just now, suffice to say that it should not be heavily weighted towards one or two teams.

Interesting news from the SFA. They are considering a new National Football League [1], to replace the SFL and SPL. http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/17733762 I like the quote at the end, "An invitation could be sent to all 42 clubs," he said. "If two or three don't want to come and join the new set up then that is up them." I wonder who the 2 or 3 could be ? [1] Not to be confused with American Football, though I do like the American system of recruiting players, where the team finishing last in any season gets, in general, some trades are made, the 1st pick of the new players coming through and so there is less dominance by bigger teams.

Just watching the Interview with Alan Thompson, and he seems just as big a spherical object container. He's happy to take the benefit of the doubt for Hooper's goal but then says decisions cost them. If it hadn't been for that decision helping them, the Hearts penalty would be irrelevant.

Does he believe the assistant who let the Celtic goal stand despite Hooper being offside has something personal against Paulo Sergio ?

Exactly what I was thinking Rasczack. ICT won the 2010 title because Dundee failed to produce the goods on a midweek night that ICT weren't playing. As it happens the ICT players had arranged a wee night out in the Chieftain anyway... and it turned into a somewhat bigger night! So do you know where the Ross County guys are tonight ?

With results today it throws up an interesting situation. If Dundee fail to win their midweek game, the title is won without the champions playing, going on to celebrate that title with an away game at Ayr United. Sound familiar ?

So what is the formation. I've been trying to work it out since I saw the lineups on the BBC site. Best guess is either 4-4-2 with Tade and McKay up front, or 4-5-1 with Shinnie and Tade on the wings and Johnny Hayes with just behind McKay in a, dare I say it, Messi type role ? Just seen that ESPN reckon 4-4-2

With regards to the cost of installation, it is my understanding that with the type of "seats" being talked about that you actually get more standing capacity than sitting capacity. For a section of 40 seats when in the sitting configuration, (as would be needed for UEFA competitions ), you would be able to have maybe 72 standing spaces. Figures taken from http://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/the-case-for-safe-standing/case-for-3 With that in mind if there was to be an extra set-up fee for the first season ticket in that area then it may not need to be the full cost of the installation. Alternatively there could be 2 ticket options, pay £100 extra on the first season, and possibly a bit more subsequently, and you get the seat when in that configuration, or have no set-up cost, possibly cheaper ticket, but you don't get a spot for all seated games. Of course you would have to take walk ups who want to stand into the figures, but it might give more leeway on the costs.

Am I right in thinking as well that Majstorovic's red can be appealed but that Williams' can't as it was two yellows and the yellows themselves can't be appealed ? Something that did occur to me though when listening to the game is that this was the first time this season we had a numerical advantage over the opposition, albeit not for very long. Surely that first penalty is not far away

Three in the first game against Hibs and 2 against Rangers at Ibrox spring immediately to mind, I'm sure that others will come up with a few more. Of course if we do actually ever get one, do you think it would be worth practising this ?