Kingsmills

I entirely agree. When Scotland had two large national leagues the national team were constantly successful and competitive. Ever since the introduction of ten or twelve team divisions the number and quality of youngsters being brought through has diminished to the detriment of both the clubs and the national team. Reconstruction is sensible and long overdue. Unfortunately, however greed and narrow self interest means it's unlikely to happen.

You don't seem to have grasped the reality of the situation. In normal times, of course developing youth should be a priority but these are very far from normal times and it is likely to take every penny we can muster just to get a first team squad capable of completing the season and, with any luck, being competitive. Even on the figures you quote, which are highly dubious, you are suggesting that we have a turnover in the region of three and a half million pounds. This season it is most unlikely to be even half of that. Our single focus right now is to survive and, hopefully having done that, we can focus on other things that may be desirable but not essential.

The provisional date for reopening sports stadiums with fans, albeit in limited numbers, has today been announced as 14th September. Every chance that at least some of us will be able to cheer the team to the 2020/21 Championship title.

Given that the litigation was relatively short lived and the arbitration concluded swiftly, I would expect the legal expenses of each of the parties to be in the tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands. The arbitration has been continued to allow the matter of expenses to be settled. Given that the SFA were largely successful and Hearts and Partick largely unsuccessful, the clubs are likely to have to pay the association's expenses as well as their own and possibly any expenses separately incurred by Dundee United, Raith and Cove Rangers who they were trying to deprive of promotion. Sensible compromise and league reconstruction, even on a single season basis and all this could have been avoided but insular self interest won the day as always leaving some losers and very few winners. It seems that Scottish football never learns from past errors.

Aye. Social distancing between the respective boards should not be too difficult to enforce!

The league will almost certainly start as planned. Whether there will be fans in attendance is probably about 50/50 at the moment I would suggest. I think that there may be some sort of compromise initially allowing home fans only with a maximum attendance, to begin with of perhaps 1,200 to 1,500 utilising the South Stand for home fans as well as the wee West Stand. All is dependent on the level of virus circulating remaining at or below the current level. I would also anticipate a ban on singing or chanting so business as usual in the Main Stand 😁

Thank you. Another small step on the road to some semblance of normality. It will be good to be able to start talking about the game again instead of all the off field politics surrounding it.

Not just could do without but, almost certainly, simply can't afford.

Remember that last season's tournament, in which we still have a very healthy interest, is still to be concluded. The 'Caramel Wafer Cup' will have a very low priority and, if the tournament takes place at all this season, I expect that it will be very much scaled back with only the 30 clubs forming the Championship, First and Second Divisions with the possible addition of Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts.

I agree. It has been running for years now and there is no evidence that it is any more successful in developing young players than what preceded it. If anything, the contrary seems to be the case.

Why would we sign players right now when we would have to pay them money we don't have to sit at home doing nothing ? There will be an unprecedented number of players out of contract so recruiting will be easier than normal and I am certain that informal approaches and tentative offers will have already been made.

These are unprecedented times which call for unprecedented measures. There will, of course, be parents who simply can't afford to pay but those who can should and those in the fortunate position of being able to pay a little more should consider doing so. Without out Academy the future could be quite bleak. If any fans group wants to coordinate voluntary payments, I will happily chip in a tenner a week and am sure there will be others on here who would be prepared to do likewise.

Very true but I don't think that too many ICT fans would object to having a 'sugar daddy' as consistently generous with his financial support.

Which is why increasing the size of both the Premiership and Championship at least for one season was the fair and obvious solution that the selfish club chairmen who's own clubs would not benefit, but neither would they be Prejudiced, moronically refused to vote for.

I was sadly hundreds of miles away on a holiday pre booked long before for both the first and second legs and could not persuade, cajole or bribe Mrs Kingsmills to change our plans. Should the opportunity arises again before I am too old and feeble, I will be there come hell or high water.

I am not convinced that, good as consistent as Ridgers is, that goalkeeper is ever the best position for onfield captain. If Doran is up for it I would be inclined to hand him the armband.

Entirely agree. It would have been one thing if we offered him a new contract on reduced terms and he refused but I remain bemused that, by all accounts, we didn't even consider him worth making the offer.

For those not wishing Carl well, I ask them what they would do if they were sacked by their employer and were offered employment at an even higher level by the only other similar employer in the area that didn't necessitate moving yourself and your young family ? Good luck Carl and thanks for your efforts and loyalty over the years.

Absolutely it was the obvious and sensible solution which would have Prejudiced no one. None of the clubs have, thus far, given any plausible or convincing explanation of why they voted against it. If it had been voted through the wrangling would be over, no club would have been relegated, a number including our own, promoted on the merits of their achievements last season and we could all now be looking forward to the new season with a far greater degree of certainty.

I am on record here as saying that the court action was ill advised and would fail. I would not necessarily blame the lawyers as I am reasonably sure that they would have given similar advice and would have been acting on the specific instructions of the clubs. That does not alter my view that, with the need to bring the Scottish football community back together rather than drive it further apart, the jobsworth actions of the SFA is equally ill considered and even more badly timed.

I am saddened but, given their track record, not shocked that the SFA have brought disciplinary action against Hearts and Partick for bringing court action. The matter has been referred to independent arbitration which is much better facilitated with at least some element of goodwill on each side. This action and the timing of it is simply wrong headed, ill advised and vindictive. We are unfortunately used to idiotic actions on the part of our football authorities but the idiot or idiots responsible for this action at this time should simply resign. Not good enough. The clubs, the players and most importantly, the fans need and deserve better.

Some of us anticipated as much.😁

With the Championship not starting until October, I would expect that to be extended. However, with so many players out of contract and therefore able to sign at any time, the transfer window is almost irrelevant this season.

Absolutely but let us hope that discussions are going on right now with players and their agents with arrangements to bring some on board in late August for pre season training rather than scrambling about for recruits at the last minute when many other clubs will be doing the same.

Delighted for him if he has managed to secure a player coach position at Elgin. I still feel that, after so many years of loyal service, we should have at least offered him another season on reduced terms. If confirmed, I might just put a bob or two on Elgin winning the League 2 title. Once he has a bit of coaching experience under his belt, I would not be entirely surprised, or indeed entirely disappointed, if he came back as manager one day.