Kingsmills

Very positive news indeed. Hopefully, anyone who has been swithering and can afford to will now join the joyful crew and perhaps treat themselves, family or friends to some merchandise even if that is not their usual habit. We need to add to our wafer thin squad before the season kicks off and every season ticket sold or shirt or scarf purchased adds to our ability in that regard.

I can no longer remember the last time we played it is now so shrouded in the mists of time. Remind me, did Wyness score the winner ? Did Jimmy Calder play well in goal? Do you think that Steve Patterson will resists the charms of Dundee United and Aberdeen and see out his career at ICT ?

It will be very interesting to see how they try to spin that one.

My two Aberdeen supporting sons, I know, hopeless parenting on my behalf, have both ordered Aberdeen branded face masks from their club shop. As far as I can see, we are not, as yet at least, doing anything similar. With coverings soon to be compulsory in shops and likely to remain so for several months, ICT branded masks might be an opportunity to generate a bit of extra income, be socially responsible and keep fans a bit safer at the same time. I would certainly pay a tenner each for a couple.

The presiding judge made it clear that the arbitration panel should not be made up of Scottish football worthiness. I would suggest one lawyer, one experienced football official from the continent and one business leader with no connection to football and thus no axe to grind.

As was wholly predictable, Hearts and Partick have lost their battle to have their relegation overturned by the courts and the matter will now go to arbitration independent of both the SFA and the SPFL. What should have happened in the first place and, with a fair wind and a bit of good will, ought to be concluded before the proposed start of the Premierhip season

We stupid old gits need to stick together.

One thing that, in the past has held the club back is that, over the years there have been two wealthy and commercially astute individuals who clearly have an interest in the club but have never been able to work constructively together. I appreciate that both will have serious concerns about other business issues at present but, with the club, like many others, possibly facing the most difficult nine months or so in its history, I wonder whether now they could possibly set aside whatever their differences are and work together even for that limited period.

Poorly. Very poorly.

I think that games with fans is looking much more optimistic now. The cautious approach we are adopting in Scotland seems to be more effective in suppressing the virus down to very low levels than might have been thought possible a few weeks ago. I honestly think that if the majority of us continue to be cautious and sensible and follow the regulations and guidance then the Championship season could very well start in October with fans in the stadium, more or less, as normal.

Great idea. Maybe even donate to a local charity who may be able to give the ticket to a family who are not otherwise able to afford to go to the football or do much else other than live from day to day.

I would rather have John Hughes manage my team than Levein and, for those familiar with my views on Yogi, that really is saying something !

Time now to focus on the truncated season ahead. The action by Hearts and Partick will ultimately fail but may, in the meantime, sufficiently divert those at Tynecastle from preparing for the actual football to give the other teams an early advantage. Hearts may take a while, as teams often do to adjust to relegation which could be all the more significant in the shortened 27 game format and, if they are at least partly diverted by events off the field, that may reduce the financial advantage they have over the rest of the division.

Gayfield for me too. I confess that Victoria Park is also a favourite but that is very largely due to the atmosphere created by a couple of thousand of us there in stark contrast to the lack of atmosphere the few hundred County fans who tend to come to the Longman create.

It won't happen. My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I posted that.

In that case, can we too have some cash to splash to compensate for losing out on potential promotion via the play offs?

Robbie Neilson has quit Dundee United to sign a three year deal to take over at Hearts. Given his recent knowledge of the division, that is going to make the Jambos an even more formidable force in the Championship next season where, notwithstanding their court action, they will almost certainly be joining us.

I agree that Doncaster is dreadful and that a stronger, more progressive and forward looking leader would do far better. However, any replacement, under the current structure, would still be at the mercy of the collective club chairmen, and they are mostly men. A collection of often inarticulate, parochial and self interested dinosaurs. We need a democratic structure where not all of the voting power rests with the clubs but perhaps with 40% or so of the vote being in the hands of an appointed body of appropriate professionals from outside the game. We certainly need a voting structure more democratic than one where just two clubs from the top tier can stymie any significant change. If a mere 52% was enough to tear us out of the EU, then surely a two thirds majority overall with the need for that to include a simple majority in each division would suffice. We are still waiting for the any single one of the 26 clubs who wouldn't even debate a change that benefitted many and disadvantaged none to come out and logically and coherently defend their view

I used to have a grudging respect for Roy McGregor and what he did for his club. However, that has now utterly evaporated. His conduct during this pandemic in his disregard for the welfare of other clubs and the welfare of his the players his club has no more use for by refusing to quite legitimately continue to to furlough them is a disgrace. When the chips are down his hypocrisy has truly exposed.

I would be very surprised, even if it was offered, if any fan would accept but nevertheless, agree that, even in the current difficult circumstances, the offer should have been made. I haven't bought a season ticket for years due to a combination of professional, geographical and domestic circumstances but will purchase a virtual one for the coming season and would urge anyone else in my position who can afford to to consider doing likewise. The club is going to need every penny it can get to get through and be competitive in the season ahead.

Entirely agree. I have thought for a very long time that Scottish football should have one national fully professional league of 20 clubs playing each other twice a season in the 'normal' way. A largely semi professional north and south league below that of either 20 or 22 clubs each comprising the lower league clubs and the more ambitious Highland and Lowland league teams. The bottom 2 in the National league should be relegated automatically and replaced by the winners of each of the North and South divisions with the four teams just above them playing off against the top two in the North and the top 2 in the South for with the 4 winners starting the next season in the national league and the 4 losers being consigned to the most appropriate regional division. That way, there is much to compete for, a freshness every season, scope for ambitious clubs to progress and less ambitious clubs to find their level and the smaller, less wealthy clubs, will have more limited travelling expenses.

The technology is a useful aid but surely the most useful tool the officials have at their disposal remains the evidence of their own eyes.

I can think of many reasons why Scottish football would be the better for not having either The Rangers or Celtic with a more open and competitive league only one of them.

The EFL did indeed do a similar thing with their lower divisions but retained a bit more sporting integrity by preserving the play offs for the clubs who were occupying those play off positions on merit. It would not have saved Hearts, Partick or Stranraer but should have been something we ought to have considered more seriously here. As far as our game's administration is concerned this whole debacle really ought to be the final straw. The current administration is forever tainted by past and current blunders, whether contrived or accidental, and should be dismissed from Neil Doncaster down and replaced by those more competent and less tainted.

Some clubs may indeed feel pressure to cave in and change their minds as a result of the threat. However, given that only 16 clubs out of 42 were in favour this morning and that 75% of clubs need to be in favour including 11 out of 12 Premiership clubs, I don't see enough of them changing their stance to carry the day.