nude_as_the_news

Ah, Bayne needs no support! :021:

I'm glad this topic has been re-opened; it's an important one because a) the Motherwell incident showed that Scottish fans are capable of explicit racism and b) as fans we need to work out what is and isn't acceptable behaviour. The idea of 'self-policing' seems infinitely preferable than the alternative of waiting for stewards or police to step in and stop racist behaviour. As get_off_the_park said, "the question is whether you can joke about race and where do you draw the lines?". A comment such as "he couldn't see him 'cos he wasn't smiling" is obviously more problematic than calling someone a 'black b*stard' (which most people would probably consider racist). Was it intended as racist? Does the intention matter if someone feels offended by it anyway? (And, more confusingly, if a player is not offended by being called a 'black b*stard', does that stop it being racist?) Clearly the 'intention' and 'effect' of comments is up for debate. So, "why all the fuss about racism"? Well clearly there's a difference between racism and making jokes about someone with ginger hair, bonde hair etc. Race is a far stronger marker of someone's identity than their hair colour. To belittle someone's race is to belittle the very basis of their identity, their sense of self-worth and their place in a society in which they are (almost always) not a dominant member. Racism appears, at one end of a scale, reflected in jokes about race and, at the other, in the denial of job opportunities, resentment of 'foreigners', attacks on asylum seekers, immigrants and so on. It is a direct cause of many of the so-called "more important things going on in the world today". (And does it need to be said that these are not issues for people with red hair or, heaven forbid, Jimmy Calderwood and his orange hues?) On a personal note, I went through primary school being called a paki, brown b*stard etc. and have since been spat at on the street, but I would like to be able to raise kids in an environment where they don't have to put up with that sort of thing. The majority of people are not racist (in the strict sense of displaying hate to people of another race), but proper dialogue is important; people need to spend time considering their behaviour, to consider what they think is appropriate, as society's attitudes change constantly (e.g. I think there's a pretty clear historical progression in the west from allowing slavery, to enforcing segragation, to granting voting rights, to discussing racism and race issues). This board is just one place to do this, and hopefully without any future witch hunts or rushes to brand people as 'racist' or 'fascist'.

Give us one more John :022:

I'm listening online in Japan and (for once!) no problems.

Congrats :021:

Yup, mad foreign name, "proper" footballers hair, maybe he'll even take to wearing a headband as he skips past defenders. Already a good signing, I'd say!

Go on Michael - second start, second clean sheet!

Was he fighting his dog? Another gem from the BBC website! Can this be beaten for an opening paragraph? "Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock says he has no sympathy for Paddy Kenny after the goalkeeper had his eyebrow bitten off in a fight."

From the BBC site: The former Everton and Blackburn striker was unhappy that Rayner and referee Andy D'Urso failed to award his side a spot-kick when QPR defender Marcus Bignot tangled with Carlos Edwards in the penalty box. "It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have but if you start bringing in women, you have big problems," said Newell. "This is Championship football. This is not park football, so what are women doing here? It is tokenism, for the politically-correct idiots. "She should not be here. I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist, so I am not going to be anything other than that." Two points - first, surely you don't have to be female to make bad decisions and, second, what was he thinking?!

He's 23, so obviously needs to be playing. A year's loan at Livi or Peterhead might be a good compromise if we wanted to keep him. But, yeah, anyone with as few first team opportunities and who wants to build a career obviously has to move at some point (I fear the same for Caff too).

Hands off, Pele! Would be very disappointed if Fraser were to leave in anything but a loan deal.

"mighty football club of glasgow... slain by the humble highland club"?! :puke03: Who cares - it's only rangers. The next two games (home) against Falkirk and (away to) St Mirren are more important than the glasgow circus sideshow!

Try Tommy the bird man from the town centre. Think he's in possession of a couple of highly trained, child-threatening eagle owls!

No, no, no, no, & a blo*dy silly question to be asking.

Tesco is evil. We must stop them in their bid for world domination.

And Bayne DID make a huge difference :clapping04:! How much happier did Dargo seem after he came on? Would like to see him in for Wyness from the start against the Jam Tarts.

Great result! Just back from the pub and managed to convert a few more Japanese folk to the cause. Munro - that was brilliant! Dodds, Dargo, Blackie, Tokely, Rankin, and Bayne all did great :notworthy01: :notworthy01: :notworthy01: Ah, totally pish*d now...

Will reserve judgement on the official site for now - there's no content to comment on! The one thing I'm jealous of on the Aberdeen site is the 'Red TV' section. I really, REALLY, hope we get around to offering a subscription service for match highlights. I'm sure it would pay and, living abroad, I'm desperate to stop saying things like "SOUNDS like Caff played well today" :017:!

Why not someone from eastern Europe? I'm a little bored with try hard, 'honest' professionals at the moment. Would gladly swap a Bayne for a wildly inconsistant, silky, enigma-within-a-mystery-within-a-conundrum-type player!!! He should preferably have long hair too.

What's up with their badge? Tiger/jungle? House cat/watermelon?! Definitely a nice place for a holiday though...

Yes, the staff have always been very kind and helpful, and they do work in trying conditions (portacabin, customers like my dad etc. etc.). But the shop website needs a serious overhaul. Living in Japan, I don't have the luxury of trying different sizes. I pre-ordered a shirt based on the "upsize your selection by one or possibly two sizes" advice, but frankly, who knows what I've ordered?! How hard is it for Errea to simlpy state a chest size?

Basically, for every fan that wants to buy a new shirt before the start of the season and can't get hold of one, the club are loosing out. Not only does it create bad feeling among supporters but I'd imagine there a lot of lost revenue too. How many fans at pre-season games, kids with parents and so on, will have wanted to buy one? I've also been checking the online site regularly and, one week before kick off, they're gearing up with mouse mats, balloons, and home socks and shorts that we can't actually see. When you log on and the first thing that greats you is "Pack of ICT baloons", its starting to seem all too appropriate.　

I'm almost sorry we chose Italy rather than Turkey for our tour now. I would have paid good money to see that!

We're definitely not going to be short on midfielders next season, but it looks like he might offer something we don't already have. Seems like he has pace and wants to take defenders on - might get a few bums up off seats and give us something to get excited about.

Don't know if anyone has posted on this elsewhere, but it looks like we'll be moving for another young midfielder, Darren Young. He's been at Reading but I don't think he started a game for them last season. Daily Record article http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk