Toby

I wouldn’t read much into a dressing room rammy tbh, it happens the world over, but of course know that given your family connections, you’ll be more keen on Stranraer staying up. As I say, I’m not sure if I want East Kilbride up. I’ve got a Morton supporting pal from EK who does, given they’re our local team, but I’ve got a lot more questions than answers about them. I’m more cynical by nature than he is, though. I’d say it’s more morbid curiosity than anything else, but given their financial clout, the prospect of them overtaking Morton one day would be a sore one. The problem with your point about facilities though is, the licence criteria is very specific. East Kilbride tick the boxes and Buckie don’t. They’ve actually got the Bronze Licence while Airdrie, even with their modern ground, don’t as there’s more to it than just a club’s ground. The SFA can’t just walk into K Park and say, “This looks a bit crap, fail.” The big issue should be why clubs on the inside of the SPFL are allowed special dispensation, but those on the outside aren’t- none of this actually affecting EK, but, as we saw, affecting Buckie. It smacks of self-preservation. I’d much rather see teams promoted on the merits of their performance and then expelled if, after a period of grace they don’t meet the criteria.

Aye it’s crap, and when you watch the highlights of the game it doesn’t even scratch the surface on the logistics of watching a game there. Sight lines in the stand are poor, only slightly better than the new Meadowbank. I know most won’t have visited that since renovation, but trust me, it’s shite. At K Park, I used to always stand in the area between the stand and pavilion, before they made it a dead area because it obstructed the view of those in the stand. You’ll see from the highlights that it was busy yesterday, which suggests that a big crowd plays havoc with ground regulations. It’s a good half hour walk from the train and bus station, but easily accessible by road, and parking is plentiful, given that it’s located inside the Country Park, the town’s main (only) tourist attraction. Parking is available outside the park, which is good as otherwise it’s a tiny one-way access road, but it’s okay for boozers with two social clubs in the vicinity. There’s talk that a ground will be flung up at Langlands, another out-of-town plastic monstrosity in the Broadwood or Forthbank ilk, in no time at all should they make it up, funded by the Kean brothers (East Kilbride’s Easdales) with guys working round the clock to get it ready, but I can’t see K Park not hosting League Two football for at least part of next season if they make it. Ironically, there’s a very well run amateur club building a £1 million stadium in the town just now, right beside the train station and in walking distance of all a football fan would want. I can see them eventually joining the West of Scotland League at some point, possibly at the expense of EK Thistle, who I don’t see lasting much longer. It was an enjoyable enough game, setting up an intriguing second leg. I’m not sure how I feel about EK coming up- they’ve rubbed folk up the wrong way, and Kennedy and Ferry aren’t popular with those outside the club, but I spoke to an old school friend yesterday who told me how good Kennedy is with their young fans, and specifically his boy, taking them on the team bus to away games etc. The B-Team voting is the massive black mark against their name, but they didn’t step on anyone’s toes to get into the Lowland, despite being a relatively new club, and I don’t see them as doing much different from what Raith are doing, and receiving plaudits for. A case of one rule for a club that’s part of Scottish football’s fabric, and another for newcomers? I prefer a new team to come up every year as that’s the whole point of the pyramid, but Stranraer will be a club I’d be sad to see go- a great day out with some good and not-so-good memories. From a Morton perspective, as well as Thomson, who was crap, Thomas Orr got the first half for Stranraer and did very little before coming off at the break. Peter Weatherson on the Stranraer coaching staff was looking well and Jai Quitongo, who I predicted the other day on P&B would sign for EK, was in the crowd, although he is from these parts.

Neither up nor down about Robbie. I’m certainly not in the camp of those who were desperate to see him go, but he’s had his time here and has, over the piece given us decent service, it’s probably best for all concerned that he moves on. Think it was clear from the point he scored that goal against Queen’s Park that both he and the support had had enough of each other, though I suspect Dougie Imrie will be more disappointed than we are. No ill-will towards him, but I hope he has a miserable time at his new club, as I do with every player who joins a direct rival of ours.

There’s hope for Dundee yet.

Already seen Dunfermline and big-spending Raith Rovers being mooted as potential suitors for both. Not a chance they’ll end up here if those two are in for them.

Not much been said about Livingston (and perhaps St. Johnstone/Ross County) picking up a £1 million UEFA solidarity payment on top of a completely unmerited parachute payment. It’s the often overlooked reason why supporting Scottish clubs in Europe does us no good whatsoever. It’s very easy to say that Celtic coining £30 million in Champions League money is shite, but the drip-down effect is also rotten. Thankfully, Scotland’s beginning to fall down the rankings a bit, but that can easily change quickly with Rangers more likely to get regular Europa League football rather than Champions League hosings. The stronger Scotland’s performances in Europe, the more likely we are to see the Premiership becoming the reserve of no more than 14 clubs, and the Championship title race becoming a procession, if that isn’t already the case, with perennial Championship clubs like ourselves losing every tiny piece of hope we may previously have had. A really crap state of affairs, but reason, if we ever needed it to vociferously back whatever team of Sammarinese waiters St. Mirren draw in the Conference League Qualifiers.

All fair enough. I spoke to him about it at the AGM and it was addressed the following day, and my pal’s happy, so fair enough, benefit of the doubt and all that. I do like a moan, but Warren Hawke or Dave MacKinnon he ain’t.

In the sense that I don’t see much by way of short term gain, other than some merchandising spin offs if kids want new strips etc. The season ticket for that age group is free anyway and is included in this package. Loss leader’s maybe not the correct terminology, but I expect the club plan for the benefits of this project to be more long term than immediate.

Don’t care what age I was when he was with us, but not giving us the opportunity to get a birthday card signed by Ross Forbes c.2017 was the worst thing this club didn’t do since the due diligence on Hugh Scott was patched.

Aye, much better than just letting weans in for nothing as was the case about ten years ago and just didn’t work. It’ll probably prove to be a bit of a loss-leader, but I hope they market the fuck out of it. A lot more pro-active and forward-thinking than any previous attempts at increasing the support.

Yeah, I agree. I’m more concerned about the Crawford story for now to be honest. Carries a bit more weight when I see a story coming from Scott Burns, who’s generally on the money, rather than some dumpling like Hyndland Maw on Twitter.

Partick‘s play-off prospects could be a real game changer- we could find ourselves with the dilemma of taking the correct stance of wishing nothing but misery on them, or hoping that they’re out the way so either less likely to help themselves to our top players, or at least these guys are less likely to come back to haunt us in the near future. All in all, a grim state of affairs, but one which can’t really be helped. We can only piss with the cock we’ve got.

You’re really hard work on here.

I met his dad the other week on the train- he was saying that he thought he might end up focussing more on his coaching now, and didn’t write off Derek moving out to America. Derek Snr wasn’t particularly complimentary of Jim McIntyre, but few of an Arbroath persuasion seem to be.

Remember it was Craig Napier who was the referee, though. That doesn’t excuse losing his temper like that, but Stuart Kettlewell and Liam Kelly were scathing about him last week. While the red card for Jack Vale was as clear a red as you’ll ever see, and Kettlewell didn’t have a case there, both were very vocal about how Napier’s attitude and behaviour was appalling.