Cet Homme Charmant

It's only a matter of time before he's tipped for the Pope gig

Plucky wee Partick or big-spending Raith for 4th... which one is the lesser of two evils? I'll go for the big spenders. Of course I still hope we hump them red raw next week.

The Greenock Telegraph's comments sections are profoundly depressing, it's an apparently completely unregulated cesspit.

Even if he is off at the end of the season, if he's still under contract and receiving a wage he can't make such a demand. I smell shite.

Think some are getting a bit carried away here, the gulf between U18s and the Championship is massive. While reaching the play-offs is almost certainly beyond us now, it's still imperative we still finish as high up in the table as possible for the prize money. Keep playing the strongest team possible for the rest of the season.

Just saw Wanyama's red card there. Ridiculous decision, which of course makes it even more hilarious.

What.a.fuckin.team

I'd argue that auld Duffy was a qualified success and not a total dud. Granted it wasn't the most exciting period in our illustrious history, and Duffyball wasn't the most exciting to watch, but he did get us promoted straight back up to the Championship in his first season in charge, then got us to the play-offs and the LC semi-final in season 2016-17. And while in his last season we finished a disappointing 7th, it did include a glorious 4-1 humping of St Mirren. So I'd give him a solid 6/10.

I don't think it's quite as simple as that, unfortunately. Currently, we're big-spending Partick's biggest challengers for 4th. If the rumours are true that he'll take over at Firhill in the summer then surely he can't continue managing us for the rest of the season, as it's in his personal interests that they reach the play-offs. I don't think for a minute that he would deliberately try to ensure we don't catch them, but at the same time, would overtaking them still be his No 1 priority? I'm not so sure.

Here's hoping it's pish, but if true there would a massive conflict on interest on Saturday.

Agree that these 'statements' are a pure riddy, and their inability or unwillingness to understand that their actions have consequences is pretty annoying. But we've also got to remember they're daft teenagers, so telling them to stay away is going too far, IMO. If they were adults, I would agree, but they're still young and immature, and I'd be surprised if you didn't say or do anything in your teens that you now look back on and cringe. If you didn't, I suspect you're in a very small minority. Probably in 10 years time most of them will look back and realise they were being wee dicks, so if we alienate them now we may lose some who would otherwise mature with time into die-hard, law-abiding fans. Of course I'm not talking about indulging them, obviously they need to learn how to behave. The club needs to keep handing out bans when they think it's necessary. Sure, we'll lose some of them along the way before their baws drop, but they're probably not the ones who would be in it for the long term anyway. But I also don't think we should be alienating them completely. Educate rather than exclude, but continue to hand out bans to the ones who can't or won't accept that violent, aggressive and intimidating behaviour is simply not acceptable.

He is, aye. He's not getting much game time with Mechelen, 7 league appearances so far, but most from the bench, I think.

Stephen Welsh is currently on loan at Mechelen from Celtic. I got chatting with a Mechelen fan today, and it's fair to say he isn't super impressed with him. He asked what he was like during his time with us, but as he left us before Covid and live match streaming I really couldn't say. Was he any good?

I must admit, at half time I did not see that coming, which makes it all the more glorious

Too far. Only 7 of them have been temporarily banned (correctly, IMO), but telling all of them not to come back is very unfair. They're still young and immature, but they're our the fans of the future. I know I wouldn't want to be judged as an adult for the fucking stupid things I said and did in my teens (e.g., attending two Whitesnake concerts).