Posts Tagged ‘Stenhousemuir’

A 10 point-gap in the SPL: is the season over?

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Travelling back home through Gatwick last night, I quickly checked the football scores before switching off the phone for the flight. At the time, Rangers where winning 1-0 against St Mirren and Celtic where 1-0 up against Hibs.

Nothing unusual in that I thought, but as an illustration of the fragility of the Old Firm this season, by the time I landed in Rotterdam, Celtic had somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and websites across the nation decreed the end of the Scottish football season for 2009/10. (more…)

Damn you Andrew Little! (or: “The Scottish Fitba Review”)

Monday, January 25th, 2010

In a remarkable weekend of Scottish fitba in which the league leaders across all four divisions either saved or dropped valuable points in injury time, Inside Left comes out smelling of roses, as the predictions we made on Friday turn out to be almost correct.

I was actually a minute or so away from cleaning up at the bookies until Rangers youngster Andrew Little scored to earn the defending champions a point, and deny Hearts their win at Ibrox in six years. The potential winnings would not have meant retiring to a life of golf and international jet travel, but it would have meant an upgrade from the usual “6 small margueritas” to the more decadent “3 medium margueritas” down at our local Dominos.

T’was not to be however, all of which means that this will be the last time I’ll be bemoaning the failure of “the emergence of young talent coming through the ranks” and all that bollocks. I mean, the 91st minute. At Ibrox. I ask you.. (more…)

Common sense prevails

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

So Dunfermline, somewhat against the odds, manage to salvage their Scottish Cup campaign as their expulsion from the competition is successfully overturned on appeal. A replay and a massive fine are the end result, one which, given the circumstances, is probably the correct one. For Dunfermline, preparations for the replay can begin but the club must feel the pressure as the stakes where raised considerably once the verdict was announced. (more…)

Scottish football integrity is maintained

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Browsing through the various football sites today, waiting for the SFA to decide just what the hell to do about the whole Dunfermline fiasco, it struck me that this seems to be a good time to be a lawyer with a healthy business in Scottish football litigation.

I don’t know much about the law, but I do know a lot about how these drama’s usually play out.

You can bet the house and all the furniture in it, that no matter what happens (apart from the SFA telling Dunfermline to get it right up them), Stenhousemuir will appeal the decision. And they’re probably quite right too; after all, there’s a lot of money at stake here. And nevermind pride – once you go out to Celtic in the next round, think of all that lovely lolly in your bank account, estimated to run into quite a large number, relatively speaking.

Look, the way I see it, everyone’s a winner: Dunfermline’s legal team get their money no matter what, as do Stenhousemuir’s when their appeal against Dunfermline’s appeal fails, Celtic progress to the next round after an easy game, and, following the inevitable 9-0 trashing (or 4-0 if Dunfermline win their appeal), the SFA can proudly state that the integrity of Scottish football has been maintained. (more…)

Integrity is no substitute for common sense

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Did you know that in Switzerland it is illegal to flush the toilet after 10 PM? Or that in Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house without wearing underwear? In Los Angeles, a man can legally beat his wife with a leather belt or strap, but the belt can’t be wider than 2 inches, unless he has his wife’s consent to beat her with a wider strap.

And in Scotland, failing to check the paperwork prior to a Scottish Cup game can have you expelled from the competition. Crazy. (more…)