I’ve got the suitcase packed, the Montego loaded up with buckets, spades and factor-50 sunblock. Yes, I can’t wait to stick my toes in the sub-Arctic temperatures of the Atlantic, eating mucky foreign food and swatting swarthy waiters away from the wife and kids.
So that means you’ll have to do without me for a wee while. You’ll manage, you always do, but it’d be remiss of me not to leave with something until I return.
Football
Yes, lots of it. In the first week we’re away, the Scottish Football League, otherwise known as the First, Second and Third divisions kicks off. It remains to be seen whether Livingston, Stirling and Stranraer will continue to play an active part throughout the season given the problems they have, but we have our fingers crossed (and especially for Livi, they’re really fucked). We reckon Inverness will make a speedy return to the SPL by the way.
Before all that though, the Highland League also starts. This season sees three new teams entering the League: Strathspey Thistle, Turriff United and Formartine United. We featured these three teams in Inside Left before (here) and we’re hoping that they’ll make a big impact in the new expanded Highland League setup. Defending champions Cove Rangers start against Forres Mechanics (who gave Inverness Caley a run for their money the other week) while we’ve a nice derby game when Buckie Thistle and last year’s runners-up Deveronvale meet.
I’ll be back by the time it starts but I’m so excited about this I’ll mention it now: August 15th, the SPL season starts again. Finally!
Rangers looks to hold on to their title amids all sorts of rumours about financial difficulties. They’re going to be chased all the way by Celtic who have had quite a successful pre-season, easing their way past Spurs to win the Wembley Cup. Hearts have been adding to the ranks and we tip them for another 3 placed spot this year. Aberdeen are one of three sides that finished in the top half last season who start this season with a new manager. Mark McGhee takes over from Calderwood in the Pittodrie wheelhouse. Much is expected of him, not least a decent Cup run, but he’s been frustrated in recent weeks trying to sign players only to be gazumped at the last minute. Dundee United and Hibs (along with Celtic the other team to have a new manager) will hope to improve on last season when both sides where pipped to the European places by results going the other way. Hibs have lost Fletcher and have gained most of the Falkirk squad. I just hope that’s going to work out.
Hamilton are richer to the tune of £1.2m, but they’ve lost star player James McCarthy along the way: he’s off to Wigan. Motherwell have lost most of their squad and their manager, two things you would imagine would cause a bit of concern amongst the faithful. But two stellar performances in the Europa League may have eased some of those worries. Falkirk survived by the skin of their teeth last season, a single goal in their final game against Inverness Caley kept them up -- at the expense of Caley Thistle.
St Mirren will start their first full season at their new ground, while we welcome back founding SPL members St Johnstone back after a five year absence.
Our fearless forecast: Rangers to win the League again, Celtic second, Hearts third, with Aberdeen completing the European places. Our tip for relegation will be Falkirk.
Videos
If you get bored while I’m gone, take a look at these! Now, we know Inside Left is supposed to be impartial and all that, but I’m an Aberdeen fan and anything to do with the club gets a special mention. And if you don’t like it, tough shit, it’s my blog and I can do what I like.
So, the other day while scouring the internet for videos of cheerleaders, we came (steady!) across a three-part documentary of Alex Ferguson (none of this ‘Sir’ shit then) made by STV before the start of the 1985/86 season. The program is really about Fergie, but for whimsical nostalgics like me, there’s lots of footage of the city as well as some of the players of the day.
Marvel at Willie Miller before he became fat and a bad manager and Director of Football. See Eric Black in a tattie-sack and laugh at Jim McLean with his comb-over and trackie. Witness Gordon Strachan with a mullet (Aberdeen won the game against Hibs 3-0 by the way) and see the old Beach End before they built the Dick End. And there’s fellow weegie Jimmie Reid jigging about in a bad suit and looking uncomfortable being filmed in some kind of grassy wasteland.
The documentary is quite good, plus there’s lots of footage of Aberdeen sticking it up Rangers and Celtic. Seeing the likes of Billy Stark, John McMaster, Peter Weir, not to mention Danny McGrain, Peter McLoy, Derek Johnstone, Davie Cooper and Arthur Montford does bring back some great memories. Anyhow, it’s a cracking documentary that provides a good insight into the man who would go on to manage some diddy club in England and win a few trophies ‘n stuff.
And just to really push it over the cliff as far as the Aberdeen bias on this blog is concerned, scroll down a wee bit for a video of the Dons doing something they’ve not done for quite some time.
Enjoy your football and best wishes to all for the new season. See you on my return!
Fergie Video, Part 1
Fergie Video, Part 2
Fergie Video, Part 3
Aberdeen, getting the bus to the ground..
