26th of foot

Hearing that Jim Spence finished at BBC Scotland on Friday, and on Sunday has provided an interview to that very well known member of Donegal Mountain Rescue, Phil McNumerousnames. I wonder if Chris, Graham, and principled Tom will be doing likewise?

I am hearing Tom English is tweeting his support for fellow hack, Chris McLaughlin. Tom has decided to show his solidarity by boycotting Ibrox. Tom is a principled man. Thus, when Dundee banned Jim Spence, Tom boycotted Dens Park? When ra Sellik banned Hugh Keevins for two years, just lifted at the end of last season, Tom boycotted ra Stydome? When ra Sellik banned Keith Jackson, continuing still, Tom boycotts ra Stade de Gadd? Remember, Tom is a principled man?

I do not agree with banning Journos, I believe in taking them on. The initial emotion is legitimate, 'good and about time'. However, he will become a martyr and a cause celebre. Infuriating too in a way. Spiers is reduced to a weekly column in the Herald and a half hour golf spot on BBC Radio Scotland. Suddenly, he is high profile again. I hope the club spells on the reasoning for the ban, and I hope they have got their ducks in a row?

I assume we have defeated ra Yahoos in this morning's semi-final? Confirmation will arrive soonest when BBC Scotland's Chris McLaughlin tweets on the number of Rangers under 14s arrested for vile sectarianism.

It must be stated that an element of our own support continue to provide the opportunity for BBC Scotland to exercise that bias. Sellik will visit Tynie soon enough, let's see if Chris is as good as his word and treats the game similarly? We should be mindful reference this fixture because I suspect the official observer appointed will be Sellik friendly, BBC Scotland will concentrate on the football action, and Chris will be hors de combat. Maybe his sister and fellow BBC Scotland employee, Connie will step up to the plate to lionise the hooped horrors? The Solicitors defending the arrested and charged Rangers supporters should pay particular attention to McLaughlin's indiscipline, there may be legitimate claims of sub judice.

It's deja vu all over again. Our first game of 2008-09 season was away to Inverness Caley Thistle and BBC Radio Scotland decided to be pro-active with the then SPL match observer. Diarmid O'Hara had recently been appointed BBC Scotland's News Editor and Rangers supporters were in his sights. Barry Ferguson put Rangers one up and a twenty second burst of the Billy Boys by an element of the travelling support, saw BBC Radio Scotland presenter, John Barnes move into over drive. Half time arrived several minutes later and Barnes announced, "we have received dozens of complaints by listeners reference sectarian chanting and have dispatched Chick Young to locate the official match observer, Alan Dick to ENSURE this unacceptable episode in INCLUDED in his report". The next 3-4 days saw every BBC Scotland news bulletin begin with the issue, we even had the depictation of the Rangers support singing with a bouncing ball at the bottom of the screen highlighting the lyrics. This tactic reappeared later in the season, after an old firm match at Parkhead reference the Famine Song. Fair enough on a matter of principle, if sensitivities are being offended then BBC Scotland will react correspondingly, won't they? Three weeks after the Inverness intervention, ra Sellik visited Tynecastle and the IRA karaoke was at full volume throughout. BBC Radio Scotland received no complaints from listeners, dispatched nobody to locate the SPL match observer, and ensured no inclusion. Former Sellik player, Andy Ritchie was the observer and it took the Edinburgh Evening News to question Ritchie whilst leaving Tynecastle, "the Celtic fans sang a few old Irish songs, it's no big deal". Thus, the BBC's bouncing ball was rendered redundant. Chris McLaughlin is utilising a precedent. The ducke are in a row: an unexpected Rangers win, another loss of discipline by elements of the away support, BBC Alba and BBC Radio Scotland providing live coverage, and a Sellik man as official Observer. The recent highlighting of both the Lord Advocate, Frank Mullholland and Justice Minister, Michael Mathieson's determination to make the statistics benefit their plans, and Chris is pushing at an open door. However, the door remains firmly closed on Diarmid's brother, Brendan O'Hara, the recently elected SNP MP for Argyll. His social media outpourings over the years were published by the Scottish Daily Mail, apparently the term, 'Rangers supporter' is NOT common currency with the great grandsons of one of ra Sellik's original founders. No, H-n, orange wanker, animal, knuckle dragger, ............. are preferred. Brendan has apologised and his fellow Sellik season ticket holders, Frank and Michael view his offence as statistically inconvenient.

I note BBC Scotland are reporting Hibs are in negotiations with St Mirren's John McGinn. Apparently, a development fee will be triggered. I wonder if a bid of circa £300,000 would secure Allan's release? The corollary is Stubbs' post match interview on BBC Radio Scotland. He emphasised situation, no change, "Scott Allan remains a Hibs player and that's not going to change". I suppose we have to trust Rod Petrie to be an evil cnut and sell Allan behind his manager's back?

Cheers. I thought the feelgood factor at Easter Road was higher, runners-up and Scottish Cup semi-finalists. Further, the honeymoon with Stubbs continues and Pat(weather vane of all things Hibbery) Nevin's enthusiasm is brimful. Seriously, expected Hibs to be achieving 7-8,000 season tickets.

How many season tickets have Hibs sold? Is the figure an increase, or decrease on last season's?

The concluding 12-15 games of last season, I thought Murdoch was most deserving of his place in the side. Surprised he has been included in the squad for this trip.

Ra Sellik have called up Ciftci from their Dundee based feeder club, to aid their passage in Europe. I note his ban is NOT applicable in the up coming Championship League qualifiers. Thus, Nadir can sink his teeth into any player from Iceland to Azerbaijan. I hope Tony is well rewarded?

Jum has succumbed to the latest Arab trend, taking over as Heid Bummer at Sellik TV? I have heard he is being canvassed by the SNP as a possible list MSP for next year's Scottish Parliamentary election.

Sub Editors will love the opportunities presented. If we win, it will be, 'purple haze'; whereas a loss will invoke, 'shrinking violets'. The silver lining is gay Bears can lean towards the lavender.

Just passing on information received. A mate's niece is currently working in the Ticket Office, as of lunchtime today, season ticket sales total a tad above 26,500. Expectations of being just north of 30,000 by end of month. If we settle in and around 35,000 by end of August, I would consider the drive to be successful. Attractive football would temp more back to the habit, I'm sure.

I believe the advice proffered to Deloitte at the time was, 'calm down, keep your hair on'?

The usual suspects on the Herald readers' forum have been wetting themselves in anticipation these last two days. Apparently, we are on the brink again? Oh, and having read both reports in both the Sunday Herald and in today's Herald concerning this matter, I don't know if Deloitte reported any of these threats to the Police? Still, any deviation after being pumped by Dukla on Saturday.

It is constantly dispiriting to find our club is the preferred battleground for both misinformation and disinformation. I think the club side should issue both 'radio silence' and 'weapons tight' orders. Of course, this allows Jack and his cohorts to dominate the ground; but your line, "the smell of Jack Irvine in the morning", is a most effective counter. A counter the club should actively consider.

It's the ambiance this evening in south west Brittany, the regional flag is black and white striped; or maybe it's the fruit of Bourgogne appreciated? If it's acceptable, please put me down for the league season opener against the Renfrewshire powerhouse, St Mirren.

My grandfather is dead some 43 years, he left me a collection of wee Blue Books commencing in the early 1900s. He attended Ibrox as a schoolboy in that period and worshiped at the altar of Neilly Gibson. He, like a fair number of his generation, firmly believed Gibson was better than Baxter, "did it in the glaur wi a rock hard bladder". A picture of Neil Gibson is a must in any Rangers collage.

I have taken my eye off the Sportsscotland ball these last three-four years, but I believe the Heid Bummer is Bridget McConnell(wife of Jack)? Her first decision was to announce Sportscotland's intentions to relocate their offices to Parkhead, at the Velodrome(ra Sellik's future indoor training facility). I wonder if Peter and Bridie meet for morning coffee?

Yep, La Baule is down the Breton coast. Just south of La Baule is one of our family favourites for 40 years, Pornic. Popped in for a few days last September, really gone up market, attracting the yachting and golfing clientele.

The guy far right as we view it, looks glaikit enough to be a Keeper, sign him after he proves he can bang the gloves and point. In France for the next few weeks, will be straight into Watersons on return.

Ici, en Concarneau, c'est 24 degrees. I like the idea of Eustace and echo fellow expressions reference his fitness. Seriously, I hope W and W have informed him of a requirement to play a third of away matches on plastic?

We should hold auditions for the position of Keeper, the majority of them are a cabaret act. The first and most important hurdle is who can bang their gloves together and point, with sincerity? I believe angst is also a big part of the goalie makeup. There was a movie some decades past, 'the loneliness of the goalkeeper', something like that? the main character spent his life in therapy. What is Hugh Sproat doing these days?

I am not going to comment on the current youth system because it's a decade since I regularly took in games at that level. I see a couple of matches a season, usually at the business end of the Youth Cup and that's the equivalent of a few photographic stills of a two hour DVD. Here, in deepest, darkest Lanarkshire in the 60s and 70s, it was often heard, "throw a blanket out of the window and it'll land on two or three Scottish internationals". There was a conveyer belt of talent. The game was a constant; schools' football was vibrant, the Boys' and amateur game remained in good health. Lanarkshire amateurs had a dozen divisions, each of 16 teams. We all played 2-3 games a weekend, The base, underpinning the entire pyramid was schools football, all that weekend activity began at 09.00hrs on the Saturday morning. All those teachers and janitors gave up their time, nurturing the continuous flow. Failure to acknowledge and pay the peppercorn remuneration required for this necessary extra curricular activity, was the beginning of a 30-35 year slow decline.