26th of foot

I remember distinctly, Jack Butland was prone on his strung between the posts hammock. Sweet Dreams Loyal RSC.

Feeling rather refreshed and most joyful. Can I extend festive felicitations to my fellow Gersnetters. Rangers won the Cup.

Rangers 3 Aberdeen 1 FGS : Sima.

Aberdeen are starting with two up front, both Miovski and Sokler through the middle. Please Rangers, blunt the threat; centre backs have to be aware of the ball over the top and, Lundstram must cut off the midfield source. Score first, second and, third. Everything will be tickety-boo.

Well, currently doing nothing other than hanging around Tennents Bar, Byers Road like a bad smell. He keeps himself abreast of current trends by regularly traveling to that small football obsessed Spanish town, 'Real'. There are so many clubs based in the one town : Sociedad, Madrid, Mallorca and, Betis. I suggest Neil is the very man to replace Brendan.

Desmond Roach and Stephen Conroy? You may know both retired Referees, Des Roach and Steve Conroy have a Podcast? Anything remotely controversial occurring during a Rangers game sees Des and Steve add weight to ongoing conspiracy. Print and broadcast media have their telephone numbers on speed dial, they can be relied upon absolutely to conclude Rangers are beneficiaries of favourable decisions. They are being paid to ensure Rangers pay the penalty. Today, the afternoon before tomorrow's final; PQ CSC have Des and Steve on Off the Ball as RAB Cosgrove and Tam the Token's guests. It was two hours of firing shotguns from the collective hips : Boom - Tam suggests both Todd Cantwell and Ross McCausland should be permanently employed as the men lying prone behind a defensive wall, as both spend so much time on the ground. Boom - RAB wants more power back in the hands of Referees, "including those ones raised in Lodges". Boom - Des and Steve both utilised incidents involving Rangers to highlight the need for refereeing change. Boom - Des admits he is a Sellik fan whereas, Steve claims to support Renfrew Juniors. I suspect if he had claimed to be sharing Michael Matheson's season ticket for the Partick Jags it would have been a more credible answer? Boom - Both Steve and Des were keen to talk about, "the rituals" required to be a Scottish Referee. Much guffawing amid suggestions but no specifics articulated. We should recognise the effort sustained by BBC Scotland to exert influence upon Don Robertson.

Half time is Sellik 0 Hearts 2. The second half will last 55 minutes minimum.

The Principled Gang Hut. "We support all Scottish clubs participating in Europe". Above is a constant refrain we hear on BBC Scotland. Of course, the evidence continually tells us something different. Someone who had Beeb involvement for half a century, Archie McPherson has told on a number of occasions of his surprise at popping into the Queen Margaret Drive canteen on the evening of the 2008 UEFA Cup final to see Senior Producers jumping atop tables to punch the air when St Petersburg scored against Rangers. At the turn of this year, the Sellik State of Mind contributor, Amy Canavan appeared on View from the Terrace to tell of the joy she and colleagues experienced watching Aaron Ramsey fail to score in the penalty shoot out at the conclusion of the 2022 Europa Cup final. Establishing PQ's principles is most important in a week of Scots clubs participating in all three Euro competitions. Sellik, fresh from defeat at Rugby Park were up first on Wednesday evening and they achieved something they have fail failed to do in over a decade, a Champions League group stage victory. If you're Irish come into the Gang Hut was the principle. Cillian Sheridan, Pat Bonner and, Tom English squeezed in, joining James McFadden and, Amy Canavan pitch side. Of course, Tom remains contained on the PQ naughty step because he criticised Brendan and Peter. Being a principled crew, you would expect the others to exhibit solidarity with Tom being told he is not welcome at ra Stade de Gadd? Compare and contrast the solidarity shown to Chris McLaughlin having his press credentials withdrawn at Ibrox? A five year determination to provide BBC License Fee paying Rangers supporters with little to no service whereas the PQ CSC bus continues to depart timeously. The principle of penalties was on display too, Sellik awarded yet another spot kick with little to no debate; the only times the word, 'controversial' is an attached prefix is when Rangers are beneficiaries. Big Dick will pen a column, Michael Stewart will analyse whilst shaking his head and, the opposition Gaffer will be provided with the national megaphone to shout, 'BIAS'. Post match, Sellik were lauded by the party hat replete Beeb contributors and the Gang Hut was bedecked in streamers and balloons because Sellik had finished rock bottom of their CL group. There are no dead rubbers in the Champions League particularly when ra green'n'grey hooped horrors are £3 million up and the national coefficient is improved. Ah, only good arithmetic is adorned upon Sellik whereas dead rubbers are confined permanently to Rangers when defeating PQ's favourites 3-zip last April. Continuing the theme of dead rubbers, Aberdeen took on Eintracht Frankfurt in the Euro Conference League at Pittodrie in the early kick off on Thursday night and Big Dick, Wullie Miller and, Liam McLeod banged the drum. The staccato tattoo was beat with such enthusiasm, the Dandies had defeated a Bundesliga side 2-0, a Bundesliga club that had just defeated another Bundesliga team called Bayern Munich five zip. Good arithmetic too, £500,000 gained trumps any accusation of dead rubber. Barry should be bullish because this result demands bullishness. The confident hot air emanating from the Pittodrie toilet bowl should have been captured and fed into the national grid. Big Dick adhered to the first line statement when handing over from the Dons broadcast gantry to Alistair Lamont and Steven Thompson in Seville, "let's hope Rangers can continue the good results achieved by Celtic and Aberdeen"? The Granite City Harbour authority immediately declared Big Dick's growing nose to be a hazard to navigation. Half time in Seville, the score was Real Betis 2 Rangers 2 and Big Dick took control again. Post match interviews from Pittodrie ensued, Barry was bullish and we were reminded Aberdeen had just turned over a Bundesliga club and augmented the Scottish coefficient. Given the 2-2 at the Seville break, Big Dick proceeded to provide the bad arithmetic. Rangers were languishing in third place in their Euro group, would only receive £300,000 in prize monies, would drop to the Euro Conference and, were contributing zero to the national coefficient. Back to Seville and I turned off the radio in preference of the TNT Sports commentary. I did not switch back on, it was the constant hypocrisy surrounding those dearly held principles that did it. Rangers won 2-3 in Seville and I do not know if Big Dick eulogised the good arithmetic? The three points gained for the coefficient, winning our Euro' group, direct entry to the the last sixteen and, the millions of pounds accrued. Is it a PQ principle to extend the feel good factor to matters Rangers? I feel we Gersnetters should remain on the moral high ground, entrenched in our magnanimous state of mind we must congratulate all Scottish clubs that have taken on and defeated foreign opposition this week. Thus, well done to Rangers, Aberdeen and, Kilmarnock.

Big Sellik man and Sunday Mail columnist, Hugh Keevins stated Valencia were the Aberdeen of Spanish football. Hugh also stated Ibrox on a Euro' evening was akin to a Nazi Nuremberg rally. Hugh established his credentials in the same column by mentioning four Priests attended his daughter's wedding.

My favourite comment of a truly wonderful evening came post match from Derek McInnes. He was talking over a rerun of our second goal and when big Cyriel turned inside two Betis defenders he said, "Dessers decides to become Archie Gemmill then nutmegs the keeper". It was that kind of night.

Real Betis 1 Rangers 1 FGS : Sima.

Ahh, good to see Andy Considine continues to work as a carthorse.

BBC Scotland's Big Dick Gordon and Referee, Don Robertson will be sitting beside each other in the front row of the top deck holding the trophy.

Aristotle right? I remember fifty years past, enduring a first year lecture at Uni' that began with another Aristotle quote, 'Man is a rational animal therefore a political animal'. Shuggy Aristotle was the very epitome of profundity.

Doing the Broony. We have entered League Cup final week, both Rangers and Aberdeen each have a Euro' fixture to complete before Sunday at Hampden. The Dandies are at home to Eintracht Frankfurt with a 17.45 hrs kick off. Rangers travel to Seville to face Real Betis with a 20.00 hrs start time. Thus, the Dons will be loused and ready for bed by the time we endure a couple of hours hard graft folllow followed by a four plus hour flight back to Glasgow. Friday will be a right off and Saturday will be a walk around Auchenhowie before a loosening game of fives. Raising the Scottish coefficient alone is arduous. Of course, neither the broadcast or the print media mention this because Scotland's other two representatives in Euro' football are facing ,'Dead Rubbers'. The PQ Gang Hut have already chorused, "Barry can field any side he wants" or in other words, 'fcuk the coefficient'. Such a dearly held principle during Pedro's tenure too? There is a continuing preparation for the final and it is the constant reminder on Rangers and penalties. If only opposition defenders would refrain from grasping and holding Rangers players jerseys in the penalty box. Today, it is Scott Brown's turn not to have an original thought. He has been reminded Rangers have not conceded a penalty since he retired. The Lego chewer concludes, "Aberdeen have no chance of a penalty on Sunday". Anesthetised by the taste of Danish plastic, Scott conveniently forgets ie no one told him, that Rangers have had two penalties awarded against them in this year's League Cup. Surely, that is more relevant and how many have Aberdeen conceded in this season's competition? There are only five sleeps to go, let us hope Referee, Don Robertson gets the message. It is not for want of trying.

The club should claim mistaken identity. I sit on the half way line and I saw Sam Lammers attempt that tackle. Do I have a witness?

That was the Week that was. The SFA organise a ticket shambles for those intending to attend Germany next summer for the Euros, even managed to get the dates of two games wrong in their blurb. Have Aberdeen sold their cup final allocation? Sellik are defeated for the second time this season by Killie at Rugby Park. I could go on, what did RAB Cosgrove and Tam the Token fixate upon over the weekend? They finished their show by spinning a record dedicated to Rangers player, Todd Cantwell. It was a 1983 track from Culture Club's Kissing to be Clever album, 'I'll tumble 4 ya'. Rangers must be participating in a final this week.

Would Killie's Danny Armstrong add to our right side going forward? Anytime I have watched the lad he has been impressive including the game last season when he saw red against us at Rugby Park. Would he be another Jordan Jones?

I am not here to share my opinions. I have set in stone principles and if you disagree, I have a few others you may like?

He was looking all around, desperate to hail a passing Taxi.

Rangers 3 Dundee 1 FGS : Sima.

Hearts could emerge victorious from Pittodrie this coming Saturday. If so, will the narrative change to will Robson get the cup final? Could the Dandies emulate Hibs, ie removing Jack Ross from the Easter Road hotseat the week before the League Cup final?

Paying the Penalty. Ten sleeps until Hampden and last nights league games have provided another few threads to the cup final tapestry. BBC Scotland's second Dandy, Liam McLeod began his pre-match ramble with, "This is Hearts - Rangers third meeting in five and a half weeks, the first at Ibrox appeared to be a comfortable Hearts victory until the controversial award of that injury time penalty to Rangers ................... ". Like Big Dick Gordon, Liam is intent upon maintaining pressure on the appointed match officials. Three games in a row and no penalty award to Rangers. Liam was too exasperated during the last fifteen minutes of his match commentary from Tynecastle to mention Sellik being awarded their ninth penalty of the season against Hibs. Liam was concentrating so hard, willing the Jambos to equalise that the news of Killie's winner at Pittodrie was a barely whispered interruption. What advice will Liam offer Big Dick reference the penning of his next Aberdeen P and J column? The penalty being paid by Aberdeen for a 0-1 defeat by Killie is they are second bottom of the table on 13 points and have a goal difference of minus nine. A third of their points total and over a quarter of goals scored have come in their two games against Rangers. Aberdeen players and staff are cheating the Dons supporters because the stats reveal they only raise an effort when confronted by Rangers. Perhaps Liam and Big Dick could expend more effort quantifying their specific hatred this week in the P and J?

Our passing throughout the first half has traveled the spectrum from ragged to sloppy. Danilo, we have found him once and he failed to finish. Danilo's movement dropping deeper, gave Tav' the room and time for the pass to Sima for our goal.

Hearts 1 Rangers 2 FGS : Lawrence.