Uilleam

I would be concerned, because I would assume -in the absence of evidence that it was merely a vanity or g i r u y signing- that JW was fit, and firing, and ready to rock and roll. In that condition, the fhilth would have a top notch midfielder.

Moyes clearly did not want him. Whether that is more to do with Wilshere or that Manager is open to at least some conjecture. I think that other Clubs were unwilling to take over his high salary, or pay a high fee and/or signing on payment. Hence WHU had to do a Martin Bain. Ouch! He is now available as a free agent, and, probably (I cannot be sure), looking to resurrect a once stellar career. As I said, more or less, in a previous post, I think that he is worth looking at and putting through his paces. Obviously, the financial aspects, and contractual niceties would require to be understood, in principle, if, by necessity, perhaps somewhat sketchily, before putting him under the scrutiny of our coaches, medics, physios, etc, and not forgetting, as there seems to be some doubt about his impact on the collective mind and will of the dressing room, the acute psycho-social analysis of our kit man, and our senior players. Signing him is a risk, but it is really a question of understanding, and minimising, that uncertainty, and its potential impact on the club, before even considering committing to a contract. Of course, if he pitches up to Auchenhowie, trains and plays like a dog, and upsets the playing and other staff, all bets will be off. It would be disappointing, but few will lose sleep. Michael Stewart might commiserate.

From what I can gather, WHU paid Wilshere off, with a stunning 85% of his outstanding contract, in a settlement comprising a mixture of cash and Woodbines. Hence he is a free agent. He may fancy playing for SG, at a "Big Club". Any deal, however, would have to have break clauses, in favour of the Club.

Surely our players -and managerial, coaching and ancillary staff- are professional enough to deal with a classy player joining the ranks.

His lifestyle would be a problem nowadays, esp re: fitness.

I think that he is worth a look, if he is interested: Get him up to Auchenhowie, over the International Break; full medical, drugs tests, full training, 5/7-a-sides, bounce game versus St M, St Jo, Ayr, QoS, whomever, and if he comes through all that with flying colours, field him as A.Trialist at Piggery Place.

West Ham signed him, remember, and he has been a free agent only since yesterday, or the day before.

Largely, 'whataboutery', as far as I know, although I have seen it suggested that the cabbage and ribs have, appropriately enough, some skeletons in the cupboard. Rangers, unfortunately, employed one Neely, as a youth coach, recruited from Leith, from where he had been dismissed for pederasty, or similar. He was sacked by Souness (and Smith), in short order, following complaints of inappropriate suggestions. Personally, I am surprised that our managers, at the time, did not give him a good kicking.

Is JW not a serious player, of vision and finesse, with a sprinkling of nastiness, around whom you could build a midfield to suit? A game changer, on his day? I am aware that he has been bedevilled and brought down by injuries, and that there are whispers (at the least) about lifestyle issues. But....consider that he is 28, not old, and, curiously, about the same age as a player, whose background and baggage could be described very similarly, when he pitched up in Govan. I refer, of course, to Gazza. Remember him?

La Retour de Harald Martin Bratbaak....?

Well, from what I can glean, and f w i w, Zungu seems to be a go-er, on loan, it seems. It appears, also, that he can play either No 6, or No 8, and is a good passer. So if he has, or can add, goals to his game.....we will have signed the fitba' holy grail of defensive midfield striker. What's not to like?

I think this is the guy who headed up fhilth fc's scouting operation, then went to Huddersfield, as DoF, on its promotion.

Is this a slightly oblique confession?

May well be looking at the ex Spurs' manager.

That he is playing as well as he has since Candeias left, and is full of confidence.

He never plays the Race card

4 - 1 FGS: Morelos

The charming Frank Cairney, up for shaving. Once more. This champion of the sellik cause, this "unsung hero of the Celtic story", this "confidante and mentor" of future stars, who "gave 30 years of his adult life championing the Celtic cause", was General Manager of their boys' club for seventeen (17) years, and was involved with kids, there, for some twenty (20) years. Might we see him in the dock, again? And again? From today's Times: Celtic Boys Club ex-chief Frank Cairney faces abuse charges Marc Horne Saturday October 03 2020, 12.01am, The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/celtic-boys-club-ex-chief-frank-cairney-faces-abuse-charges-0zmpggx5m Frank Cairney will face charges at Glasgow sheriff court on October 30 A former senior figure at Celtic FC’s feeder club will face charges of sexual abuse within weeks. Frank Cairney, 84, served as general manager of Celtic Boys Club from 1974 until 1991. The Crown Office confirmed that Mr Cairney, of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, has been charged and is involved in a live case. It is understood that the charges relate to the alleged sexual abuse of young people. A Crown Office spokeswoman said: “Frank Cairney has one live case that is scheduled to call at Glasgow sheriff court as an adjourned first diet on October 30.” Mr Cairney took over as general manager of Celtic Boys Club in 1974, replacing Jim Torbett, the founder of the feeder club. In 1986 Mr Cairney contributed an article to a souvenir brochure produced to mark the 20th anniversary of Celtic Boys Club. He wrote: “We have helped to make a lot of young boys happy. It makes me even happier to think we are fulfilling a role in their development. I will have special thoughts for every boy who has represented the boys’ club during the 20 years of our existence.” Mr Cairney resigned from the boys’ club in 1991 after leading 20 teenagers and five adults on a summer tour to New Jersey. He was present at Parkhead when Tommy Burns, his former protégé, was presented as the new Celtic FC manager three years later. On July 29, 1994, the Celtic View, the club magazine, lauded Mr Cairney as “one of the great unsung heroes of the Celtic story”. Burns, who died of skin cancer aged 51 in 2008, said Mr Cairney had brought him to the boys’ club as a teenager and had been his confidant and mentor ever since, adding: “He’s given 30 years of his adult life championing the Celtic cause.” The 1994 report said: “Frank was brought into the Celtic set-up by [the manager] Jock Stein and [the chief scout] John Higgins. He was entrusted to set up the system which would help the under-16s on to the next step of the ladder. “That system has paid off with one of those raw recruits becoming the man in charge of the club.” Four years earlier the publication offered congratulations to Mr Cairney on his “20th year on the Celtic staff”. Comments for this article have been turned off

At last!! A rumour!! I was just thinking how long is it since we had some solid speculation? (As for Besic, is he not bedevilled by injury?)

I can only assume that the SFA is holding back publication because the longer the delay, the lesser the impact. Perhaps it hopes that -people involved (perpetrators, their enablers, their protectors, and their victims) die in the interim, or -pederasty, etc. is legalised by the Scottish Parliament. In any event, I'd lay £1 to £100K that it will be the whitest of whitewash jobs, and that it will deflect attention from the nest of predators and their pals in and around O'Merta FC, and spread the blame. Here's the report from today's Times: Victims’ anger after SFA delays sexual abuse report again Marc Horne Friday October 02 2020, 12.01am, The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/victims-anger-after-sfa-delays-sexual-abuse-report-again-0gvshk5qd Malcolm Rodger, spokesman for the survivors’ group Settle the Score, said the delay caused “unnecessary pain and suffering to those individuals who were brave enough to come forward and give evidence” The author of a report into sexual abuse within football claims he is being kept in the dark by the sport’s authorities over their failure to publish his findings. The document, commissioned by the Scottish Football Association, was due to be released in 2018 but has been held back on numerous occasions, provoking anger and frustration from survivors who gave evidence. Martin Henry, chairman of the Independent Review into Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, said he had handed over the finalised report to the SFA some months ago and was assured it would be made public before the end of September. He said he had been given no explanation for the latest delay. “The report was submitted in the summer and is now in the hands of the SFA,” he said. “It is up to them to comment on why it hasn’t been released.” A source close to the investigation said: “We were told it would definitely be released in September but it never materialised. I can fully understand why the survivors are puzzled, concerned and frustrated. Obviously there are issues, but we are not party to what these issues are.” Johann Lamont, the former Scottish Labour leader and co-convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, said that any further delays were unacceptable. “I am gravely concerned that this serious and important report has not yet been published,” she said. “Survivors need to know that there has been a thorough investigation and we all need to have the confidence that lessons will be learnt. “The SFA must make a firm commitment not just to publish but to provide a deadline by which that commitment will be delivered.” The report was originally delayed to allow a number of court cases, linked to historic sex abuse with football, to be completed. More recently survivors have been told its release had been held back because of the pandemic. Survivors and their representatives have suggested that the SFA and other prominent Scottish football institutions are looking to sideline a report that will highlight their historic failures — and could have consequences for scores of legal cases. Malcolm Rodger, spokesman for the survivors’ group Settle the Score, said: “Every additional delay causes further unnecessary pain and suffering to those individuals who were brave enough to come forward and give evidence. “The SFA’s remarkable reluctance to publish raises questions over whether their main priority is protecting their own reputation rather than vulnerable youngsters.” Patrick McGuire, a partner with Thompsons solicitors, which is representing six people who were abused by SFA officials and dozens more who were attacked while playing for senior and junior clubs, said: “Perhaps it’s time for the Scottish government to impress upon the SFA the need for this report to be made public now in its original form without edit or redaction.” The Times understands that the final report will recommend that the SFA and a host of prominent clubs, including Celtic, Motherwell, Hibernian and Rangers, must acknowledge past failures to protect vulnerable children and teenagers. The SFA did not respond to a request for comment.

Well, that's us through to the Group Stage. (Isn't it? It's hard to keep up.) I'll take Dundalk, the fhilth, and A N Other FC

Souness,eh? On the pitch: a rare mixture of class and aggression. Off the pitch: about the same. Mellowed somewhat, these days.

That might Turan out well for us, then. I have to say that I would fancy Rangers' chances more with a full Ibrox: " 'Welcome to Hell', you say? Well, Welcome to Scottish Calvinist Hell, which is worse, much worse, than you can imagine". I am not convinced that the Turkish team will travel well, so, even with an empty stadium, we should come out on top.

The departure of Mebude, Minor, clearly one of our most talented youths, given the identity of the acquiring franchise, has to be disappointing. However, our Club consoles us: "This summer we have recruited Tony Weston from Blackpool, who was much sought-after in the EPL having made his Blackpool debut in the FA Cup at only 16; we have recruited James Graham from Ross County who has been involved with the national team and, like Charlie Lindsay who joined us from Glentoran, had many options. “The combined spend to recruit these three exciting talents was less than the fee we will receive from Manchester City which is significantly greater than mandatory compensation figures." Frankly this is just making a virtue out of necessity. File along with "MacBumfarty's return from injury is like gaining a new player."