HibeeJibee

IMO: Btw: Police have launched a murder investigation 10 days after a 65-year-old man was shot dead as he walked his dog near Aberfeldy. Officers said Brian Low was shot in Pitilie on the outskirts of the Perthshire town at about 08:30 on Saturday 17 February. Emergency services attended but Mr Low, from Aberfeldy, was pronounced dead at the scene. Following a post mortem examination, Mr Low's death is now being treated as murder. Det Ch Insp Martin Macdougall, of Police Scotland's major investigation team, said the force was trying to get Mr Low's family answers. He said extensive inquiries were being carried out and detectives were trying to establish the full circumstances of the shooting.

Maybe the institution can't really have it's cake and eat it here though? Casement Park: New GAA president against more funding - BBC News GAA's new chairman has today doubled down on not going beyond £15m... so Westminster will now have to find north of £100m (or £130m if revived Exec don't agree to give Casement whole remaining sub-regional stadia pot of £62m not just its current £36m share: DUP has said it won't OK increasing the pot... there are presumably other projects outside Belfast - in other sports and in some cases catering for the other community - also due a share of that pot and whose costs will also have inflated too).

Some interesting - if generally rather alarming - latest polls from our friends in the former Anschluss ahead of their upcoming elections : German general election (by 2025) 28% Conservatives (CDU-CSU) 19% Far right (AfD) 14% Labour (SPD) 12% Greens 8% Populists (BSW) 5% Liberals (FDP) 2% Far left (DL) 2% Centrists (FW) Saxony state election (Sep 1st) 35% Far right 30% Conservatives 8% Populists 7% Greens 7% Labour 4% Far left 0% Liberals Thuringia state election (Sep 1st) 31% Far right 20% Conservatives 17% Populists 15% Far left 6% Labour 5% Greens 3% Liberals Brandenburg state election (Sep 22nd) 28% Far right 18% Conservatives 17% Labour 13% Populists 8% Greens 6% Far left 4% Centrists 3% Liberals European Parliament election in Germany (Jun 9th) 27% Conservatives 22% Far right 16% Labour 10% Greens 5% Populists 4% Far left 3% Liberals Austrian general election (by autumn) 26% Far right (FPO) 23% Labour (SPD) 20% Conservatives (OVP) 10% Liberals (NEOS) 10% Greens 7% Populists (BIER) 3% Far left Styria state election (by autumn) 26% Far right 24% Labour 20% Conservatives 14% Far left 8% Greens 7% Liberals Vorarlberg state election (by autumn) 29% Conservatives 20% Far right 14% Greens 13% Labour 12% Liberals European Parliament election in Austria (Jun 9th) 27% Far right 24% Conservatives 23% Labour 12% Liberals 11% Greens 2% Far left

They have April 13th + 20th free, but 4 league games without dates... H v East Craigie A v Downfield / Dundee NE / Forfar Utd ... East Craigie could be midweek by floodlight (does either Dundee club have lights?), or it'll be light enough regardless from early April.

Celtic / Rangers averages around "9 in a row" were: 1962-63 24,643 / 30,685 1963-64 19,800 / 30,659 1964-65 18,284 / 29,089 1965-66 24,102 / 24,441 1966-67 31,082 / 28,573 1967-68 31,373 / 34,980 1968-69 34,740 / 33,747 1969-70 33,188 / 33,634 1970-71 29,647 / 29,471 1971-72 31,241 / 26,199 1972-73 26,606 / 27,469 1973-74 24,762 / 22,356 1974-75 22,275 / 32,855 1975-76 28,066 / 30,648 1976-77 28,063 / 21,692 Hearts/Hibs/Aberdeen were generally 10,000-15,000 so over half... whereas in recent times they've frequently been under quarter. EDIT: of course Celtic usually weren't in top 2 for crowds from early 1920s to early 1960s, and on a few occasions Hearts led ahead of Rangers. 1924-25 astonishes 100yrs on: Division One 17,500 Hearts 17,263 Rangers 13,842 Hibs 12,684 Aberdeen 12,132 Dundee 12,105 Partick 11,000 Celtic 9,895 St Johnstone 9,632 Queen's Park 9,211 Cowdenbeath 8,572 Third Lanark 8,552 Airdrieonians 8,211 Falkirk 7,289 Hamilton 7,263 St Mirren 6,974 Raith 6,632 Kilmarnock 5,816 Ayr Utd 4,897 Motherwell 4,794 Morton Division Two 5,289 Dundee Utd 3,474 Clydebank 2,921 Clyde 2,889 Dunfermline 2,842 Alloa 2,747 East Fife 2,554 King's Park 2,488 Arbroath 2,316 Bo'ness 2,305 East Stirlingshire 2,158 Albion Rovers 2,132 Dumbarton 1,974 St Bernards 1,947 Bathgate 1,895 Arthurlie 1,895 Stenhousemuir 1,868 Armadale 1,684 Forfar 1,632 Broxburn 1,184 Johnstone

€40m went 'supporting preparation' of inter-county teams in 2023 ...

Dunfermline haven't placed higher than 16th in our system for well over a decade including 2 stints in tier 3. Falkirk have been in tier 3 for half a decade.

"Winter is over" for league. Broxburn are on course for the championship unless Jeanfield can produce a sensation. Luncarty and Kinnoull are gasping while Glenrothes and Crossgates scrap for 13th - they've still to meet at Warout - unless can reel-in Inverkeithing.

"Winter is over" for league. Really exciting at top with Dunipace now in driving seat for title while Whitburn and St Andrews look to chase down promotion. Oakley are desperately hoping an upturn in form can close with pack, but Vale look doomed again.

"Winter is over" for league. Bo'ness Athletic look good for title... faltering Armadale must beware charges from Thornton and Edinburgh South. Quartet of Tweedmouth, Edinburgh Utd - who had a good win at Newburgh, and Ormiston likely battling for 4th bottom.

"Winter is over" for league. Bathgate and West Calder look likely to duel for the title... all 3 head-to-heads are still awaited. Hawick's form has evaporated since Christmas with a revival needed to chase down Harthill and Pumpherston. Lochgelly have come roaring up table recently.

Wednesday 6th March (R2) Burntisland v Stoneyburn Armadale v West Calder Newtongrange v Fauldhouse Saturday 9th March (R2) Kirkcaldy & Dysart v Bo'ness Athletic (R2) Leith v Thornton (R2) Ormiston v Vale of Leithen (R2) Pumpherston v Newburgh Heriot-Watt Uni v Lochore Tuesday 19th March Camelon v Pumpherston/Newburgh Wednesday 20th March Whitehill v Burntisland/Stoneyburn date tbc Ormiston/Vale of Leithen v St Andrews Leith/Thornton v Arniston

I think rural and island authorities get some extra councillors due to distance/etc. Hawick is split along river... old parish of Wilton + new parish of Burnfoot on north bank are apart from rest within "Hawick & Denholm".

Officially it's Jedburgh & District: It's electorate is actually slightly larger than both Hawick wards... 10 regular wards = 3 seats each and electorates of 7,000-9,100; while Galashiels has 4 seats (11,600). Certainly slightly odd Jedburgh + both Hawick wards = 9 seats for 21,000 electors while both Berwickshire wards = 6 seats for 18,000 (or that both Berwickshire + Leaderdale have 9 seats but for 27,000).

Such a scenario has happened 3 times before - 1991-92 (Berwick EOS withdrew just as league games were about to start); 2004-05 (Threave returned to SOSL); 2009-10 (Dalbeattie returned to SOSL late in close season); every time got resolved by having 1 fewer relegation. Too far back to represent any hard-&-fast precedent though. Interestingly in context of leaving this season's Second Division alone, only once in EOSL history has anybody been reprieved relegation or handed promotion other than when a promoted club withdrew or an emergency situation arose: 2008 closed season Annan elected to SFL = Selkirk (due to be relegated from Premier Division) reprieved relegation (this caused considerable controversy but as Gretna 2008 were admitted at same time it also meant divisions of 12 & 12 not 11 & 13) end of 2013-14 5x Premier Division clubs joined Lowland League = Edinburgh Uni + Tynecastle reprieved relegation; Leith granted promotion; this meant divisions of 10 & 10 not 7 & 13 2015 closed season Hibernian EOS (due to be promoted from First Division) withdrew = Civil Service Strollers (due to be relegated from Premier Division) reprieved relegation end of 2019-20 season abandoned and declared on PPG = Blackburn + Whitehill + Newtongrange reprieved relegation (Inverkeithing granted promotion on PPG as playoff v Leith could not be held)

Sat 24 Feb Oakley (A) Sat 02 Mar Heriot-Watt Uni (A) Wed 06 Mar Lochore (H) Sat 09 Mar Arniston (A) Sat 16 Mar Camelon (H) Tue 19 Mar Blackburn (A) Sat 23 Mar Sat 30 Mar (LC R2) Sat 06 Apr Newtongrange (A) Sat 13 Apr Kirkcaldy & Dysart (H) Sat 20 Apr (LC R3) Sat 27 Apr Sat 04 May Vale of Leithen (A) Sat 11 May Arniston (H) Sat 18 May Lochore (A) no date yet Blackburn (H) no date yet Whitburn (H) no date yet (KC R3) Ormiston/Vale of Leithen (A)

Logically have to be that; or 1 more promotion from Third - albeit less orthodox especially having fewer clubs. Slightly unexpected outcome IMO, but at least avoids a barney over picking either now, with majority games played. (Plus occurs to me this now means no scenario where Third could end up with fewer than 10 clubs next season - i.e. even if Broxburn go up but Gretna down).

Conservatives complete Jedburgh council ward clean sweep - BBC News Following a by-election yesterday all 3 seats in Jedburgh ward (Scottish Borders) are now held by Conservative & Unionist councillors; this appears to be unique situation in Scotland. Lib Dems did win 3 of 4 seats in Almonds (Edinburgh) and SNP win 3 of 4 in Cumbernauld East (North Lanarkshire) at last election... Lib Dems have held 3 of 4 in Corstorphine & Murrayfield (Edinburgh); Labour held 3 of 4 in Bellshill (NL); and Conservatives held 3 of 4 seats in Mid Galloway & Wigtown West (Dumfries & Galloway) since subsequent by-elections.

Tbf it was "making it up as he goes along" that gave birth to the policy in the first place. Still: how come it was a 'final offer' with 'no more funds'... then suddenly after some break ranks precisely 30% more appears?

Brora moved their game v Lossiemouth to Golspie on Wednesday at 7.5hrs notice. Sad to see once proud clubs reduced to the footballing equivalent of a travelling circus.

EOS website now says: Hadn't occurred to me but in bad news for Innerleithenites the tech thinks a club literally on course to stop existing is still having a mathematically better campaign than them currently ... (Obviously the idea is it ends-up looking like last season's Second Division):

North Caledonian League (22 games) Midland Juniors (38 games) North Juniors (30 games)

Let lying dogs sleep IMO.

Old Trafford redevelopment: Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants 'national stadium in the north' - BBC Sport New Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says his "preference" is to build a new stadium for the club that can also "serve the north of England". United have played at the 74,310-capacity Old Trafford since 1910, but Ratcliffe acknowledged it had become "tired and in need of refurbishment". A new stadium could be built next to the existing ground in Trafford Park. "It's about time someone built a national stadium in the north of England," said the British billionaire. Ratcliffe added the potential project could be a "catalyst for regeneration" in south Manchester and would therefore warrant a "conversation" with the government about using taxpayers' money. Ratcliffe spoke about the potential for the new stadium to host England games and FA Cup semi-finals, both of which are played at Wembley in London, as well as the Champions League final. He said there was "significant bias in terms of major investments being in the south". Ratcliffe said an "an arms-length taskforce" would be put together to look into the feasibility of a new stadium and that he had spoken to former United captain Gary Neville. When asked if public funding would be used, he added: "I think, as part of a regeneration project, there has to be a conversation with the national government. "The north deserves some thought as well as the south, I think, if it is a national stadium."

Work has begun clearing the ruin - £ for rebuild isn't yet in place? Dublin promised upto £43m, and GAA say can't go much past £15m.... that leaves £165m+ wanting, mostly from Westminster. GAA says £15m contribution to Casement Park is near its limit - BBC News The GAA has said it is at the £15m limit of what it can contribute towards the redevelopment of Casement Park. On Tuesday the Irish Government said it was providing €50m (£42.8m). It has been suggested by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jim Shannon that the overall cost could be £220m. Westminster sources have indicated that the cost could now be as much as £300m. The original price, calculated a decade ago, was £77.5m. The current allocation of public funding approved by the Executive in 2011 is £62.5m. Brian McAvoy, Ulster GAA chief executive, said the UK government and Stormont Executive should now clarify their position on future funding. He said the GAA was an amateur organisation without "the comforts of Fifa or Uefa or World Rugby or anything like that". "There is a limit to what we can do and that's why we've gone to the Irish government - we would have little scope for moving beyond that [£15m contribution] but I think we did well here," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster Programme. "We'll see what comes of the overall terms of the overall funding rounds because obviously the ball is very much in the court of the UK government and the executive, that's really where the ball lies now." The redevelopment has been hit by a series of delays, beginning when planning permission for the project was overturned after objections to the stadium's size from local residents. Mr McAvoy was speaking after the BBC revealed that the Casement Park redevelopment would not be completed in time for the 2027 Ulster Gaelic football final. The Gaelic Athletic Association says the stadium should be ready by summer 2027, but it will be too late for the Ulster final that May. Casement Park is also due to host international soccer games in the Euro 2028 tournament.