The Mantis

Only ever seen about half an hour of action there. Renfrew v Peasie in December 2019. Game abandoned after a huge punch-up. Sometimes wonder who got the points as Petershill were a goal up at the time.

And Pollok.

Never knew you were a goalie. Last time WW got drawn there in the cups it was 5-2. WW played their U21 goalie for whatever reason. I think Eyemouth scored first, WW quickly equalised, then the U21 goalie let a passbook roll under his foot for 2-1. The back four spent the rest of the game keeping the ball away from him... this is the legend Wayno scoring with a flick in the second half.

Great times there with Whitehill. Mince pies (rather than Scotch pies) were superb.

Never used BirdNet and not really sure how it works, but a couple of times I've used the Voice Memos native app on the iPhone and you can edit out the silent bits. I got some good recordings of stags roaring at night near a house in Glen Brora, and a Tawny hooting away right next to Edinburgh Castle Esplanade one night. Maybe it can upload to Birdnet later?

Here's a greedy wee Dipper down the Esk

As I remember it, the North Stand was suspended above the terracing, and when the toilets overflowed, the pish just dripped down. The terracing had its own toilets at the back, but you had to go under the drips to get there.

Our 12th draw in 27 will guarantee your safety by a bawhair it appears. Welcome payback for that great day in 2010.

Aye sorry, I was sitting with eye drops in at the hospital, fair jumbles up the keyboard

It actually strengthens us anyway. Robbie Deas has been playing at left back where he’s clearly not happy. He moves back to CB and Cammy Mackay comes back in at LB after losing his place through injury.

Isn't there something you once heard a supporter of Uncle Roy's mercenaries say, can't quite remember...

He should just STFU and let the Irish guy talk between the silences. He's almost as bad as Andy.

They’re around the Pentland Hills and there’s quite a few in Glen Shee, or is it Glen Clunie, the bit between the ski centre and Braemar. Just going by reports, I’ve never seen them myself. You also get migrating Dotterel on the highest tops of the Pentlands for a couple of days in May and on the way back in the autumn.

Well all this must have been inspiring, I got out my bed on Sunday night/Monday morning at 2am and went looking for the Milky Way. It was -3 according to my car and I was back in my bed on the stroke of 4, absolutely frozen and Mrs Mantis wasn't best pleased... Milky Way was quite weak but at least you can see it.

Good for you. I've only ever seen one. I've heard where to look for one though so might have a look in the next few days.

How’s Stewart doing? I used to correspond with him back in the day and contributed a wee bit. Must have been before email I assume he’s getting on a bit.

Cheers. I waited about 10 mins between cars as I wanted a bit of a trail and some light on the hill. The glow in the sky will be Moffat. No, I've never done any stacking apart from a couple of times when I've blended two shots to get foreground and background sharp. Wouldn't know where to start tbh. I thought it was maybe the Leaderfoot viaduct but I suppose that would have been a bit of a trek from down your way. My mate has a superb shot of it with the Milky Way.

Where’s this? Aplogies if I’ve posted this one before (can’t remember) but just since you’re a Queens fan. It was taken at the Devil’s Beef Tub on the way back from Palmerston in October 2019, the last time before the lockdown. You can see Orion low on the horizon to the left.

My first impression was Brian McGinlay but who knows... I was at a Thistle v Caley derby in, I think, 1991. Jim Leishman was the (short-lived) Thistle manager at the time and had just been caught drink-driving in Inverness. The story was that he left the boardroom to go and buy more bevvy after being trounced in a League Cup tie v Caley the previous midweek but was stopped by the polis. It was rumoured that they were tipped off by one half of the Caley fanzine duo. Anyway the Caley support were in their element before the game with every possible licence-related song being utilised. I suppose you had to be there. But no sooner had the Leish songs dried up than the teams were announced, and the ref was... Brian McGinlay. Older posters will remember that McGinlay was struck off the referees’ list for “personal reasons”. So a new round of songs were started up...

Frankie boy’s wasted on this thread. It’s the C(o)unty fans he needs to tell.

You can tell when he disagrees, he just stays quiet...

That’s pretty surprising if you’re in Fife, if that was me I’d be nipping over two or three times a year. As it is I try to go once a year, it’s a great day out for me as well. Where I live there won’t be much in it distance wise, meant to try the Farne Islands for a while. Been to Coquet Island from Amble though, for the Roseate Terns, but non-landing. Also try to go to the Bass about every four or five years, expensive but amazing. Changed days since I first went in 1980 and Fred Marr charged a fiver and that included landing. The Seabird Centre is really milking it.

Brilliant. Never been there. Daft question maybe but do you not go to the Isle of May? Are the Farnes any better?

More bird porn... I've been trying to get the Grebes doing their mating dance with the weeds, but obviously this pair don't bother with foreplay.

Took this one last week, it's looking West to the Pentlands and also the sunset and Penicuik so no stars. Got plenty stars looking back the way but nothing interesting in the foreground unless you just like looking at millions of stars. TBF there was actually a superb sunset earlier that night but if the wife cooks, the least you can do is sit down and eat with her