Coventry Saint

What I'd go with. Despite Jim's noises about being more attacking, I think we'll still want three in the middle against Livi. Selection problem if Foley is fit (apparently he's very close). Personally I wouldn't risk him so soon after an op.

I see what you're saying, but I've actually just suggested adding exec powers to call it or null and void it at the two extremes of the potential scenario. I think leaving a vote in place for the 'inbetweeny' scenario would be reasonable. But I do see what you're saying. In reality, I do believe that a vaccine will be developed, that hygiene and distancing habits will have changed forever, and this won't arise again.

Well, yeah, that's just common sense. Joking aside, I would say if three full rounds of fixtures have been played, then the league can be called in the event of a Government lockdown, without going to a vote. Two full rounds of fixtures are adequate to take it to a vote and still be called if the vote is successful. Fewer than that and it would be voided. There ought to be provision (perhaps ringfenced emergency funding) to play outstanding games under strict testing conditions if a few teams haven't played the same number of matches.

That is uncanny. Genuine question: has the league confirmed either way if it has revised its charter, or rules, or whatever, to provide crystal clear guidance about cut-off points for how many matches need to be played before a season isn't voided, etc etc. Or is the line very much that, as has been proven via the legal system, nothing was done wrong so we'll just take it to a vote again next time? I just feel a lot of potential hassle could be avoided if they simply tighten some of the wording up.

Naw: last season, Hearts kept having to play teams above them in the league. It was incredibly unfair.

I started to compare the top flight results of the two recently-relegated Hearts teams to see if it'd provide any indicator of their shape going into next season. Obviously they both ended up with 23 points, but in 13-14 they had that 15-point deduction. Interestingly, they did pick up five wins in the final eight games that season. Maybe best to keep that quiet. What was the story there? Had they basically given up and went on a 'pressure's off' winning spree? Obviously they went down into a significantly tougher Championship that year (no offence to the current crop, but I think that's an unarguable point) and won it comfortably. Just trying to get a feel for whether they really will skoosh it this season or if there's any chance of a challenge.

That's so much buying power. I just hope they spend it responsibly.

I was impressed with you when you beat us in the cup last season (and it probably did us a favour in terms of giving us a wake-up call). You looked quick and incisive; I was surprised you didn't go on to do a bit better in the league. Certainly had you down to challenge.

Real talk, do you reckon any of your 'challengers' last season can push Hearts? I always feel like Dunfermline should be better than they are, and I guess people might be looking to Dundee to do something. Obviously the latter would be the prime choice from a hilarity point of view. ICT, maybe?

Nah: it's for the good of Scottish football and, as a result, Hearts and their fans will continue to feel as strongly about reconstruction in the future.

Tight game, single goal in it either way. Livi will have another great season, even if they lose Dykes. Obviously a loss here for us would be bad news given we've got Rangers and Celtic immediately after.

FFS! I'd forgotten Cammy, but one of those Mallans was meant to be Morgan. Balls. Edit: was just wondering how Morgan was getting on, so Googled Inter Miami. This was what came up. Teething trouble for the franchise, perhaps. He does appear to be starting for them, which is something. Not sure I'd fancy the pressure of wearing number 7 in a team owned by Beckham, tbf.

100% - especially now I am actually old enough to be their dad! I'm not one of those 'who gives a f**k; they don't play for Saints any more' types. I love to see it. Everything is cyclical and there was a danger the academy was falling into a fallow period after producing so many: much bigger clubs than us suffer with similar issues. I'm therefore very excited about the idea of a few guys coming through the ranks again. The weirdest thing is that neither Reid nor Henderson's surnames begin with M: McGinn, Mooy (f**k it, I'm counting him!), McLean, McGinn, Morgan, Mallan, Magennis, McAllister, McPherson is quite the run of talent.

Maybe it's because they're so good, we don't want them getting poached before they've signed on properly. Agree with DJC, though: absolute scenes if we've got a couple of 16-year-olds already knocking on the door of the first team. One of my absolute favourite things about Saints has been seeing the young players coming through and, in some cases, going on to much bigger things, over the past decade or so. As always, the two challenges are a) giving them game time to develop without hanging them out to dry and then b) also not letting them go for absolute fucking buttons. I think, as a club, we are much better geared up to achieving both of those now.

True, but if the events of the past 36 hours are anything to go by, they'll be spinning the lack of away fans as a victory for the boycott and a demonstration of the might of the maroon pound.

Real talk: I reckon we're finishing above you this year. Not suggesting you'll struggle, I think we'll both be upper end of the bottom half. But we'll be above you*. * Unless the league is called early: we're planning on winning all of our final eight games and charging up the table at the death.

If we did go to that 4-1-4-1, I think cautious Jim might put MacPherson in instead of McGrath, certainly in our second/third games of the season. It'd leave Obika isolated but that's not exactly a new story. Emphasis in that case on the wingers to support him.

I'm happy with all of these. It's the importance of the 'experience at this level' thing that you can't understate. Hearing County fans describing Fraser is almost exactly how we were describing McGinn when he left, and how McGinn was being described when he joined. If Hodson came available on loan I'd still be interested as cover, but if we didn't sign any more defenders, I wouldn't be too disappointed or surprised.

They're going to finish off the story using actors and grainy Crimewatch-style footage. It might not be the reconstruction you were hoping for, tbf.

Reported for taking the piss out of a bloke just because he looks exactly like he lives under a rock.

I understand that the reason a decision took so long is that every single one of JTS's posts on this thread were submitted as part of document discovery.

Just ten minutes ago, from Kickback. They re STILL insisting they're going to get compo here. The fight is only just beginning

"Unanimous." So even the panel member THEY FUCKING CHOSE told them to get to f**k. Aw, this is so fucking delicious.

Mind all those GIFs when it got sent to arbitration