Northboy

Great post Agreed, great post which adds a touch of harsh reality.

There's plenty of good areas around me where kids could play football but I hardly ever see anyone having a good old fashioned kick about. Whatever the reason, football is an organised activity these days.

A salary cap requires all participants to be capable of paying more or less the same and this is clearly not the case in Scottish football. Celtic/Rangers can pay more than Aberdeen/Hearts/Hibs who in turn can pay more than Partick/Ross County and this trickles all the way down. I do have a liking for less games - more chance of a competitive league over 18 rather than 38 games.

I think this is probably the case regardless of geography, level, age group etc. Highland league teams seem to struggle to get the fixtures in but the same is true for the local amateur and youth teams I know. Leagues and associations generally seem to have enough competitions already.

Perhaps, but I can imagine a lot of 'southern' teams not being so enamoured if they were drawn away at Brora or Wick for example.

Possibly, but there and plenty of great players who come across as "cocky p***ks". I think Tierney is an excellent player but I'm not convinced he's a defender - he's been posted missing for a few of the goals Celtic have conceded in Europe this season (PSG away for example). Maybe his future is in a more forward role.

Exactly, and of those teams you list Banks o' Dee look like the only one with serious interest. There just isn't a list of clubs waiting to join the Highland League.

Very helpful thank you Thanks, there's a lot of to consider there.

Do the SRU really subsidise travel and accommodation?

That rings a bell, maybe from 2/3 years ago - Clach were beaten heavily by Brora but thumped Rothes in same season if memory serves.

It is a big difference but, Fort William aside, most teams have their good and bad times. From the bottom 6 in the current table I've seen Clach and Keith win the league in my 25+ years watching the Highland League. Turriff, also currently in the bottom 6, were runners up 2-3 years ago. Brora are now one of the stronger teams but struggled for some years.

No, silly. Press the peas onto the tines of one's fork. Not only does this look elegant but, as the peas are crushed, they don't appear as little floaters when one goes to one's lavvy the next day. Drinking a cup of tea/coffee with the spoon still in is the action of a plebeian. I eat my peas with honey, I've done it all my life, It makes the peas taste funny. But it keeps them on the knife. Spike Milligan (I think).

'really surreal'

Yes, to the extent that even correct use of 'literally' has become an annoyance.

I enjoy it too although I find James Norton's lengthy silent/thoughtful moments a bit annoying. Must be the least dialogue a leading actor has had since Charlie Chaplin.

Their interpretation of the pathologist's role seems far fetched. They also have a habit of letting characters work on cases where they are a witness or even a suspect. This weeks episode was a perfect example - Emilia Fox returned to the office and despite some initial comments she remained up to her eyes in the case for the rest of the episode.

Still the case in a load of other sports. I was once told it was due to the home team being more likely to have spare tops lying around if it was decided that there was a clash after everyone had arrived at the ground. Not sure how true this is though. I believe that SPFL rules follow the traditional route of the away team changing in the event of a clash. At grass roots level the reverse is more common for the reasons Eednud says. Home team supposedly more likely to get their hands on a change kit in the event of a clash. Never understood why teams can be so disorganised and ill prepared as to turn up in similar kits.

Or Robertson in front of Tierney? I'm not entirely convinced of Tierney's defensive qualities.

Are you Malky Mackay?

Exactly - we'd be very naïve to think this kind of contact didn't take place. Perhaps unethical but I'm not particularly bothered as it's the way of the world.

Aye...thats a bit of a f**k-up, of course the wee arsehole scored to send it into extra-time, not penalties I don't see that as a reason to hate him. Didn't it just add to the experience and memories?

Of course there's a media campaign but he is the blatantly obvious candidate.

Exactly!

He'd be on my list too, there are plenty of reasons without resorting to the 'ditched his country' nonsense.

This could be an endless list but I always reserved a particular hatred for Neale Cooper at Aberdeen.