Cowden Cowboy

Well yes Rangers for one did so when there was no need for it. All the points made on this are subjective but maybe your overall inference could be considered grossly selfish. Some gratitude for the assistance actually received in these hard times might be more apt rather than casting envious eyes elsewhere.

There certainly is - my own club when it competed in the Championship had a much larger 'spend'/ cost base than when it was in L2. That is a competitive issue nothing to do with full time v part time. A full time team in L1 wouldn't normally be paying the same level of wages as a full time club in the Championship. A part time team in the Championship would normally be paying an appreciably higher level of wages than a part time team in L1.

Grants weren't meant to be means tested on average attendances. That was only a suggested possible methodology and clubs submitted that and other data. Average attendances of course are skewed by many factors such as some clubs include all season ticket holders in their attendance others exclude non-attending season ticket holders from the attendance figure (my own included). Then again some clubs issue free season tickets to some groups of supporters or allow kids in free. All impact on average attendances. Per division seems a reasonable and justifiable approach.

I spoke to Ross yesterday. There was a 6 week review with x-rays carried out and the bones are healing in the manner hoped. So he is now able to get on his feet and walk with aid of one crutch. Pain from leg is not too much but foot pain now caused by not being walking for a period. Physio is required to help recovery - hopes then to be able to maybe start some sort of running by the 12 week stage.

I am not sure there is any great insight generally held as regards the quality of any presentations made by Chemical Ali. Comical Ali though might be a more apt comparison.

That's maybe an overly simple view. A curtailed season raises many of the questions about sporting integrity again - teams doing well will be all for it those at the other end of the League will be agin it. Instead of say 17/19 more games to turn your season round you get only 8/9. A bad run of form or injuries gives little chance to recover as compared to a normal season. Then you will get a debate about whether play offs will apply. Clubs already submitted their individual views as to what should be done/process if season was curtailed - I expect these would show a wide range of opinions and all these views would likely now be impacted by that club's current situation/position.

Hmm it's a pity you don't grasp the difference between conjecture and an informed comment - you try the old fake news tactic - maybe trying to appreciate the factors at play and the nuances instead of the one dimensional Trump like approach would serve you better likely as not. Nuff said though.

Ah I see you are choosing to go for an absolutely literal interpretation rather than a more nuanced one. In reality relatively moneyed and full time clubs like Falkirk and Partick and QP were ready and willing to step up and play other full time clubs and/or at a higher level if part time/less affluent clubs were inclined not to play. L2 clubs places could have been filled by clubs from LL/HL stepping in to make up the numbers. There was no suggestion these artificial advancements would later be reversed to restore the clubs in abeyance to where they had been. The word most refers to the clubs who might have decided not to play - likely a small number of clubs not a whole league.

It does apply in practice as many clubs have already signed players in January

Not true - clubs in Championship/L1/L2 were asked to commit to playing a season and deciding how many games would constitute said season. They could hibernate but that would likely have meant demotion for most of them when they restarted. With that in mind and with the prevailing views/wisdom in the game being that full testing would not be required at these levels and that crowds would return in a few months, clubs went ahead.

It's not as simple as that for qualifying for Furlough - rules include : You can only claim for furloughed employees that were employed and on payroll on 30 October 2020. This means you must have made a PAYE RTI submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 30 October 2020, notifying a payment of earnings for that employee. Thus if you brought in any new players in current window you cant get furlough payments for them

Other than they might be signed on Monday and available to play on Tuesday? Unless there's a registration rule I'm unaware of? For a postponed match in the Scottish Cup only players registered with the club at the time of the originally scheduled match can play

Incoming players has no relevance as regards this Scottish Cup tie

No that was Hitler Clubs actually had to formally decide at start of season and advise the SPFL if they would employ a multiball system or not. CFC went for multiball and I assume Stirling didn't.

True facts are every club produced their own protocols based on guidelines provided and each ground was inspected by SFA/SPFL inspector as part of the process to help clubs meet the requirements. On the 3-0 issue - clubs generally didn't want this to be automatic as in Betfred hence they didn't vote for it to be automatic. Rather they wanted the normal process to be followed if a club failed to fulfil a fixture and that is what is happening - if you are at fault in some way for game not going ahead then clubs knew that a 3-0 outcome was likely

Yes - each club has its own protocols based around the basic guideline framework originally issued and adapted to that club's logistical situation and amended by experience gained. They are not all the same but are similar and would all very likely for example advise players and staff that they should not car share if that is the point being debated

There is no prohibition on using a bus. The occupants need to be socially distanced and masked and follow the Bus company's own procedures

Cars and buses are different - it is the length of continuous time that you are in contact/the vicinity of someone that increases the chance of infection plus infection is much less likely in the open air. As for protocols, they are different for the non-Premier clubs as they are not antigen testing. However, an outbreak will be subject to detailed scrutiny by local health authorities, ScotGov and the JRG - probably including a Zoom conference where there will be pretty in depth questioning

Each club had a visit by an inspector arranged by the SFA/SPFL based on each club's proposed covid protocols - the checklist assisted in highlighting aspects to be considered and what would be examined

I think the key aspect of that was that clubs didn't necessarily object to the 3-0 outcome as per the Betfred but did not want it to be automatic - thus each case would have a hearing and be judged on its merits

Morrison had groin op just before last season ended, but it became apparent he needed a further op at start of this season. Now in light training with return soon. Renton developed an injury problem during the first few games and now awaiting final conclusions re prognosis/further treatment

Muscle injuries are proving commonplace due to 7 month lay off - that was anticipated and partly why 5 sub rule was introduced. However, it has been an almost unprecedented run of injuries. By my reckoning we are almost six weeks into the season and injuries/illness have involved Sinclair, Pyper, Swann, Pollock, Cox, Buchanan, Sneddon, Herd, Morrison, Renton, Kavanagh, Hay and Smith

So your consistent solution is spend more money than you can afford?

So every other team had more than half its likely starting line up missing and they all played 2 games v full time opponents in last few days? It’s you that needs to get a grip of the facts it seems to me.

Morrison, Mullen, Pyper, Herd, Buchanan, Renton and Todd all out for today - and after 2 hard games in last week v full time teams we were always likely to be up against it today