AMMS wrote:


Well, new owner is claiming to actually be the dead guy, and won't be gainsayed on that. Mostly because if he is not the dead guy, then whilst he could buy the car he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Which leaves him in a bit of a bind.

I think the problem of dead owners coming back to life is inherent to capitalism and the concept of limited liability. It allows capitalism to keep functioning but at the expense of creditors and natural notions of fairness.

Chris McLaughlin says:

Following talks between #Rangers, SPL and SFA tonight, it seems the situation remains at deadlock. No further forward with SFA membership

Sticking point in way of #SFA membership is #Rangers insistence that they are not prosecuted for dual contracts.

Suspend them for a season. Nobody, in any sport, can tell a governing body to not prosecute them for offences that are not yet fully known.

I managed to get along to my second pre-season friendly last night and we (Alloa) lost 2-0 to a pretty strong Dundee United team. I'm predicting that we'll do reasonably well in the second division this season, hopefully getting into the play-offs. We still look a little fragile in defence, however, and we will struggle a bit for goals having failed to replace Stevie May.

Our new signings all look reasonably competent without being overly exciting. One plus point with them is that Davie Cox (signed from Annan) seems to be a bit of an old fashioned psycho, so he should be fun to watch this season.

Right, predictions:

One horse race: Celtic
Relegated: Dundee

D1 champs: Falkirk
D1 relegation playoff: Cowdenbeath
Relegated: Dumbarton (mainly based on their signing of Jim Lister)

D2 champs: Queen of the South
Playoffs: Ayr, Alloa, Arbroath
D2 relegation playoffs: East Fife
Relegated: Albion Rovers

D3: Rangers
Playoffs: Annan, Peterhead, Queens Park
Wooden spoon: East Stirling

Ramsdens Cup: Rangers
League Cup: Celtic
Scottish Cup: Aberdeen

(Play-off winners are in bold)

Earworm of "Broken Wings" aside, what am I to expect from Mister Lister?

Big, strong, not very good, but tries very hard. Managers seem to sign him thinking that he'll put himself about, unsettle defenders and his presence will allow their better players to play. That didn't happen with us.

For the first few games with us he was being regaled as a potential cult hero, but that was quickly tempered by the realisation that he wasn't very good, eventually he ended the season devoid of any confidence and missing open goals. Mind you, that was true of pretty much our whole team that season.

I saw Dumbarton play St Mirren U19's/Gary Teale/Darren McGregor/former Gers U19, current Charlie Adam brother Grant Adam last night.

Cant disagree with Dink. Dumbarton will struggle in the first but Prunty is a decent player and have they managed to keep Dargo? With those two they should do better than the heroic 95/96 season where if memory serves they won 3 games all season and all in the first 3 games (first game possibly even beating Dundee Utd)

DINK - As an Alloa fan i would be interested to know what you think of your right back James Doyle (Michael to his family). The young man is my young cousin and i am hopeful he can one day ply his trade in the top league. Do you think he is good enough? Personally i find it very hard to tell when i watch him.

I think we managed to win 4 that season. The first 2 games saw us beat Hamilton at home and Morton away (with Chick Charnley scoring from his own half). The Dundee Utd win was in late September and that was about it. Post relegation, which was probably in February,we beat someone else.

That was a painful season, but the presence of Cowdenbeath and Airdrie Utd this year gives me hope that it won't be quite as bad this time around.

multipleman78 wrote:


Michael Doyle is one of our guaranteed starters each week, extremely fit, good pace, comfortable with the ball at his feet, and decent in the tackle. We play with a really narrow midfield so despite us having a back four he plays more as a wing back at times and he is great at getting forward with the ball at his feet. Unfortunately his final delivery or pass selection often lets him down. Because he plays so far forward he does get caught out of position at times but I think that's more down to the way we play than any positional failing on his part.

I would think Michael is certainly capable of playing in Division 1 and if manages to improve his final delivery then he has a chance of making it to the the SPL.

So is Brechin v Rangers going ahead?

EDIT: Soccernet is listing it as a Sunday kick-off at 3.05pm, which suggests TV coverage.

Still seems to be unknown. Brechin must be very concerned, as one guesses they would be out a fair amount of money if the game gets called off at this short notice.

Agreement on transfer of membership
Friday, 27 July 2012


Joint statement on behalf of The Scottish FA, The Scottish Premier League, The Scottish Football League and Sevco Scotland Ltd.



Seems they have fudged the EBTs issue.

I read that statement as the EBT issue would be investigated.

The SPL hasn't agreed to drop the investigation and Rangers haven't agreed to accept any outcome. I'd call that a win for the SPL, definitely, but it's still a fudge.

Yeah I'd agree with you there.

I still think they will be lucky to see out the season.

Busy day ahead today. Into Glasgow to slate the BNP and then onto Celtic v Inter Milan and then straight down to the Lake District. Must dash.

Good luck with smashing the fash

bruno glanvilla wrote:


Having checked the the St Mirren Info web page, I see you got a draw off of us at Boghead. That was pretty non-descript season for us (if you dont count the Phoenix Honda Trophy, which you dont). My only memory was watching us lose to Clydebank at Love St with the biggest cheer coming from the news from Cappielow.

I don't think they'll plug the plug on Rangers during the season. They might keep fudging up to next Summer, which is the next time they could realistically reorganize contracts and what not if they want to throw Rangers out.

The worry from a justice POV is that this will just be allowed to blow over now and Rangers will be back in the top two by 2015: way too soon IMHO if they really want to make an example of cheaters. It's like a drug-taking athlete being allowed back into the Olympics.