Search: ' Colin Stein'

As Alex McLeish takes over at Rangers he joins an ever increasing list of departures from Easter Road to one of the Old Firm, Jill Birnie says

My first experience of seeing my team, Hibernian, being preyed upon by the Old Firm, came as a very young child when Colin Stein, the high-scoring centre-foward, was poached by Rangers. My own children are now about the same age as I was when Stein was cruelly rem­oved from my life. In the weeks since Alex McLeish departed to become Rangers man­ager they have gone through the complete spec­­trum of emotion that I went through back in the days of black and white television. Why us again? Why can’t they leave us alone? I made the reassuring noises to them, the very ones that my own father had made to me.

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Time for a chat with Mark E Smith of The Fall, whose football experiences include encounters with a goalkeeping plumber and a controversial match against the Icicle Works

You grew up in Salford, which is more United than City. Is there a reason why you’re a City fan?
Not really, just to be contrary I suppose. Also you want to support the opposite team to your dad and my dad had been a United fan. Back in the 1950s he’d to go to away games on his bike – he’d cycle to places like Leicester. But I converted him to City. I had another United connection, though. I applied for a clerical job at the Edwards family’s meat factory after I left school. It was £9 a week. It might even have been Martin Edwards who did the interview. He said “Well the meat wagons come in, just sit there, fill in these forms and file them.” I said, “When would the job start?” and he said “You’ve started” and he left me in the office.

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Saturday 1 Man Utd go top again after beating Villa 2-1, while Chelsea win 3-1 against Everton, who still need a point to avoid the drop. Southampton move out of the bottom three for the first time this season by beating Leicester 2-1. "We've got our heads above water and now we have to stay there," says winning goal scorer James Beattie. Charlton and Blackburn share a goalless draw at The Valley though the latter are refused what appears to be a clear penalty for a foul on Ashley Ward, who has to be restrained from attacking referee Gary Willard at the final whistle. Rob Harris, in charge (after a fashion) of West Ham's game with Leeds, also comes close to being thumped after dimissing Ian Wright with just 15 minutes gone. West Ham have another two sent off in a 5-1 defeat. "We were tremendous while we still had ten men," says a seething Harry Redknapp. "I thought the referee had a good game," says David O'Leary. Bradford's promotion hopes are knocked back by a home draw with Oxford United, while Bristol City are down after losing at Sheffield United. Walsall are promoted from the Second Division. Brentford join Cambridge and Cardiff in going up from the Third, while Scarborough still have a chance of avoiding the drop after an away win at Halifax. Celtic confirm that Kenny Dalglish is to rejoin them as "technical director" in the summer.

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Saturday 3 Man Utd stumble, drawing 2-2 at Leicester after being two down. "It was very hot out there. I used to be a campaigner for Summer football but bugger that," says Alex, sweating off a stone on the touchline. Utd's lead over Liverpool is reduced to three points after the latter bumble past Spurs 2-1, the quality of the game gauged by Neil Ruddock winning Man of the Match. Arsenal's chances of landing the second Champions League place vanish after a 1-0 home defeat by Newcastle who could still finish second themselves (not been a vintage season, really, has it?). At the bottom Forest and their assorted managers are relegated following a 1-1 draw with Wimbledon and Coventry look doomed after a 2-1 home defeat by Derby. Middlesbrough blow a two-goal lead against Villa but still nick the points with an injury time penalty while Southampton and Sunderland edge nearer to safety after home wins over Blackburn and Everton who are themselves still in danger of the drop (Jack Walker and Peter Johnson will be after their money back soon). Brighton fans invade a pitch again, only this time in celebration of getting the draw they need to stay in the League, at the expense of Hereford, who move down into the Conference to be replaced by Macclesfield.

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Saturday 2 A glimmer of hope left for Bolton, who win 1-0 at Leeds. "There is still belief that we can stay up," says Colin Todd, chomping on a four leaved clover. Dave Merrington is also feeling chipper – "The spirit in our dressing room is excellent" – despite Southampton slipping into the bottom three after losing 1-0 at Spurs, below Man City who get a late equalizer at home to Blackburn. Forest prepare for Bayern with a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wed who have Steve Nicol in goal for the whole of the second half. The other side making a late bid for relegation, Middlesbrough, suffer their ninth defeat in ten games, 2-0 at home to Everton. Debutant Branco appears for the last ten minutes and nearly scores with a trademark thirty yarder. The First Division continues on its insanely egalitarian course with erstwhile strugglers Sheffield Utd and Wolves winning away to one-time pace setters Birmingham (featuring the 49th and 50th signings of Barry Fry's two-year reign) and Millwall, the latter having Champions League deserter Sergei Yuran sent off just before full-time. What if everyone – barring Derby and Watford, in the clear at either end – were to finish level on points and goals scored and goal difference? Just exactly where would we be then, eh?

Sunday 3 Liverpool disprove the notion that the Championship is a two-horse race with a comprehensive demolition of fourth-placed Aston Villa, scoring all their goals in a 3-0 win in the first eight minutes. "I've had a few kicks up the backside in football and sometimes it's the best thing for you" says Brian Little, smiling through the tears. In Scotland, Rangers go three points clear of Celtic once more after a 2-0 win at Hibs during which goalkeeper Andy Goram is attacked by a home fan.

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