SPL Discussion Thread

[Poor Student]

As well as the usual Foot.ie (http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=7880) and forum-specific (http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=28671) rules, the following rules apply to this thread:

All discussion on Scottish football is to be confined to this thread, with no exeptions. Other SPL threads will be merged into this thread, or binned.
This thread shall strick strictly to football matters. No politics or religion are allowed to be discussed. Any hint of sectarianism will be severely punished.
No goading or baiting of people involved in this thread by those with no interest in Scottish football. Posts by those with no interest must be relevant and constructive.
The same principal for the whole forum applies. Freedom of choice to support who one likes. Be that Celtic, Hibs, Rangers or Stirling Albion. Any attack or criticism on someone's choice of club will be punished.

[Gerrit]

I'd say it's very nice SPL threads are allowed again. I'm sure (I hope) the ones bringing on politics learnt their lesson :)

BTW, my prefered team (not really a fan, but if I may chose one it'd) is Inverness CT. Followed them via the press and internet since they were still in 3rd division, and I hope to catch a game of them sooner or later in their great idyllic ground next to a loch...

However, Belfast seems to have no ICT fanclub. We got Rangers and Celtic fanclubs obviously, we got a fanclub for Airdrie :eek: but not for Inverness (not that I know off anyway)

[sligoman]

However, Belfast seems to have no ICT fanclub.There's an idea for you Gerrit, start your own one ;)

[geysir]

Isn't going to be rather difficult to follow different threads when there is only one thread?

[CollegeTillIDie]

Here's a wee story. Factory team Ferranti Thistle were elected to the Scottish League during the summer of 1974. They had been the Kings of Non League football for years in that part of the Country and it was inevitable that they would make the Scottish League. They joined the Old Scottish Division Two for the 1974/75 season. Relocating to Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh they entered the League as Meadowbank Thistle.
The League restructrued in 1975 to Premier First and Second Divisions initially.
They were at home in the Athletics stadium there for approximately 25 years. Then their new owners managed to acquire a site at Almondvale on the outskirts of Livingston and became Livingston Thistle. The new location also saw success on the field and they eventually joined the Premier Division in Scotland( which has since acquired a Third Division- making 4 in total!)
Their story is a model of how a smallish successful non-League can become successful on a certain level without completely losing it's soul.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Eh not quite.

Livi aren't quite the beautiful success story CTID spoke of. As far as I'm aware there were generally in the lower reaches and then got a massive cash injection which propelled them to the premier division.

[Eirambler]

Their story is a model of how a smallish successful non-League can become successful on a certain level without completely losing it's soul.

Cant say I agree with you on that one.

Livi are basically the scottish version of MK Dons, they were in administration for most of the past year, they have pitiful home attendances compared to other teams in the central belt, Pierce Flynn only bought them because he couldnt afford Celt!c, they're bottom of the SPL, odds on to go down, and former supporters of Meadowbank no longer support them because they moved out of Edinburgh.

They have had some success, but it looks like its behind them now. And really they have completely lost their soul.

[Peadar]

I'm delighted for Hearts.
Great start to the season.
Hope they can keep it up.

[Pat O' Banton]

General SPL stuff? Okay then, more worrying news from the league is that Hibs midfield/ Forward Derek Riordan is tipped to join Cardiff before the transfer deadline. Riordan is one of a current crop of execelent young players at Hibs, who are in the UEFA Cup this year. Yet he feels that either financial (or less likely) career wise he would be better off at a team who will at best be scrambling around the mid reaches of the English second tier.

If sides like Hibs cannot hold on to their best young talent, and financially are struggling to compete financially with a club who are in the mess that Cardiff are, then Scottish football's hegomony is assured for longer then the big two could possibly hope for and that isn't even in their interests.

Also lets face it, what does it say about the primary aims of the player? :(

[gustavo]

kris boyd of kilmarnock is supposedly joining cardiff too:(

[drinkfeckarse]

I'm delighted for Hearts.
Great start to the season.
Hope they can keep it up.

It's a nice change but they won't. Still llight years away from the Old Firm in terms of revenue and staff. The wheels will come off soon enough but they should without a doubt, finish third.

[superfrank]

Just saw that Jim Duffy left Dundee even though they are top of the First. Thoughts anyone?

[jorge]

Who? :confused:

[sligoman]

Pierce Flynn only bought them because he couldnt afford Celt!cCeltic isn't banned anymore so you dont have to replace i with ! ;).

[Poor Student]

Who? :confused:

Two time Dundee manager and a former coach of Gianluca Vialli at Chelsea.

Frank, he's put up with so much crap at Dundee the 2nd time around with the collapsed finances at the club. It's a wonder he stuck right through so long. No idea why he left. Something else on the horizon? I rate him quite highly.

[Aberdonian Stu]

I don't think hearts will fall away after this season the way many are predicting. Romanov has ambitions with the club and given the type of appointments he's made and allowed George Burley to make it shows a man who is sensible in the financial management of a club which prior to his acquisition last year had debts ten times the nett worth of the club (St£15 million for a club that was valued at just £1.5 million).

[drinkfeckarse]

I don't think hearts will fall away after this season the way many are predicting. Romanov has ambitions with the club and given the type of appointments he's made and allowed George Burley to make it shows a man who is sensible in the financial management of a club which prior to his acquisition last year had debts ten times the nett worth of the club (St£15 million for a club that was valued at just £1.5 million).

They are and will no doubt continue to improve and close the gap but they are still a few years away from challenging and that wil only happen if the Old Firm stagnate and Hearts continue to improve.

The problem for them now is that (A), The Old Firm will not allow them to get close to them because as soon as they look as if they will, they will just go out and spend a few million and (B), Romanov can invest as much as he likes but he is bound to want a financial return from his investment at some stage. He won't be able to attract the calibre of players the Old Firm can either so technically he's flogging a dead horse and going down the Livingston and Dundee route IMO.

[Aberdonian Stu]

In fairness the Livi and Dundee comparisons are unfair. Neither of those have fan bases of note and would never have the financial capability in the long run to succeed.

I'm not saying Hearts will challenge the Old Firm, although perhaps long-term, but Romanov could make a return, although not a great one, on his investment even without breaking the top two given the way he's spending his money. Probably the reason he brought in someone like Burley in the first place.

[Poor Student]

I think it's a mistake to write Hearts off. The Old Firm have no divine right to the title and both teams are not looking hot this season. I haven't seen Hearts but they sound solid. 4 wins out of 4, 2 goals conceded, 3 clean sheets and a good few goals scored. They've also beaten Aberdeen who beat Rangers. In 1998 Hearts went almost the whole way with the Old Firm. Stu is right, Romanov is taking care to totally restructure the club. I have no idea what the hell he's up to. People are saying he wants a foothold in the UK to launch his bank there. Crowds at Tynecastle are bordering on if not indeed full house. Away support is up massively. What sounds dodgy to me is they have a lot of their new signings on loan deals.

Livingston are indeed a pretty souless club. They have a neat little ground in Almonvale but for them it is even oversized and only so big due to the new defunct 10,000 obligation on promoted sides. Livy are formerly Meadowbank Thistle but since their rebranding (or maybe a year after?) they got big financial backing and flew up the leagues. I remember them having David Bingham a decent Premier League quality striker when in Division 2. Livy just can't get the crowds and there is more atmosphere on the moon than Almovale. They almost bankrupted themselves recently but Flynn came to their rescue. This season they look miles off the place. Looks like they'll be going down. Tough first assignment for his managerial career for Paul Lambert. He's even thinking of coming out of retirement. They just pulled Paul Dalgleish out of retirement the other day!

[davey]

Have seen Hearts a few times this season. Make no mistake - they will challenge this season. They absolutely tore Aberdeen apart on Saturday, could have been 5 or 6. Like Poor Student, I think the only thing that may hold them back is the quantity of loan signings and a possible Romanov-Burley argument. They've always had a solid centre half pairing in Pressley and Webster. Good keeper in Gordon. And now Hartley is on fire playing with the irrepressible Rudi Skacel (You have gotta see this guy!).

All in all. its great for the SPL and I can't wait for the first Hearts - Old Firm game. Living here, it does get boring with just Celtic and Rangers. At least now, there is a credible challenger.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Cant say I agree with you on that one.

Livi are basically the scottish version of MK Dons, they were in administration for most of the past year, they have pitiful home attendances compared to other teams in the central belt, Pierce Flynn only bought them because he couldnt afford Celt!c, they're bottom of the SPL, odds on to go down, and former supporters of Meadowbank no longer support them because they moved out of Edinburgh.

They have had some success, but it looks like its behind them now. And really they have completely lost their soul.

In order to be completely like the MK Dons they would have had to move about 70 miles from their original home ground as a League club in Meadowbank.

[superfrank]

Two time Dundee manager and a former coach of Gianluca Vialli at Chelsea.

Frank, he's put up with so much crap at Dundee the 2nd time around with the collapsed finances at the club. It's a wonder he stuck right through so long. No idea why he left. Something else on the horizon? I rate him quite highly.
I think so too but there's not going to be much offers for him. I heard it was because they lost to Stranraer in the League Cup.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Well Hearts could be an even greater force if they weren't confined to a home ground which only holds 16,000 odd. But if they DO make the Champions League at some future date hiring Murrayfield for those games is still an option.

[Gerrit]

There's an idea for you Gerrit, start your own one ;)

If I found a fanclub it'd have to be of a club I'm more fanatic about, like Rosenborg. I sympathise with Inverness as it is my prefered Scottish club, but I'm not fanatic at all. Maybe if I'd visit them, meet some nice people and have a good time in the Inverness city centre I'd roll into it and grow fanatic. I do follow them since they were still in 3rd division, but it's not like I frequent their website or so. Not yet anyway, I may fall for them completely once I've seen their ground in real ; looks beautiful on the pics, next to those mountains and loch...

Belfast also has a Stranraer fanclub... How does someone from Northern Ireland get to go with Stranraer ?? Not that I dislike the thought, on the contrary, those few lads must have a hard time when meeting their Rangers or Celtic supporting friends in the pub :D

[Poor Student]

Hibs beat Rangers 3-0 at Ibrox!!!

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Aberdeen 3-0 Falkirk 3.00
Smith 3,22
Clark 33

Hearts 2-1 Motherwell 3.00
Skacel 41 Foran Pen 76
Jankauskas 70
Kilmarnock 3-0 Livingston 3.00
Nish 28,35,43


Rangers 0-3 Hibernian 3.00
Sproule 67,86,90


A familiar face scoring for Motherwell as Hearts continue their rampage. Thez-re going well clear at the top. Rangers have dropped to 4th with Celtic still to plaz tomorrow. If Celtic and ICT win tomorrow Rangers will be in the bottom 6.

[Andyh]

Hat trick by Ivan Sproule, who was playing for Institute last year. Far cry from the Irish League now!! :D SPL could be interesting this year, especially if Hearts new owner splashs a bit more cash.

[eirebhoy]

Sproule, Sproule, Sproule! We love you! :D Pretty much cancels out last week's OF result except Rangers are down in the dumps.

[CollegeTillIDie]

If I found a fanclub it'd have to be of a club I'm more fanatic about, like Rosenborg. I sympathise with Inverness as it is my prefered Scottish club, but I'm not fanatic at all. Maybe if I'd visit them, meet some nice people and have a good time in the Inverness city centre I'd roll into it and grow fanatic. I do follow them since they were still in 3rd division, but it's not like I frequent their website or so. Not yet anyway, I may fall for them completely once I've seen their ground in real ; looks beautiful on the pics, next to those mountains and loch...

Belfast also has a Stranraer fanclub... How does someone from Northern Ireland get to go with Stranraer ?? Not that I dislike the thought, on the contrary, those few lads must have a hard time when meeting their Rangers or Celtic supporting friends in the pub :D

Simple Gerrit

You can get to Stranraer easily. All it takes is a bus to Larne hop across on the ferry et voilá there you are. There used to be a Stenhousemuir fan club in Dublin at one point.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Hat trick by Ivan Sproule, who was playing for Institute last year. Far cry from the Irish League now!! :D SPL could be interesting this year, especially if Hearts new owner splashs a bit more cash.

The Irish League Premier Division and indeed the one down south are strong enough for me to be able to say that if we had full time football in the entire Division in both parts of the island inside 5 years clubs in Ireland would be able to beat any SPL team that finishes lower than fourth on a consistent basis. Sproule's progress is just another plank in that argument. Good luck to him.

[Gerrit]

Simple Gerrit

You can get to Stranraer easily. All it takes is a bus to Larne hop across on the ferry et voilá there you are. There used to be a Stenhousemuir fan club in Dublin at one point.
They could of course also support local football and hop of the bus in Larne, where a Premier division team plays...

Stenhousemuir ? I watched out for their results when I was younger, they caught my eye because of their weird name :D

My nr 2 club in Scotland, after nr 1 Inverness, would be Queens Park. I love the fact that they sticked to amateur football rather than going with the flow and go professional. At least those 150 people in Hampden Park agree with my views that amateur football is the real football :cool:

[CollegeTillIDie]

They could of course also support local football and hop of the bus in Larne, where a Premier division team plays...

Stenhousemuir ? I watched out for their results when I was younger, they caught my eye because of their weird name :D

My nr 2 club in Scotland, after nr 1 Inverness, would be Queens Park. I love the fact that they sticked to amateur football rather than going with the flow and go professional. At least those 150 people in Hampden Park agree with my views that amateur football is the real football :cool:

Of course they could Gerrit... but like so many feckers down here they can't be arsed and say things like... Irish League? sure it's sh!te like! :(

I like Queen's Park because they have one of the best grounds in Scotland :)

[Eirambler]

SPL table: :)

P GD PTS
1 Hearts 5 12 15
2 Kilmarnock 5 5 10
3 Hibernian 5 4 10
4 Rangers 5 2 9
5 Celtic 4 2 7
6 Inverness CT 4 2 7
7 Aberdeen 5 1 7
8 Motherwell 5 -4 4
9 Dundee Utd 4 -4 4
10 Falkirk 5 -7 3
11 Dunfermline 4 -2 2
12 Livingston 5 -11 1






Report on SkySports News:
"Scottish football chiefs have today dealt another blow to the already beleagured state of the game north of the border.

The Chairmen of Kilmarnock, Hearts and Hibernian called an emergency meeting to discuss the possibility of all 3 clubs moving to the English Premiership.

In an exclusive interview, Hearts manager, George Burley said, "Obviously, the three clubs are doing well but we have nowhere to go from here. We need Premiership football to remain competitive and avoid going stagnant, we do feel for the clubs that are left behind but believe that in the long run, they would be better off in a more evenly matched league."

The clubs' competitors in the SPL have reacted angrily to the proposed move. Rangers' ropey Danish winger, Peter Lovenkrands said, "This is just typical of the influence money has in the modern game. I can't believe that the so-called "big boys" in the SPL would try to cut us adrift and not expect us to moan".

Celtic, whilst refusing an interview, released the following statement, "Celtic football club are strongly opposed to this move and will fight it by any means necessary as long as it doesn't cost any money. We feel that it is just another example of the leagues bias towards Rangers and the ongoing conspiracy against Celtic." SkySports would like to point out that this is the same statement that Celtic have released every week for the last 7 years.

[sligoman]

If Celtic and ICT win tomorrow Rangers will be in the bottom 6.Celtic did: Dunfermline 0-4 Celtic :). Inverness didn't though: Dundee United 1-1 Inverness CT :(

[CollegeTillIDie]

Well it is refreshing to see new names at the top of the table in Caledonia.
It would be really healthy for Scottish football in general if three of those were still in the top four at the end of the season.

[sadloserkid]

Inverness didn't though: Dundee United 1-1 Inverness CT :(

And you left it late to steal that point too! :mad: :)

[sligoman]

And you left it late to steal that point too! :mad: :) :confused:

[sadloserkid]

:confused:

Hmmm... I may gotten a little carried away there, apologies. :o :)

[Hibs4Ever]

Riordan won't be going to Cardiff City as he doesn't want to leave Hibs, looks like he could be gone in January though as Petrie seems to be forcing him out.

Think some people are getting carried away with the Jambos start to the season. Its far too early. Hibs have more points now than we did at this time last year, and we finished 3rd.

Romanov might seem good for them now, but seems a little strange that all there players are coming in on loan, from Kaunas, his Lithuanian club that he's actually signing the players for and then loaning them to Hearts. Seems a bit odd to be dealing this way, unless he is thinking long term with Hearts.

Great result for Hibs on Saturday, great hat-trick from Rangers fan Ivan Sproule. And great session in the Palmerstown House on Saturday night.

Can still see no one stopping Rangers this year, but as in the last couple of years I see the gap getting smaller between O.F. and rest of league.

Heres to livingston :mad: getting relegated :D . No history, no soul

[stickyjoe]

Hibs4ever great result for you on saturday
just wondering would you prefer hearts to win the league instead of the old firm? or is the hatred for hearts greater then that of the old firm for you?

[Hibs4Ever]

Hibs4ever great result for you on saturday
just wondering would you prefer hearts to win the league instead of the old firm? or is the hatred for hearts greater then that of the old firm for you?


Definitely hate Hearts more. But there a different feelings towards O.F. which I'm not gonna get into on this website ;)

Also have a little anger towards Livi as I just think they're a waste of time :D

[Aldini98]

Shoulda backed Hearts at 100-1 at the start of the season, George Burley, good manager. Still they haven't played the Old Firm yet so we'll see.......

[Hibs4Ever]

Shoulda backed Hearts at 100-1 at the start of the season, George Burley, good manager. Still they haven't played the Old Firm yet so we'll see.......

100/1 ?????? They were 350/1 fifth favourites after Hibs and Aberdeen who were both 250/1 at start of season

[eirebhoy]

Skysports.com can reveal that Rangers are trying to land Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa on a season-long loan deal.

more... (http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=302816&CPID=14&CLID=&lid=2&title=Gers+go+for+Aghahowa&channel=football_home)

:(

[Gerrit]

I have asked in the local about that Northern Ireland fanclub of Stranraer... Apparently they have exactly 5 members and they just randomly picked a team in Scotland to support as an excuse to go away from home during some weekends :D

[Aldini98]

100/1 ?????? They were 350/1 fifth favourites after Hibs and Aberdeen who were both 250/1 at start of season

100-1 to finish in the top 2

[sligoman]

Celtic defender Bobo Balde turned down a deadline day offer from Premiership side Birmingham City to stay at Parkhead, it has been revealed.

The Guinea international has been courted by a host of clubs over the past six months, but Birmingham were a late arrival on the scene this week.

Blues boss Steve Bruce stepped in to try to bring the 29-year-old to St Andrews after Fulham ended their interest earlier this week.

A clause in Balde’s contract allowed him to leave the club for nothing this summer, but the stumbling-block appears to have been his wage demands, which none of Fulham, Birmingham or French side Olympique Marseilles were willing to match.

He is now contracted to Celtic for the next four years, and Bhoys fans will hope he can put thoughts of a move elsewhere out of his head and lead the club to domestic glory this season.

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/celtic/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=18948

[Poor Student]

Celtic signed Chinese defender Du Wei before the deadline. Rangers signed Francis Jeffers, Olivier Bernard and Pippo Maniero. They let Michael Ball, Mo Ross and Khizanishvili go.

[Pat O' Banton]

Well Rangers certainly strenghtened their squad, mainly by letting Ross go!

[sligoman]

and Khizanishvili go.Why let him go? :confused:. I thought he was an important player for them?

[sligoman]

Norway defender Claus Lundekvam has announced his desire to join Celtic in the New Year – if Bhoys manager Gordon Strachan still wants him.

Lundekvam was a transfer target for Celtic in the summer, but no move materialized before the August transfer deadline.

But the Southampton star remains hopeful of a move to Parkhead when the window opens again in January.

The 32-year-old, who scored a rare goal as Norway defeated Slovenia in a World Cup qualifier at the weekend, said: "There was real interest from Celtic but they had to sell a couple of guys before I could go and that didn’t happen. I would have been keen to play for them if an offer was accepted but it wasn’t to be.

"The fact Celtic are a massive club and Gordon is boss would have been factors in me wanting to go there. I know him from his time at Southampton. He did a great job for us.

"Of course I would consider going to Celtic in January if they still wanted me. It’s my testimonial year so it would be a hard decision but I would definitely look closely at what they had to offer."