SPL Discussion Thread

**Hibs4Ever** · 27/02/2006, 8:28 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

O'Connor off to Russia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...an/4752964.stm

Not definite yet.

Would be a very bad move and will be terrible to his Scotland career (not to mention his fiance and young child)

**Poor Student** · 27/02/2006, 5:52 PM

Cup Semi final draw:
Hearts v Hibs
Gretna v Dundee/Hamilton

It's quite conceivable that a 2nd Division team could be in the Scottish Cup Final! And if they draw Hearts in the final and Hearts finish 2nd then Gretna would qualify for the UEFA Cup!

**Plastic Paddy** · 27/02/2006, 6:21 PM

Gretna in Europe. That would be fantastic. Good luck to them. I expect we'll be seeing them at Celtic Park in the SPL in a couple of years.

PP

**Hibs4Ever** · 28/02/2006, 6:45 AM

Can't see it happening, we'll stuff the Jambos

**Junior** · 28/02/2006, 7:36 AM

- Gretna is not such as surprise, a banker every week on the football coupon, stand to reason they could have a decent cup run, especially with so many SPL sides already knocked out.

- O'Connor - Its a strange one alright, money he just couldn't turn down I suppose, as they say on Soccer AM - 'muskgo'......

**Hibs4Ever** · 28/02/2006, 8:30 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

- Gretna is not such as surprise, a banker every week on the football coupon, stand to reason they could have a decent cup run, especially with so many SPL sides already knocked out.

- O'Connor - Its a strange one alright, money he just couldn't turn down I suppose, as they say on Soccer AM - 'muskgo'......

Agree, have done them every game this season, they're 4/9 away to Stirling Albion tonight, can't see them slipping up there either

As for Garry O'Connor, he'll be back in a Hibs shirt soon. Great player and a true Hibee

**Hibs4Ever** · 06/03/2006, 2:05 PM

Best of luck Garry

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...an/4752964.stm

**Junior** · 06/03/2006, 7:33 PM

And Killie are at Ibrox next week, a win for them could see them go 3rd, if Celtic were to beat Hibs. 3rd,4th and 5th all very close at the moment.

**Hibs4Ever** · 07/03/2006, 9:07 AM

Originally Posted by gonzo

Also WTF did the SFA insist on both SC-F.games KO 12.15 @ Hampden, FFS?

Know the KO time dictated by TV, but the venue?

Should have been @ Motherwell & Murrayfield respectively IMO, to accomodate the appropriate potential crowds rather than that soulless dump. Obviously Glasgow is the home of, er,

'Scottish' football but this particular decision is pathetic.

There's no way our semi should've been at Murrayfield. Its in Jambo land and they've recently played european games there. Hampden is rightful place for the semi. Either venue would sell out for this match

**Hibs4Ever** · 07/03/2006, 9:12 AM

All being discussed on that Jamboskickback Forum.. Such an educated lot.

Their options..

1, Not going

2, Pitch invasion removing pitch and goal posts

3, Mass protest outside the main Hampden stand

4, Everyone holds up red card at the start of the game

5, Anti SFA songs

6, Do not buy any pies

7, Streaker

They are voting on the above!!

**ColinR** · 07/03/2006, 9:20 AM

Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

There's no way our semi should've been at Murrayfield. Its in Jambo land and they've recently played european games there. Hampden is rightful place for the semi. Either venue would sell out for this match

i think they should have played it in murrayfield. hearts played (and done badly) a year and a half ago in murrayfield. a few games doesn't make it a home pitch. now there is 50000 fans going to be leaving edinburgh early in the morning, and all heading on the motorway. there are only two trains running between edinburgh and glasgow on the sunday.

also there is room for 15000 extra fans at murrayfield. the demand is there for this game. all the hibees in my office would have rathered murrayfield as well. stupid decision imo

**Hibs4Ever** · 07/03/2006, 9:45 AM

Originally Posted by ColinR

i think they should have played it in murrayfield. hearts played (and done badly) a year and a half ago in murrayfield. a few games doesn't make it a home pitch. now there is 50000 fans going to be leaving edinburgh early in the morning, and all heading on the motorway. there are only two trains running between edinburgh and glasgow on the sunday.

also there is room for 15000 extra fans at murrayfield. the demand is there for this game. all the hibees in my office would have rathered murrayfield as well. stupid decision imo

The Hibees in your office are the first I've heard of tha wanted Murrayfield, on all the Hibs forums the push for Hampden was huge. No one wanted the rugby stadium during rugby season

Have been told if it goes to replay it'll be Murrayfield though

**ColinR** · 07/03/2006, 10:53 AM

well to be fair hibees here aren't exactly die hard. i just think its got a chance of being the biggest game in scotland in a long long time - when was there last over 60k people at a domestic match in scotland - prob the cup finals before hampden was redeveloped. now this will just be another hampden cup semi (albeit a derby).

**Junior** · 07/03/2006, 2:05 PM

1) Last +60k domestic crowd in scotland would have been at Celtic Park in the last 2-3 years (without checking).

2) Rugby Ground argument is a valid one. Anyone who saw the Sweden game during the week will testify the pitch was a joke, having said that, it wouldn't suit either side who generally play a fairly fast, on the deck game.

3) Heart's home ground? Nonsense, they played there a few times (with indifferent results). Would Spurs fans have an issue playing a semi final against Arsenal at Wembley (assuming it was still there of course) for the FA Cup because Arsenal played a handful of CL games there, I don't think so.

4) Why wouldn't you want to make life easier for yourselves? I don't believe its the glory of playing at Hampden, nor the fact that you all like getting up and travelling to Glasgow for an early kick off? I forget who they were playing but Man U were playing someone from the NW recently and they were suggesting a London or Midlands venue and both sides suggested Anfield or Goodison or somewhere in the Northwest - not sure they got there wish though......

Whats the real reason H4E????

**Hibs4Ever** · 07/03/2006, 2:16 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

1) Last +60k domestic crowd in scotland would have been at Celtic Park in the last 2-3 years (without checking).

2) Rugby Ground argument is a valid one. Anyone who saw the Sweden game during the week will testify the pitch was a joke, having said that, it wouldn't suit either side who generally play a fairly fast, on the deck game.

3) Heart's home ground? Nonsense, they played there a few times (with indifferent results). Would Spurs fans have an issue playing a semi final against Arsenal at Wembley (assuming it was still there of course) for the FA Cup because Arsenal played a handful of CL games there, I don't think so.

4) Why wouldn't you want to make life easier for yourselves? I don't believe its the glory of playing at Hampden, nor the fact that you all like getting up and travelling to Glasgow for an early kick off? I forget who they were playing but Man U were playing someone from the NW recently and they were suggesting a London or Midlands venue and both sides suggested Anfield or Goodison or somewhere in the Northwest - not sure they got there wish though......

Whats the real reason H4E????

1st, who said anything about home ground???

2nd, what reason do you want other than Hampden being the home of Scottish football were semi's a normally held, not in a RUGBY stadium in the middle of rugby season with almost weekly rugby matches on the pitch. Thats reason enough, without playing there just because the Jambos want to

**stickyjoe** · 07/03/2006, 2:21 PM

Originally Posted by ColinR

when was there last over 60k people at a domestic match in scotland - prob the cup finals before hampden was redeveloped. now this will just be another hampden cup semi (albeit a derby).

last saturday at celtic park there was 60,018.....just about sneaks in

good logic to stay away from murrayfield at this time of the year. hearts and hibs both seem to play decent football so a good surface at hampden should hopefully help set up a cracking game

**Poor Student** · 07/03/2006, 2:24 PM

The best attended game is usually Celtic v Aberdeen in the new Celtic Park. Obviously due to segregation in Old Firm games the stadium can't go to capacity.

**ColinR** · 07/03/2006, 2:35 PM

so 65k at murrayfield would make it bigger than any of the celtic games?

plus there is no more scotland or edinburgh gunner fixtures set for murrayfield between now and the date of the semi. murrayfield wanderers play their matches on the back pitches, so there is no reason why the pitch wont be able to be sorted before the semi.

**Junior** · 07/03/2006, 2:39 PM

Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

1st, who said anything about home ground???

Ok, 'Jamboland', 'played games there' I think your splitting hairs - either way thats a weak argument IMO

Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

2nd, what reason do you want other than Hampden being the home of Scottish football were semi's a normally held, not in a RUGBY stadium in the middle of rugby season with almost weekly rugby matches on the pitch. Thats reason enough, without playing there just because the Jambos want to

If Hampden is a perfect pitch or even just much superior to Murrayfield then I'd tend to agree it should be played at Hampden.

But Im not sure it is, and therefore as there is NO advantage to either side in playing at Murrayfield and the obvious benefits in travel arrangements Id have thought it would be a good choice for all fans. I'd rather Hibs won the semi, so Ive got no agenda. From the tone of alot of your posts H4E, you would get the impression you have a bit of a chip on that shoulder of yours.

Obviously it is the romance of Hampden then?, the home of scottish fitba........funny i;ve never noticed Hibs fans take it to their hearts before with the genrally poor attendances there.

**Hibs4Ever** · 07/03/2006, 2:56 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Ok, 'Jamboland', 'played games there' I think your splitting hairs - either way thats a weak argument IMO

If Hampden is a perfect pitch or even just much superior to Murrayfield then I'd tend to agree it should be played at Hampden.

But Im not sure it is, and therefore as there is NO advantage to either side in playing at Murrayfield and the obvious benefits in travel arrangements Id have thought it would be a good choice for all fans. I'd rather Hibs won the semi, so Ive got no agenda. From the tone of alot of your posts H4E, you would get the impression you have a bit of a chip on that shoulder of yours.

Obviously it is the romance of Hampden then?, the home of scottish fitba........funny i;ve never noticed Hibs fans take it to their hearts before with the genrally poor attendances there.

Tell me when Hibs haven't sold the tickets they were allocated for Hampden?

Also, how do you get a "tone" from typing on a screen, and chip on my shoulder about what? That I would rather a big cup semi played on a football pitch than a rugby pitch?????

And splitting hairs where???? YOU spoke about Murrayfield being their home ground, no one else!!!