Meister Jag

A force to be reckoned with!

Great idea! Siego watches the forum closely and occasionally sends emails regarding comments made about himself or other sports. Talking of other sports, Siego's asked if anyone is going to a cricket match in Edinburgh - YB40 Scotland vs Essex on 12 May? He was wondering if he could meet up. Didn't know he was a fan of the bat and ball game but there you go... If interested, drop me a PM and I'll pass on contact details. I'm not a fan so of no personal interest. The image of SS 00 crowd surfing around the Star and Garter as we belt out 'Oh Maryhill' would be a sight to behold. In closing, I was hoping that Admin' may have been in a position to comment on SS 00's enforced sabbaticle; but nothing further to report.

From an email I rec'd this morning, I understand that the Great Man was at the Thistle reserves match against Queen's Pk at Lesser Hampden on Monday and had a word with Archie. The good news is that he's confirmed that he'll be staying in post next season. Networking with the manger and playing staff. Phew... flies and walls; I'll leave it at that! Saturday will be Siego's final game of the season as he's obtained tickets for the IIRB rugby sevens at Scotstoun; but obviously sorting his jags fix by getting to as many reserve games as possible. And some have questioned his commitment to the cause of the Jaggy Thistle! Come on guys; he's very much one of us... He closes by asking that our good friend Collins Out (fellow forum member) takes his place on the pitch at the end of the game. Mention was made of a team strip with SFL badges being sewn onto it. I'd go on but don't want to get my desert boots dirty. Why lie! I'm with Ian_Mac btw, poll time?

Thanks for that Willjag, the return of Siego would be the icing on the cake. The Great Man (sorry Topcat but we blame you for making this stick!) actually sent me a message asking that I post to confirm his ethnicity - Japanese with Korean grandad - and some other stuff relating to how proud he was to have been able to follow the team this year. He'd sent his email early Saturday night and from what was contained therein you could tell he was excited as the rest of us. For all I know he may have been celebrating with a pie supper. In truth, I feel like a bit of a censor in that I don't think it's within my gift to act as an interlocutor (if that doesn't sound too ars*y for this time of night) and have suggested that it would be best to wait until Admin' have made a decision on his fate. It follows that I wish him well and support his request for reinstatement. All the best MJ

I'll be having a word, we can't be having social climbers in our ranks

I was in the Star and Garter but my carriage had arrived by the time the incident happened. I hope it didn't spoil anyone's night; and I include LMJ (who I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting). With regard to the McChuills altercation (or was it just another incident?), I had also vacated the premises by the time things kicked off. (I'd left my son with a few Jags boys inside. Great night, great boozer and crackin' bunch of genuine Thistle boys. Wouldn't be surprised if a few posted on this forum; I don't know names and keep my distance on age grounds; but I know a few faces from both pubs. Anyway, if you like music and good tunes then give this place a go. Bit of a Celtic boozer but, in my experience, Thistle fans always most welcome.) Bowl of spiders, hope this helps (taken in part from the wonderful resource that is the Urban Dictionary): In everyday terms you might say: "I had an ar*e like an immersion heater - one blast created a map of Maryhill and North Kelvinside. The entire inside of the toilet bowl was painted with spiders". Least that's what I think it means Anyone else? P.S. How did this feel good thread get hijacked? I'm still on a high having had a great night, with great people (cheers to the piper), the players and superb friendly jolly bar staff!

Many have and many have failed!

:D Will buy you a beer next time we're in Pivo mate. That's a promise btw!! What a weekend!!!

Agree, not the day to be going back over that stuff. Party on!!

Just a footnote to my earlier post My son said that Jags fans were chanting his name in the street and that the wee (should that be big) guy was taking it all in his stride. Great big cheeser on his face... There must be pictures! All the nonsense stuff aside, Siego is a Firhill character and is as Jags-mad as the rest of us. Respect to SS 00! (I say this as I'm presuming that one day, after Ian Mac and Siego have converted Glasgow Calley to supporting the Jags, he'll return home. His mission will have been completed.)

Would be a nice gesture and would round off the season nicely . But very much in the hands of Admin' as I guess they are the supreme arbiters on all of this. As I've suggested before, a return on a final final warning? One dodgy post and then out... (But from what I've read, I'm guessing that there may have been many final final warnings. I dunno' )

Thanks for the post and who knows, maybe next year. Totally agree with comments regarding nothing in this league for second place - s**** state of affairs that needs to be remedied.

Pretty sure Siego is Japanese and I understand that he was indeed wearing a red tracksuit. From memory, he normally has a bum bag with him; or maybe this is for a packed lunch. But what a treble: Siego sighting, Jags win and Jags league clincher. Can life get any better?

For me, this post says it all. Read this and then watch the 'For Ever And Ever' video. I swear it will reduce you to tears. Thanks to all concerned. What a season and what a team. One happy Jags fan.

Had to leave early to walk my greyhounds. What a night. Great bus, great day out, great fans, great team... Yaaaaas!

Winners

Quick update from my son on sightings of the Great Man - seen outside a Wotherspoons in Falkirk before the game today. Apparently resplendent in a Thistle trackie and giving it big yahoo! What did he know; our guru from the East! From discussions with Siego, I can advise that he only missed two games all season; both due to illness. Not a bad track record IMO. Shows a fair bit of dedication and he's probably taken in as many or more games than most fans.

It was the 'wee rat faced' bit I didn't get

Interesting if not misplaced observations and apologies if my Osborne comment has touched a raw nerve; I was being somewhat flippant. I'm not a public servant but I do have some sympathy for their current plight. Your family are obviously high achievers but I can tell you that I came across few folk who could afford one, never mind four(!), foreign holidays. But maybe I'm just mixing with the wrong sorts... There would appear to be a myth that civil and public servants are well paid and have enjoyed better pay rises than the private sector. However, the facts are that since 2007, basic pay in the civil service has increased by 6.5% and inflation by 10%, meaning a real terms cut in living standards. Almost half (48%) of civil servants are in admin' grades where the average (median) pay in 2009 was £17,120 for women and £17,600 for men. Average civil service pay is £22,850 a year, compared to £24,970 in the private sector. This information has been out there for some time and hasn't really beeen challenged by the coalition who seem happy to have started a pay race to the bottom i.e. you should aspire to the national minimum wage. Also, some 35,000 (7%) civil servants are paid less than £15,000 a year. In truth, you'd be hard pushed to afford a weekend in Largs on that vast salary. The second major myth is that public sector pensions are gold plated. What utter tosh...The myth is that private sector employers are paying for ‘gold-plated’ public sector pensions, which are expensive, unsustainable and unfair when compared to their own pensions. However, the facts is that pensions in, for example, the civil service are far from generous and have been changed recently to a career average scheme. In my opinion, the growing gap between public and private sector pensions is the fault of private sector employers retreating from decent pensions. The real divide is between executives in the boardroom securing for themselves large pensions with low retirement ages, and their workforces suffering repeated cuts. It is arguably counterproductive to degrade pensions because it will force more people into poverty and onto state benefits in their retirement – this is more costly and will have to be met by future taxpayers. But your mates (sorry there I go again) in government are hell-bent on driving home ideolgically driven cuts to reduce the size of the public sector - jobs that are low paid and often needed to make society function. In reality, we all help to pay for private sector pensions through the price of goods and services. And we all help to contribute to public sector pensions through taxation. Excluding the very highest earners, the average civil service pension is £4,200 a year. From memory, local authority averages aren't much better - to include dinner ladies, home helps etc. Hardly big bucks! With apologies for the length of this rant!

So you're now telling me that there are no cuts and no one in the public service has lost a job? What planet are you on? It has been well reported that there has already been a fall in living standards unmatched since the 1920s, with the average worker losing around £4,000 in real terms over the last three years. A study from the Resolution Foundation states that typical family earnings for those on low-to-middle incomes will not return to 2008 levels for another decade in 2023. But even this is probably guesswork. Others have suggested the austerity regime could go on for decades. “This has not been a normal recession and it will not be a normal recovery”, but maybe the Bank Of England Governor, Mervyn King, doesn't know what he's talking about. State borrowing is greater than before, despite “front loading” the cuts. Your mate George Osborne has been forced to declare two more years of austerity measures and an extra £10bn “savings” in June. Public investment has now slumped by 25%, while new housing starts have fallen by 11%; this is the lowest level since the worst of the crisis in 2009. Yet despite this, with tax revenues falling, borrowing is increasing. Look for a likely run on the pound. Even the fu**ing IMF are urging the government to slow down. Yet what are the liberals doing? You've guessed it, sweet f*** all. Too busy sucking up and enjoying their wee bit of power. But to challenge your statement, public spending in 2011-12 was £694.89bn - compared to £689.63bn in 2010-11. That may look like an increase but once inflation is taken into account, it is a real-terms cut of 1.58%, or £10.8bn. Easy to play with stat's isn't it! Not so easy when you're one of the 750,000 public servants who will be looking for a new job; or left working in the public sector and stressed out their tits.

I think I owe you a wee apology TDP, I was a bit OTT with some of my comments. Apologies for any offence or hurt caused. My problem with the liberals (in their current form and as created by the political opportunists who split from the old Labour Party) is that they seem to agree that the British people must be made to pay for the economic crisis through years of cuts and austerity. In my view, just another pro-capitalist party who are really just Tories in all but name.

Glad you cleared that up... But I don't quite recall Charlie boy taking on the forces of Nazi Germany. I suggest you seek help or even get some life experience. The liberals won't save society. More likely to promise the earth and then suck off the highest bidder. Sorry, they are a political irrelevance. You will no doubt be upset by this comment and I will no doubt apologise; but only after I've heard more on what the liberals can do to save us all. Over to you... I'm not holding my breath as I still can't stop laughing.

Please don't take offence, but I haven't laughed so much in ages. Siege Siege 00 was banned, you should be sectioned! Would you seriously die for a political leader? P.S. Nothing against Charlie K; was probably the wrong time for him to take the job.

For once I agree with you. Now who's being touchy? Pots, kettles and black mate... Why have you jumped in with that post? But let's be clear, the Bobby Sands chicken supper jibe / joke did suggest loyalist sympathies. Other comments on Thatcher suggested some sympathy on a political level (which as I've said before is your business). Also, please remember, I'm not talking about dancing on an old woman's grave, more what she did for the country and her role in Northern Ireland. If you read comments to your posts I think you'll find that I'm not the only one that has gained this impression. But in fairness, I think you've outlined where you're coming from - you're not a loyalist and you have no time for the BNP (I tried to fill in the blanks but I'm stumped); so no issues this end. Just a bit shocked by your post as I was expecting you to react - not that I'm suggesting that you've been abusive or anything; thought I'd add that as I've clearly hit the wrong buttons! The Nick Griffin bollocks was put on to show his utter contempt for your beloved Thatcher and to suggest that all who drape themselves in red, white and blue sometimes aren't being patriotic for the right reasons. But at no time did I aim my comments at you in person. Had I wanted to do this I'd have quoted you and then followed up the post; this is a discussion of sorts. So please take a deep breath and calm down...

Don't think I can beat TDP but Des O'Connor used to go out with my mother's sister who was dancer at the Glasgow Empire back in the day (she's in her 70's and is still dancing on some kind of pro-circuit for aged ballroom dancers in America and Canada).