Exiled AusJag

I don't think it is folklore because I can also remember my dad telling me about exactly the same thing. He lived in Hyndland during the war and I also remember him saying how lucky he was, because a landmine destroyed a tenement in Dudley drive, just over the back from where he lived. We are very fortunate not to have suffered what our parents and grandparents endured.

I've come to the conclusion that Australia has become negligent in the balanced development of toddlers. I've been looking in I don't know how many toyshops for a toy boat for my granddaughter to play with in the bath, but they don't seem to make them any more. I've tried toys r us, k mart, target, myer and even $2 shops, but not one **%$#^ boat. there are ducks and frogs and a multitude of other bath toys, but the boat seems to have been given the boot. I think it's the right of every child to be able to play with boats in the bath as we did when we were small. Is this a problam back in Scotland?

Before I read your post I had a vague memory of Denis tripping over a ball, but I thought it may have been a imaginative charactature of him developing from the mists of time, so thanks for confriming that my memory wasn't playing tricks on me.

Glad to hear it was caught early with a good prognosis. Just make sure you have your regular check ups (or should that be checks up) from now on. A little inconvenience for a lot of piece of mind. All the best.

I can't remember if this subject has been raised before, but you'd have to live the life of a hermit if you didn't acknowledge that the wealth of the other two Glasgow clubs was built by the religeous divide in Scotland, with all other clubs suffering. In Australia, all major football codes have a salary cap, with AFL and I think league, having a player draft as well. The A league also has a Marquee player whose salary is outwith the cap, and each club is only allowed one marquee player. Last year, Melbourne Storm rugby league club was caught breaching the salary cap, and unlike the the punishment handed to Dundee, the club was stripped of prevoius permierships, and still had to play the entire season. but wasn't able to have any points if they won or drew. If Scottish football were to introduce a salary cap, would it even out the competition? It's an ideal that I'd like to see, and after a number of seasons could we see other clubs, rather than Glasgow's other two, be a serious challenge for cups and championships? I doubt the SFA would introduce it, but I'd love to see it.

I grew up less than half a mile from Firhill, and like so many others here, my dad didn't want my brother and myself getting involved in the bigotry of the green and blue. My dad took me initially to reserve games where the main stand was the only place open, and I would get quite jealous of my older brother who could go to first team games on his own. (he still goes regularly and and his passion is so strong that when I was back in Scotland and went to Firhill with him, I got a dig in the ribs from him when I dared to agree with the ref who had given a decision against Thistle!) Like so many others of my generation, the highlight was going to the '71 league cup final, but broke a lens of my glasses at half time, but still had one good lens to see the rest of the game and presentation. ( A few years later I discovered contact lenses which gave me perfect vision for refereeing When I came To Australia in '83, the only way I could get results was in tiny print in the sports pages for overseas sports, but since the advent of the internet I don't have that problem any more. I enjoyed going back to Firhill 6 years ago on my only visit to Scotland since leaving, espescially being allowed to referee a practice game. CD generously photographed the session, but for some daft reason I didn't want them on the website. I now think I should have allowed it, especially since CD took time out to to assist me. I would like to publicly apologise to him for this, and if he still has the disc and still wants to put them on this site, then please feel free to do so. He is a great servant to the club and I think I was out of order. I hope I get to see Thistle play again at some point, because once a supporter, always a supporter.

I know who they belong to!!!!! and so does ausjag (Imagine plagerising half of my name) and I'm sure if the grammar or spelling is incorrect I'll be receiving a phone call from the aforementioned ausjag, a fellow glasguvian!!

Your right, so I think someone may have photoshopped it. I've just looked at the scan I have of it on my computer and it's definately 1971. Here's where I uploaded it's image

Could only open the link to the you tube video, the other came up as an error. I thought the one I did see was great though, and seeing my late dad's league cup final ticket used in the video makes it even more special. (it's still in mint condition)

I go to very few A league games, but when it replaced the old NSL a few years ago, teams, as franchises, were created to have a fan following from the area, rather than the ethnic groups that most nsl teams drew their fan base from at the time. Melbourne Victory was the first of the Victorian teams, with Melbourne Heart coming into the league at the start of this season. Prior to that in Melbourne, the two major nsl clubs were South melbourne (previously known as South Melbourne Hellas), which drew it's support from the Greek Community, and Melbourne Knights (previously known as Melbourne Croatia) which drew it's support from the Croatian Community. there were also a few others but they had been relegated a few years before. The A-league has no relegation, but the winners of the minor premiership (home and away), and the grand final (play offs at the end of the season), both qualify for the asian champions league. A couple of years ago Adelaide Utd made it all the way to the final. Victory's coach is Ernie Merrick, originally a p.e. teacher from Glasgow, but has played and coached here for years. He has also lead Melbourne Victory to 2 premierships. The club song is to the tune of 'Scotland the Brave', and there are Jags supporters among the supporter base for Victory. (Also Simon Storey played in a premiership side with them) One of the down sides (in my opinion) was this which resulted in an 8 week suspension

It even made yesterday's Melbourne Herald Sun

I noticed the other day that the forum now has full public access (posts viewable without logging in) and have had this confirmed by admin. Previously to view posts you had to log in. My own thoughts are that you must log in to view forum posts, keeping it private for members. If anyone then wants to see the posts they have to become a member. What are the thoughts of the forum members?

8 FEET BY 8 YARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALWAYS BEEN GOOD ENOUGH, UNLESS YOU INTRODUCE 8FT 6IN BASKETBALLERS AS GOALKEEPERS

The election's now finally over a couple of hours ago afer 17 days and Gillard retains Prime Ministership

Wagga Wagga residents won't be happy at losing a "g" from each part of their town. I go there every few weeks with work. Where's the Jags fan near the Murrumbidgee?

I used to travel to Tassie regularly for work years ago. Beautiful place, freezing in winter. My daughter had her honeymoon there and loved the place.

channel 7 is showing labour 72, coalition 69. 76 needed to win. It's close!

can't see it in Oz either

Counting's still going on in the election and at this stage they're saying it could be a hung parliament. Interesting to see as well how our preferential voting system works over here. In my electorate, one candidate was ahead, but with less of 50% of the primary vote, another candidate took the lead after preferences.

you'll still get the sun and a tinny though although some bits of the ground are tinny free areas. And don't forget the North Queensland oppressive humidity!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's the only plaice they use that celebration

It is an offence and referees should penalise it (I needed security to leave a ground a few years ago after awarding 2 penalties against a team for the same thing)

I'm up for a Jags convention in Ballarat. It's only a 2 hour drive so not too far (take note all those who think Ayr is a weekend trip!!!!!!!!!!!)

I'm really not keen for technology to be brought in, but the experiment that was used in the Europa League would have been ideal in both the Henry and Lampard incidents. With the assistant being in the vicinity of the goal, he would have easily seen Henry's hand ball, and Lampard's shot being over the line. Both incidents would have been communicated immediately to the referee who could then have taken the appropriate action without having a delay for a review. I'm not saying it's infallible, but it would help in the most important aspect of the game, which is whether or not a goal has been scored.