Ancipital

Cheers Dargs, can be safely filed alongside Shields, Greg, and Smith, Barry. My personal highlight was the away game at Culter when he was running through and stopped beacuse he might have been offside.

I'm not going to build these guys up too much, Hutton is a year older and had played a few games for the first team before coming here. Cole has played 1 CL game in an injury crisis and Naismith none. Plus our record of loanees (especially from the OF) is still more bad than good, I'd wager. Hope I'm wrong, obviously!

I think the league's stronger overall- Livi and Ayr are miles better than Stirling and Cowden, Falkirk, County, and Morton are all better than last year. Dundee are probably about the same based on their post-admin team. On the flipside Raith and QoS are weaker, and Hamilton have been poor compared to what I expected. For comparison, in the McCall season where we finished 2nd we had 27 points at this stage and ended up on 55 and that was with Harkins, Twaddle, and Buchanan.

Was talking after the game about how we view the team under JM compared to last year. On 26/12/2010 we drew 0-0 with Raith at Firhill and had 16 points from 16 games. This season we have 26 points from 18 games. It took us 23 games to reach 26 points last season in arguably an easier league with Stirling and Cowden (not that they were easy for us). I do think we've come on, and when we're good, we're better than last year, but it's possibly just the amount of young players in the team that have led to the inconsistency and some shockers. I think we could do with an experienced head up front, but I don't think Dargo is the answer and judging by the fact Burns came on ahead of him today it looks like Jackie agrees. The worry is it seems like it'll always be year 1 of a 3 year plan and that we'll never build and hold onto a squad that can take the league.

Ironically we'd probably be better with Pat Clarke than Liam now.

I hate to break it to you guys, especially at this time of year but you're all old enough to know now and it's for the best... There's no such thing as Ryan MacBeth. Yep, it's true. He's a fictional figure invented by Thistle fans to pretend we have a youth policy. "But I'm sure I've seen him play? What about that guy who scored against Clyde a couple of seasons back?" At certain times of year, people dress up in a Ryan MacBeth costume to help people keep believing. That guy was actually Tim Burgess from the Charlatans. Tidy finish, mind you. You OK?

Last week we (OK, Kenny Deuchar) scored from a corner. This week we score from a short corner. What next?

Don't know if this has been mentioned elsewhere but it's cash on the turnstile. Is this an admission that the ticket system is a waste of time? I think £10 is alright, would rather see kids for free / £2 but as above Culter would have had to agree to the prices.

Watched Offiong on Saturday and he was utterly garbage, don't know what's happened to him, the fact he was behind Jamie Mole in the pecking order and Mole hasn't really improved either says a lot. In fact, looking at Offiong's career would suggest his one and a bit good seasons at Accies was the exception, rather than the rule. As for Dargo, we'll probably just get him fit in time for someone else to come in and sign him in January.

Since 1988 ....................Walker Law....Craigan..........Paterson......Archibald Craig.....Rowson......Charnley......Harkins .........Roberts......Britton Subs: Nelson, Duffy, S McCulloch, Lennon, A Taylor, McLean, Lindau Always difficult to compare players over eras and divisions, but I think the Hoor merits his spot despite never playing for us in the top level, he was a close to a one-man team as I've ever seen a Jags side. Also, right back has been a horrible position for us over the years whereas we've had a series of cult-hero left backs (glossing over Des McKeown for a minute) with either thunderbolt shots (Boab, Pittman, Archie) or mazy runs (Twaddle, Sinclair, even Kenny bloody Milne). Finally, I'll have forgotten someone totally obvious. It always happens.

I assume from the wording of the message we can apply for Culter tickets now rather than wait for the announcement? I've done that anyway. Also looks like it's first come first served with no ST holder priority. Surprised Spartans isn't all ticket given it's a lot closer and we'd take more through, our maybe the club have been given a nudge (or are presuming based on past decisions) we'll get Culter.

Chico Zidane

Gerry Britton's goal at Brockville in that game

Trying to offset that it's pre-season and against a top 6 SPL team who had most if not all of their first XI starting, but that was still pretty garbage. We played 4-3-1-2 with no wide players and they played 2 out and out wingers who had all the space in the world. Sinclair did pretty well and Campbell eventually got to grips with his guy but they were given little cover. Also this shape depends on Erskine as the "1" to create chances but he had one of his bad yins tonight. Rowser was Rowser and covered every blade as per, but we were junk going forward, always looking for one flick pass too many at the edge of the area. Was just like lots of last season actually. Hopefully by the time the proper stuff comes round we'll be a bit better.

Good news but I'd still like one more experienced head at the back, even better if he could fill in all across the back 4. Someone like the fella Robertson at Ayr. Conrad is English born but of Hungarian extraction- is he the closest thing we've ever had to a 'Maryhill Magyar'?

Firstly, I think there should be a period of 5 or maybe even 10 years between a player's Jags career ending and HoF induction, let them find their place once the dust has settled. Also, I know these dinners raise a much needed few bob but we might have to start holding back on the amount of actual inductees before I find myself at Firhill in 2034 saying "I don't ever remember thinking Stephen McConalogue was that good but if it's either him or Darren Brady..." That said, I asked my faither about players from his childhood and apart from those already in he came up with Tommy Ledgerwood and Jimmy McGowan, both capped by Scotland and in McGowan's case he won a Sunday paper (Sunday Mail he thinks) Player of the Year award while with us, which was no mean feat. I'd nominate: Rough (before my time but the games and caps speak for themselves, bizarre he's not already in) Charnley Lennon I also liked Alan Dinnie- two good spells with us. Off field issues might prevent inclusion but Chic wasn't exactly an angel.

As long as the away kit isn't white, as we'll definitely clash with Livi this year (and their change is white) although we should be able to get away with the home kit vs Hamilton. I like black away tops so a black one with R&Y trim would do nicely.

Player leaving the 1st division, Derek Holmes has joined David Lilley in going from QoS - Airdrie.

Yip, buses from Haymarket, 10-15 minutes walk from Central railway station or 2 stops on metro if you're feeling lazy or don't want to get lost. No planned works on the metro that should affect anyone staying in Whitley Bay (or anywhere north of the Tyne) this weekend either.

Pedant alert 1)- it was Andy Dowie who got sent off for us, 2 bookings in next to no time. Jimmy Gibson got sent off for them late on Pedant alert 2)- we beat Airdrie 1-0 in that game. My favourites were 1) Humping Killie 2-0 in 1994 with Gerry Collins wearing a hard hat in the stand. 2) The 3-3 vs St Mirren, a genuinely great game. 3) Beating Dundee 1-0 at Dens, I went up with a Dundee fan who was utterly convinced they were going to ream us about 5-0. Graham Gibson looked a player that day That Clyde game on the other hand was the worst I can remember, they had next to no players, we'd just came down from the SPL and I thought we would destroy them. IIRC, Jamie Mitchell missed about 3 sitters and then one if not both of their goals were offside. When the 2nd went in you knew the game was up. edit: although Raith last year runs it close.

Now: 1. Newcastle United (3.4 m) St.James' Park 2. Sunderland (13.1 m) Stadium of Light 3. Hartlepool United (29.0 m) Victoria Park 4. Middlesbrough (35.2 m) Riverside Stadium 5. Darlington (35.5 m) Northern Echo 6. Carlisle United (50.1 m) Brunton Park 7. Berwick Rangers (53.2 m) Shielfield Park 8. Annan Athletic (63.1 m) Galabank 9. Queen of the South (77.5 m) Palmerston Park 10. Morecambe (80.8 m) Christie Park most recent Glasgow address... 1. Partick Thistle (0.7 m) Firhill Stadium 2. Rangers (1.9 m) Ibrox Stadium 3. Celtic (3.6 m) Celtic Park 4. Queens Park (3.8 m) Hampden Park 5. St Mirren (5.8 m) St Mirren Park 6. Clyde (10.6 m) Broadwood Stadium 7. Albion Rovers (10.7 m) Cliftonhill Stadium 8. Hamilton Academical (11.0 m) New Douglas Park 9. Dumbarton (11.5 m) Strathclyde Homes Stadium 10. Airdrie United (12.7 m) Excelsior Stadium

We do need some shooting practice.

Naw, it's just a normal public service bus like the FirstBuses in Glasgow. Open return from Glasgow is £60 but should be able to get it for £40 or less by buying 2 singles.

It's a nae-bog double decker bus sadly, and a total dog of a journey, despite the fact it says X for Xpress it stops at every lamppost in Northumberland. here's the bus timetable, also bear in mind it's 10 / 15 minutes walk from Central to Haymarket bus station (or 2 stops on the metro, either green or yellow line). If there's enough of you in a group it might well be worth phoning a private hire taxi, guessing it would be about £20/25 but the bus is about a fiver return from Newcastle anyway and it would save about half an hour, which is a lifetime when bladder pressure is starting to build.

What's the script with Ryan Conroy? He's no world-beater but he'd do a job. He must be out of contract at Darkheap now. If we sign all of last season's players JM is in talks with except Boyle, then we're probably a left back, a centre half and a striker away from the squad being complete. Hopefully Jaggy is better with loans than the last manager.