Over the past couple of years, we have built a healthy, vibrant and influential community which recognises the need to counter the corporate propaganda spouted by the mainstream media on behalf of the football authorities.
The media have, not entirely but in the main, been hostage to the patronage of those in charge of the club/media links, and to the narrow demographic of their readership. Despite a continuing rejection of the media’s position by that readership (in terms of year on year slump in sales) there is an obstinate refusal to see what is by now inevitable – the death of the print media. The lamb metaphor in fact ironically moving to the slaughter.
The football authorities in Scotland, once the country that gave the world the beautiful game, are rigid with fear that their own world will fall apart – because they are wedded to the idea that only one football match actually matters. To that end they will do whatever it takes to ensure that it continues. They have long since dispensed with the notion that football is an interdependent industry, and incredibly, even those who are not participants in that match follow like sheep towards the abattoir.
The argument is no longer that one club cheated and got away with it. The debate that we need to have is one about what is paramount in the eyes of the clubs and the media . Is it the inegrity of sporting endeavour, or box-office?
For out part, independent sites like this have accelerated the print media’s demise, and there have been temporary successes in persuading the clubs to uphold the spirit of sport. However our role has up to now been to cast a spotlight on the inaccuracies, inconsistencies and downright lies that routinely pass for news. News that is imagined up by PR agencies and dutifully copied by the lazy pretend-journalists who betray no thought whatsoever during the process.
Despite our successes, it really is not enough. We have the means at our disposal to do more, but do more we need to change ourselves, because the authorities sure as hell aren’t gonna.
We need to provide meaningful insight into the game that removes the Old Firm prism from the light path. We need to provide news that has covered all of the angles. We need to entertain, inform and energise fans of sport and all clubs.
We need to do that from a wholly independent perspective. None of this refusing to tell the truth about club allegiances. There is no reason why intelligent men and women can’t be objective in spite of their own allegiances (although the corollary absolutely holds true). Our experience of the MSM in this country is that the lack of arms-length principles in the media has corrupted it to such an extent that they barely recognise truth and objectivity. We need to be firm on those arms-length principles.
In order to do that we have put together a plan (with enough room to manoeuvre if required) as follows;
We will rebrand and re-launch as the Independent Sports Monitor. We have acquired the domains isMonitor.co.uk and IndependentSportsMonitor.co.uk, and those will be the main urls after the re-launch, hopefully later in the summer.
The change in name reflects the reality of our current debate which is not always confined to Scotland or football. It will also give us the option in future of applying the success of our model to other sports and jurisdictions through partner sites and blogs. This should also help in our efforts to raise funds in the future. However any expansion outwith the domain of Scottish football is some time away, and will depend on the success we have with the core model.
Our mission statement will be;
- ISM will seek to build a community of sports fans whose overarching aim is the integrity of competition in the sport.
- ISM will, without favour, seek to find objective truths on the conduct and administration of sport. We will avoid building relationships with individuals or organisations which would bring us into conflict with that.
- ISM will provide a platform for the views of ALL fans, and guarantee that those views will be heard in a mutually respectful environment.
- ISM will also endeavour to inform and entertain members on a wide range of topics related to our shared love of sport.
- ISM will seek to represent the views of sports fans to sporting authorities and hold the authorities to account.
We have estimated our (modest) costs to expand our role as per recent discussions. The expanded role will take the form of a new Internet Radio Channel where we hope to provide 24/7 content by the end of the year. It will also see a greater news role where we will engage directly with clubs and authorities to seek answers to our questions directly. And we will seek to contact the best fan sites across Scotland with a view to showcasing their content.
We have identified individuals who we want to work (initially on a part time basis) towards our objectives, we have identified premises where we want to conduct our business, and we hope to move into those premises during this summer.
To finance these plans there are a couple of stages;
- Initially (as soon as possible) we need to pay accommodation and hosting costs for the first year. To do so, we hope to appeal to the community itself. Our aim is to raise around £5000 by the end of August.
- There are salary costs (around £15,000) attached to our first year plan, but these have been underwritten by Big Pink, and equipment costs (est. £3000). These will be reimbursed if the advertising campaign we recently started bears any fruit (we will not know about that for a few months).
- It will not be too discouraging if we make losses in the first couple of years, so if necessary we will seek crowd-funding to finance our plans if the resources of the community itself prove inadequate to smooth a path to break-even point.
Our first year may be a perilous hand-to-mouth existence, but I am certain the journey will be an exciting and enjoyable one. We will also need to search our community resources for contacts at clubs; players, officials, ex-players, local journalists etc. Please get in touch if you have any in at your club.
We also hope to tap into the expertise of our community for advice, comment and analysis of developments, and we will be looking for any aspiring presenters, journalists, sound and video editors, graphic designers (and lots of others) to help us find our feet. Any offers of assistance would be gratefully accepted.
We mustn’t lose sight of why we are doing this. It is because we love our sport, because we want to be able to continue to call it that, and because the disconnect we find in Scottish football, that of the conflicting interests of the fans and the money men, will never be addressed as long as the fans are hopelessly split.
The ultimate goal is to allow sport – not our individual clubs – to triumph over the greed and corporate troglodyte-ism of those people who run it. I am confident that we as a community desperately want to be able to make a difference. That is why I am confident we can achieve our aim of becoming a significant player in the game.
RyanGosling says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:42 pm
13 TD’s straight off the bat for daring to suggest you, as a Bear, have an opinion that the best players you have seen are Rangers players, all of which you have given a decent explanation for your views and are all a good shout BTW
Some people need to take a good look in the mirror and get a grip.
Whatever skills were considered in Warburton’s hiring, I don’t think they are football based.
I reckon his experience of working in financial markets outweighs any he may have on the training ground.
Billy Boyce & Wottpi,
I appreciate those comments you just made and was thinking the same thing myself. Considering that Big Pink actually asked a question about the best players you’d seen from YOUR team, and I am a Rangers fan, unless there are huge numbers of bears on here who strongly disagree with me then I must say I’m confused at the response.
For me the best player at MY club, or at least the one I remember fondly as such was Stewart Kennedy. He gave so much confidence to the players in front of him and good naturedly took a huge amount of stick from the fans behind his goal. I’m sure there have been better but I’ll always appreciate Stewart
Couldn’t agree more Billy Boyce and Wottpi. Have noticed quite a few TDs for very innocuous comments. Ryan your opinion was very valid (as you know). Don’t understand the TDs.
Regards Ally McCoist, I always thought he was a very good striker, even felt a bit sorry for him in the Souness era when he was ‘super sub’. Even bought in to the cheeky chappie notion. After 2012 lost a huge amount of respect for him. Indeed I blame him for a lot of the victim mentality.
StevieBC says:
Member: (784 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 4:29 pm
==============================
No matter how it ends up for Warburton the media have done him no favours whatsoever with the pedestal he has been put on. Likewise the attempts to spin every signing as a hidden gem that Warburton will somehow get the best out of.
Only ever seen one old firm game in the flesh Ryan. Souness’s first game in charge iirc, a Glasgow cup final and McCoist scored all three in a 3-2 win.
Overriding memory though was knowing what a sardine feels like when going to and from the game on the underground, probably my first time in it as a 19yo and definitely at its busiest.
Big Pink says:
Moderator: (316 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 11:46 am
Who’s the best (you decide what ‘best’ means) player you have seen play in YOUR team?
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Rather than repeat the same names for my own team, I would mention a current player who I have followed for years, and is at the top of his game.
James Milner, now of Liverpool.
I remember when as an 18 year old he signed for Newcastle for a huge price of GBP 3.5M in 2004 from Leeds.
He is not a star player, but always puts in a shift, and is reliable and smart.
Apparently he has a good sense of humour too off the pitch and plays up his ‘boring image’ with the fans.
He had limited opportunities at star-studded Man City, but he should be a great signing for Liverpool, IMO.
I think it would be better if people posted something like: With respect Ryan I disagree with your opinion because…
Rather than just give him all those TDs He is entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. Remember what Big Pink said ‘best’ whatever that means to you. Could be Ryan chose McCoist because he was at a certain age when he was enthralled with him. I certainly don’t think he was the best player at Rangers but hey ho it’s his opinion! Wish people would give up with these ‘silly’ TDs. I have to strongly disagree in principal to give TD. We also have the option to do nothing in TU TD terms. 90% of mine are TU. Even if it’s just an encouragement.
The best player from my youth, Davy Provan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_giZoilkc
what a day that was, and the commentary for the tv was also great if i remember right when i watched it back all those years ago.
Now thank god i remember him as a great player, not as one of the SMSM.
This little spat with Ryan illustrates why I suggested that we nominate a player from a team other than the one that we personally support.
On that basis, I would go for Jim Baxter.
RyanGosling on July 21, 2015 at 4:42 pm
Laudrup …
——–
Ryan,
Blimey the TD outrage brigade are out in force today.
My older brother took me to Ibrox several times in the late ’60s. I suppose Wullie Henderson was the player who impressed me at that young age. But I would never have been a good fan if I’d continued watching fitba into my teens as I really liked all the Celtic lads too, especially Jinky, McNeill, Lennox, Auld, etc 😀
Laudrup is a good choice for modern times. I saw most of his career via the Danish prism and was actually surprised he ended up in Glasgow. EBTs & financial jiggery-pokery aside, he was exceptional. I liked him as a player more than his older brother. I was walking my dog round the pitch at a home game of my local team a few years ago when I saw Laudrup with his family watching the match. Had a wee chat with him about this and that. He thought it was a ‘real pity’ about what had happened at Rangers. His son was playing on the away team. Our lot won though 🙂
PS nice one @neep, a lot of us probably have the national team as our first & enduring love and Baxter was a stand out
A fanatical bluenose that I worked with said that the best Scottish player he ever seen was Bobby Murdoch!
Personally I thought Willie Henderson was out of this world for Rangers.
My own favourite has to be the JJ man – wee Jinky. Will we ever see players like Jimmy and Willie again? I think we all know the answer to that sadly.
Danish Pastry,
Great story. Regarding Laudrup, interesting that you said “for modern times”. I meant to include in my original post that I was commenting only on players I’d seen live – in my early 30s, that therefore excluded me from a number of the more legendary players. Even the great Davie Cooper is someone I’ve only seen fleeting glimpses of on TV, notably including the famous free kick that Jim Leighton got a fingertip to “on the way out”.
Best player of a team other than mine in Scotland (I’m now going beyond the “seen in the flesh” criteria but I’ll stick to my era) then it’s hard to see past the most obvious choice in The King (Mr Larsson). Others I fondly remember would be Duncan Shearer at Aberdeen and John Collins at Celtic.
If opened up to players who played in games in Scotland then any of the all time greats would fit.
not the best player by a long long chalk but when Mark McLaughlin score immediately after his coming on as a substitute in Return from a broken leg he felt like Pele and the crowd as they say went wild.
jimbo says:
Member: (34 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 7:42 pm
______________________________________________-
I agree with you wholeheartedly jimbo and have just given you encouragement 😀
The thumbs down for a regular contributor reminiscing about his favourite players who played for his team are a poor show and demonstrates how far this site still needs to go if it is to be an all encompassing place where debate can be open and constructive without defaulting to entrenchment as soon as someone makes a positive comment on anything Rangers related, especially where credit is due. It also casts doubt over the ability of the site to broaden it’s horizons and become more than a single issue site.
As a Dons fan I could have seen McCoist, Gascoigne and Laudrup far enough at times but there is no doubting their respective abilities. Laudrup in my opinion is the most naturally talented player to play in Scotland over the last 25 years and I had huge admiration for him as a player. The shirt he wore was immaterial.
Best player for my team was Billy McPhee closely followed by Davie Gorman (keepers stick together!).
Best player – so many to choose from but whilst Ronnie Simpson, Jimmy Johnstone and Willie Henderson were up there, Jim Baxter and Dennis Law will always be top. Just very special Scottish players for me that bring back great memories.
Ryan entitled to his own choices but perhaps grateful a Fifer could add one of his lot into the mix. We are all entitled to our own opinion.
neepheid says:
Member: (685 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 8:04 pm
This little spat with Ryan illustrates why I suggested that we nominate a player from a team other than the one that we personally support.
On that basis, I would go for Jim Baxter.
=========================================
There’s a few for me. Sandy Jardine, Pat Stanton (with Hibs), Andy Goram, ,Gordon Strachan, Jim Bett. Am I allowed to say Maradona or Messi, both of whom I’ve seen playing in the flesh?
I’ve been lucky in that I’ve got quite a few to choose from, but on his day, and there were quite a few, Paul Sturrock was unplayable, so it’s got to be Luggy for me.
The demographics of Scotland insist that answers to a lovely football question bring out responses more suitable to the daily record……
By a country mile the best player I saw was Pat Stanton.
As a forerunner of our modern era we were all quite happy to see him go to Celtic to ‘win something’.
Isn’t that sad?
The greatest player to ever play in Scottish football was, in my view, George Best.
Of those players that have had the ‘best player in the world’ tag assigned to them, only George Best has played in the top league in Scotland.
Not Pele, Di Stefano, Maradona, Cruyff, Platini, Zidane, Messi all of whom Best was on a par with.
Of course, the fact that Best was way past his prime by the time he signed for Hibs (whilst still a relatively young man in his early to mid thirties) rather diminishes the impact he had footballing-wise during his brief stint.
Best player I saw play for Hibs whilst at the top of his game was Pat Stanton.
Was going to say MoJo to start a rammy but you lot seem to be doing alright on your own . Big Scruffy, followed by John Hansen for us, Andy Ritchie and Jimmy Holmes for the ‘Ton, Jim McCalliog and James McFadden (purely for the goal in Paris) for Scotland .Gazza was a nutjob but a genius and Jimmy Johnstone was untouchable .
I see that expensive Wifi service at Ibox is still playing up.
Burnley FC @BurnleyOfficial · 2h2 hours ago
Apologies about the slow updates this evening, we’re experiencing problems with WiFi. #ClaretsLIVE
I happened to catch the second half of TRFC/Burnley this evening in the company of my daughter’s partner.Deluded as he may be as to the nativity of his chosen team even he agreed with me that although showing plenty of enthusiasm their best hope for Saturday was page one of the Walter Smith playbook..park the bus and hope for the best.To be fair defensively TRFC looked reasonably well organised but I have no idea as to how effective Burnley were ? If this is their first team then they maybe in some bother.
On the subject of best player..I happened to spend some time watching Leeds United in the early seventies and Johnny Giles always impressed, no pace but like a Pirlo of the modern era,this was no hinderance.
tchytiger says:
Member: (2 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 10:22 pm
A second for George Best. My Hibbee cousins had no bother persuading me visit Easter Road for those games. Straight from the boozer he may have been, but magical is always magical.
Most skillful player I saw in the flesh playing…Maradona
Most entertaining….Jimmy Johnstone
Most Commanding…Paul Gascoygne
Most intelligent….Henrik Larsson
Most consistent….Ian Wright
Most fearsome….Graeme Souness/Mick McCarthy
Most frustrating….the flying pig/Paolo Di Canio
Most under rated….Lubo
The above is my opinion…nothing more nothing less.
Favourite Celtic players- Lennox, McGrain & Dalglish.
Best Ger – Davie Cooper.
Danish Pastry says:
Blog Writer: (1317 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 4:31 pm
‘…So perhaps the Chinese exposure will lift the profile of Scottish football? Hopefully, some nice pre-match build-up about the clubs, their location and Scotland will achieve something?’
_______
Dp,it’s quite possible that a few strategic signings by SPFL clubs of players from China’s leagues (and I confess I don’t know a helluva lot about the football structure in China) would make televised SPFL games broadcast in China more appealing and interesting to the Chinese ‘fan’.
Has anyone tried to quantify the effect on the football-minded sportsman in the bigger Eastern countries, like Japan and China, of Scottish teams having say, a Japanese or Chinese player on their playing staff?
I’m not a golfer or tennis person, but I watched the Open and Wimbledon because of the Scottish representation, when I otherwise probably wouldn’t have bothered.
And I remember ,at the period when Nakamura was playing for Celtic, I, in the course of my post-retirement part-time job, had to relate to a couple of Japanese girls visiting Embro.
They were totally aware of Nakamura, and if I understood them aright, they intended going through to Celtic Park to see if they could meet him.
Now, as far as I could judge,they were not football fans as such, but very chuffed that a Japanese player should not only be playing in Scotland but getting such good press.
I would imagine that it might pay dividends if a number of our clubs got their scouting systems to dig out a few Chinese players, even if only to play them as 10-minute subs when one of their games was being broadcast to China.
I think I would get Barry Hearn on the job!
Best player I ever saw in the flesh, location / team excluded, was Ronaldinho. I saw him beat five players ALL IN THE BOX, get one on one with the keeper, then backtrack to draw the keeper out so that he could flick the ball over him into the net. I maintain to this day that if Ronaldinho hadn’t decided to wear bandanas and get fat instead of playing football, people would be talking about how Messi was a strong second in the best of the world stakes.
And in addition, if it weren’t for knee injuries, the original Ronaldo would be universally thought of as the all time greatest footballer bar none.
Final comment of my recent outburst regarding George Best;
I’d agree that he was the best player to ever play in Scotland, but at the time he did so he was not of the same calibre as Laudrup / Larsson etc.
Ryan at 11.32pm. I agree with you on Ronaldinho when at his best. I watched him in a Galacticos game against Real Madrid at the Bernabaeau where the display of attacking football from him brought the Real fans to their feet to applaud his skills. Knowing the animosity between Real and Barca this was a real eyeopener for me. I have never seen this repeated anywhere.
RyanGosling says:
Member: (189 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 11:33 pm
‘..And in addition, if it weren’t for knee injuries, the original Ronaldo would be universally thought of as the all time greatest footballer bar none.’
_______
Ever since the Jonathan whatsisname’s impersonation of Denis Law, I have not ever thought of that player as being anything other than ‘Ronald O’. 😆
But I am inclined to agree with you.
Ryan Gosling
From the vantage of age.
Slim Jim Baxter has to be amongst the best to play for Rangers.
In the early to mid sixties the following were some team. Ritchie, Shearer, Caldow, Davis, Paterson, Baxter, Henderson, McMillan, Millar, Brand and Wilson.
Interestingly it was a quick equaliser against a team featuring that front five in a Scottish Cup Final where Bobby Murdoch started to make his mark. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwTrVuipwBo
Like Big Pink, although I have seen many great players in many teams, Murdoch is my personal favourite.
I liked Gordon Strachan right from his time at Dundee and Hearts had a player called Wullie Hamilton who was poetry in motion. I played against Joe Harper and shuffling Jimmy Smith as a teenager and their class as a goal scorer and craftsman was very evident.
Laudrup is probably the most graceful player I’ve seen and Larsson the most effective, although Kenny Dalglish comes close. Jinky was the most entertaining but I loved to watch John Hughes in full flight. Lubo could play a bit too.
Messi scored a goal v Bayern in the CL semi when I was in Spain. The pub audience made an orgasmic sound. How do you beat that?
John Clark says:
Member: (1013 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 11:16 pm
Didn’t CFC already try this with Du Wei and Zheng Zhi ? (Yes, Google and Wiki , but I remember the media coverage ).
Auldheid,
“Laudrup is probably the most graceful player I’ve seen” – reminds me of what people say about Roger Federer, and I agree; he was an incredibly graceful player to watch.
I’d like to see a Scottish featuring eleven against a world eleven. We’ve had numerous Champions League winners here, and will do again.
turned up at hampden early 80’s for a celtic hibs cup semi… G Best had caught the hibs team bus by miracle…..
celtic were miles on top but for 10 mins at 0-2 Mr Best rolled back ten years and no prima ballerina, ice skater, ginger rogers nor even fred astaire could remotely compare….. this virtuoso btw ended after a waltz past three hoops with that drop of shoulder and swivel of hip that made fouling impossible and a rolled pass to an overlapping foolback, who shall remain nameless, and a throw in to celtic…. ach we’ve all lifted a foot to trap the dam thing and its gone under it…..
his Dad gave him the wrong name shooda been called THE……..
Joeninho says:
Member: (9 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Favourite Celtic players- Lennox, McGrain & Dalglish.
Best Ger – Davie Cooper.
=========================
I was going to suggest Davie Cooper, and I understand from those more senior that Jim Baxter was one hell of a player.
aberdeen1970 says:
Member: (2 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 9:28 pm
_________________________________________________________________________________
Firstly, I agree with your sentiment but the site is not at fault here – it’s the small minded individuals who take a harmless bit of fun and use it to maliciously poke a stick at someone else. The site is better than that. The individuals concerned? I wish they would thumb a lift to another site and start sucking some joy from there.
Remember also that TDs mean absolutely nothing. They can vary from genuine disagreements (probably not in this case though) to idiocy, or to a basic inability to handle a mouse. My concern is more with people who actually took time to have a go at Ryan on a spurious basis. I asked about opinions on the best player people saw playing for their team. Hee-haw to do with how they were paid, manicured, pedicured or driven to work.
Remember too that it only takes a couple of fools to spoil it all for the rest. It is annoying and embarrassing, but I don’t think it reflects badly on the blog when you look at the big picture.
Finally, my apologies to Ryan for having to put up wit that crap. I removed the posts I spoke about, and also his replies. My advice to Ryan? Don’t feed the trolls 🙂
Note: I also see that several people have only read some words from the original question 🙁
BEST, by definition is just one player. YOUR TEAM, by definition, is … oh forget it 🙂
Its hard to disagree with any of the names that have been thrown out, and those of us of a certain age, have certainly seen some of the world’s best play here.
However, what’s striking is the lack of home grown talent from the “modern era” being mentioned. Anecdotal evidence health warning, but still food for thought
Big Pink,
You also removed my carefully constructed replies?! I jest. And I don’t think the others were trolls at all.
I made a comment earlier about how I thought some comments didn’t show the blog in the best light, but since then I think the blog has shown itself in the best light possible; it was self policed.
jimlarkin says:
Member: (325 comments)
July 21, 2015 at 10:35 pm
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/galleries/item/9666-gallery-burnley-match-action?
Sorry if posted already.
Lots of empty seats at the Sevco home game, which Sevco lost thanks to a Scott Arfield goal.
============================
Blimey.
I got a shock at the empty seats in the first photo on that link, and then realised that it was a shot of the empty stadium and the match shots were in the gallery below.
It didn’t look to be much different to most pre-season crowds elsewhere, albeit most pre-season games are not as eagerly awaited (by the SMSM anyway).
high beeswax says:
Member: (28 comments)
July 22, 2015 at 12:29 am
——————————————————
Sunday Times 1968.
“The foul price of fame: how football’s hard men left a genius black and blue”
“George Best was a marked man in every way, the close — often illegal — attentions of defenders leaving him battered and bruised. This article by James Fox first appeared in The Sunday Times Magazine in 1968
GEORGE BEST is not usually quite so battered after a single Saturday of First Division football. These pictures show a composition of injuries spread over a number of games.
About half of them represent fouls — late tackles, stray elbows, bruises from the frenzied battering and buffeting he gets inside the penalty area, or direct kicks on the legs, usually well disguised as regular ball play. The rest are the physical dangers of being a great footballer. “
——————————————————-
I remember seeing this in 1968, and thinking, poor b*gger he doesn’t seem to be getting much protection.
The pictures in the magazine showed him front and back, and he was literally black and blue from top to toe. (can’t track them down).
——————————————————-
“Best is too fast, too balanced to let anyone get close to him too often, and it is probably this speed and his inspired ability to ride dangerous tackles and slip out of threatening entanglements that keeps him intact to reappear Saturday after Saturday.”
Ryan,
That was kind of the point I was making – that the blog deserved credit for doing exactly what you said.
NB: I have removed other posts tonight that were veering way off topic – including several videos.
It would appear Anne Budge came very close to a seat on the SPFL board
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hearts-owner-ann-budge-fails-6106242?_sm_au_=iVVZ1HVHj10sNQrG
‘FORMER Falkirk kid hands Warburton a losing start at Ibrox but new singings and revamped playing style give home fans plenty of hope for future.’ Daily Record.
New club, new song book?
Or just a useless sub-editor ( or no subbing at all) in the digital DR.
RyanGosling says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:32 pm
Best player I ever saw in the flesh, location / team excluded, was Ronaldinho. I saw him beat five players ALL IN THE BOX, get one on one with the keeper, then backtrack to draw the keeper out so that he could flick the ball over him into the net.
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Ryan, that almost perfectly describes my memory of a Pat Nevin goal at Recreation Park. Not the same stage but I’m sure Ronaldinho has other unfulfilled ambitions.
From one part of my youth, it would have to be Micky Lawson playing for Stirling Albion. He was a player who showed flair and the ability to hit the back of the net when it counted. We didn’t see many players who gave a bit of genuine sparkle to the team, and he was our star. I read from time to time that he’s still contributing to the game, so good luck to him.
From another part of my youth, George Best for Hibs was astonishing. Here was a man who was ageing, had been subjected to brutal treatment by any defender who could get near him for years, was mired in personal problems, yet was the most amazingly graceful and skilful player. He played like he was in a school playground, just trying things for the pleasure of seeing if they would come off, and his skill was such that they did. The only downside was that too many of the passes he played werent read by his team mates, his speed of thought was so much faster, and his execution and touch so good. Frightening to think how good the player that the Man United fans saw must have been.
On the subject of George Best – I remember when he signed for Hibernian.
Correct me if wrong, but I think his first game at Easter road was against Partick Thistle and it drew a crowd of over 20,000. The same fixture the season before drew something like 4,000!
I was in the main stand at Easter Road when Celtic played them and
Best scored a great, individual effort leaving Latchford with no chance.
Even the Celtic fans in the stand stood and clapped! (Well some did.)
I have fond memories of my Uncle Tam taking me to see his team St
Johnstone at a fantastic old ground called Muirton Park when I was young. There was a player there at the time that would stroll into any current team in Scotland. His name was Henry Hall and he was fantastic!
The best players I saw in the flesh were Bobby Moore in the first game I was taken to my my Leeds Utd crazy Father in 1968 at Upton Park.
He took me to Hampden in 1970 for the Celtic v Leeds European Cup Semi-Final and I saw the late, great Jimmy Johnstone – made Terry Cooper like an ordinary player out of his depth.
Notable mention to Bertie Auld who kept my Dad’s favourite player Billy Bremner almost quiet, but what an age to grow up in!!
That Leeds Utd team of he late 60’s and early 70’s was a great team, and it didn’t please my Dad that I supported West Ham (East Londoner by birth to Yorkshire parents) and Celtic, mainly because of Jimmy Johnstone – must be the red (now grey) hair!!
My Dad said that the best player he ever saw in the flesh was Duncan Edwards, but said through gritted teeth!!
No love lost between Leeds Utd and Man Utd
10 clubs, voting for 2 seats should be 20 total votes?
8 + 5 + 3 + 3 = 19
So who didn’t cast both of their votes? We should be told. Who are these people?
I have been lucky enough to see both Ronaldhinho and Messi dozens of times live at the Camp Nou.
Messi by a distance for me. Ronaldinho was entertaining for a short while , but he wouldn’t get into a 22 man squad of the best players i’ve seen at Barcelona in the 15 years i’ve been a member.
At Celtic , my memories of the Lisbon Lions are vague, as I was pretty young when they were at their peak. Jinky though stands out.
From other teams , these are the best I remember
Aberdeen – Willie Miller
Dundee United – Sturrock
Dundee – Jocky Scott
Hearts – Craig Gordon
Hibs – Pat Stanton
Kilmarnock – Stevie Naismith
Motherwell – James McFadden
St Mirren – Peter Weir
Rangers – Laudrup
St Johnstone – Baltacha
Blimey, anyone seen the fanboy piece masquerading as a report in the online Mail? The sub-heads included “While the result might not have been ideal, there were some promising performances from the Gers’ new-look team”.
Mixed in amongst “delicious chipped crosses” and mobile strikers “with a work-rate that would have been the envy of some Ibrox centre-forwards of recent times” was my personal fave “Sitting at the lowest point of the three-man midfield, (Halliday) casually stroked the ball about the lush surface as if he’d been doing it all his days”… Succulent lamb anyone?
@Gym Trainer there was also an abstention in he 3rd round of voting which is assumed to be Petrie/Hibs. Maybe he only voted for himself in the first round.
Its also interesting that 3 of 12 clubs didn’t vote for Thompson in a one horse race.
Andrew Dickson appointed to the SFA congress
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In the 2013 SFA Disciplinary Tribunal into Rangers (IL) and Craig Whyte (pages 16 & 17) the role of Dickson is laid out explaining: “That for some years commencing prior to 6 May 2011 Mr Andrew Dickson C.A. has been the Head of Football Administration of Rangers FC.
“His duties prior to 6 May 2011 included preparation of players contracts with players and their agents. His duties included representing Rangers FC and the Glasgow Football Association on various committees within the sport. His duties included all administrative responsibilities, and in particular he dealt with all football registration requirements and documentation which required lodging with the Scottish FA, the Scottish Premier League, UEFA and elsewhere.
“The role included preparation of the Official Return detailing the identities and personal details of all directors and officers of Rangers FC which required to be lodged with the Scottish FA each year prior to the new playing season and any amendment form which might become necessary on account of board or management changes occurring during the playing season.
“Mr Dickson had carried out this role continuously and competently for many years and is highly experienced and knowledgeable about club, player, official, and ground registration and licensing matters.
“The appointment of any new director to the Board of Rangers FC was an appointment which required registration procedures to be completed and fell squarely within Mr Dickson’s experience and remit.
“Such an appointment required to be intimated by the completion and lodging of an amendment form relative to the Rangers FC Official Return, specifying the appointment and lodging the director’s details with the Scottish FA.
“The amendment form requires the director involved personally to sign a declaration, having regard to Article 10 of the Articles of Association of the Scottish FA, in relation to disclosure of any matter (emphasis added) which should be brought to the attention of the Scottish FA in order to allow it to satisfy itself that the director is a fit and proper person to be appointed to the position within the game. Rangers FC through its Secretary is required to sign and “confirm that the information supplied above is complete, true and accurate and that Articles 10, 13, 14 and 15 have been complied with”.
http://videocelts.com/2015/07/blogs/latest-news/ibrox-ebt-man-gets-appointed-onto-influential-sfa-board
@tykeboy
The elections are one vote per club for each post per round – ergo for first position in the Championship there should be a total of 10 votes cast, for the second position a further 10 votes cast (total of 20 votes cast in the first round – not 19)
yakutsuki says:
Member: (69 comments)
July 22, 2015 at 7:52 am
On the subject of George Best – I remember when he signed for Hibernian.
Correct me if wrong, but I think his first game at Easter road was against Partick Thistle and it drew a crowd of over 20,000. The same fixture the season before drew something like 4,000!
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I have a hazy memory of my dad taking me along to watch Hibs against the deceased Govan side just because Best was playing. The thing that sticks in my mind was Best trapping a kick out from McCloy on the bounce in the centre circle in his own half and in a flash knocking it back and only missing the goal by a ball hair.
An amazing piece of skill that would have undoubtedly been the best goal I’d ever witnessed had it been a few inches to the side.
From the SFA website (recently revamped, and barely usable)
Not posted for ages,but thanks again to all for your efforts.
Can I just mention one player who I saw on several occasions in the 80s,being good pals and sharing digs with a mad Arabs fan.
Dave Narey was such a joy to watch,never got the credit he deserved,always seemed in the shadow of the Miller/Mcleish combo ,also brilliant,btw.
Narey would be worth an absolute fortune today,underrated in his day,in my opinion.
Davy Cooper,best Ger I ever saw,and I’ve seen Laudrup!!
Best Celt;Charlie Nicholas,season 1981-82.
However..Dougie Bell for the Dons…what a player
I note the following from Andrew Smith in the report of last night’s T’Rangers v Burnley freondly
“Under Warburton, assistant David Weir and their merry band, Rangers may now have that. Frankly, if they utilise their £5 million budget properly, the Scottish Championship ought to be hardly the most exacting set-up. That is, of course, providing the Englishman can construct a team that is competent, cohesive and offers a degree of class.”
£5million budget!!! That seems less than the £7m or so that was quoted for the last few seasons.
Looks like some in the SMSM don’t believe a war chest will opening any time soon.
Great to see Henry Hall get a mention. Willie Ormind had a fair old team in the early 70s. I remember a league opener at Celtic Park against them when over 60,000 turned up. Ended up a 0-0 draw after Kenny Aird and Jimmy Johnstone got into a bout of fisticuffs and Jinky taking an early bath as consequence.
Henry Hall though frightened the life out of me, as did John Connolly and Fred Aitken. HH was the star though – I even bought a guitar amp named after him 🙂
The best player I ever saw play for my club, Greenock Morton, was undoubtedly Andy Ritchie. Sheer class. In fact, best player I have ever seen ‘in the flesh’ so to speak. Top scorer in the SPL and player of the year in 1978 (or thereabouts) and he still couldn’t get a Scotland cap given his poor relationship with the then Scotland Manager, the late Jock Stein. Scotland’s loss.
What? No Del Piero, Maldini,Totti, Baggio,Cannavaro,Baresi,Buffon,Riva,Pirlo,Nesta,Mancini,Mazzola,
Gentile, Zola, Inzaghi, etc., etc.,?
Now,why would I have mentioned those players………….?
Jim White and King on SKY SNHQ at 4pm. Careful not to splurt your coffee.
Corrupt official says:
Member: (102 comments)
July 22, 2015 at 1:40 pm
Jim White and King on SKY SNHQ at 4pm. Careful not to splurt your coffee.
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First question should be to ask him the score from Ibrox last night 😆
Welcome Don! We were only talking about you the other day ?
neepheid says: July 22, 2015 at 10:52 am
I note that Scotzine has highlighted Andrew Dickson’s appointment by reminding everyone that he was an EBT recipient as well as being involved in the administration of the EBTs.
http://www.scotzine.com/2015/07/spfl-appoint-ebt-profiteer-to-scottish-fa-regulatory-advisory-group/
I was prompted to look back at the LNS Commission to see what it said about our Mr Dickson.
I guess it serves to keep a RRM inside the SFA tent following the departure of Campbell Ogilvie.
wottpi says:
Member: (672 comments)
July 22, 2015 at 11:47 am
I note the following from Andrew Smith in the report of last night’s T’Rangers v Burnley freondly
“… if they utilise their £5 million budget properly,
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Anyone know where Andrew Smith got that figure from?
It was reported on STV last night that The Rangers Football Holding Company agreed a £70K compensation fee with Hearts for Jason Holt, so by my reckoning that leaves a healthy £4.93million left in the war chest.
Just want to say Good Luck to ICT tomorrow night, hope U win and I hope We win as well but knowing our Luck we will lose 🙄 Never Been to Inverness, Do i need to pack any Thermal Underwear 😀
easyJambo says:
Member: (710 comments)
July 22, 2015 at 2:13 pm
Andrew Dickson has never been out the SFA tent. The phrase Eminence Grise could have been coined for him
Top Cat 1874 says:
Member: (30 comments)
July 22, 2015 at 12:18 pm
The best player I ever saw play for my club, Greenock Morton, was undoubtedly Andy Ritchie. Sheer class. In fact, best player I have ever seen ‘in the flesh’ so to speak. Top scorer in the SPL and player of the year in 1978 (or thereabouts) and he still couldn’t get a Scotland cap given his poor relationship with the then Scotland Manager, the late Jock Stein. Scotland’s loss.
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Hated that guy …….
… but then again I’m an Aberdeen fan and Morton, with Ritchie, were our bogey team.
Wee update on my Turkey “fakes” survey..Celtic New euro kit already on sale…
More to come, apparently, but so far, what a waste of (Sky’s) money. King has actually managed to make things sound worse for TRFC’s future than even PMGB could manage. ”Rangers’ fans have to outspend Celtic fans’, says something completely different from his rhetoric on the way to the Blue Room. Unless he comes out with something sensational later, that must be the biggest PR bomb since Gerald Ratner!
He has a nice house, though!