weeyin

I received an email from the Society on 16th Nov regarding the elections.

This is why we need a 16 team league. Play each other twice, no split, 4 week winter break optional. The problem, of course, all comes down to potential loss of revenue and TV companies wanting the OF to play each other twice a week.

70% is ridiculously high.

That's where it gets more complicated. Is it better for someone like Thomas to get 15 or 20 lower division first team starts, or better for him to get a dozen sub appearances in our team? I'm not sure.

Agree that some first team competitive football in a lower division is a much better way to develop them than playing 16 and 17 year old opponents.

You'll understand it when, like me, you're old.

I'm in for that.

I'm still pretty sure that, at the time, UEFA handed out a directive that said "secondary" cup competitions couldn't be used to award European places - only the primary one i.e. Scottish Cup.

They brought the groups back (quite a) few year ago and they didn't work out very well. Too many meaningless games after the half way point and crowds plummeted. Prior to that, each tie was a 2 legged affair. I think it was after the groups failed they updated the format to have single leg ties, guaranteed result on the night and winner before Christmas. I liked that approach, but interested to see how the new groups work out. I think the European place was stopped by UEFA.

Remember it well. Freezing conditions up there all month. Got the stage where the match was being rescheduled every morning for the following day until the "thaw" set in. I think even when they played it there were concerns about exposure.

Admittedly I can only watch the highlights., but most of the names mentioned here have been inconsistent even at the U20s level, never mind stepping up. I really want to see one or two break through as well, but the added challenge is the fact that number one priority over the next few weeks is to establish a league position nearer the middle of the table.

The question for any youngster is "will I get more first team football at a better team or will I need to drop down a level?" There's merit to dropping down, but it's early days and they might see more playing time in the New Year.

If it's any consolation, McGhee is quoted in an interesting Scotsman article today:

SPFL season currently runs from August 1st to the Cup final on 21st of May. Almost 10 full months. If you want summer football with that length of season you either need games in December or February. The annual pitch renovation would also need to take place in those 2 months off during winter when the grass won't grow. So I imagine everyone would need to go artificial surfaces.

Of course, the other issue is that it's a bit of a lottery at that age. Not saying we couldn't do better, but there are many players who shine at an early age then disappear while others do the exact opposite. We have Thomas because Celtic thought he was too small, and guys like McHugh and Moore, who scored goals for fun in the U20s for a couple of seasons, never quite managed to make the step up. I'm sure if Erwin was still with us, he'd be on that list.

I think you're right - they do seem to get called off more often these days. Just pull up some of the youtube videos of games like Celtic vs Motherwell when Wullie P was playing, and the Parkhead pitch looks like a ploughed field. Whether or not it's a good thing to be playing on that I suppose is up for debate.

If you include the replay, we just might.

TBH, I don't really see much of a clash between our away kit and Thistle's home. Dark, mostly solid claret vs Yellow and red stripe.

Gretna were also a financially well backed side.

Revert to old school Scottish rules where it was the home team that changed kit when there was a clash.

From memory, though, McGhee didn't have a stellar Cup record with us last time around. Still think we'll win this game, though.

Love to see a cup run this year, of course, and expect us win professionally here. Climbing up the league, however, remains the highest priority.

Another goal scoring frenzy resulting in a tight 2 - 1 for us.

Of course Accies had a couple of big scores on the youth front recently, but prior to that they were scrabbling around in the lower divisions for decades. And if they hadn't done the supermarket deal, who knows if they'd have even stayed solvent. It's a tough balancing act to bring in the youngsters and I totally understand why managers are more reluctant to throw them into a struggling team. Crags seems to be pretty honest with his assessments though, and by all accounts, he thinks there is work still to be done with a lot of the youngsters, even the ones we think are ready for the step up.I'd love to see our own talent coming through, but if we end up making money by bringing in Moults and Johnsons and selling them on, that's OK too.

Given his comments in the Times recently, it sounds like he's not even sure he'll be here after January (despite wanting to stay on). I assume that's why we brought in Samson - to step in if Ripley does head back south.