El Grew

Inthebasement your first post was very good and IMO hits right into the truth of our position now.

We've lost much better players than Law in the past so folk should stop moaning about him leaving to go to The Rangers. FFS you'd think we were losing Pele and not a journeyman.

Oh aye? You've been quick to criticise everybody else's suggestions, so you name some for consideration so we can all do likewise!

Huge yawn!

This might well end up giving Agatha Christie's play "The Mousetrap" a run for its money in terms of longevity.

Just as along as we avoid any of the following (not listed in any particular order): Jim JefferiesJimmy CalderwoodJohn HughesCraig LeveinMark McGheeStephen CraiganChris SuttonBarry FergusonTommy CraigMcCall - the one that was at Partick, Falkirk etc.Gus McPhersonBobby Williamson What about John Collins? Was doing a terrific job at Hibs until he left on account of the chairman backing a few moaning git players as opposed to backing the manager. Also did a fair job at Livingston before leaving. IMO well worth consideration.

Report in the Herald today has Higdon quoted as saying that if McCall stays then its pretty certain he would stay as well. However, the Scotsman reports thatHigdon is certain to move on. Journalists? You shouldn't believe a word they say or write. Do you get the impression that some of them are actually pleased at all of this?

I do find this story surprising because the Sheffield Utd chief executive stated last week that they had received 20 applications for their manager's post and had whittled these down to 7 applicants who would be invited to interview. So unless McCall submitted an application then how come they want to speak to him? Something just doesn't add up.

Not because McCall may be considering going there as manager but Sheffield Utd is a nest of vipers. They've had 5 managers in the last 3 years! However given that he's had us 3rd and 2nd in the past two years he may feel that's as good as it gets at a non-OF club and move on when his stock is high so to speak. That and the fact his budget is getting cut for the second year in a row which may mean he considers staying on is mission impossible. I think however he needs to get it sorted out pdq so the club know whether they are going to need a new manager or not. If he does go, we will be in bit of a mess - no manager and a much too small first team squad.

Seem to recall a similar fiasco a couple of seasons back. To be fair to them there not used to large crowds. Average home gate is about 2,900.

End of season game with one team (us) having nothing to play for and fielding a much changed team against a team that needs to win to qualify for European football.

I don't think that you can draw any conclusion from this report one way or ther other. Personally I think their is a real chance he will go. If he does, what about bringing Derek Adams down from Dingwall?

I think one of the major reasons that we have been so successful over the past few seasons is because we have changed our player strategy by avoiding signing players who have already been around the block a few times with other Scottish clubs. Bringing in young players from down south with potential and who are keen to advance their careers is, in my opinion the way we should continue, if possible. So I was not too keen on signing a 29 year old goalie who has been around the block a few times. That and the fact Gordon Marshall recommended him.

Regardless of who he is trying to sign and why, Kenny Shiels is a dickhead! Oh and somebody at the SPL should be asking about Kilmarnock's financial status because its only a couple of months since they had a winding order against them for a bill of £15K.

We are no different as a club from the days when the Ancell Babes side was broken-up and sold. In these days there was no such thing as freedom of contract so players pretty much were at a club until the club received an offer they 'couldn't refuse' or until they were done and let go under free transfer. If these same conditions existed now then we'd be able to hold all the players that are 'out of contract' and if they wanted a move, clubs interested in signing them would be bound to pay us a transfer fee. Freedom of contract has certainly made it much easier for clubs and not only the so-called bigger clubs, to take each other's players at no cost in terms of a transfer fee. Footballers careers are short and I for one can't blame them for seeking to maximise their earnings potential despite the fact that some might go to clubs we'd rather they didn't go to. It's happened before that we've lost some of our best players to the dreaded OF - Joe McBride, Dixie Deans, Andy Walker, Brian McClair, Tom Boyd, Phil O'Donnell, Stephen Pearson to Celtic with Peter McCloy, Tom Forsyth and Nicky Walker to Rangers. To name but some. So if Nicky Law does go to The Rangers (and it would only be for the money surely) then he will be following a well-trodden path and like the rest before him he will be replaced and soon forgotten. The king/queen is dead. Long live the king/queen. To a large extent this is sometimes the price you have to pay for having a season as successful as the one we have just had. The real dilemma is for the manager, who has to continually build his team only to lose some of it and then have to go back and start the process again and again while at the same time the fans are looking for the success to be repeated. Sooner or later, if the manager is any good and is ambitious he too will seek to move to a club with greater financial resources in terms of his salary and being able to hold on to good players by offering them higher wages.

Older posters may recall a similar debate when it was announced we were signing Stuart Rennie from Falkirk after we lost Peter McCloy and Keith MacRae. He turned out to be one the best 'keepers to play for us.

Absolutely terrific. Well done and congratulations to the players, management, coaching staff and the board. As I have said on previous topics, for me this means we have won the league because second place is the best that any non-old firm club can do as its impossible to compete with their resources. So champions for me.

Hard hat on time. If Darren Randolph does leave us should we consider an approach to Craig Gordon? He's a free agent so no transfer fee required and he's now 30 (not old for a 'keeper) so might not be looking for a kings ransom in wages. Yes I know he's an ex-Jambo but he's a damn fine 'keeper. Worth a try?

For the older posters out there. Does anyone remember when our 'second strip' was called the floodlight strip? White shirt with thin claret and amber hoops, claret piping on neck, white shorts and white socks with two claret bands at top. I always liked that one. Maybe they should bring it back.

Not defending anyone but if a fan wants to pay money to go to a football match to watch his team then he is entitled to express his opinion on the performance of the team and on individual players. Sometimes criticism can border on what other fans consider is abuse and while I don't condone abuse for abuse sake, if fellow fans don't like it then that's hard lines because we do live in a democracy where freedom of speech is sacrosanct.

Love the white shorts. Like the socks. Do not like the shirt - too cluttered with claret hoop, claret sleeves, claret on sides plus the neck is hellish. Ditch claret on sides and sleeves, lose the dodgy insert in the neck and add claret piping to the neck. I'll stick to my retro Joe Wark shirt, my 1950s retro shirt and my '91 cup final shirt.

As far as I'm concerned with one OF team in the league then 2nd = winning the league and with both OF teams in the league then 3rd = winning the league.Reason being we do not have their resources. So as far a I'm concerned we have been champions for the last two seasons. Oh and I don't know why Clancy would have made any difference - Hibs fan working beside me says they think he's s*ite. LoL.

Great to beat any of the OF twice in a season. I thought we did very well to go in at half-time 1-1 today because I felt Celtic dominated the midfield. However great credit to McCall for sorting this out at the interval because we dominated the midfield thereafter and were more than worth our 3-1 win which could have been 5 if it hadn't been for two terrific saves from Forster. Another fantastic and unbelievable season - 3rd last season and then 2nd this season. I know many have said it before but it is true that when you consider the resources we have compared to Celtic, for us to be within 12 points of them at this stage of the season is just incredible - and they had to wait until the 34th game of a 38 game season to win the league. To yet again outperform the so-called big city clubs like Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and the two Dundee teams is just superb. As a young fan I spent many years watching these clubs dominate over us so for me this is all he sweeter. These are heady days guys that may never be repeated so please take time to savour them. I know I am. One thing that really does piss me off big style is the lack of any genuine credit or coverage from the Scottish media. The real story of this SPL season is ourselves and the two Highland teams for having made the top of the league as competitive for such a long time. Maybe if the aforementioned big city clubs had show some intestinal fortitude when playing Celtic the league could have been even closer. So to the two BBC weasels - Chic Young from the radio and the guy on BBC whose name I can't pronounce who toadied to the Celtic manager in their post-match interviews, GIRFUY! Come on ye 'Well.

Keith Lasley had a terrific match but for me he was just shaded by Henrik Ojaama. He never stopped running all game and I thought he led the Celtic defence a merry dance. With his lw centre of gravity and quick turning ability and turn of foot he was almost unplayable today. Well done we man.

Aye, but I still think they've a hard neck on them with the prices for the "East Stand" considering the state it's in. Should be a medal for buying a season ticket for it!