Kmcalpin

It is. Burn Broomfield confirmed it on this very thread on the 5th December.

A little bit off topic but you're right. Its part of a quadruple deal involving loan signings. The lad moved to Ibrox for an undisclosed fee with a hint of further monies to come in the future. I'm not saying its a great deal, as I don't know the details, but its not as simple as it seems.

So, what we are saying is that the amateur/professional status of a player is not the overriding criterion rather its whether or not they play for an amateur team (registered with the SAFA). If so, then it has changed somewhat from years gone by.

Ok, I get that. So as long as an amateur player is registered with the SAFA, irrespective of which type of team he plays for, he is eligible for selection by the international amateur team. I'm sure that Hastie Weir represented Scotland at amateur level even although he played for us in the old first division.

Yes, I wonder why he apparently feels so strongly about it?

We're probably talking about slightly different things. Some junior clubs, like for example your Linlithgow Roses, Boness Uniteds etc are large and very professionally run businesses and could easily compete in the senior grades. Players are paid handsome salaries probably better than some senior clubs. At the bottom end of the professional junior game you have smaller clubs who don't pay salaries (and therefore aren't liable for income tax) and play their players as "amateurs". You then have pretty big "amateur" clubs who are run really quite professionally. There are various ways to pay wages, expenses and transfer fees as I'm sure you'll know.

A grey area as there are some small junior clubs and some large amateur outfits. Some, maybe even many, junior clubs register players as amateurs for financial reasons.

Er no. I recall the game at Almondvale that Desp referred to but am fairly certain that Reynolds played left back that day not left midfield. We'll agree to differ about that to avoid boring everyone. I don't recall the Raith game. I found the following quote from the Official website dated 11 January 2011. Stuart McCall said "Young Gavin (Gunning) is a good option, not just to fill the void left by Mark Reynolds but also the fact we had no natural cover for Stevie Hammell. We needed someone who could also fill in at left-back if required; previously, either Reynolds or Marc Fitzpatrick would do that but given both have left, it was important to have someone versatile for that role"

Yes, he started out his career with us at left back and played quite a few games there.

I'd take Mark Reynolds back as a left back in a minute but not as a central defender. Years ago when the club was touting him about down south, as a central defender, most English Championship clubs knocked us back on the basis he was far too small for that position. That was mentioned at a shareholders meeting in 2010.

I tried to gather some evidence but found it virtually impossible; maybe I was looking on the wrong sites. What I did come across though was a vast number of "undisclosed" fees. I thought it was only us who tried to conceal this information from the fans!!

I agree with much of what you say but what really irks me is that if he was playing for the 3 clubs you mention he'd automatically be worth twice as much.

As far as I'm aware, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think its all about making Scotland more successful at international level and by implication make our biggest clubs, which account for probably less than 10% of our senior clubs, more successful on the European stage. Its not about improving the senior game, or even game, per se.

If he isn't deemed to able to make the breakthrough. He has the ability and physique but that, by itself isn't enough. According to Crags he needs to do more/push himself harder to make the breakthrough. He's been on the verge of making a few subs appearances but hasn't quite done it yet. Maybe the summer will be decision time? Hopefully he will step up.

Louis Moult has 18 months left on his contract and the club will not want to see that run out with him exiting for nothing. Ideally, I'd like to see him move on in the summer as he would give us some more months of service (and hopefully goals) and earn us a reasonable fee. I just wonder if there are any predatory clubs watching him just now with an eye to submitting a bid later this month? Interesting that Aberdeen have a dilemma with Niall McGinn just now...we've been there, done and got the t shirt as they say.

Agree with that. When assessing our central midfield options I wouldn't include Cadden in the mix....yet. He may well make it there in time but right now he's more suited to playing wide right. On the plus side I think we can now add young Allan Campbell to the centre mix. I agree that our priority is the left hand side where we're short. IF, Pearo returns, and it is an IF, then he could fill in in the middle or at wide left. Stevie Hammell now seems to be very injury prone and I'm not fully convinced of Joe Chalmers, although he did perk up before his injury. We do need an attacking midfielder in some shape or form and some pace.

I think the issue was trying to keep his head out of the clouds before he moved to Leeds.

It just goes to show though how much a referee can influence games. Its conceivable that he could've issued a yellow card (I do think it was a red), awarded us a penalty and sent Kurtaz off for an early bath. That would have made for an entirely different game.

Agreed. Its unusual though for a player to be booked for simulation when a foul was committed on him. As you say inconsistency is the problem. There were a handful of incidents in the game when the ref could and should have yellow carded players for simulation but didn't. You either book none or book them all.

Its not uncommon for a referee to wait a few days after a match to clarify why a player was yellow carded. Billy Davies and Terry Butcher highlighted this very point. Not good refereeing though. If Skippy appeals would a physio or doctor's evidence be acceptable? BBC coverage is very subjective.

Humphrey was a far better defender than Ainsworth. However despite his talents and pace I wouldn't take him back.

Terry Butcher was the same. As an interesting aside, Skippy has a go at the match officials for being arrogant and booking him for simulation (the online Sun). According to him, Kurtaz poked him in the eye but the ref booked him for simulation. He wouldn't tell MacDonald at the time why he had been yellow carded, despite being asked (I've heard this kind of thing before). If that is the case why was Kurtaz booked if he didn't do anything?

Yes, Skippy was a bit theatrical but from the stand, Kurtaz's hand certainly made contact with his face. What confirmed it for me though was when Skippy went off temporarily to have his face checked over by the doctor/physio. If nothing had happened why would he have gone over for treatment to his head?

Sounds interesting.... On another tack, I've just watched the TV highlights on the BBC and I reckon the penalty shout could have gone either way. A bit soft maybe but we've lost a few penalties like that where the defender's arms weren't by his side.

Seems a sensible move for both parties and widely suggested on here. It'll give the lad some competitive game time and will free up a squad place and a small amount of cash for the club. Mark McGhee has commented that he needs to translate his training ground talent onto the pitch.