Treble Treble, Your Face is a Mess: Scottish Fitba 2018-19

[Gerontophile]

Lustig scores. 0-1

[Gerontophile]

Simunovic makes it 2, and it's going to be 8 in a row.

In other news, paint dries eventually.

[Gerontophile]

Celtic fans currently doing a rousing rendition of the Drifters classic "C'mon Over To My Place", and they aren't stopping.

[Gerontophile]

Eduoard makes it 3 with a nice finish.

[Gerontophile]

Scott Brown arrives like a train (late) and gets the most obvious booking in the history of the colour yellow.

[Gerontophile]

And that's it. Celtic are champions. And I am slightly happier than I expected.

[blameless]

blameless, what do you make of Gary Caldwell's decision to let his players pick the team for Saturday? For the most important fixture of the season, I'd like the manager to make these choices, as basically that's his job. If they lose, will he blame the players as it's they who picked them? Be funny if all the players recommended the reserve team.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48120968

Sorry CYB, haven't been on in a couple of days - all I'll say is whoever picked the team today is smarter than Caldwell cos we won convincingly, away, in a winner-takes-all relegation 6-pointer. As you can guess, I'm still unconvinced he's the right man for the Thistle job.

As for the rest of them, Alloa got a result (although a draw this time rather than a win) and have stayed up, and Falkirk realised they were in deep shite about 6 weeks too late, beat Ross County and promptly got relegated. Dozy buggers.

Dundee are finally confirmed as down from the Prem. Brechin are also doon, having failed to beat Stenhousemuir (if they had, they'd have overtaken them), and Cove have thrashed EK to set up a play-off with Berwick.

[Gangster Octopus]

Fingers crossed for two Dundee teams for Arbroath to play next season...

[Gerontophile]

Fingers crossed for two Dundee teams for Arbroath to play next season...

Can you say that in Scottish, please?

[Felicity, I guess so]

Fingers crossed for two Dundee teams for Arbroath to play next season...

Why you absolute bounder, you!

[RobM]

Baby huns? That's funny from a latter day Hibby.

[Stobart]

I've never heard 'wallopers' before but it's a perfect word for this usage and I hope it spreads rapidly.

It's already widespread (at least it is here in the West of Scotland).

Just in case you're thinking of using it - it's pronounced wahloper. If you say 'wolloper' you'll sound like a walloper.

[Diable Rouge]

Every likelihood Rangers will regain the title, if Mourinho is taking charge at Parkhead.

[Gerontophile]

Every likelihood Rangers will regain the title, if Mourinho is taking charge at Parkhead.

Sorry, what?

[Diable Rouge]

Sorry, what?

Admittedly, it is Di Marzio.

[Gerontophile]

The word I am looking for here, is 'unexpected'.

Nope. Pretty sure I still hate him for Porto.

[DPDPDPDP]

Scott Brown arrives like a train (late) and gets the most obvious booking in the history of the colour yellow.

For a ridiculous challenge against a 17 year old sub making his 4th appearance. Neanderthal.

[DPDPDPDP]

And the Celtic fans sing merrily about McInnes being an orange bar steward. Sky's response is to turn the microphones down.

[BallochSonsFan]

Happy to see Falkirk relegated. I really can't stand them, going back to a wet boxing day away game a few years ago when their stewards tried to force Sons fans to sit in the rain on soaking seats whilst a section that was dry was kept under a tarpaulin. It took a threat for the Sons fans to walk and demand refunds for the stewards to relent and let us sit in the dry section. They hated us when we played them in the Championship and we took great pleasure in the increasingly alarming shades of beetroot that Peter Houston's head would turn if we were making it difficult for them.

Disappointing season for us in League One and we were closer to relegation than our final league position would suggest. Big summer ahead as we got the recruitment really badly wrong last year and didnt build a team that was even remotely suited to the challenges of League One. With the amount of jobs likely to be available between now and the start of next season it'll be tough going to keep Jim Duffy. He did what he was brought in to do but it certainly wasnt a blemish-free performance and if he is staying then I'd like to see a bit more commitment from him.

Happy that we don't need to worry about relegation play-offs for the next couple of weeks but there wont be many Sons fans who are unhappy to see the back of this awful season.

[CY_Boaby]

Apart from Ross County, it's been a poor season for all the other relegated clubs this term. Partick Thistle gave their fans nightmares but survived and as you said above Balloch, Dumbarton had a disappointing season in League One, but at least you weren't Brechin who suffer successive relegations.

In League Two, Albion Rovers finished second bottom because they're just a little less shite than Berwick Rangers, whilst Queens Park were too good to get involved in a relegation scrap but nowhere near good enough to even challenge for a promotion play off.

[blameless]

As of BSF's post, you can add Dumbarton to the list of clubs who have a beef with Falkirk. They just find a variety of ways to get on the wrong side of other teams.

QoS have defenestrated Gary Naysmith and are going into their playoffs with an interim manager. That's, um... bold.

[BallochSonsFan]

Apart from Ross County, it's been a poor season for all the other relegated clubs this term. Partick Thistle gave their fans nightmares but survived and as you said above Balloch, Dumbarton had a disappointing season in League One, but at least you weren't Brechin who suffer successive relegations.

In League Two, Albion Rovers finished second bottom because they're just a little less shite than Berwick Rangers, whilst Queens Park were too good to get involved in a relegation scrap but nowhere near good enough to even challenge for a promotion play off.

We weren't far off it. The final league position might not look it, but right up until April we were worried about relegation.

I reckon we'll lose Duffy. He's talking in the press about staying if the board have the ambition to put together a squad that can challenge at the top end of the table. With Falkirk down and potentially Queen of the South too, you could have 3 full time sides in League One next season in Falkirk, QotS and Raith. Airdrie won't be shy in spending either. I get the feeling that our gaffer is getting his excuses in early - he knows we're working on a very tight budget and seems like he's using ambition as a get out. Given the absolute mess we were in under previous chairmen and our ongoing worries about our owners, right now it's all about trying to recover from years of mismanagement. If we can finish in the top 4 next season then we'll be doing well.

If Queen of the South are relegated, I'll get a chance for another Dumbarton away/Solway Sharks double header down in Dumfries. Always like those Saturdays.

[Gangster Octopus]

Berwick into the Northern League?

[Felicity, I guess so]

Berwick into the Northern League?

Anybody fancy a thon at the 2nd leg, what looks like Berwick‘s last ever Scottish league game..? (Mainline station...excellent pubs...)

edit-

saturday18th, 3pm

[Southport Zeb]

Berwick into the Northern League?

They'll be in the Lowland League next season (barring the Miracle of Shielfield).

Should Berwick ever wish to switch to the English system they'd have to make the decision much earlier in the season, at least to enter at Northern League level. I think the application deadline for clubs wishing to move up to step 6 (i.e. Northern League Division Two level) is December 31st. They probably would be able to enter at a lower level (either the Northern Alliance or North Northumberland League) with an application at this stage, although that would be a massive drop.