The Notorious BRC - Scottish Fitba 2017-18

[shackleford]

The Dons came through our crowd-pulling double header with Hamilton Accies - 2-0 in the league at Pittodrie and 1-0 in the Wee Cup on the artificial turf down there.

We've a 19 year old local loon by the name of Scott Wright who played a few times last season - mostly off the bench, but got a start in the dead rubber last game at Firhill and scored a hat trick. He started both games v. Accies and has been getting rave reviews. We'll see....

[Lang Spoon]

Some fine results today. Hibs pipping Rangers, Aberdeen doing the same to Ross county, Dunfermline completely mullering ICT. Even the Rovers managed to win 3-0. Exciting times ahead. Till October anyway.

[CY_Boaby]

Having disposed of Falkirk 3-1 on the opening day, Saints and their 2000-strong travelling support headed down to Greenock for the season's first Renfrewshire derby. Expectations in Paisley have sky-rocketed for this season and many Buds were arrogantly predicting a 4-1 thumping of the 'Ton, similar to our last visit to Cappielow in April. But the only similarity to that game was the scoreline, as Morton pissed all over us. Oh well, at least we're not ICT!

[Duncan Gardner]

Morning all. To Perth for a showdown between NI's reserve keepers and possible future supremos. Points taken about Sportscene, I just fast forward past the titles.

Carson didn't improve his chances of a full international call-up with a gormless sending off for handball. If you're close to the 18 line and with an indecisive center back just hoof ball and team-mate into the crowd. Two further reds followed for 'Well, the last when a Saints striker belly-flopped in the area with no-one near him. Robinson was the more animated post-match, although maybe unsure about which dismissal to appeal. Wright looked a bit embarrassed, as Well had more of the play with 11 men (and arguably with 10).

Both Mannus and TC are probably still behind the 40 year old part-time Carroll in O'Neill's pecking order.

I'll save the delights of Heart of Mid-Ulster and Rangers' relegation escape bid for this evening.

[KGR]

What's Neil Lennon gone and done now? It must have been bad as the Rangers fans have called in the cops.

[Snake Plissken]

Celebrated a goal in an offensive manner, apparently.

Clearly worse than Hitler.

[Bill Bones]

Stephen Robinson's certainly brought a more, er, direct approach to Motherwell this season. From what I've seen Charles Dunne seems an unfortunate sort - two red cards in a week and he can consider himself unlucky on both occasions. A long season ahead etc. but you feel Robinson could do with 3 points against Ross County on Saturday to avoid any murmurings from the more excitable element of our support.

With Stephen McManus retiring today he'd do well to get in another defender before the end of August. That's the squad down to 5 senior defenders, including the aforementioned Dunne and the sadly now well past his best and injury prone Steven Hammell.

[shackleford]

Celebrated a goal in an offensive manner, apparently.

Clearly worse than Hitler.

Aggravated ear cupping, prompting around 30 complaints to the polis, from, presumably, genuine functioning adult humans.

[Snake Plissken]

I assume that he was struggling to hear the polite applause that had been heading his way from the Rangers supporters for much of the game?

[AMMS]

Mmm, yes, Lennon does bring out the best in us.
The complaints are for him making a 'get-it-up-you' gesture to the Main Stand behind him. It was a stupid thing for him to do but it hardly warrants police intervention. I suspect he'll get a censure of some sort from the SPFL, maybe a touchline ban, he's already on a suspended ban for a touchline confrontation with arch-loyalist Jim Duffy last season. Andy Halliday was sent off for making the exact same gesture a couple of seasons ago.

The ear cupping and general prowling and gesticulating Lennon does in the technical area is all part of the pantomime that's Scottish football. When a fairly high percentage of the 50,000 supporters present call you a wanker for most of the match some retribution can be excused I think. Give it out then you should be able to take it back, but that's not how it works these days apparently.

In my opinion Lennon would be well advised to avoid gesturing to opposition fans. For reasons I've always struggled to articulate he brings out the absolute worst in some people. His team won, and won well. He out thought and out fought Rangers, and our manager, at the weekend, you'd kind of hope that would have been a big enough gesture for him. He doesn't though so the old wounds get reopened and football hacks get to pontificate on the apparent decline of Scottish society.

Hibs won of course so that didn't helped the mood and we witnessed as bad a refereeing performance as I've seen in a good while. There's a reactionary mood among the support currently that doesn't sit well wth me personally. The ref deserves criticism for a poor performance and someone should have a quiet word with Lennon on the wisdom of some of his actions. But I'd prefer the support were asking questions of our bizarre tactics after we went down to ten men frankly.

[CY_Boaby]

God knows what these Rangers fans will make of this? https://twitter.com/thewiggles?lang=en

They'll be burning all the kids' CDs and writing to the Daily Mail demanding we "Ban this Filth!!"

[Southport Zeb]

There's a woman in The Wiggles now? It's political correctness gone mad.

[CY_Boaby]

The Diddy Cup (aka the Irn Bru Cup) kicked off last night and like the League Cup, has been split into North/South sections. The BBC Sport website has barely covered it and mainly concentrated on Celtic U20s being shite, losing 3-1 at Annan. Elsewhere there was late drama in Paisley as Lowland League East Kilbride took the lead against St Mirren with only 9 minutes remaining. But Saints got two late goals to move into the 2nd round and according to reports, the EK 'keeper had the game of his life.

Championship Brechin City were the biggest casualty, losing 2-1 at Highland League Buckie Thistle, whilst holders Dundee Utd beat Cowdenbeath 2-0 at Tannadice. Hearts U20 won 3-2 after extra time at Formatine with a last-minute winner, which saw 10 bookings and both teams finishing with 10 men.

The final set of 1st round fixtures are tonight and the 2nd round draw takes place at the Falkirk Wheel on Thursday at 1pm, where the big boys come and join the fun - Inverness Caley Thistle, Falkirk, Linfield, Crusaders, The New Saints, Connah’s Quay Nomads, Sligo Rovers and Bray Wanderers.

Diddy Cup for thrills!

[Duncan Gardner]

The Diddy Cup (aka the Irn Bru Cup) kicked off last night...2nd round draw takes place at the Falkirk Wheel on Thursday at 1pm, where the big boys come and join the fun - Inverness Caley Thistle, Falkirk, Linfield, Crusaders, The New Saints, Connah’s Quay Nomads, Sligo Rovers and Bray Wanderers

Be afeared, Caledonia. Crusaders got in the swing with a 5-0 gubbing of visiting villagers Warrenpoint last night.

Have Inverness and Falkirk declared independence from Embra?

[CY_Boaby]

Albion Rovers will probably be chucked out of the Diddy Cup having fielded an ineligible player https://spfl.co.uk/news/article/spfl...e-irn-bru-cup/

Meanwhile BBC Alba have chosen their first Championship game of the season to cover live, and will be inconveniencing St Mirren and QoS with the game moved back to the Sunday and a 4.10pm kick-off. When I was home last year and my wee man was mascot against Falkirk, Alba moved the game at short notice to Saturday 5.15pm kick off and it just killed any chance of an atmosphere. Just over 2000 turned up, the away section behind the goal was closed off and the place was dead. I thought the Alba deal had finally expired as they hadn't announced any live matches, but apparently not. Shame on all the clubs for signing up for such a shit deal.

[CY_Boaby]

It took them long enough, but Albion Rovers have finally been booted out of the Diddy Cup by the SPFL. So Spartans now have a home tie against Champions League loyalists, Linfield.

Meanwhile Berwick Rangers have finally dumped the god-awful John Coughlin as manager after back-to-back 4-goal league defeats. Expect the club to start receiving backdated invoices from a certain Mr Coughlin for all those roof repairs.

[MrLeam]

Meanwhile Berwick Rangers have finally dumped the god-awful John Coughlin as manager after back-to-back 4-goal league defeats. Expect the club to start receiving backdated invoices from a certain Mr Coughlin for all those roof repairs.

Not a huge surprise given results for the last 9 months or so. Robbie Horn seems to be current favourite for the post but I suspect whoever gets it will have a very tough job with quite a few fans already feeling relegation is a strong possibility. Saying that, there's always a load of rubbish at the bottom of the league so perhaps this year our rubbish will yet again be a marginally higher quality rubbish than the rubbish that other rubbish teams are putting out. Anyway, am up for a rare visit tomorrow for the game away at Cowden so even if the football is awful at least I'll get to spend some time in one of Scotland's finest and most picturesque holiday towns...

[Felicity, I guess so]

Just on the Diddy Cup- Dundee Utd have elected to pay their U-20 team, even though they don't have to, meaning that Christian Dailly's son Harvey, 16, made his debut in that Cowden game. Since I vividly remember Dailly's teenage arrival (and the accompaniment of swooning from the female members of my Tannadice entourage), that makes me feel older than any sight of a young copper, I assure you.

[shackleford]

The Dons are top! We prevailed by the odd goal in seven at Firhill where both defences were MIA. Scott Wright was excellent, again. St Johnstone went to Parkhead and damn near got the win - final score 1-1.

Can we stop the season now?

[CY_Boaby]

Dunfermline fans would also each that sentiment, shackleford, as they storm to the top of the Championship after a 4-0 demolition at Dumbarton to go 1 point clear.

St Mirren walloped Dundee Utd 3-0 in Paisley, thus ending the Tangerines' 100% start to the season. We move up to 3rd, Utd down to 4th. Finally we've started making this 'new' ground a difficult place for away teams to visit. It's only taken us 8 & half years.

Meanwhile, Falkirk continue to be shite with a hilarious 4-1 home defeat to QoS. Only goal difference keeps the Bairns off bottom spot, whilst Queens sit pretty in 2nd. Maybe Peter Houston won't get the Hearts job after all.

[AMMS]

Aberdeen player takes diving to next level It sounds like he nearly died so I probably shouldn't make jokes about it, but he didn't die so, you know...

[Chopper]

Aberdeen player takes diving to next level It sounds like he nearly died so I probably shouldn't make jokes about it, but he didn't die so, you know...

There's nothing like being a professional footballer...

[Lang Spoon]

Is GMS a bit of "a character" then? Changed days that fitba types make it to the West End. Never used to venture away from that horrible shirt shoes and coke joint on Sauchiehall St (Victoria's?).

Getting a nose bleed from Raith's free scoring league 1 start.

[Gawpus]

West End's fairly common for footballers these days - you might vaguely remember there was a fight between two "SPL stars" in Ashton Lane a couple of years back: link

Victoria's is long gone as far as I know. I'm no expert, but you're probably talking Merchant City and West End as the main footballer hangouts if I had to guess.

[RobM]

Bloody, fucking Levein...

Glad I'm watching the Juniors these days, my eyes are still bleeding from the last time.