Scottish fitba!

[Super_horns]

Paid the price for poor Cup and European form..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36091138

 

[SALTIRE]

Good call by Celtic and Deila if they want to kick on they need someone better.

 

[Gulliball]

Yeah, I think that's a legitimate concern. Personally, I can't see us spending significantly for a while, but you're correct though, there will be a chasm between the Old Firm and the rest, one that will probably grow in time, but I can't see it ever being as significant as it was during the nineties until recently, where the OF were wasting money. Those days are over, so I still reckon there's a chance of the likes of Aberdeen breaking in.

I'm guessing the Chief Exec was probably commenting on the increased revenues that will flow to the others with a better TV deal and 2 visits a year from Rangers fans. He is correct though, isn't he...?

The issue is that for the last four seasons it hasn't been about 'The Old Firm'. Everyone running the game said that Scottish football could not exist without Rangers, but in fact it's been far better than anything that happened before. The other teams have had something to play for and for pretty much every side in the league they've achieved something in the last 4 seasons.

Regarding money, well Aberdeen recorded their highest ever revenue this last season, and are now debt free. Attendances and revenues have been up across Scotland during this spell. Add Rangers back in and the difference between two visits from Rangers compared to two visits from Hibs is probably what, £50k? The entire TV deal in Scotland is £18.5m per season. By the time that is split between 42 teams then a club like Aberdeen don't make fortunes. Rangers being back won't make that figure rise at all, and even in the next negotiations I don't see it rising by enough to make any difference.

If you're a club looking to stay above water every season then an extra £100k a year might be good for you, but it comes at the price of having something to play for, and the cost of that is likely to be far greater financially in any case. Not to mention the reduction in prize money and a European place for the other sides, which will hit the sides that have managed to grow in the last 4 years.

The general point though was that no-one who ran the game thought Scottish football could survive without Rangers. They've been proven completely wrong, and every other side has done far better, generated more revenue and enjoyed it all a great deal more. Now Rangers are back, which was always going to happen eventually, but the hope was that the people running the game might have seen what's happened in the last 4 years and twigged that if you make it about 12 clubs then 12 club have a chance to prosper. If you tell the world that only 2 clubs matter then you can't expect the other 10 to have any self worth. If those running the SFA haven't worked that out in the last few years then frankly they're never going to, and the attendances at the other clubs will fall back to the levels they were before and the only competition will be who out of Rangers and Celtic win 90% of the trophies.

 

[SALTIRE]

Dundee to relegate these Arabs c*** next week, oh yes, all the sweeter!!

 

[Stevencc]

Dundee to relegate these Arabs c*** next week, oh yes, all the sweeter!!

I heard something about the away end still being mostly unsold so Aberdeen have put on a load of coaches for their fans to go and enjoy the fun.

 

[Super_horns]

Dundee relegate their rivals!

Must be loving that!

 

[SALTIRE]

Dundee relegate their rivals!

Must be loving that!

On top of the world mate, thats for all the abuse all those years from those Arab c***! Get the fuck down and stay down!!!!

 

[SALTIRE]

Rodgers to Celtic?

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/02/brendan-rodgers-celtic-iconic-management

 

[Gulliball]

Every time I go somewhere to watch Hibs, they are absolutely terrible. Have seen them beat Aberdeen and Hearts at home in both cups this season, but on the road I've seen them lose at Hampden in the League Cup final, lose at bottom of the league Alloa, draw 0-0 at second bottom Livingston, lose at third bottom Dumbarton and now tonight lose at Raith in the play-offs. They have some excellent players but since February have been on a run of horrible form and look like an awful side every time I see them.

I can see the season ending horribly for them, with the play-offs and cup final to come.

 

[SALTIRE]

Celtic installing safe-standing for next season :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36205523

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Aberdeen sign centre forward Jayden Stockley from us...played on loan for Exeter in League Two this season and looked set to sign for them initially, but Aberdeen have snapped him up quick! He's spent his career bouncing around loan deals in L2 and Conference level. I'm very surprised Aberdeen consider him good enough. Will be interested to see how he gets on at SPL level.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Most of the SPL is League 2 level although I don't think Aberdeen have signed him as a first choice striker.

 

[Gulliball]

Aberdeen sign centre forward Jayden Stockley from us...played on loan for Exeter in League Two this season and looked set to sign for them initially, but Aberdeen have snapped him up quick! He's spent his career bouncing around loan deals in L2 and Conference level. I'm very surprised Aberdeen consider him good enough. Will be interested to see how he gets on at SPL level.

It is a funny one. I don't have all that fond memories of him from his loan spell at Torquay, when he scored one goal in about 17 appearances and we got relegated out the league with our highest scoring striker on 3 league goals. He's obviously improved since then though, and has a better record at Exeter, but he's 22 now so not exactly a youngster in footballing terms.

As said though, I don't think he'll be first choice, as Rooney is nailed on for the striking role in the 4231 Aberdeen play, so he'll likely be a target off the bench if required. About 5 times now centre half Ash Taylor has been put up front for the last few minutes to target balls at when chasing a goal, as they lack that type of striker. Calvin Zola was a disaster though 3/4 years ago, so I hope he turns out better.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Calvin Zola, an inadvertent Barnet hero!

 

[Gulliball]

He never even lasted the season at Aberdeen, and I think was paid off with more than a year to go. I rated him at Burton though, and he had a much better record than Stockley has in L2. Stockley is still young enough to improve though, especially with Hayes, McGinn, Shinnie and Logan playing wide to supply him and Kenny McLean behind.

 

[EnglishRed]

Aberdeen sign centre forward Jayden Stockley from us...played on loan for Exeter in League Two this season and looked set to sign for them initially, but Aberdeen have snapped him up quick! He's spent his career bouncing around loan deals in L2 and Conference level. I'm very surprised Aberdeen consider him good enough. Will be interested to see how he gets on at SPL level.

Louis Moult has done pretty well at Motherwell this year and he signed straight from the Conference.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Louis Moult has done pretty well at Motherwell this year and he signed straight from the Conference.

as did his team- mate Marvin Johnson, from Kiddy.

 

[SALTIRE]

Hibs coming back from a goal down to now leading 2 - 1 half an hour into this play-off semi 2nd leg. They haven't deserved it, but Falkirk haven't done themselves any favours with the first coming via a stonewall pen, though the second was a hell of a header.

 

[SALTIRE]

Falkirk equalise through a bullet! Rifled into the net from outside the box; 2 - 2 on the night, 4 - 4 on agg; Scottish fitba maybe of a poor standard, but its entertaining thats for sure!

 

[SALTIRE]

Get in Falkirk!!!! 92nd min winner to send them into the play-off final and Hibs another season in the Championship!!!!!

 

[Gulliball]

You could see that coming a mile off. That's the third time in 31 days that Hibs have played Falkirk and the exact same thing has happened in all three games. If you can't learn from your mistakes then you don't deserve to get promoted.

I do think Hibs have some excellent players, but they do the exact same things every time they play. In the Premiership, I think they could get into the top half as they do well against better sides. They have beaten full strength Aberdeen, Hearts, St Johnstone, Dundee Utd, Rangers x2 and a few other sides, and were the better side vs Ross County in the League Cup Final. But as I said above, since February when I've been ground hopping I've seen them lose to Alloa, lose to Dumbarton, lose to Raith and draw with Livingston, and in all those games they played pretty football passing it around the back 4, but never looked like breaking down any side that set-up to stop them. They have better individual players than Falkirk but are nowhere near as effective.

Alan Stubbs seems to get linked to plenty of jobs, and I think they would greatly benefit from getting shot of him and getting someone in who will get them winning games against the smaller clubs. There's only really Dundee Utd and Kilmarnock/Falkirk to challenge next season, so as long as they keep the bulk of their talent then they've got a much better chance now that Hearts and Rangers are out the way.

Not too bad news for me either, as with Aberdeen and Hibs in different divisions again there should be plenty of new grounds for me to visit .

 

[GodsGift]

I see Rangers are looking to sign Joey Barton on a free transfer. Could they afford his wages? Or is that a silly question?

 

[SALTIRE]

They signed Jordan Rossiter from Liverpool yesterday, but I doubt they'd be able to afford Barton's salary. Rangers are a team that would suit a tosser like that though.

 

[Gulliball]

Rangers taking on wages like Barton with their current losses and historic debts, would pretty much destroy any hope for the rest of the country that Scottish football will ever change.

In other news, Edinburgh City beat East Stirling this afternoon in the play-offs to earn promotion to the SPFL. I went to the first leg last week and it was an enjoyable match, in front of a 4 figure crowd, so the potential is there in a City the size of Edinburgh to become a decent sized club. After Hearts and Hibs they are the 3rd team in Edinburgh, so there's definitely a market for lower league football to tap into. I'll go and watch a few of their closer away games next year to see some new grounds.

 

[SALTIRE]

Falkirk nick a 1 - 0 in stoppage time againt Killie. Killie will feel hard done by as they were by far the better side. Hope Falkirk can see the job through in the second leg.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Hope Falkirk can make it, SPL has gone a bit stale over the last 10 years or so be nice to see 2 clubs coming in and out of it most seasons to freshen it up.

Also the Scottish Cup final is on today. Actually fancy Hibernian to do Rangers, Hibs have been in competitive action recently whereas Rangers have been promoted and in holiday mode for the last month. Does show however the gap in quality between the SPL and the Championship isn't all that at the minute with both these two making the final.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Can the Hi-Bees overcome 114 years of hurt?!

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

that was a cracking cup final

 

[Liam_SWFC]

What a game that was, a fantastic end to end topsy turvy fina! Great achievement from Alan Stubbs and his players, first trophy in over 100 years is some going. This will more than make up for what has been a disappointing league campaign for Hibernian, does this give them a crack at the Europa League next season too? Rangers have thrown that away though, poor defending from the two set pieces.

Hibs fans on the pitch at Hampden oh dear.

 

[Benji]

#TheDarkAges