Percy Johnston

Sometimes bh, I feel that you and I are the only people on this forum who realise that Stark was one of our worst-ever managers. Thank you for continuing to highlight his terrible record.

Well remembered! But I was at that game and the two goals are not really comparable: Saturday's was a deliberate charge-down by Spoony, whereas the Queen's Park one was an attempted clearance within a crowded penalty box, which Boogie Darren knew very little about until he felt searing pain down below!

OK, I'll be first to take the bait..... I have Great Expectations of Dickens Bar.

We are at risk of becoming two bald men arguing over a comb here! Re WW1, yes I agree totally, but after that disastrous war, 'volunteering' in the UK virtually disappeared in WW2 and subsequent conflicts. I don't need 'diligent research' to recall that conscription began as soon as WW2 was declared. One of my other gripes is that (almost certainly due to the powerful symbolism of the poppy) Remembrance Day is still generally associated with WW1 alone, rather than being an occasion to remember all wars. The one good thing about yesterday's 'Armed Forces Day' was that it involved real live people who, in more recent times, have had experience of the dreadful realities of war.

I wasn't aware that conscription equates to "willingly". That notwithstanding, at no time have I said that those who lost their lives in conflict whilst serving in the armed forces should not be commemorated - of course they should. I'm glad you acknowledge that Remembrance Day should be about innocent civilians as well. COYS

Croc, you are completely missing the point. "Remembrance" should NOT be just about those in uniform, but also the innocent civilians. Did you know, for example, that in WW2, more civilians than armed forces died? Misguided, though no doubt well-intentioned, events such as Saints' Armed Forces Day simply serve to reinforce the notion held by you and many others that 'Remembrance' is exclusive to the armed forces.

Brogan (whoever you are), please keep contributing to this forum. I happen to agree with what you say on this issue, but even if I didn't, I would still agree that your post is amongst the most lucid and eloquent ever to appear on these pages. Whenever a The The Sevco zealot criticises you (as has happened again tonight) you know that you must have said the right thing. Please don't go! And I repeat my request for Saints to hold an 'Emergency Services Day' when police, fire, ambulance, coastguard and NHS staff can be applauded for their efforts and be admitted to the match free of charge. Unlike the armed forces, these people save lives 365 days a year.

Yup that's right, he never recovered (apart from scoring in both Europa league rounds we played in just a few weeks later)

An absolutely superb post by blueheaven - eloquent, considered and balanced. The traditional minute's silence is all that is needed. I especially agree with: Here's an idea - how about Saints offering free admission that same day to NHS workers, the emergency services and others who are trained to save lives rather than take lives? No? Thought not.

Very iImportant message to anyone booking flights to Armenia via Moscow - check with the airline/travel agent that you will stay airside during transit in Moscow. If you go landside (even just changing terminals at the same airport) you will need to buy a transit visa in advance, and you can only do this by going in person to the Russian embassies in Edinburgh or London - at this late stage you would need to use the express visa service and it will cost you c £50

Reminiscing upon our Europa League campaign last season, I was interested to learn from the official UEFA site that our goalscorer against both Luzern and Spartak Trnava was not who I'd remembered it to be. I must have had a rush of blood to the head. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2015/clubs/player=1902454/index.html

We can't draw Aberdeen in the Europa League, though (at least not until the much later stages of the competition!). That's the difference. Like I said, playing Glenavon is a bizarre choice.

It is a frankly incredible announcement that Saints are playing Glenavon in a friendly on 24 June - one week before we could be playing them in Rd 1 of the Europa League, with the draw having been made two days earlier! An utterly bizarre decision from both clubs - and it also wouldn't surprise me if this sort of thing would breach one of UEFA's labyrinthine rules.

Hately speaking in July 2012 - "In four years' time, I don't think the SPL will exist. In fact, it could be disbanded within a year if half of its clubs go to the wall." :laugh: