sjfc99

Daily Record banned from Ibrox http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-board-slap-ban-daily-5135276 Really does keep on giving

There was talk on twitter of police up kinnoull hill with dogs searching. Certainly no emergency services down tay street when helicopter left about half 5 like might have expected if river search.

Surely from training this week Wright could see Swanson was no where near match ready. He kept drifting inside that much he should have swapped with Wotherspoon. I dont think Swanson saw their number 3 get round him once. Even Mackay started to pass inside instead of using him. Its so obvious how much we miss OHalloran (who should have started as we all know )and Croft on the wings. What was the biggest problem was they came out 3-5-2 in the second half and no attempt made to match up which is what led to their goal. Soon as they scored they went back to 442. Once again a lot of possession but struggled to break a team down, like with Hamilton a few weeks ago. Poor to lose the cup in such a manner as today

Austin Reed closing, big sale on just now

Always remember checking my phone at work, and would often see Gartland - Yellow Card and then a goal two minutes later from resulting free kick conceeded

That was by far and a way the best i've seen us play all season. I saw us getting a doing tonight, but was great to see that despite a number of changes, we didn't look disjointed and played as a team. The pressing and harrying of them was good to see, hate how we stand off and stand off players. We started really well I thought, getting forward and not giving them too much chance to play. There were a few nervy moments with iffy backpasses, and even in midfield balls played back without looking. Not sure how we didn't get a win in the end. Kane was clearly pulled back, and if he went down, prob would have got it. A pity we didn't get a win, but considering how poor we seemed to have been on tuesday, and considering not a first choice 11, that was pretty good going. A thoroughly enjoyable game as well, one of best ive been to.

Kenny McDowall has quit...

No sort of about it! Likewise! Was quite chuffed.

I believe Mr Cosgrove got involved with who Saints had to speak to with getting an improved version, which is still deemed "broadcast quality". How though it isn't the same as the standard def version i recorded I dont know. It sounds like the balance between pitch side mics and the commentators is off , with pitchside being louder. It would have been good to have had the goals from previoua rounds - surely wouldnt be too big an isue for rights. It would have been good for some of the videos done for the Saints YouTube channel to have been included for the fans who dont have / dont go online. Further still, I wonder how hard it would have been for Saints to have approached William Hill for righta to use the videos of the tunnel / cup being lifted / fans reaction to goal. Also, the Defy the Odds videos with Saintee Eilidh Barbour are also really good, and again, would be very much appreciated by those who dont go online

http://perthsaints.co.uk/newsitemsdetail.php?param=3312

We all know this guy is a bit of a character from when they were after Stevie May, but he certainly isnt a happy camper tonight by his twitter feed... https://twitter.com/DMAC102

Was good to be there in the hydro to see us get our mention and give a cheer! Still think we should have got team of the year though!

Been to hospitality a two or three times now at McDiarmid and always been excellent. The St Mirren offer was pretty reasonable, and got a table for me, mum and sister - sister never been to hospitality. I believe there will be other ones in the future, a Burns night one, and also a carvery being talked about. Certainly worth doing so long as they are reasonably priced.

---------------------------------------------- One is in the pipeline, with a good price on it too. Can't fault the club for bringing it out for Christmas considering how long it took to get the footage and then edit in all the footage, interviews etc. Its one of these things as I said, most clubs always bring out books and videos if they've got one to flog at Christmas - biggest time for getting sales. They were slow at getting a lot of the winners merchandise on sale, missing out on extra trade for father's day when they only had one style of mug and one style of coaster, but, considering how long something like this will take to produce, you are then as well waiting for the biggest time of the year.

Fully expect there will be a DVD out for Christmas when most clubs bring out DVDs etc. Takes time before they get the rights etc to use the footage and then by time its all edited together with all the videos that the club took up in the run up and then on the day and also the sunday of the bus tour.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is a full closure - certainly so far as staff have been made aware just at this time.

Top Shop closing in January

The car park is in dire need of re-surfacing, which can't be a cheap job. They've got signs on the gates to warn you, but its pretty hellish old folk / those with walking sticks / or got difficulty walking on it when theres as many potholes and bits that have broken off.

-------------------------------------------------------------- Someone on here involved in the testimonial committee can probably give a better explanation, but Saints could not be seen to be promoting the testimonial as a club event, something to do with tax believe it or not from what was said to me. I was told that another Premiership club had actually got in touch with Saints to say that when it was first publicised heavily on social media, that they should watch, as this club had done that and got told not to. That is why when you look at the twitter feed on the day, it said for updates, see the testimonial feed, which unfortunately had none. It is also the reason that both twitter and facebook pages linked to the Ando Testimonial pages/feed in the run up instead of putting it all on the Saints one. Daft as it is a Saints player, but it had to be seen as being run by the committee and not the club. As has been said, typically, coverage of Saints is normally pretty good on twitter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cant recall why the first one left now, but the last two were sacked for different reasons.

Wont have been happy being noted as coming from a country that hasn't existed for over 20 years...

The worst i've seen Saints play that I can remember. Going 4-5-1 at home in the first leg was a poor move, as was the high balls to Maclean, not sure he got a single one all night. You could see how frustrated he was shouting at the midfield - if there was such a thing - for most of the first half. We are in dire need of someone who could control a midfield, but then Cregg and Dunne are gone, Muzz is crocked and took long enough to get back into shape last season, who knows how long it will take this time. We looked good at the start of the second half, but then, let them back into it, before a suicidal backpass. When we put them under pressure, they looked to struggle, and it does look like they are an average side we made look much, much better. I can only assume that the Saints players must have thought the Slovaks had Ebola, with how far off them they were. Look at FCL and how quick they closed us down, thats what we should be doing, not letting a team run and run at us. Not sure why we don't shoot on sight either, always a chance it could take a deflection and in, or corner, but trying to pass it into the corners to cross or pass to the net doesn't work. The only highlight of the night was the announcer referring to the UEFA delegate as coming from Czechoslovakia, on a night where we play a Slovakian team. What a tool. At least we got that goal, but that is pretty much that over now.

Having missed out on the last two trips looking forward to this one. Currently typing this while at the Holiday Inn at Glasgow Airport enjoying a free Southern Comfort before heading off via London City to Zurich tomorrow. Wont be easy getting a result but hopefully be a good trip all the same.

From the twitter of Courier's Eric Nicholson the sports editor.....For "Sky Sports sources" read "picked it up off Twitter"