Rankrotten

Enough of this utter pish about starting a season earlier, we only finished ours a few weeks back, match sharpness shouldn't drop that quickly. Nothing suggests that was the issue anyway, horrendous tactics and poor quality cosy us more than being able to run for 90 minutes. 
Team that knocked out Rangers haven't played a league match for two months, wonder how that works? 

probably sums up standard of Scottish football....  not a laughing stock... but its simple very poor in general.   We represent the 4th best team in Scotland, should we be beating the 2nd best team from Lithuania?  clearly not.
Now we can start our pre-season training.. absent of the League Cup groups fixtures, wonder when we will get match fit.?
 
Just hope the fans enjoy the rest of their travels!  Enjoy lads!

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We might not have won this game anyway, but 2 (possibly 3 ) shocking decisions fro that prat Thomson certainly changed the whole pattern of the game. We were looking good for something out of the game before Thomson joined in. Surely there must be some sort of sanction on Thomson for this performance. 

Feel sick after that.  Yes Celtic are a good side. Yes they may have won it regardless. But going  3-1 up after an hour would have given us a hell of a chance. Only Craig Thompson and whoever pays his wages will know what the **** those decisions were all about.

In the other games played,  Coupar Angus beat Lossiemouth 4-1 away and Blairgowrie beat Grantown 3-2 away in the game postponed from last week.
We'll done to all the Perthshire Team's who have made it to the third round draw.

REPLAY RESULT
Benburb 3 - 3 Scone Thislte
Scone Thistle won 4-3 penalites
4 mins...Scone score from free-kick. Low shot that somehow found a way past several players on way to goal.
26 mins...Scone score from penalty sending keeper wrong way.
33 mins...Bens score from low shot 8 yards from goal after scramble for ball.
58 mins...Bens get equalizer thanks to an own goal.
60 mins...Scone have goal disallowed for off-side.
75 mins...Scone score with a great header from corner-kick.
80 mins...Scone number 2 red-carded for head-butting Bens number 3.
82 mins...Bens sub number 14 red-carded for dangerous tackle.
90+2 mins...Bens get late equalizer with header from corner-kick.
Full-time.
No exta-time played...Scone win penalties.
Terrible display from both teams who seemed to prefer tackling each other rather than play football.
Game threatened to get out of hand around the 80 minute mark.
Referee struggled to control the game from the start.
Scone number 10 was best player on the pitch in my opinion...he showed a lot of skill and clever runs...Bens struggled hard to contain him.
Overall, i think it's the correct team that goes through to next round.
 
 

REPLAY RESULT
Benburb 3 - 3 Scone Thislte
Scone Thistle won 4-3 penalites
4 mins...Scone score from free-kick. Low shot that somehow found a way past several players on way to goal.
26 mins...Scone score from penalty sending keeper wrong way.
33 mins...Bens score from low shot 8 yards from goal after scramble for ball.
58 mins...Bens get equalizer thanks to an own goal.
60 mins...Scone have goal disallowed for off-side.
75 mins...Scone score with a great header from corner-kick.
80 mins...Scone number 2 red-carded for head-butting Bens number 3.
82 mins...Bens sub number 14 red-carded for dangerous tackle.
90+2 mins...Bens get late equalizer with header from corner-kick.
Full-time.
No exta-time played...Scone win penalties.
Terrible display from both teams who seemed to prefer tackling each other rather than play football.
Game threatened to get out of hand around the 80 minute mark.
Referee struggled to control the game from the start.
Scone number 10 was best player on the pitch in my opinion...he showed a lot of skill and clever runs...Bens struggled hard to contain him.
Overall, i think it's the correct team that goes through to next round.
 
 

REPLAY RESULT
Benburb 3 - 3 Scone Thislte
Scone Thistle won 4-3 penalites
4 mins...Scone score from free-kick. Low shot that somehow found a way past several players on way to goal.
26 mins...Scone score from penalty sending keeper wrong way.
33 mins...Bens score from low shot 8 yards from goal after scramble for ball.
58 mins...Bens get equalizer thanks to an own goal.
60 mins...Scone have goal disallowed for off-side.
75 mins...Scone score with a great header from corner-kick.
80 mins...Scone number 2 red-carded for head-butting Bens number 3.
82 mins...Bens sub number 14 red-carded for dangerous tackle.
90+2 mins...Bens get late equalizer with header from corner-kick.
Full-time.
No exta-time played...Scone win penalties.
Terrible display from both teams who seemed to prefer tackling each other rather than play football.
Game threatened to get out of hand around the 80 minute mark.
Referee struggled to control the game from the start.
Scone number 10 was best player on the pitch in my opinion...he showed a lot of skill and clever runs...Bens struggled hard to contain him.
Overall, i think it's the correct team that goes through to next round.
 
 

REPLAY RESULT
Benburb 3 - 3 Scone Thislte
Scone Thistle won 4-3 penalites
4 mins...Scone score from free-kick. Low shot that somehow found a way past several players on way to goal.
26 mins...Scone score from penalty sending keeper wrong way.
33 mins...Bens score from low shot 8 yards from goal after scramble for ball.
58 mins...Bens get equalizer thanks to an own goal.
60 mins...Scone have goal disallowed for off-side.
75 mins...Scone score with a great header from corner-kick.
80 mins...Scone number 2 red-carded for head-butting Bens number 3.
82 mins...Bens sub number 14 red-carded for dangerous tackle.
90+2 mins...Bens get late equalizer with header from corner-kick.
Full-time.
No exta-time played...Scone win penalties.
Terrible display from both teams who seemed to prefer tackling each other rather than play football.
Game threatened to get out of hand around the 80 minute mark.
Referee struggled to control the game from the start.
Scone number 10 was best player on the pitch in my opinion...he showed a lot of skill and clever runs...Bens struggled hard to contain him.
Overall, i think it's the correct team that goes through to next round.
 
 

Glad i could help, Hoodlum65.
The pubs you mentioned, you might be interested to know, are still there.
One that is out of shot on the left-hand side of the photo is called The Grapes Bar.
It was a regular watering hole for Rangers player Ian Durrant when he was a youngster learning his trade on the park.
The bar across the road from the pitch is comically called The Doctors.
Both bars are still going strong, especially on match days at Ibrox Stadium.

There has been a good amount of  negativity on here of  late  for one reason or another but with so many good things going into tomorrow's match,  like the good work at the Barossa Saints Club and the Tulloch fans zone, other fans  working all day today to set up the card display ect,can we just can the negatives for a few days and rock the house down tomorrow
.As we head towards another remarkable turnout for a European game(Who says Perth's no a Football toon eh??)Lets Sing, dance, wave our scarves like mad,  cheer, and most of all encourage every Saint that pulls on the shirt on and scare the Swiss senseless with our wall to to wall noise...Lets do this!C.OY.S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

going by these highlights looks like we rode our luck tho mackays strike was so close. 
poor goal to lose wright outmuscled by a wee guy then dave to easily turned

Can't fault the ticket office as my ticket arrived this morning!

I was given choice of east or west stands...i picked west...then told we would be sitting front centre.
Need to wait for tickets to find out exactly where.
Was also told game was selling well.

Tickets for myself and father-in-law for home game in the post.
Here's hoping it's still all to play for as with Minsk game last year.

Can't we invite our Turkish pals over for a kick-about and show them OUR trophy?
I'm sure that game would draw a great crowd.

Can't we invite our Turkish pals over for a kick-about and show them OUR trophy?
I'm sure that game would draw a great crowd.

A season of fitba deams.
 
 
St.Johnstone football club have been around for a long time, a very long time. 130 years to be exact. They hail from Scotlands newest city, Perth. The clubs name comes from the old name for Perth; Saint Johns Toun, which I believe was named after St. John The Baptist
They are my team, but not just MY team. They are also the team of many of my friends and of quite a few people I don't know by name, but  who I know to speak to, to exchange a courteous nod, the occasional  joyous hug and on a more regular basis commiserations.
 
Over my years supporting " The Saints" there have been many many days where disappointment was the main feeling, where I left games feeling depressed, angry, let down and a whole myriad of other negative emotions. There was also Hamilton.
 
It wasn't always bad of course, there were days when I felt elated, triumphant and so very proud. Proud of my wee team, proud that on a shoestring budget, we could beat Celtic, Rangers et al. Proud that we could progress to the later stages of national cup competitions, proud of winning a "diddy cup", of winning promotions and leagues, of qualifying for European adventures with wonderful days spent  with my fellow Saintees in Eskisehir, Turkey, and twice, even reaching the final of the Scottish League Cup.Sadly we lost both, one of which was a bit before my time. We have had some  great seasons and some great teams. Not least the team of Willie Ormond in the late 60's ( before my time), the team of Paul Sturrock in the 90's and my favoutite team of the  early 1980's. I even took my internet  handle,  The Ghost of Jim Morton, as a homage to my favourite player from that team.
 
And then season 2013-14 happened.
 
It started early, on Wednesday 10th July, with a trip to Cowdenbeath where we won 1-0, Sadly I missed David Wotherspoons fine free kick as we were late arriving . It would not be my last miss of what would become the most memorable of seasons. We then had a trip to Morton which I passed on and which we also won 1-0. Next up was the mighty Rosenborg of Norway, in Trondheim. They were a team with a fine Europen record, a team who had recently participated in the Champions League group stages.
 
 This was where the dream really started ( no disrespect intended to Cowden or Morton) We went there and, well, we beat them 1-0. They couldn't believe it and frankly I, and I suspect most of my fellow Saintees couldn't believe it. A fine contingent of Saints fans made the trip to Trondheim and in wallet emptying, eye watering conditions, they enjoyed a good drink before and after the game. Sadly I was not one of them for reasons as simple as I was going on holiday the day after the game. The fact that that holiday was a Norwegian cruise only made me feel worse. All was not lost though as I at least managed to watch the game on a dodgy internet stream before departing for Southampton.
 
The return leg in Perth, which the Norwegians were convinced they would win easily, was
a rip roaring affair with Saints going a goal behind early on before fighting back and  equalizing through Stevie May. In front of a crowd of nearly 8000 they  held out for the draw and amazingly, St.Johnstone were in the next round and the less than gratious Norwegians we OUT. Sadly I was still  not there. I was in the middle of the North Sea, on route to Southampton and even worse, I had to follow the game on Sky Sports News which was torturous. Eventually they announced that St.Johnstone had drawn and gone through. I  then proceeded to  wander around our cruise ship and tell  everyone and anyone that MY wee team had beaten Rosenbourg.
 
 In the next round we were drawn against  FC Minsk. I could have gone out there  but didn't, well none of us did, due to ridiculous visa problems. Instead, I went away and walked the West Highland Way in 4 days. The day we played Minsk I was walking 28 miles between Rowardennan and Tyndrum. In hounour of my team I did that leg of the Way in a Saints top and wore my Saints scarf.  The game was watched on  Ceefax or whatever it's modern version is now called.  I sat in a hotel room looking at an unmoving screen. Then it suddenly moved. It said FC Minsk 0-1 St.Johnstone. Steven Mclean. I also moved and  proceeded to go utterly mental. Then for the last 20 minutes I stared at the screen and begged for the letters FT to appear. They dually did and I went down to the bar tell  everyone and anyone that MY wee team had beaten FC Minsk.  Was I dreaming?
 
On the following  Sunday we opened our League account a home win against a Hearts side crippled by debt and administration. 3 points on the board.  Oh and I was at last there.
 
Then FC Minsk came to Perth.  McDiarmid park was rocking with over 8500 punters. We all believed  they were beatable, they were, but we did not, and after a tense niggly match  our Euro dream died in a penalty shoot out. My first Euro game and our first loss. ( we also lost our unbeaten European home record). My dream seemed to have turned to a nightmare.
 
The season then  proceeded with some great wins and some  horrible losses, 4-0 was a recurring scoreline for or against. In October we  beat Morton with a last minute disputed goal to reach the semi final of the League Cup and we again began to dream.  A fine 3-0 home win against Dundee Utd on Boxing Day was followed by a roasting at Fir Park on New Years day where Motherwell destroyed us 4-0. We started the year in 6th place in the league and remained there  pretty much all the way to the  split.
 
The Scottish cup campaign had begun in late November with a straight forward win over Livingstone.  It was not without surprise though. I met my parents outside the stadium. Apparently they were attending the game  and were heading to the Boardroom as guests of our opposition. My mother was warned that if Livi scored and she celebrated, there would be  repercussions. As it transpired when Saints opened the scoring, the old dear let out a quality cheer much to the chargrin of her Livi buddies. I knew she wouldn't let the side down.
 
On Feb 1st we headed to Edinburgh to face a high flying Aberdeen side who we , I was shocked to discover, had never beaten in a cup tie. This was the League Cup semi-final. As was the norm with cup semi-finals we lost. That score 4-0 came up again. Emotionally I was wrecked. Would we ever win another semi?
 
Progress in the Scottish Cup continued with convincing wins over Forfar and then Raith Rovers and before we knew it we were in another semi-final. The bad news was that we had never won a Scottish cup semi EVER. Even worse, we were draw against Aberdeen again, a team we had NEVER beaten in any cup tie. Ah well, we had done well to get there. Expectation was certainly low for me and when we went a goal down early in the game I was convinced it was yet again over. Half time came and as I walked the concourse under the stand at Ibrox, I spoke with a couple of hard core, longterm Saintees, and we all agreed that this was it, that if we lost this game, which we all though was the only likely outcome, that we would not attend another semi due to being unable to shoulder the heartache of being nearly men any more
 
Then the second half began and something magic happened, we started playing much better, we were in their faces, we were on top. All it needed was someone to put the round thing between the wooden structures that Jamie " Clangers " Langfield was hanging about in. He was right in front of us. We baited him, we told him the goal was coming, we could feel it... Jamieeeeeeeeeeeee  can you feel it.. And then BOOM. All hell broke loose. Stevie May took a pass and three touches later the ball rippled the back of the net. The dream was on but it needed a second goal and importantly we need not to concede anything. Then Aberdeen had a great chance but some how the ball went past the post. Was this to finally be OUR year? We started on Langfield again... Jamieeeeeeeeee can you feel it, can you smell it...Jamieeeeeeeeeee it's coming.... the game entered the last few minutes, extra time looking very likely.  Then suddenly , like a bolt of lightening, the ball was on the edge of the Dons box. May headers to McLean, McLean lays off to May, May toe pokes the ball and  OH MY GOD.... GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!   The Saints support went balistic. A riot of colour, a wall of sound and a belief. We must be dreaming.. The last six minutes passed slowly but Saints  played it out beautifully. They kept the ball. Aberdeen were beaten. The hoodoo was over. Grown men and women  were in tears. 130 years of if buts and regrets were suddenly gone.
 
And so here we are. We have finally reached the Scottish Cup Final. The oldest cup competition in the world. Four weeks from now we will face our local neighbours Dundee United  in our final game of the season, a season which will have seen us play 50 competitive matches. That surely must be a record.
 
It's been brilliant, it's been amazing and it has been wonderful. It's been the best season I can ever remember in my 37 years of being a Saintee. Come what may on the 17th day of the month of May 2014, regardless of the result, we will have had a most fantastic season. Will we win the cup and  thus end the often used internet forum jibe of  "Never won a major trophy"??  I don't know. I do hope so. I know we can.  Saints supporters will  now head to Parkhead from every corner of the world. We will  sing our hearts out, we will do what we do best. We will support our well run wee team... Even if we don't win  though, this has indeed been the season of my  fitba dreams. Come on you Saints.
 
Ghostie.

Although my dad has always been a Saintee having been brought up in the Burgh my support until a few years ago was with another team in blue and white from Glasgow.

In the last three years Saints have given my son and I more enjoyable times than all the rest put together. The camaraderie in our supporters club is immense and it great going to watch our local club in a safe non bigoted environment.

Of all the semi finals, finals I have been to in the past I was more excited for yesterdays. Watching the die hard fans who have followed the club through thick and thin with tears rolling down their faces has confirmed that Saints are a special club.

Local, family, small call us what you like but we are Saints and we are in the final.

Like so many, four decades of waiting and am daring to dream.  To all the hard core fans who really do the club proud, you were first class today.  Living away from Perth now as so many Saintees do, it hurts like hell when the 'small support' topic is constantly raised.  If I could afford to come up all the time......
 
But, now is the time for all of us, young, old, local or otherwise to get there.  Lets turn a huge section of Parkhead into a sea of blue and white.  
 
Who's organising the flags/ cards or whatever we do to make this 'once in a lifetime' opportunity a day filled with no regrets and a bucketful of memories!
 
Maybe a tad premature, enjoy tonight first!!
 
Get in there.....

The behaviour of the Dons fans  has nothing to do with St.Johnstone. Please don't try to justify  appaling behaviour by so called Saints fans just because the other teams fans  were shitebags. That is  utter whataboutery.
 
The facts are very clear.. Someone  thought it was hard/ clever/ cool to chuck a fecking seat into the goalmouth occupied by OUR keeper. It would have been bad enough if Langfield had been at that end at the time but the fact that it was Banks beggars belief.. There is and can, be NO JUSTIFICATION for shite like this. Then we have  the two fuds who  run onto the pitch. Now I have been reliably informed that niether are die hard Saints fans but someone has gotta stop these  morons before they cost Saints monay in fines. Hopefully the courts will deal with them swiftly on Monday morning (and hopefully they get to spend all weekend in the police cells) and as well as fining them, they recieve long football banning orders.
 
 And if you think I am "turning on Saints fans" you are wrong because if they really cared about Saints they would not behave like this at matches.
 
There comes a time when  this  idiot shite has to stop and that time is NOW!!!!!

An element of our fans were a complete disgrace today. I was totally embarrassed bringing some family to the game. Throwing a broken seat at your own goalkeeper is ****ing disgusting behavior. Horrible wee arse holes.

So, did this spitting incident actually happen then??  And if it did, I for one,  want to find out who it was. Anyone who resorts to this sort of disgusting behaviour should be outted, should be made to apologise to the player in question and banned  from football. I do not want to share a stadium with a person who thinks that gobbing on anyone is  anything other than disgraceful.
 
So lets have it. WHO WAS IT????

Think he has done the right thing leaving on a high at ICT... He'll be remembered as a hero...rather than hanging around going stake & getting the punt. Think he has the strength to turn Hibs round. He's one of the few SPFL managers I have any time for apart from big TW!
Good luck to him unless he's playing Saints!?!

COYS