Scotch Football

[Carlos J]

MND is one bastard of an illness. God bless Fernando Ricksen:

[kevin04]

The Scottish season got underway yesterday in the form of the League Cup.

The League Cup first rounds are played over the next fortnight with 8 groups of 5 playing each other once. If a game is drawn after 90 mins it will then go to straight penalties - the team who win the shoot out will be given 2 pts whilst the losers 1 pt. If you beat a team in 90 mins, the regular rules apply e.g 3pts to 0.

The top four teams from the Premiership are given a bye in to the second round e.g Celtic, Rangers, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen. All four won their first legs in Europe last week, a feat which hadn't been seen in Scotland since 2000 or 2001 (cannae mind the year, but I seen it somewhere and it was either or) so are things on the up, or will the Dons go crashing out next week? Anyhoos....

The Championship, L1 and L2 teams also make up the first round along with Berwick (relegated from League 2), East Kilbride (Lowland Champions) and Cove Rangers (Highland Champions and now League 2 debutantes)

The first game was played last night where top scorer from the year before Laurence Shankland (9 last year in this tournament) scored for his new side Dundee Utd although the game ended up a 1-1 draw which Hertz won on penalties.

The draw is divided in to North and South divisions so e.g Ross County don't have to meet Annan etc in a what is almost a friendly/fitness tournament for some teams. Going by google that journey would take 4 hrs 20 minutes according to Google (not that bad actually). I believe going by the draw that Alloa must be the furthest south 'North' team in the draw and Dunfermline the furthest north 'South' team - yet both towns lie almost across from one an other on the map.

I blether a lot and most of it shite so on....

It doesn't look like many shocks happened today apart from Queen's Park drawing 0-0 with Hamilton Accies and then winning the penalty shoot out. Hapless Berwick lost 7-0 at home to Ayr - you wonder if they will make it back up at all to the big leagues, which is a shame as it was a nice wee quirk of the Scottish league e.g having an English team in it.

Hibs needed penalties to beat Stirling Albion, Dundee continued their fine pre-season form with a 3-0 win in Kirkcaldy over Raith.

Oh, and that North thing also has Hibs and Stirling in a North section along with Arbroath, Elgin and Alloa.

[finchman]

Co-op cup semi final
Carloway 0-3 Point

[kevin04]

Co-op cup semi final
Carloway 0-3 Point

Are you not a Carloway man yourself, Finchy?

Part-time broadcaster with BBC Alba, part-time crofter and all-round good egg Dòmhnall MacSween is Ness FC's keeper. https://twitter.com/sweenyness

[finchman]

Carloway always been my team,I played a few games for them in the 80s.
I remember back in 1972 Andy Gray played for Back FC at Carloway,he was a boy in a man's team back then.
I have a photo here but can't download it on this shitty set up.

[kevin04]

I'll be at Arbroath for the QOTS match and the flag going up, a magnificent few years for the Red Lichties and back up the road for Jags game on Friday the 13th, cannae wait. My pal who's involved with the club (they are still part-time Doc!)

Hope they stay up, but its going to be a tough ask - only 2/3 new faces in and not sure if they are good enough for what is full-time football. Although Alloa have appointed Peter Grant as their boss, so they may well pip the Wasps!

Roll on August!

Scottish League Cup action again over the next few weeks.

Plus can Killie, Aberdeen, Rangers and Celtic all win again over the next few days in European action and get our coefficient up.

[kevin04]

Carloway always been my team,I played a few games for them in the 80s.
I remember back in 1972 Andy Gray played for Back FC at Carloway,he was a boy in a man's team back then.
I have a photo here but can't download it on this shitty set up.

Andy Gray has a bit of the Gàidhlig too I believe, Finchy. Its his mum's side from Ness/Back isn't it? Good ol' Andy, I still quite like him and that lovable laugh of his even if he seems to be a bit of a rogue with the ladies.

Watched a bit of the Island Games on Alba and our beloved Western Isles did alright - although no medals in the football and most importantly finished ahead of Orkney, Shetland and Yns Mons/Anglessey.

[Shedboy]

Hope they stay up, but its going to be a tough ask

I'll go out on a limb and say you'll stay up fairly comfortably and win at least 20 points at home.
Six of them from us, probably.

[Carlos J]

Good old fellas.

[finchman]

Good scotch football documentary on telly last night about Fort William FC, you can get it on catch up.

[kevin04]

Aye,I'll need to give it a go, Finchy. Think they've got 8 or so Caley young lads on loan so they might even win a game this year!

Roll on Saturday and the start of the season.

[kevin04]

Sin agad e, Fhincy!

They've only gone and WON!

[Zippy]

I went to Fort William at Christmas before we drove up to the Isle of Skye. Wonderful little town but the locals are nuts on a Friday night sesh.

[Jonathan]

Good scotch football documentary on telly last night about Fort William FC, you can get it on catch up.

What channel ?

[kevin04]

Fort William is a mad old town. Big in to their shinty a bit like Oban, and agree it was pretty rowdy. I was there about 8 years ago and there wasn't a late night takeaway open, had to go to the 24hr garage up the road.

Lovely golf course too.

Imagine it'll have been BBC Scotland, Jonathan.