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I live in Dalkeith and have sadly been solidly part of the ambivalence towards the football team part of the town. The main reason for this on my part is lack of fixture lists. I'm generally going to commit to something else on a Saturday rather than wait and see if there happens to be a game in town. And if I do find I have a floating Saturday then I have seven teams playing in the county, not to mention Edinburgh on the doorstep, so I'll take my pick. At the moment there is only one Dalkeith home game scheduled, while the EOSFL has fixtures planned through to end of April. I think having a fixture schedule in place will be really positive locally, and definitely in regard to the bookings for the wee hospitality cabin. I'm not saying I'll become a super fan overnight, but I do expect I'll make more than my 2-3 games per season if I have something to plan towards. I wish them a lot of luck. For them to jump up the pyramid like these before the juniors will eventually move en masse is I think a smart move. Time will tell if that advantage lasts!!

There is always the slight trepidation of crowds and interest reducing as we moved from the norm and games against rival SJFA clubs which in turn could have hurt us. We were always confident though after heavy research that our move would help sustain the club and help the community unite and flourish. That is exactly what has happened, home crowds are up, away crowds are up, the hopes, the dreams, the glass ceiling removed has really caught everyone’s interest and with everyone in the village on board, kids adults, male, female it creates a really strong machine going forward. Record Season Ticket, Kit, Merchandise, Hospitality sales this season aswell as the Social Club being busier than ever, It’s really humbling too in the past month we have a new Community Club in house with a complete pathway to senior football from 4 years old, we also have a senior ladies team now which is a real positive in a growing market. Not bragging here but just explaining how being pro active and doing research can take a Club to the next level in terms of support from the community wether that’s through gates, sponsrship, using the facilities, using the social club. All key areas that helps grow a Football and Community Club.

I'd have sacked Harris for that socks and sandals combination alone tbf.

As a proportion of overall fanbase, it's a fair comparison for other clubs to make. Hearts had something like £30m debt, and despite going into administration the club was saved. I've seen all sorts of figures about Rangers debt back in 2012, but let's just say it was £150m. I don't think it would be unfair to say that, as a proportion, Rangers have 5x more fans in Scotland and/or the rest of the world than Hearts. It's realistically more likely to be 10x the number fans really considering all the sad glory hunters around. And yet Rangers were absolutely nowhere near preventing the liquidation of their club, despite have a far greater number of fans proportionate to the level of debt their club had accrued. If Rangers fans on average had chipped in the same amount that Hearts fans did, they would have done more than enough to save their club. But they didn't. They let it die instead.

Not for the first time either

Diddy club = less fans/gloryhunting dicks = Club Saved Rangers 2012 = Biggest Most Successful Club in the world (my arse) with 500 million fans = Liquidation Mon the diddies

It’s nice that Paddy O’Star can remain friends with Staunchbob Squarepants despite their differences.

Don't get why everyone's getting so pessimistic over Carrick leaving, he did next to nothing. He has nothing but pace, Robinson is twice the player. Not sure why all alarms are set to panic here, Mullin is going to leave and for some cash. Good, that's what we're here to do. We're a selling club, we don't have the fans or the finances to be anything other than that. Until we're able to stump up 2k fans we will be in a relegation fight and be selling our guys on for cash. Hopkin has done brilliant replacing the guys that have left so far and I have total faith that he'll continue to do so. There's no point in us breaking the bank to try take a shot at glory, look where it got us before. We're where we are due to the hard work done by Hoppy over the last few years, the pay off from that won't ever be playoffs or promotion. It's always going to be more revenue into the club and attempting to invest it smartly and to keep us alive. We can't afford anything else. I think a few people have their heads in the clouds, if players don't perform well, they can go. Carrick had around 7 goals in 41 games for us, he's never a Championship standard player and as such has moved on. If the team gets smashed apart, so be it. As long as we still have a club at the end of the day. We can't afford to keep players who are well above our level as a club, re: Halkett, Pittman, Byrne, Mullen and Mullin. Our biggest selling point to players wanting to join us is that we're a stepping stone. We have a good track record of getting players moves and advancing their careers. We're paying part time wages on a full time scheme, by rights we should be scrapping at 8th place but Hopkin has done well and proved himself. This also means that there'll come a time where we lose him, that's my biggest worry. Not losing any of the current players but losing Hopkin who seemingly has pulled the club together at all ends and has everyone working towards a common goal and fighting for each other rather than everyone undercutting each other for power. My biggest worry is who we replace Hopkin with, that's the biggest challenge within the next 6 months to 3 years given on when and where he goes. I haven't a clue who I'd take a look at for it whatsoever. For the time being though can't we all enjoy perhaps the best time in the clubs history for the last 5-7 years?

I'd like to take a moment to take my hand off the shaft and make my love for Glen Kamara and Basque Jon known in a more scriptual manner. These two great c***s have strolled onto our shores and made a mockery of the footballers that ply their trade in this league. At Perth, Jon could've had his slippers, housecoat and San Miguel out for all the fucks he gave. Simply strolled the game without giving two hoots. As for Glen Kamara, the mans footballing ability is so beautiful that it would even raise the boaby of Granny Danger. This is the man who has never seen his thrupney bits since his pie eating epidemic of 1985, never mind popped a stauner in anger. These two are class acts and it'll be a joy to see Jon's wavy hair glisten off the trophy in the Hampden sunset as he lifts the Scottish cup with his big dirty b*****d of a Spanish swagger. His reflection will be gleamed off the walls of Govan, Pollok and Castlemilk as the Derry take over the city of the bigots for one wonderful day. Una Cerveza Por Favor, Cuntos. Gracias.

Waiting outside Maribor's ground before the game, Joe was standing on a raised balcony bit above the Dons fans. He conducted hundreds of us singing his song up to him. It was one of my favourite moments of being a football fan. A pure instance of the beauty this mental game we follow can generate every once in a while . Just wonderfully nostalgic. Joey being adored by a crowd of whom very few were old enough to have seen him play, but all knew we were in the presence of greatness.

or in and around the penalty box

I did and so did plenty of others on here, the likes of Haddington were making noises a couple of years ago. Dalkeith have now effectively jumped over every Super League team in the East. Change is coming fast - its clear that its the clubs who will have to lead this change at Junior level and lead themselves into the future rather than wait for guidance from the SJFA or East Region. If the likes of Bo'ness and Bonnyrigg have any sort of vision for the future of their clubs then their applications for the EOS will be in the post right now. Sadly too many committees appear stuck in the past and unwilling to embrace the future.

If you lived in Norway you'd have to be insane to move to the US.

I was more annoyed at the "5 clubs dead in a month" article but there was a lot going on at the time and Reagan's social unrest stuff was merely a small part of a huge clusterfuck of media/administrators/chairmen losing the head on a daily basis - but reading that back a few years later after that chapter played out in a demonstrably less armageddon-y way - it's actually difficult to get your head round the level of craven, uninformed pish that he came out with. For the "head" of Scottish football to explicitly say that Scottish football is just the OF - and without a functional Rangers-Celtic duopoly, that the game would die a lingering death is *mental* - this is the c**t that's meant to be securing sponsors and talking the game up - how can someone with so little credibility and a terrible record still be in an actual job? The interesting part is that the scare stories are utterly spent - if this version of Rangers were to have an "insolvency event" similar to the old version, it wouldn't be remotely tenable to even try that sort of pish again - you can only turn the bullshit up to 11 once (and there is a clear precedent in place for how it should be dealt with). Also - SPL2.

I fail to see the comparison here. Even if for a second we accept the suggestion that the two players can be directly compared (though they didn't really play the same position for us) being able to get a game for a lower placed side with a shortage of strikers at the moment isn't proof of anything at all. Anyway, Del hasn't been unable to get a game for us. He's found starts hard to come by recently but was starting games and being a used sub if not starting before that. He hasn't started since the Livingston debacle at Palmerston. He was ill the Monday following that and missed the Dumbarton game altogether in which Kane changed the game for us after coming on as sub. Kane then started v Inverness and then Dunfermline where he was terrific and has had the place since, looking pretty good for most of that and scoring a couple more goals. He's away after Saturday though. For me, if Del is patient then his chance will clearly come again but no manager in the world is going to guarantee any player a starting position every week. He's injured at the moment anyway so wouldn't be playing whether Kane is here or not.

Are you shouting random stuff in large sentences to make things seem problematic and hoping some of it sticks? I've already explained how it's possible. Knocking down the RDS fit are you on about min? Knock down the south and have a capacity of 13,077 for about 6 games. Rebuild it and have a capacity of at least 16,844. The grass is already there for the pitch. The track and stands in the way is the issue. Nothing would need moved or any footprint expanded. Then knock down and rebuild the main stand, corporate based with a couple of rows for 18,000+. Training facility is already nearly paid for. Build the stands with share issue/sponsorship/foundation of Hearts like - about £20m apparently of - Kingsford would be.

Jon has signed. What a sexual start to the weekend. Due to the Spaniards dedication to all things Derry i will now be ending my posts with a string of well known Spanish sayings. Follar el dayglo. Gracias.

Hamilton's subbie keeper......

chomp my root giving off a heavy vibe that he thinks science has progressed to the level of the CSI series and that killers always confess in the last five minutes of the runtime.

You weren't supposed to bite. Have a greenie for the sake of positive reinforcement. Better.

looking to win one of the 20,000 leagues under the sea?

Always had you as a Staggie, @capt_oats

Here we go again. The World is out to get Alan.

He's shite. Totally unable to land a blow on the most useless PM in modern history.

Can I just say, this shocks absolutely nobody.

Jack Ross signs who he wants.

Even if we got the cash together, that'd be a terrible idea. Can't think of a better way to piss off the rest of the squad.

I would possibly doubt this guys business credentials if he thinks he needs £429m to buy Rangers.

The Doors - Hello, I Love You

No like NDD to f**k it right up...

That looks genuine.

Clubs stay junior for a number of reasons. Some lack ambition or in some cases just couldn't cope with having to fill in a form. Others because they want to be big time, reasons are varied on this one. To say Dalkeith has jumped over anyone is just too simplistic. Close ties with the Council and the whole 'big picture' scenario from the SFA has built up over a period. Also committee members who can see the poor and even inadequate support from the junior hierarchy over many years. The junior game in reality is run by the west region, no matter what gloss you can put on it. So with change being imposed on the junior game whether it likes it or not (and it does NOT like it), especially as clubs depart usually in frustration, it encourages us to question again the whole setup and whether it is 'fit for purpose'. At the heart of it is the Secretary. The role is ....well who really know, is it one that reflects what clubs want, or is it one that leads the clubs to a better place? Tom Johnston won't be there forever. If you look at what he does it falls into a number of areas. 1. The admin side. Registering players, dealing with disciplinary issues, organising cup draws as required etc. Definitely not rocket science. 2. The blazer role. Sitting on the board of the SFA, going to international games home and away all expenses paid (in addition to the brown envelope for the inconvenience), sitting on another couple of boards as the SFA rep. Taking on the shit jobs on behalf of the SFA such as approving Green (The Rangers) as a fit and proper person. Oh yes and attending the annual junior internationals home and away. 3. The development of the game. The future of the game. When TJ retires, no reason why we can't spilt the job. 1. The admin part can be carried out a couple of days/week. Especially with email, mobile phones etc. 2. The Blazer roles. The only reason for someone from the sjfa to be on the SFA should be on a non exce role, to just ensure they keep abreast of any changes that may effect the junior game. As for getting on the blazer and tie, just share it round club officials. 3. Development. Someone with solid business and management skills to get out there talking to clubs. finding out what is really needed. But understanding and respecting the different culture and traditions of the junior game so it is protected and preserved. And to develop plans that make the junior game stronger and the clubs more sustainable. There are many people in clubs with goodwill towards the junior game, keen to help but I have heard the statement that joining a committee would only validate the incompetence that is there. Led by someone who can go from sorting out the constitution to making the game more attractive to supporters, players and committees alike. Sponsors will then come. Someone experienced at this type of role could spend 3 days a week on this development. Leading change is what it is about and taking the clubs with him or her. Many on existing committees will see this change (any change) as a threat. But we can't have the same old, same old being presented as a potentially successful future. We know it is lies. WE know it is not working. The clubs say so.

I wouldn't get your hopes up.

Limmy - I just find him completely insufferable.

Amen Corner - Hello Susie

Right, so far that’s Lincoln keen for the video, Chris is a no and the OP is undecided.

Grant Lee Buffalo - Dixie Drug Store

We do run initiatives, think we gave away a few hundred season tickets to local sports clubs, schools etc but they had to apply. We also offered season tickets at £18 for under 12s, sadly we are sorely lacking any kind of marketing, that is what we are lacking the most, if you aren’t a fan of the club you probably wouldn’t know about these deals or if there was even a game on at Livingston on a Saturday. Everything is done by volunteers, we are basically running a full time club but with part time staff and wages. Ive often said I’d quite happily have 1 less player and employ a full time marketing person, nothing would happen straight away but we should be looking at a club like Motherwell who are being marketed the right way and are seeing the benefits with crowd increases.

The lad named used to be the keeper in my young lads football team. Always been a bit lacking in brain cells tbh.

That "definitely guilty" argument from earlier in the thread is fucking idiotic, given you're not actually supposed to find someone guilty unless you think they're "definitely guilty".

And my work here is done...

I don't read the Daily Mail and I'm not an arsehole, so it's a "no" from me.

So...I guess you're saying... Anne Budge saved the 'company' but the hearts fans saved the 'club'?

Thus far this only seems to be an East region issue & only due to the close proximity of the eos league to most sides in the region Really can’t see any west side opting for this for a while yet due to the distances involved in joining the only viable league which is the South . Some lesser lights might jump ship as it’ll be the only way the will get further themselves as they certainly won’t on the park Our Bankie friends might once the ground situation is sorted but there is no way your Polloks, Talbots , Ladeside’s of this world will join the current set up . And tbh why would they want to at this time ? A viable West league on the same level as the East & South would probably be viable but until that is on the table it’s a no goer I’m afraid

Good luck Dalkeith, another welcome addition and hopefully the whole setup runs like Keltys infrastructure, can't believe they have managed to get the whole community together under one roof instead of about 10 different youth , amateur and Sunday league teams all raking around for cash the changes and Buzz in the community has been amazing and seeing kids n parents walking around the village in their Kelty tops instead o rangers n celtic is a sight to behold

Jerry Lee Lewis - Detroit City

No. The whole point of the prison system is no longer simply the removal of offenders from mainstream society. The emphasis is now on the rehabilitation of offenders with a humanistic approach which recognises that human beings have the capacity to see the error of their ways and be reformed. How can offenders be rehabilitated if they are dead? People have also been tried and executed in the past and later found to have been innocent all along. Why reintroduce such a flawed system of punishment when the potential consequences of "getting it wrong" are catastrophic and cannot be undone? People who want the death penalty re-instated are invariably dribbling morons and Ones For The Watching.