Skyline Drifter

They are going to "announce" our top five strikers ever? I'll look forward to it. Isn't there a village somewhere you are depriving of an idiot?

I'm not sure I'd be so quick to conclude that. He's very fondly remembered for a short burst of form. He scored 11 goals for us in 27 starts (Paton to date has 27 in 69 starts). Their goal ratio is almost identical and Paton's done so over more than twice as many games. Shields played a chunk of his games wide to be fair but then Paton played almost all of last season wide and even occasionally at wing back too, his goal every second game when playing up front this season is considerably better. Paton's goals have largely come at a lower level but he has scored relatively consistently. Shields got a couple of goals early season in the league cup group but 7 of his other 9 came in a one month burst of form across 5 games. He then got injured and missed a month. When he returned his only goals for us in 8 / 9 games were the double at Hearts. He managed 3 goals in over 40 appearances for Motherwell and whilst he has got 4 in 8 for Queen's Park since joining on loan, they were all in his first four games and he's gone 4 without scoring. They are very different players with Shields game all about pace and power and Paton's more about tenacity and being in the right place at the right time. It's a moot point though. Neither would be anywhere near our top five ever. In fact neither would be in our top five of the last decade (Dobbie, Lyle, Dykes, Clark and Reilly would all be ahead of them, maybe even Russell though he didn't often play as a striker).

Stewart? Ferguson? I wouldn't disagree an awful lot with the above. I think Hanley should be in bold and I don't think there are any serious grounds at this stage to include either Stewart or Ferguson as possible starters. Stewart has had a very good year or so at Sunderland but has to date 2 substitute appearances for his country and no goals. Ferguson has 6 caps and only 1 start to his name. They might both go on to be very important players for us but right now they don't have an argument to start games.

I'm openly biased. But I don't think Adams is as "far better" as is made out. I also don't think the "level they play at" is that big a factor. A lot of that is luck and timing. Southampton aren't particularly that much bigger a club than QPR and Adams got there off a couple of seasons scoring freely alongside Lucas Jutkiewicz at Birmingham. I genuinely don't think he links play better than Dykes. I think Dykes does it better. I actually think Adams plays better alongside Dykes on the rare occasions when we play two up top. If I was playing a lone frontman, as Clarke seems to prefer with McGinn and either Christie or Armstrong supporting, I'd pick Dykes ahead of Adams. Adams finishing, at least with his feet, is far better than Dykes though. I'd have fancied Adams more than Dykes in that one on one last night. I'd agree the support is more crucial, and I think there's an argument actually for both Dykes and Adams supported by just McGinn but it's not Clarke's way and it's certainly not going to happen against the likes of Spain. Personally I think Christie's gone backwards over the last year or so. I'd have Armstrong comfortably ahead of him and I was surprised at that pick last night though Christie did play well on the night. I thought he was poor when he came on against Cyprus though.

Yeah, this to an extent. I'm not all that taken with Adams. He's decent and his finishing is certainly better than Dykes, he's probably slightly quicker, but he doesn't add that much else. Dykes gets us up the park better, links better and offers something defending set pieces that Adams doesn't. I'm biased but I'd pick Dykes ahead of Adams. Either way though, not a chance either is a "stick on". And McTominay was on the bench as recently as Saturday! He's had a fantastic game and a bit and personally I'd try to get him in every team but he's hardly a "stick on". Gunn made his debut on Saturday. He's not a "stick on" either and if Gordon is back to full fitness next season and wants to continue his Scotland career I'd have him ahead of Gunn any day. Gilmour was a stick on to everybody 12 months ago, he's not even got on the pitch in this double header. I'd say the only absolute certainties are Robertson, Tierney, McGinn and McGregor. And probably Hanley who I think has started every single game he's been available for in Clarke's time. Throw in Gordon with the caveats above (returns to full fitness and wants to play). The right backs are interchangeable, there are about half a dozen options for 3rd centre back though it's probably between Hendrie, Porteous and McKenna at the moment, the strikers are interchangeable. Christie and Armstrong are interchangeable and there's about 4 or 5 options for the other central midfield slot alongside McGregor (McTominay, Jack, Gilmour, even Ferguson).

Similarly my son is now 13 and whilst old enough to have seen Scotland lose regularly, hasn't really experienced the truly awful parts of it. Especially in terms of actually going. He's only recently been deemed old enough to actually go to the midweek fixtures in Glasgow so last night was only his 4th Scotland game in person, three of which were in the last few months (Ukraine (the playoff, not the Nations League shoeing), Cyprus and now Spain). Brilliant to have him with me last night though and for him to see Hampden under the lights genuinely bouncing.

Who is Peter Reid? Nobody mentioned Billy Houliston yet? The only striker to actually get a Scotland cap with us. I'm not sure, much as I liked him, that Connor Shields whose run of unplayable form fundamentally lasted about 6 - 8 weeks would be anywhere near a list of our top strikers ever mind you. Similarly Ruari Paton. Good player, I'd love him to stay at least another year, top 5 ever? Not a chance. Top 10? No. Top 20? Probably not. Given who brought the point up though no idea why anyone's taking it seriously.

As he'd been down 3 times in the 5 or 6 mins before he was subbed I think it's pretty clear it was injury.

I was in the stadium, almost right in line with it, albeit in the South Stand pretty far away from it. I thought at the time he threw an arm at Porro and was going off. I've now seen the replay and completely agree it's never a red but at the time I thought he'd got away with one.

08/03/16 - Dick Campbell (Arbroath) 04/12/16 - Stewart Petrie (Montrose) 02/06/17 - Peter Murphy (Annan Athletic) 01/10/17 - Gavin Price (Elgin City, caretaker initially, officially confirmed 12/10/17) 08/11/18 - Robbie Horn (Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic) 18/06/20 - Callum Davidson (St Johnstone) 21/06/20 - Robbie Neilson (Heart of Midlothian) 26/11/20 - David Martindale (Livingston) (Caretaker initially, officially confirmed 21/12/20) 26/05/21 - Malky Mackay (Ross County) 29/05/21 - Stevie Farrell (Dumbarton) 01/06/21 - Billy Dodds (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) 04/06/21 - Jamie Hamill (Stranraer) 10/06/21 - Ange Postecoglou (Celtic) 20/12/21 - Darren Young (Stirling Albion) 21/12/21 - Dougie Imrie (Morton) 04/01/22 - Derek McInnes (Kilmarnock) 07/01/22 - Lee Bullen (Ayr United) 21/02/22 - Brian Rice (Alloa Athletic) 22/02/22 - Stephen Robinson (St Mirren) 24/03/22 - Alan Maybury (Edinburgh City) (Caretaker initially, officially confirmed 19/05/22) 25/03/22 - Owen Coyle (Queen's Park) 04/05/22 - John McGlynn (Falkirk) 19/05/22 - Lee Johnson (Hibernian) 24/05/22 - Ian Murray (Raith Rovers) 24/05/22 - James McPake (Dunfermline Athletic) 26/05/22 - Rhys McCabe (Airdrieonians) 08/06/22 - John Potter (Kelty Hearts) 08/06/22 - Gary Bowyer (Dundee) 23/06/22 - John Rankin (Hamilton Academical) (caretaker initially, confirmed 28/06/22) 25/09/22 - Greig McDonald (East Fife) (Caretaker initially, confirmed 25/10/22) 07/11/22 - Jim Duffy (Clyde) 10/11/22 - Ray McKinnon (Forfar Athletic) 28/11/22 - Michael Beale (Rangers) 03/01/23 - Gary Naysmith (Stenhousemuir) 05/01/23 - Paul Hartley (Cove Rangers) 08/01/23 - Marvin Bartley (Queen of the South) 11/02/23 - Stuart Kettlewell (Motherwell) (Caretaker initially, confirmed 22/02/23) 12/02/23 - Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) (caretaker initially, confirmed 03/03/23) 01/03/23 - Jim Goodwin (Dundee United) 28/03/23 - Sandy Clark (Albion Rovers) Vacant - Aberdeen (Jim Goodwin sacked 28/01/23, Barry Robson in caretaker charge) Vacant - Peterhead (David Robertson sacked 21/03/23, Ryan Strachan & Jordon Brown in caretaker charge) Updated for appointment of Sandy Clark at Albion Rovers.

Ball wasn't in play so it wouldn't have been a free kick to Scotland in any circumstances. If Porro had taken a Samurai sword and beheaded him we wouldn't have got a free kick.

Nah, we'd have scored again. McSauce is overdue.

Where are you seeing £6? That's not a price for anything these days. If you are a non disabled pensioner then the price is £10. There's no 'cash gate' but there is a ticket office in the QoS Arena (behind the home end of the ground) where you can buy a printed QR code for cash on the day if you insist. It is much quicker and easier to buy online though. And don't travel via Edinburgh!

Yeah this basically. If QP get promoted I'd be shocked if they are NOT playing at the big Hampden. They certainly won't be playing at Lesser Hampden. It's simply not big enough even outwith the OF games. I don't see a problem with it to be honest. The only thing would be as you say, in the interests of equity, they need to play ALL their games there if they play any. Can't be playing the odd game at Lesser Hampden except in emergency circumstances (Hampden in use for something else, concert or Scotland international, or cup semi finals or whatever).

"everyone's favourites for relegation"