craigkillie

This could be one of the worst cameos of all time from Costelloe here.

He's a bit too old to be getting huge money but it would be the right time for him to make a move.

That's 5-0. Fraserburgh 2-0 up now too so it's going to be a three-way fight on Saturday.

He has been one of the best midfielders in the league this season.

Buckie 3-0 up at half-time, only 2 behind Brechin now. Fraserburgh 0-0 and will be out of the race unless they score.

I agree with that, but I think you still expect them to be playing with more intensity even if they're being shut out of the game.

Rangers have been absolute horseshit here, and also aren't exactly playing like a team desperately chasing a title.

Isn't Cairney a sitting midfielder who would just be a worse version of at least four guys we already have in that position (McGregor, Gilmour, McLean, Christie)?

I was watching the Ukraine "away" highlights from the last Nations League campaign and had forgotten that he started that game alongside Dykes in attack. It wasn't that long ago. He also started that Turkey friendly in November 2022.

Bon Accord were from Aberdeen, Shotts Bon Accord are a totally different club.

I would have gone for Fraser or some similar attacking option as part of our expanded 26 even if Ferguson had been available. The issues at RWB should also point towards bringing him in given it's a position he's played for us before in this system. I think we still want another attacking player to replace Ferguson though (assuming the increase to 26 is confirmed).

You're right it's not theoretically done, but the chances were reduced to next to zero after Airdrie beat the Pars at the weekend.

The highest aggregate score across a season is St Mirren 21-17 Airdrieonians in 1955/56. The 6 games that season finished: St Mirren 3-2 Airdrie (League Cup group) Airdrie 2-4 St Mirren (League Cup group) St Mirren 7-2 Airdrie (League) Airdrie 4-4 St Mirren (Scottish Cup) St Mirren 1-3 Airdrie (Scottish Cup replay) Airdrie 4-2 St Mirren (League)

The somewhat underwhelming answer is that it is Arbroath's 36 in their one match against Bon Accord, with second highest being Dundee Harp's 35 against Aberdeen Rovers on the same day. The next highest after that is 26, set by Celtic against Partick Thistle in 1968/69. Here's a full list of teams scoring 20 or more goals against a single opponent in a season: 36 - Arbroath v Bon Accord (1885/86 - 1 game) 35 - Dundee Harp v Aberdeen Rovers (1885/86 - 1 game) 26 - Celtic v Partick Thistle (1968/69 - 6 games) 25 - Celtic v Aberdeen (1999/00 - 5 games) 23 - Rangers v Dunfermline Athletic (2002/03 - 7 games) 23 - Gretna v Albion Rovers (2004/05 - 4 games) 22 - Albion Rovers v East Stirlingshire (2003/04 - 4 games) 21 - Cowlairs v Victoria (1889/90 - 1 game) 21 - Hibernian v St Mirren (1950/51 - 6 games) 21 - St Mirren v Airdrieonians (1955/56 - 6 games) 21 - Albion Rovers v East Stirlingshire (1956/57 - 3 games) 21 - Hearts v Queen's Park (1957/58 - 4 games) 21 - Ayr United v Montrose (1958/59 - 4 games) 21 - Dunfermline v Third Lanark (1964/65 - 7 games) 21 - Queen of the South v Montrose (1964/65 - 4 games) 21 - Montrose v Albion Rovers (1994/95 - 5 games) 21 - Rangers v Dunfermline Athletic (1996/97 - 5 games) 21 - Stenhousemuir v East Stirlingshire (2005/06 - 5 games) 21 - Celtic v Aberdeen (2010/11 - 5 games) 21 - Rangers v Motherwell (2010/11 - 5 games) 20 - Arbroath v Orion (1886/87 - 1 game) 20 - Hearts v Clyde (1891/92 - 3 games) 20 - Hibernian v Falkirk (1950/51 - 4 games) 20 - Motherwell v Dundee United (1953/54 - 4 games) 20 - Third Lanark v Alloa (1953/54 - 4 games) 20 - Airdrieonians v East Fife (1957/58 - 4 games) 20 - Hearts v Third Lanark (1958/59 - 4 games) 20 - Hearts v Falkirk (1963/64 - 6 games) 20 - St Johnstone v Partick Thistle (1969/70 - 4 games) 20 - Stirling Albion v Selkirk (1984/85 - 1 game) 20 - Celtic v Hearts (2000/01 - 6 games) 20 - Celtic v Dundee United (2012/13 - 5 games) 20 - Celtic v Dundee United (2014/15 - 7 games) (All of these figures only include national competitions, and exclude wartime football)

He has 2 starts and 12 sub appearances in the league for a total of 355 minutes, 1 start and 1 sub appearance in the cup for a total of 90 minutes, and 2 starts and 5 sub appearances in Europe for a total of 223 minutes. So I make it 6 starts, 18 sub appearances and 668 minutes in total for their first team. He also started 7 full games for their B team in the second tier but that's not quite the level we're looking for here.

I think Johnston was mainly in the squad because he was suspended for the U21s anyway. He's barely getting a game at Sturm Graz so he's still a little bit away from being ready.

Armstrong plays wing-back a fair bit for us, but he's not necessarily that great defensively - not that it's an issue for some of the others we've used there. He's probably just a wee bit short of the level required for this Scotland team though - I have no doubt Clarke would love him as a player in terms of his attitude and he does have ability, but he's a very good Premiership attacker and that's probably it.

That might all be true, but he did have those injuries and he didn't have a good Scotland career.

Phillips was rarely anything other than rubbish for Scotland and Bannan did us a turn but was mostly a decent Championship level player in his later days. The point is the difference between that and the attacking midfield options we have now.

I feel like they'd have been hoping to be ahead of Brechin on goal difference out of these two games, but it's looking like they might not be. Not convinced Brechin will win both games, nor am I convinced Buckie definitely will at the weekend right enough.

I'm not suggesting he should be called up, but in any other era over the last 10 years or so Armstrong probably would be in the squad by now, given the consistent numbers he's been putting in over the last two years. He's just a bit unlucky that he's up against the likes of McTominay, McGinn, Christie etc for the attacking roles in our team rather than Matt Phillips and Barry Bannan or whatever.

Dundee played Rangers at Tannadice in 1999 because they were doing work on their stand. Gretna played Celtic at Almondvale in 2008 because of the state of the pitch at Fir Park.

Probably because he's just sticking some stuff in a spreadsheet and doesn't actually have to consult with 12 clubs, broadcasters and the police.

To be fair, there were fairly credible media suggestions previously that behind closed doors options were being explored for the Motherwell and Rangers games. The idea of Dundee v Motherwell being played at Airdrie with no fans was definitely floated by some, and Motherwell's CEO seemed to suggest it had been brought to the table. That would have been ludicrous, but I have no idea whether the idea had proper legs.