Kejan

First trip to Gayfield in about 18 months, live outwith Scotland, but was great to be back! The stadium is looking brilliant, tbh. Making hay whilst the sun shines. Don't think we can have any complaints about the result, just sickening to lose it like that right at the end! But some of those subs from DC! I think Hoti did OK when he came on, would have been great if that dip he took went in. Oakley was superb, baffled why he was subbed off and what was the fuss about - seen him getting riled up with a Cove player? Shanks did alright, but no use playing him up on his own. McKenna was very good yesterday ; TOB was fine as well. Fosu fair gets stuck in! Still time, and we can beat anyone on our day ; but so gutting leaving Gayfield at 1-1 knowing it's still 5 pts and not 2 between us! I think I counted 67 Cove fans! Is that a record low for an away support?! Tempted now to go to Firhill next week! Not been to an away game in about 5 years Megginson was excellent, definitely could player at a higher level? Or is he like Rory McAllister and happy in the lower leagues?

I would be interested to hear more about this, but no stress etc ; as I think I probably am exactly the same. I'm undiagnosed ADHD, too but haven't even thought/bothered to see if I should get tested. Was there a lightbulb moment for the ADHD or always thought it?!

Hi, I'm sorry you are feeling this way. Not to make it all about me, but for the last 6 months have been extremely hard for me. Everything was shite! Even my interests were shite, watching the football was a chore and mind not even caring about Ukraine pumping us in that WC qualifier in May. A few folk had encouraging stuff to say, but I couldn't do it - I felt too bad physically and mentally to even care. A few things happened, and I realised how bad I felt inside myself and very, very slowly started pushing myself. Covid, isolation, a job for 3 years where you met 1 co-worker (and then it was to change shifts, maybe a 15 min chat) had turned me in to a negative, bitter, pretty much recluse. I just thought f**k it! It took time, and I'm very grateful to some of the pals who supported me throughout this period. I am not saying I know how you feel because I don't, I can't imagine losing your sister and the bond you had with her. How active is your social life? Is there any clubs or sports you could join? Maybe a bit of a cliché, but since turning the corner a wee bit I've started to try and be kinder to be people and I'm geniuenly optimistic again after seeing the reactions. I think social media, smart phones etc has turned us a bit insular as well. Feel free to PM me anytime, and I hope you are doing OK. Fast forward to us winning that Nations League Group and beating Ukraine and (not just the fitba) but small improvements and I'm feeling so much better. So there is hope! In May I was miserable, I almost didn't go to a very good friend's wedding - I just didn't want to go, looked and felt shite and lethargic. My brain is now working again, probably too much for friends, family and co-workers ; but I don't know what I am trying to say, but no joke, 12-15 weeks ago I felt absolute shite ; and whilst I'm not ''recovered'' or anything, I'm a lot better place by taking small steps. I wish you all the best, and please keep posting. Take care of yourself, and again more cliché, but I'm learning to ''love'' myself, I ken its a bit much for a Scot to say all that, but honestly I think just accepting YOU as who you are - the good, the bad and the ugly and then focussing on the things you don't feel you do well or feel well about, start thinking about what you can change there. Wee small steps.

I agree, great point. The Live/Laugh folk whilst their intentions are good, saying that to someone with mental illness, is pretty insulting. My issue has always been social anxiety (I think) being jittery in public and my brain over-thinking just random, nonsense that no one even cares about. Again, it's a bit of a cliché but most folk won't even notice your quirks unless you're a nutter, and even if they do, they've got their own demons too. I think most people to swing between that mildy miserable to mildy happy, with hopefully a few more moments of total joy rather than misery in between. Maybe my initial post was a bit, YOLO etc ; but its coming from a social anxiety perspective mostly - aka what the féck was I worrying about! I used to get stressed in rush hour traffic, and cutting between lines. Its almost like I've somehow (told) my brain to shut all this stuff right down, and take calmer, slower decisions. A lot easier said than done ; but for anyone who's wanting to rid themselves of a fair bit of anxiety, try something bold-ish every day. Don't go mental or that, but if you see a friendly puss smiling at you, say Hi and most of the time they'll smile back or say Hi. It's only RBC/Hemoglobin that dips, oh, ferritin too - the docs say the rest of blood work etc is fine. I've done the ''protocol'' of what to look for in IDA, and they still don't know. Maybe an Endocrinologist next? They've not given me any ways of testing how I am, but that could be done the line? I think they were half-hoping something showed up in the CT scan (I've had 2 colonscopies ; 1 gastroscopy ; pill cam scopy and now a CT scan) so I think they're a bit stumped. Warm wishes to your mother. Like most things, if you don't suffer or experience it but low hemoglobin is exhausting, even just 10 steps can have you panting away and not to boast, but I do/try to walk at least 50 miles a week (used to run, but that's on the backburner for now). All the best, and thanks for the advice!

Great posts you twa Bairns I'll reply to you later on Welshie, but appreciate your post and hope your mum is OK. 38/94 all good to me, I'm actually 39, feeling so good I'm shaving years of my age

I know this might fall on deaf ears to folk who are struggling, but after a hellish 18 months of ongoing iron problems - don't seem to know what it is ; keep losing iron/needing IVs. Had scopies, CT scan, gluten/b12/celiac etc tests and its still an on going process - but I geniuenly thought I was on the way out in the summer. Still don't hae a clue what is wrong with me, but I've just stopped worrying about what you cannot control now! And its so intoxicating! I've just decided to not to worry about life. Look at people in their day to day lifes - no one of us have a clue what we are doing. I'm not saying be a dick, but be a good person. Although easier said that done, a lot of folk were saying to me in the summer, just forget about life etc and enjoy it ; and I finally am. But it can be a huge slog at times, its tiring, hard work, many jobs are pish and co-workers can at times be either great or absolute cuntos (most are good). How the f**k am I only realising this at 38. And see the ones that aren't blagging it, and think they are the bees! They are usually boring as f**k too. Don't give a shite about anyone you don't like ; don't know or cannot be fecked with - be polite though ; and love yourself - and the ones who care for you. A bit new age hippy etc, and a lot easier said that done - aka be happy but I think for the last 10 years I've been a bit passive about life, and its wild, opening your eyes are realising its no bad at all and also, life is a lot more fun when you are happy. No idea if this will be any use, but for anyone with social anxiety/issues about being perceived, speaking a second language too. Do what you can and if you are confident, honestly people will come to you! Again hard to do, and it took me to think I was dying to realise that life is so silly to be worrying about what some c**t down the road thinks of you. I aslo don't want to be the overly happy/too happy guy ; a happy medium I hope but right now the last few weeks have been some of the best days of my life. And to anyone not feeling it right now, it can get better! It will! It's scary pushing yourself a bit if you've been a bit subdued etc ; but honestly, just laugh - look at people - we are all winging it!

Starting to worry, tbh. I thought this would be a hard year, but we need to be doing a lot better than that. Lots of the singings, especially the English loans (most of them) are really paniced and don't seem to be working out. Still time, and the league is a midden so we can beat anyone on our day - and still love DC, but definitely needs some blame for decision making of late.

Some of these signings seem pretty desperate. Let's see how the next few games go, but I'll take 8th right now.

Any of those would be great ; he needs away from Chelsea yesterday.

MotherLOL.

Hate the BTC Maxi crew, but even as an altcoin person, genuine want to see all of us to do well in this, but the Saylor 21k pish will be funny to see him spin it. Sure everyone is, but if not be ready for the "Heard yer Bitcoins were doon, mate".

Cue the Clarke slavers.

LOLZ

Bobby Linn is and always will be an Arbroath legend!

Pretty gutted. To have followed these last few seasons has been an absolute pleasure, I don't know if I will ever see anything like this ever again! The squad is decent though and if it can stick together and add a few gems of signings like DC has a recent history of doing for us, then who knows, we might have a great chance of the playoffs again next season, but to see Gayfield absolutely hoaching, huge interest in the club not just locally, and with tons of new and older fans returning through the turnstile together - probably not seen since the McGrain days? They started my interest in the team, this team will be doing the same for hundreds of people too ; and even if this surge in gate numbers is temporary the money made from it is going towards the future of the team. Every single Arab or Dee I've met in recent years (after a drink) always admit they LOVE Arbroath too, and the thought of playing against Dundee again (and beating them!) along with a possible chance to win away at McDiarmid (hope ICT go up, tbh but think Saints will waltz it over two legs)is exciting enough. Another season in the Championship? f**k, Aye!

A very good start from us (Arbroath) but never really troubled Ridgers (I've seen us put three past him before and him take banter in good spirit) barring that Low freekick. ICT look disjointed the times I've seen us play them, they finished a clear third not down to any proper real winning form, just the rest were all shite. Near the end though, I was happy to take a draw though and Gaston made 2 excellent saves to keep it a draw. Roll on Friday! Thinking extra time, penalties maybe? Anyhoos cannae wait and great going in to a final for both of us optimist about going through. Decent number of Arbroath fans and I thought they had a fair amount of noise on my shitty wee stream, great to hear Lichtie chants just on TV even.

Is it not their best ever local election result too?

Sammy The Red is biling and calling the Alliance Party a smallnationalist party.

From what I've seen SF - no doubt a very good and historic result for them. Similar to the SNP's win in 2007, it is a bit of a historic moment and tbh, if there is a new NI executive. DUP - some predictions on the radio earlier have them ending up 23-25 seats, and SF on 29. So, not the humping that some polls predicted (I'm sure I seen them on 13, 14, 16% in 2022 polls at one point) but they've definitely lost a lot of votes. Alliance - the 'big' winners of this election, looking like they'll double their seats! Massive and I'm sure they won councillors in areas in Derry, Fermanagh in the recent NI council elections and seem to be quite popular with younger/Reddit types (along with SF) Most of their vote is from liberal protestants, but they have a growing number of fans and voters from nationalist areas. A few more votes in Derry for them and a DUP-gained vote in Carrickfergus is probably good for any future form of northern Ireland. UUP - again, don't know enough ; but I think Mike Nisbet and Doug Beattie are decent guys and sadly it seems not to be clicking with unionism, as their vote just seems to get worse every election. Heard a bit of Jeffrey Donaldson blethering on about shared unionist candidates etc in areas where DUP/UUP battles are both losing, managed decline really, like the Scottish Lib Dems really. SDLP - seemed to gain those 2 lost Westminster seats to SF, and their excuse this time seems to be their vote has temporarily gone to SF for the historic moment of her potentially being FM. Don't think it is, tbh ; like the UUP their vote seems to slip every Stormont poll. Both seen as the softer version of SF/DUP ; a think a lot of young nationalists who aren't that fussed by a united Ireland are probably even going for Alliance or the Greens over them. TUV - I'm going to see if someone will take my punt of the TUV being the biggest unionist party in Ireland in 15 years. As the SDLP and UUP lose small n's and u's to the Alliance and Greens ; the TUV are gaining the disgruntled ex DUP vote in big numbers. They've got a chance of getting 3 MLAs ; they've only ever had one who looks a bit like a healthier-living Alan Brazil, a bit like Farage under UKIP? But a good 20-30% chunk of the DUP vote has gone to them!

A guy I know quite well, is from a very nationalist area of Derry, although lives in Belfast (after a wee spell in Scotland)and is now both a GAA and Northern Irish fitba team (as his first Irish side! He supports both).

NI, I hardly knew ye ; but Chris Donnelly now looks like a less glamorous Jim Cornett!

Mary Lou looks like a character from Arthur. Wonder if a bookie will take my punt - TUV will be the biggest unionist party in Ireland by 2035?

Salmond said that when he lost his seat in 2019?!

Interesting. I think the DUP will come second but if Alliance can do it, would be interesting and funny to see the William Orangeman types