Dundee Hibernian

Lord Sutch is credited, in some quarters, as producing the worst album of all time (Heavy Friends), a 1998 BBC Poll gave it top position as an example. But it's actually a great piece of vinyl, in my view. So all a matter of (poor) taste, really. Look at the line-up, Page, Bonham, Beck, Redding and Hopkins. From the first track to the last, it's a stormer! As an aside, Sutch sort of conned these artists into playing for him, telling them they were helping with demos, then released the album without their knowledge. For me, Robbie Williams has consistently produced pish, but tomorrow I might choose someone else as the worst musical act of all time.

Although not my favourite artist or band, the best musical act for me is David Bowie. Continually reinvented himself, always ahead of the curve and important in reviving other musical careers for the likes of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Ian Hunter/Mott the Hoople. Not just for his music, he also presented great shows realising the importance of visual performance as an aspect of musical theatre. Over and above his vocals, he was multi skilled with various instruments, and changed the pattern of rock music.

Depends on which year and which clubs, perhaps. There were a few freak seasons where Hearts, Hibernian and the new Rangers were probably better performing entities on the park than clubs in the top half of the Premiership. And this season a few clubs with decent financial advantages over others have underachieved. Something that never can be proven anyway.

Ruby Wedding next year, still have the suit I wore to get married. But predating that, I've got older football scarves and stuff, and the ubiquitous leather jacket. Suit doesn't fit me, waist I can squeeze into, but something must happen to your chest and shoulders when you get old. Certainly, you shrink, but it's like the extra pressure knocks your shoulders outwards. And the neck.......

Stumbled onto this topic, and having left teaching in the 'noughties, I'm unsurprised to read of the tribulations being suffered in many schools. Taking the simple ‘phones’ example, when the issues began to arise, I think in the late ‘90s, a general suggestion was that new builds could be constructed in a manner to block mobile reception: whether by accident or design, hospitals built then and since often appear to prevent mobile use unless signed into their networks. Also, mobile blockers and jammers were being used in US schools, a proposition which may be illegal in the UK. My point: any solution or proposal to the issue of mobile use was always countered by some staff, with arguments based on pupil freedom, technological advances and the future usefulness of mobile devices. Almost always, the supporters of pupil mobile use were those who spent least, or no timetabled involvement with classes. Anyone who countered that point of view were branded Luddites who had little interest in advancing their teaching horizons, and the future experiences of pupils. And here we are. On another issue @Salvo Montalbano mentioned, a couple of months ago, 'lapping', a wonderful term for pupils wandering the school corridors. This was never an issue when I started in teaching in schools in the 'seventies, as senior staff including the HT did their own form of lapping, hoovering up miscreants who weren't in class by choice or as they'd been ejected from rooms for antisocial behaviour. I doubt this happens to any great extent nowadays, as towards the end of my time in schools, there were many more qualified teaching staff in schools who didn't actually teach, but spent time in their own office spaces, or attended meetings, or were on courses or long term secondments.

Happy for Chris Mochrie getting the decisive goal yesterday in a match which didn't like up to expectations, and good to see Archie Meekison rush on to the pitch at the end to congratulate him. Nonetheless, I can't see many opportunities for the pair next season at Tannadice, but hope I'm wrong. Big changes on the way, I suspect.

Clearly, that's not what I've written. No mention of appeals from me, and if you think the board at Parkhead are in agreement with the "sentiments" expressed by some Celtic fans in song and deed, you've been living on the moon.

It is that simple: if either of the two OF clubs went to court to argue against a football authority charge which involved sectarian behaviour, as soon as they took such an action it would underline what we all know. That is, both clubs rely on bigots in a large way for their incomes. And these two know it.

It doesn't matter what the courts can't agree on: the SPFL/SFA can impose penalties on clubs as and when they see fit. They're shit scared to do so in the case of the Glasgow Twins.

I'm thinking you mean Ross Docherty, but it'd be good to get a fee for Goodwin.

You should find unconfirmed information here: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dundee-united-fc/kader/verein/1519/saison_id/2023/plus/1 Beware: Birighitti is still on the list.

I hope supporters don't do a pitch invasion in the event of a home win. Leaving aside the wee embarrassment in doing that, it may prevent players from getting a deserved applause from the fans. But on the plus side, if numbers do go on the pitch, it'll be easier to get out the ground and into the pub.

The Liverpool link is tenuous at best, a stats company has made a calculation and contacted the media, I doubt Liverpool's owners FSG have any involvement in this tale.

A couple more: really emotional day.

A few photos from today

UK00002264673 is the Old Firm trademark with Celtic and the present Rangers registered as joint owners at the Intellectual Property Office (02/03/2021).

Going to this game with huge anticipation: just in case, I'll also make sure I get to the Elgin match. If the Warriors can keep up the uncertain form should the Bonnyrigg game on 27th be pencilled in too? Ref for Saturday appears to be Ryan Lee, who has covered 4 Warriors' games this season, 3 wins (Stranraer away, and home wins v Forfar and Dumbarton), and the game nobody went to, a defeat against a B side in the Challenge Cup.

I've been on the other side of Australia: is your side really boring?

Dens and Tannadice earlier this month viewed from Main Street looking over the site of the Bowbridge Jute Works. From 1927, aerial view of the Bowbridge Jute Works with Dens and Tannadice uppermost.

Was very confident prior to the games, more so when I saw the team selection from Raith....(why was Hamilton not playing instead of Rudden, or Byrne instead of Turner?) but when I noted McClelland was making a debut appearance inside young Thomson, my bravado took a wee knock, and I feel if Rovers had got an early goal United may well have collapsed. Watt changed that with his fine finish, and I don't think United really looked in any danger after that. In other matches, Raith had impressed me with their midfield performances, but that was missing today. Often this season, I've criticised Goodwin for overthinking team choices, but it appears Murray was the guilty party this afternoon. Nonetheless, Goodwin was forced into playing an unfamiliar defence, and that turned out to be to United's advantage: no fannying about at the back from Ross Graham and Sam McClelland.

What a laugh when I saw this on the telly. I know both these guys.

I doubt he is, given several previous posts he made. To the game: if I was anybody but a United fan, I'd be wanting Rovers to win this, in the same way I rooted for QP, Arbroath and dare I say it, Dundee, over the last 3 seasons.

A good bit earlier in this thread, folk were shooting down the possibility of Police Scotland having any say in operational issues at Tannadice, even although every single game in the SPFL has to have an appointed 'Event Policing Lead'. The more high profile the match, the more the police will get involved in advance. It's easier than catching criminals. I've little doubt you'll get shot down for writing this, so I'll emphasise it needn't have turned out this way, as United could have foreseen the end of the season could have placed demands on the capacity limits they've contributed to by their decision to close off the Fair Play Stand.

Agree with @Tannadeechee above, nonetheless I've spoken to fans who have sat behind Goodwin at away games, and contrary to the majority view that he's negative and does little during matches to influence players and the game, they insist he is positive, coaxing the team forward, encouraging faster movement on the ball, and talking specific players through the game. I've not witnessed that, and don't think Goodwin will ultimately be at Tannadice for long, yet there's no reason, you'd think, for these fans to make this up.

Looked back at his timeline: Derek Stark was eventually forced to quit due to persistent knee problems over the whole of his final season, 83-84. A cartilage cyst finally ended his football career. He had looked to join the police a couple of seasons earlier, and left the club briefly, but had then signed his first full time contract in 1982. Stark had signed as a 16 year old in 1975, and remained part time, working as a coachbuilder until 1981.